The Lady & The Dane-Closed

[Perplexia]

Sienna Umfraville the Lady of Prudhoe Castle had recently turned nineteen. Her long auburn longs hung down proudly displaying her status of being single and her emerald eyes glistened in the bit of light that shown down through the cloudy sky. Life in these times were hard. There had been a peace with the Vikings and the King for at least a decade.

She had never understood why there had to be such upheaval, perhaps it was their brazen way of just taking what they wanted instead of using communication and working out something. But the politics were lost to her. She just knew right now there was piece after much killing from the then new king.

As the Lady of Prudhoe, she walked around her village passing out food to the poor. Her village wasn’t large, but unlike most it was self-sufficient. There were very few things they ever had to trade for. It was also prosperous enough to keep from having to owe any favors to the King. Her mother had died when she was but a toddler. Her father raised her like a son, but unfortunately couldn't bestow land on her.

Her father had been gifted the castle and title from the King before she was born. The story was that it was before the peace had been made and he had rid their village of it’s previous Viking tenants. Sienna wasn't knowledgeable of the particulars. But she got the feeling that it wasn't a just invasion.

Although her father disagreed with the Kings methods he couldn’t refuse the honor. It would have put him in a bad light with the King, and that was never advisable. So instead he did what he could to make things right. He buried the Vikings that had been tossed in mass graves in to their own. Hoping in his right he was doing some good. He of course didn’t know their customs.

Today was a special day for her father. As the king and his family were visiting. It was about mid-day when the church bell rang out it’s alarm. It took her and others a moment to recognize it as a distress. Chaos broke out as the Vikings attacked. The sounds of screams, yells and children’s crying would be forever embedded in her memories.

Rushing across the dirt path she picked up a sword that one of the men had dropped. She wasn’t going to be captured without a fight. Unfortunately it was a bit heavier and harder to swing then the ones she was use to. Still she managed to get a couple could swings in landing one on a Vikings face. It seemed to be humorous to a couple other vikings that were gathering up women and able bodied people and tossing them into the horse pen.

 

[Stalzyn]

Bjorn Brynjar, his people called him the bear not just because he killed one bare handed but also because he did it at the age of 13. His father Colborn Brynjar was a famous warrior, greatly known for his feats and victories during raids. The Chief of the clan seeing Colborn's prowess turned him into his voice and sword...Thus it was Colborn who led the raid against the English cities and it was still Colborn who adviced the Chief to accept the treaty proposed by the King of Prudhoe...back then Bjorn was just a youth, infact it was about the time he killed the bear and his name was changed from Corey to Bjorn. That was 17 years ago.
...................................................
What sort of men attacked from behind? What manner of a man will kill an unarmed opponent...surely one without honor, one that was a coward and not deserving of life.
Bjorn Brynjar kicked hard at his horse, with his left hand holding the reins, his right went to the hilt of his sword. The city was now within sight, inside were the people who slaughtered his family, his beloved Asta.The image of Asta lying in the field with a sword thrust through her back played before him. He remembered picking her pale lifeless body up into his arms and crying to the gods to take his life and bring back hers. Alas, yesterday Odin was silent. Silent like every bloody day. But he won't be silent, no not he...he'd have blood, a life for a life. Bjorn gripped the reins tighter, gave Birger one last kick and raised up his sword. The face of his friend Carnut flashed before him, Asta, Bjarke, Astrid, Bjarni, his father Colborn Brynjar and from deep within him a fire was burning, erupting, into a thunderous battle cry.
"For Eerika!" Bjorn yelled out
"For Eerika!" His men responded enthusiastically.

......................................................

Swaying to his right, Bjorn dodged a slash from a charging opponent, he replied the man with a thrust to his side. He withdrew the crimson soaked weapon just in time to parry an attack from behind and using his shield, he banged the second attacker's skull and completed the combo with his sword finding the man's heart.
As another lifeless body slumped before him, Bjorn grew more enraged...they were not what he was looking for, they proved no challenge and fought like women. He hoped the King will prove far better a sport...one that will quench his thirst or bring him into Valhalla.
He watched as Destin gingerly separated the head of an English soldier from his neck. That was the last of them...the rest will most probably be in the upper street, most assuredly near the citadel, holding one last futile chance to protect their weak king.
"Ready, men! Today, we shall burn this village to the ground. Take whatever you wish, but leave the king to me." Bjorn instructed and then charged forward in a trot. His men followed closely behind.
By mid-day Bjorn and his men had broken past Prudhoe menial defenses. The king and his royal family had been bounded and made to sit in circle under the blazing sun. Bjorn had made sure to strip the Coward King of all his glory, leaving him in just his loin cloth. His crown still on his head.

Bjorn sat on a wooden table inspecting his wound, a deep cut at his right arm from the King personal guard. The man was a skilled fighter, one that reminded him of his late father. Maybe it was this resemblance alone that made him spare his life...but he didn't fail to reply with a cut of his own. Bjorn glanced to the man who was bounded alongside other captured soldiers. The man was still bleeding from for Bjorn had chopped off his right arm in response.
"He'll live" Bjorn remarked to himself. The man was as hard as Thor's hammer.

A rapturous laughter from behind caused him to turn around, Destin had just been felled by a lady. A beautiful red-head vixen, whose grip of the sword was like that of a six year old. How could she have killed a viking moreso Destin Auckbrjg. Bjorn watched as Einar rushed towards her, the huge fellow towered above her like the mountains of Arignard and he'd have sworn he'd do her in. He couldn't have been more surprised when Einar too fell to the earth. Soaked in his own blood. From his view, he couldn't rightfully point out how she struck him or where but he could see that Einar had drawn blood. A cut to her leg and blood drizzing from her fresh wound to color her silk gown and mix with the already red earth.

By now the humor had completely evaporated and six vikings rose for her, sword drawn and gripped firmly.
"Take hold!" Bjorn called out to his men. "Let her be!"
Slowly he rose to his feet, picked up his sword and walked towards her. As he drew close her beauty sprung up on him like wild bees, stinging all his defenses and anger. For a minute he stood staring at her, taking in her ambience. Bjorn glanced to his side, to the lifeless body of Destin and Einar, then back to the frail damsel and her impish stance, he couldn't help but chuckle slightly.
"What do they call you?" he asked

 

[Perplexia]

Sienna wobbled slightly on her cut leg and managed to get a fierce stance as the big viking stared at her. He was indeed ruggedly handsome for being such a brute. Her breathing was erratic but she refused to show any fear. Her eyes bore into his with the spirit of a warrior"I am the Lady of Prudhoe and you and your people need to get off my land"

She could hear the roar of laughter from his men at her demand. "You've had your fun, you've gotten your trinkets now leave my village. And leave my people and I to bury our fallen." Her nostrils flared slightly as she spoke to him with such fierceness it would make the king feel even more of a coward for not having an ounce of her spirit.

 

[Stalzyn]

"I am the Lady of Prudhoe and you and your people need to get off my land"
Bjorn chuckled lightly. courageous women had always appealed to him. She reminded him of Esta his wife, stubborn and defiant, yet as soft as cheese.

"Lady of Prudhoe, my people have a custom, one that has guided us for generations, one that is so simple to define, easy to understand. An eye for an eye!"

"Whoo!" His men rang out beating their clenched fists on their chest

"Blood for Blood!" Bjorn roared out.
"Whoo!"
"Life for Life"
"Whoo!"

"Tell me, Lady of Prudhoe, can your trinklets replace those lives?" Bjorn asked. He then nodded to one of his men to bring forth the lord of the village.

 

[Perplexia]

"No No not my father" Sienna cried as a couple of his men disappeared. They reappeared later bringing a man dressed in her fathers clothes.

"I'm sorry Miss" Duncan the servant in her fathers clothes stated being dragged up and thrown to his knees. "Where is my father Duncan?"
"He was killed miss trying to escape dressed in my clothes."

Sienna fell to her knees and cried. Then she looked up at Bjorn "You! You did this, you did this all and why? What happened to the peace we've had for so long. You attacked a peaceful village. Barbarian!"

Sienna stood once again glaring at Bjorn as the men stared at them. "You've gotten your blood for blood. Leave my people be and get off my land. There's nothing left for you here. Make your ransom demands for the king and his family and i'll ensure you're paid for his release. But leave me and my people."