CHAPTER ONE
POV KENDRA
It's early morning. The sunrise shines threw the cracks from the sod reeds above my bed. I need to fix those before the rain starts again. Looking around the small room I spot many things I'd need to fix soon. I moved to this small village not long after my husband died. If you could call him that. He was a much older man. I was more of a maid than a wife. And i was his fourth wife. It was a nice place alongside a river so plenty of traders and far enough away from the Norse borders.
The new year started only a few months ago bringing us into the year 857 after the death of our lord. Spring is expected any day now even though there is still a nip in the air. Pulling on another cloak I slid the door latch and nudged the door open with my shoulder. I guess there was another thing to fix in this house. Stepping outside I could hear the church bells ring.
My hut was on the far side of the village. The white clay walls and sod roofs surrounded the church following the river with nothing more than a small worn trail threw town. Taking in the cool morning air I could hear something coming from the forest. We have heard from a few travelers selling goods that the Norse have been scouting out villages to raid. A fear Saxons knew all too well.
Shaking my head I walked towards town hoping to spend my last few shillings on some bread and venison. Within a few minutes, shop keeps opened their doors and the village became busy with people. Walking up to the shambles I heard a woman arguing with the butcher over the price of meat.
"How can you ask so much for a few chunks of meat?" The woman asked. She had a gray cloak thrown over her shoulder and her arms crossed.
"Somethings scared off most of the wild game there is nothing I can do." The butcher said wiping blood from their hands onto a dirty cloth.
I knew I didn't have enough for what he was asking. I guess it's just bread again. Turning to walk to the baker a scream echoes threw the village followed by one word. "VIKINGS!"
Everything turned into a blind panic as the woman screamed. Everyone was running in different directions. Looking around I saw them. Their faces were covered with different colored lines and their beards were long and braided holding shields and axes. I've heard about them but had never seen one before.
My stomach turned as fear consumed me I turned to run but didn't make it far as I was pulled back by my hair. I hit the ground hard. The villager's screams filled the air mixed with wild battle cries. Carnage ensued as the real battle began. I knew I couldn't stay where I was I'd be killed or worse. Every woman heard the stories of the heathens taking Saxon women as slaves.
Getting up I ran as hard as I could for the tree line. Men from the village fighting with the Vikings were raging on around me. A Viking jumped out in front of me hitting me in the head. I hit the ground again. My head was pounding and my eyes blurred. Rolling over I crawled under a cart praying they wouldn't find me.
Closing my eyes I covered my ears trying to stop the chaos around me. I lay there shaking and after what seemed like forever the air grew still and the screams stopped. I feared why it was so quiet other than the sound of doors being kicked in and rummaging. Opening my eyes I saw 3 men walk in front of the cart. Their leather boots stopped right in front of me. I let out a small cry as tears fell from my face.
Within a flash, the cart was overturned and they pulled me by my feet. I kicked and screamed hoping to be let go. One of the men placed his hand over my mouth. Looking up at him I stopped too shocked to move.
His green eyes were the first thing I saw. His face was painted mostly black. His dark hair was pulled back with many braids in it. Looking down I saw His finger over his lips almost to shush me.
"Pl...please let me go." I shuddered. Shaking from fear.
The man looked up at the 2 men holding me down. An evil grin showed on their faces. The man gave them a nod before looking back at me. He removed his hand from my mouth touching the bleeding wound on my forehead. I flinched away from him.
In a deep voice, he spoke. “Let her go I can handle this from here.“
The two men let go of my legs I tried to run but the Norse man gripped my arm hard stopping me. I tried to kick him and hit him but he just laughed at me dragging me towards a hut. I could only imagine what horrible things would happen there. I tried to fight him pulling away and screaming but he didn't seem to mind until I kicked him hard in the leg.
He stopped turning me to face him gripping my jaw hard enough to hurt. He murmured many things under his breath but the only one I understand.
"Stop!“ anger flashed across his face.
Flinching away from him. he pulled me back to face him. I didn't fight him. I felt his hand loosen slightly. Looking up to meet his eyes he picked me up and threw me over his shoulder still walking to the hut. He kicked the door open and threw me onto a bed in the corner.
Pulling my knees to my chest I scooted into the corner. He searched threw the small hut putting things into a bag before turning back to me. I jumped as his eyes ran along my body and I shuttered at his glance.
He walked towards me dropping the bag as he stood by the bed. Looking at me he pointed to the spot in front of him but I didn't move. His jaw tightens. He pointed again this time I did as I was told.
Shaking I sat there waiting. He pulled a white cloth out and dabbed my head. I flinched away from his touch the wound was stinging and tears swelled in my eyes.
"Please don't hurt me!" I cried looking up at him.
"Stay still." He said pulling a rope from his bag. He pulled my hands together and began to bind them. I looked at the man before me. His chest was covered in thick leather armor. He had fur draped over one shoulder and had a thick linen shirt under the armor. The leather bands covering his forearms had strange markings on them and he had an axe tucked into his belt. His hair was brown and thick but well groomed and so was his beard with beads laced into it.
Pulling the last knot tight he pulled me onto my feet. Tying the other end to his belt we walked outside. Many more men joined us as we walked back towards the forest. Some of the men also had Saxon women with them.
Tears fell down my cheeks as I watched my village fade behind me many builds on fire. What was going to happen to me now?
