Chapter 3: Learning

Astrid lay perfectly still on a fur pallet in the corner of the dark room, showing only shadows on the wall from the small white candles scattered all along the house. Hot tears rolled down her face as she cried for the first time in a long while as the thoughts haunted her mind, causing her to break slowly on the inside. Nothing could dull the pain that was in her heart, no matter how strong she tried to be. She felt Jezebel's hot breath on her neck, reminding her of Beatriz being beside her. It had finally dawned on her that everything was gone. She tried hard to dull the thoughts that crept into her mind she could never change the fact she was a slave now-that would never change. This was her life, realizing that she would have to accustom to this new world.

Somewhere amongst all of the tears, her eyes fell heavily asleep where she did not wake till morning to the sound of a horn blowing. Astrid stood quickly, slipping on her soft leather soled shoes and tied the strings, connecting the flaps together at the top. She rushed to the middle of the house where Erick's throne was, even though there was no sign of him. Knute stood with the red haired man, that assisted him on the boat, ready to begin the day once again with the exception that this time they would be training the newly brought slaves. They were talking amongst themselves, laughing and cutting up, as they drank from their large, wooden cups.

Astrid stood still beside Jezebel, who was shaking nervously.

"I am so scared." Jezebel whispered, taking Astrid's hand into hers that was trembling. "This should be the other way around. I am the closest thing to a mother you have now, I should be the one that is comforting you. Not you comforting me." She chuckled, wiping a tear from her eye.

Astrid glanced over at her with a friendly comforting smile, squeezing her hand slightly.

"You are fine Jezebel. Just be thankful we are together." Astrid replied, turning her eyes back towards Knute and the other man, who were now finished with their beverages.

"Astrid!" Knute called out, motioning her towards him with a wave of his hand.

Astrid released Jezebel's hand, only to have her grab it forcefully once again.

"You can not go over to them!" Jezebel cried. "You do not know what they will do to you!"

"I will be fine, I promise." Astrid patted Jezebel's shoulder in assurance. "I am the only one who can speak their language. If you want to live with less fears and live period, I have to work with them. You have to realize that."

Astrid hesitantly strolled over to be in front of the men. They stared at her intently, watching each move that Astrid made.

"What do you need sire?" Astrid piped up, stepping closer to them.

No response came, just silence and awkward stares. Astrid's cold stiff glare never left the burly men.

"You will be learning our way of life today." Knute said, breaking the silence. "Gustavo will accompany you today teaching you what to do. Good luck Astrid." Knute clasped his hand around her small arm, giving her smile before he walked away leaving her standing in front of Gustavo.

Gustavo stood tall and masculine. His dark red hair fell to past his shoulders tied in a tight braid. The sides of his head was shaved in a short burr. The beard he sported was a lighter red than his hair color and well-groomed.He wore a orange tunic with a lighter orange vest that covered over the linen material of the tunic, which was held down by three leather belts which supported all of his needed materials, such as a knife, comb, and his spiritual objects. The loose trousers that he wore were a sage green color, wrapped at the bottom with woolen leg wraps met by his boots. His forearm was covered with a tribal tattoo. Upon his wrist he wore a bracelet which resembled the one that the earl possessed.

"Tell the man he will be tending the animals." his deep voice spoke clearly and smooth. "Tell him to go now."

Astrid told her companion, whom they called Wald, what Gustavo had spoken. He nodded, rushing outside of the house to where the animal pens were located and began tending the creatures without questioning the man's orders.

Astrid returned to Gustavo's side. He looked down at her with a smile, flashing his white teeth which had intimidating lines carved into them. Astrid glared at him, amazed yet frightened at this man which stood before her.

"You will be coming with me." Gustavo stated, taking a few steps to where Jezebel was and began circling around her, looking her up and down.

Astrid saw the fear that was written along the face of her friend. Gustavo placed his large hand upon her cheek, stroking it lightly with his thumb. He began tracing his fingers down her face, reaching her neck, where he stopped for only a brief moment. His hand once again started to move, this time resting it upon her breasts. Jezebel closed her eyes as Gustavo groped her unwillingly. Astrid contemplated on what she should do for her her dear comrade. As ideas filled her head she acted quickly, rushing towards him, pulling his hand away from Jezebel's chest, causing him to turn angrily at Astrid.

Astrid hunkered down as he towered above her, looking down at her with an unpleasant face.

"Forgive me sire but I could not let you do anything to her." Astrid mumbled. "She is frightened already and cannot even tell you how to stop."

Astrid braced for impact as Gustavo raised his hand back to strike her face. As he watched her, he lowered his hand once again.

"I cannot hit you." Gustavo stated, pulling Astrid up from her lowered position. "You are too weak and young for me to be aggressive to even though you are a slave and deserve it. Tell your friend that you are to begin by gathering water from the well at the end of the road near the village. Do not talk to the people in the village."

Gustavo bid them away as he went about his own work. Astrid took Jezebel by the hand as they exited the longhouse, gathering the buckets that hung in a shed located on the side of the house.

In the village people rushed along the streets, paying no mind to Astrid or Jezebel as if they were nothing. At the end of the road, which was several feet down from the earl's home, stood the simple stone well. Off in the distance she spotted a large, wooden structure, where the unsold slaves were hanging by their hands, left for dead. Astrid knew that the majority of them hanging were already dead since they were the weak ones of the bunch. The rest had just given up to die. The sight broke her heart as she ran her fingers through the oily roots of her hair, trying to fight back the emotions that filled her. She realized there was nothing she could do but accept the fact as she turned her attention back to her work.

"Why did you do that!" Jezebel exclaimed, facing Astrid who was tying her bucket onto a string. "He could have killed you."

Astrid quickly looked up at the remark, annoyed. "I done it to protect you. It could have ended worse."

Astrid lowered the rope with the bucket attached to the end into the circular opening of the well, filling it with the cool, clear water that was housed inside. She filled each one in silence, refusing to speak to Jezebel. Tensions was hot between hot between everyone, it would just be a matter of time before Astrid blew up she could feel her patience escaping her more and more each day.

The day passed slowly as Astrid learned how to do the things the Northmen expected. She was expected to tend the house and serve those inside. The night had fallen now , Astrid stood in the doorway looking out across the village of Oliefsborg. Peace was among the homes and families, something that Astrid missed in her life. Upon turning around, she spied Erick watching her from the thrones. She glanced out of the house once more before closing the door, shutting out the last thing of freedom she had.

"Did you do what you was supposed to?" Erick asked, rising from his seat. "Gustavo said you can wild one every now and then. Is that true?"

Astrid nodded her head. "I done what was needed to be done, as did Jezebel." A silent pause came over her. "And no sire, I am not a wild one." She stated, smoothing out her old, wrinkled dress.

"Sit." He insisted, pointing to the chair that sat across from him.

Astrid took slow steps, finally arriving to the seat where she eased herself down while Erick plopped back down into his chair.

Erick stared at Astrid, who kept her head down so she wouldn't say or do anything displeasing to her master.

"Tell me about you." earl Erick said, leaning himself forward to be closer to Astrid.

She looked up into his sincere blue eyes. "I lived with my mother and my little sister, who are both dead now along with most of the people I knew and cared for in my village in Germany. What more is there to tell, other thank the fact that I should be dead!" Astrid stated bluntly, looking back down at her lap. "I have nothing left to live for. Everything I loved is gone!"

Erick closed his eyes as he took in what Astrid had informed him, realizing that it was his doings.

"I am sorry to hear about that." He spoke apologetically. "I have a son who is not much older than you. He is the same age as Knute, twenty-two, I do believe. He is the leader in Sweden with my brother, Leif."

"What is his name?" Astrid questioned.

Erick smiled, thinking of his son. "Bard. He left with his mother and my brother to Sweden, in hopes to return, but when she died, he lingered there with Leif. I do not blame him for never returning to me, I was never a good father to him. I always wanted him to be better than what he was. I never showed him love. I never showed anyone love." He brushed a tear from his cheek. "His mother was the only one who really loved him."

"My mother was the only one who loved me also." Astrid paused. "Love cannot be achieved in this world. I do not believe it exists and if it does, the world takes it away."

Erick agreed with a nod of his head. "Gustavo told that you killed one of our men. How do you know how to kill? You do not look like you have enough strength to tend yourself, let alone kill a man like us."

Astrid shook her head, pushing away the thought of the dying man. "My father taught me as a child to defend myself. He was killed when I was eight. I never had to use it before until then. It was luck I suppose that I won."

"You are not like the others. You have much more strength to you that keeps you fighting. That is what we all need in this world. You will make it just fine, Astrid. I can see clearly the gods will watch over you." Erick said, patting Astrid on the knee.

"Gods?" Astrid questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You will learn soon enough." Erick nodded his head. "No go to bed, you will need the energy for tomorrow."

Astrid laid down beside Jezebel on the pallet once more. This time her conversation with Erick went through her mind. She didn't understand what gods were supposed to mean since she only knew the one God all her life. She made her mind up that she would do anything it took to survive- anything it took.

Thanks for reading!! Please vote and comment, it would make make my day. 😊 A time jump will be coming in the next chapter. Also if I mention the Norse gods, I do NOT believe in them (I believe in one God). I only used them for the story line. Sorry this isn't the best chapter ever, but I tried. The next one should be better (hopefully). Thanks once again, readers!