Destiny Enslaved (editing)

Part 30

She whipped around and continued walking towards the tree line. For a moment I was frozen- lost in the memory of her voice. Then I realised how far she was getting. I made to walk after her when Fell stepped in my way.

''Bjorn? Should we restrain them?''

'restrain them' it was a ludicrous suggestion. If she saw that I was tying them up she would either attack like some feral beast or flee like a phantom into the countryside.

''no just- Magda- ''

''sort the women out and make sure nothing happens whilst I'm gone.'' I don't know why I was trusting this woman of Finehair's but beggars cant be choosers. I hastily set into a jog after Asaroul ignoring Fell who tried to stop me again.

I caught up to her just before she broke the treeline. I was about to put a hand on her to stop her when I thought better of it.

''wait'' I began she slowed but continued walking barely recognising my presence. I sighed was she really going to be like this for the rest of the time our fates were entwined. The sigh was not received well as she quickened her pace.

''wait!'' nothing she continued into the trees. I followed close behind brushing the stray twigs from my path. I was growing more and more frustrated until a branch struck my cheek viciously. The small wound seemed to stir some anger deep in my belly. I couldn't care for her feelings anymore. I reached out and grabbed her shoulder to twirl her around.

''Asaroul!'' I yelled with the pent up feelings of complicated frustration with her- myself – Everyone!

Her eyes went wide with shock. But there was no fear. She wasn't scared of me, still. She stared at me with those bewitching golden pools saying nothing- not that there was anything she could say that I would understand.

After the echoes of my voice finished ringing in the air around us there was silence. The trees blocked out the noise of the camp. We were trapped in a surreal place where the light reaching us was to weak to impress the passage of time. A dark thicket of dying trees gnarled by the sea winds. The birds that had been muted by our disturbance took up their chorus again.

Still she stared. She didn't turn from me or try to run. My hand loosened from her shoulder but I didn't want to let go. So I kept it there for a moment hovering scared, illogically, to touch her again. But in seconds the world had changed. I wasn't her master- certainly not. She wasn't my captive.

She stared at me with wide curious eyes that tried to look deeper into my heart- a truly frightening witch. And I? I was a Viking – a simple man who was being tied up and confused by one ineffable feeling. A feeling of fire in the pit of my stomach and a cold fearful beating in my chest.

I settled my errant hand in her hair; her caramel locks felt fine and soft twisting them around my fingers. As the strands rolled over my skin the feeble light caught on the multitude of colours dazzling me; reds, browns and golds.

Suddenly her hand came to my cheek. I flinched my eyes drawn back to hers feeling the intensity of each thread of colour in her eyes. Part of me wanted to shy away scared she would see something in me that would make her turn and run- I knew what kind of man I was...came from

But her eyes were kind as her hand remained warm and comforting on my cheek- it was so gentle I was scared she might pull away so I closed my eyes and leaned into her warmth and her foreign scent.

I opened my eyes and realised the distance between us had closed. Was it her or me that moved? Did it matter?

Our faces were inches from each other when my eyes dropped to her parting lips. My other hand came up to hold hers close to my cheek as I leaned in to place a kiss on her lips.

As sudden as a sea storm, her hand slipped from mine. The tickle of hair fleeing m gentle grasp sent a bolt of fright into my heart. My eyes snapped open- she was gone.