{Completed} Astrid (Hvitserk Ragnarsson)

Chapter Two: Change

Thank you for reading... I hope you enjoy :)

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After they had successfully figured out who they were going to keep out of the sisters and taken all the things they deemed as treasure, they decided it was time to leave. Getting back to where they had their camp wasn't a difficult task usually but they had tied our hands with ropes and tied the ropes together so we all stumbled along the terrain with difficulty. At one point the pagan that had been holding the rope decided it would be funny to pull the rope with such a force that we were all fell to the floor, the people surrounding us all started to laugh hard but stopped when the man from earlier came into sight,

"What did I tell you earlier?!" he shouted with power, the pagans went still some even flinching,

"Not to harm her, Prince Hvitserk." one of the pagans stated, they seemed so small at that moment it nearly made me smile, but I decided against it. The anger on the prince's face was evident and I didn't understand why he was so adamant on not having a scratch on me but even so, I was thankful as I didn't want to be hurt as the other sisters had been. Prince Hvitserk spoke again,

"You realise that this is harming her, yes?" the pagans nod, knowing they had gone against his orders and were ready to be punished, though the prince only came closer towards me and didn't seem to pull an axe on his people like I thought he might - the thought of salvation crossed my mind, maybe this wasn't going to be too bad... Prince Hvitserk pulled out a knife and cut through the rope which was tied around my hands, he pulled me to my feet and led me over the terrain with ease holding onto me to make sure I didn't fall. Once we arrived at the camp I saw the vastness of it, there were more pagans here then the group that raided the monastery and it was obvious they didn't just come to find treasures and women. The camp was alerted to the groups return and the king and other Princes were at the front of the gathered people,

"Your search was successful brother!" the prince who sat on the ground stated, his piercing blue eyes felt like they were staring straight into my soul,

"It was indeed, we found a building with only women inside, they claim to be women of their god." it was then that I realised I hadn't prayed to god once since we left the monastery even after hearing the prayers being mumbled out by the sisters, that fact alone was curious... was I really forgetting about god, wasn't that a sin in itself to go against the rule of the almighty? But I couldn't bring myself to care. It's not like I was the holiest person in England, and I for one enjoyed learning about others and their religions even if it is not the one I would choose for myself.

"As we can see, Hvitserk, why is the one in your arms separate to the others?" another of the Princes asked, Hvitserk looked down at me before answering his brother,

"This one seems different from the rest, she didn't cower away when we killed some of the women, nor was she praying like the others on our way here." the Princes nodded, while the king stared at me, it was evident that the prince who sat on the floor was this man's son, they shared the same blue eyes that seemed to look through me. Hvitserk pulled me closer to the men, stopping just in front of them,

"Are you sure that's the whole reason, Hvitserk?" the king spoke, a teasing lilt on his tongue. The prince just laughed and pulled me towards the area that the other sisters were put and began to speak,

"You'll stay here until we leave." he said it in a way that you would talk to a pet, though I couldn't blame him. I was a foreigner who in his eyes didn't speak his language so the surprise on his face when I responded with a 'Ja' was quite the sight. The rest of the day was rather cold and the sisters' constant muttering of prayers was getting on my nerves that by the time it was nightfall I was ready to kill them myself. Though I was saved by a figure walking up to me and pulling me to my feet, Hvitserk's face had a smile on it showing in the light of the moon, the prince turned away from me and pulled me along with him until we reached the shore. He motioned for me to sit down as he got onto the floor himself, we sat there for a while in silence just looking out to the sea. I could only guess the thoughts running through his mind, ones of his home and perhaps a lover that he had to leave behind, I knew mine were rather loud, hoping I wouldn't be hurt or killed in the near future. After a while, the prince spoke up,

"Now I know you understand me. I thought we could talk." I nodded for him to continue,

"Well, I guess the first thing I should do is introduce myself. I'm Hvitserk, Prince of Kattegat, Denmark. What's your name?" he spoke softly, he had a small smile on his face as well which calmed the nerves I was feeling,

"I have a name but at this point, I probably wouldn't answer to it, the sisters had a nickname for me which they used all of the time - Trouble." Hvitserk watched me ramble on, his smile widened at my words,

"Why's that your nickname?"

"They said it was because they always needed extra hands to take care of me, I was quite a rebellious kid." he nodded at my words before asking,

"Why don't you change it then?" I laughed slightly at his words,

"If only it were that easy, the sisters gave me my name - it was a name of god so I could only change it if an elder gave me a blessing, the nickname was something that identified me within the few other sisters who held the same name. If I wanted to change it I would have had to change my whole personality and that was hardly something that happens quickly." Hvitserk nodded in understanding,

"You could change it now, technically you are no longer the possession of your god, and us pagans do not care for that kind of rule. What would you want to be called?" I sat and thought about his words for a moment but came up with nothing,

"I do not know."

"I think Astrid would suit you." he voices,

"What does it mean?" this question causes him to look away with a blush evident on his face,

"Divine beauty." the words make heat rush into my cheeks,

"Well I guess from now on I'll be called Astrid." Hvitserk's smile returned to his face,

"Well Astrid, when we return to Kattegat you'll be seen by the queen and she will be the one to tell you where you are to be put." I let his words sink in, knowing that after we arrive in Kattegat we probably won't see each other again, and for some reason that saddened me. We were once again left in silence.

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1227 Words

Published: 18.02.2021