Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I am Yrsa Vigdísardóttir. I am the daughter of Leif Vigdis and Eydis Hardrada. I was sent out with a few women and men to find deer to kill in order to feed our people. It was the first month I finally was able to set out and lead with the others. A hunter. Our symbol was the dragon. We had forged them from silver we had stolen from the previous ruler who ruled over the village of ours.
We step through the desolate woods as it had just gotten warmer. I hear a break in the woods and I point my bow towards it. "Hold your ground.." I speak softly and hear another to my right. I turn and quickly let go of the arrow hearing a grunt. They all start running out. Scavengers. Sellers. There are too many of them but we still fight. Many people I've grown up with. Dead. Some were captured. I stand my ground as many surround me. I let out a yell and charge but a bigger viking grabs me, knocking me out.
I wake up to someone slightly nudging me. "Wake up." I look up and sit up quickly. "Get going." This man pulls me up by my arm and shoves me through the door. I stumble slightly but continue to walk. I get to a room where several others are lined up. They start pulling my clothes off until I'm naked, taking my necklace off that symbolizes who my family is. Mine is one of a kind so they know exactly who I am. "Yrsa Vigdísardóttir. Their Earl won't be happy about this.." The woman holds it up and then hands it to the back.
I stand there and look at them. The men look at me up and down and I clench my fist. I'm possibly the only viking in my family who's skin is still untouched by ink. They shove a dress into my hands and I pull it on, walking to where the others are. We move and are put onto a boat where our hands our tied infront. I look around and clench my jaw, holding my hands together.
It takes awhile until we reach a dock. One I'm not so familiar with. We are stood up and stepped off of the boat. I am rushed with the smell of rotten fish. It makes me gag slightly but I keep a straight face like we are taught from the moment we can remember. We stand in a line and I hold my head up. The man comes up from the middle. "Ahhh King Harald Finehair. We have brought you vast slaves." He steps down the line and nods. He stops at me and furrows his brows slightly before continuing to step.
His brother stands back a few feet, watching them speak. King Harald, a viking. We have heard stories of him wanting to take the whole of our Nordic country as his own. But that's a great goal for one man. He steps back and stops at me. "I would like this one." The man steps to me. "She comes at a higher price.." he greedily rubs his fingers together. "And why is that?" He chuckles and rubs his beard. "She is one of a kind." He looks to me and I squint my eyes at him.
"What is your name?" Harald asks me and I look to him. "Yrsa Vigdísardóttir." I speak and he nods. "Ahh well. Yrsa." He takes a knife and cuts the rope from my wrists. "Welcome." The small village of mine wasn't much to hear about but my father who use to be a warrior once.
I rub my wrist slightly and he turns, placing a hand to the small in my back, urging me to his brother. I move my legs and stand beside him. Harald chooses a few more and they hand him a bag of the things that came with us. His brother, Halfdan took the others but Harald took my arm and looked to me. "You will be with me." He speaks and I clench my jaw. "Don't think for a moment that I will be having relations with you King Harald." I look to him and he chuckles. "You would only be so lucky. No. I need you to get changed. We are going to Kattegat. Clothing will be on your bed."
