by Circe Ridley
So it was all the more surprising when a wooden boat, long and lean, began appearing as a single dot on the rearing sea. Slowly, it slunk closer, constantly on the edge of tipping over and sending every man in it to a cold, watery death. Salty droplets covered the hunkering bodies of the wide-shouldered Vikings, staying steadily at their ores and rowing forth under the watchful eye of their Captain. He roared commands at them, telling them when to row and then to stop, when to hold on for dear life and when to dare breathe another breath.
It must have been the Gods testing their might. The Captain had feared that his venture across the freezing sea would be one wrought with difficulties, but he had not banked on the ire of Thor. Perhaps they had not shown proper respect when preparing for their travel, dismissing the God a bit too easily in favor of blessings from Odin. Whatever the case may be, the tumbling storm clouds and the constant thunder and lightning that had followed them since their third day of travel showed that there was much to atone for when given the chance. Until then, the men would simply have to hope on the resilience and cunning of their Captain, Erik, to bring them to relative safety.
Their hearts boiled at the thought of landing ashore and plundering the undeserving locals, their households ripe with fine women and riches fit to be brought home. But first and foremost, a Viking must survive the sea, before waging battle is even a distant possibility. They had been working tirelessly, cold and sleep-deprived, towards the goal of reaching land. Erik had kept their spirits up, his wheaten beard matted with water and salt as he stood at the nose and barked commands mixed with hearty jokes. His second in command, Holger, had often taken the place of a man too beaten to carry on with his task, giving him a few hours of rest before calling him back to action. It had been a difficult trek to their awaited warpath, but it would soon become worth the endless hours and the constant fear of death.
Ever since land came into view, the weather had started giving them mercy. The waves gradually sunk not so low and rose not as high, making the threat of the longboat tumbling over less and less something to worry about. The land had started out as a thin strip of darkness on the horizon, but it was growing ever larger and more defined under the watchful gaze of Erik. It was not long until he could make out single treetops and even the hint of smoke in the distance from a nearby settlement.
His blue eyes sparked with anticipation, the cold and stiffness in his bones and the tiredness in his mind as if wiped away. Adrenaline started to bubble in his veins, the promise of battle, women and ale bringing the Viking back to his base desires. They had been on the water for a long time in the name of reaching this goal and he had no time to feel weary or stiff when it was finally so close.
“We will soon be there, brothers! Prepare your axes!” he shouted over his shoulder, met with a furious cry from his men. The clatter of heavy steel could be heard from under the benches, the men checking their weapons during brief moments when the sea was not tossing them about.
Very few things seemed to matter when conquest loomed so close. Erik could almost feel his vision blurring at the edges. Not from tiredness, but because of the extreme focus that was landing down upon his shoulders, the desire to achieve what he had set out to do. It did not help that his cock throbbed at the promise of red-headed maidens, buxom and pale, ripe for the taking. He had been on a few of these trips before, once a year every year, and they had never disappointed. Some had been calmer than others, but he had the feeling that the enjoyment he would gain from this pillage would outrank all those that came before – things tend to taste sweeter when one has to strain himself to the very limits of his capabilities to achieve it.
It seemed as if Thor was finally giving them their due credit, the path before them calming to a point where fear of mortal danger was no longer necessary. Yet, behind them, the storm raged on, threatening to dismantle any ship that braved test its resolve. Erik put it out of his mind, knowing full well that he and his men would stay on land for several days, exploring, plundering and resting, until they had filled the longboat with riches and had their fill of the local women. He would make sure to thank Thor for his kindness later.
A few more hours drifted aside before the longboat sailed into shallow waters, running up close to the rocky beach. The sky was darkening, night looming close as the heavy boots of dozens of Viking warriors splashed into the low waters. They ignored the wafting wind and the coldness in their muscles. With minds sharp and wills keen, the men set forth on their vicious path, led calmly by Erik and Holger.
CHAPTER TWO
Dava had spent more days than she would have liked tucked away in the safety of her family’s home. She had glared out from the doorway at least a few times a day, silently cursing the storming winds for keeping her locked away inside. There was nothing she enjoyed less than sitting on idle hands and being forced to do something as intolerable as sewing or scrubbing pots. She wanted to run through the woods, feel the breeze in her hair and explore, but even her adventurous spirit had to bow down to the might of thunder and torrential rains.
It was a small blessing that it was finally dying down. Dava had been antsy since the morning, when it started showing signs of easing up a bit. She had counted the hours and minutes, her hand quivering around her bow, for the moment when it was finally calm enough to go outside. When the time came, she was out of the door so fast it felt like a demon was chasing her, red hair sweeping behind her like locks of fire. Her mother hadn’t managed to catch her or chide her for caution, the woman much too excited to finally stretch her legs again to pay any heed to such nonsense as safety or carefulness.
Long legs carried her over the wilting grass, the woman running between the houses towards the thicket of forest that separated the village from the seaside. Her bow was slung over her back along with a small number of arrows, the woman always prepared to hunt for deer if the opportunity showed itself.
She had never been the picture of femininity. Instead, Dava was willful, strong and had a penchant for doing all the things that good girls shouldn’t. She had picked up the skill of bowmanship and hunting when she was young, learning from her father whenever he would let her. Her brothers were all around her age so even if her father did not outright set to teach her, she still managed to pick up enough knowledge that with diligent work, she became rather good at her chosen passions. Dava’s father didn’t approve, but there were a great many things he didn’t deem fit for his only daughter and this was one of the more innocent ones, so she graciously allowed it to slide.
Whenever she was given the chance, Dava would stalk off into the forest and spend days on end there, studying tracks and becoming more knowledgeable in the ways of nature. She had become quite the little tracker and picking up rabbit and deer had proven to be something that she was more than capable of. Dava considered it her little relief from her usual, dull life and after spending days trapped with her large family, she needed nothing more than to clear her head a little.
When she reached the forest, the sky was darkening quickly, night falling over the lands.
I mustn’t stay long, she chided herself as she disappeared from sight of the village, surrounded by thick trees and leafy bushes. Her trek took her into the heart of the forest, the woman milling down familiar paths that only she could recognize. Her brothers often hunted there as well, but she had it on good authority that they weren’t nearly as clever as she was and in the end, the forest rightfully belonged to her (at least in her opinion, anyway). So it was all the more odd that after a while she happened upon large footsteps, recently made, that had trampled the grass where no one usually ventured.
The woman frowned deeply, stopping to study the tracks. The small freckles on her nose crinkled together as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Countless men seemed to have gone through the forest, loaded with heavy items as their steps left deep indentations, their path heading roughly towards her village. The woman squinted her eyes, pondering the ramifications of what she was see
ing, before her curiosity got the best of her. With careful, measured steps, she started following the path, the skirts of her long and unfortunately chosen dress swishing with each stride.
Dava clutched the bow in her hand as she went forward, adrenaline starting to course through her veins. It was exciting and interesting, the hint of a mystery that only she could solve. Going through the possible options, she had decided that it was most likely a band of tradesmen who had gotten lost in the forest on their way to town, but her young mind was filled with endless possibilities that made her head spin. She couldn’t say no to a good unsolved case.
Her quiet skulking through the forest took a good amount of time, the woman truly struggling to see in front of her face now. She could still make out the steps, as faint as they were, and the village was not too far away – she could still make it home from there before night set. Dava found her breathing getting quieter as the darkness descended, the lack of visibility adding to the dangerous undertones of the situation she had found herself in. Her dress swooshed around her ankles as she shuffled through the underbrush, trying to stay quiet but not managing it near well enough.
Her disillusions of being a grand tracker came to an abrupt stop as two strong hands grabbed her from behind, cupping one hand over her mouth and locking the other around her waist. Another faceless pair of gruff hands grabbed her bow from her and tossed it away, the only sign of it being a faint rustling as it hit the ground somewhere further in the foliage. The red-headed girl tried to scream, but nothing except a mumbled moan came out, the man that had grabbed her pressing her against his strong chest. She could feel his heart beating heavily against her back, her senses sharpened by the sudden shock.
“There there, little red, ssh,” a deep voice whispered, hot breath on Dava’s neck. Dava’s vision blurred to black as she fainted in his arms, her braveness leaving her suddenly.
CHAPTER THREE
When Dava came to, she found herself near a small fire, surrounded by burly men she didn’t know. Her head ached a little but not too badly, the woman having no doubt that her sudden loss of consciousness was all her doing and not the result of the men manhandling her. She blinked her eyes slowly, trying to gather her wits and settle into the newness of the situation that she had found herself in. The fire cast shadows across the forest floor, showing sleeping bodies and piled supplies. She could see the metal glint of heavy two-hand axes and swords, each man having at least some kind of a weapon close to him. They were clad in thick hides and lamb skin, meticulously made for warmth and function. Her heart sank a little as she realized who she was dealing with.
Vikings, she thought to herself. The raids to their lands were not uncommon, but it had been many years now since a longboat had come to their particular shore. Her village and family had lived in calm, quiet peace, forgetting the foreign threat a bit too easily. Dava could feel the threat of tears burning in her eyes, but she squared her chin and bit her lower lip in determination to be bigger than the tiny female emotions that wanted to burst forth in her. It took some effort and mental gymnastics, but she finally felt the salty tears bend to her will. Dava wiped the single tear that had rolled down her cheek away with the back of her hand, raising her head a bit.
“Ah, seems our guest has awoken,” the familiar deep voice bellowed from somewhere behind her. Dava twisted her neck to see where the voice was coming from and met the footsteps of Erik with her green gaze. She gulped down a deep breath when her eyes tracked upwards, taking in the sight of the big Viking before her. He was tall, towering high above her, with blonde hair and a mighty beard. The man had wide shoulders and arms as thick as oak trees, leaving no doubt that he must be a formidable warrior. His blue eyes glinted with a sort of mischief that reminded Dava of the way hers looked when she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of a stream – ready to explore, to feel, to learn.
The small redheaded lass felt an odd connection to the man immediately, her stomach twisting in knots from both excitement and fear. She had seen Vikings once before as her mother had carried her off into these very same forests to hide from them, just as the warriors were running into her village. They had seemed gigantic and menacing then, but looking at Erik, she could only see a kindred spirit.
“You speak our language?” she asked quietly, finding her voice. The other men were not paying as much attention to her as she would have expected, some curious glances landing her way and Holger keeping a keen eye on the Captain and his newest toy, but the men mostly going about their own work or rest. Erik nodded in response to her question, a small smirk cresting over his lips.
“My mother was from around here. She taught me the tongue,” he said, lowering himself down on his haunches to be more on the same level with the fiery-haired girl. He reached a hand out and stroked a lock of hair off of her cheek and behind her ear, the woman not flinching a bit as he did so.
Her skin burned where he touched her, the inexperienced village girl finding out for the first time what it felt like desiring a man who was stronger, wiser and more cunning than she was. She had had small girlish crushes before in her days, but no man had ever caught her attention quite like Erik had, and as quickly. Dava knew well that it was completely foolish, feeling a twinge of need for a man who was there only to pillage her village, but she couldn’t help it. The look in his eyes bound her to him in a way mere words could not explain.
“Are you here to sack my home?” Dava asked, finding much more confidence in her voice than she actually felt. The big man grinned, showing his white teeth, and nodded his head in careful agreement.
“Yes, we are. It is the way of the Vikings. But do not worry, little red, you showed courage when tracking a band of men much bigger in numbers and strength than what your bow could handle, so we will leave you here as we go Viking,” Erik said, making to stand up and leave the blazing-hearted Scot to her thoughts.
A moment of panic struck Dava, thousands of thoughts running through her head all at once. She knew her village could not protect itself, but it would try and it would mean the death of many who she loved. The idea of sitting quietly, bound to a tree, as her home burned down and her brothers were struck down, made her heart cry out in anguish. Before she even knew her plan, she blurted out the words that would ultimately save her home.
“No! Take me instead of my village!” she cried, eyes full of anguish. The man paused, lowering himself down again with his brows furrowed.
“Are you trying to barter yourself for the riches your village holds, little red? Why would I take such a deal?” he asked, humoring the brave lass. Dava thought about it for a moment and then her words spilled forth again, moderated by nothing but the desire to save her family.
“I am a virgin, I have never known the touch of man. But I’d give myself to you and your men freely if you promised to not sack my village! There are many villages close to here, just don’t take mine! And I showed bravery, like you said. You owe me!” she blurted. The man cocked an eyebrow at her, half amused and half surprised by her offer. It wasn’t as if they couldn’t take her if they wanted to, she was just a feisty girl and he had many men who had not gotten to take a woman in a long time. But he seemed intrigued and when he stood up from Dava to go talk to Holger, she felt that not all was lost.
CHAPTER FOUR
When Erik returned, Dava had managed to scold herself repeatedly on being a complete idiot. The Vikings had no reason to take her up on her offer and even if they did, then she was as green as they came. Her whole understanding of physical pleasure came from stories that she had heard and the sensations her body felt when she touched it. Seeing the big Viking walk towards her with Holger and a few of the other men in tow, Dava couldn’t help but feel her slit moisten with excitement and her thoughts petrify with fear.
Erik came to a stop in front of her, but this time didn’t sit down on his haunches. Instead, he stood tall and proud, crossing his arms over his wide chest. He was a sight to behold and the men that lined
his sides were more of the same – muscled, impressive and strong.
“The men have decided to take you up on your offer, little red. We will spare your village. But think of this not as a result of your deal making, but more of my courtesy towards a brave little warrior.” Erik flashed a small smile her way and she met it with a quivering one of her own.
His hands reached down for her and pulled her up on her feet as if she weighed nothing at all. The man took no time in claiming what had been so freely given to him. Erik pulled her tight against his chest, his strong scent filling her nostrils in the cool night air. He raised her chin with his hand and dipped down, kissing her deeply. Dava almost melted in his arms, her spite and fight disappearing quickly in the presence of someone she could respect and look up to. Not to mention yearn for. She could feel her body melding against his as his tongue dipped into her mouth, tasting her innocence with the ferocity of a man who has decided to take what he desires.
His hands went to the bodice of her dress and he ripped it off of her with deft motions. The fabric shred under his grip, splitting down the front of her chest to reveal her heavy, pale breasts to his curious gaze and lustful grasp. She gasped as the cold breeze wafted across her skin, sending shivers down her spine. Erik gave her no time to focus on that though, his mouths seeking out hers again and involving it in a long, drawn out kiss as his hands discovered her gentle curves. He pushed the dress off of her, her many skirts following after, leaving the woman almost completely naked in his arms.