Destiny Enslaved (editing)

Part 26

Jasmine was silent- at this point I had no clue what could be hatching inside that brain of hers. If she was half as intelligent as I thought then she would be a useful ally and a dangerous opponent.

But when she looked at me again her eyes refocusing as if awakening from a daydream I saw the innocence they held. The small smile she offered was one of an unsure child barely holding it together.

I returned the smile.

She blushed and shied away lifting her scarf as a partition between us. Yes, she was definitely an innocent.

I breathed in deeply, as I exhaled I slowed my heart and shut out the noise of a camp which had set to work. I needed to focus to cut off my emotions- don't get attached. Something a man I don't remember taught me in a cell too dark to see.

The shrill shriek of the noblewomen rudely interrupted. My eyes snapped open in their ethereal state to stab them with a furious and penetrating stare. But it was wasted as all of their attention was focused on something beyond the tent. All attention was drawn to the outside from where the princesses retreated to further into the tent.

It seemed that today would most definitely not be my day-Bjorn was walking up the small incline. He was not alone. Accompanied by a small group of three Vikings whom I did not recognise; two men and a broad-shouldered woman. The men where decades apart one who looked about twenty with brown hair an average build and a kind face though he tried to look stern; the other was about fifty probably towards the end of his marauding career with a shining bald and a large bear-like build – though not as fit as Bjorn's body-I casually thought. His face was half obscured by a blond beard plaited and decorated but brown eyes seemed weary yet warm.

The woman was striking in her masculine yet elegant features which seemed to complement each other- a large high bridged nose with pouting lips and large green eyes. Her head was mostly shaved aside from an ashen blonde strip plaited down in the middle. She was taller than Bjorn by five inches or so but she oozed her sensuality as she approached with hips that swished along in a lissom gait.

Floki turned back to show me an expression of worry before eyes widened to give a pointed glance to the side of me. There in the dirt next to Jasmine and I lay a distinctive dagger. I felt my blood rush as I had to think on what to do.

Jasmine inched closer pressing into my side as her eyes were fixed on the fast-approaching pose. I had to remind myself that though her brain may be on par with mine she was still only a child of twelve or so. And so I softened a little thankful I could give her any comfort at all in this place.

Watching as they neared I shuffled to seat myself in front of Jasmine whilst discretely covering the dagger with my hand. Quickly I slid it along the ground and into the waistband of my pants. I sucked on my tongue when I slipped and sliced into the pad of my thumb. I pulled back my hand to examine the damage to see blood blooming from the small nick. I sucked away the red liquid before quickly wrapping my fingers around it to collect the blood.

I looked to Aziza. From her reaction to me last night I had expected her to be on her feet, armed with her hackles up.

But to my genuine surprise, she was calm. She sat still stirring the pot's contents with the large iron ladle and added more logs to the flames stoking them higher. Her insistence on getting the flames to consume their fuel and the tightening grip on the ladle- she was planning something...

But I had little time to ponder as Bjorn and company fast came upon us. I only had just enough time for time to almost freeze as a realisation came into my head.