And all good things come to those that wait.......

[solveig]

-She rested. She wasn't sleeping. Who could sleep with all these loud boastful men about. But she had taken the opportunity to curl up, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her back to the fire and her face hidden in the darkness, ears wide open.

No fool, she wanted to know what was was, men spoke more freely among themselves. She knew no matter how much Ragnavalder kept her close, she still wasn't 'one of the boys'. Had no illusion of it either.

The small compliment he gave her warmed her more surely than the fire. It was a struggled not to sit up right then and there and do a little happy dance. Praise from him, was hard earned. He didn't give it out lightly, and hearing him say it to others...yeah, she felt pretty damn good.

But he taught her well, how to stay still, and she used it now to keep listening. Her breathing a little quicker in her excitement, but steady all the same. Her lip caught a little between her teeth as others joined them. His cousins she was guessing, who else would even dare call him Rags? She did it once, it wasn't pretty.

Listened to their playful teasing. About the fact he hadn't been seeing wenching like the others. How she alone slept near him. Her fingers tightened into fists..just let another woman try it, she'd beat them senseless, or would want to.... Einar had her going a little cold though. His take on woman, left her chilled, and moving a little closer to the fire. Whether it was that, or something else, she didn't know but Ragnvalder hadn't replied to those quips. She have wished he had, cause now she wondered as to the answers.

The next day proved more exciting than the last. She didn't get to board the other boat, but she DID get to see the action. She was on the riveted by the action, her hands white knuckled at the railing, her eyes drinking in the action...heart beating wildly. And when it was all over she got to help pack the loot. Always fun. Even if it wasn't hers to keep, she enjoyed looking at it all.

She was still grinning as she sat cross legged with his shield over her lap, with a bloody rag, and a bucket full of pink tainted water. This time it as her recounting everything she had seen to him in full detail, until a scream broke the air. Just one. A female. She grinned-

The boys found something, or rather someone.

[Einar the Wicked]

He watched the woman quietly, silently and glared, glancing back at the boys he'd been sent to babysit...er...raid with, thinking about them and all their untrust worthy...WOMEN. He gave Tryggr a wide grin then, his grin was the stuff of nightmares it was said. Or legends. Or maybe that was all in his head and just piss and wind?

"This one is mine? Let Old Einar show you boys how it's done properly..." He didn't wait for the answer. He couldn't pass up a ripe slave or the coin it might mean. And young theftable nubile women could bring a lot of coin indeed...

He moved like wind in the night, as quickly ended as it was begun he was on the summer house in a span of moments, a hard heavy hand around the woman's mouth, jerking her back hard against him, his axe pressed just under her breasts. "Scream and you'll see the business end of this.." he warned her, speaking so softly into her ear, watching while those with him quickly entered the house, taking anything of value quickly and quietly. "No damn it.." he told his men, still holding the woman close to him, ignoring the attempts to bite his hand. "We don't take sheep! What are you going to do with bloody sheep on a BOAT? Think man..think!"

To the girl he spun her around so that she could face him. Not a terribly tall man but warrior hard with a body built by many long years viking, training boys and defending the Jarls of the Islands. He grinned at her, his full fearsome grin, blue eyes glittering has hard as rocks. "Say hello to your new owner, thrall."

[Ragnvalder Jorghansson]

(Put on some clothes Einar, let dear Dreamy see her Viking!)

[Dream Loxley]

((Gosh you guys write quickly! I need to change my post and will reply as soon as I can *S* ))

[Dream Loxley]

Owen had talked, she had listened...stories of the old days, heroic actions, helping those in need, fighting the wrongs for those who could not or would not.....all because they could and wanted to. She had smiled, imagining the situations within her mind and always finding her Robin somewhere in those visions, how she missed him still. The evening had turned into night and the Moon, although only half full was high in the clear sky, watching over them.

Owen stood from his log and offered his apologies as he moved back into the thicket, after all, there were no specific rooms available for such actions at the beach. Dream had nodded, knowingly, understanding his needs and also knowing that she would also have to find the perfect bush before she retired to sleep. She watched the fire as it burned, listening to the gentle sounds of the ocean as the waves lapped along the shoreline. it was so quiet still, so peaceful, she stiffled a yawn, she was weary and in need of sleep. She wrapped her blanket close and did not flinch when she heard the sound of twigs snapping nearby, assuming it was Owen returning. He had been quicker than she anticipated and was in no way ready or prepared for what happened next!

It hurt, whatever it was pushed up against her ribs, hard, sharp and with such brute force....his words in her ear, his breath, his smell, she assumed it was a man, although it was all happening so quickly she could not even let out a scream before the awful feeling and taste of his hand covered her mouth. Her legs lifted from the ground, her skin scraping over the log, she just grabbed at anything she could, be it hair, skin, cloth, she was terrified, her eyes searching in the half light, she could not understand nor make any sense of it. Muffled sounds came from her throat, tears filled her eyes and she tasted her own blood in her mouth. Bile was rising in her stomach and she was nearly sick whe he spun her around, looking at her....this monster. He spoke but she did not understand his words, a greeting of sorts but the word Thrall meant nothing to her. She struggled even more, the fear within her eyes so obvious as she tried to scream.

[Axel Eiriksson]

Of course he was still about and hadn’t run off with his take. He didn’t even care about the take, was just happy to be having some fu finally. And where had he disappeared to for a few hours? Well that was his own personal intimate business. But he did wander back eventually, a satisfied smile on his face…

And now he stood with Tryggr and this Einar fellow, actually having to listen to the man instruct HIM on capturing wenches. HIM! Obviously the man was daft. He stood with arms crossed, brow quirked and listened and then watched intently as he crept up towards the wench. While he and Tryggr waited he leaned over to his companion, speaking low.

“See now he’s just gonna scare the tits off the wench. She’ll be all fretting and kicking then screaming loud enough to alert the entire country. Much easier to charm the lasses, make them WANT to come with you and thanking you for the privilege….over and over again.”

He chuckled as he and Tryggr waited an appropriate mount of time then followed the man. One look at the man holding the axe to the poor chit, whose eyes were as wide as the moon and obviously scared out of her wits. Oh and trying to scream too. He thrust out a hand towards them and looked over at Tryggr.

“See? I told you.” He leaned in closer so the man Einar would not hear. “I got five gold coins says she tosses her lunch all over his boots.”

[Tryggr Daimhsson]

Trygg had spent most of the night getting to know his fair-haired goddess. And yes they even did some talking. He knows bits and pieces of the language, as he’s had to learn much during all of his travels. She filled him in on how she was captured by “the bear”. He hadn’t treated her poorly but at the same time she had hoped for better in life. Trygg didn’t know if he could provide that for her, but if Adhamh was taken by her, he knew he’d treat her well. Or so he hoped. She was far too beautiful a maiden for anything less.

Come morning, he was raring to go. They broke camp and broke their fast and then they were off. Everything else that happened throughout the day was all but a blur, but oh what a rush. Nothing like a good raid at sea. He was still riding the high when they beached their ships once more. Exhilarated and exhausted is a good way to describe how he was feeling.

When Trygg, Axel and Einar set out to do some scouting, it was by chance they came upon a house so close to the beach. Trygg had fallen back a bit to make sure to watch their backs and when he moved in to join the others it was there he saw Einar holding yet another goddess at blade point. What was it with these parts? Goddesses everywhere. He noticed he was handling her gruffly and roughly just as Einar usually does. Trygg watched for a time then stepped forward. His tone steady and holding respect for the elder that he loved like a father.

“Wait a minute old man. Look around us, this is no ordinary, rundown piece of land we’re on. And the woman you now hold at blade point is no ordinary woman. She’s a treasure. Just look at her. And we know what we do with treasures. We enjoy their beauty. Bask in it. And this one, she just may bring us some decent ransom coin. We must treat her well.”

Trygg would step further still lifting a hand to touch over the woman’s cheek offering a soft reassurance that he wasn’t going to hurt her. He did not offer a smile or any hint of what he may be thinking. He was totally stoic.

“I know some of this tongue, learned a few things on the sea in my journeys.”

Looking from Einar back to the woman as he dropped his hand from her cheek

“You will not be harmed if you don’t give us any trouble.”

Looking to Einar again with hopes he’s loosened his hold

“Slowly let go of her. She’s not going to run with us standing here. You don’t like women, remember. I’m going to let Axel take care of her. He seems to be better with women than both of us.”

Thinking of Finna and how pissed off she was at him before he left, but she certainly didn’t mind sleeping with Axel. He’d even snarl with that and would continue to eye Einar making sure he let her go for we needed to care for this one. Will bring more ransom coin if there was certainty she wouldn’t be roughed up. So that’s it, wicked one. Let Axel have her.

[Dream Loxley]

Dream felt sure she was going to be sick, she was so afraid, her eyes scanning the tree line, where was he.....how many were here, why had they come? She could not see the Castle from where she was but her heart was aching, were her children safe, had Windstorm been invaded...oh by the Gods what would happen to her! Her body was limp within his grasp, she dare not move and she tried to make some sense of them, not recognising anything about them or where they were from, she was in fear for her life and could but breath through her nose, quickly, her chest heaving, her stomach churning, her eyes stinging, it was a nightmare, surely she would wake soon.

When the other spoke, he touched her face, she shook her head, not for one moment did she believe he would not harm her, not for an instant would she trust these animals.

All of a sudden everything went into slow motion, she heard Owen, she saw the horses and she felt arrows fired through the air, it was all she could do to keep breathing and just pray!

(Just prior to that.....)

He now had a choice, not much of one in truth, yet he had a choice. How many were there, who were they and just where did they come from, questions smothered his thinking, there was no need to answer them just yet but there was a choice to be made! What would Robin do, he had to put aside his feelings for her, he had watched her for so long now, kept her safe, yes he had feelings, she was a beautiful woman with a heart so large it was all he could do not to wrap his arms about her and make everything alright, stop her pain and anguish, stop her hurting......No, come on Owen make that choice....

He could see three of them through the shrubbery, the one holding her and the other two looking like they were just along for the ride. Owen had been stealth like as he moved nearer, his training with the Rangers holding him in good stead but it had been a while since he shot an arrow in anger. The stones he gathered were ready, Her horse, Biscuit and his own were giving him cover and as near ready as they ever could be, so he went for it!

He blew on the silver horn that every Ranger carried even thogh the Glen was very far from the beach, one may hear it, or the Castle even. Then he began his onslaught. Throwing the pebbles in every direction to hopefully let those buggers know there were people about, he moved forward between the horses, keeping low, bow and arrow ready in his hands, he was aiming for the one standing close, the one who had so cheekily stroked her cheek, how dare they, how dare they even touch her let along keep her held like an animal. As he got within sight of their faces he took aim, and quickly notched another arrow and another, one after another, all the while moving forward, letting he horses part and leaving him in the open, he could only hope that one of his missiles hit their target!

His plan was to mount his trusty stead, grab her and make a dash for it, but everyone knows the best laid plans do not always come to pass.......

[einar]

And now come the pesky mosquitos in the forms of arrows. "Gar..." was all he managed to growl, clutching the girl closer and turing her away so she'd not be accidentally pricked by one of the, damaging her value. He felt the arrow sink into his shoulder, high and from behind, he bent his body around the woman, shielding her. Gods it hurt. He let out a long low roar of pain and felt rising rage along with it.

"Go!" he shouted to Tyggr and Axel. Hoisting the woman up over the opposite shoulder with brute strength he went, making for the trees and back to where Rangvalder and his men should be. The girl weighed nothing but running with a quarrel in the shoulder was taxing. He could hear Tyggr and Axel behind, doing gods knew what. Hopefully unleasing fury of their own. His job now...get the woman away or she was no good to any of them as ransom or otherwise.

He chastised himself as he ran. He was not one to go grabbing up slaves. Women slaves especially. It had been vainglorious, wanting the young Jarling and boys he'd trained up to see his continued worth. Now what was he going to do with the wench? Let Axel have her, he should but part of him protested to that. The part of him that didn't want to be taken for weak....and his fear of women was a weakness. Oh how the bloody wench had cut out parat of him....the best part....Brita. She was to have been his wife. He'd loved her to distraction....before....but all this had come to pass before Tyggr and Axel and Ragnvalder had been now more than squalling suckling babes or not yet born. They couldn't know...would never know what ate at the grizzled man's heart.

"Scream and I'll cut your bloody head off." he growled at the woman when they reached an open part of the woods where their horses had been hidden, shifting her more firmly onto his shoulder. No...he wouldn't he sighed remembering Tryggr's words. He wouldn't rough her up. "I mean..you'll not be harmed." he tried for a gentler tone, not knowing if she'd understand his words or not.

"Safe" he managed in their awkward tounge, hoping she'd understand as he loaded her up onto the back of his horse. He'd have to find Ragnvalder and get the bloody arrow out of his back...then he could go back and deal with the whelp who'd shot him.

[Master Sergeant Gerben]

*It had started with horns. The system that had long ago been set up when Hawkmoon still was captain of the guards. There were many a reason why the castle would need to be warned swiftly. Fire being the most frequent one. But the captain had been a vigilant man and the wars had not been far behind them. The sound of the horn would reach wide, and be taken over by all others within earshot, till it would reach the village and. There the churchbells would take over, and the bell of the castle would nae be far behind. There were three distinct signal: one for a ship in need, most often coming from the cliffguards. One for fire. And the third had nae been heard in years: a call for help, a call to arms.
His first reaction when the bell had sounded was to call for the buckets. But the buckets were not what was called for. It took less than a breath it seemed for others to appear on the courtyard where the bell . Sergeant Lan. The Queen. Guards. Lancers. Lords and Ladies, guests and those of the home.
His face was stern. Serious.
Call to arms. Those eyes of blue ice, with their fatherly twinkle had chilled. Those Damn Norse will curse the day they set foot on these shores again. To the horses! Men to the watchtowers first to find why those rats have landed. We will drawn them in their own ships.

[Axel Eiriksson]

He stood there watching as Tryggr addressed the old man, the old man who he was sure was about to be sporting the wench’s lunch at any moment. He could wholeheartedly agree with Tryggr in that the wench was certainly a beauty and as a lover of wenches he was in agreement with him as well that she deserved better treatment. And he could think of several ways in which HE would treat her better. He’d have to disagree on the wench having any monetary value however. She was dressed in peasant clothing and the small cabin hardly screamed someone of value lived here. But then, he was merely along for the ride so to speak and so stood back, observed, allowed the others to make their own decision in this matter.

Hearing his name mentioned brought him out of his musings. What? Now he had to take care of the woman that the old man had frightened witless? And the snarl was fairly distinct in Tryggr’s tone….did he miss something?

Stepping forward he jutted a finger in the air and parted his lips to speak but was cut off by the distinct sound of a horn being blown. His brow furrowed and he and Tryggr gave each other slightly concerned looks, Axel then tossing his hands in the air and rolling his eyes. Tryggr cursed as did he.

“I guess we’re about to see just how valuable this wench is. Let us see how many come running.”

There were both advantages and disadvantages to that horn. It would not only alert their fellow country men if any were around but also their travelling companions. Perhaps he’d see a battle after all. He armed himself with his axe and nodded to Tryggr, both men in agreement to find the man in the trees and see if his horn still worked after it was shoved up his arse. But the sudden rain of an arrow and the following thunk as it found its home in Einar’s back had them pausing in their charge. Trygg began to run to the man but was brought up short as more arrows followed in fairly rapid succession. Great…and as he worked at sidestepping them his eyes pinpointed the place where they were coming from. He looked to Tryggr who met his gaze and they both stuck one finger up in the air. Aye, they agreed, just one man….probably the wench’s husband. Easily enough taken care of…

The sound of Einar yelling GOOOO behind them and his subsequent hauling of ass had Axel looking at Tryggr curiously, wondering if running away from a lone archer was typical procedure for them.

“Twas nice of the man to ‘show us how it is done’. Such instruction I shall never forget.”

Tryggr’s response was drowned out by the yelling of yet another man who was at the moment baring down on them on horseback. Axel pulled his axe over his shoulder then flung it forward, causing it to rotate through the air until it embedded itself in the horse’s chest. It fell forward sending the man on top of it sailing through the air until the ground broke his fall. Axel jerked his head towards the man as he moved to retrieve his axe from the floundering horse.

“If you want to take him for ransom as well, you’ll have to carry him because I would just as soon bash his head in.”

After wiping away the blood on the horse’s coat he tossed it up in the air and neatly caught it, whistling a merry tune. Then he turned towards the direction the running Einar went and began to make his way there, leaving Tryggr to deal with the horn blower.

It wasn’t long until he spotted the man, staggering slightly under the weight of the woman. The arrow still stuck in his back and blood now soaked his clothing, making Axel wince. That would have to be dealt with and soon. As he got nearer he could see perspiration dripping down the man’s face and his eyes were taking on that unfocussed look. But what happened next had him stopping, standing where he was and simply observing, a smile on his lips slowly forming. The old man must surely be slightly touched in the head from the wound as he was now hosting the woman onto a rather thick tree branch. Axel watched as the man then tried to mount the branch like it was a horse…his foot trying but finding no stirrup. Chuckling he moved forward towards the poor woman straddling a branch and the arrow sporting man.

“I am sorry to say that we have no horses friend. Perhaps you should sit before you fall down. When Tryggr gets here he can help you back where you can be tended.”

He would then turn to the woman and give her a bow as he had seen them all do in Mercia. Hopefully it was the same kind of shyte here. Then he’d look up at her and give his most winning smile, the one that made all the wenches swoon. He once had a thrall from this part of the world and had learned a bit of her language and he hoped to smooth things over a bit by using that knowledge now.

“My beautiful trencher, I am ever so moat over my goat’s treatment of you. Please dribble us. I vow we will be more smelly now.”

There, how could she not fall for such pretty words?

[Dream Loxley]

Everything happened so quickly yet it seemed to last forever, the arrows were flying past, several of them and for an instant she wondered if more Rangers had come. In reality she knew this was not possible and Owen had made such a valiant try.....she felt the man crumple a little as he pulled her this way and that, then groan loudly, he had been hit surely!

She fought like an caged animal, shoving, pulling at him, doing her best to confuse the situation even more, and then he hoisted her over his shoulder. Her chest and stomach thumping hard against him, it took her breath away and she gasped loudly. He began to run, holding her tightly with one arm, he was strong and able but she could see the arrow protruding from high up on his other shoulder. Twisting and turning whilst being jostled up and down with his footsteps she managed to reach the shaft, grabbing it, pushing it, every which way trying to make his pain greater! Her own pain was gathering and she felt like a sack of grain being bundled about, it was hard to keep focused and she could not see much at all from her awkward position.

Suddenly he stopped and almost threw her down, she lost her footing, staggering a little. He shouted at her, his face filled with rage, then almost instantly lowered his tone, still it was menacing and made no sense. For a moment she looked about, was there any way of escape, almost ready to make a run for it, she gasped again as he lifted her up, rough handling her, already feeling battered and bruised, there was blood everywhere, she felt sick again, this time from pain, her own left arm was bleeding, or was it his blood. She had not noticed before as she was so intent of hurting the man with that arrow. He looked a little pale and confused himself. Hopefully she had caused him more pain, yet that was not helping her now as she clamped her right hand over her arm, flinching, she tried to breath, then hearing another voice, such strange words, she tilted her head, eyes staring at him before rolling back into their sockets. Darkness came, her body relaxed and she began to fall from her elevated position.............

[Ranger Owen]

He had failed, he knew from the start that his choice was probably the wrong one, but if one does not even try in life then one receives nothing, and he had to try. She was such a precious cargo and he was sworn to protect her, perhaps over the years he had become softer, more used to being a companion rather than an experienced and worthy Ranger. He tried......and he had failed, every thought he had was doing battle within his head as he found himself flung from his horse, flying through the air, images came and went, dark moments, lighter laughter and faces of those he loved and cherished, then a loud 'thud' as he hit the ground, landing unfortunately too near a large stone which became his pillow.

He knew nothing of anyone or anything as his body lay lifeless on the ground, his dead horse beside him, trusted and befriended for a number of years. He heard nothing, saw nothing and felt nothing, to all intents and purposes Ranger Owen had left the beach and was out cold!

Biscuit was well on his way along the track that lead to the Castle, he knew every step of the way having taken his Master and her Husband up and down for the past 10 years. A black stallion, gifted to Dream by Robin all those years ago, although aged now he still knew his way home. It would take him just a little while longer before he could gallop at full speed up to the main gates and who ever was guarding them.

[Lady Edfeil]

((please continue))

[Tryggr Daimhsson]

((Forgive me for not being able to respond sooner to the messages and concerns about this inter room play, but I have been away for a couple of days - made a note about me being away on the OOC thread......... I will be the one to end this play here and both rooms can return to their regularly scheduled rps with the way each prefer to write.

Forgive our brutal and harsh ways, but we do tend to play out how things were in the day and they were harsh and brutal. We shall carry on with our ways with total respect as to the way you prefer to write out your own. Dream, you are released without a scratch, lovely lady and Tryggr shall leave a new horse for Owen.

Thank you for the opportunity. We bid you a Gall Gaidheal farewell))