The Pagan Goddess

Prologue

The air smelt of freshly prepared food and ale on this warm night. There was a breeze coming in from the doors of my fathers hall, which were wide open to allow his warriors and his people to fest his victory of his last raid. Women dressed in simple long dresses and men dressed in warrior clothing still. "Victory is ours!" My father proclaims raising his large cup of ale in the air. Cheers erupted from the crowd and everyone followed suit with their cups full of ale in the air.

My father and the rest of the crowd take a big drink of ale before continuing the fest. My father gives my mother a kiss on the head before sitting in his rather large seat. She smiles, warmly embracing every part of this night. My father looks to me and smiles. "I do this for you and your sister."

I grin back at him realizing that all this one day will be mine. My father will be hard to live up too considering he is well known among the Danes and Saxons. The Danes respect him and the Saxons fear him. He is Erik Eriksen the fearless and lord of all Northumbria. We begin feasting and the hall becomes quiet with the sound of chewing and occasional conversations unknowing of the utter chaos that was about to occur.

Men and women begin to scream outside the hall. Hooves of horses barrel through the safety of our gates with the rider killing anything in site. "Fire!" Someone screams. My father quickly stands up pushing his chair to the ground. His men draw their swords and begin to fight outside the hall. "Lord, it is saxons!" I hear a man scream from outside my fathers hall. My father drew his sword and ran to aide his men in fighting the intruders.

My mother quickly shuts the large doors to the hall after my father and his warriors made the exit with their sword's drawn. She runs back to me, pulling her long dark hair in a knot. "Listen to me," she says taking both of my shoulders and bringing her eyes to my level. "I want you to stay with Thyra, find your sister, and hide." My mother looks to Thyra who stands to the side of me and gives her a hug. My mother quietly whispers something in Thyra's ear and I see tears swell in Thyra's eyes. Thyra was the best servant we had and I know my mother and father trusted her with everything.

My mother looks back to me, kissing me on my head as I nod. "I love you" my mother says as she places her head to mine. I felt Thyra grab my hand, pulling me away from my mothers hold before I could respond. I look back to see tears falling from my mothers eyes, but she is strong and a warrior. She turns quickly and grabs one of my fathers swords as the doors burst open with Saxon warriors charging in. She fights with honor to her Gods and lord.

Soon she was out of site and I followed Thyra to my sisters sleeping quarters. My sister laid, asleep, curdled up in furs. Thyra quickly picked her up and held her close to her chest. My sister did not steer and wrapped her tiny legs around Thyra's waste.

"Where are we to hide?" I asked Thyra as she wrapped a fur around my sister. Thyra pulls her hood over her long blonde hair after tying my sister to her waist.

"Come with me." She said quietly and grabbed my hand while the other held my sister for extra support. Just then a loud noise came from the the main hall and the smell of smoke filled the air. We look around the corner and see Saxon warriors setting my home on fire. A man with a sword comes to my mother who lays on the ground gasping for air, sword out of hand. He grabs her hair and lifts her in the air. Her legs are flying all around and she screams in pain as she grabs the man's hand, trying to free her hair. The Saxon warrior put the sward to her throat and smirks. My mother spits in his face and screams, "to Valhalla!" as she takes the Saxon warriors sward in both her hands and stabs herself in the throat.

I breath in deeply to prevent my scream from escaping my mouth. Thyra pulls me into her side and pats me on my head, "my lady" she whispers, holding back tears. I hear my mothers body fall to the floor and the Saxon warriors laugh as my mothers blood spilled on the floor of our home. The fire grew and they quickly made an exit. I wanted to run to my mothers aide, but I knew she was in Valhalla, she was in peace.

"Thyra!" I hear someone whisper loudly behind us. We turn our attention to Torsten. He was my fathers most trusted warrior and has fought by my fathers side for many years. Thyra breathed in loudly and ran towards Torsten embracing him in a hug. He was also Thyra's lover with approval of my father, of course. They were to be wed in couple of days, but I am not sure if that will happen now.

Torsten sweat making the dirt stream down his face. His sward was dripping with blood and he had blood coming down his armored clothes making Thyra quickly grab a near by fur to wrap around Torsten wound and tying it tight. He grunted in pain, "we have fled. Many await in the trees. They seek Freya."

Torsten grabbed my hand and led the way to safety as he spoke with Thyra and my sister following closely behind us. He led us to the back of my fathers hall, behind where the food is to be prepared and through a door where the servants get fresh water. I use to sneak out this way to play outside the walls in the fields at night during the warm season.

"She is a child yet still" Thyra exhausted, holding my sister closer to her chest. Thyra covers my sisters small body with her long, dark robe as she pulls me up to Torsten who was already on the hill which is one of the three ways to exit my fathers gates. My sister, Freya, is nearing five years of age and I'm nearing 10 years of age. My father and mother wanted more children, but the Gods did not deem it was necessary for them.

Torsten helps Thyra up on the hill and my sister begins to wake. "Shh, my dear, do not fear." Thyra says quietly patting my sisters head.

"Where is brother?" Freya raspy voice says reaching out for me.

"I am here sister." I say, grabbing her small hand in mine. I hear her sigh and fall back to sleep on Thyra's chest. Thyra covers her with her robe again and grabs my hand. She has fallen ill with the sickness and has been more tired then usual, but the healers, including Thyra, has healed her and she has become stronger over the last few days. She seems to be improving greatly.

"The Saxons we're not the only to intrude." Torsten explained further as we near the trees, "Danes raid all of Northumbria including the lords fortress along side the Saxons."

"What of the lord?" Thyra asked as we pushed a little deeper in the trees.

Torsten stopped walking and turns toward us. His gazed on Thyra then to me. He kneeled down in front of me with tears threatening to fall. "Your father was the bravest man I have ever known." I hear Thyra begin to sob quietly. "He fought with honor and he meets your mother in Valhalla."

Tears begin to fall over my face. Torsten grabs a little chain wrapped around his neck and I recognized it immediately. It was my fathers. At the end of the chain was our families crest, a large yellow stone yielded by fire with our ancestors ashes. Torsten put the chain around my neck and his head to mine. "You are your fathers kin. You will, one day, lead us home."

A loud noise erupted from the sky making all of us look up. The Gods must have favored us in that moment because my home that was once on fire is now being covered by water from the sky and still stands. That is the moment I vowed to myself that I will avenge my father and mother. I will lead my people home once again. Northumbria will be a home to all Danes free from Saxon contempt and impressions.

I am Erik, son of Erik, heir to be lord of Northumbria. This is my fate and my fate will lead peace to all Danes and Saxons.