If Found Please Destroy | A Vinland Saga Fanfiction

2.

The Jomsvikings departed shortly after we began to pack and ready ourselves for what was ahead. Floki had not bothered to look at us as the boat was sailing down the sea. I kept questioning myself, "Why did the commander of the Jomsvikings want me?"

When I had thought I was alone, my brother had answered from behind me, "Because you are a young woman."

I wanted to slap him. My age and gender matters not. People wanted slaves of any age, gender, no matter where they come from. Hell, it didn't matter if you spoke Norse or not. Or maybe, it could have been because I was a female warrior. It was rarely heard of around here.

Askeladd was no fool. He is known for being a strong swordsman, even defeating more strong and built men like my brother. One time he even took a village of men by himself. He is known to be very smart. And that he was. But also, all that mixed together with the fact that he could not care less about killing anything before him, as long as the end result brought satisfaction—

That was the most deadly thing about him. His satisfaction. Wine. Silver and gold. A head.

It frightened me how everyone around me admires this man. Bjorn, the most. He is so different now. Before the two of us met Askeladd, and after meeting him, being a part of his crew for this long, my brother has changed so much.

"Have you finished?" Askeladd questioned. I nodded. "Yes, Master." I said, before walking towards the boats with him.

As I said before, I have luxuries. Luxuries that no other slave of Askeladd or his uncle Gorm have. Stuff that they wish for, but would never see. It is Gorm's fault. Not Askeladd's. I feel like that is because I am the younger sister of his right-hand man. Bjorn would never allow Gorm to beat me and push me around while he left for battle every other day.

I wish it were different. I wish I could take some of the women with me. But I would have to protect them here, too. From the wandering eyes of the other men. Or much worse. I feel that Bjorn and Askeladd are the only ones with morals.

The Master, from what I know, has never forced himself on a woman, never hit or punished one for doing wrong, or being clumsy. I have the task of being his personal slave. He has never done any of that to me.

It is insane that I wonder why.

"Do you feel it as well?" asked Askeladd. "This is all a little too odd for me."

I looked at the patches of grass as we walked. "The Troll of Jom has been missing for almost two decades. As much as we all like to talk dirt on him, Floki is an intelligent man. If there really was an order to kill the man, why has he not been killed already?"

"Better yet, why is he paying us to do it?" Askeladd questioned.

"Perhaps he wants to make sure his hands are clean?" I suggested. "We are merely Vikings who just look for pay to get by in life. Jomsvikings have to keep up their flawless reputation."

"Your brother said the same thing. And hey, we have a reputation too, you know," said Askeladd.

"Yes." I agreed. "But do we care about whether or not it is good?"

Askeladd chuckled. "You win."

I finally met up with Bjorn, handing him a small tied piece of sheet. "About time."

I mocked him. "You asked for more than the usual. Just how bad do you think this may go?"

My brother folded his arms and looked off at the water. "Seeing as how the high and mighty Jomsvikings want nothing to do with this, not even so much as hand us extra weapons just in case, this may not even be enough."