by Desconhecido
Fridgeir grinned maliciously in agreement. Eirik waited for him to speak. “You know me, never afraid to fight.” He glanced over at Eireann. “On the other hand, this time I wouldn’t mind heading home sooner.” The others guffawed and grinned knowingly at her. She glared back, then dismissed them with a saucy flip of her head.
Eirik turned to Steinolf, the oldest and most experienced. The old wolf had been exceptionally quiet even for him.
Steinolf shrugged. “I have no doubts we can handle the merchant’s people, but we might want to take some precautions. In case someone else shows up.”
Eirik nodded. “I agree. Here’s what I want.” He quickly outlined his plan.
Chapter 4
Day 2, daytime
Eireann sat with her back against the stone pillar and watched the activity of the Northmen. The raiders had shown no order, fighting with each other, drinking or just lazing about. These Northmen showed both order and discipline. She hadn’t figured out the rankings but the one called Eirik seemed in charge. Likely one of the minor lords—“thane” she thought was their word for him. But they used no titles nor wore any special insignia. Except Eirik, he wore a twisted golden band around his neck with a wolf’s snarling head facing a dragon’s. She didn’t know if that meant anything or not. None of their gear matched another’s and few even had matching armor like Fridgeir. Their clothes varied in shades of browns, russets and greens. She noticed for the first time that Eirik and one called Leif were the only ones who wore any blue. Leif looked enough like Eirik that they could be brothers, so maybe the color meant something. She’d also noticed men followed his orders just as quickly as Eirik’s. Fridgeir spent much time in this Eirik’s company. That confirmed to her that he was indeed of higher standing. At least she hadn’t been taken by a lowly ship’s cook!
Her eyes widened in surprise as Fridgeir, Arinbjorn, Eirik and a few others started to strip. They stood their weapons up in the sand for easy retrieval in case of an attack. Fridgeir glanced over his shoulder to see her staring and winked. She almost blushed but instead raked him over then dismissed him with a toss of her head. She pointedly turned to watching the others. Demon’s balls! The whole bunch of them were fit and lean. Like most Northmen, they all stood a good bit taller than most other men. She guessed Fridgeir was at least six feet, likely more. Broad-shouldered, hard-muscled chest and belly covered in blond hair met strong hips, a firm ass and hairy but well-muscled legs. None of the bunchy muscles she’d seen on blacksmiths or others who lifted heavy loads. She couldn't help admire his grace as he dove into the waves with the others. Their playful splashing and dunking of each other caught her completely off-guard. Playful Northmen? Who’d have thought the most vicious and feared fighters in the west play in the water! And they had absolutely no concern over being naked with each other. A quick glance at the merchant and his son made her giggle. They both were working hard to look somewhere else! Spineless midlanders, they had a reputation for being prudish about nudity. Not that her people played around stark naked in front of everyone! But if the need arose there was no shame in it.
Done soaking each other the Northmen headed upstream to rinse the salt off. Someone had piled more stones across it to make a deeper pool better suited to bathing. She couldn’t resist turning just enough to watch. Amid more splashing and horseplay, braids vanished and hair got washed along with the rest of their bodies. Men of her clan let their hair grow more than midlanders but none got as long or thick as these men. On a few, like Fridgeir and Eirik, it flowed in waves better than halfway down their backs. Most were some shade of blond. Fridgeir’s looked more tawny gold to Eirik’s bright gold. On lesser men, it might have made them seem girlish but their strong masculine builds would never be mistaken for feminine. A few bystanders offered teasing insults and lewd suggestions evenhandedly to the bathers playing about. Finally, Fridgeir stood and shook his hair out and body off, almost like a dog. Men not involved in bathing dodged and cursed or laughed. He grabbed his stuff and headed her way. She made no effort to pretend she hadn’t been watching the show, unlike the three young women who’d alternated staring, giggling and hiding in fear. Saibh had turned her back and hidden her head as soon as the clothes started to come off.
Fridgeir planted his axe haft in the soft ground and spread his cloak out before dropping naked on to it. He stretched out, lean muscles rippling in the sun. She tried hard to ignore her appreciation of his fine form and physical attraction to him. It confused her. Fear and revulsion filled her when she thought about him actually having sex with her, mostly. But no matter how hard she tried, her gaze kept straying back to his luscious male body.
He grinned and winked provocatively at her. “Having fun? See anything you’d like a closer look at?”
She snorted with derision. “Is that supposed to impress me?” She pointed with her chin to his flaccid and slightly shriveled cock. It and his balls had shrunk up with the cold water.
Fridgeir laughed. “Not to worry, it’ll be fine as soon as the sun warms it.” He leaned closer. “Or you could help it along.” His eyes twinkled with mischief and growing desire. Her attention encouraged his cock to shake off the cold.
She sneered at him and turned away. “I’m not a miracle worker.”
Fridgeir laughed and laid back to enjoy the warmth of the sun. He let out a deep sigh as he relaxed fully. A few moments later he shifted a bit and winked when he caught her looking. She let her gaze sweep past as if she were looking at something else. His slight frown almost made her laugh. He bent a knee and crooked an arm under his head. It took all her concentration not to drool as his lean body flexed and stretched. That chest just begged to be stroked. She made a point of watching Eirik dry off. From the corner of her eye, she could see Fridgeir’s frown.
Oh yeah, man thinks he’s something to look at and doesn’t like being ignored.
Eireann figured if she was lucky, he’d get sunburned laying out and then she wouldn’t have to worry about him for a while. But at the same time she couldn’t deny her body’s response to his exquisite male form. Everything her former husband wasn’t! Including hairy. Few men could grow beards like the notorious Northmen. Rumor had it that the beards covered them clear to their toes. She could see now that wasn’t true. But he did sport a nicely haired chest and belly, right down to his curly blond testicles.
Fridgeir rolled to his front and smiled at her. “Anything you want to touch?”
She snorted. “Just surprised. I expected you to be furred from head to toe like the beast you are.” She shrugged and added with a wicked grin, “Not so bad there but definitely not as well-hung as I’d expected. Rumor has it true Northmen are as big as horses.”
Fridgeir laughed. “You really want a horse-sized man?” he teased. “I could see if Hroald’s available.” He rose up and looked around, then pointed toward a towering giant of a man just coming out of the woods.
She made a show of looking him over before shrugging and turning away. “I’d much rather it shrivel up and fall off!”
* * * *
Fridgeir laughed quietly and lay his head down where he could watch her while the sun warmed his backside. He hadn’t noticed before but her eyes were a light grey-green. A nice compliment to her cherry-red and very curly hair. He tried to imagine what she looked like unbruised. He noticed freckles and rosy cheeks hiding under it all. He thought her lips might be just a bit pouty and her face more round than he liked, but overall, not bad. She might be pretty under the bruises but he really didn’t care. It was her wit and strength that attracted him.
“Mother of demons! Do I have a horn in middle of my forehead?” She tossed her head and turned her back to him obviously irritated by his scrutiny.
Fridgeir sighed. “Just wondering what you’ll look like without all the purple and green blotches.” He let his voice tease just a little.
She snorted. “Hoping I’m pretty enough to sell well? Sorry to disappoint but midlanders aren’t fond of freckles.”
“Assuming I wanted to sell you, there are pastes that can cover those up. And the whorehouses couldn’t care less, as long as you’ve got the talents women of your kind are so well-known for. Myself, I find the red hair and green eyes worth all the freckles in the Wild Isles.”
She snorted again. “My eyes aren’t green!”
“Let me see.” He rolled over and sat up. “Come on now, turn around.” He reached for her. She stiffened under his hand for a moment then whirled around and stared aggressively into his blue eyes.
“Maybe not pure green but still quite pretty,” he said softly. His finger trailed from the corner of her eye down her cheek. She reached up and grabbed his hand to shove it away but he held onto it. Gaze still locked with hers, he raised it to his lips and gently kissed the palm. He felt desire flooding his cock.
* * * *
She felt a tingle when he kissed her hand. In another place, another time, she might have welcomed his attention. She dropped her gaze and saw him getting aroused. A flash of matching ardor fled before the fear, then disgust and anger threatened to overwhelm her.
Apparently he saw the fear just before anger rose to cover it. He let her go and with a sigh he grabbed his clothes and started dressing.
Eireann turned away to catch her breath. The draw of his gaze made her want him to touch her almost as much as she feared it, almost as much as it made her feel sick. She hated it! Curse those goat-humping cocksuckers for making me like this! She’d always liked sex, maybe more than some thought proper, but still. To fear it? Hate it? Dear mother of all, please let this heal! Anger rose hotter. I won’t let these monsters win! Somehow.
She glanced around to see Fridgeir’s back as he pulled on his tunic. At least he wasn’t ugly. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. But she hated that he would make her satisfy him whether she wanted it or not! Whether she enjoyed it or not! Just like her former husband and those goat-loving raiders. She pulled into herself as despair rose, freezing her inside. She would never be free again, never be whole again. Tears threatened. A bag of watered wine plopped down beside her. She heard Saibh moving around. Someone had given her trail bread. She broke it in two and offered some to Eireann. She smiled at her sister and moved as close as she could, easily able to reach the bread her sister held out. It dawned on her that her sister had a longer chain today. They could almost touch.
She watched Fridgeir joined some others eating farther up the hill, watching the ocean. His face relaxed and he seemed to look far out to sea. She turned back to eating with Saibh. Her sister, she could do it for her sister.
* * * *
Eirik made his way to the top of the north cliff and found a piece of wall a ways from the watchers stationed there. This morning’s dream kept nagging at the back of his mind. Now that things had settled down, he wanted to spend some time trying to understand it. He watched the sun dance on waves, seabirds circling overhead. A soft sound came behind him.
“You need something, Leif?” he asked without turning to look.
Leif chuckled. “Never could sneak up on you! Can I join you for a bit?” He sat down without waiting for an answer.
Eirik snorted softly. “Sure—why not? What’s on your mind, little brother?”
Leif shrugged slightly. “Not so much what’s on my mind as yours. You seem distracted today. Thought it might have something to do with that dream you had this morning.”
Eirik looked at him in surprise, then chuckled softly. “Gods! I hope I didn’t wake the whole camp! I should know better than to think I could keep anything private with the lot of you!”
Leif grinned. “Actually I’d just returned from the brush myself, though for slightly different reasons, I suspect. As far as I know, everyone else slept through it.”
Eirik nodded with relief. He turned his head and could tell from Leif’s steady stare he wasn’t going to get away with joking it off. And maybe Leif would have some insight that would help. He drew a breath. “Keep this between us.” He waited for Leif to nod agreement. “I dreamt about a woman with green eyes and yes, that kind of dream. Very erotic, in fact, but that’s not what’s got me wondering. It felt like prophecy—she offered me all she had, all she was, and in return she wanted my strength. No, that’s not quite right, she wanted me to fill her with my strength. Although at that point that’s not what I was filling her with.” He grinned mischievously and Leif chuckled. “It’s odd to remember her words so clear but not her face or even her body. And even weirder, I’ve had that dream before.”
Leif turned to sit straddling the wall so he could face his brother. “You’ve had the exact same dream before? When?”
“Not exactly the same. I remember a room that glowed and her words from before. I can’t recall any other details but then it’s been around fifteen years since I had it the first time.” He stared out to sea, deep in thought.
“Wait—you had this dream as a boy? I remember you going on about some dream where you thought the gods promised you a queen—a magical queen if memory serves.” Leif’s brow furrowed as he tried to recall any other details.
Eirik grinned slightly. “I’d forgotten about the magical part. Although I think I said something more along the lines of a daughter of the gods or ancient ones. Or something else equally pretentious!”
He and Leif both chuckled at the memories.
“I recall the seer putting you in your place rather firmly,” Leif recalled with a slightly evil grin. “Speaking of the seer, if you really think there is something to this dream you should speak with her.”
Eirik snorted rudely. “After last time? Ha, not very likely. She never has liked me anyway.” He turned back to watching the sea. The seer had always made her preference for Leif clear. He knew his brother felt a fondness for her but something about her set his fire on edge. He didn’t seek her council if he could avoid it.
“So is there more to this dream? Any details you want to share?” Leif prodded with a sly grin.
Eirik snickered. “I think it best if you just guess. Besides, I didn’t make it to the best part.” Getting more serious, he added with some concern, “Leif, I’ve had a feeling all summer that something’s coming. Something big is about to happen. Maybe this woman is connected somehow. Maybe I’ll finally find my queen.”
Leif nodded thoughtfully. “I know you don’t like her but that’s all the more reason to talk with the seer. I hate to say it, but this woman could be a symbol for something else. Could be a warning.”
Eirik nodded and found a loose rock he tossed off the cliff, deep in thought. The brothers shared the peace of the cliff for a short while. A commotion back at camp shattered the quiet and sent both men running back.
* * * *
Eireann watched as Floki, Knut and a few of the younger men returned from their shift on watch late afternoon. The camp held only a few men lounging around. Knut nudged Floki and pointed at the younger women. The group closed around them.
“Hmm, looks like the girls here are lonely, don’t you think?” He grinned around at the others then squatted onto his heels and toyed with a stray lock of the youngest’s hair. She cowered away but he held on, pulling it. Tears filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. The gathered men sniggered cruelly.
“Bet that one wouldn’t last the night with a real man!” one teased. He bent down and grabbed the chin of another. “Maybe this one would be up for some sport.” She trembled in fear but managed not to cry despite his crushing grip on her chin. He yanked her to her feet, making her yelp in surprise.
“Hey, knock it off!” an older voice called. “Unless you want one as your share…”
Most of them wandered off, but Knut, Floki and a few others turned their attention to Eireann and her sister. A quick sweep of the beach showed Fridgeir and Arinbjorn both gone. They shared nasty-looking smiles and headed for them.
Eireann had a good idea what was coming. She refused to look away from their stares. It gratified her some that none of them could hold her
gaze long. Cowards!
Knut stood over her running his gaze down her like she wore nothing. “Where’s your master, bitch? Run off to play with himself since he can’t get you to do it for him?” A cruel sneer twisted his lips and his buddies grinned maliciously.
She shrugged but said nothing. She kept her eyes locked with his and full of anger.
Floki grabbed Knut’s arm, pulling him away and taking his place in front of her. He dropped to one knee. “Bet you’re just waiting for a man who knows what he wants and how to get it.” His eyes raked up and down her front, lingering on her breasts.
She snorted. “And you think that’s you? Please. I’ve seen unbearded boys who are more man than you are.” The scorn in her voice clearly pricked him like thorns on a rose.
Floki’s eyes narrowed. He grabbed her by her hair and hauled her toward him. “I think you just asked for it!” He tried to kiss her but she refused to hold still despite his painful grip on her hair.
“Goat-humping demon spawn! Get off me!” she cursed and struggled against him. The chain on her bound hands kept her from hitting him and he held her kneeling so her feet were useless.
Another laughed. “Maybe you should try the younger one, Floki. She might be more your speed.” He reached down grabbed a terrified Saibh by the hair at the back of her head. “See—this is how you hold one.” His other hand gripped the girl’s chin and he started kissing her. She made strangled mewling noises and shook.
It was all Eireann could take. Snake-quick she bit Floki’s lip hard. He yelled and jerked away. “Let go of my sister, you pig-humping boy-lover!” She launched herself at the man holding her sister but the chains on her hands prevented her from reaching him.
Men laughed except for Floki, who grabbed Eireann by one braid and yanked her back to him. He slapped her hard. “How dare you bite me, bitch! You’re nothing but a whoring slave. And I will have you.” He grabbed her throat and pulled her to him. His other hand made for the ties of her bodice. She jammed both hands into his face, knocking him back.
