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Mac K and Em
message 51:
by
Mac
(new)
Apr 30, 2017 03:17PM
Mareth chuckled, "me? Nothing. I have no desire to harm you. We have only come for food. I do not wish to harm your people but the winters are harsh Back home and we need as much grain as possible. So I will pretend to get information from you and if it it is useful, then you will live as my servant. I wish it had not come to this, but I fear it is the kindest offer I can extend to you. Please stay close to me because my comrades are not quite so kind." He said, wishing to ease some anxiety from the look on her face.
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She listened to his only offer and gave a soft nod "I see." She said to him, understanding but also wishing it did not come to this "are you to be my lord then?"
"It seems that it must come to that. I know you think it grim, but i believe your outlook is a little bleak. In time you will see it is not so bad. Come we are making camp for the night. I will provide you sustenance. You are now mine and follow only the orders of myself and our clan leader, lord Gorger." He said. She was a very pretty girl he must admit, and he was happy to save her from a worse fate that would have befell her had any of his other comrades found her. She was as lucky as she could have hoped.
She looked around her for a moment to the men beginning to set up camp then she looked back at her new lord "yes lord." She said quietly, she knew she was lucky in some respect although she wished it differently
Mareth busied himself with setting up his tent and fire, in hopes to provide shame hospitality to his new servant. He didn't much fancy having a servant but it did provide a better chance of survival for this girl. He figured because he had taken part in ransacking and killing her people, he owed her this at the very least. When he finished setting up he told her there was a bedroll in the tent and she could sleep if she liked. "But be warned, if you try to escape, my fellow soldiers here will surely catch you, and at that point, death would be the kindest fate I could offer." He said to her in a grave voice.
Ingrid watched as he set up his tent, it was better than nothing though she didn't expect for him to offer her a small place to sleep. She looked around again when he was working away, hoping to be safe somehow. When he began talking to her again she turned back around, she nodded gently with a shy smile "thank you." She said quietly "but you must sleep." She said
"I'll sleep under the stars. The weather is fair and I've nothing to fear. Please, be my guest." He opened a flap in the tent motioning for her to climb in. She hesitated but accepted. Once she was in, he sat next to his fire, and then it started happening. The faces of the battle flashed by. He knew he had not killed anyone, but he may as well have knowing the wounds he had doled out had only weakened the villagers and made them easier targets. He never liked these raids. War was much simpler.you had an enemy and it was kill or be killed. Now he just felt like a bully.
((Sorry I'm at work and on lunch))She was hesitant but gave a slight nod and stepped inside the tent, it was unusual for a Viking to be so nice yet she was glad he was. She needed his help more than ever if she was going to survive now. As she stepped in and he closed the flap she looked around the tent with one single glowing lamp. It was small for the night he he had made it feel a little homely. She laid down into the small bed he had made and closed her eyes but all she could see was images and flashes of the battle, William laying limp in the mud, the sound of roars and the clanging of metal against metal. Her heart began to race and she sat up quickly, breathing heavily. It didn't feel like it though hours had gone by, she could tell the fire outside was going low and the lantern in the tent was burnt out. Tears welled and fell down her face again, she missed her family. Her friends. Her home.
(No worries, it's almost time for bed here.)Mareth lay awake for most of the night and thought he heard crying at one point. He slowly moved the flap of the tent aside and there was the girl, sitting on the edge of her bed crying. He crawled into the the tent but didnt make any move to comfort her, he just sat with her. Why would she want him to comfort her? He was the source of this pain. No doubt people she loved had died. He had helped taken that away from her. Thinking about this, he did something he had not done in a while. He shed a single tear, mourning with her for a moment. And then he left the tent, without a word.
Ingrid cried quietly for a little while as she sat up on the side of the bed, thinking about all the people she had lost. And now she was being held comfort. When he opened the flap and stepped into the tent she was surprised though didn't say a word. She just slowly continued to sob, sitting quietly in the dark and the night. When he stepped back out she laid back down trying to sleep some.
Mareth had drifted off into a troubled slumber, and when he woke up, he still felt tired. It was alright tho, because most of the day would be spent on horse, traveling. He started packing camp and when it was time to take the tent down, he Getty woke up the girl from her sleep. That odd he thought to himself ,I don't know her name yet. When she was up and ready, and the tent had been packed away, he asked her, "My apologies, but I never did catch your name last night, with the excitement and all." He said to her.
She woke suddenly when he shook her arm, she was still rather tired and it looked like she hadn't slept at all. She gathered what little belongs of hers she had left and stepped outside the tent, she stood by his belongings as he packed away the tent and other members from his clan were working around her. As soon as he finished she looked at him when he addressed her, still a little scared she answered "Ingrid, lord." She said
Mareth gave her a smile, "Ingrid, I like that name." He replied. He picked up everything and told Ingrid to follow him to his horse. He rode a larger mount now, as his last had been killed, which was good because he had a passenger. He loaded all of his things and mounted his horse, he looked down at Ingrid and gave her another smile, reaching his arm down to help her up behind him. Once mounted, he turned and said to her, "we will be traveling most of the day. You may sleep if you wish, I will take care to make sure you don't fall off." And with that, the Vikings set out.
"Thank you:" she said quietly to him when he complimented her name. She followed him quickly over to the horse he had, smiling as she gently petted the mocha brown horse with a cream patch along its nose. "Hi there." She said quietly to horse, she loved horses, they were full of beauty and very strong. When he finished loading his belonging up onto the horse and held his arm out she hesitated again though took his arm and allowed him to help her up. Once she finished adjustment herself she lightly held onto him, looking back at her home that was now destroyed with guts burnt to the ground. She sighed gently and finally looked away as it slowly got out of view, looking at the other Vikings on their horses with a couple walking along side.
They rode till lunch and after that, rode till dinner. Marten could tell that it was hard for Ingrid, but there was only one more day left to travel. He tried to make polite small talk with her, but she was very quiet. When they made camp again, he set up the tent and again held the flap aside so she could go in. When she hesitated, he told her, "go on, get in, the grass here is soft and the stars are pretty. I really don't mind sleeping out here. I'll have dinner ready in 30 minutes and the we will get ready for bed. We've only one more day of travel and then we will reach my home where I hope you will find the accommodations suitable, as that will be your home too."
She didn't make much small talk with him during the day long journey, when they reached their next camping site she allowed him to do as needed. She was again hesitant to step inside but as she looked around at the other Vikings she knew it was her safest option. "And your wife? What shall she think of me sharing her home?" She asked him
Mareth gave a wry smile, "I'm afraid I do not have a wife. My village views me as an outsider of sorts, and there are no women there I wish to marry. They are all not very bright and impossible to have an intelligent conversation with. Not very bright at all. No, it is just me in my home, I carve out a life as a warrior, as it is the only thing I have ever done and it earns me respect among my people as I am a good fighter. I'm afraid it will just be youre and me. I hope that causes you little discomfort because there isn't much I can do to ease that." He explained to her. He had a lonely life at the village, but he did not complain. He was well fed and only had himself to worry about. And it was quiet. It was the only thing he'd known.
She listened to what he mentioned, he did not have a wife? She thought all Vikings would have a wife, was that not what they did. "You will not know I am there." she assured him as she stepped into the tent and sat onto the bed he again made. "Thank you." She said very quietly to him.
He thought he heard her say thank you, but he just gave a nod. He laid down underneath the stars. He pondered what she had asked him. Why did he not have a wife? Most others his age did. He supposed he had just not found anyone suitable. It didn't bother him too much though. He thought of what it would be like, but he couldn't imagine it with any of the girls in his village. That's just how it's gonna be he thought. Eh well.
Ingrid smiled softly at him before he closed the flap again, she laid down onto the furs he had placed out as the bed, trying to get herself comfortable on the makeshift bed and with what little covers she had. She wondered why he might be seen by his clan as an outsider, he did not look like one from her eyes. She shivered gently as the air was cold that night but her eyes closed and she somehow managed to sleep
Mareth folded his arms across his chest and looked up as dusk turned to night. It got chilly but he didn't mind it. The stars were always beautiful at night. Sometimes he stared at them wondering who else out there was looking at the same stars he was. When he awoke, it was a brisk morning. He made some oatmeal and packed up. He roused Ingrid and gave her a bowl. He saw that she was shivering in her thin clothing and took his coat off and offered it to her. "You are of no use to me or yourself if you are freezing." He said when she was reluctant to take it.
Ingrid woke as the morning light light up their surroundings but she stayed laying on the furs a while longer, when she heard mareth making the oatmeal her stomach rumbled softly and she finally realised she was indeed hungry. As he offered her the food she sat up and carefully took the bowl from him though when he offered her the coat she shook her head "you are better off with the coat." She insisted
Ingrid would not accept the coat and he decided he could not force her, so he shrugged it back on and broke down his tent. He loaded the horse and helped Ingrid up behind him. "What did you do in your village?" Asked Mareth, "he was curious to know more about her. "You needn't answer if you don't want to, but I would like to know you better than just the girl who serves me." He explained.
She glanced around again as she sat up in his horse then looks ahead at him. "Farm." She said quietly to him like it was an ok response.
"Excellent. Then what I told my clan leader is true enough. Are you good with gardens? I have a small one in my backyard and I cannot seem to get it to grow. Would you be so kind as to take a look when we get back? Maybe even tend to it?" He asked.
She thought she best do as he asked so gently nodded at his request "of course." She said quietly when looking at him with a gentle smile. "I like gardens." She said quietly after some moments of silence.
"You do? Well..." he glanced around to make sure no one was paying attention and in a low voice he said to her, "consider it yours. You may plant whatever you like in it. Do what you like with it. It is a gift and a symbol of apology. I know it is nothing compared to what you lost, but I offer it to you anyways." Mareth smiled at her.
Ingrid smiled gently as he offered his space of garden to her, she knew it was nothing but it was also something, maybe not all Vikings were horrible people. She was hopeful that this might be ok eventually, maybe one day. "Thank you." She said quietly to his gift
They rode on and as they neared his village, he started to see the tops of huts. When they arrived, Adam hopped off his horse and led it to his cottage at the very edge of the village. He tied his mount and helped Ingrid down and then gathered his gear. He opened the door to his house and invited her in. It wasn't much, he knew that, but he had a central room and two bedrooms. He lit a fire in his fire place and settled in. He boiled some water and let it cool a little, before pouring it into a basin. "I will go into my room while you bathe, the water may be a little hot so take caution. I will make dinner after." He told her and then stepped into his bedroom.
She took his arms when he helped her down from the horse, she thanked him quietly and followed him into the place he called home. She took a look around and smiled gently "it's nice." She said quietly to him. As he got the water ready she thanked him again, as soon as he was hidden she undressed and sank into the water slowly, getting used to the water temperature.
After a little bit, there was a quiet knock on his door, he opened it and it was Ingrid, clean and in her only other change of clothes she was able to bring. He sent her to her room while he boiled more water for his bath and washed up. After that, he invited Ingrid to the main room while he prepared dinner. "Hope you don't mind chicken." he said. "Also, I will go to the market tomorrow to get you more clothes. It should help immensely." He said, for he knew it was going to get very cold very soon.
Ingrid had waiting in the room she would call her own, it was small but it was all she needed. She was still nervous and scared about being there but this was her life now, when he knocked onto the door she walked back into the main room. "Do you wish for help?" She asked him with a small smile as he spoke about getting clothes for her "thank you, I would like that." She said to him
"If you would chop up the carrots while I cube the meat that would be excellent. I have broth on the fire so just put it in there when you finish." Answered mareth. "And of course you will have to come with me so I know what size to get you. Does that sound alright?" He asked.
She nodded softly at his request and began to cut up the carrots on the small wooden board he had, she used the knife he had provided then began to put the chopped up carrots into the broth. She looked at him gently, nervous about it but she was ok with it. "Ok." She said softly
Mareth noticed the nervousness in her voice and he decided he wanted to set something right with her. He wouldn't feel good about it unless he did. "Ingrid, when I found you at the end of the battle, I saw a scared girl whose home I had taken part in destroying and I couldn't just stand there and not offer some kind of help. I couldn't just watch you get cut down. So I thought I might try to take you in. I knew you were scared and afraid, but I want you to know something. You don't need to fear me. I don't want you to fear me. Everyone else here may coincided you my servant but in this house and between you and me, I consider you my equal. I will not treat you as a slave or servant. I decided to protect you, and I hold myself to that because of the destruction I helped bring down on your people. I will protect you and treat you as you deserve to be treated, with respect. Please, don't fear me. That day, I only wished to save you." His voice trailing off, a hint of sadness to it.
She listened to what he had to say, had to offer. It took her a moment but she finally nodded gently and smiled softly "I am sorry, it is a very big change for one, but I have faith you will do the right thing. Please give me some time to adjust." She said to him, it was all she could say just now
"Yes of course. But know I am sorry how it turned out. Ah the soup is ready" he said taking it off the fire. "Are you ready to dine? I find this meal quite delicious myself." He commented as he ladled into the two bowls. He then pulled her chair out for her, waiting for her to take her seat.
She looked at him and watched as he ladled the soup into two bowls. She then thought about what the soup may taste like "it smells nice." She said to him and took a seat onto the chair he had
"I hope you like it. As for tmrw, after breakfast, I shall take you into the market to get more garments, and then I'll talk to lord gorger and tell him the harvest amount and something with crop rotation that I learned last year that our village does not use, and then you will officially be considered uh.... technically speaking.... mine." He said, a look of shame crossing his face.
She was slow at eating the food he had prepared for them, it was nice that he was trying to make her feel welcomed. "Thank you." She said to him quietlyv
"Of courses. No let's get off to bed, big day tomorrow and we wouldn't want to be tired now would we?" He said cleaning their bowls. He told her goodnight and they both went to their separate rooms.
She smiled slightly when she agreed at his comment, she said goodnight to mareth as she walked into the room she called hers. She climbed onto the bed and covered herself with the blanket
Mareth woke the next morning and climbed out of bed. He lit a fire in the fireplace in an attempt to make it a little warmer. He made a fire with the stove and then made some oatmeal for breakfast, adding some cinnamon for ingrids benefit.
Ingrid woke slowly from her slumber, she climbed out from the bed and soon walked into the main area, smiling softly. "Good morning." She said to him
"Good morning!" He said cheerily. "I have breakfast ready for you, and when you're ready we can go to the market. And as it's the beginning of spring, we can also buy some seeds for your garden if you'd like he replied." He said. He thought for a moment, he had plenty of money for all of these things of course but he wondered if it was too much to thrust upon her these things. He was admittedly spoiling her in an attempt to make her feel more comfortable and give her some possessions to make her feel at home. But was it too much? He hoped not.
Ingrid smiled as she sat and slowly ate the breakfast he had made and provided for her, she looked at him again as he told her what they would do. "Thank you, it would be nice." She said to him
Perfect he thought, all worry vanishing from his mind. As Ingrid finished up, Mareth strapped his sword to his waist and shrugged on his coat. Ingrid was ready when he walked back in but gave a nervous glance at his sword. "Ah, yes, I usually just go with a knife but because I have you with me, I'd rather be a little more prepared than usual. My people are rough with outsiders so I want them to know I mean business. No games." He replied hoping not to make a scene at the market.
She looked nervously at his sword but as he explained she nodded slightly, still uneasy about it all. "I see. I hope there is no trouble." She said to him
"Alright, we should be off. Come on." He said to her with a smile. When they got there the market was busy and crowded, they made their way around and looked at many booths. "See anything you like?" He asked.
Ingrid looked between the booths as what there was to offer, it was a lot different to her previous life as a Saxon. "Maybe that." She said pointing to a dress in a small booth
