Goldhill's Treasure

by Jilly Bowling

  The boy looked at her open mouthed, obviously trying to understand what she had said, then in a strange accent he answered and she managed to understand what he was saying.

  “We are warriors from Jarl Ubbe’s hall and that is where we are taking you.”

  “And who is he?” she asked pointing at Eirik.

  The boy grinned “Thegn Eirik Eirikson, Jarl Ubbe’s best warlord.”

  Sophie managed to get the gist of what he was saying, so the blue eyed man she had dreamed about was a warlord, from where?

  “But what race are you?”

  “Danes of course, what are you? Angle, Saxon, Myrce, Franck what?”

  “Oh, you mean Vikings!” Sophie couldn’t get her head around what was happening to her.

  “What are you?” Rolf insisted.

  “Well I don’t know, probably none of those.”

  “Are you ‘haeg-tesse’?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Mmm, how can I say” Rolf screwed his face up “Haeg touched, magic.”

  “No I’m not that either,” she didn’t know what he was saying but was afraid to agree to being anything in case it got her killed.

  “Well you must be one tribe or another” he insisted and when she didn’t reply he faced forward and ignored her.

  Stenar caught up with Eirik just after they passed the smouldering ruins of Braedwas.

  “Eirik, I was wondering what we are going to do with the woman I found. By law I can claim her as mine, but she is too mean and skinny for my tastes so I am willing to put her to auction as part of the prize pot. Someone will like the look of her.”

  Eirik scowled, Stenar was in the right, he’d caught the slave and if he wanted to keep her then no one would deny him.

  “Of course” Stenar went on “ Jarl Ubbe may want her, she is the type he goes for, skinny and tall. If one of us hasn’t humped her and made her his bed slave then he has the right to take her as part of his share of the prize.”

  Growling to himself at the thought of Sophie being prey to Ubbe’s foul tastes Eirik said carelessly “If you don’t fancy her, I will take her in payment for my pagan slave, killed by your Saxon. I can always fatten her up a bit.”

  Stenar laughed “Are you sure your balls are up to it, she’s a wild cat.”

  “I like wild cats” Eirik grinned “So much fun to tame.”So it was settled and Sophie became Eirik’s property to do with as he wished.

  Chapter 10

  Eirik held up his hand We’ll camp here for tonight. There’s no point in travelling on, by the time we get to Ubbe’s hall it will be full dark and the gates will be shut.”

  Sophie gazed around her, as far as she could make out they were at Broadheath. Rolf spoke to Eirik in his strange tongue and was waved over to where some trees formed a small secluded dell. Grinning to himself, his Thegn liked privacy when humping, Rolf lifted Sophie off her horse and taking some rope tied her to a tree, then he set about gathering leaves and dry grass which he formed into a mound in the centre of the dell.

  Once he was satisfied with what to Sophie’s frightened eyes appeared to be the makings of a bed, Rolf led the horses away to the picket lines to untack them and give them their feed. Pulling frantically on the knots holding her wrists together, she tried to free herself. The rope around her wrists had chafed her skin as her horse had moved and they hurt, but she wouldn’t admit defeat. This was an ideal opportunity to escape, to where she didn’t know. If this wasn’t a nightmare it was a good example of one. She was determined that she would not give in without a fight.

  All day the men had looked at her, undressing her with their eyes, and it had been made plain to her by their grins and comments to each other, what was going to happen to her that night. Eirik had ignored her apart from the occasional cold glance so she couldn’t guess who had claimed their right to her. Some of the men were ugly and scarred, others smelled but many looked reasonably clean, belying the myth that Vikings were filthy disgusting creatures. They all took care of their bodies, their hair was combed and elaborately coifed and she’d seen them, when resting, using combs. But none of them seemed to think that it was wrong to take a woman against her will.

  The knot on her wrist had loosened slightly, so looking round to make sure noone was watching she raised her wrists to her mouth and attacked the rope with her teeth. Suddenly she was able to get one wrist loose, then the other. She was free.

  Sitting very still she gazed all around her, trying to decide which way to go. As she turned her head back towards the main camp, she screamed. Two gleaming ice cold eyes were watching her from the side of a tree.

  “Nice try” Eirik said “how far do you think you can get?”

  Sophie jumped to her feet and backed up, ready to run, Surely she could outrun this great lump of a man, weighed down by leather and metal? His sword alone must weigh as much as her.

  Eirik watched her, noting the heaving of, surprisingly large breasts for one so slight, and the sway of her hips above what he knew were athletic legs. His shaft jumped painfully at the thought of those legs wrapped around him and he was angry at his desire.

  “Go on run” he taunted “I’ll enjoy punishing that backside of yours again.”

  Then ignoring her he took the furs he had been carrying and lay them out on the pile of leaves and grass. With his back turned to her Sophie took her chance and went to dart away, only to be brought up sharply by two gleaming black eyes and sharp white teeth. The shape growled and she realised that it was a giant dog, the tallest dog she had ever seen, like an Irish wolfhound but much bigger and heavier.

  “G-good dog” she whispered mouth dry “I’m a friend, look” and she held out her fist.

  Eirik was watching closely, knowing that Geri wouldn’t attack her unless ordered to by him. However to his surprise his faithful hound turned traitor and wagging his tail licked her hand. Sophie was frozen waiting for Eirik to give the order to attack her, but it never came, instead two strong arms swept her off her feet and moved her out of harm’s way.

  “Haven’t you got more sense than to hold your arm out to a war dog?” he growled.

  “He’s lovely, unlike his master.” Sophie snapped as she was dropped onto the furs.

  “You surely must enjoy being punished, snapping at your master like that!”

  “You are not my master, no man is. I’m a free woman,” she was too upset and angry to be afraid.

  Eirik shook his head “Truly you are mad. We captured you, you are spoils of war. My spoils of war, a slave which by law I can do what I wish with. You must learn to watch your tongue.”

  He was towering over her, angry but she could also see that he desired her. His eyes were flashing from ice blue to diamond chips and back again and his body was still, yet throbbing. Then he shook his head “Food is ready, we must eat, stay there, Geri guard.” Waving his hand at his dog he stood up and walked back to the main camp.

  Sophie looked at the dog who was standing head down watching her. “Good boy, sit” she commanded.

  Ignoring her completely Geri issued a low growl and as she went to sit up his hackles rose and he bared his teeth.

  “Oh you stupid animal, stop that. SIT.”

  Still he ignored her but at every movement he stiffened more and growled deeper. What would he do if she stood up? Easing onto her knees she continued coaxing the dog “Good boy, I’m a friend. Just going to stand up, don’t worry” she said as she started to stand. Geri knocked her down with his chest and stood over her growling in warning.

  That deep laughter that she had been hearing for months rolled over her.

  “Stand back Geri, well done,” Eirik said continuing to chuckle.

  Sophie decided to ignore them both and when Eirik dropped a metal plate onto her lap, pushed it away.

  “E
at or don’t eat” Eirik grinned “It is your belly that will ache tomorrow, especially after the energy you will use up tonight!”

  Continuing to ignore him Sophie threw her plate in Geri’s direction, expecting him to wolf down the food. The dog’s lip curled and he backed away from the hot meat.

  “Don’t you know anything?” Eirik asked “Dogs don’t eat cooked meat, they prefer it fresh and bloody.”

  Sophie turned her back on him and he ate his food in silence. She heard him belch and then heard the sound of metal on leather as he drew his sword out of it’s sheath. Had she made him so angry he was about to kill her? Tensing she made ready to spring away and then she felt him move off the furs and she couldn’t stop herself from looking. He was removing his leather tunic, and despite herself her sex gave a lurch as a perfect eight pack and enormous pecs were revealed. His body was magnificent, not an ounce of soft flesh anywhere, he made Calum look almost effete with his carefully moisturised gym induced softer, much softer body. In the glow from the camp fire through the trees Eirik was a woman’s dream, tall handsome and perfectly toned, his muscles flexed naturally as he moved. Then she saw the scars marring the tanned perfection of his skin and was brought down to reality with a bang. He was obviously aroused and thought he had the right to take her as her willed. Mouth gone dry she tried to scramble away but too late, he had dropped down beside her and one heavy leg lay nonchalantly over hers pinning her down before she could move. ‘He’s had a lot of practice at this’ she thought as her body trembled like a leaf.

  One large hand captured her shoulder and she was pulled towards him. He went to lower his mouth to hers but when she turned her head away he paused “Sophie, a strange name” he murmured “It is my right to take you, but I’d rather give you pleasure than pain. Let me love you and I promise I won’t hurt you. I’m going to hump you whatever you do so why not enjoy it?”

  “You beast, can’t you see this isn’t right. No man has a right to force a woman,” she struggled in vain.

  “I don’t know where you come from but in my world I have won the right by force of arms. You are mine and I will have you.” Eirik growled. “Now stop this foolishness and allow your master to give you pleasure.”

  His hand stroked over her breast and pulled the ties loose that held her dress together, baring her to the night air. She tried to go rigid denying any pleasure he might try to give her but when his mouth lowered to suck a nipple into it she felt a rush of fluid between her legs, and the need that she’d felt since Calum had left her took over and her body surrendered to him causing him to smile with satisfaction and set about making this strange woman his.

  ***

  In the early hours of the morning Sophie lay naked in Eirik’s arms. He too was completely naked having lost his britches during the third or was it fourth time he’d taken her. True to his word he had given her pleasure, every time, and as she lay there she compared the way Eirik had loved her with the automatic slick way Calum had fucked her, almost as if he were playing a part.

  She had loved Calum, or so she had thought, and she hated Eirik, didn’t she? But he had worshipped her body in a way Calum never had. How could she have allowed a killer and rapist to make her body respond in the way it had, maybe she really was deranged? Why couldn’t she wake up back in her new bedroom at Goldhill and shake her head at the nightmare she’d had?

  The dark of the night gave way to a chill dawn. Slowly, as the sky lightened she could see individual shapes, of trees and people. The slaves in their chains were groaning as they eased their aching bodies up from the cold damp ground. They hadn’t had furs to lie on and under, except for the women who had been taken to a warrior’s bed.

  These women had now been turfed out of the warrior’s beds and set to work, fetching wood for the fires and making the slaves porridge. One of them had been handed a bucket of water and pointed in the direction of the dell where Sophie and Eirik were lying. As she approached Eirik sat up, his hand instantly grasping his sword which had been by his side all night. Seeing that it was just a slave he yawned and stretched pushing the furs off Sophie. Embarrassed she burrowed back under them causing him to laugh; ignoring the slave he lay back over her and taking hold of her chin kissed her soundly.

  “Your water lord,” the slave said.

  “Put it down and leave us,” he said still ignoring her.

  The slave, who had been used harshly overnight by one of the warriors, cast him and Sophie a murderous look and thumped the bucket down. Eirik still ignored her and with an angry shrug she turned her back on them and returned to camp. If he had paid any attention to her he might have recognised the woman he had taken at the beginning of the raids on the hills.

  “I want to take you again but I must move on to Ubbe’s hall. Tonight we will have the comfort and privacy of my quarters; there I can take my time and hump you more thoroughly.” Eirik grinned.

  “My god, was four times not thoroughly enough?” Sophie groaned.

  Leaping out of the furs stark naked, Eirik’s rich laughter rolled out through the camp, causing all his men to turn towards him. Grinning Leif shouted to him in Norse, “I told you that you needed a good hump!”

  Eirik growled at him and told him to go about his duties, then he searched in his pack and to Sophie’s surprise came out with what appeared to be a bar of soap. Going over to the bucket he washed himself, face, hands underarms and genitals, then taking up a cloth dried himself. Picking up a sharp looking tool he shaved himself then he undid his plaits and combed his hair, ducking his head into the bucket and carefully combing through his wet locks.

  Sophie was so surprised at his careful ablutions that she just lay and watched him. Still buck naked he didn’t seem to notice the cold and his large thick shaft was still rampant. Becoming aware that she was watching him he grinned. “When we reach the bath house you will be washing me, slave.”

  Blushing Sophie turned her back on him and searched for her dress. she was longing for a nice hot shower and as she moved she grimaced, she smelled of sweat and sex.

  “Am I to be allowed to wash?” she asked.

  Eirik looked startled “Now I know you are not Angle, Saxon or Myrce. You must be Frank or from somewhere in the east.”

  “Well, whatever I am, can I wash please?”

  “Yes, if you fetch your own water but only after you have brought my porridge, slave.”

  “Hmph” Sophie growled under her breath as she pulled on her wrinkled dress. As she got to her feet Eirik swatted her bottom “Hurry up, I’ve got quite an appetite.”

  Compressing her lips Sophie went to the camp fire, muttering to herself. The grins that met her by the fire caused her to blush which made the men laugh even harder at her. Leif handed her two bowls of porridge, a small one for her and a larger one for Eirik. Deciding it made sense to keep up her strength, she took both, then asked for some water so she could wash.

  “You wash?” Leif asked.

  “Of course I do” she snapped.once again forgetting her place.

  “Watch your mouth slave” Stenar growled throwing a piece of wood at her.

  Leif stood up and moved in front of her “Have a care Stenar, she is Eirik’s.”

  “Until he tires of her, then she is anyones.”

  Leif put some water in a bucket and went to hand it to her. Balancing the porridge bowls on top of each other she struggled back to the dell. As she put the bucket down Eirik took a bowl off her and asked “Is this mine?”

  Sophie looked “No that’s mine, this larger bowl is your’s.”

  Swapping bowls he laughed “Good, I used up some energy over night!”

  “Oh, how?” she asked sarcastically as she spooned the porridge into her mouth.

  Eirik pretended to scowl at her as he licked his bowl clean, but didn’t rise to the bait. He was confident enough in his own mas
culinity and could still hear her moans as he’d ridden her. She hadn’t cried or begged but had given her body to him as completely as he could desire.

  When they’d both finished he said “Wash yourself and clean the porridge bowls. Be quick we ride on shortly.”

  Then he whistled up his dog, who appeared out of the trees licking his lips, having just eaten his own breakfast, and strapping on his sword strode over to join his men around the fire. He was met by cheeky gibes and back slapping as he joined them; his men hoping that after a night of humping he’d be in a better mood.

  Sophie saw that he had left the soap for her and a piece of cloth; looking around she saw a thick bush and went behind it, not wanting to wash herself in public. With great difficulty she managed to wash under her dress, no way was she going to stand there naked with all these men about. She’d poured a little water into the porridge bowls, before she washed so once dry she washed them out.

  Her head felt itchy and she longed to wash her hair but didn’t have enough water so she dragged her fingers through it. Feeling something hard she squeezed it between her finger and thumb, looked at it and screamed. Before she could move Eirik and three of his men were in front of her, “What is it? Are you hurt?” Eirik demanded.

  “I’ve got things in my hair” she gasped, horrified.

  The men burst out laughing and Eirik took her head in his hands “And that made you scream?”

  “What are they, it’s awful!” she cried.

  Seeing that she was really upset Eirik waved his men away and said”They are only lice. You must have had them before?”

  “No I haven’t, it’s disgusting, I want to go home.”

  “That will not happen, you are mine now and where I go, you go.”

  “No I can’t live like this, I feel filthy. I’ve got to wash my hair,” she was almost hysterical now; she’d been terrified, spanked, practically raped and taken all night by a man she didn’t know, but the lice were the final straw.