Born with Sunrise

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Siri froze at the terrifying sound, it sounded like one of the storms of the gods, yet the tempest was missing. Her hand clenched around Sture's where their wrists were tied together with a ribbon passed from her father and a leather thong passed from Sture's father. Her fingers should have been laying along her new husbands, but instead the clenched around his and too his credit, he squeezed them in return as if in reassurance. But in the next moment, he took his ceremonial dagger and split the ties. Looking to his father for instruction afterwards. They spoke low and quickly, Siri having to wait, locked out of the conversation as even her father stepped forward to be involved as those in charge of the men were called over and instructions were quickly given. All the while she was pushed out of that inner circle. It was only as half of the men disappeared from the inner circle. She took a step back, looking around the frightened faces of the women who held their children close as the men left the inner circle, or left the women and came to surround her and those of high status within the centre. She had never expected to be one of the most protected, but right now she wanted to be among them, this would be a chance to escape her fate. And yet fate had put her squarely into the ring of protection.

Sture turned to her, with blade drawn. His free hand coming to gently cup the side of her face, his thumb tenderly stroking over her cheek bone. "I am sorry for the shortness of the ceremony, but you are mine now and I will protect you. You have my word of that. No harm shall befall you, do not fear these cowards who attack now." A half smile tugged up the side of his mouth. "I should think that our men will stop them before they even reach the inner circle and we will see no action at all. But if by some chance some unfortunate soul finds their way here, you need to stay in the centre of the circle. But do not get in my way." His eyes roamed over her face. "Do you hear me, Siri?" She nodded, knowing that whatever she said now would not be listened too and would be seen as a distraction. At her nod, the other side of his mouth kicked up in a full blown grin. "I knew you were the woman meant for me. You are already showing your worth. I will not forget the bravery you are showing here." Without any warning, he leaned down and claimed her lips in a rough clash of teeth. It was not as she had imagined after hearing some of the girls her age talk of their first kiss. This was very much a show of dominance, and she was not in charge. So she stood whilst he moved his lips upon hers as if waiting for something from her, but when it did not happen he pulled back and stroked her cheek once more. "Do not worry wife, we will deal with this and within the hour we will be celebrating the start of our life together." With that Sture turned his back upon her and left her directly in the centre of a circle made of half the men of the tribe. Each with this back to her and because of their height, she could no longer see out past the backs of those closest to her.

Wringing her hands together, closed her eyes as she heard the roars of the battle cries, the ringing of metal on metal and the screams of the women who had fled the inner circle. A tear leaked its way out of her eye and made a lonely trek down her cheek. Her thoughts immediately went to her mother who was alone out there right now. Her eyes sought out the back of her father's head, he had been pushed out of the inner circle and was at the front edge of the defensive circle from what she could see. Standing on tip toe, looking out over the shoulders of the much taller men until she saw the dark head of her father's black hair. He was not protecting her mother, which meant he was seeing her protection as the most important. She wanted to scream at him to leave her and find and protect her mother, but knew I was useless, he had chosen who he was to protect, and she was not going to change his mind. But so many others were here for her protection now at the detriment of their own women, surely he could see that?

It was terrifying, the waiting, the oppressive silence that had fallen on the men around her, whilst the women still within the circle cried and the children screamed at the noise which echoed from closer within the tribes housing. Each minute the invaders seemed to come closer and closer to the inner circle, and no matter what Sture had told her. Her stomach tied in a knot at the knowledge that either way people she knew were going to die today. She could do nothing, she was a woman, who had not been taught to fight, and had known from the time she could remember that if the males closest to you did not choose to protect you, and then you may have to accept your fate at the hands of the invaders.