A Viking's Promise

“Promise me, promise me that you’ll come home.”

“I promise.”

   Matthias turned to leave his sword in hand. Stepping away from his young love, he felt a level of distress overtake him. He knew he didn’t have anymore a chance as his men did to live. Yet he promised. He promised to still the tears that fell so freely from Lukas’s eyes. He loved him far too much to tell him the truth, his true thoughts. His distressed thoughts of his demise.
    Matthias was soon to learn, life isn’t as easy as a white lie.

    Matthias quickly slid away from the sharp edged sword. Missing a second by chance. He slid away and found himself pinned. One singular man stepped forward and glared Matthias down.
    “He’s too young.” The man stared over the young viking. “Put him with the others.” They shoved him towards other vikings of his age, some younger even. All of them had the same scarred face, the same bloodthirst glazed eyes. All but Matthias who so desperately wanted to uphold his promise. That simple promise that ate away at his mind turning him numb. He was jostled around the strange faced grizzly men, as if he was nothing but a goat. They threw him upon a ship and blindfolded him so he may not see. He felt the boat hit land and he was shoved out, making him fall on his knees roughly. His wind whipped hair being pulled as he was thrown to his feet and the blindfold was ripped away. He was then guided away from the boat that he had known as home for the past three days. The others had been thrown off as they fell sick, but Matthias had this toleration for common illness. He was jostled through a village to a stange stand. Then it dawned on him, they were selling him as a slave.
   
    He began resisting as they pulled his arms and legs into nooses. Ensuring he was properly on display a viking spoke to him.
“Be a good slave now,” The viking smacked his clothed rear “And hold still. I’d hate to break your new master’s toy.” Matthias squirmed and whimpered helplessly as the man cut away his scarce clothing. They gagged him with iron attached to more rope so he couldn’t speak.
    So Matthias began crying. As he did he thought:
    I’ve lied to Lukas..I’ll never see him again..
   
    Matthias opened his eyes to strikingly familiar blues gazing into his own. Lukas had found him but he couldn’t get free.
    “I’ll take him.” Lukas glared at the seller arousing gasps from the wealthier vikings. “After all, you did steal him from me.” Matthias struggled more making it seem as if this young child did infact own him.
    The seller released him causing him to clatter to the floor of the block. As Matthias began fondling with his gag, Lukas stepped forward and caught his elder’s lips in a kiss. That truly bonded Master and Slave. Matthias was lifted away from the stiff wood and hauled away.

    He was carried back to the ship, but this time not blindfolded. He was handed new clothing to begin his travel home.
    “I promised to see you again didn’t I?” Lukas shook his head with laughter as he held the Dane’s head.
    “That you did,” He laughed “That you did.”
                        FIN