[To be titled viking story]

TWO

---Svarti---

"Shackle her and shove her in a boat. I like to break the fighters," Taf said amused as he looked down at the girl he had just knocked out.

She couldn't have been much younger than I was, maybe fourteen or fifteen. Most of the girls Taf took ended up breaking and killing themselves, or ended up running away and dying when Taf hunted them down.

There was no telling him no. He was the best fighter and raid leader in the clan. The chieftain chose him personally. It was a great honor to fight and raid under him, even if I didn't agree with his practices.

The only thing I could do was show no emotion towards the situation. Last time I did, I ended up in bed for four days.

The girl was on her own.

"Svarti, see to the girl," Taf said before moving on. Some of the men grabbed the weapons and took them away, the others followed Taf.

I sighed as I looked down at the girl. It would be kinder to slit her throat and leave her, but I took her sword and bow out of her possession. The bow was finely crafted, but not better than any the raiding party had, I threw it to the side and left it, along with the bolts she killed two of my clansmen with.

She was a fighter and it was refreshing to see it in a young girl. But she was going to break. She was no shield maiden. Her clothes were of quality. Someone was going to really miss her. I inspected her sword. It too was a fine blade. Too small for an adult, but perfect for her size. It was very sharp and worth keeping. I slid it into my belt strap before bending over to pick her up.

She was quite light, heavier than she appeared, but still a petite little woman. I would be surprised if she hadn't already claimed her rights to womanhood. I held my blade in my free hand. I would expect that one of the men would try to save the girl. She appeared important to the village.

And I was right.

A roar came from my left. I dropped the girl to block the blade that was intended to pierce into my side.

"Leave her!" The man shouted.

I pushed the man back and parried twice before contented with his fight. He couldn't beat me. He was too old and soft. But the old brute put up a good fight. It was then that I knew this man was the girl's father.

She whimpered, but didn't move when she opened her eyes once and saw him before passing out again..

It was cruel, but I was going to kill her father in front of her eyes.

He wasn't anyone of high regard, but the soot and sweat told me he was the infamous blacksmith. He handled the sword well, but I had youth on my side.

I grabbed her little blade and cut the man down with both swords. His dying sight was her lying on the ground.

"Kadlin," was his dying word.

I had her name now. Kadlin. She was important to someone, the poor thing.

I picked her up and carried her to the boats. The men by the boats would see that she wasn't taken. Taf would have their necks if anything was taken back.

I couldn't help but feel responsible for the poor girl who was going to wake up to a brand new world.