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It was cold, like an autumn morning. The sky was clear and blue. Casting her mind out, Sookie heard nothing. Her head was heavy, as so were her arms and legs. She couldn't move or lift herself up from the ground. Her back was touching what felt like stone floors. Forcing her head back, she saw, upside down, an open blacksmith shop, with a burning furnace and anvil. Helmets, broken swords and wood shields, spikes and twisted metal laid around completed the strange room that seemed to belong to a museum. Lowering her head back to its normal position, she could see the forest growing on both directions to a distance too far to follow with her slow dropping eyes.
She opened her eyes again. It was colder now. The sky was turning pink, it must be late afternoon. She had lost time. Trying to move, she was able to look down on herself. Gone was the linen dress she had tried on the store just hours ago. Or was it more than that? She was now clad in a long white gown adorned with fine embroidery in gold and silver across the chest. Her arms were bare as were her feet. The blood and the bruises were gone. A banging noise caught her attention. It was coming from the right. Using all the strength she had left, Sookie set up and looked around. A heavy wooden door she hadn't noticed before on the back of the room opened with a loud clash to the wall. Two men grappling entered the shop. Their sight froze the telepath for a second. They were obviously different from each other. One was short and was swinging a sword; he wore dark leather boots, woolen pants, and a raw cotton chemise. The other one was a tower tall man. His long blond hair was covering his face from Sookie's view, only his artic blue eyes were truly visible, they were shining with malice. His armor had no metal, but a hard looking black leather long shirt that reached his thighs, clad in leather pants and boots he was armed with an axe and a long sword hanged from his belt. He was terrifying.
With a battle cry, the blond man advanced upon his opponent effectively plunging his axe on the man's chest. With a hard pull, he withdraws his weapon from the fallen man. Blood was forming a pool beneath the dead soldier, the image sent chills down Sookie's back.
Taking advantage of the blond man's back to her, Sookie crawled to the side and hid behind a large straw basket. Shivering, she struggled to control her breathing as she heard the blond man move around the room. He seemed to be evaluating the weapons on disposal in the shop. Reaching out with her gift Sookie could only get a few loose emotions as his mind was flooded with lust for battle. His thoughts were red and cold, but also alert to any movement. Lost as she was on his mind, the girl didn't realize how close he was. So when his hand took a hold of her wrist and yanked her up, Sookie let out a surprised yelp.
His face was inches from hers. She could feel his soft blood stained hair touching her cheeks. He had a small cut on his forehand and a part of his short beard was also red. Even as scared and confused as she was, Sookie could not deny it. He was terribly beautiful.
The blond man was carefully examining the girl with a frown on his face. He was obviously confused with her appearance and presence in there. He used his index finger to stop a trickle of blood that fell from his raised axe and was rolling down Sookie's arm. She was certain that her own surprised and glazed eyes were probably making her look like a car accident victim, or maybe a Viking pillage survivor, which was appropriate, because that's what this man looked like – a Viking warrior.
She could see blood splashed all over his armor, but none of it came from him, which only made her shivers more intense. His hold on her was firm, yet not hurting. With their skin on skin contact she got a better read at his thoughts, but not a single word. He was curious and suspicious of her. For the first time ever Sookie wished to read someone's mind.
The blond man was sure she didn't belong there. He couldn't understand who she was; it was not known that Earl Ulf's house held a member of court. It was supposed to be empty of any nobles and such, only warriors were left behind as they had been battling for weeks now. The blond man' clan was seeking revenge from Ulf's treachery. The elder leader had tried to take over the blond man's lands while they had been away overseas. The blond man had chosen Ulf main house as the place of their final attack before returning home. It would fully destroy his enemy for it was his last refuge and home of substantial treasures. The blond man's attack had been precise and brutal. Ulf hadn't had a chance.
As Sookie finely looked up from her inspection of the blond man, his gaze locked on hers. He had a small smirk forming on the corner of his mouth.
"Who do you belong to?", he asked in a strange language that somehow Sookie could understand.
Sookie had no idea what to say in response, so it was a great shock to her when she uttered the words out: "Fintan's house". She spoke as if a force was giving her words to use. She had no control on them.
"My family's house is gone. I'm the prince's last child", she continued in a calm voice that wasn't her own. The man seemed to take great pleasure in hearing her words, but again she didn't know why. Apparently he knew her grandfather.
Pulling her by the wrist, the man dragged her out of the shop to the open area bordering the forest. In minutes, they reached a clearing after circulating the building to which the shop was attached to. They were in a sort of courtyard filled with man dressed much like the blond one holding her to his side. Right in the middle of a semi-circle a big man was kneeling. He had bruises all over and a shiny black eye. His top garments had been removed and his bleeding chest was exposed to the day's fading light. He was not bound, but he acted as if heavy chains ware pressing him down. Sookie could fell shame and regret rolling off of him, but not fear. Again, she could not gauge anyone's thoughts.
"Eric, all the rest of his men is dead. The remaining woman fled, and we were waiting for your orders about them and him", said a tired looking brown haired man towards Sookie's captor. His leather armor wasan't much different from Eric's, he also had axe.
"Let them be and spread the word that they will be welcomed back if they so wish. Distribute the houses among ours and take the treasures from Ulf's house. I have counted six chests", making a pause Eric dropped his axe and walked forward with Sookie in tail, they were standing right in front of the beaten Ulf. "I'll handle his death."
The defeated Earl had a vacant expression on his bearded face. Not even the golden bracelets he still displayed on his strong wrists could guarantee him any dignity. Blood trickled down from a deep wound on his stomach. He was done. With a heavy voice he spoke.
"Sookie, the last daughter of the Sky House, is yours to protect, Eric, son of the Northern Clan."
Ulf was dead.
Eric inclined his golden head, and gave Sookie an once-over again. "How lucky of me", he said with a smirk. His strong arm snaked itself around her waist effectively crushing her to his body. Eric was barking some orders to his man as the telepath watched Ulf's body fall to the ground. Her heart was thundering and it seemed as if there was no air available to her. This was not a joke. She wasn't in a crazy elaborate historical reincarnation. Fintan must had messed up and send her not back home, but back in time. The last thing she saw was dancing black spots.