Mixed Blood (ON HIATUS)

Chapter One

The sky was a torrent of dark gray clouds swirling above my blonde hair, wind whipping it around into my eyes and mouth. I slid my sword into its leather sheath and began walking through the forest. It bounced against my legs, clinking and clacking.

I moved my hands to the trees as I went; the long, multicolored grass plastering itself to my wet legs beneath my woolen chain-covered dress.

I came to a desolate plain that ended with a tall hill, feeling my feet sink into the mud beneath me, slowing me down. Eventually, I reached the top of the hill that exited the plain. There, below the hill, I saw my village: a small speck of civilization compared to our encircling surroundings. I  trudged down the hill as the wind buffeted my hair into knots of blonde behind me.

I landed between a slope in the ground beyond the hill, cutting my ankle on a sharp, stray branch. Blood oozed from my punctured skin. The Crimson liquid dripped onto the grass that surrounded me. I leaned across the slope and sorted through pieces of grass until I found one strong enough to endure a mile of walking. Quickly, I tied the grass above my wound to stop the blood flow.

I winced at the pain and leaned backward, digging my nails into my shin. My head was facing the gray sky, as I gritted my teeth in subsiding agony. Thunder split the air, reminding me that I needed to be moving nearer to home.

I hopped up, my one limp leg behind me, as I hobbled across the empty, green field. Rain began to fall. The cold droplets of water splashed onto my face, which brought back my ability to feel pain as the grass tied to my ankle began to loosen.

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     I neared my home, but something did not seem right. The air was thick with greasy smoke, making my lungs burn as I forced myself to breathe lightly. I jerked around as a muffled scream escaped my village, squinting as an overwhelming wave of heat sent my senses into shock. Fire consumed homes and shops. The only safe place now was the church.

My first instinct was to turn and bolt away but I knew- to avoid the overwhelming guilt that would come with deserting my village- I had to go down there and fight, no matter if I gained respect or lost it. I bolted down to my village, looking around at the disheveled homes and streets, could feel the blood flowing through the cracks of the cobblestone path, much like a roaring river in a valley.

Closing my eyes, I tried to think where my father would be; the church. I neared the church doors, and fingering them cautiously, I knocked. The door opened but was closed immediately after I entered.

People knelt, praying and crying. Some pleaded to God as others blocked the doors shut. I knelt opposite a mother with two children. Their faces were smeared with ash and the smell of smoke lingered around them.

"Daor Dia , le do thoil chosaint ar na daoine de mo sráidbhaile" Dear God, please protect the people of my village, prayed the mother, speaking in Gaelic.

"What is happening?" I asked the family beside me. "The Vikings! They are here! They will slaughter us and burn us alive like animals!" screamed the mother.

I scanned the church, but there were no signs of my kin. In a panic, I gripped the sword in my sheath tightly.

I will do what is necessary. If I must fight, I will. If I must deceive, I will. If I must slaughter, I will. Nothing will stop me, even if it's the devil himself.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of Mixed Blood! Thank you so much for reading and please don't forget to like and comment. Bye!