Conqueror Queen

Chapter 11

"What have you done?" Hemming breathed, his eyes still wide with fear and disbelief.

Aiya held James as she lowered him to the ground, "I...I didn't..." She shook her head as she stuttered.

"Shhh..." James breathed, placing his finger over her lips to silence her.

The battle for the Great Hall was over, as Ragda's men stormed through the doors and windows. They killed the remaining of Hemming's guards, slicing into bone and flesh as blood curdling screams filled the air. Noble men and women continued to cower in the corner as they watch on in horror at the violence of the Heathen's.

"Aiya?" Ragda's voice rang out amongst the noise and chaos.

"Help me!" She cried out in panic, still holding James close, "He needs a healer!"

Hemming had pretended to faint as his eyes met with Ragda's warriors, crumpling back down onto the floor in front of them, "Chain him." Ragda commanded his men. "Aiya, What happened?" He ask.

Gunnar stooped down next to her, "He's losing a lot of blood, leave the dagger in place." He said. "It was an accident." She sobbed, as she helped lift James up and over Gunnar's shoulder.

"He'll be fine." Gunner tried to reassure her as he swiftly carried a now unconscious James out of the room.

Ragda grabbed at her, trying desperately to hold her close. How he had worried about her, and wanted nothing more than to apologize for his stupidity. For a moment, she allowed it. She had missed his scent of honeyed Mead and leather. She stared past him as he held her against him, her eyes wet with tears as she looked at the blood spattered room. The nobles were no more, for the Norsemen had felt no sympathy for the Christian's, and had slaughtered them all.

Hemming's wife's eyes looked at her, blank and empty as her lifeless body was left sprawled across the long table next to her, her throat cut and her beautiful dress torn, revealing the soft cures of her breasts, left exposed for all to see. She had been a spoiled woman, hard to please, often, blaming Aiya for things that were out of her control-but she didn't deserve death for it. It was Hemming she wanted dead, not everyone else.

She pushed herself away from Ragda, crossing the room to cover Lady Hemming's bare chest, "Where did you take Hemming?" She asked, as she moved her hand lightly over Lady Hemming's eyes, closing their blankness to the world.

"He's our prisoner now." Ragda replied, hurt by her coldness. "Are you not pleased to see me?" He asked.

Aiya couldn't look at him, she didn't want to see anyone else hurt by her. She had been in such a blind rage that she hadn't seen James grab her, she just reacted. His emerald eyes still burned the back of her eyelids when she closed them. "I must go to him." She replied, before turning sharply on her heels towards the doors.

Ragda grabbed her by her arm as she moved pasted him, yanking her slightly to face him. "Do you love him?" He asked.

She still couldn't look him in his eyes, as she stared blankly past him. "Yes." Was all she said, before yanking her arm from his grasp. For a split second, she saw anger in his icy blue eyes, but it lasted only a moment before she could see the pain her words had caused. "Such honesty." He replied, softly, as he took two steps back from her, gesturing with his hand for her to go.

As she walked her thoughts raced, how could she hurt Ragda like that? The slaughter around her was all too familiar, she remembered the day she was taken, and how the air had smelled of metallic and decay. Bodies were everywhere, splattered with mud from the soft earth under her feet, her boots burying themselves in the pools of blood and mud as she moved. She knew she loved Ragda, but their love had been doomed from the start. To much had happened between them. She had killed his only brother. He had allowed Dagr to hurt her, even after so much time, it was still painful for them both. She couldn't think about that now, however, she had to find James.