Vol. 1 Chapter 16 - Lock your doors! Hide your wives!
A.D. 875 Kingdom of Mercia, Village of Oxford
/pov Ealdwulf/
It's a new day.. it's a new year even.. this day after the remaining Mercians celebrated new years mass.. over two years ago I used to be a smith working here in this village of my birth named Oxford.. I love this town.. not now.. with Danes having taken control of it making it part of 'Dane-Land'.. a group of lands under no rule just controlled by different pagan warlords.. sprinkle a few Saxon Ealdorman who have managed to hold onto their lands.. how I they did it doesn't matter I guess.. by either kneeling to the invaders or working for them.. or make raiding your home a more costly adventure than they would like.. anyway, 'Dane-Land' should be burnt and sent right to hell burn for eternity.. or if these pagans got it right and we got it wrong.. I hope 'Dane-Land' gets 'blood-eagled' or however the pagans call it.. anywho like I said two years ago while I was working at the forge of my smithy.. a stranger stopped whilst walking by my forge.. he turned and looked me in my eyes.. walked up to me and said "pardon.. friend.. Im in need of a one-handed longsword built for my younger brothers name-day.. he's a rightful Ealdorman by birth you see.. I can tell by your work you can make what I need.. here.. take this amber it belongs to my younger brother.. fasten a hilt with it and make a durable sheathe will you.. you'll receive a modest payment for your work my friend you have my word.. do we have a deal?"
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/pov Eadith/
I should have never ever left my fathers estate.. I just couldn't bear another day waiting to marry a fat old man.. I'd rather slit my own gullet.. I did not want to get captured by Danes either.. but it's happened.. Im so scared.. how did this happen.. why would they show up while we were all praying at the church.. I don't want to remember seeing what happened to the people.. me and my brother Eardwulf ran as fast as we could.. we got on horses and headed to the closest town.. too bad Oxford is controlled by a Dane they call Piglaf now.. these savages want to gift me to him.. I hope my brother lives.. "What's that? What the fuck! Ring the bells! Close the gates!" I hear one of the pagans yelling.. I turned and saw something I would never forget.. till the day I die..
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/pov Piglaf/
"Loki's shriveled shrunken fucking cock!" Is all I could spit out of my mouth.. as I see the the group of around forty to fifty.. dark armor wearing.. warhorse riding.. blade and shields swinging.. riders mowing through the open gates of my hard fought for village.. peasants and Danes alike fell before them like snow in a blizzard.. "some one stop them! please!" Were my last words while still living.. what I'll say after Im long gone and dead and only a spirit.. is another story.. I know I'll never speak of what happened here today.. even if I'm dead.. I'll never speak of it again
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/pov Eardwulf/
"Hahahahah.. finally!" I scream at my captors who were still beating on me after taking my me and my sister captive.. they would finally get their due punishment.. by righteous miracle.. by divine intervention.. our lord.. our savior has sent us an holy army by the looks of it.. this is not a battle.. it's just like manual labor.. like watching someone working at a forge.. these are monsters.. making battle look like a walk down to the tavern.. wait.. the leader looks like hes about to do something.. to one of the pagans.. ah.. I see.. thats Piglaf.. they were gonna gift him my sister Eadith.. oh.. gods.. the man with the snarling wolf helm.. he started gutting the man with a short knife maybe a seax.. he gutted him like a fish.. and stuck his hands in his open belly.. he took the man's guts and nailed them to a oak tree.. they all laughed and watched.. Piglaf had a slow death.. miserable death.. he eventually walked out of intestines.. they were wrapped around the tree like a never ending snake.. eating its own tail..
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/pov Aeric/
"Hahaha Yea Boi!" I hear Aethred yelling and laughing as he and Aestan clapped hands.. strange words and expressions.. like clapping hands.. and bumping fists.. Aethred is always doing stuff like that.. or creating new things no one's seen or thought of being possible..
"So what you think big bro? Am I ready?" I asked in anticipation at what he was going to say..
"Hahhha nope!" He said to me which made me stunned.. but before I could say anything he added "but your close Aeric.. your real close my boy.. trust me.. but to award your efforts and your accomplishments on your path to become a true warrior.. I award you.. your first golden arm ring.. this signifies not only your loyalty to me.. but to the glory you obtained for me.. fighting your first battle fight for me.. your liege lord.. now kneel.. accept this trophy.. say your oath to me.. then rise.. rise my boy.. Im proud." He finished as I was already fighting back my tears.. feeling much better now..
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/pov Aestan/
"Im proud of you brother.. I really am.. just look at this place.. this will be our new lands brother.. well always protect Lord Aethred.. and his whole family.. we will protect them all." I say to brother while taking all this in..
"Aestan! come here you little fucker!" I hear Aethred holler.. "there's an arm ring with your name on it too brotha.. now come give me your oath like your brother.. then let's get on with making our new home.. our new home