Chapter 8

Warning: violence

Freyja's POV

"Agnarr!" I gasped. Before I could say anything else however I noticed the another member of the pack closing in on one of the elders in the herd.

"Help them!" I nodded my head to behind me. Before the wolf could sink it's teeth into the sheep's flesh Agnarr had sliced it's head clean off. From there it only took a couple of threatening steps forward to set the rest of the pack scrambling away. Agnarr turned to me and I realized I was still on my side, panting from the adrenaline that just moments ago had been coursing through my body. I couldn't remember a time since the raid on my land, that I been more terrified.

"Are you alright?"

I started, realizing Agnarr was standing above me, his sword sheathed and his eyes keenly observing me.

"What?" I asked, shaking my head.

"Are you alright? Are you injured?" He knelt down beside me, his eyes inspecting me for any visible signs of a wound.

"I... think so." He cradled my shoulders and helped me up.

"Your bleeding."

"I am?" Looking down I noticed scarlet drops of blood hitting the ground at my feet.

"Oh I sure it's nothiiiinnggg!" I gasped, as pain coursed through my left leg when I put pressure on it to walk.

"Sit" Agnarr commanded firmly, pointing to a small boulder. Obviously in no condition to argue, I did as he asked.

"Lift your skirt up."

"Excuse me?!" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"So I can see the wound."

"Oh" I lifted my torn skirt just enough for him to see the wound, tucking the rest tighter around me just in case he tried to get a look at more than was necessary. The gash wasn't long but it was deep.

"Must've got you when he tore your dress."

"I didn't even feel it till now."

"Sometimes it the heat of battle your mind is so focused on surviving, you just feel later."

"Oh." I wished I could've come up with something more to say than just "oh."

"Agnarr where are-oh!" Two men had come around the corner, the taller one stopping in mid-sentence when he saw me and Agnarr knelt before me, both of his hands on my bare leg and my skirt torn and already pulled up far more than I was comfortable with.

"Thor have mercy Agnarr, you could've just told us you wanted to be alone" he said, barely able to suppress a giggle.

"Shut up Arn! Hand me a bit of your sleeve."

"Why?"

"Oh for the love of Frigg!" Agnarr stormed over, grasped his sleeve and ripped a large ribbon of cloth, expensive by the looks of it, from his shirt sleeve.

"That was my favorite tunic!" he protested.

"Don't worry, you can mend it." He strode back over to me and began to wrap the wound with the cloth.

"Don't" Without thinking I placed my hand over his. It was warm, muscled strong, the hand of a warrior, of one who'd spent years fighting. He gazed up at me then, his eyes slightly confused but he didn't pull his hand away and for a moment I found myself lost in the blue depths of his eyes...

"Eh hem" Arn coughed, snapping my attention back to the present.

"Sorry." I snatched my hand back as if it had touched fire.

"Don't use it for me. If it means that much to him then I won't deprive him of it."

"I'll mend it for you if you like after washing it" I said, addressing Arn this time.

"I like her. She's got some spirit. Be good for you Agnarr."

"Don't worry, Arn's always complaining about something. And Arn is it me or did you buy another one of those things just last week, with still about 30 silver pieces to spare?"

Arn suddenly found the soles of his boots very interesting, mumbling some incomprehensible words.

"That's what I thought. Now shut up and stop complaining."

Agnarr soon finished bandaging the wound.

"Can you stand?" I pushed myself from the boulder, but the moment I put pressure on the foot again, pain surged back up through my leg. I hissed in pain and sat back down, defeated.

"Come." Before I knew it Agnarr had swept me up bridal style, and I instinctively grasped around his neck to keep from falling.

"Don't worry. I've got you."

When he whispered the words, I felt a slight rumble in his chest and it took me a moment to realize he was chuckling to himself.

"Wait, someone should probably stay here with the sheep, just in case the wolves come back."

Agnarr turned to the man beside Arn. The metal collar around his neck and his short cropped blonde hair clearly marked him as a thrall, a slave.

I shuddered slightly when I saw him, if it had not been for Magni that would've been my fate as well. I imagined myself being sold at the market, treated as no more than a piece of property. The Northmen were notorious for forcing themselves on both female and male thralls, especially if they were captives from raids. Female prisoners of war like me who were proclaimed good looking however were treated quite well, Magni had told me this was because the men had wanted me as their bride since for those of lower class it was hard to find women. I had been thoroughly disgusted and turned down every offer of gifts and sweet words that I had received. I had been freed at once by Magni, but under the Northmen's law a price had to be paid to achieve recognition as a Karl or completely free man, otherwise one would have to remain a loysing or freedman (who could be re-enslaved for something as minor as ingratitude) till at least two generations had passed. Fortunately for me I had been carrying a pouch of money that the Northmen hadn't confiscated during the raid, and in front of the Jarl who had conducted the raid, Magni, and several other witnesses I had paid the price and been declared a Freewoman. Magni had still thought it best for me to take a Northmen's name and conceal my beliefs to prevent further harassment however.

"Watch them. Arn come with me." The slave wordlessly picked up the stick and sat down against the rock outcropping, his eyes seemed to be staring at nothing. I wondered if Agnarr had ever harmed him and how, because if he had I had no intention whatsoever of marrying him. I couldn't understand how someone could see another human being as property, when they were a person whole and complete and loved by God.

Kai limped along next to us as Agnarr carried me home.

"What were you doing out here?" I started at the sound of his voice.

"Enjoying being alone with my thoughts. You?"

"Hunting."

"I... see."

We lasped into awkward silence again.

We arrived back at Magni's soon enough.

"What happened?!" he asked, startled as Agnarr carried my limp form through the doorway and set me on the nearest mat.

"Wolves tried to get the herd and the shepherds weren't there, so Freyja tried to save them, only one of them was on the verge of killing her but I arrived just in time."

"By Odin Freyja what were you thinking, putting yourself in danger like that?!"

A knock came at the door.

"What is it?!" Magni snapped. In answer, a man was thrown through the doorway by Arn. His brown hair stuck out every which way, his face was dirty, and he looked as if he hadn't slept in days.

"This him?"

Magni nodded.

"Caught this thrall in the barn stealing some provisions. He yours?"

"No I've never seen him before."

"Who do you belong to slave and what do you think your doing stealing someone elses property?" Agnarr demanded. The thrall spit in his face in answer.

Agnarr grabbed him by his tunic and shoved him against the wall. His voice got dangerously low.

"Careful slave. You do that again and I might just rip your heart out." His hands grasped the slave's throat, slowing choking the air from him, his body beginning to flail in a desperate attempt for air.

"Leave him alone!" I shouted before I could even think. All eyes turned towards me, including Agnarr.

"Surely they are other ways to find his owner without resorting to such measures!"

"He insulted my honor!"

"Let it go Freyja" Magni said.

"I will not! I don't care if your the Jarl, you have no right to treat him or anyone like that! Why do you have to be such a monster?!"

Deadly silence followed.

"Say that again." Agnarr's eyes were blazing, his voice still uncannily calm.

"Agnarr she didn't mean...she didn't know what she was saying.."

"I think she meant every word." Agnarr then took out his dagger, piercing the slave who howled in pain before collapsing to the floor. Cutting into him he ripped the heart from his chest, blood dripping down his arm as he held the organ up for all to see.

"How could you?" I whispered, tears running down my face.

"I'm a monster remember." He then turned and stormed out the door.