“Put my things in the chest” he ordered.
Sophie tried to control her shaking hands and picking up his cloak and tunic took them to the chest, folding them in carefully. Then she turned back to him as he stood up and said “Take that tunic off it’s filthy.”
The look in his eyes stopped her from arguing and she did as she was told, dropping the tunic on the floor. Striding to her he swept her up in his arms, carried her to the new mattress and dropped her onto it. Then he shrugged off his linen tunic and breeches and lay down next to her.
“Very comfortable” he said “but without the furs we will need to do something to keep warm.”
His hands slid over her body, then back up to her breasts, as he moved over her kissing her gently his fingers caressed and tweaked her nipples, until they were hard and pebble like. His mouth moved away from her lips and he kissed along her jawline to the sensitive spot under her ear. As her body responded to his kisses his fingers became more insistent and he kneaded her breasts until it almost hurt. Then his mouth captured a quivering nipple and she was lost. As his tongue caressed her and he suckled hard, his hand trailed over her stomach to the nest of curls between her legs and finally a finger found her most sensitive nub. With a gasp her body arched up to him and as his fingers slid inside her she screamed as an orgasm rolled through her. She couldn’t understand how he made her feel like this, when she should hate him and what he was, but she couldn’t help her reaction to him.
Hours later Sophie lay asleep in his arms, the air was growing chill and it was almost evening. Gazing at her perfect face he felt a strange feeling growing inside his chest. To his surprise he felt protective of her and wanted her to be content with him. He’d never felt like this before, a woman was just something you humped and didn’t think much about. His wife of course was different, he felt nothing for her but respected the fact that she’d brought him a good dowry, the small farm that he had added to and built on. She looked after his children and the farm well in his absence and had never denied him her bed, so he treated her well and made sure she had all she needed.
Sophie was different, when he lay with her he wanted her to want him as he wanted her, and enjoyed the fact that he could bring her to orgasm again and again. He knew Danes who had been besotted with a woman but had never thought to get caught in that trap. Marriage was an arrangement, most Danes married as it was their duty to produce offspring to keep their race going and ‘love’ didn’t come into it.
As he lay contemplating these facts, Sophie opened her eyes and smiled at him. The lurch in his chest made him gruff and he growled “It is time to dress, you will come with me to the nattmal. I brought you suitable clothes to wear.” And he indicated a bundle on the table.
Sophie sat up in surprise “Oh, I thought it was just warriors who ate at the nattmal.”
“No, all eat there. When there are no Danish women there we take our bed slaves. You sit at the lowest table alongside slaves like Beald-wine. When the meal is over you may join us in our games. Of course if any wives are present you must remember your place.”
“Games?” Sophie said suspiciously, not caring for that as she imagined a Roman orgy.
“Yes games, board games, betting games and the like. You might bring me luck. Go fetch some water from the fire.”
Sophie picked up her dirty dress and slipped it over her head then she went to the cooking fire and collected water from the cauldron that was always hanging near it. Returning to the house she put the bucket on the table and gave herself a quick wash with a piece of rag and the soap. She had decided that it was no good being shy in front of Eirik, he knew her body better than she did and didn’t need an excuse to want her. His desire for her was insatiable and she was amazed how quickly he recovered after having spent himself in her. Half an hour was all he needed before his shaft became rampant again.
After Calum, the only man she had known in that way, he was a shock. Calum had spent a long time playing but had only managed to come once a night. Eirik could spend himself four or five times and still wake up horny. She had decided that Calum was like a thoroughbred stallion, pampered, looked good but no staying power, and Eirik was a wild stallion, battle scarred, hard as nails and extremely potent where a female was concerned. Parts of her ached that she hadn’t known existed before and her body throbbed if he stood near her. He had said that she would make a good mother for his sons but she was terrified at the thought of becoming pregnant in such a dangerous world. She worried about what was happening at Goldhill, her Mum and Dad would be so worried and Calum would move in and sell her dream home. However her sensible side told her that she had enough to worry about in this century and not to think about her previous life in 2016.
While she’d been washing Eirik had got dressed and was watching her, enjoying the sight of her lovely body and wanting her again, but they must not keep Ubbe waiting, he would take it as an insult, so he told Sophie to hurry up.
Undoing the rope on the bundle he had given her, she discovered a linen underdress, woollen overdress something like a pinafore dress, three brooches, two to fasten the woollen pinafore and one for a thick cloak lined with fur. There was a pretty plaited belt and a pair of boots with fur lining. Eirik was watching her expectantly so she turned to him with a shy smile on her face “Thank you master, they are lovely.”
“Is that all the thanks I get for spending my hard earned Dane gilt on you?” He growled.
Moving into his arms she pressed herself against him, his iron hard rod pressing into her stomach and stretching up on tiptoe pulled his head down and kissed him sweetly. As he held her his mouth became harder and his tongue let her know what he would really like to be doing to her. Then with a sigh he put her away from him and swatted her bottom.
“Get dressed or Ubbe or no Ubbe we will be late for the nattmal.”
Sophie smiled to herself, as long as he desired her like that she would be safe. Quickly getting dressed she undid her plait and ran the comb through her hair; when she went to replait it he told her to leave it, she looked wild and beautiful, her hair was glorious and the fact that he allowed her to wear it loose showed that he prized her.
Before they set off for Ubbe’s hall Eirik told Alta to put the furs back on the bed and remove the bucket. As he spoke to her he spotted the mattress that she was sewing for herself and the pile of straw to fill it. “What’s this you are doing?” He demanded.
Alta was trembling and opened and shut her mouth afraid to speak.
“Master” Sophie laid her hand on his arm “I ordered too much linen and straw to be brought for your bed and it seemed a pity to waste it. Winter is coming and Alta is not young, I thought you’d get more work out of her if her bones weren’t in knots every morning.”
Eirik glared at her “You do not decide what to do with my possessions. We are late so I’ll deal with you both later.”
Sophie bit her lip “It is I who should be punished, Alta only did as I told her.”
“I see that” Eirik growled, then he took hold of her arm and strode away to Ubbe’s hall with her scuttling along beside him.
People were filtering into the hall but made way for Eirik who kept hold of her arm until he reached one of the first tables inside the hall.
“You sit here” he said “After the meal I will come and find you. Don’t start any fights!”
Sophie humphed at him and sat down. Beald-wine was there and he introduced her to the half dozen men and women who were sitting at the table. Two places were empty *and she wondered who would join them. Looking around in interest she saw a dozen long tables and benches, all filling up with men. All around the hall behind supporting pillars were separate alcoves some of which had piled furs in them. Braziers burned here and there and there were torches on the walls, all adding to the foggy atmosphere. In some of the alcoves chests similar to Eirik’s stood and ther
e were old weapons and a couple of torn tapestries hanging from the walls. At the top end of the room, furthest from the doors was a raised platform with one long table on it where Eirik was standing talking to the men standing there.
Then a curtain over one alcove was pulled back and Ube appeared followed by his two female slaves. All in the hall stood as did Sophie and Ubbe walked to the top table while his slaves made their way down the room to Sophie’s table. To her dismay it appeared she would have to enjoy their company throughout the meal. When Ubbe sat down everyone sat and slaves carried in platters piled high with food. The top table was served first and the variety on the platters grew less as the lower tables were served but there was still plenty of food for all and on Sophie’s table was placed a large cauldron of vegetables, a plate with chopped up meat on it and a platter of bread and cheese. The others on the table waited until Ubbe’s slaves had filled their plates, piling them high, then Beald-wine indicated to Sophie that she should help herself, which she did taking a small portion of each. Beald-wine nodded his approval and the others served themselves in the order of their master’s importance. There was very little conversation so Sophie concentrated on her food and looked around the hall noting who was self important and loud and who looked sure of themselves. Ubbe’s slaves kept throwing her dirty looks and made lewd comments to each other so she ignored them until one of them knocked over a tankard of ale deliberately trying to stain her clothes. She’d been watching for them to do something so managed to leap clear before the ale splashed her. The two made such a fuss, blaming the accident on Sophie that one of Ubbe’s house carls came down to see what was up. On seeing the ale and listening to Ubbe’s slaves he ordered Sophie to clear it up.
“I didn’t spill it, she did” she said pointing at the younger of the two.
“She lies, she did it deliberately to spoil our clothes.”
None of the others on the table spoke in Sophie’s defence all keeping their eyes on their plates; it was clear they knew how vindictive the two could be and how they had Ubbe’s ear.
“Quiet. You, girl, do as you are told or I will have you punished, “the house carl growled.
Thinking of Eirik’s warning Sophie went and fetched a cloth from the kitchen area outside and cleaned up the mess. She would bide her time and get her revenge eventually. When she sat down and looked up the room she could see that Eirik was watching her, Would he have intervened if the house carl had hit her or did he expect her to learn her place?
By the time she’d eaten her bread and cheese, slaves were moving the simple trestle tables and stacking them outside under a lean to. Groups were forming, friends and equals sitting together to drink, tell stories and play games. As Sophie’s table was near the door the male slaves who’d used it picked it up and carried it out. She sat on there not knowing what to do, but then she heard Eirik’s voice as he moved down the hall talking to some and slapping others on the back.
Ubbe’s two slaves had gone up the hall to the platform and were covering benches and the floor with furs. Finally Eirik reached her side and holding out his arm he said “Come Sophie, join me with my comrades.”
The other women on her table were being collected by their masters and taken to join one group or another so Sophie took his arm and they walked up the hall to the platform.
“Oh hell!” she thought “I’m with those two bitches again.”
Eirik sank down onto the furs pulling her down beside him. Ubbe was watching them while his slaves fussed around him arranging the furs so he would be most comfortable.
“Eirik” he said “you have taken yourself a fair prize this time. She would fetch a fortune if the buyers from Arabia saw her.”
Eirik shrugged “She serves her purpose for the moment, I can always sell her later.”
The bitches were giggling together and talking about how she looked with her wild hair but dressed like a lady.
“I see she wears her hair loose” Ubbe commented “Is she a pagan?”
Sophie opened her mouth and Eirik nipped her, so she shut it again.
“To be honest I don’t know what she is but the hair serves its purpose when I ride her from behind.” Eirik said coarsely.
Ubbe laughed loud “Yes a good mane holds a mare in place for a wild ride.”
Realising that he was speaking Anglo-Saxon, and not his native tongue to get a rise out of her, Sophie kept her eyes lowered and held her tongue.
“Enough about a slave” Eirik said “you owe me a chance to get my gold back, let’s play.”
A board similar to a chess board was put out between them and the men started to play a complicated game with carved figures and a kind of dice. All around the hall games were being played, some board games but others of a physical nature; slaves kept the tankards filled with ale and as the men became tipsy the games got wilder. Intrigued by the game Sophie watched closely hoping to understand the rules. As she leaned closer to Eirik he wrapped his left arm around her and pulled her into his side, his hand stroking the curve of her hip. The younger of Ubbe’s slaves, named Ael-gyfe, tried to push herself onto his lap, but he growled at her and pushed her away. She had been drinking as heavily as the men and it had made her surly. Seeing Sophie nestled into Eirik’s side and his hand stroking her, Ael-gyfe glared her hatred at this new upstart. She needed putting in her place, but not while Eirik was there, so she contented herself by muttering to Wulf-pryor her older companion. Wulf-pryor warned her not to start a fight, it must appear that the upstart had picked on her, then she could injure her. Aware of the looks of hatred from the two women Sophie ignored them. She mustn’t give Eirik any more reason to be angry with her.
Finally Eirik won the game amidst much banter and growling in Norse from Ubbe, who reluctantly handed over some gold pieces. Eirik pushed them into the pouch at his belt and went to stand up saying to Ubbe “We’ll play another but I must go and piss.”
Standing up unsteadily Ubbe said “Me too” and the two men made their way out of the hall. As soon as they had gone Ael-gyfe threw her empty tankard hard at Sophie’s head. Throwing herself to one side she managed to avoid it but sprawled on her back on the furs. Before she could move Ael-gyfe was on top of her with a wicked looking blade in her hand. She meant to kill the upstart!
Managing to grab her knife hand in one of hers Sophie fought for her life. The blade was poised over her throat and Ael-gyfe was young, strong and used to fighting. Luckily Sophie’s arms and hands were very strong, thanks to her potting, and holding the woman at bay with one hand she formed a fist with her left and threw a punch at her assailant’s jaw knocking her away from her. Quickly getting to their feet the two women circled each other, Ael-gyfe jabbing forward with the knife trying to find a gap in Sophie’s defence. A circle had formed around them and bets were being placed on who would win, Ael-gyfe being the favourite.
Leif had seen what was happening was trying to get through the crowd to stop the fight but the other warriors were enjoying it and impeding his progress, so Sophie was by herself. Luckily although Wulf-pryor had egged Ael-gyfe on she was staying out of the fight, pushing herself into the crowd so Eirik and Ubbe wouldn’t blame her for not stopping it. She was tired of Ael-gyfe and hoped that Sophie would kill her. Kicking the furs out of the way Ael-gyfe launched herself at Sophie who to her surprise stepped towards, not away from her, and catching her arm at the elbow pivoted and snapped her arm bone cleanly above the wrist. Dropping the knife Ael-gyfe screamed and Sophie launched a stiff flat palmed blow under her chin. A blow that if delivered correctly would kill. But at the last minute Sophie pulled her weight back and the blow simply knocked Ael-gyfe to the floor without breaking her neck. Grabbing up the knife Sophie bent over her as if she was going to cut her throat, then lopped off her plaits leaving her with short hair like an ordinary slave. She could hear Eirik roaring as he pushed his way through the crowd with Ubbe behind
him, so she stood back and waited for him to get to her.
Reaching her side he took the knife out of her shaking hand and growled “What have you done?”
Ael-gyfe had come round and was screaming and crying, her wrist at a funny angle and blood coming out of her mouth where she had bitten her tongue when Sophie karate chopped her.
“She tried to kill me” Ael-gyfe screamed.
Ubbe looked from one woman to the other then said “So Eirik, your wildcat is dangerous. She must be severely punished for fighting in my hall, what say you?”
Eirik shook his head “It is your right, Lord, to demand punishment for the damage done to your property but we do not know who’s at fault. We have witnesses who saw the fight so how did it start?” He looked around waiting for someone to speak up in Sophie’s defence. He was shaken at what this tiny girl had done, she just didn’t look strong enough. There were mutterings in the crowd but no one, it appeared, had seen the fight start.
Ubbe grinned “Well, I am down one bed slave, the solution is simple, I will take yours.”
Eirik frowned knowing that Ubbe was in the right, but, desperate to protect Sophie he turned to her and asked “Did you start the fight?”
“No master, as soon as you left she threw her tankard at me then jumped on me with the knife. It isn’t my knife and I wouldn’t use one to fight with anyway.”
Ubbe cut in “We can go round forever with these denials but the fact is that it is my slave who is damaged and your’s is perfectly alright.”
Sophie spoke up “Wulf-pryor saw what happened, ask her.”
Eirik pulled the slave out of the crowd and told her to speak out. To Sophie’s surprise she told the truth. “It is as Thegn Eirik’s slave says, Ael-gyfe attacked her for no reason and she defended herself. She could have killed her but only cut off her hair.”
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