Destiny Enslaved (editing)

part 42

I thought of going back to the river but then we heard the unnatural wail get closer- she had been tracking Tanaruz to our camp.
Besides we wouldn’t beat the French by much to warn Bjorn...
‘’we have to beat them to the camp- run along the road- its the quickest way.’ I said looking Aziza in the eyes and feeling her doubt. ‘’i know we cant do it in the open – they’ll kill us. But i have a plan.’’
Aziza nodded her ascent. Tanaruz too. But Jasmine had a question.
‘’have you foreseen this, Asariel?’’
I only had a fraction of time to answer her but in that moment i thought of protecting them by lying.
But i couldn’t do that when i looked into jasmines eyes i saw the small flecks of gold that were emerging in her cognac eyes- it was like seeing hope.
‘’no.’’ I answered honestly – i had no idea that any of this was going to happen otherwise i would not have put my friends in danger for it. ‘’ but we must act like i have.’’
That threw all of them. They looked openly confused but as i looked at the sparkling beast move ever forward i had not time to explain.
‘’you must say that i foresaw this- that we had to follow the gods plan...ok?’’
They all nodded slowly ; Tanaruz biting her lip; Aziza limbering up already. And jasmine... jasmine put her hand in mine as we readied ourselves to run.
‘’i will follow you, Asariel. Always.’’ Jasmine spoke softly just for me to hear.
I rolled my lips into a tight line as i kept the tears back- i had never had someone’s trust like this.
‘’when do we go?’’ Aziza asked- thankfully bringing me back from an emotional brink.
I looked around searching the woods for him but i couldn’t see him – then i looked at the French. Ragnar walked amongst them mocking their movements and their weapons.
‘’help us’’ i said to him quietly though i knew the girls could still hear. I couldn’t look at them to invite them to launch questions at me.
Ragnar stopped slowly as the men began to walk through him . he smiled predatorily...
Then he spread his arms as if they were wings reaching backwards until he suddenly brought them to fold around him sweeping an ethereal fog to flood the woods thickly. We could no longer see the French as the fog almost smothered them. We heard their heated whispers as they tried to figure out what was going on.
But we could see the fog thin further up the road – towards the camp and... Bjorn.
I wasn’t ready to see him after he had taken that political blow for me. 
But it didn’t matter because as i looked at their waiting faces i knew i had to get them out of this mess.
So we ran. I held Tanaruz and jasmines hands in mine as we bolted for the road. Aziza kept ten paces in front to scout any trouble. Then we heard a very familiar voice call out loudly- ‘’Asaroul!’’ it was Magda.
She called through the forest her voice reverberating around us as we ran. Aziza slowed as she heard Magda, her head facing the direction of Magda...
‘’Aziza!’’ Jasmine screeched as a snarl came fro m the fog. Suddenly a twisted face appeared in front of Aziza. His sword raised with both arms ready to cleave Aziza in two.
‘’Hundr!’’ my voice rang loudly through the forest as i held onto Jasmine and Tanaruz tightly. He stopped in mid motion. Stunned his eyes wide. Aziza looked at me with questioning eyes. ‘’Fram ykkarr kne.’’ I spat at him and he did as commanded comin g to his knees before Aziza.
She didn’t hesitate then to take his sword and discreetly cut his throat as i pulled the girls to walk past him in order to get onto the road. Aziza caught up easily and took point again with renewed focus and a dangerous curiosity.
But we reached the road finally as we heard a low whistle come form where we had left the soldier to be forgotten in the fog.
We had to run. ‘’Aziza!’’ i barked to make her speed up as i dragged the poor girls along pulling them up when they inevitably fell. I could hear the soldier march once more. Now making double time trying to find us before we warned the Vikings.
Then light!.
We broke through the fog into the middle of the camp almost. Right outside Bjorn’s large tent. And there he was- standing in all his glory. His hair blinding gold as the sun hit it. He was surrounded by at least 50 men- all lining up to hear orders. Magda was there too
‘’Asaroul!’’ they both shouted upon seeing us.
Tanaruz’s hand tightened around my own. I looked to where her eyes where fixed- Helga stood crying with only Floki restraining her from running at us.
I squeezed back and smiled as i whispered ‘’trust’’ to her discreetly.
Then with a sepulchral tone my voice  echoed through out the camp as i shouted ‘’AMBUSH!’’
Bjorn gave a curt nod before hitting some young boy holding a horn. The boy quickly blew a loud moaning blast as a signal to the rest of the camp.
‘’shield wall!’’ Bjorn called  ‘’shield wall!- shield wall!’’ jolting all those present to begin forming the infamous shield wall that i had heard of in court.
Quickly i bolted still grabbing tight hold of Jasmine and Tanaruz. I pushed Aziza, who seemed slightly stunned, to get her moving. She did and the Vikings around Bjorn waited for us to pass before they closed their part of the growing shield wall that tightly encircled the entrance to the woods.
It wasn’t long before we began hearing the slow clunk of metal as the French made a slow approach through the fog.
First the tips of spears emerged.
Then slowly the metal creature had become men suddenly realising that they had been sent on a suicide mission but it was all too late as Vikings appeared at their rear now closing the circle with grunts of blood thirst.
And so they were trapped they formed a circle of their own with the spear men at the fore.
And yet you could see in their eyes that they had no hope
‘’Asariel? why are you so sad?’’ jasmines voice came distantly as i stared into their blanched faces.
All i could really hear were the wails of anguish that sweet Adrien was dead- how the mother screamed when she hears his name from his captains lips.
How could i have been so cold.
As cold as the tears that rolled over my cheeks.
I realised that whilst i had been lost to laments the Vikings were tightening their circle one step at a time. Banging their shields like overexcited beasts.
‘’stop’’ my voice came hoarsely as Adriens mothers when she dies of her grief.
No one heard me.
I released my grip on the girls to run to Bjorn’s side
‘’Bjorn you must stop this. Please!’’ i begged. But he didn’t listen. He just watched as his people began to toy and taunt their captives simply waiting for Bjorns order to kill. ‘’Bjorn, you must stop this!’’
Again he gave no reaction to me, i dared not touch him, he was coiled tightly ready to see blood shed.
‘’no, no, no...’ i said to the wind.
‘’let it happen- what are a few hundred dead French men?- you think they would have been merciful to you or your friends- you know they would have slaughtered them...’’
Ragnar’s statement hung in the frosty air.
‘’i cant- the cries they-‘’ i tried to state my case but Ragnar was suddenly in front of me with wild blue eyes.
‘’what do you think your fich fich is? Hmmm?- it is the voice of those whose lives you have touched and that includes the thousands you have helped kill just like this by choosing a side- never mind the hundreds you have killed yourself.’’ Ragnar spat.
And he was right-if he was right... then i was punished with these powers for the countless lives on my hands...
‘’but not these men. ’’i said determined not to hear their mothers cries.
I ignored Bjorn and ran out to try and face the circle somehow. But confronted with the backsides of men i could see no hope.
Tell them...tell them to stop...
The fich fich rang with a choral tone as it fed me the word to stop this mess. I looked to Bjorn one last time but he said nothing and did nothing just stared a thousand mile stare.
‘fine’’  i snarled turning to the ring of warriors growing bored of the lack of blood. One raised her sword as a French man tried to stab her she aimed to take his arm.
I raise a fist. ‘’STOOVA!’’ the word rang as it did in the forest taking the woman’s will- all of their will -it was mine! In the fist of my hand i held their lives...
I paused for a moment realising just what i was doing as Bjorn placed his hand on my shoulder. I quickly dropped my fist and though the Vikings swing followed through her target had escaped.
‘’they are not to be killed!- ‘’ Bjorn called which garnered some grieved mutterings. That was before his voice boomed around us ‘’they are to be ransomed! This is why i brought us here- because my oracle told me of this treachery- she has made us rich!’’
To that the Vikings whooped and lost their blood thirst to greed for gold...
With his soldiers cheering for their good fortune Bjorn gave out some orders that i barely heard whilst i stared at the floor in utter shame- i didn’t want to be looked at.
A large gentle hand came to my shoulder then Bjorn’s voice came to me; it rang clear as funeral bells.  I looked up at him- his face was stoic and his voice told me nothing of what he was feeling as he said ‘’come with me’’
Gently he began guiding me back towards his tent. Magda had already surrounded Jasmine, Tanaruz and Aziza with her guards. I knew Magda would keep them safe. I heard the feint  whispers of women crying with happiness- mothers of returning soldiers....
Inside the tent Bjorn was not much different. He sat me down on his bed which was quite luxurious for a camp bed- furs piled on some sort of stand off of the floor.
He went to lean against the table facing me but his head was bowed.
His tired voice filled our silence ‘’you didn’t foresee this, did you?’’
There it was -he had just said that i had lead them to this good fortune, and now....
‘’where are Hvitserk and Rollo?’’ i asked looking at his wolf tail which fell over his shoulder.
‘’they are with Finehair- seems they didn’t like my lack of fight on the beach...’ he sighed loudly before turning around to hold himself upon the table ‘’ha, they are probably plotting as we speak...’’ his tone was humourless yet something about his eyes which caught the dim light said he found it amusing.
I stood and went to him putting a hand on his shoulder. His hand came to grip mine. He turned still holding onto me pulling me close.
Staring down in to my eyes his blue ones implored for me to tell the truth. Yet i had no doubt he already knew seeing my silver eyes.
‘’no’’ I began  slowly watching as his eyes searched mine. ‘’ i did not foresee this’’
He released me and it felt like i had lost a part of myself.
‘’then what were you doing in the woods?’’ he questioned and i hesitated to answer- knowing it would most likely hurt him.
‘’i was- i was running away...’’
‘’and ?’’ i was a surprised by his almost mocking tone. ‘’what happened- get cold feet?’’
He was being cruel. I understood why- i hurt him. But i still felt there was no need for his attitude. I stepped away now angry. I felt my blood bubble- he didn’t know everything!- he didn’t know me!
‘’fine, Bjorn’’ i spoke calmly as the heat turned to ice in my veins. ‘’you’re right, there seems to be no point in my coming back’’
I made to walk away and leave him in  his hurt but his voice came to me full of that hurt and confusion i had put on him.
‘’why did you come back..?’’
He almost sound like a boy; vulnerable.                   
‘’I didn’t want you to get hurt when i saw those soldiers...’’ and so my honest answer hung in the air between us