Sophie Ealhmunding, a young woman enslaved and thrust into the world of the Vikings, quickly captures the attention of every man in Kattegat, especially the gaze of Ragnar Lothbrok, the king of Kattegat. Will she endure his cruelty, or will her rebe...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
SOPHIE FOUND HERSELF abandoned in the darkness, tethered to the post that cruelly denied her any respite. Her legs throbbed, longing for rest, yet every time her eyes began to close in hope of a brief reprieve, her bouncing head jolted her awake. It was a torment she had never experienced before, making her almost wish that Ragnar had chosen to end her life.
The cold gnawed at her skin, the thin dress she wore offering no protection from the biting chill. The cloak, once deemed useless, now seemed like a desperate necessity.
In her solitude, she couldn't help but wonder why Helen hadn't come to visit her. Had she been abandoned in her time of greatest need? Sophie felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and fear in the darkness, while everyone else was comfortably inside, basking in the warmth of a crackling fire or slumbering peacefully.
Unknown to her, Ragnar observed from a short distance away, perched in the shadows, unable to sleep. The image of the vulnerable girl alone out there troubled him. Though reluctant to admit it, a fraction of his being felt a pang of sympathy for her. Yet, he refused to reveal this, not to her, nor anyone else, especially not his sons. He wanted them to be ruthless and rightful to their people, but perhaps he had taken it too far.
Ragnar fought the impulse to release her as he listened to her feeble cries that echoed in his mind. He couldn't simply let her go, not at this moment.
From the start, he sensed an enigma about her, an air of royalty that clung to her despite her apparent status as a slave. Yet, he couldn't connect the dots until Margrethe spilled Sophie's secrets. Had Margrethe betrayed her, or did envy drive her actions? Ragnar leaned towards the latter, considering how everyone seemed to harbour envy and disdain for Sophie. They were likely celebrating her grim fate now.
What a poor girl.
He had the power to change that, but he wasn't going to. He shouldn't. King Ecbert shall pay the price, but perhaps he didn't need to let his wrath out on his daughter. He never knew he had a daughter. That Saxon king never even mentioned her. Where was he hiding such a beauty all this time? Or was he hiding her from his and his people's prying eyes? What a shame.
Ragnar was beyond disappointed when he knew the truth, the truth of Sophie being the daughter of the king who had slaughtered his people. The king who had betrayed him. He just wished that King Ecbert never had to do that, for Sophie wouldn't be suffering like that at his hands.
Oh, poor little Sophie.
The new day dawned, and Kattegat's bustling streets sprung back to life, indifferent to Sophie's suffering. People either insulted her or kids treated her torment like a game, throwing stones at her.
Sleep eluded her; her head throbbed, eyes swollen from tears and exhaustion. Another night like this would break her. Her body was slowly giving in.
The children escalated their torment, pelting her with larger stones, causing even more pain. Nobody bothered to stop them, and they revelled in causing her further harm.
Thankfully, someone intervened, shooing the kids away. It was Hvitserk. What a delightful day—now she could be tormented by a Lothbrok as well.
"Are you hurt?" he asked.
Was she hurt?
If she had the energy, she would've laughed in his face.
"Here's some water," he offered.
She remained silent, almost lifeless.
"Here," he insisted, moving to touch her head. "Let me help you."
"Go away," she muttered, turning her head away.
"You have to drink," he said. "We can't have you die just yet."
How lovely.
Summoning the last of her strength, she raised her head, but kept her mouth shut, refusing to drink. If she had to endure this humiliation, she might as well be dead.
"If you want this to end," he hissed in her ear, "you'll have to do as I say, Sophie. Your rebellion will do you no good. It's time for you to understand that."
"Leave me alone," she muttered, her voice weaker.
"As you wish," he said surprisingly, walking away, and disappearing into the crowd of onlookers.
She hoped they all perished in the most horrible ways. They deserved hell.
The midday sun burned her skin, leaving sunburns across her face, adding to her misery. She regretted not drinking the water Hvitserk had offered. Now, she longed for something to moisten her parched throat, to provide a bit of relief.
Perhaps, this was hell. But what had she done to deserve it? She had never sinned, except if letting down her parents was considered a sin, for she had done that countless times.
She just hoped for death; she couldn't bear this any longer.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
note
Hey, I just wanted to check on you all and inform you that this book will end up around chapter 30 or so as I have it planned so far, and might I add that updates may be slower from next week as I have some unfinished business to tend to (lmao), but I promise you I'm not abandoning this book, so no need to worry!
Thanks to everyone who has been voting! I love you all so much! 🥺❤
