The Viking and the Witch [Halfdan The Black]

Chapter 9: Him

Just as promised here is a new chapter. Thank you for the votes and the nice comments! They mean a lot to me. Have fun!

The next day Halfdan woke up well rested. He walked out of his hut and saw his brother training with someone he didn't know.

In the back he saw Mary talking with the same woman from yesterday at the stables. Her red hair was clearly visible in front of the black horse she petted.

He walked towards her with determined steps and when Mary saw him she said something to the woman after which the other woman left.

"What do you want?" Her piercing green eyes captivated him as she looked at him with annoyance.

"You scare my thrall. She said you would punish her for telling me how you killed her village."

Her posture stiffened and she immediately walked back to the horse.

"Your thrall?"

"Small thing. Always shaking. You must know her."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

He walked behind her and pressed himself into her again, liking the way she felt against him. Her scent was intoxicating.

"Then what about the drink yesterday. How was it refilled right in front of our eyes without a source?"

Mary tried to step away from him again but he just pulled her back.

"I shared mind. That's how it happened."

She turned around and looked into his eyes. Halfdan always had this glint of madness in his eyes but now he also had a look of curiosity, lust and mistrust in his eyes.

"No, you didn't."

She rolled her eyes at his persistence.

"Don't you have to go train so that you will be prepared and not die?"

"What are you worried?" His eyes sparked with amusement.

"About some rapist? Never!"

With this she pushed him away and walked towards the blacksmiths' hut.

"Hey!" He followed her. "What happened in the village?"

Suddenly the old blacksmith stops him. "This is none of your concern, Halfdan and if you know what's good for you you'll stay away from my daughter."

"You are threatening me?"

"Yes, so back off." With that the old man entered his hut and before Halfdan could say something he heard his brother calling for him. So Halfdan reluctantly turned on his heel and walked towards his brother.

Haralds' long hair was braided into a high pony tail and looked at his brother with curiosity.

"You have been busy looking at the blacksmiths' daughter, I see. Was the thrall Aslaug gave you not enough?" He said laughing and Halfdan rolled his eyes at his brother.

"She is a strange woman, not from here." He answered.

Harald was curious about the woman that caught his brothers attention and so he decided to ask Ragnar about her.

The door creaked as he entered the hut the other King was in. Upon hearing the door open Ragnar immediately looked towards him.

"We will start in a few weeks."

Harald nodded. "Good to know but I am here for a different reason."

Ragnar nodded, telling him to go on.

"The blacksmiths daughter is a strange woman, isn't she?"

"You ask on behalf of your brother?" Ragnar laughed before he continued, "we caught her as a slave on a raid and Olaf claimed her as his property. A few years after living here he set her free and she has been a part of our village ever since."

"What about the mark on her neck?" Harald asked.

"She was tortured and to be killed by the people in the village we raided. They burned it into her skin."

"Why?"

"Ask her yourself."

Halfdan was distracting himself with training. He beat every single warrior that dared to sth and in his way and challenge him. The adrenaline rushed through his body, his muscles were stretched and ached in a good way and so he chose to stop for today and get a bath.

The blond thrall was called to set up the bath and Halfdan forced her to massage his muscles. He didn't touch her any futher, his mind too occupied with the fiery redhead.

The sun set as his brother came into his home to tell him about his new gained knowledge of the little woman and a new thought settles itself into Halfdan's mind.