The Northmen Series Box Set

by T S Florence

  “Are these the Roman buildings you spoke of?” Hilda asked.

  “They are, and this is my house,” Ragnar said, as he dismounted his horse, and gently lifted Hilda down.

  Torsten and Brenna were already waiting out the front when they arrived.

  “We were hoping to rest here for a few days, before heading inland,” Torsten said, referring to the viking village, which he lived in, that was situated 50 miles west.

  “That, and I did not want to leave you so soon,” Brenna said, looking at Hilda.

  “I don’t need your smelly ass in my house,” Ragnar grumbled to Torsten.

  “You can both stay,” Hilda smiled from Torsten to Brenna, before shooting Ragnar a scowl.

  “Hilda is good for you,” Torsten said, in a humorous voice to Ragnar.

  “Shut up Torsten,” Ragnar said, before leading the small group inside.

  Hilda was amazed at the inside of the house - she had never seen anything like it before. Even in the castle that Isla lived in, which she visited as a child, was not as well built as this house. The tiles on the inside of the house gave it a clean finish, with pictures of men and women, walking and carrying pots.

  “What do the tiles mean?” Hilda asked Ragnar.

  “I think it is just for the owner’s pleasure to look at,” Ragnar said.

  Hilda ran her hands along the smooth tile, which felt cold to touch, and smooth, like a stone from the bed of a river. Ragnar then led them out to a large courtyard, where a square of grass took the centre, of the courtyard, lined by roses. The roses caused a twinge within Hilda.

  Ragnar led them through the house. It had its own kitchen room, just like a castle, and individual rooms for each guest. A large vase stood in the corner of the courtyard which caught rain, leaving a pure, cool and tasty water to drink.

  “Ragnar this house is perfect,” Hilda smiled.

  “I’m glad that you like it,” Ragnar said, pausing before continuing, “I must go and see Ivar and explain what has happened with his ship.” Ragnar turned and left the house, after giving rose a kiss on the crown of her head.

  Ragnar

  Ragnar mounted his not yet rested horse, and kicked into its belly, causing it to leap into action, towards the main castle. He couldn’t help but wonder what it was that Hilda was not telling him. He knew that there must be something serious for her to not just tell him.

  Once he made it to the castle, he tied off his horse and walked up the steps into the great hall. He was pleased to find Ivar and Isla already there, sitting at the great table, listening to some priests advising them on courtly matters.

  “Ragnar,” Ivar shouted, causing the priests to jump.

  “Ivar,” Ragnar boomed, striding towards the viking leader.

  Normally, men were not allowed so close to Ivar and the princess, but the guards did not move, and let Ragnar pass the point where no men would normally pass. They did the warrior’s handshake and embraced in a manly hug. Ragnar could hear Isla laughing at their excitement.

  “You made it back, brother,” Ivar said.

  “I did, though one of your boats didn’t,” Ragnar said.

  “What do you mean?” Ivar said, frowning.

  “I had the boat docked at the wharf in Kingston, and a drunken captain with an out of control boat was forced into our boat as it was docked.”

  “Out of control?” Ivar questioned.

  “There was a significant storm that gave him a strong tailwind. It was still his fault. A captain worth his salt would not have caused damage,” Ragnar said.

  “Did you beat the man and get some money from him?” Ivar asked.

  “I wanted to, but Hilda stopped me,” Ragnar said.

  “Hilda… Is this your slave girl?” Ivar asked.

  “She’s no longer a slave, but yes,” Ragnar said.

  “So, you got her back? Was she harmed?” Ivar asked.

  “She was not harmed. We had to chase down her captors and take them back,” Ragnar said.

  “So, another day for you then, Ragnar the Destroyer?” Ivar said.

  “Something like that,” Ragnar said, stretching his neck.

  “Where is Hilda, then?” Ivar asked, and then Isla interrupted, “Of course, I would love to meet this girl who has your heart,” Isla said.

  “She doesn’t have my heart,” Ragnar growled.

  “I haven’t even seen the pair of you together and I can already tell she has your heart,” Isla said, rolling her eyes.

  “Well she’s resting in my house. She’s tired from the journey,” Ragnar said.

  “Of course,” Ivar and Isla said together, “Well stay for some food, and tell us about your journey. You must bring Hilda for dinner as soon as she’s rested.” Isla said.

  Ragnar told them of the journey, the state that he found Fyrkat in, and his appointment of Earl of Fyrkat. He told them of his father, and how he left his father in charge of Fyrkat. He left tout much of the detail of his relationship with Hilda, and his struggle to regain her trust, and the feelings that he had been developing for her. He did, however, describe Hilda to them. The golden-haired English girl, who refused to tell him of her English identity.

  “So, she’s a slave from England?” Isla asked, curiously.

  “Yes,” Ragnar said, “why do you ask?”

  “A blonde slave, and she is just turned twenty one?” Isla continued.

  “Yes, why?” Ragnar asked.

  “Why did you both go to Kingston?” Isla asked.

  “It was her home town, she wanted to see if her home was still there. But it wasn’t I believe her family is dead,” Ragnar said.

  “I really would like to meet her,” Isla said, curiously.

  “I will bring her as soon as she’s ready,” Ragnar chewed on the leg of a chicken, a little curious about Isla’s intense questioning.

  “That would be lovely,” Isla smiled.

  After spending the afternoon talking with Ivar and Isla, Ragnar rode the short distant back to his home, where he knew Hilda was waiting for him.

  He went into the main courtyard, only to find Torsten and Brenna talking quietly.

  “Where is Hilda?” Ragnar asked.

  “Asleep,” Brenna said.

  Ragnar left the pair of lovebirds in the courtyard and went to find which room Hilda had chosen. All the rooms were empty, and suddenly a feeling of panic set into his stomach. He marched to his own room to take a sack of gold for any emergency purchases, if he needed to go searching for Hilda, only to find her asleep in his bed.

  Relief washed through his body as he watched her sleep, curled up under his furs and blankets. He moved through his room carefully, not wanting to wake her. He removed his weapons belt and his copious layers of clothing, and hopped into his bed, next to Hilda, in only his undergarments.

  Hilda

  Hilda woke in the middle of the night, and panicked for a short moment, before she realised that Ragnar was already asleep next to her. She crawled closer and wrapped herself around him, which caused him to stir. Without a word, he moved his arm down and rubbed her back, before squeezing a handful large of her behind.

  She wiggled in his hands and moved herself closer against his body, enjoying his warmth. When she had pressed herself up against him fully, she could feel his hardness press against her stomach. The sensation caused a surge of excitement, and her head went dizzy with excitement.

  She was still too nervous to put her hand near it, so instead she reached around, similarly to him, and felt his behind. It was firm, all muscle. She slowly moved her face into his neck, breathing in his deep, earthy scent. She ground her body against him, and enjoyed his shaft as it pressed against the warmth between her legs.

  Ragnar went to move his hand down, but she pushed his hand away.

  “Not outside of marriage, Ragnar,” Hilda said.

  “Hilda,” He rumbled.

  “No,” She said.

  “Very well,” Ragnar said, rolling onto his back, pulling her
with him, until she was practically laying on top of him.

  Without feeling like a moment had passed at all, Hilda woke to an empty bed. The sun had started to rise, which she could see through her window. Sound of horses trotting along the street, outside the house reminded Hilda of her childhood, and the time spend on horseback, travelling between towns, trading sheep’s wool.

  She moved to the adjoining room, where a large bath of water had been kept. She was still rubbing her eyes once she had reached the middle of the room.

  “Hilda,” Ragnar’s voice shocked her eyes open with surprise.

  Ragnar sat before her, in the large steel tub, completely naked. She could not help but look directly to the spot she should not have looked. Between his legs. Her eyes widened at the thickness that lay between his large thighs, and let out an audible gasp.

  Ragnar stood, reaching for the closest drying linen, and wrapped it around his body.

  “I’m sorry,” Hilda breathed heavily, but found she couldn’t avert her eyes from his scarred and muscled body, dripping with warm water. The length of his shaft was outlined through the linen, causing her eyes to drop down once more.

  “Are you enjoying yourself,” Ragnar laughed, as he tied the linen at his waist.

  “Oh, be quiet Ragnar,” Hilda said, suddenly embarrassed, as she moved her gaze to his face.

  “I need a bath as well,” Hilda said, quietly.

  “Then hop in,” Ragnar gestured towards the bath.

  Hilda’s heart began to race at Ragnar’s invitation, and she suddenly felt a surge of bravery, as her hands started moving while her mind ran blank. She pulled at the shoulder straps of her linen dress, and let it fall to the ground. Beneath it, she was completely naked.

  She felt her nipples harden under Ragnar’s hard gaze. He almost looked angry, as he stared at her body. She was grateful that she had hair that covered between her legs, for she did not want him be privy to absolutely everything.

  A surge of embarrassment at how exposed she was caused her to move quickly into the tub.

  She looked up at Ragnar, and found it hard to avoid the length that was outlined under his linen towel.

  “I will give you some privacy,” Ragnar croaked, his voice hoarse. His face looked hard, and he averted his gaze to the floor as he left the room.

  Hilda’s heart beat slowly went back down as she leaned back and enjoyed the bath. She used the bath oils to scrub her skin and wash her hair. She didn’t stop until her entire body was a rosy pink. And her core had stopped yearning to be filled by Ragnar.

  When she had finished her bath, she went out to the court yard, in a fresh new linen skirt that must have been laid out by one of Ragnar’s servants.

  “Hello Brenna,” Hilda smiled to her friend, who was laying alone in the grass, “where are Torsten and Ragnar?”

  “They have just gone to the markets to look at new weapons shipped from Frankia, I believe Ragnar has gone to see Ivar again, too,” Brenna said.

  “Weapons,” Hilda deadpanned.

  “I know,” Brenna rolled her eyes, before continuing “So what’s the deal with you and Ragnar?”

  “Well, if you haven’t already figured it out, I was his family’s slave for most of my life, since before I was a teenager,” Hilda said.

  “Oh,” Brenna’s face remained serious.

  “We were inseparable, Ragnar and I. We did everything together. When I found out he was leaving to go to England without me, I was heartbroken. He promised he would take me home one day,” Hilda said.

  “So you weren’t really a slave,” Brenna asked.

  “I was a slave by title, but they never treated me like one,” Hilda said.

  “All things considered, you’re quite lucky then. Imagine if it was Dag who took you as a child,” Brenna shivered.

  “I don’t even want to think about that,” Hilda cringed.

  “You clearly love Ragnar. What’s holding you back now?” Brenna asked.

  “England. Ragnar left me, as well. I guess I trust him again, though,” Hilda said.

  “How is England holding you back?” Brenna asked.

  “I haven’t even told Ragnar that part yet,” Hilda said quietly.

  “Well why don’t you practice it with me,” Brenna said, helpfully.

  “It’s kind of strange,” Hilda said.

  “Try me,” Brenna said.

  So, Hilda told Brenna everything. From Elsbeth falling ill in Newcastle and leaving her with her brother Jack, while her and her father travelled back to Kingston, through to being taken and sold to Ragnar’s family, and her choice to never speak of her English life, not about her family, not even her English name.

  “I don’t think I was supposed to hear all of that,” Torsten said, shocking Brenna out of a daze, and causing Hilda to yelp in surprise.

  “Torsten,” Brenna said hotly, “why didn’t you say anything earlier? That was for my ears only.”

  “Hilda, if you know Princess Isla, and if you have family here, you need to go and speak with them,” Torsten said, unhelpfully.

  “I know-” Hilda began to say, before she was cut off by a low growl.

  “You have family here in Newcastle and you didn’t tell me,” Ragnar growled so low, the foundations of the walls felt like they would shake. He dropped his freshly bought weapons to the ground.

  “Ragnar I-” Hilda began.

  “And you told them before me,” He put emphasis on his words, telling her how upset he was with her.

  “Ragnar that’s not fair,” Hilda started to say, but he was already walking back out of the house.

  She caught him just before he got onto his horse. “Ragnar I’m not letting you go without talking about this,” Hilda said.

  “I don’t want to talk. You’re good at talking with anyone but me,” Ragnar said.

  Hilda tried to speak again, but yelped with surprise when Ragnar picked her up and threw her over his shoulder. He carried her inside and threw her down onto their bed.

  “Ragnar, be careful,” She said, shocked at his sudden rage.

  “He took her hands and tied them with her dirty linen skirt that was still lying on the floor, and fastened it to the bed.”

  “Ragnar you cannot leave me like this,” Hilda gasped, as he turned towards the door.

  “I can do whatever I want, if you’re my slave. I don’t need you following me,” he growled.

  “Ragnar, I am not your slave! Untie me,” She yelled, hearing her voice mix with the echo of his footsteps in the hall,” but she was met with silence.

  “I hate you Ragnar,” She yelled into the silence.

  After a few moments, Brenna walked into the room, with a guilty look on her face.

  “I’m so sorry, Hilda, this is all my fault,” she said, as she rushed to untie Hilda.

  “Is he still here?” Hilda asked, desperate to catch him.

  “He’s gone,” Brenna said quietly.

  “I hate that man,” Hilda said.

  “No, you don’t,” Brenna said, soothingly.

  “I do, I truly do,” Hilda said, fighting back tears.

  “He just proved to me that he doesn’t deserve to know about my family,” Hilda said.

  Hilda sat and fumed in the kitchen. She tried to distract herself by tearing at pieces of bread; she ate the small pieces absent-mindedly. She could see why Ragnar saw the situation the way that he had, and she could see how it could hurt him, yet she knew that she deserved more patience and understanding from the man who had left her for four years – not only that, but he kept it a secret from her for an entire winter up until Elder Ragnar told her.

  “He is not allowed to be mad at me like this, not after what he put me through,” Hilda turned to look at Brenna and Torsten.

  “You know, it was clear that Ragnar had someone back home during these past for years,” Torsten said.

  “Yes, he had his mother and father back home, who he neglected to contact,” Hilda clipped.

  “I mea
nt a woman,” Torsten said.

  “What are you talking about?” Hilda asked.

  “Ragnar was always excited for battle, but never for the spoils that came from battle,” Torsten. Said, unhelpfully.