Destiny Enslaved (editing)

Part 19

I ran my hands through the rain as my feet followed the rhythm my hips swayed and I was lost; to memories and fantasy. I imagined I wore fine silks again and danced all night to the music of the desserts. My feet padding on the cold marble floor of the palace at noon. I heard my friends laugh and call to me. then the thunder rumbled as lightning flickered through my eyelids creating fire in my mind.
I stamped and dragged my feet through the sand in violent yet delicate patterns. My body became the flames.
As I rose and fell with the ghosts who haunt my nightmares
People scream and run from the soldiers with their swords and torches. Fire engulfs every home. And I am dragged away in a cage into the night watching the fires become a dot on the horizon until the last sign of my home is gone.
As the rain eased and the thunders next clap was more distant I stopped dancing. My chest heaved with the exertion and my body felt like the fire which coursed through me was ebbing away.
I opened my eyes to see Bjorn staring at me. his face was blank and behind him, I saw more men who had stopped halfway between Bjorn and I and the boat. People crowded the sides of the boat too watching.
But at that moment I really didn't care.
I didn't care what punishment I would face. I didn't care that even the other slaves were watching me as though I was a spectacle.
No, in that moment I was focused on the distance where the sun pushed through the clouds as it set. One point lowering in the sky and slowly igniting the under belly of the clouds.
I didn't see a point in fighting right then. It would have been a pointless battle.
Without a word, I looked at Bjorn the sun behind him coating him in darkness making him more youthful. His hair so pale it was reflecting the evening sky and his eyes were like the night sea. He didn't seem angry or happy he just seemed to be completely relaxed.
But I wasn't ready to join him in that place between light and shadow. My heart ached in my chest as the music left me to move on to distant places- home?
In the throws of melancholia, I walked past Bjorn. When I reached his men, who stood in confusion as to what they were to do, I let my legs crumble. My knees hit the beach with a muffled thud against my wet pants. They moved around me and I raised my wrists to them. I was surrendering. I could allow myself this moment to feel these feelings of grief and frustration that I had buried so long ago. A warm wind came from the sea to lick my cold skin. ''Man arzu didan shmahah andar Bahar..." I whispered to the ghosts that now surrounded me. as a man tentatively stepped forward to bind my wrists I looked beyond their circle to the faces that waited in the shadow of the sun. willing them to fade with the light and wait until my dreams to torment me.

As the last knot was tied I breathed slowly – one in, one out,- and they were gone again. my world felt a little lonelier.
Roughly a man yanked the rope to have me stand. I complied but eyed him predatorily. He winced and handed what was effectively my lead to another who seemed more battle hardened with a great scar cutting across his jaw. He grunted before turning and pulling back to fall in line with those departing our ship. As we walked new ships beached themselves with men and women celebrating surviving their voyage. But I smiled as they cheered. It seemed that Floki and Finehair's talk of my being a witch had disturbed most on the ship- by the morning the whole fleet will be talking.
As the scarred man pulled I realised I was being taken to the huddle of women from Algeciras who were being pushed along inland to where ever they were going to setup camp. I felt a tightness form in my stomach. Whatever fate awaited these women – I wanted no part in it. I paused and the response was a hard tug which brought me to my knees. The scarred man grumbled about my being a stupid slave before pulling again which brought me forward and caused my face to crash into the sand.
A chuckle ran through the men at my expense. I rose to a sitting position when the man joked ''she is so happy to be on land!!'' it wasn't funny yet the chuckle rose again. ''come on little girl! Up!'' he shouted pulling.
I felt my nostrils flare as I breathed deeply the scent of the sea filling my head. My glaring silence struck most of the men and left them dumb. But the man who thought I could be dominated so easily let his chuckle continue as he yanked again shouting'' up!!'' this time I didn't resist, keeping my stare on him defiantly. His laughter died and he scowled at my expression. He crossed the short distance between us to poke my chest. ''oy! Dumb slave- do as your master commands- you go with your kind!''
That was it.
I turned my head slowly to the side and looked up at the large man sweetly. His chuckle returned. So, with sudden and precise movements I punched hs solar plexus making him fold. Then I knitted my fingers behind his head pulling with all my strength to drive head down as my knee came up to meet his face. His head bounced and blood gushed from his nose. The red liquid painted the sand and some of those standing close by.
The man was folded as he clutched his face. I bent to his ear and whispered softly so as only he could hear ''touch me again and your blood will soak the earth.''
Then I rose and walked past him, the other men recoiled from me creating a path, toward the rest of 'my kind'.
The man slowly began to scream. He yelled ''witch!'' over and over as men tried to calm and hold him back. I sauntered up to the huddle of women and began walking with them though they noticeably flinched from me. the rest of Northmen too eyed me warily as they walked us to the camp grounds. I forced myself to smile at each side glance.
Suddenly a hand gripped my shoulder gently halting me. I turned and, again unexpectedly, looked into mad blue eyes. Floki's expression was unsure but gentle. ''you'll come with me...?'' his inflexion was slight as only I seemed to read that it was more a question than a command.
A man near us spoke up '' Floki I was told to put the slaves together.'' He said his eyes betraying how unnerved he was by Floki's proximity.
''you think she is a slave?! Go back to your mother and tell her she raised a fool! If you try to get in my way again I will offer your life to the gods''
The man immediately retreated from the conflict to walk ahead with the group. I let myself giggle at his scurrying movement as he almost climbed over people to move up the line away from us. When I looked back to Floki he had a curious expression which pinched his eyes. He almost reminded me of a wolf trying to work out if I was prey.
I wasn't prey.
I let my face drop to a blank and serious expression my eyes becoming hooded dark pools. It had the desired effect as Floki reared his head slightly in alarm. But I didn't want to press my luck with this man. He was after all mad- though the cackle which I swallowed at the startled look on his face made me think that we might be a pair.
I quickly brightened my expression again and took a deep breath. The rain had become a soaking drizzle. Since there was no chance of finding dry wood tonight I anticipated a chilling wait for the dawn. After that assessment, I turned my attention back to Floki who had a strange look of sadness. I opened my mouth to ask when I managed to restrain myself and stop from revealing my secret.
When I clammed shut Floki gave me a small smile. It was a little shocking and gentle. Maybe I should have been more cautious about him but I was used to living with wild animals. He gestured for me to go ahead of him following the line of people. It was impossible to tell what lay ahead for me. I tried to peer over his shoulder and catch sight of Bjorn so I could gain some sort of reassurance- wait.
Why did I want some sort of reassurance from the sight of a man that had just kidnapped me from- well from monotonous hell- but still. I turned on my heel and began hastily marching to wherever these people were making camp. I blew hot air out of my flared nostrils; angry that I had almost made that Northman a crutch. I didn't need crutches anymore- they just get knocked from under you and splintered.
When we arrived at camp I saw that tents had already been erected and supplies were being sheltered from the weather. I looked around and saw no lights on the horizon- if a Moorish town was around then fire would have definitely dotted the darkness even in this weather. So there seemed little chance that the Pasha had ridden to a nearby town in time to track us and lay in wait. Besides, the guy was a Dayyoos and everyone in the empire knew it.
I very much doubted that the bastard would get more than the obligatory dawn cavalry who were there to defend the empire from an attack which was already long over.
I stood just watching the busy traffic of people who were each tasked with some chore to set up the camp. I noticed that there were a few trees dotted around and a mile a way the sparse plant life agglomerated into a dense forest. It wasn't un common to see a forest this far west but it had been so long since I was able to walk through tall grasses and shrubs under the dappled shade of trees... it was a dream I want to make a reality. Luckily before I ran off and probably received an arrow to the back Floki lay a hand on my shoulder bringing me out of the forest.
I turned my head to give a pointed look to his hand. When I exaggeratedly dragged my eyes to his face I expected a slap for my impertinence. Instead, the madman kept surprising me as he let out a hearty chuckle before giving my shoulder a light squeeze and pointed over to a large tent made of treated animal hides. Within the tent was a small fire pit- how?
I squinted in the direction of the tent and jerked my chin in towards it hoping to convey the question.
It took a moment or two before floki laughed bending to grip his knees as a braying laugh erupted. When he rose again I simply raised my eyebrows. ''ha... you think any Viking worth his salt would go to sea without a stock of dry wood?'' it was Floki's turn to raise his eyebrows at my apparent foolishness. Though I was only just learning that they called themselves Vikings... I could forgive myself for not paying attention considering everything.
''come girl. We'll get warm with Helga.'' He turned to walk before swivelling back to add ''she's my wife- and she can get jealous so best keep those hands to yourself'' he ended with a cat like grin and I let the laugh come out before I could clap my hands over my mouth. his grin only widened to show perfect teeth.

Notes:

okay, so I think just Dayyoos needs a translation which is Farsi for Douchebag
And Man arzu didan shmahah andar Bahar... which means I will see you in springxx