Destiny Enslaved (editing)

Part 21

I gave a glance to Tanaruz as I exited the tent but she looked at the ground determinedly as Helga continued to touch her as a mother would a long lost child.

She would be interesting to see grow- a desert rose or Bella donna?

Outside I was surprised to see that the skies had stopped their wet assault on the earth and were thinning to reveal glimpses of the night sky, suddenly the memory of the hilm overtaking me last time I gazed at the sparkling darkness made me keep my eyes in the earthly realm - I wasn't prepared for another episode.

I searched the growing encampment for where Floki had fled to. I finally found him stood closer to the wood in a huddle of people who with the darkness and lack of fire light where more shadow than human. The only thing that betrayed Floki was his tendency to stand apart from the group which more easily revealed his lithe form.

I decided to wade through the busy stream of people coming and going with supplies. Such activity told me that they were setting up to be here for a day or two at least. The air was scented with the flowers growing all over. Seeing them on a moonless night they were strangely otherworldly with their silhouettes which bent and twisted as the sun had dictated. I continued to walk through the mud which squelched between my twos chillingly. But there was little opportunity to dwell on it as I dodged the task driven Vikings as they trafficked between the tents.

I eventually came to be only a tent away from Floki's group when suddenly a sneering cackle cut through the raucous of a fresh camp. I turned toward the wood and a tent which was warmly lit with a large fire even stools and furs to sit on. But only two men occupied the tent. One who sat toying with his circular shield, yellow and quartered by red lines, near the fire whilst the other guffawed loudly at the poor souls before him.

The other women of the city who had been collected as bounty had been moved in their timid huddle to the mud beside a tent which after examining it appeared to be the mobile armoury or blacksmiths as numerous tools sat beside the weapons.

The women were wet through in their soiled and torn clothes which were far too thin to fight off the night chill. The man; large and shaven headed with a small beard- of course, those three things generally described most of the people here. He stood on the borders of his tents perimeter with some sort of food clutched in his thick hands. he laughed heartily again as the women flinched as one.

I dodged out of the way of men carrying a goat recently killed. I stood still again torn between seeking safety from Floki's shadow or investigating the fate of these women - I sighed deeply. There really was no choice.

So I walked on. Past the tents and through even more mud until I felt the fires light touch my skin pleasantly. His laugh erupted again as he threw his food at the girls. it was full but weezey betraying his age with a soft rattle- it was grating. His voice was even more so as it came out gruff and nasally ''haha- rats in the mud!- look, Rolf ! they are too proud to take my scraps. You won't be like that in a few days.''

I understood.

He was in charge of them. any food for them was going to go through him. and they wouldn't get any unless he felt they had earned it- in whatever way tickled his fancy.

I gritted my teeth as he continued his assault. Throwing food and waiting for them to beg him for it. The pig.

I approached slowly. It was Rolf who saw me first. his head perked up, his smile disappearing, he produced a loud grunt to alert his friend. The nameless man turned with curiosity his eyes searching until they landed on me. a wicked smile crept onto his lips as he spoke. ''it seems someone has strayed from the flock. We shall have to tie her with the rest of the sheep.''