The Viking's Homeland

Prologue

I stared at the few chickens as they crowded around one another, huddled all together to fight from the brisky wind that floated through the air, the dew damped my feet through my sandals but I didn't mind. I grabbed a thicker chicken by the neck, inspecting it closely before deciding it was the one. Holding it by the neck, I walked toward the chopping wood and glanced around as I pulled my hatchet free of my weaponry belt, I made sure none of the children around so they wouldn't have to witness such a thing. 

I moved swiftly and beheaded the chicken before releasing it so it could run aimlessly, I wonder why chickens run with their heads missing. My thoughts vanished as the chicken fell over and I walked to pick it up, I paused mid-step at the sound of a mischievous giggle that resounded from behind a nearby tree. I spotted a blonde ponytail sticking out from the side of it and I could only smile as I picked up the chicken before wakling over to the tiny child flush agains the tree. 

"What are you doing?" I asked suddenly to scare her, causing her to squeal with laughter before taking off in the direction that I came. 

I shook my head at one of the seven children belonging to my brother Aumite and his wife, Evette as she ran a beeline over to where Eli was scrubbing at a pair of clothing that belonged to me. I was amazed to watch that over the span of two years, all of the children had come to adore Evy as much as I did and our young son, Zayen, had easily fit in the family. He had sparkly blue eyes that shined so brightly when Evy held him, his cute little button nose definitely was from Evy, as he had inherited my eyes. 

Everyone adored Evy, but definitely not as much as I adored my lover, and I would adore him until my last days. I watched as Evy worked on drying my white tunic while cleaning my breeches, I watched him work so skillfully and was easily amazed at his handy work. I took a seat near the huddle of children circling the chicken head I had set aside to dispose of later, I allowed them to "Ooo" and "Aaa" in curiosity as I worked on plucking the chicken feathers. 

I worked on making sure the feathers was completely removed, sparing a few to use for writing with the children so they could learn a few things, the chicken was mostly plucked when I heard a shout that caused all heads to turn in that direction. I looked up as the hurdle of children dispersed and scrattered in opposite directions, I watched as Zayen held the chicken head by it's severed neck with the thumb on his other hand still shoved in his mouth. He oddly looked around at everyone, his big blue eyes staring around him as Evy hurried to get the chicken head away from him with a laugh, then taking him to wash his head and I could only smile at our offspring's odd behavior. 

I cleaned the chicken of the last few feathers before rising back to my feet and walking toward where Ale, the community cook, was working on building a decent fire to roast all five pluck chickens from everyone in the village. The village was what we made it, the plot of untouched land was harsh but it was better than nothing, and while it didn't offer much when it came to farming, we had plenty of trees to harvest for whatever we preferred. 

Small log houses started to be built further and further toward the horizon as more settlements started to be made in the area, children became bundles of joy in every other passing months. We had become a community in the span of a year and I had watched the entire village wake every morning an go to sleep every night, it was my job. Evy had became more of a wife, then started to learn the more stricter advantages like birthing children and making antidotes if such bad things happened. 

"Twelve." I looked up at Aumite as he gestured me to come to him. 

I frowned curiously and passed the plucked chicken to Ale as he threw it onto the fire carefully, I moved to where Aumite and my father, Guniath, was patiently waiting for me. I dipped into the shed as Aumite shut the door behind me, I was curious to what was going on just as my father reached up and nervously scratched his greying beard as he patiently waited. I walked to a stool and took a seat, moving my wool pouch so it wouldn't be in my way when I sat. 

"What's going on?" I asked, confused.

"We're moving settlement." Father spoke, and it was as if my muscles tightened to fight him for what came from his mouth.

"No we're not." I replied sternly. "We've given all to this land, Father."

"We have to leave, Twelv-" Aumite spoke, making me turn to shoot him an accusing look.

"You side with him on this?" I asked, frustrated that no one would listen to me.

"Now that I know the facts, yes." Aumite said, his decision final.

I looked at the shed ground while trying to think of the facts as well, they weren't just facts because we hadn't proved them. I was disgusted with them, I had established a life here and I didn't want to change that. I wasn't going to change it. This was our home, Evy had loved it here and he spoke so much on how it reminded him of his old home that we had ripped away from him, it was only right that he was comfortable once more. This village was ours for the taking and we weren't going to move settlement because some random merchant told Father a new lineage of Vikings were headed this way, to hell with those new Vikings.

"No." I said more sternly this time. "I won't leave."

"You're putting your family in harms way with your selfishness, Twelve." Father said, glaring at me now.

He rarely ever accused me of such, and to see him so afraid should of told me this wasn't something to just brush off, but to see him so afraid only made me angrier that he was so afraid. I knew my Father was strong and afraid of not, but now he was acting like we should move settlement because of some stupid merchant that probably had no clue what he was talking about, that merchant haven't came back since. 

"No." I said sternly once more. "I won't move my family."

"You'll regret it, Twelve." Aumite spoke up next, crossing his arms over his chest before shaking his head in disdain in my direction. "I scouted earlier, they're no regular Vikings."

"They in possession of King Ansair." Father spoke up, his head turned so he didn't have to meet our eyes. "They're the same Vikings that got ahold of your mother, Twelve."

I stiffened as he told me this, I had never knew what happened to my mother, except that she disappeared into the night and was never saw again. Father was always quiet when it came to my mother, he always refused to tell me about her and to hear this piece of information.

"Then let them come." I said, meet his eyes as he shook his head at me now, the reluctance in his eye angered me. "I have a throat to slice."

"You're so damn selfish." Aumite spoke up, coming to stand before me, causing me to rise to my feet as well in preparation if he was to attack me. "They're killers, bred to kill anything-"

"And so are we!" I argued back. "We're not moving settlement." 

"We are." Aumite ordered, turning to walk away from me. "Everyone else already agreed, including Evy."

"He'd never." I replied, glaring at Aumite.

"Ask him yourself." Aumite said with a smirk before turning and exiting the shed, and Father was right behind him.

Are you all ready for a journey?