Author's Note: If you haven't already read my previous story "The Runaway Flock" it's highly recommended that you do now, as this story won't make sense. You can go ahead and read this without reading the first one as well if you want. It's up to you.
It had been a few days since Eivor and Oswald adopted Shaun, Timmy and their flock and family after they had rescued and found them in their barn at Beteleah Farm. It was another day at work tending to the crops at the front garden and cleaning the various sheep poo that came from the flock. Eivor was humming a tune while she swept and cleaned up the muck that their flock had left behind with Oswald doing the same nearby. The flock were quietly walking and roaming around near them doing their own thing.
Meanwhile, a group of Hungry Saxon Soldiers were on patrol roaming around the nearby fields of Beteleah.
"Hmmmm it's been ages since our last meal and we've seen nothing in these barren fields, not a pig or a sheep to be seen. You know what I'm craving some good old lamb stew" He said to one of the other men
The other man chuckled back at him "Keep dreaming. There is nothing here in these barren wastelands except for grass and boggy wetlands."
"Wait!" Another soldier from the trio spotted Eivor and Oswald's Farm in front of them. "Do you see what I see, a flock of sheep. That will be enough supper for all of us" he grinned evilly pointing towards Beteleah in the distance
The other two men looked at where their fellow soldier was pointing at. And sure enough in the distance was a cottage, with smoke coming out of its chimneys and two hard working Farmers distracted tending to the crops around them while the unsuspecting herd were walking behind them clueless.
"He's not wrong you know" The other nudged the Third man with his arm. "There are Sheep over there. We could easily get our supper now"
"Remember Lads. We haven't eaten for three days on this goddamn stupid patrol the King has sent us on. I want to eat and fast. Show no mercy to these stupid Farmers. I just want some food in my belly and these sheep will serve it. Who knows when our next meal will be in this Barren Wasteland?" He asked, looking at his Men.
The men nodded in agreement at their lead pikeman and they all walked over towards Eivor who was bent down working hard.
"Ah-hem" He coughed bringing Eivor's attention to him
"What do you want?" She looked at them suspiciously as Oswald stared from behind at the situation. What were the King's guards doing here?
"You don't mean to evict us do you?" Oswald worriedly asked, coming up behind Eivor. "We're honest Farmers making an honest living here. I hope Guthrum hasn't come to chuck me out of my home. It's all that I have left"
The lead soldier chuckled as Eivor frowned, arms crossed at him. "No No, Guthrum hasn't done any of the sort. We just want your sheep. If you give us your sheep for free we will leave without any trouble" He bargained
"And Why do you want our sheep? They're our family" Eivor asked as the flock walked over to her behind their adopted parents. Eivor put a protective arm shielding the flock . And so did Oswald; he stood next to his wife blocking the men's way to the flock.
The leader soldier chuckled, his patience thinning fast. Stubborn Farmers. This wasn't as easy as he thought. "Sheep? Family? What nonsense is this? They're food for Christ sake. Look, we'll pay you anything you want. Just give us the sheep for crying out loud"
Oswald shook his head angrily. "In our home, they are our pets, our children, our family. They're not for sale. Nor are they food. You can leave now" he spat at them
"Yes . Leave before your head leaves your neck" Eivor added threatening.
The soldier chuckled back at Eivor. "No, I'm not leaving. Not till I've had my supper with your sheep. What are you going to do about it?" he menacingly sneered back at her
With this, Eivor had enough; she wasn't armed but she still had her fighting skills from her years as being a Vikingr before.
Oswald shook his head angrily "You messed with the wrong family" he shouted back at them as Eivor punched the leader hard in the stomach.
The soldier stumbled hard falling backwards. Eivor turned around urgently yelling towards Oswald.
"Oswald Get the Flock inside, I'll handle this. And get My Father's axe from the Kitchen too. I need it right now. I got some Saxon Cowards to kill" She said turning back angrily to the other men who had now regrouped around her.
The flock bleated in panic as they all looked towards Oswald. "Shhh it's ok. You're fine. We won't let them take you" he reassured them as he led them inside the cottage and proceeded to find Varin's axe for Eivor
He found Varin's axe on the tabletop and proceeded to go outside. Eivor was still there struggling against three men bare handed while they waved their big saxon spears at her . Oswald suddenly remembered the first time he had brawled with her in Seahenge. How she did the same thing unarmed . Only back then she was against a weak ex-sheep-herder completely different to trained Saxon men and Soldiers.
He shook the memory out of his head. "Eivor!" He yelled bringing her attention as she turned around
She caught Varin's axe skifully with her hand and ducked a swipe that one of the men had taken towards her. With a roar and a kick she slashed him on the stomach.
"You stay away from my farm and my family, you hear me. They are not food! They're family!" She screamed as she Killed the leader.
The other two men cowered in fear seeing their Leader dead. They were cornered by Eivor and desperately tried to wriggle their way out of it. Not before Eivor's foot was on the pair of them stopping them in their tracks.
She knelt down with her knee pinning them down on the floor placing her axe inches around their neck. "I could Kill you for What you have done. Threatening me and my family. Threatening to kill them for food."
The men squirmed under her touch. She had won; they were done for it was no use escaping. This was their Fate and their Death . They were going to be killed by a Female Norse Farmer over some sheep .
They gulped, turning their head bracing themselves for the final kill. Eivor sighed, placing her axe on her belt.
"I will not give you the satisfaction of a Good death. As I know my husband will not want this. Now leave our home and never return. If you ever set foot in Beteleah ever again and come near us and our family. You won't be so lucky"
"Yeah. She's right. You better listen to her. She's Killed many a men before and so have I." Oswald added, coming up to Eivor
Both men got up, scattering as fast as they could not before one spat at Eivor. "A Pagan Bitch acting Christian you think your better than us don't you"
"That wasn't necessary" Oswald came up defending Eivor
"Now go before we change our minds" He snapped at both of them.
Eivor sighed, turning around to Oswald as they watched the men's shapes move smaller and smaller in the distance.
The moment of silence and peace didn't last long as an eruption and stampede sound came from their cottage.
"Oh no there goes the door" Oswald remarked as the wooden door flung open off its hinges and Shirley barged through along with the rest of the flock
"Baaa Baaa!" They bleated enthusiastically charging towards Eivor before they all knocked her onto the grass
Eivor chuckled a soft laugh as she was met with Various faces, eyes and tongues and the grateful herd licking her on the face.
Oswald chuckled, his heart warming at the situation once again.
"I think they like you now. You've gained their trust. They're probably Thanking you for Saving their lives in their sheep language" He hovered over her and the flock smiling
Eivor looked back towards the flock smiling at them, stroking their fur and their heads. "I think they are too. They don't need to thank us. It's what family do. We stick together"
Oswald walked towards the flock gently reprimanding them. "That's enough now. You don't want to suffocate Eivor do you" he said stroking their heads and leading them away from Eivor back to the barn
Oswald then knelt down to where Eivor was still on the floor placing his arm to where she was. He pulled her up as they both turned to look at the flock who was nestling and eating Hay in the barn. The same place where they first found the flock only days ago.
Oswald put his arm around Eivor's waist as she nuzzled and rested her shoulder on him looking at their family together.
"Well we're missing a door now Thanks to Shirley" he chuckled thinking back to when Shirley broke down the door in crazed excitement seeing the bad men gone earlier
"That can be fixed easily. Unlike a few dead sheep and grief and broken hearts' ' Eivor remarked grimly thinking back on what could of happened had they given in to the Soldiers
Oswald turned around placing his hands on Eivor in worry and concern.
"That will never happen. As long as we are both here. We will not let our family fall to any Raiders, Saxon or Dane so long as we both live" he squeezed her hand
Eivor squeezed his hand back, smiling back at him. "That's right. Our Sheep are our babies our children and we will guard them with our life so long as we stay standing"
"We Will" Oswald smiled back at her reaching in to give Eivor a light kiss
Eivor took Oswald deeper with her hands pulling him in closer, not giving a crap that the sheep were watching and started snogging him hard.
The two stood there making out as the flock watched on with wide eyes before they bleated out . "Awwwwwww" in a touched tone seeing their parents embracing each other in front of them
Eivor and Oswald turned around to look at the flock who looked back at them with their innocent cute eyes.
"Did you just hear what I just heard?" Oswald looked back at Eivor in astonishment. "I'm not going crazy but I think our sheep are more clever than they're letting on. They know other words besides Baaa"
Eivor laughed back in disbelief at the entire situation. Oswald's astonished face and the innocent sheep looking back, trying to pretend as if nothing ever happened and they were just sheep .
"You're not crazy" She reassured Oswald, clapping him on the back once again. "I heard it too. Our flock are little intelligent beings. They're growing up too fast"
"They are" Oswald looked back at them with misty eyes, proud at how far they had all come.
The bad men were gone once and for all and would never come back, not as long as Eivor and Oswald were at Betleah looking after them. They knew better than to mess with an Ex-Vikingr and their Family. No matter how hungry they were. They would rather starve now. Then incure the family's wrath. Mostly Eivor's. Never underestimate a bunch of Farmers they had learnt.