Stories Of An Average Dream

Viking-Saxon

*Draft*

*A/N This a historical fiction and may have some historical inaccuracies. I've done a surprising amount of research to do along with the timeline and make things match up but it's not perfect and some things are not true such as the height that the Viking Danish people stand at is actually shorter than today's average. 

The saltwater spits from the side of the boat, stinging my eyes as the wind bite at every inch of my malnutrition body. The once long wavy black locks twist and knot in the thick humid salt air, blowing in my face. My wrist burn from the salt on my exposed blisters from the heavy metal cuffs. They've been on for weeks now, my bones feel bruised. The feeling of exhaustion and starvation overwhelm me as my already foggy vision turns dark.

Everything from the last few years flashes before me since that day, the day I started to lose faith. I watched as my mother died in my arms from an illness we could not fix. My father soon sold me off to a man triple my years as the farm was desperately low on cash. At just 13 years, I was wedded to an afoul man who beat me until I finally started my bleeding. I prayed every night that it would never come but all I got in return was more beating. I was 16 when I finally bleed, and I fought with every ounce of strength to get him off me. I prayed to God for the power I needed but he was too strong. The man who I was to call my husband forced himself on me. Once he finished I managed to grab his knife from the floor and jab it right into his throat. His eyes open and look at me with surprise as he chock on his own blood. I removed the knife from his throat before plunging it into his chest over and over again. The next thing I know I'm running out of the house into the streets. Houses are on fire and the screams echo in the night. Confusion washes over me not knowing what is happening. With all the commotion, I'm knocked unconscious and brought back to the attacker's camp outside the now burning village. When I wake, I'm tied to other women and children, and we are taken across the ocean to Rouen in West Frankish Kindom. Here, the Saxon people were slaves and labours. I spent many years at the trading centre for the Danish as a farmer, dressmaker, meal maker, and many more things I was to do for the Chieftain of the seaside settlement. On the dawn of my 22nd year, I was placed in metal cuffs and tied to a post at the entry of the docks where they advertise their slaves to tradesmen. Unlikely me, along with two other girls, we were bought by a man of high status. From what I gathered as I've picked up their language well, two of us were to be slaves to one of the great chieftain back in Daneland and the other to use as a sacrifice. The other two Saxon girls were new to all of this as fear was held strong in their eyes. I tried to reinsure them but it was no use, they still had blood on their faces most likely from when their families were slaughtered in front of them. I was hesitant to step onto the longboat as the last time has been so long ago.

The yelling and yips of men, wake me from my uncomfortable nap. The wind had died down and the waves did not bash the boat as hard. I look to the front of the bow and see we are heading into a natural canal inland.  The mountains and cliffs surrounding the water passage stood taller than anything I've ever seen. The water was now calm and a beautiful blue as the sun peaked through the clouds in small rays of light. I look over to the other Saxon girls, both with a similar expression of amazement. My body still chills from the cold saltwater of the ocean, I look forward to being on land again. It did not matter what was to happen next as long as I'm this dreadful boat. 

The longboat is soon at the wooden dock, ready to be tied down and unloaded. I'm roughly pulled by my heavy cuffs by the man who bought us. He quickly ties the other girls to me and we walk in a line off the boat and onto dry land. The man tugs us up the slight hill of the village and to a large longhouse. It's decorated with intricate carvings of animals and gods. He drags us into the open doors and to the front of the crowd. Two men stand over the one who sat in a large throne-like chair. He was wearing nice furs and metals so shinny. His sword at his side as he listened to the two men argue with a loo of amusement.