Hey guys! Sorry it took so long. Hope you like it! There is more to come! And please read my new Time Travel story-Mean But Mine...
Niklaus peeped up and saw a sword blocking Mikeal's sword and preventing him from hitting Niklaus. Shocked, he followed his gaze upwards to see the blonde girl wielding the sword. She manoeuvred the sword to lock the hilt of her sword with the hilt of Mikeal's sword. "Now what kind of a man are you?" she whispered. "You would beat your own son like a dog while your other son is lying dead not a few feet away from you? Fie on you."
Mikeal just snarled, trying to push off the girl, but to his surprise, she held him in check. She was too strong. "Now how is it this one's fault if his brother is dead? Coward. Just because you cannot blame it on anyone, you blame it on him. Shame on you." She whispered.
Mikeal snarled, "This is family business. You shall have no part in it." The girl pulled back and set Mikeal free and shrugged. "That may be so. But it always a warrior's code of honour to stop injustice and that's what I did. I lived by my honour code. You were unnecessarily applying violence on this innocent one for no fault of his and most importantly, how can you fight an unarmed man. Don't you have any morals?" "Now don't you speak to me about morals girl!" Mikeal said, his voice rising.
The girl turned as she heard someone come into the room. It was Ester. The girl suddenly stiffened and her eyes narrowed in recognition. She slightly bowed her head in respect and whispered, "Greetings, Wise One." She then turned back to Mikeal. "Now if what your mate thinks is right, we shall be reaching the New World in a matter of few hours." Saying so, she sheathed her sword.
Ester smiled, impressed. This one had the talent of mind-reading. "You are right, pup."
The girl threw her head back and laughed, the peals of sound beautiful to hear. Ester smiled hearing it. She felt the baby in her womb kick. Her eyes widened. It was the first time it had kicked. Her hands immediately went to rest on her stomach. "He kicked. He kicked when you laughed." Ester whispered in awe. The girl bent down and touched Ester's large stomach and giggled. The baby kicked again. Ester's eyes widened. "He likes the sound of your laughter." She whispered, stunned.
The girl looked up. "Yes. He does and he tells me that he loves it when you sing to him and when his brother Niklaus speaks to him when you are asleep." Niklaus's head snapped to look at the girl. Ester was surprised. She didn't know Niklaus cared so much for his brother. His half-brother, she reminded herself. She wished that she hadn't done that mistake. Because of her one mistake, Niklaus had been born and she had been forced to ignore him. Already, his looks were too different. And if she started paying Niklaus attention, Mikeal would surely get to know that Niklaus was a bastard son.
"And," Caroline continued. "You would do well not to inform anyone about your son's death. Your tribe may be willing to keep his body on board but the instance my tribe gets to know about this, they will insist upon throwing the body overboard. We have a superstition that dead bodies bring bad luck. Even my Alpha and I, who believe differently, will not be able to do anything about it."
The girl helped Niklaus off the ground and pulled one of his arms over her shoulder, supporting him. She turned to look at Ester. "Relations are not bound by blood." She said softly. "Niklaus is one of the purest minds I have ever met. Value him before it's too late. I go now to tend to his wounds. My name is Caroline, by the way. Caroline Vigdís. I now take your leave, Wicca follower."
Ester smiled as Caroline Vigdís walked away with Niklaus. Vigdís meant 'the Battle Goddess'. She must be really brave if she was given that title. Because Ester knew that titles were not something lightly taken among the brave men of the North, and if the girl had got such a title, then she must be respected even among men. She liked Caroline. Caroline was the proof that woman a need not be a weak defenceless creature and Ester felt that women were losing their respect in the society. With women like Caroline, that would soon stop and once more, women would come to be respected.
Caroline helped Niklaus to the cabin which was separately reserved for her. She helped him sleep on her bed face forward so that she could nurse his wounded back and took off his shirt. She took a flask and poured a little of its contents into a small bowl. "What is it?" Niklaus asked, his voice broken. Caroline smiled and said, "It is a mixture of a healing plant with water. We warriors always have it with us just in case we or our comrades get hurt." Saying so, she dipped a piece of cloth into the water and started dabbing it on his wounds.
Tears sprung in Niklaus's eyes. "Sorry. I did not thank you before. Thank you for coming to my aid. Though I do not think it was wise of you to anger Mikeal. He can cause you harm." he whispered. Caroline threw her head back and laughed. Niklaus smiled at the sound. "Don't worry. I am not worried. No one has been able to hurt me until now and I do not think anyone will be able to either." she said.
"You are a warrior?" he enquired. "Yes." She answered.
"And the men let you become one?" he asked, horrified. She smiled and said, "In our tribe, men have no rights over what women choose to do with their lives. Though yes, I am the only woman warrior. The other women in our army are mostly archers or hunters. I am the only one who goes out with the men to fight wars. In fact, I am second-in-command after my Alpha. He is always the first-in-command."
"You must be really good then." he asked her.
"I don't judge, but the others tell me I'm pretty good." she answered.
"Can you teach me the art of warfare of your tribe?" he asked her.
Caroline smiled. "Yes, but I need to ask the Alpha his permission. Only if he grants permission will I be able to do so to an outsider.. There you go. All done. Just don't wear your shirt for another hour or so. It needs to dry." Niklaus sat up and nodded. "Okay. But if it is not too much, will you come to the deck with me?" he asked, offering her his hand.
Caroline nodded and slipped her hand into his and they walked upto the deck, leaned against the riling and let the cool breeze tickle their faces. "Why do you let him beat you like that?" she asked him. "I am sure you are capable enough to hold your own against him. So why?" Niklaus shrugged. "He has been beating me ever since I can remember. I have learnt it the hard way that if you shut up when he is beating, it'll be less painful. Open your mouth, and it becomes worse. And he is my father. I could never speak against him. He has all the rights to do anything to me. What are your parents like? I have never visited North before."
Caroline's eyes bored into him and she said softly, "I don't know. They died in a battle just a year after I was born." Niklaus averted his eyes. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't know."
Caroline smiled. "Of course you didn't. That's why you asked. But it's okay. The Alpha took me in as a baby and raised me. He is unmarried you know. Some say he fell in love with a woman who already belonged to another man. So he refused to marry and bear children."
Niklaus just looked at her and said, "Thank you once again for helping me. I haven't had anyone to talk to for a long time. You can call me Nik. That's what the ones close to me call me." Caroline grinned, "Are you suggesting I become close to you, Nik?" she asked in a mocking tune.
Nik blushed. "Of course not. I just meant that I hope we become friends. I would greatly value your friendship." Caroline smiled. "I hope to see you soon."
"Are you leaving?" Nik asked, alarmed. "Did I offend you in any form?"
Caroline shook her head. "Of course not. You were honest with me. How can I ever be offended? I just wanted to go to my Alpha who is captaining the other ship and ask him his permission to teach you our swordsmanship." Niklaus smiled, "Thank you. Let me escort you to the rowing boats. "
Caroline shook her head. "I shall be swimming." Nik looked horrified. "The water is too rough and cold for a-" "A lady?" she interrupted him with a raised eyebrow.
Niklaus smiled and shook his head. "Of course not. I have come to understand that you are no helpless lady. I just wanted to say that the water is too rough and cold for anyone."
Caroline pointed to the water below them and said, "Look. Can you see them? They are our tribe's men who are swimming across to the other ship. It is normal for us. We are taught to swim since we are but babes and we can swim even in the worst storm. And it is not so cold for us. After all we are from the North." Niklaus smiled. "You are like a rebel goddess."
"Maybe that's why they call me Vigdís." Saying so, she pulled off the long cloak to reveal her wearing a pair of pants and a tunic and a leather belt tied around her waist. She was wearing a man's attire, and not a grey dress as Klaus had first assumed. He had mistaken her long cloak for her dress.
She climbed the railing backwards so that she was not facing the water, but the deck. And with a final grin at Klaus, she opened her arms and just let herself fall backwards into the huge churning ocean.
Hey! Hope you liked it! Please leave a review! Doesn't matter if its too short! Please! Just let me know how it was so that I know that what I am doing is right! And suggestions are always welcome!