~Viking Ship~
Soft music flowed into the air, the ship rocked gently against the sea, the sun giving it's warm glow. Odin has blessed this voyage. Raven was sitting on the rail playing on her wooden flute while Bjarke lay in between her legs listening. "Land Ho!" a viking man called. He rang the bell and everyone came up on deck to see this beautiful land. Raven stopped playing and Bjarke got up to look. "Tell me what it looks like? Bjarke?" Raven tried to grab Bjarke's arm but all she grabbed was thin air, he abandoned her to have a closer look.
She sighed and looked ahead, seeing only black. How she envied to see the beauty of things. "Ruffnut, Tuffnut, scout ahead with Fishleg to see if there are any enemies or traps lying before us when we dock." Astrid ordered. "You got it Hoff." Tuffnut smirked, using the old silly nickname. Ruffnut smirked as well and got on their dragons and joined Fishleg and Meatlug. Astrid crouched down to the level of her children and touched each of their cheeks. "Go with them on Stormfly. Keep hidden and stay low." she instructed. They both nodded and they two joined the dragon riders. Astrid got up and looked at the rest of her men and women. "Soldiers of Berk! Are you ready to fight?"
"Yeah!"
"Are you ready to plunder?!"
"Yeah!"
"Are you ready to enter Valhalla!"
"YEAH!"
Everyone pounded their shields with their axes, ready to fight the French and become rich beyond measure. After that they docked on the beach across the French border with the help of the dragon riders. They went in formation into the countryside, none seeing the pagien invaders. The viking company spotted a lone church. Astrid made them hult and watched. There were a couple of nuns cleaning laundry while the rest were inside. There was not much nor any security from what Astrid can see. "We'll camp here tonight." she announced, everyone started to set up camp but not Raven. Raven has other plans. While the vikings of Burk were busy laying about a plan for attack, the nun's continue to do their work peacefully especially Fiona, a new of a few months into the order, she had beautiful blue eyes and freckles on her pale face and if her hair wasn't covered it was the colour of wildfire. A mix of red and orange colliding in harmony. Beside her scrubbing away in a wooden filled tub was Arthur.
Arthur was a 23 year old priest in training and was only in for his first mouth in the church when he met Fiona. It was love at first sight, but he knew that it was against the rules to love or lay with a woman. Also she is a rich merchant's daughter sent to the church until she finds a suitable husband.But he couldn't help himself so with every chance he took he would help her with the chores, just for an excuse to be near her, and pray that one day she will find someone to take care of her when he couldn't.
"You're very good at this father Arthur ." Fiona praised. Arthur blushed and silently continued scrubbing away at the undergarment. Fiona smirked and splashed little trickles of water on his face. He was always so shy with her that she tried to find a way for him to open up. Arthur spluttered and looked at Fiona in shock. "My lady!" He smirked and splashed water right back at her. She squeaked and a small water fight broke out against the two. The other nuns shook their heads at the sight of those two. "Fiona!" a young, dashing night came on galloping towards the church on his pure white stallion. Fiona and Aurther looked up in shock, not understanding why the King's guard was visiting this lone church. The night stopped in front of them and dismounted, taking off his silver helm to reveal a handsome man with the same red hair as Fiona's and same blue eyes. "Brother!" completely ignoring the landry and Aurthr she got up and ran into her brother's arms. "Qu'est-ce qui vous amène ici, cher frère?" she asked. "Ma sœur bien-aimée, notre père m'a envoyé te chercher. D'ici demain, vous serez une épouse." Aurthr felt his stomach drop. Fiona looked at her brother in bewilderment. "Que veux-tu dire?" her brother released her from his embrace with a grin. "Notre père vous a trouvé un match! Il est noble et fait partie de la cour du roi! Vous serez riche et pris en charge." Fiona smiled and hugged her brother with all her might. While Aurther was sitting frozen, gutted by the fact that he will lose his love sooner than he thought.
Fiona and her brother laughed in pure happiness. She finally let go and ran to Aurthr in pure joy. "Is it wonderful! I will be married to a noble! Oh I better go pack." she quickly gave Aurthr a hug and ran straight to her room. So blinded by her happiness she didn't even see his pain and despair in his eyes. Her brother, Sir. Claude looked at Aurther with pity. He knows that his sister and this priest had grown close with each other and that it must be painful to see her leave. He walked up to him and patted him on the shoulder. "Cheer up kind priest, you should be happy for her. She will live a happy life and under your protection and by the grace of our Lord she will be pure on this path." This was true. Arthur knew that all too well, since he was scrawny and weak and couldn't possibly give her the life she deserved. "You'll see her off in the morning yes?" Claude asked. Arthur only nodded, not brave enough to voice his reply.
While the church was dealing with their lives, the vikings were on the outside of the nunnery scouting. And wondering how they were going to attack. Astrid and the rest of her army were busy scouting while at camp the rest of the company sharpened their axes, ready their armour, and cooked the fish that the dragons caught to refuel their energy. "General, do you have a plan on how we proceed?" Tuffnut scoffed. "We don't need a plan. The churches are always vulnerable and never have anyone to guard it. Like taking candy from a baby." the rest of the company laughed, knowing from enough experience that this was true. Astrid nodded. Zephyr looked around nervously, being this her first raid and all. She didn't even want to be here in the first place but she could never tell her mother that. Nuffink was placed on Tuffnut's shoulder to get a better look, since he was so small. "But what about that man? He's not dressed like the rest of them." he pointed to Claude. "Well spotted my son. I only see one of him, but we will move with caution." everyone nodded in agreement. Before they go back to their camp Nuffink spotted a beautiful white flower and thought of Raven. He smiled and slid down Tuffnut's shoulders and grabbed a few of them. Tuffnut smirked. "Getting those for your girlfriend?" Nuffink blushed while his sister lightly shoved his shoulder playfully. "Oh, shut up."
Back at the camp, everyone was feasting while others played instruments to pass the time. Raven was one of the players, soft tunes from her flute flowed around the camp. The one and only time do people appreciate the blind girl. Astrid and them joined the group quietly while Nuffink walked shyly to Raven with the flowers. After the final few notes, Raven lowered the flute from her lips and caught a faint sweet smell. "H-Hi Raven, I got you these." Nuffink stuck out the flowers in front of her face while his face was turned away from her with a dust of red on his cheeks. Raven gasped at the sudden strong smell of flowers but smiled at Nuffink's voice. She gently took the flowers from his hands and placed them on her lap. "You got me Lily's? Thank you Nuffink." he only nodded his head and walked away, he was so happy that she loved the flowers. Tuffnut patted Raven on the shoulder and sat down beside her. "That little guy really likes you." he teased. "He's a good one." she smiled, sniffing the flowers.
"What did you find at the church?" She asked. "Oh this will be easy! Those priests and nuns won't know what hit them!" Raven smirked at her uncle's reply. "I'll definitely bring home a head to my little brother." Ruffnut came towards Tuffnut and Raven with a sharpened axe, she threw it on the log between Tuffnut's legs. "Hey! Easy there!" Tuffnut jumped away from the axe in horror. "Stop filling my daughter's ears with lies. She will not be joining us." She growled and pulled her axe out of the log. Raven jumped up in shock and rage, the flowers falling in a hep on the cold ground. "Mother! I want to go on this raid." Ruffnut shook her head and walked away but Raven followed and Tuffnut followed from a distance. "I told you and proved that you're not ready to fight." Raven walked faster to keep up with her mother's strides. "So you would dishonour me by not letting me join in battle!? Odin will not let me enter his hall if I do not fight!" Ruffnut knew this was true but she loved her daughter too much to let her fight. Tuffnut huffed and puffed from speed walking to catch up. "Come on Sis! You know she speaks the truth. Besides this won't even be a real battle. This raid is easy." He tried convincing her.
Ruffnut stopped suddenly, causing Raven to bump into her and fall to the ground. Tuffnut ran over to help his niece. Ruffnut turned slowly with a look of pure hatred. "You are a burden to us! With your blindness will be exposed. You will only drag us down and throw our families' reputation into the dirt. You will stay here and remain here… blind girl." Raven felt like a dagger stabbed her in the heart. "Ruffnut!" Tuffnut yelled out in rage. "And you! You will make sure she stays here." Ruffnut pointed at her brother in a challenge. Tuffnut growled but didn't retort back. Ruffnut swiftly turned and left with a broken Raven. Raven shakenly got up from the ground and walked away in the other direction. Tuffnut didn't know where to turn, comfort his niece or his sister.
Raven stumbled while running to her lover's tent. She felt nothing but hate towards her mother. She knew she was a burden but when her own mother voiced her own thoughts, it hurt more than any wound she ever had. But with this particular wound… it will never heal. Bjarke was just coming out of his tent when Raven threw herself into him. "Woah! Raven? What's the matter." Raven's body quivered from silent sobs. He rubbed her back, trying to calm her. When she wouldn't reply he took her inside the tent. He made her sit down onto the furs that he made for his bed. He sat down in front of her, rubbing her arms up and down gently.
After she calmed down she shakenly held his arms and gave a squeeze. "Will you tell me what's wrong?" Bjarke asked softly. Raven only shook her head and leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "Mm!" Bjarke didn't expect that but slowly kissed her back, holding her neck and dipping her head back to deepen the kiss. She ends the kiss with a blush dusting her cheeks. Catching their breaths from the heated moment, she hugged him from his neck with all her might. "Please… sleep with me." Bjarke was dead silent, unable to hug her back. "Do you know what you ask?" Raven nodded her head into his neck. She pulled herself back and cupped his cheek. "We ride to battle tomorrow. I want to make love to you before we depart." She will disobey her mother, she will be part of this raid and there will be nothing she could do to stop her. Bjarke looked uncomfortable, knowing from listening from her mother's argument that she was not supposed to join in on this raid.
She pulled his face down towards hers and kissed him hotly on the lips. He kissed back just as hotly, pushing her down onto the furs. "Mmm...Ahhh." She moaned, wrapping her legs around his waist. He released her lips and kissed and sucked on her nape while fondling her breasts. Bjarke slowly went up her arms and held down her wrists, still distracting her with his lips. He ground his hips into her core, causing him to hiss and Raven to purr like a cat in heat. With her distracted he let go of one of her wrists and grabbed a pair of shackles. In one swift motion he shackled her wrists against the tree pole from his tent.
With a soft click he ended the make out session, looking down at Ravens shocked face, only to morph into hurt and anger at his betrayal.
Translation- What brings you here, dear brother?
-My beloved sister, our father has sent me to get you. By tomorrow you will be a bride.
-What do you mean?
-Our father has found you a match! He is a noble and part of the king's court! You will be rich and taken care of.