The Viking and the Witch [Halfdan The Black]

Chapter 24: Her

When Mary woke up the next morning she felt good. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this good. The first thing she did was check on everyone but they left the house. So she decided to see if Hildegard would need a hand.

"Are you sure you can work again?" The woman asked her, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Absolutely, I have never felt this good."

"Ahuh. Then be a dear and get some water."

The drama started when she walked back towards the waiting Hildegard.

"This was the slave that attacked us."

The men from the night before were standing with other people of Kattegat in front of her, and pointed their finger at her. Mary sighed. What a bother.

"She needs to be punished! What kind of masters allow their slaves to attack their superiors and let them live?"

Eric saw the trouble the foreigners were causing and placed himself in between Mary and the angry man.

"Does she belong to you?" He asked, the small sword in his hand raised.

"She belongs to my family. What's the problem here? Mary?" He turned to look at her but the man started speaking immediately.

"She attacked me and my men. Don't you train your slaves to obey their masters?"

The shouting had attracted a crowd. Once Olaf saw his oldest son and the girl he had grown fond of he walked to them immediately, with him came Leif. Hildegard also looked to see what the trouble was about, and hurried towards them once she saw the mob.

"So you let a little slave girl beat you and two of your men up?" Eric laughed, while the stranger grew read in the face.

"What were you doing with her anyway?" Leif asked and stood side by side with his brother.

"We just wanted to have our fun!"

"So she defended herself so you wouldn't rape her?"

Ragnar stepped forward, looking at both sides.

"Enough!"

"We demand justice! She is just a slave she should be punished for her disrespect towards us."

Mary wasn't exactly sure what this meant, she just hoped it wouldn't mean, they could do what they planned for the night before. What would be the worst that could happen?

Ragnar turned towards Mary. She was hidden from their view by the brothers. He couldn't ignore the request of his guests, although, he just like her family didn't want anything to happen to her. Leif moved slightly and Ragnar took the chance to make eye contact with Mary.

"You know what could happen if we would have a trial?"

She held his gaze as she shook her head, no. She never got in any trouble with anyone in the village. She kept herself away from people, who were no good.

"If they had attacked a free woman and she would say this, the family of her could do with them whatever they pleased," he looked all of them in the eye. First Eric, and Leif, the Olaf and lastly Hildegard.

"But since a slave doesn't have a voice, they can say that you attacked them and you could face a punishment as light as humiliation or as hard as death."

Mary nodded and Ragnar turned to the men.

"What punishment were you thinking of?"

"She should be stripped in the middle of Kattegat, forced to take anything anyone wants from her."

Eric stepped forward.

"If she was a free woman, that wouldn't happen, and we could decide their punishment?"

The family of four knew what Ragnar wanted them to do.

"Yes."

The men agreed easily but they looked at the matriarch for the final permission.

"She is no slave. She has been free since yesterday."

Mary looked at her with wide eyes. Eric and Leif walked back, towards their family.

"When did you free her? We saw her working!"

"Old habits die hard. Another slave didn't know yet so she told Mary to work."

Ragnar smiled and looked at the accusers.

"That changes the hole situation. What did they do to you yesterday, Mary?"

Mary walked forward, her voice strong and her eyes colder than Jotunheim.

"They dragged me into a hut and tried to rape me."

The men looked shocked at how quickly this situation turned on them.

"What punishment do you think they deserve?"

"I think their own idea will be quite fitting." Hildegard spat out.

Ragnar nodded.

"Then let's be done with this."

Floki and a few other men fulfilled Ragnar's order. Olaf gently took Mary's arm and they walked back to their hut. Mary suddenly felt full of dread. What would happen now? W would they kick her out and send her away? Leif saw her uncertainty.

"Do you want me to leave?"

She looked at them, and they looked at Hildegard, who looked at her seriously.

"You can leave, look if you find a way to make a living in Kattegat, or leave to look for another village."

Mary took a deep breath and nodded. She didn't have anything to take with her. Only her dress. She was about to leave when Hildegard spoke again.

"Or you stay here with us. As the long lost daughter, our youngest child."

Mary looked at them in shock. The whole family looked sure and welcoming.

"Do you want to stay?"

Mary couldn't speak. All she could do was nod. And their days continued a bit differently from that moment on.

She started to trust the people she lived with but was uncertain if she could ever trust anyone outside this little family.