Breaking point

Chapter 1

I kept quite, even as the town outside was plundered by the Norwegian vikings.

The screams that sounded were mostly cut short, for reasons I didn't want to know, but at the strangled ending of each one I would try to sink further into the floors and walls of the cupboard I was curled in.Hoping that they'd leave the house un-burned.

As I waited for something to happen, for anything at all, I couldn't help but wonder what would become of me should I survive the night.I'd have no home left and nowhere to go. At one stage during my thoughts I was on the verge of just letting the vikings kill me, but then I'd be breaking my promise to my far*, and I Matthias refused to break my word. So I wasn't just going to surrender without a fight,and right now the best I could do was to survive, and that meant I needed to remain hidden.

After what seemed like both an eternity, and also only a few moments, I heard what I'd been dreading. The sound of the door being kicked down violently.

I gripped my dagger tighter, and tried to silence my breathing, which suddenly seemed to loud. Outside I could hear heavy footfall, and the few furnishings of the house being knocked over, but thankfully no-one seemed to bother checking the closet I was concealed in. Which I found in the tense moment rather amusing. Since it seemed the most likely place for loot to be.

Unfortunately,a few seconds later the door was thrown wide open, and I prayed to all the gods I knew of, that the dim light wouldn't show my pale skin or hair to the invaders. Large hands began sifting through the coats hanging in the small space. It was all I could do not to make any sound of fear. The seconds ticked by as slow as hours, and my heart was racing faster than a startled hare.

It seemed as if luck was on my side, since before I could be discovered a quite, but commanding voice said something in a language I could only guess was Norwegian, but though it was similar to my own tongue in writing, I couldn't make heads nor tails of the pronunciations, so what he said remained a mystery to me.

Still,the other man withdrew his hands from my limited vision, so all Icould see now were the coats. That was fine by me though.

I heard the footsteps getting fainter, as if they were leaving. Before I could realize I'd done it, I let out a soft sigh of relief. Then in a small panic I I clapped my free hand over my mouth, praying the vikings had gone to far to hear it.

Sadly it seemed my luck had run out, as I heard a the same voice as earlier, issuing another command. Then the door to the cupboard was opened again, and I watched in horror as I was exposed.

I must say though, the viking who had opened the door took me by surprise, he looked young, maybe even a year or two my junior. On top of that he had a slight build, and delicate features, and his pale hair was pulled back on one side by a hairpin in the shape of across.

Despite his build, this boy scared me more than I think a more typical viking would. With his lips curved into a cruel smirk, and a bloody sword hanging at his side, I didn't doubt that he was dangerous.

"Vel, vel, hva har vi her?*" He said, his voice holding a heavy tone of authority, it was also clear that this was the same person I'd heard earlier.

He looked down at me, still smirking. This was probably the best chance I had at escape right now, though I doubted even now that it would work. None the less, I flipped my dagger and lept out the closet,aiming the blade the the boy. His eye's widened for a split second,then faster than my eyes could see he sidestepped my, ill-thought out, attack. And in the same fluid movement he grabbed my wrist, the same side that held my weapon, and pinned it behind me.

I yelped slightly at the sudden pain that came with my arm being twisted, and released my hands grip on the blade's hilt. The boy dropped my arm, and shoved me towards two other men I hadn't noticed before, these one's more like I'd depicted vikings originally.

"Denne er min.*" He said, his tone flat, just like his expression was now. Then, he turned to me, and in the same dull tone he said: "From now on you're my property."

I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head, then the world faded to black, and I felt myself slipping into the dreaming world.

Translations:

far : Father {Danish}

Vel, vel, hva har vi her:  Well, well, what do we have here {Norwegian}

Denne er min: This one's mine {Norwegian}