the invisible string. Sihtric Kjartanson

Part I: Chapter one: as good as dead

Before you dig into this I want to make a trigger warning: this story contains content that could be triggering to some of you including abuse of alcohol, sexual harassment, rape, Aethelred being himself, detailed description of battle and gore.

When I tell you this, I'm as good as dead.

I was cowering behind the boy I despised while we waited for Tekil's sign to get down the hill towards the small stream, where the two men leisurely strode. The air was warm with the lingering taste of the approaching summer still remaining. We would take both of them back to our horrible master, to the dark place of Dunholm castle.

The boy next to me was useless. He was shivering with adrenaline while his only task was to shackle the prisoners. I could hear his breath shake. His dark hair was roused from his running his thin fingers through it to often in nervousness.

Tekil had taken us to kill two birds with one stone. The birds being king Guthred and the danish lord Uthred and me for I had offended Kjartan. The stone would be Tekils blade probably. He was a good man, he'd make it swift. He would make death kinder than men had ever been.

We outnumbered the two lords for we were nine and they were two. Sihtric next to me made a quiet noise of fear and excitement when Tekil signed to us to advance quietly.
If Tekil wouldn't kill the stupid boy I would do it and make it look like an accident, just as he was to do with me. Sihtric was getting on my nerves right now as he had been for many years. Everything about him was agitating.

I had my sæx at the ready. The small sword was much to big for me. I was a tall girl but the sword was still to heavy for my thin arms but father had said I would grow into it. I'd get no chance to do that for I'd soon be dead. I'm sure you must be tired of me telling you about my doomed fate by now but the excitement and fear was playing tricks with my head.
I saw the two men. One looking more fierce than the other but both were equally as handsome. I checked with the men to my side that it was I that would pursue the more handsome one of the men. One of the older, fatter men glared at me and tried to show me that I shouldn't go for him but I was already on my way with a savage grin on my face. Tekil would've usually stopped me too but he was likely hoping I'd die in my attempt to bring down Guthred. I jumped in the water just as Tekil got to the other men. The only advantage I had was speed so I used it to sweep the legs from under the blonde male and point the heavy sword to his throat. He did not even have time to think or react. I liked it.

"Taken down by a child. How embarrassing" The man spoke to me in danish after sighting in defeat, the blade scraping his neck softly like a lovers caress.

"Embarrassing indeed King Guthred, if that's what they call you" I grinned. "Make yourself useful and shackle him Sihtric" I told the boy with a toneless voice. I was in no place to boss him around seeing our standing we were equals which sucked because we were both at the very bottom of the food chain. He stood for everything I despised. My triumph over bringing down a king did not last long when a shrill scream came from the undergrowth. Before I could react I was topped by a huge Dane who threw his entire weight on me and brought me face down into the river. I'm sure he broke one of my ribs but the bigger issue was that I was drowning in the small stream. My head was pulled up by my short hair then and I gasped for air.

"Lord this one is a girl" The big Dane ,who I would get to know as Clapa, called as I was catching my breath after being briefly water boarded. They say he is stupid so how did he realise my sex so quickly I did not know. Perhaps peering at my tits. I was fourteen, boy there is nothing going on. This so-called lord hit Sihtric with the shackles but he didn't even flinch. He was used to it. I hit him sometimes too but I was younger and sometimes the naughty creature hit me back. He hit him again but Sihtric gave no noise, not even a flinch.