My eyes flickered open as the frigid ocean spray lapped at my face.
My head slumped over my chest and I was in pain. I raised my throbbing head slightly, my neck muscles began to spasm out of control, and I knew what was coming next.
I lifted my eyes in slow hesitation. There he stood in front of me, leaning casually against the bow. His eyes were on me and as i met his gaze heat rolled off him in waves.
Shit! I cursed under my breath.
The corner of his mouth jerked up in a sly grin. Apparently some expressions did not require translation. I glanced around the boat, my mind racing through escape scenarios. He closed the gap between us. He sat down next to me on the crowded boat floor. Every part of my body tensed and I refused to move a muscle in acknowledgement of him.
He ripped of a piece of bread from a loaf he must have had in his pocket and held it in front of my face close to my mouth.
"Hungry?" He asked cheekily. His voice was deep and gruff but there was a buttery lilt to the tone. I refused to take a bite.
He chuckled at my stubbornness and moved to place the bread back in his pocket.
"I want you to know that I have no intention of harming you." He said it as a matter of fact and it did not escape me that he sounded incredibly self assured.
"I know you can understand me." He said with a smirk and a seductive quality to his voice that indicated he was trying awfully hard. I could understand him, but that did not mean I was going to respond. Ass.
He sat there looking at me with a crooked and ever expectant smile. Did he expect me to thank him for his generosity? Arrogant bastard! I was chained to the mast of his ship no doubt being toted away to bed-slavery judging by they way he leered at me! Perhaps that is egotistical of me to assume. My mother would have called it practical.
His chivalrous statement exasperated me so that I couldn't resist the sarcasm. I turned my head evenly toward him and began to bat my eyelashes like a fool. In my present humiliating situation it helped a little to make fun of him.
He erupted into a gut splitting belly laugh, and in what sounded an awful lot like awe, he said, "you are spectacular!"
What?! This was becoming unbearable!
I grit my teeth and glared in to his glimmering eye's. "The very second you remotely let your guard down I will slit your throat." I asserted eerily calm.
His sparkling eyes turned just a hint colder and he leaned close enough to my ear that his lips brushed my skin as he whispered darkly, his voice as thick as chocolate, "Don't kill me just yet. I have plans for you." The hair on the back of my neck stood to attention. I hadn't noticed I was holding my breath until I let it escape as he stood to walk away.
It was incredibly irritating that he was so attractive.
He walked back to resume his practiced lackadaisical stance at the bow of the boat. I returned his fixed assured stare for a long moment, mostly attempting to reason him out, to ascertain the absurd situation entirely. What has happened here? I've been captured a slave in the middle of a baptism! That is what's happened! I would probably never see home again. I will most certainly die in the escape attempt i would most certainly attempt at my earliest opportunity. I couldn't determine weather i felt like crying or laughing. I could not believe this is how it would end. I could not believe it!
Well if I had to go I was damned sure taking this infuriating heathen out with me!
After several exasperating moments of glancing at him slyly only to learn that he had still been looking at me the entire time I rolled my eyes and began to take in the remainder of my surroundings. By some stroke of luck it appeared they hadn't taken anyone else. A small hint of pride hit me as I noticed how battered the northmen looked after attacking my village. We weren't a people to lie down and die. And we'd be dammed if you'd take our gold. We didn't have any! We were a poor people but we were savages too.
Most of the men were focused on rowing or eating and didn't pay my wandering eyes any attention. A few looked back in menace and innuendo. I had to admit i felt slightly vulnerable with my hands tied but I refused to look down as they tried to gain some kind of unspoken dominance. Men are ridiculous.
I leaned my head back against the mast pole I was tied to and exhaled a long breath. I will figure this out i thought. It will be alright. I will find my moment. It will appear to me just as my opponent notices. That is how i kill and that is how i will escape.
I felt a cold hand slide up my back. I had fallen asleep. Hot and putrid breath assaulted the side of my face as the assailants hand slid further up the back of my shirt. I stilled instinctively frozen. "Well don't you look good enough to eat" A thuggish brutal voice whispered into my side. His hand on my back was clammy and i could feel his forearm hair scratch my skin. I leaned in to the pervert i had yet to look at slightly. I wanted him to think i was in to it. He did. As soon as he leaned in about an inch closer I leaned my head back swiftly and rammed it straight in to his unsuspecting forehead. Blood sprang out from a deep gash at the top of his head and he stumbled back away from the blow. I was looking at him now. He had to be at least 20 years my senior and his pig like face and beady eyes were truly stomach turning. This was what i had to look forward to. Fighting off these north invaders at every turn. No! No! No!
Like a crack of thunder Rollo shot up out of his makeshift bed at the end of the boat, abruptly grabbed pig face off the floor like a sack of flour, and promptly tossed him over the side in to the icy water below.
Gasps and outraged shouts boomed at him from the watching crew. The one they call Ragnar started to laugh. Rollo stood fiercely and decidedly unmoved until they all settled down a bit.
"Slave or not, you will not touch this woman. Let me be clear. I will not hesitate to end your life."
The crowd fell silent. As he passed by me to return to his seat he stooped over me with that grin and said, "Nice head-butt".