Viking Girl

Chapter 7

841AD

The journal of Brynhild the Bold

For the last couple of days I have been carrying out my plan to make the killer's life a living hell. But today was different. He must have realised a while ago that I had a particular grudge towards him, because today he asked me why I treated him with such loathing. What had he done to deserve my wrath. His voice was dry and husky from days of work and lack of water, yet something in the way he said it gave me pause. I think he must have noticed my hestitation and taken advantage of it because he pressed on.

"I am not the only one who has killed your people. And besides, wouldn't you have done the same if people were invading your country and enslaving your people. As a man, surely you would want to defend your homeland and your people." At that I couldn't stay silent any longer.

"What makes you think that it would just be men who want to protect their homes. The women live there just as much, and would have put more work into the home. Typical men, always assuming that they are better than women." I think that that last sentence gave me away. Once again, my temper had gotten the better of me.

"You are a girl, aren't you?" I started mentally cursing then, as he would surely tell everyone, and I would be sent home in disgrace. Or even worse, I would be forced to hide while everyone else attacked the village. I began to bluster, hoping I could convince him otherwise.

"How dare you call me a woman?! I am a man through and through!"

"So why are you so engaged in woman's rights??" He asked with an infuriating smirk.

"Ohh, uhh why ummm....... I simply respect my wife and she is always giving me an earful of her rights." It was obvious he didn't believe me, and if there was even the slightest bit of doubt raised in the camp that I wasn't a man, I would be forced to prove it, and that wouldn't end well. I knew I would have to resort to begging and bribing, but his smirk infuriated me, so I couldn't help but fight back.

"What are you going to do about it?" I asked him with a haughty smile.

"Well, that depends."

"On what?" I asked, curious.

"How well you treat me. I need water to live, and more food than you have been allowing me. You think I haven't noticed how much the others get, compared to me. If you don't want your secret getting out, you need to treat me with the respect I'm due." He said, with that self-righteous smile.

"Your due respect?! You are the ones who ambushed us, sneaking around in the dark like rats. At least we have the decency to attack during the day. And you are the one who got captured. You didn't even get killed in battle, and be honoured in death like our warriors. Instead, you are stuck here, doing all the jobs fit for thralls. I owe you respect?! Haa!"

With that I turned around and walked away. So many emotions were going through my mind at that moment, but the main one was rage. That he had the nerve to try to order me around and tell me I owe him respect. I hate him. Stupid, egotistical male.

Unfortunately, one of the older warriors saw me, and came to the conclusion that he had offended me, which was true. The bad part was that he had the idea that I challenge him to single combat. If I won, he would lose all dignity, but if he won, I would lose my life.

Our raid was postponed another day so that I could fight him. I have faith in my fighting abilities, but he is a great deal larger than me, and could easily overpower me. I must now spend the trying to sleep with this thought looming over me.

With the possibility of this being our final goodbye,
Brynhild the Bold