Survive among the Vikings

It was a sunny day, as almost always. Rosalie wiped the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and continued to wash the laundry in the river. She has been taking care of the household since the age of six when her mother died during the birth of her brother.

"Two more blouses and I'll go," she said to herself, continuing to work. She muttered the melody of the song that her mother always sang to her before bed.

It was finally done, so she went home with the basket. Along the way, however, she couldn't help but notice the bushes of pink wild roses. She stopped and plucked several of them over the fabric of her apron. It was slowly getting dark. The sun took on a reddish-gold tone with orange highlights. The view was so beautiful that Rosalie stopped just to get a good look. She sat down on the grass and rested her head contentedly. It was almost dark when she got up and continued on her way home.

Suddenly she heard voices.

"Shut up," someone whispered in a hoarse voice. "Those tax collectors stayed in this house. We will attack at my command. "

"God, what should I do? Should I sneak up to the bell and ring the alarm or run home and warn the family? The first option is definitely correct, but what if my brother is playing outside? He doesn't know anything, and they kill him. What should I do? City or family? God, please help me. Okay, I have to decide. City or family? The bell is in the middle of the square and another is in the watchtower. There will be the raiders on the square and there will definitely be a guard in the watchtower who can ring the bell himself. So, family. Baby brother, I'm running. "

Rosalie ran to her home, leaving a laundry basket and a rose in the bushes.

※

She had already seen her brother, playing with a wooden horse in front of the house.

"Adrian, where's daddy?" She asked lovingly trying not to panic.

"At home, in the study. We can´t disturb him." He smiled and an adorable dimple formed on his face.

"Come with me." The red-haired girl grabbed his arm and pulled him to his father.

Without knocking, she burst into the study and started, "Dad, we are being attacked. There are raiders in the village, probably Vikings again."

"Nothing will happen to us. Help me with the table." He turned to his son. "Climb down the ladder and be quiet. Rose, you too."

"Someone has to disguise the hatch with a carpet, or they'll find and kill us all," she said. "Hide and I'll hold them back, please."

"It's out of the question, they'll kill you. You are my only daughter," her father protested.

"Save yourself and Adrian. I'll take care of myself. Anyway, I'll have to leave and get married soon anyway. Which I really don´t want to. And if I save the two of you with this, I'd be so happy. If we don't see each other again, I love you both and will love you forever. Please go now, they'll be here any minute." She hugged them quickly and after they entered the warehouse, she covered the secret door with a rug. Then she sat down in her father's chair, picked up her favourite book, made herself comfortable, and acted as if she were reading and didn´t suspect everything.

Many would wonder how it is possible for a woman to be able to read, write and count. Rosalie could only do this because she had to help her father with his work.

"What do I do? I don't want to die. Rose, look at that book! Make it look discreet! Don't worry, I have to pretend that nothing is happening. And I was supposed to get married in three years anyway. Who knows, maybe they'll kill me, maybe they'll take me with them. And then they'll kill me because they can't stand me. But if I save my father and brother, it will be worth it. After all, my brother will be able to take care of my father when he is older, while I would have to move out. But I don't want to die! I want to continue living here with my family. I have to have some fun. What will it look most noticeable? I won't stick to that book for very long. And if I went to cook? Evening, you should sleep now! And if I pretended to fall asleep on that table? No, it will still look unreal. I'll just read. Or at least pretend to read."

※

Soon after, she heard blows and voices.

"Search it here, there may be something valuable." The same hoarse voice.

Rosalie continued to focus on the book, pretending not to hear anything at all. When the intruders stormed into the room, she put on the most surprised expression and asked what they were doing here.

"We'll sell that girl for a lot of money, catch her." The leader commanded and two Vikings grabbed her arms and pulled her toward the door.

"Stop it. Don´t touch me you brute. Don´t you dare. Leave me alone or I´ll scream."

The rest of the warriors peered around the room, looking for money and valuables. Only one came closer to her and asked, "How is it possible that you speak our language?"

"One of you lived in our village and he was a friend of my father, so he spent a lot of time here and I learned his language quite a bit. It's not perfect but it has to be enough. What are you going to do with us?"

"What do you think? Of course, we will take you to our city and sell it for the highest offer. The fact that you know our language makes you even more valuable."

They were interrupted by a question from another warrior.

"How much do you think we'll get for the rug?"

"It looks good, we'll take it." They rolled the carpet carefully, revealing a secret door. "Look, there's something here." They crept inside and returned with Rosalie's father and brother.

"Sir, shall we take them too or not?"

"Too old and too young. Kill them both. "

"No, please don't do that," Rose begged with her head down. Tears were falling freely out of her beautiful eyes.

"They won't do us any good, so why should we let them live," Jarl replied with a shrug.

"Exactly, they won't do you any good, so why don't you leave them alone. Please leave them here. I promise to listen to you and translate what you say to others because they do not understand your language. "

"Don´t worry girl, you will still be doing that if you want to survive but it is against our custom to let you Christians live. Our gods don't want that. They want your blood, and we will give it to them."

At his command, the warriors slit their throats. Rosalie shouted in agony. She fell to her knees, covered her face with her hands, and cried even more.

"Brother, Dad, why? First I lose my dear mother and now the two of you." She sobbed.

Her father and brother's bodies lay on the ground, twitching. The girl sobbed and sobbed. Those pagans have murdered her entire family. She had no one left. She was all alone in the world. It was as if she could hear the devil's jarl's voice from a distance.

"Can't you normally break their neck? You messed up everything here. Take the money. Bard, you're in charge of this girl. If you lose her, I'll deal with you myself. "

"Yes, Jarl," Bard said, sliding Rosalie over his shoulder. She was kicking and punching him in the back but it was useless to her.

"Come on, kitten, stop fidgeting so much. Or I won´t be so nice." He chuckled and slapped her butt.

"I'm not a kitten. Let me down immediately! I can walk alone, she cursed, wiping her tears.

He shrugged. "But I enjoy it more like this," he said as innocently as he could.

She rolled her eyes and didn't try anymore. She knew it wasn´t worth it. As he carried her to the ship, she saw the disaster they had caused. The whole village was on fire, illuminating the starless sky.

"God, why did you leave me?" She whispered into the darkness when she saw the burning church.

Bard laid her on the ground, tied her hands with a rope, and used the rest of it as a guide. "Come on, kitten, let's go," he whispered in her ear, biting it lightly.

Rosalie was so exhausted that she even stopped trying to stop the Viking from using such an annoying nickname. She just kept looking at the burning village. Her eyes filled with tears and she cried again.

They shoved them into a cabin, which was quite strange, as Viking ships usually had no cabins. Rosalie sat on the cold floor, her head in her hands. She no longer cried, regretted her fate or the death of her loved ones. All she thought about was revenge.

"Lord Jesus, you know that if someone hits me in the face, I should set another for him, but this time I can't. I can't forgive them. I know I should, but I can't do it. I am not as merciful as you, my lord. "

But no, it was here again. Tears streamed down her cheeks again. She told herself to stop thinking about revenge. It won't give her her family back. She gritted her teeth and ordered herself to finally stop crying. The Vikings are there to blame. She took a deep breath and wiped away her tears. She was determined to execute revenge but was impossible to do it alone.

Someone put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up slowly and saw a young man of about eighteen staring at her timidly.

"Are you okay? I know it's a stupid question but I saw you cry. "

"Yes, I am, thank you. By the way, I'm Rosalie." A tiny smile appeared on her lips but her eyes continued to be dead cold.

"Daniel but everyone calls me Danny."

"Okay Danny, don't you know where they're taking us?"

"North but I don't know the exact place."

"It does not matter."

The two immediately caught each other's eye and soon talked together as if they had always known each other. Danny came from the Holy Roman Empire and his father was a captain. He had been on the ship since he was a child, so unlike Rosalie, he wasn't see-sick. He first worked as a rower on his father's ship but eventually ended up as a steersman.

Rosalie gradually devised the following steps in the upcoming revenge on the Vikings. Among the abductees were enough men with experience on the ship. So, if they manage to take power over the ship, they will be able to return home. However, the whole plan had one major drawback. Most of the prisoners were women. And Rosalie doubted that any of them could fight. After all, she herself couldn't kill anyone.

※

"Excuse me, please, for a moment," she told Danny and stepped to the door, pounding on it and shouting, "If you don't want it to be full of vomit here, you'd better open that freaking door!"

There were loud noises, footsteps and the door opened. Behind them stood Bard. Rose put on her angelic face and tried to look as cute as possible.

"You realize it's night and we want to sleep, don't you?" He asked angrily.

"And how am I supposed to know what time it is here?"

"Okay, what do you want?"

"Some fresh air, I feel sick."

"All right, come on but fast." He grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him.

"Thank you." She smiled.

When they reached the deck, she immediately ran to the side of the ship and leaned forward. When she was done vomiting, she turned back to Bard. "Can I stay here for a while before it gets better? Don't worry, I won't try to kill myself. It's not my plan for the day to jump into the sea and drown. "

"Okay, but be quick. I'll be there for you in a minute. "

He put his hand on her ass and squeezed it. Rose looked at him in disgust and rolled her eyes. She felt the need to punch him or kick him where the sun doesn´t shine but the need to vomit was stronger and she had to run to the side of the ship again.

But she has unintentionally run into Bard and both fell down. Bard shouted at her and grabbed her cruelly. He forced her to lift her head with two fingers and look at him. And then he slapped her. "Don't think I'll ever make another exception for you. You won't be out of the cabin until we're home. And in chains." He grabbed her arm again and pulled her back below decks.

※

In the morning, at least Rose felt it was morning, the warriors burst into the prison and pulled out all the young girls. At Jarl's command, they brought them all on board.

"Put them in line!" The commander ordered, then pointed at Rosalie, "I was told you spoke our language. You will translate for me and you will also teach them the basics of our language so that they are not completely worthless."

When the warriors were done with their command, the commander began to ask the individual girls if they were still virgins, and according to their answers, he divided them into two groups.

Finally, the commander came to her too. "What about you girl?"

"Also," Rose whispered, red as a tomato.

"What, please, girl?"

"Also," she whispered again, even redder.

"I can't hear you, you have to speak out loud."

"Yes, I am a virgin," she said in a normal voice.

"I still can't hear you. Say it louder. "

"Yes, I am a virgin!" She cried out.

"Finally, stand on the right. So ladies, now report the names to my two men over there and whether you are a virgin or not. So, we know how much we'll probably sell you for. "

The Vikings led them back below decks. When the air was clear, Danny walked over to Rose, leaned over, and said, "I've arranged it. When you say, we'll start. We'll get control over this ship and sail home."

※

That evening, or at least Rosalie thought it was the evening, the right time for their plan had come. Two warriors brought food. The men rushed at them, hit their head with a stone, and took their weapons. They used the key to unlock the heavy wooden door and went on board.

As the men fought, Rosalie watched them from a distance, as Danny had instructed her because she wouldn't stand a chance against men who, unlike her, would row and practice for days. She watched in horror as the approaching victory turned into a catastrophe. Right before her eyes, they killed Danny and many other brave men who stood for their freedom. Before long, the rest of the insurgents surrendered. Jarl found her mourning Danny's corpse and slapped her until he tore her lip.

Whenever I meet someone and we're close, they'll kill me. For me, Danny was like an older brother I never had. She yet again didn´t have anyone in the whole world that would care about her.

She had told herself that she won´t ever feel like this ever again.

"We're here," Bard said, breaking into the lower deck and shouting, "Get up!"

All the prisoners, who had behaved like lambs since the rebellion, had their hands tied behind their backs and were taken on board. Rosalie was struck by a sudden gust of icy Nordic wind in her face. She really wasn´t at her homeland anymore, and she doubted she would ever look there again. It was probably September, but she was not sure. She began to shiver, and her teeth chattered. She stopped to take a good look at the city.

Bard grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. "Come on, you little bitch."

They housed them all in something distantly, but really distantly, reminding of stables. Each of the prisoners was chained to one of the rings hanging on the wall.

Rose curled up in a ball trying to warm up but could not. After all, she was wearing only a light linen dress with short sleeves, which were only covering but not warming up. She had been wearing them since the day the Vikings invaded her village and kidnapped her. And thanks to that, there were already several holes in them. Her greasy hair fell to her eyes, and she soon gave up the fight. Her skin was covered in dirt.

Soon after, several slaves came, washed them, and gave them other clothes. However, it was still too thin for the weather around. They were immediately taken to the market. They divided them into groups according to what they wrote about them on the ship and trading could begin.

Rose was only at the end of her group, watching with horror what her captors were doing to sell the girls. One of them, a blonde woman around sixteen, was displayed on the stage completely naked so that buyers could see all her strengths. Even from a distance, you could see how red she was. The men bid, like obsessed. No wonder the girl was beautiful. Big blue eyes, like two sapphires, bordered by long black lashes. Tiny nose and full lips. Her straight straw-coloured hair reached almost to her hips. Figure with curves, huge hips, tiny waist, and lovely breasts. The seller praised her to heaven, claiming that she would give birth to many strong boys. He did not forget to emphasize the fact that she is still a virgin.

"What do I do? What am I going to do? I do not want anyone to buy me and I really don´t want to be displayed here like some livestock. And be naked before all those people. It's so cold," Rosalie was panicking and shaking.

Bard came to her, an annoying smile from ear to ear. "We'll finally get rid of you, you little bitch. I mean if anyone buys you." He chuckled at his own joke. „And if they don´t, I will just have to keep you. If you thought that you were suffering on the ship, now it´s going be much worse." There was a small pause probably to make his words sink it. "If you annoy me just a bit, I will cut your throat," Bard added, still smiling.

"I´d like to see you try." She smiled like an angel.

Before he could say anything in return, his commander made a gesture to bring Rosalie on the podium.

"And now we have one special specimen here. Rosalie. Look at her perfectly thick hair the colour of ripe chestnuts and mossy eyes. Besides, you will have a lot of fun with her, especially when you try to tame her. Which is hard. She is stubborn but passionate. The advantage of her is that she even speaks our language." He added with a smile on his face, "And I forgot to mention the fact that she is still a virgin."

The men cheered and began to shout offers.

"Mm... so far a thousand gold coins for our little Rose. What if I showed you more to see that it costs at least ten times as much?"

He nodded at Bard, and Rose tore his dress. She reacted immediately, grabbed the remaining pieces and pressed them to her body. The commander nodded at Bard again, and the warrior grabbed her hands and forced her to put them over her head so that her clothes fell to the ground and she stood naked on the podium.

The crowd cheered even more, and the offerings rushed at lightning speed. Suddenly, a buzzing crowd pierced a resounding deep voice offering fifty thousand gold coins. Rosalie knew that nobody would offer any more, so she looked at her new owner, hating the fact that she now had an owner.

He was a tall warrior with warm eyes the colours of the summer sky that reminded her of home. His blond hair ended under his jaw and was pulled back with a strip of skin. Rosalie was right. Nobody has offered more.

He went to Bard and asked him for some clothes for his new slave girl so that not everyone would stare at her. All Bard found was pants and a mid-thigh tunic. Her new pants were large but she tied them with a rope that was bounding her hands just a moment ago.

"Can we go?" The stranger asked, gallantly offering her a frame.

She smiled and nodded. They walked in silence for a moment, then the man looked at her.

"Are you afraid of me or are you just cold?" He looked at her with his blue eyes until a chill ran down her spine.

"The second one, sir," she whispered with her eyes to the ground.

"You should have said that before. But it doesn't matter, we'll do it this way."

He took off his fur coat, which he had slung over his shoulders, and wrapped her in it. She shivered, even more, when he touched her, but this time it wasn't cold.

"It's not far. Come."

Before long, they came to a small wooden house. The man unlocked the door and motioned for her to enter.

"I'm so sorry that it's so dirty here. I had no idea in the morning that I would have a visitor. Also, you must be hungry, can I offer you some soup? Codfish soup? I admit it tastes really bad but I and the cooking don't go together."

"I can cook you something else if you would like that sir." A shy smile was playing on her lips. "But I am starving. Can I please get the soup? My only food in the last few days was a small piece of bread."

"Okay then, I'll be happy to use your services. Yeah, and two things. First, be so kind and stop calling me sir. My name is Erick. And second, you don't have to be afraid of me, I'm not going to force you into anything you would be uncomfortable with. All you have to do is cook and take care of the household. I am quite busy and don´t have time for it because I have to take care of my men and land. And of course, my lovely ship. I'm going to chop some wood, I have run out of it again. Make yourself comfortable."

He left and Rose walked in the direction he pointed into the kitchen. In the cupboard, she took two plates and a spoon, wiped the dust off the table, and set them on top of them. She looked around to see how much work it would take to clean it all up. There were a few more pieces of wood left by the stove, so she added them to the fire and began to heat up the soup. When it was warmed, she tasted it and found it to be good, just tasteless. So, she searched the other sideboard and found salt, pepper and dill. She tossed it all into the pot, stirred it, and as soon as Erick arrived, she poured it into two bowls.

He was very happy with what she had done to his soup. "Miss, I pass you on to the head cook and declare that I will never cook in your presence." He pretended that the wooden spoon was a sword and placed it on her left shoulder, her right, and finally her head.

She giggled.

After the meal, while she was washing the dishes, he came to her and said, "We must agree on where you will sleep. It is clear to me that you do not intend to sleep with me in bed, but I do not want you to sleep on the floor, otherwise, you will catch a cold. So there is one possibility. There is one room where I store paintings, shields, swords, statues and much more. You will see. But there's a terrible mess. So we'll put those things somewhere else and I'll make you a bed. "

"Sir, oh I meant Erick, that's very kind of you, but it's not necessary. I've always slept on the floor at home and that's enough for me. "

"But you'd catch a cold and I don't want that, so the only other option is my bed or that room."

"I can lie down near the stove." She said quietly.

"No, you need to be comfortable and warm. We don´t want you suffering from fever, don´t we?"

"And if I cover myself with your cloak?" She said softly.

"Still not good enough. The bed or the room?"

"Evening is coming, so we won't have time to clean the room today." She objected.

"Very well then, you will sleep in my bed and I will lie down on the ground. I'll start removing all those things from your soon to be room okay?"

"Of course, I'll clean it up here for now. I can't look at all that dust. "

"He is so kind to me. I expected to suffer. Or that they will kill me right away. Some brute could have bought me, like Bard. But Erick, he is so kind and handsome. But still, I can´t stay with a man in one room if I am not married to him. Oh, stop that thought, Rose. Your life like that has already ended. No one will judge you or your family for something like that. I hope I'm not wrong about Erick, and he's really the kind of person I consider him to be." She smiled as she thought of her new owner.

She took a bucket, water, soap, and a rag and began to wash as much as she could. Two hours later, she was finally finished with the kitchen and hallway. All that was left was the dining room. When she wanted to move there, Erick came to her and made her go to bed because it was already dark outside.

Because she had nothing to wear except the huge pants and tunic she was wearing, Erick gave her one of his longer tunic, which reached to his knees, so that it covered her entire legs up to her ankles. Surprisingly, she looked quite good, so she decided to wear it for normal wear and sleep in the tunic she was wearing. Although it only covered her to her knees, it wouldn´t be seen under the duvet.

She crawled into bed and fell asleep right after. Erick had put fur on the ground and laid down on it.

※

During the night, Rosalie woke up shivering from the cold. Her movements on the sheet have woken Erick up too because he was an experienced warrior who was already been on many adventures and waking up to any noise was a skill he had to learn to survive.

He looked at her for a while and then laid to her and pressed her to his hot body. The shivering stopped in no time and she fell asleep soon after.