“Papa! Papa!” I was screaming the whole time. I would not go with them. They couldn’t make me. As the rain started falling harder and mixing with my tears I looked out in the fire to look at my father’s dead body one last time before they pulled my aboard their ship. The ropes were tied around me were fastened to the mast. A gag was put on to muffle my screams.
One of the crewmen came over and blindfolded me to what purpose I was not sure. Perhaps to stop my tears. But none of it bothered me. For all I could think of was my papa. Burning in the ashes of these monsters work. I’d heard stories of them from travelers that stopped at our Inn, but to have them here, in Paris, was so unimaginable to me. Of course I am only 14. I had never thought anything could touch me. Now I know that I was wrong. No matter what you do. No matter where you hide. This darkness will always find you.
My papa always said that most things turn out fine. But I had no hope this would. These things, that the travelers called Vikings, never keep prisoners for long. Some escaped but if I did who would I go to. My father was dead. My mother died after I was born, and I had no siblings. I could die and no one would care.
I started crying again. “Balfour! Through the welas into the holder!” Someone said with a scottish accent.
“Okay Captain!” Another voice shouted, also scottish. I felt the ropes around me fall and someone dragged me to this holder thing. When I guess we got to our destination he through me in and I slid across the floor a bit. “Now be a good little brat and SHUT UP!” He slammed the door and left me alone. I took off the gag and blindfold.
In the darkness I found some sort of blanket and curled up. My eyes closed and fell fast asleep.
“Hey. Hey get up.” a british voice said. I groaned and opened my eyes. There standing in front of me was a boy. He carried a tray of assorted fruits. I narrowed my eyes. “What could you want?”
“I-I brought you something to eat.” He didn’t meet my eyes. He put the tray on the floor and pushed it toward me. I took a bit out of an apple. And he was still there. “If you want a ‘thank you’ your not getting one.” He looked at me. His eyes wide. “No. I just. I mean.”
“Spit it out or leave!” I spun around so my back was turned to him. “I’m sorry.” my eyes bulged. I turned again. “What did you say?”
“I said ’I’m sorry’. I know what you're feeling right now.”
The never of this boy! “How could you possibly know what its like?!” I shouted, I stood as silent tears running down my cheeks. “My family is dead. I have no home. No friends. I could die here and no one would know. Not that any of you mongrels would care. I’d be just be an unremarkable girl with an unremarkable life. Another body to dispose of.”
“I know. That’s how I felt. When they caught me.”
“W-what? Then why are you...”
“If I don’t they’ll kill me.”
“What about me?”
“Captain says that you were to be something special.”
“But. Does that mean?” The boy opened his mouth to say something but then, “Conrad! Get up here now! And bring the girl with you!”
“Allright!” I guess Conrad yelled. He looked at me with a saddened look on his face. “You’ll need to come with me now.” I nodded. Knowing that the outcome of this would not be good.
Conrad took me on to deck with about two dozen crewmembers staring at me. When I looked out to the sides of the ship I could see a coastal line. “Ah, she is a beauty ain't she?” My blonde curls bounced as I swung my head to stare at the voice. A man stepped out from the crowd of men. He was repulsive I can’t even find words to describe him. “Welcome to my ship young lady.”
I laughed. “Flattery will get you nowhere.”
“Bring her forward.” Conrad drug me to the man.
“Now,” the man took out a knife and held it to my throat. “Where is it? Where is the treasure?!”
“What are you talking about?”
“You are Rosella-May Martin, daughter of Jean-Claude Martin are you not?”
“Well yes but...”
“Then where has he hidden it?!” he pushed the knife closer to my throat.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I could barely speak. He pushed the blade harder.
“Stop!” I heard Conrad say. But it sounded far away.
“What did you say?” I turned and looked at him and choked out, “Conrad.”
He stood up straight. “I said to stop. If she doesn’t know then she doesn’t know.”
The man smirked and dropped me. I hit the deck with a large thud. I wanted to run to Conrad. To help him, but I was lying there like a newborn puppy.
I watched as Conrad was thrown next to me. He looked at me and smiled.
“I hope you’ve learned your lesson. Now, both of you, get up!” Some goons picked us up and threw us into a spare boat. I knew what was about to happen. It was told that they burned a boat with dead bodies on it. There was a rower and when we were 25 yards from the shore he jumped out leaving me and Conrad.
The flames spread quickly. I could feel them crawling up my dress. That’s when my eyes closed and I was consumed by the darkness.
When I woke up to find myself lying on a cot and the smell of beef filled the air. When I sat up I saw Conrad working over a stove. “Oh good you're awake. I’ll have breakfast ready soon. You can rest I bit more if ya like.” I nodded at his words and lied back down.
When he did finish we sat down we were silent until I asked. “What happened?”
“What?” He seemed to be surprised at my words.
“You saved me right? So, what happened? And where are we?”
“I noticed that John left his oar and so I rowed us to shore. As to where we are, I think a shack of sorts. It was abandoned and you were bleeding so bad I thought it was the best place.”
My hand went to my neck. It was wrapped in layers of cloth, most likely from my dress of a blanket of sorts.
Without looking at me he said “Ya know, I think I deserve a thank you this time.”
“Thank you Conrad. For everything.”
“You’re welcome Rosella.”
The Vikings pillaged more and more but they never found me and Conrad. We were always safe. As for that treasure they wanted, well, when Conrad and I went back to Paris to look at my fallen home my father’s grave we found the box he had given to me the night he died. It was a beautiful necklace he had crafted for me that was almost priceless.
I still have it. Locked away, safe and sound. But the best part of all was the day Conrad and I started a small business, got married, and lived happily forever more.
