Fault (Book 1 of the Vikings Series)

Chapter 34

Elin

Four raids. That was all I would have to deal with. That was the amount of times I would fight for my life before returning to Antrapar. Slowly but surely, our numbers begin to dwindle. So far, none of the people I care about have gotten more than a few cuts and bruises. Welch has probably been hurt the most out of all of us. He and Kori have basically taken over the wave of warriors that attack from the back of the villages. At the last village, one of the warriors pulled a knife after they had surrendered. Honestly, I’m amazed it doesn’t happen more often. The game Thorgar has us playing is risky to say the least. If only the raids were the least of my battles.
I sit up on one of the deck railings. The salty wind whips my hair around my face and I’ve long since given up trying to tie it back.
Just one more village, I think to myself. Maverick had warned us before we left our last camp that this village was different. It was bigger, and part of an alliance with other villages.
I look out onto the horizon. A small shadow of land has been growing for at least an hour.
“Get ready,” Maverick says from behind me. I slide off my perch.
“Last one,” I say, staring out over the land ahead.
“This is true.”
“Hey! You guys going to talk your way into the village?” Max yells from down on deck. He holds a large shield over his shoulder.

Everything happens like it has at the other villages. We fight through the first wall of warriors. The fighting continues until their leader blows the signal for their surrender. The Keepers, Welch, and I head into their great hall. Five warriors wait in the hall. They stand around their leader.
“Are you the King?” Maverick asks.
The man lets out a short laugh. “Just but a humble earl.”
“I’ve never met a humble earl,” Max scoffs.
“Leave us,” the man says to his warriors. They all exit.
“So, Antrapar am I right? Or further north?” The Earl asks.
“Oh good, you know who we are,” Max says, grabbing the map from his sister’s hands.
“Then this will make sense,” he passes the scroll off to the Earl.
“We aren’t going to that battleground.”
“You’re already in a battleground,” Kori mutters.
They start to look around the hall for things to take home with us but I move towards the door, ready to get back into the fresh air. The Earl follows me with his eyes.
“What, you aren’t in the same boat with the rest of these thieves?”
“No, there’s just nothing in here worth stealing,” I smart.
I put my hand on the doors latch and push my way into the fresh air. What I see makes my stomach drop. A large plume of smoke rises from the harbor. Shouts echo down the streets.
“It’s a trick!” I shout into the hall before sprinting down towards the harbor. The warriors that had left the hall now fight our people. One of our boats is engulfed in flames leaving only two ships. We couldn’t risk loosing any more of our longboats.
“Retreat!!” Maverick shouts. Our fighters back off, sprinting towards the remaining ships. I follow them. Max and Maverick break off heading for our ships. Kori and Welch take their people and start fleeing towards the woods.
We get away, barely. The villagers continue shooting arrows at us until we’re out of range. Every one is quiet that night at camp as we come to the inevitable conclusion that we’d lost our first battle.

A/N: Hey guys, yeah, I know this chapter is pretty short but a lot starts to happen in the next couple chapters, promise. ;) Anyways, your votes are much appreciated and let me know what you think in the comments!