Viking Raid

[Countess DeWinter]

OOC: For Friendly Dragon...

The year is 850 A.D. along the southern coast of England in late spring/early summer.

IC: "I can't believe it! Father wants me to marry Ethelwulf! He's...he's...he's so old,"

I sat on a wide, flat rock talking to a frog. The crisp bite to the late spring morning was rapidly giving way to the day's full heat. After I had done all the chores mother had for me, I wandered off for a little swim and some time to think. Father's pronouncement last night was unexpected. I knew it was time for me to marry, but I wanted to choose my own mate.
I slowly stripped off my garments. The coarse linen that made up my favorite dress was old and finally softening. I stepped into the cool water of the river. This one connected to a larger one which father told me ran all the way to the great sea. I kept my eyes sharp for the monks from the nearby monistary. They didn't usually come this far, but I certainly wouldn't want to be caught bathing by them! But as I have gotten older, I found is necessary to bathe farther and farther from where I used to. The boys of my youth had become men and they often made me uncomfortable with their lustful looks.
As I slowly sank neck-deep into the water, I thought about how mother and father had met and fallen in love. I so wanted that for myself.

As I turned and started for the bank so I might get out and return home, I was startled to see someone on a horse. I followed the horse's legs up to the rider, expecting to see one of my brothers here to hurry me home.
It wasn't.
"Well, what have we here?" a strangely accented voice asked.

 

[R Nitelight]

Countess DeWinter

OOC: Fine start, my Countess. I hope it takes off for you. If it does, may I step in later as Ethelwulf? I think I can make things interesting later in the thread.

 

[Countess DeWinter]

OOC: I know you could make things VERY interesting, Nitelight darling so jump in when you feel the time is right -- I've always wanted a three way with the two of you...but I digress BTW, I had started working on something for us, but decided to wait to see what you've got. *smootch*

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

Bjarngard shifted uncomfortably on his horse, the old tattered bear skins he was wearing not suited to the day's increasing heat. He halted the horse and scanned the surrounding countryside, his mind wandering as he thought of his homeland -- a homeland to which he could never return.

His piercing gaze came to rest on a stretch of river in the distance. He focussed on a shape in the water, straining to make out what it was. Kicking his horse into motion he closed the distance until he could make out a young woman, bathing in the slow-flowing waters of the river.

He looked around, grinning wickedly as he confirmed she was all alone. How foolish, he thought, did she not realise there were dangerous men abroad? He laughed to himself at this thought, and spurred his horse down the shallow hill and along the river bank.

He halted as he noticed her clothing neatly folded and placed on a rock beside the river. She still hadn't spotted him, blissfully unaware of his presence as she continued to bathe. Running his tongue along his bottom lip, he watched her, barely able to make out the outline of her shapely naked form through the water. She was a pretty little thing, and it'd been too long since he'd had a woman...

She turned towards him and started heading for the bank, before freezing in place as she finally noticed his presence. She looked frightened...good, she should be...

"Well, what have we here?" he said, grinning lecherously. "A woman should not be out alone in these parts, it is not safe..."

He climbed down off his horse, letting her see his full imposing form. He was rewarded by the look of fear he saw in her eyes, and laughed at her. "Do not be afraid little one," he said, examining her clothing as he poked through the pile of garments with the toe of one thick leather boot, "you have nothing to fear from me..."

OOC: 6'3", 220lb, wild shoulder-length mid-brown hair, unkempt goatee beard, brown eyes, tall and powerfully built, with several scars scattered about his body. Dressed in worn linen breaches, a knee-length tunic belted at the waist, bear skins and thick leather boots. Carries a spear, an axe looped on his belt and a dagger tucked into his boot.

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hannah

OOC: for the audience 5'5" 110 lbs., delicate and willowy, flaming red hair, ivory skin (it's my fantasy, so NO freckles), sapphire eyes

"A woman should not be out alone in these parts, it is not safe..."

The water began growing cold as I stood rooted to the spot. It had felt wonderful while I was swimming and playing, but now...
Filling my mind was an image of one of my childhood friends, thighs covered with blood after one of the men forced himself on her. She never recovered from those injuries.
"Do not be afraid little one," he said, "you have nothing to fear from me..."
I did not believe him. His eyes were devouring me, trying to see more of me through the water. I brought my arms up to cross over my chest, trying to hide my nudity from his prying eyes.

My mouth opened to answer, but closed without making a sound. Finding strength, I stepped backwards, hoping to swim to the other side and perhaps away before he could catch me, but I tripped. Fear made me uncoordinated and as I caught my footing, I saw him wade into the water...

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

I savoured the fear in her eyes; it was a feeling like no other to watch the weak tremble at your feet. She stumbled deeper into the river, hoping to reach the other side, but I would not allow that.

Throwing down my spear and the axe from my belt, I shrugged off the bear skins and strode into the river. As she saw me approaching she turned and started swimming away.

"Come back red-hair," I called, laughing, "you have forgotten your clothes."

I watched her swim away, enjoying the glimpses of her pale naked skin. Diving forward, I swam after her -- she was quite a swimmer, but I was much stronger and quickly closed the gap between us with powerful strokes. She chanced a look back, and when she saw how close I was she panicked and started thrashing her legs, desperately trying to get away. Lunging forward, I reached out and grabbed one of her legs, closing a steel-like grip around her ankle. She screamed and lashed out with her other foot, but I ignored the blow and yanked her towards me. Gripping her wrists I enjoyed her struggles for a moment, before setting off back towards the bank, dragging her behind me...

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

The tall man was strong. His grip was like iron on my wrist as he dragged me behind him. My head dipped under the water for the longest moment -- I thought he'd find quite a surprise when he managed to drag me to the shore, drowned. But I cleared the surface of the water coughing and sputtering.
The warm spring air felt cold on my naked skin when he tossed me at his feet, holding onto a skein of my hair. Catching my breath, I curled into a ball trying to hide myself from his gaze.

"What is your name?" he asked. I stared mutely up at him when he wrenched my head to look at him. I understood him, but I did not want to give him the power of my name. Finally, his fingers loosened their grip on my hair and I sprang away from him. I forsook my clothing. I could never snatch them up and still get away from this long-legged giant. I did not count on how quickly he would react. Having learned my lesson in the water, I did not look back to see if he were following me. Thus his body suddenly bearing me to the ground was enough of a surprise to drive the air from my lungs. His heavy form falling on mine drove consciousness from me as well...

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

Ha! Still she thought she could escape me. I liked this one, her heart had fire to match her hair. She was fast, but I was faster, and I bore her to the ground, landing hard on top of her.

I climbed off her, raising to my knees, and turned her over. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she struggled to regain her breath. I shook her by the shoulders and slapped her face until she came around, coughing. Her eyes opened wide as she saw me looming over her and realised what was happening. I grinned down at her, my eyes feasting on her nakedness.

"Do not sleep little one, it is better when you are awake!"

She screamed and tried to cover herself up, but I pulled her arms apart and pinned them to the hard ground. Leaning down on her I pressed my hardness against her, laughing at the look of fear in her eyes as she felt it pushing into her stomach. My hot breath on her face made her turn away from me, but I grabbed her delicate jaw in one hand and forced her head back to face me. Crushing my lips against hers I forced my tongue into her mouth, tasting her innocence.

My hands roamed over her soft skin, roughly groping and squeezing at her breasts. I pressed my whole body down against hers, crushing her naked breasts against my chest, revelling in her weak struggles.

Tugging my breeches down I exposed my erect cock, watching the look on her face as she saw it. Despite her furious, desperate resistance, I wrenched her slender legs apart, revealing the delicate folds of her womanhood. I invaded her roughly with my fingers, pulling her soft outer lips apart, opening her to me. Looking straight into her eyes and grinning evilly, I plunged my hard cock deep within her...

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

Briefly, as I floated in that twilight world between consciousness and unconsciousness, I thought the tall man was a nightmare. His heavy weight and rough voice quickly reminded me that this nightmare was very real.
I fought with all the strength I had. I scratched at him. I flailed my limbs until he pinned me to the earth. When he pressed his foul mouth against mine, I tried to bite him, but to no avail.
I could feel something hard pressed against my stomach. Living in close quarters with two older brothers and an older sister, I knew exactly what it was, but not what he intended to do with it. After mother had died, father was not able to instruct me and my sister on the ways of men and women. I had hoped to have a gentle husband teach me. The stranger's fingers probed cruely between my legs, opening the flower of my womanhood to his stiff member. I was dry and utterly unready when he plunged into me and screamed with all my being. I felt my maidenhead ripping under his onslaught while he stared down at me with the most evil eyes.

[Edited by Countess DeWinter on 11-27-2000 at 11:50 AM]

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

I felt her innocence tear as I thrust into her, relishing the constrictive feel of uncharted territory. I smothered her mouth with mine again, swallowing her screams until they died down to tearful whimpers.

I drove powerfully into her again and again, my eyes never leaving hers, until finally with a grunt I came deep within her. Slumping over her trembling form, I lay there for a moment before withdrawing and climbing to my feet. I pulled my breeches back up as I looked down at her.

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

When he finally got up off of me, I curled into a ball. I couldn't even cry. My whole life was turned upside down just because I'd been angry with Father enough to go bathing alone.
I would have to marry Ethelwulf now. Who else would have me? And that was if Father didn't send me away. Finally, I looked up at the tall man.
"Why don't you just kill me? What else have you left me?"

Finally, the tears came.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

"Kill you? I will not kill you little one, there is no glory in slaying a woman." I turned away from her and went to retrieve my horse.

She had barely moved by the time I turned back, stopping to collect my weapons and furs. "Fetch your clothing girl."

She stayed where she was, curled up on the ground, quietly sobbing.

"Naked or clothed, I do not care. Either way you belong to me now red-hair..."

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

I stirred enough to answer the tall man. "I will not go with you. You don't own me." The dejected tone of my voice did little to convey my conviction.
Instead of just leaving me where I lay like I expected, dirty with the river's mud, his seed and my own blood, he picked me up by my hair until I stood facing him. Well, I faced him when he wrenched my head far back.
"I don't need your permission, red-hair," he snarled at me. "I take what I want."
A new tear seeped from the corner of my eye as I felt the weight of his words. "No..." I whispered, ending in a choked cry.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

My eyes flared with anger at her quiet defiance, and I struck her across the face with the back of my hand, sending her tumbling to the floor. I loomed over her, breathing heavily for a second or two as the brief moment of rage left me.

"It is not wise to anger me girl. I will not warn you a second time..."

I reached down and yanked her back to her feet by her wrist, dragging her towards my horse. I pushed her towards the rock that bore her clothing, watching her stumble before regaining her footing. I draped my bear skins over my shoulders and looped the axe back in my belt.

"Your choice red-hair, but make it quickly..."

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

My cheek throbbed where he'd struck me. Dazed, I stumbled toward the rock where my clothing lay. I wanted to try to run away again, but feared for my life. I bent and picked up my dress and sandals, clutching them to me like a lifeline.
Casting one last look toward my home, I bowed my head and followed the tall man to his horse. I stood by while he mounted the animal, then spurred him forward.
For a moment, I thought he had decided to leave me, and I started to turn and run away. I had taken no more than two steps when I was yanked back by my hair. I looked up at him where he sat. Without comment, he looped a rope around my waist, mounted his horse again, and set off, leaving me to trail behind toward I did not know where.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

I set off at a fairly leisurely pace, just enough to cause the girl to have walk quickly to keep up. I lead her towards the nearby woods, heading towards the distant hills.

There was something about this girl, I thought, as I glanced back occasionally to watch her, smiling at the hint of defiance still evident in her eyes. She had an inner strength that dwarfed her delicate frame, stoically keeping pace as best she could. But eventually, exhaustion took it's toll on her and she stumbled and fell to the ground. I briefly considered dragging her along behind me, before halting the horse and circling back to her prone form.

"Get up girl." I ordered, but she did not move. I watched her for a moment, before reluctantly dismounting. Rolling her over onto her back, I saw that she was almost unconscious. Laughing quietly to myself, I lifted her up and draped her over the horse, mounting up behind her. Spurring the horse into action I set of an a gallop, minutes later catching sight of the simple long-house I had built for myself.

Quickly dismounting, I tied the horse to a nearby tree stump, and then slung the girl over my broad shoulder. Bending over almost double, I entered the long-house through the low door and dumped the girl unceremoniously onto a pile of furs. As I did so, she started to come around, looking up at me with tired eyes...

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

I gradually woke up, feeling the furs underneath me. Gradually the air reentered my lungs and I was able to breathe freely. He was standing over me. I tried to cover myself with the dress I had been carrying. I wasn't very successful.
Every part of my body ached. I felt utterly exhausted and defenseless. I thought I saw a flicker of compassion in his eyes, but it must have been the light.
"Sleep wench," he said.
I didn't argue with him. He laid down beside me and I fell asleep.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

I settled down beside her and quickly fell into a fitful sleep, visions of blood and glorious battle accompanying me through the night.

...

...

I awoke at dawn, senses instantly alert. I heard the girl's quiet breathing beside me and looked over at her. She was still asleep, and looked so fragile, laying there naked bar for the unsuccessful attempts she had made to cover herself with her dress.

I raised myself up to my knees and pulled the dress off her, admiring her lithe young body, still soiled with river mud and her maiden's blood. I felt myself getting hard, and pulling my breeches down, I spread her soft thighs. As I entered her, she suddenly awoke, her eyes wide...

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

I was playing in a meadow. The wildflowers were in full bloom, perfuming the air with their sweet scent. I was frolickig and playing then dropping down on the ground, spent. Suddenly, I felt strange - weighted down. It wasn't an altogether bad feeling, just strange. Different. I didn't quite know what to make of it.
My eyes flew open and I realized that the meadow was a dream. I was not frolicking in a meadow. I was in a living nightmare. So many sensations clamored for my notice. The dried mud and filth and blood on my body. The spread of my thighs. The tall man kneeling between them...

The pain wasn't as great as it had been before. But the shock was just as powerful. Immediately, my small fists began pummeling his chest. I tried to wiggle my hips away from him, trying to dislodge him. I managed to scrape one broken fingernail down his cheek to draw his blood. The powerful feeling of satisfaction was quickly unseated by the overwhelming fear that grew from the look that appeared in his eyes.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

As she scratched me I felt my anger surge, fire blazing in my eyes. I grabbed her wrists roughly and pinned them down against the floor.

Leaning forward, I forced my lips against hers, biting her lower lip painfully hard, hearing her scream as I tasted her blood.

I lost all control then, crushing her fragile body with mine as I drove myself savagely into her, again and again, my mind overwhelmed by the rage and a burning animalistic lust.

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

At least he didn't hit me this time, I thought to myself. My tongue probed my sore lip, tasting blood. I thought he would surely crush me in his powerful grip. Bruises had begun to form from the last time and I dreaded what this new assault would do to me. I feared that if I survived, I would be permenantly scarred.
Somehow, miraculously, it didn't hurt as bad this time. Actually, before I became fully aware of what was happening, I had experienced the strangest pleasant sensation. That was quickly replaced, however, with the fear and pain I associated with the tall man.

Finally, he roared loudly and rolled off of me. I huddled into a little ball and cried. I begged the gods to tell me what I had done to deserve such a fate, but they were silent.

He continued to ignore me. For that I was thankful. He ate some dried meat and was nearly finished before he thought to offer some to me. My teeth were hardly up to the task, but I managed to eat enough to calm the growling in my belly and washed it down with water.
The tall man finally lay down in front of the low door and fell asleep. He underestimated my desire to leave, and did not tie me. I was able, slowly and silently, to step over him and outside the house.
It was completely dark outside and it took several minutes before my eyes adjusted enough to make my way toward my home. The trouble was, I didn't know which way home was.

I was quickly exhausted, but continued to stumble on, trying to get as much distance as possible between me and the tall man. I finally saw firelight ahead and went toward it. When I got close enough, I was able to see men very much like the tall man sitting around a fire. Fear energized me and I turned to run the direction from whence I'd come.
I'd only gone a few yards when a fist in my hair jerked me off my feet. I heard a laughing voice ask, "What have we got here?"

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

Surrounded by a thousand slavering wolves, a howling chorus baying for my blood, I roared my defiance as they fell upon me...

Suddenly waking, my brow soaked in sweat, I looked around quickly -- something was wrong...

The girl was gone! I snarled as I jumped to my feet, smashing my fist against the door of the long-house in anger. She would pay for this...

I grabbed up my axe instinctively from the floor and headed outside. Scanning the ground around the long-house, I quickly found what I was looking for -- a trail, made by small bare feet. I grinned evilly and set off at a run, the trail easy to follow.

Several minutes later I saw a campfire ahead. As I aproached I heard raised voices and a familiar female scream. Flexing my fingers around the haft of my axe, my heart pounding loudly in my chest, I strode forward...

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

I was like a cornered animal. Coherent thought was far from me as my mind repeated the same mantra over and over: escape!
Strong hands held my arms behind my back while others pawed at me. I didn't even have any tears left, just enough energy to struggle with all my might.
I would NOT be this night's entertainment for these filthy men, whoever they might be.
Someone produced a rope and I was tied over a fallen log, my hands tied to my ankles making it impossible for me to either stand or lay down. I leaned against the log and steeled myself for the worst. It came in the form of hands. Rough hands tore at my dress, spreading my legs for my defilement. I felt the first man step behind me and another grabbed my hair and lifted my face.

I closed my eyes and prepared to die.

 

[Friendly Dragon]

Bjarngard

I saw them. Four men...four Northmen, and they had the red-hair. I began to feel a familiar chill run through me.

One of them, a tall bearded man with long blonde hair, looked up at me as I stepped into the light. After a moment's surprise he greeted me.

"Hail friend. Come look at the little slave girl we have found." he offered, with a wicked grin.

My body began to shiver and my teeth chattered until I clenched them shut.

"She is mine." I stated coldly.

The other Northmen stopped their assault on the girl and watched me. The one who had spoken stepped forward and laughed.

"There is no need for that. She is only a slave -- all may have her. Come join us friend."

I felt the muscles in my face twitching uncontrollably, and my blood seemed to boil within my veins. I clenched my fist tight around the haft of my axe, my knuckles turning white. I spoke through gritted teeth, my voice now a feral snarl.

"She...is...MINE!!"

One of the other Northmen recognised the signs and shouted a warning.

"Careful Ragnar, I think he is..."

He didn't finish, stopping in shock as I suddenly lashed out at Ragnar with my axe. He hit the ground in a fountain of blood, his head landing several feet from the rest of his body.

I turned to the rest of them, grinning maniacally. They rushed to gather up their weapons, all thoughts of ravishing the girl long forgotten. I threw my head back and roared, the cry laced with an almost inhuman savagery, as the rage...the beserkergang...the blessing of Odhinn fell over me.

The next to die was the one who called the warning, a stocky black-haired man. He swung his own axe at me, but I caught it's haft it my hand. He strained to retrieve his weapon, but with the fury came a strength beyond normal measure, and his struggles were in vain. I saw the fear in his eyes as my axe flashed, severing his arm at the shoulder, which fell to the ground, still gripping his axe as I released it. The black-haired man staggered back, trying desperately to staunch the flow of blood from his stump. I split his skull open, saving him the bother.

My axe caught in his face, and as I placed a booted foot on his throat to help release it, my mind barely registered an impact in my right side. I spun around, tearing my axe free in the process, inadvertently driving the spear point which had been thrust at me deeper into my side.

The pain was nothing, my spilt blood merely fuelled the beast within. I swung my axe at the haft of the spear, chopping it in half. Pulling free the part still impaled in me, I threw it aside.

The two remaining Northmen backed off cautiously. The first, a wiry one-eyed man with shoulder length brown hair, discarded his ruined spear and drew a long knife from his belt. The second, a large man with short blonde hair and beard, held a crude sword in one hand and an axe in the other.

They tried to work together, circling around me as they looked for a weakness in my defence. But I had no defence, only attack.

I charged, howling, at the larger man. He blocked the sweep of my axe with his sword, fracturing the haft of my weapon. I dropped it and swatted his own axe aside with a powerful swing of my arm, using my weight to drive him to the ground. Clutching his head in my hands, I pressed my thumbs into his eye sockets, deeper and deeper until I reached his brain, his agonising screams and frantic thrashing finally dying with him.

As I cried out in victory, the one-eyed Northman came up behind me and drove his dagger at me, burying it up to the hilt in my shoulder so that the blade protruded out the other side. Twisting around, I wrenched the knife from his grasp, leaving it impaled within me.

Seeing the look of pure animalistic hatred on my face, he turned and fled. I pursued and caught him, barrelling him to the ground. Grabbing him by the hair, I smashed his head repeatedly into the ground, again and again, until his face was left a mass of red ruin and his futile struggles were finally stilled.

I scrambled quickly back to my feet, looking around for further foes, but there were none. Throwing back my head, I roared my triumph to the Gods.

I felt a dull throbbing in the back of my skull which quickly spread to my whole head. Shaking my head did nothing to clear it, but as I did so I caught glimpse of the girl, still tied over the fallen log. I stalked over to her, looking down at her helpless form. Gripping the ropes that bound her, I tore them apart.

As I did so, my vision blurred and I lurched backwards, falling to the ground. The impact jarred the knife still buried in my shoulder, sending a sudden unexpected burst of pain lancing through me. I tried climbing back to my feet, but my limbs began to tremble and an incredible weakness swept over my body. My mind began to swim and I fell again, everything turning to black.

 

[Countess DeWinter]

Hanna

At the first gush of blood, I closed my eyes and tried not to hear the agonized screams. I felt my blood turn to ice when all was silent save for one's ragged breathing. The tall man.
He was bleeding from his side and a knife was imbeded in his shoulder, but still he tore me free. I looked up at him with eyes wild with fear. Was I to be next?
Suddenly, he roared and fell backwards to lie motionless on the ground. I stood slowly, working the feeling back into my blood-starved limbs. Still he did not move.

I turned and ran.

After several lengths, I stopped and turned again toward the tall man. He still lay where he'd fallen. Still as death.
For long moments I argued with myself. He'd stolen something precious from me, something that even did he want to, he could not return. I no doubt had finger-tip sized bruises covering my body. He'd spoken of me as if I were an object to be owned.
Yet...he had saved me. I surely would not have lived through the night with the others. I found myself cautiously walking back toward the tall man. I would at least check his wounds. Bind them if necessary.
The ragged wound in his side was not as long as it had looked, but it was deep. A few stitches would fix him up, but he would not be cutting off any more heads for a while. I looked at the knife burried in his shoulder. Careful not to jar him, I put one hand on his shoulder and the other I wrapped around the knife hilt. With one swift jerk, I wrenched it free.
The tall man stirred but briefly. With tightly closed eyes and very cautious fingers, I wrenched the garment from one of the dead men to use as a bandage for one still living.
I fell into a fitful slumber eventually, holding the bandage in place trying to staunch his bleeding.