Vikings-The Trick Of The Gods

One.

Hi, I'm really fuckin tryin here so please stick with this story... I know it unfolds quite slowly but I think that's what makes it good?

Cool night air toyed with my cropped hair. The wind combing it's fingers though the near buzz-cut that sat on my scalp though the hair was so short it would not budge. Mingling with the atmosphere around me, my breath came out in large white clouds as I shivered, trying to pull my dress closer into my body in a desperate attempt to keep warm.

My eyes darted around the scene. I was surrounded by trees like giants they stood around me leering, down tormenting me, angry that I was residing in their home. Soft leaves littered the ground covered in a slick layer of moisture. It had rained recently. Moss spattered the floor in the place of where grass could have been; the canopies of the giants around me casting too much of a cold shadow to let much else grow.

It was silent, not a voice or a car to be heard not even the peaceful chirps of birds. Silent. Even the rasp of my heavy quickened fearful breaths were absorbed by the soft, cool earth. Surely there should be some birds? But the forest had gone silent with terror though it was not afraid of me surely? How could it be? I was young, clearly lost, confused. Maybe there was someone else here, someone close by.

Quickening at the thought, my heart beat felt so loud it could tremble the earth and, though it could not, it did not stop my legs from trembling as I stood, my back damp from the moss I had been resting on not a few seconds before. As I quickly brushed myself down I scanned the surroundings again.

From the slithers of sky I could see poking through the dense leaves above, it must have been getting late. Shaky and uneven, my breath must have indicated either my terror or how the wind nipped and tore at my exposed flesh.

A twig snapped.

I whirled around, adrenaline tearing through my gut, exciting my mind, readying me for action. My eyes darted from tree to tree scanning as far as i could see through the crowded forest. I needed to move and now.

The sound seemed to come from all around me. In which direction do I run? Trees imposed on me from all directions as if trying to block my way, keep me in place, giving whatever was in this forest with me an easy hunt. I turned to my left and began to move: hopping over fallen branches and darting around trees that seemed to pop up in front of my face quicker than my brain was able to register their presence. I prayed to anyone that was listening that I had made the right choice.

A sharp warmth spread across my cheek. I froze, perplexed, and bought my fingers up to my face. Warm liquid oozed down the side on my face and as I inspected my hands i noticed the red that now stained my fingers. I looked behind me and, embedded into a tree was an arrow. It was made from wood and had fletchings made from real feathers, unlike anything I had seen anyone using when she had done archery before. I turned back to face the direction I was running only to be greeted by something that had not been there before.

Almost twice my height he stood before me. Tattoos in intricate patterns lay on his chest and continued down under his linen shirt which hung loosely to his torso. Furs were draped over his shoulders, hanging down to his knees making his shoulders seem broader than they already were. His hair was blond, cropped, slightly longer than mine, except from the back. From ear to ear and then down to his neck was shaved clean. I had never seen anything like it. He held a bow carefully in one hand and his other hovered over a small axe strapped to his hip. His electric blue eyes looked me up and down, confusion and curiosity colouring his boyish features. He asked a question, I could tell by the inflections in his voice but I did not understand the language.

Where was I? Hadn't it been just yesterday I was at home making sure I was ready for the school day tomorrow? How had I got here?

"Where am I?" I tried to ask, my voice breaking and trembling to the point where I barely understood myself.

My question only had the man more confused; he clearly had no idea what I had just said but as his confusion increased I couldn't help but notice that, so too, did his curiosity.

He slowly put his bow over his shoulder and then reached out for me, quickly ensnaring one of my arms. I tried to jerk away but his grip only got tighter. I shrieked in fear but I was too small, still only a child, and nothing I could do would release me from this man's grip. He muttered something to himself and then began speaking to me again repeating the same words over and over but to my ignorant ears they bore no meaning. Sighing, he pulled my closer to him and slung me over his other shoulder and wrapped his arms around my waist, ensuring I would not fall... or escape.