It had been a month since a couple paid five gold coins to call me their own. They treated me like a daughter, but i certainly did not feel like one of their own. I was the daughter of Asa, the Shieldmaiden. But instead, i had a couple playing at being parents.
My eyes edged open to the sun trickling through the sheet of material that covered the doorway to the hut. My small body rolled over, the sight of Eir and Porr sleeping in tight embrace came into view. I could see how affectionate their relationship was, how in love they were. Porr had once told me that he saw no need to the useless violence. He told me that the only reason that he believed in violence was for love and beauty. He told me that he would only partake in violence for the sake of his family... Eir was the same. She agreed with everything that he said. None of these people knew of the skills my mother had taught me, none knew that i was going to become a Shieldmaiden of my home.

I could hear the yawn that left Eir's lips, my eyes watching as she slowly rose and sat to see my sleeping body. Her head nodded towards me with a gentle smile on her lips. She carefully rose to her feet, walking to the place where i slept before slowly lowering to sit beside me.

"Olyvia, would you mind doing me a favour today?" Eir whispered. My body shuffled around, leaning against the wall that i slept beside with my eyes on my supposed mother.

"Of course, what would you like me to do?" I yawned. Her attention moved to the tools that were leaned against a rack outside.

"Take one of those spears and see if you can do a better job at catching fish that Porr can." Eir whispered through a laugh. Her arm nudged at my body with a grin growing on my lips. I leaped to my feet, brushing past the material sheet before snatching a spear from the rack.

After a short walk, i came to the river. My body sitting by the edge of the water with my feet below the surface. I could hear the birds singing in the trees and i could see the fishscales dancing beneath the water's surface. My frame gently leant against a large tree, allowing my eyes to close as my fingers pulled the sides of my cloak further around my body.
My peace was put on hold by the sound of movements in the water. Not movements of the fish, but the sound of someone walking through it. My head snapped around, searching for the human that was moving closer and closer. My body shuffled around, hiding behind a thick brush. And out the boy walked, his blonde hair shimmering in the sun's light. My head tilted slightly as my eyes watched the boy closely. I allowed my hand to reach out, trying to silently retrieve the spear that rested against the tree. The spear caught against a vine, a loud noise echoing through the forest as the vine snapped. The young boy's body snapped around, his eyes searching through the thicket till they found my blonde hair.

"Who is there?" The young boy called out. I could see his hand reach down and snatch a small knife from his waist. I let a sigh slip through my lips, my body slowly raising from the shadows and stumbling to my feet.

"I'm not a threat, please... My name is Olyvia." I quickly announced. His eyes calmed as they rested upon me. His knife lowered, my hands lowering the spear till i appeared to pose no threat.

"What are you doing out here alone?" He muttered, moving closer to my body with a worried look on his young face.

"My mo-" I froze, realising what i was about to say. My head shook, a breath leaving my lips. "Eir sent me out to catch some fish." I sighed.

His body moved out of the water, walking up the small hill till he was beside my frame. "My name is Bjorn Lothbrok." He exclaimed, his face beaming of pride. His eyes moved down to the spear in my hand. "Do you know how to use that?" He uttered.
My brow raised, tilting my head with the smile of a challenge. I turned to my side, holding the spear at my side till i was ready to throw. With a small jump forward, the javelin moved over my shoulder and began the swim through the air till it became lodge into the bark of a tree. The golden sap began to roll down from the wound i had created.

"I guess that you can." He laughed. I allowed a small smile to wriggle onto my lips as i turned to face Bjorn.

"My mother was a shieldmaiden, she taught me how to survive." I quietly said. I could see the smile on his face grow, his head turning back to a moving shape. A tall man with brown hair on his head and face.

"Father!" He shouted, running back to the man with a spring in his step. I stood with a gentle but awkward smile on my face. The pair walked back towards me, Bjorn's father smiling down at me with piercing blue eyes that reminded me of my brother.

"My boy tells me that you're the daughter of a shieldmaiden." He gasped. His arm was wrapped around Bjorn's shoulder, holding his frame close to his side with a smile on his face.

"Yes, my mother was a shieldmaiden and my father was a warrior." I repeated. I could see the way that Bjorn's father's face changed slightly.

"Was? Is that why you are here, child?" His father questioned. My eyes lowered, my smile turning to frown in seconds.

"I know nothing of my mother, but my father was killed by the men that kidnapped me and my brothers... They sold us to different families. I was sold to Eir and Porr." I whimpered. Bjorn looked at me with pain drenched eyes. His body moving slightly so he was arm to arm with me.

"Well, what is your name?" Bjorn's father asked.

"Her name is Olyvia! And look, she threw that spear." Bjorn gasped as his fingers pointed to the spear in the tree. Bjorn's father smiled with his eyes on the spear.

"Maybe mother could help her with her skills." His father whispered. Bjorn nodded wildly, smiling wide as he began jump around.

"Olyvia, we can practice together! We can be friends and fight together, maybe even go on summer raids together when we grow older." Bjorn shouted. My head nodded, the smile on my face stretching from ear to ear.

"Bjorn, take care of this girl... I like her." His father commanded. My body leant against the tree with my head tilted at the father and son. Bjorn's father span on his heels and began to stroll away, his body pausing at the spear in the tree while his hands gave a sharp tug on the wooden shaft. With a careful flick of the wrist, the spear landing at my feet.