by Viva Fox
His tongue lapped at her clit and Siv felt like her eyes were going to roll back into her head, her body was covered in tiny goosebumps and as he continued she felt as though her goosebumps had goosebumps.
Her breathing became frantic and she felt herself about to climax and Bram didn’t slow down, his tongue now plunging deep inside her. His tongue even teased at her ass causing her body to quiver and shake for a moment and within only a few minutes of him starting she felt herself lose control of her body and felt her limbs go limp.
After an instant of this the orgasm hit and she began to try to get away from him, wanting to let her body take over, but he forced himself in further causing her legs to wrap around his head and hold him. His tongue pulsated now and after a few seconds of the most intense orgasm of her life she fell limp back into the bed.
Bram pulled away from her and stood up. Through squinted eyes Siv could see her own juices glistening in Bram’s beard and he laughed as she attempted to speak. Wiping it away he sat on the bed next to Siv and slid his hand inside her dress and began to play with her nipple.
“I think that I will have a conversation with your mother. I could use a shieldmaiden like you at my side on this long journey.” Bram then finished untying her dress and began to tongue her nipple. Siv wanted to thank him, but she wasn’t able to do much more than put her hand up and caress his hair as his tongue flicked and his teeth nibble at her tits.
******
Bram and Siv spent the rest of the evening in the throes of raucous sex that Siv had personally never been privileged to experiencing. They slept together that night and Siv awoke to find that Bram had not left her side. She had dreamt that he would have moved on back to the main gathering room where he had set up residence, but she opened her eyes at the morning sun and saw his beard face still there asleep next to her. They then spent the rest of the day preparing for the journey. Bram had ended up spending only ten minutes with Siv’s mother before she had consented for the trip to the glee of both Siv and her father.
However, while the next few days before the journey were filled with anticipation and joyous preparation, it was obvious that Bram intended to test her during this trip. Siv had not forgotten her promise and would do everything in her power to maintain that she was a worthy addition to the young band of warriors that Bram had brought together.
So, while they loaded the ship she made sure that her pack was the first one on the ship and that the other warriors saw her helping out with the loading process. When they hit the water though it was clear that loading and unloading the boat wouldn’t be her only problem. After the other larger warriors had rowed them cleanly out of the harbor, Bram turned to Siv and motioned for her to take over.
“Siv, why don’t you take over for Lagertha, she looks like she has something else she needs to do.” Lagertha, another of the shieldmaidens that had been brought along for this raid was a giant woman, almost more beast than woman.
Her father was a master hunter and stuck to the old principles of children, so on her thirteenth year he cast her into the woods and waited for her return. If she did not return with the skin of a beast then he would begin again with a new wife and have another child. However, Lagertha didn’t come back with the skin of one beast, she came back with three.
Siv still remembered the moment when, after a week of being in the woods the townsfolk had given up hope on her, Lagertha came waltzing into town wearing the skin of a brown bear. She was carrying two smaller pelts under her arms and upon reaching her father dropped them to reveal that she had killed the entire family, two cubs and the mother. Still to this day she wears the skin of the mother bear into battle or the hunt and her face and arms are still crisscrossed with the scars of the bears.
Lagertha stood and made way for Siv as she sat down at the ore and began to pull in time with the others. However, the others seemed to shift their speeds and times whenever Siv fell into the rhythm as if they were teasing or taunting her. Siv had gotten drunk with all of these men and women and knew their tricks.
She knew that if she fought them on this she would be viewed as weak, so she pumped in time and found the rhythm time and time again until her arms were aching and felt as if they were on fire. Sweat poured from her face and her eyes burned with each sweat drop that dripped down her face.
They continued on with this for what felt like hours until Bram stepped forward and tapped Siv on the shoulder, helping her to her feet. He looked over the other men and larger women that were rowing and pointed at Siv who could feel their eyes piercing her.
She knew that she couldn’t look weak in front of them so she held her chin up and stared back. After a moment of awkward tension all the warriors laughed and rose to their feet, cheering for Siv. She had passed that test, but she knew there would be more once they arrived.
The rest of the journey went much smoother than that, the other Vikings apparently thought that it was the only appropriate hazing that was necessary to prove a warrior's worth. She had lasted longer than any other shieldmaiden without complaining, although they admitted no one had the balls to haze Lagertha.
So, one night while the others slept, Bram crept across the thin boat and sat next to Siv who was staring out across the water, the moon lighting up the sky and water. He turned as he sat down and also looked out over the water.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Siv turned and looked into Bram’s face, the moonlight casting lines and shadows across it, the reflection off the water creating a unique kaleidoscope effect over his face as well.
“It is,” Siv said turning back towards the water. “I’ve never seen further than our harbor, it’s incredible how far it all seems to go.” She turned back away and returned to sitting, wrapping herself tighter in the fur that she had brought along.
“It’s a terrifying realization, which is why we’re lucky to have Aegir on our side for such long journeys.” Bram turned around as well and pointed across the boat at one of the men that was fast asleep, snoring loudly. “Eldir was named after the servant of Aegir. It’s the only reason we keep his snoring ass around.”
Bram and Siv laughed which caused a few of the other men to stir. Siv knew that this was the end of their conversation because Bram was doing his best to not play favorites, so whenever others seemed to pay attention to them, he would disappear.
Their relationship stayed around that level of intimacy for the rest of the trip, with late night conversations about the ocean or what to expect upon landing, but everything that Bram had told her didn’t prepare her for what she saw as they made their ascent toward the shoreline.
Bram had made a point of saying that these foreigners were not prepared for attacks, but it was obvious that the Viking raids had made an impression of the landowners that they were headed towards. Large wooden towers stood on the shoreline and even from their distance Siv and the others could hear that large horns were being played to announce their arrival.
“Brothers and sisters in arms, it is clear that over the frozen months these children have thought they could stop us, but they’re wrong.” Bram stood at the head of the ship looking over the others. “Take shield and sword in hand for this fight will begin as soon as we land, I guarantee it.”
Everyone began to mutter amongst themselves, but picked up their swords and shields which were piled in the back of the ship as Siv watched Bram began to pump himself up. “If I don’t see you in the battle, I will see you in Valhalla!”
Lagertha let out a bone chilling cry and leapt from the boat. Her sword and shield were slung across her back and the others rushed to the side of the boat to watch as she swam to shore ahead of them. While it wasn’t a long swim, it was clear that no one else was quite as eager as she was to take that route.
So, they watched in silence and awe as Lagertha arrived on the shore, her bear skin soaking and dripping. She was met by a few men in armor, their swords and shields already drawn and waiting. Lagertha in one flowing motion pulled both wea
pons off her back and charged forward into the fray.
There was a flurry of steel that Siv couldn’t keep up with as the other Vikings around her chanted and cheered for Lagertha. They felt the longship hit land and all leapt over the sides as well, but Siv couldn’t help but notice how her feet felt like they were frozen to the base of the ship.
As the warriors rushed in, Bram turned and saw Siv standing, her mouth once again wide open. However, this time it wasn’t due to surprise, but rather fear. He splashed back through the waves and pulled her from the ship.
Her lungs filled with salt water as she hit the white caps and she pulled herself towards the surface gasping. Bram helped her to her feet and her ears were greeted by the sound of steel clashing together and the screams of agony and ecstasy.
Bram grabbed her weapons out of the surf and shoved them into her hands, nearly having to form her hands around the handle and hilt. He took a step back and slapped her across the face, forcing her to look him in the eyes.
“This is what you wanted, Siv. I need you watching my back.” Siv nodded and adjusted the chain mail she was wearing slightly and waited for Bram to charge forward. The two of them charged forward and slammed into the wall of English that were attempting to cast them back to the sea.
Siv watched as Bram’s sword cleaved through the armor and shields of the men in front of them both and she looked over to watch as Lagertha's fur spun around behind her, her shield proving just as deadly as her sword, colliding with the head of one man.
Siv shook her head and got back in the moment, knowing that this was exactly what she wanted and knowing that now was her time to truly prove her worth. And, after her behavior on the ship she knew that she had some work to do to prove it.
So, she swept forward into the action, swinging her sword down on the arm of someone that was locked in a battle of strength with one of the other warriors. She watched as the blade sliced through the soft part at the wrist and was sprayed in blood.
She wanted to be scared, but rather witnessed the man fall to his knees clutching his hand. The warrior that she had assisted moved on merely telling her to end it. So, with the man on his knees in front of her she ended his life with the single slice of the blade.
Her face was once against spattered in an arterial blood spray that caused her to stagger back a few steps as the body fell lifeless into the sand, the blood mixing with it to create a strange consistency. Bram looked back and let out a loud cheer to which the others continued.
“Your first kill,” he yelled out over the din of combat. “Never forget this feeling.” Siv felt sick to her stomach and merely wanted to forget what she had just done. She had killed animals for food and watched the life slip from their eyes, but this was something completely different.
However, she didn’t have time to contemplate what choices she had made because when she looked up she saw a soldier charge up and attempt to blindside Bram. Forcing herself forward she ran towards the man, dropped both her shield and sword, and leapt into the air. Siv collided midair with the man and tackled him, slamming him into a dune.
Without thinking her body went into combat mode and she felt herself rising up to her feet, reaching for a knife on her belt that her father had given her. Pulling it out she caught a glimpse of the man that she tackled.
He was tall and muscular, she could tell even though he was covered in armor. In the midair collision she had knocked his helmet loose and he tossed it aside as he attempted to catch his breath. When he threw it aside he revealed that he was stunningly handsome.
Long chestnut hair that was tied back in a braid fell over his shoulder and his clean shaven face showed his chiseled jawline. He turned and she saw that he had piercing blue eyes, but all he saw was her knife. He raised his hands and seemed to accept defeat, so Siv lowered her weapon.
The man pounced then with a speed that she had never witnessed, especially considering the armor that he wore. It was over in a second as he mounted her, her lungs devoid of air so she gasped with no hope of gaining any kind of respite. His armored fist came down hard and the last thing she thought she remembered was him apologizing.
******
“Oy, there’s another one alive over here.” Siv heard the voice before she opened her eyes and the voice sounded strange. She felt as though there were a body resting on top of her. Siv struggled to open her eyes and as she did so she saw a long spear poised over her head.
In an instant she felt her life flash before her eyes and didn’t know how to respond. She felt blood coursing through her veins and she felt as though her lungs were punctured. The weight of the body seemingly crushed her spirit and, against her better judgement as a Viking, she calmly accepted death.
“Hold, don’t kill that one.” The voice sounded nearly angelic at that moment. Her eyes eased back open in time to see the spear move from the position of hovering over her head to return to the ground next to the armored guard that stood over top of her. In that instant the faceless armored man who was nearly her angel of death was replaced by the blue eyed man.
He looked down on her and his face was a mix of pity and respect. He reached down and pulled the corpse of one of the other armored men off her body and helped her to her feet. She felt as though her leg was broken, but didn’t want to appear weak in front of these new soldiers.
“I apologize for your face,” the man said as he reached out and gently touched her face. His fingers touched a delicate spot and caused her shoot back a few steps. The pain shot through her face like a bolt of lightning and the man reached out to hold her in place as she staggered.
“I meant no disrespect, I assure you.” Siv stared at the man in confusion. His words almost sounded slurred. The language was abstract to a point but with the man his body conveyed itself she was able to understand his meanings.
“It’s fine, I wasn’t offended.” She touched the same spot on her face and shook her head. “It just hurts.” Siv looked up and saw that the look on the blue eyed man’s face had changed to one of confusion and an attempt to understand what she was saying. She touched her face and winced, trying to make it obvious what she was saying.
His eyes lit up and he began to nod with understanding. Siv felt herself blushing when she saw him smile, which only caused the bruising on her face to throb even more so she reached up and applied pressure, hoping to stop the throbbing.
“Here, we’ll take you back to get you cleaned up, we have many things to discuss.” The blue eyed man reached out for her hand and Siv hesitated, while she wanted to go with him she was terrified of what he would do to her.
The other raiding parties that had come back in the past years told stories of how they ruined funeral pyres for their dead and had used underhanded traps to capture the Viking’s. Let alone the fact that she had just stared down death at the end of a spear. “My name,” the man tapped his own chest, “is Peter.”
“Peter,” Siv said slowly, trying to get her mind and tongue around the strange word. “My name is Siv.” She tapped herself on the chest as he had done and he once again smiled. Siv smiled in return as he slowly said her name the same way. He stood up and reached out his hand once again but this time Siv took it and they shook.
“Well, Siv it’s lovely to meet you.” He led her through a few of the dead bodies and towards a large stone structure that she hadn’t noticed standing on the top of the hillside. Siv stared upward at the tall stone walls as they approached and attempted to figure out how she or any other Viking would even begin to think of how to scale that.
The stone was smooth and didn’t offer many grooves to use their climbing gear. Not to mention the stones seemed slippery from being so close to the ocean spray. “This is my home,” said Peter. “It is an outpost and I promise you the structures are even more incredible the further inland you go.”
Siv continued to stare up at the high walls as Peter led her through the large gate and she came upon the large inner sanctum of this structure. In an instan
t she was confronted by a reality that was not far from the one she had left. There was a small market in the corner that was clearly being utilized by the nearby villagers to sell their wares and she saw a blacksmith making horseshoes for a few of the horses that were idling in a stable.
She saw archers on the wall and she saw a hustle and bustle that was akin to the feeling she had when she walked through her community back home. Peter watched her, a smile pinned to his face, as she walked awestruck through the market. She turned to look at him and motioned at herself once again.
“This is just like my home.” Peter nodded and smiled as she spoke. “We had heard terrible stories, but your people are just like mine.” She continued to watch as men with beards, their skin hard and calloused from work made their way around the flow of people and Siv felt herself burst out laughing, which Peter joined in with. “There’s no difference except this language.” Peter nodded knowingly and motioned toward himself.
“This is what I have been saying, we need to work together, not against each other. There are larger threats out there.” He motioned out further towards the East and Siv nodded, although she didn’t know what threat he spoke of. “There are bands of other men that want to strike out against us. If they break through our defenses then your people will be next.”