The Skabelse

Mjød

Again Rowan and Bjorn suffered through a miserable night in the iron wagon. Thankfully they were not bound to the cart itself, only their wrists. They had tried their best to sleep but only managed a few hours in total as their body was racked with shivers. They had curled their bodies, bringing their knees to their chest, but that only provided a small amount of warmth. When the sun rose relief flooded through them as the temperature would soon increase.

The mercenaries cooked breakfast and the smells of ham invaded their noses, making their stomachs cramp and ache.

Thankfully breakfast was brought to them by Erlander, who removed their gags but kept them inside of the cage. When we walked away, Bjorn spoke out to Rowan, "How are you doing?" He felt as if were a silly question but he wanted to make sure she was okay.

He heard her sigh from the other side of the iron wall, "I'm hanging in there I suppose. You?"

Bjorn frowned, "The same. I desperately want to drive my blade through their hearts though." Rowan laughed lightly, "Aye, me too. What a sight it would be to see them coughing their blood onto their dreadful faces." At this Bjorn couldn't help himself to laugh as well at the thought. Katir and another man turned back to look at the two but said nothing, allowing them to enjoy their small moment of happiness.

"I miss you," he said quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. Even though she was only a few feet away, he felt as if they were miles apart. He missed being able to see her smile and touching her soft skin in the confines of their tent. He missed teaching her how to read and watching her do chores around the camp as he worked on the stables.

Rowan bit her lip as her body sank, "I miss you to Bjorn," for she too felt the way he did.

Bjorn could hear the sadness in her voice and he closed his eyes, "We will get out of here somehow, love. I promise." He vowed to himself that he would make sure they would be freed one way or another, not for his sake, but for hers.

Bjorn's nickname for her warmed her heart and she smiled to herself. It had been the second time he called her that and she treasured the way it sounded.

Just then, Caneo and another man walked up to the two young royals. "Potty break, kids," the man said, unlocking the rear door. He grabbed Bjorn and gently slid him towards Caneo, then climbed into the cart grab Rowan.

Her first instinct was to resist the red headed man as he grasped her arm but she knew it would be useless. Besides, out of all the men in this little band of heathens, he had been the nicest to her for yesterday when they stopped for a break he had attempted to give her and Bjorn some water, but Kacper quickly denied him from doing so.

He led her out of the cart and down the stream until she was no longer in sight of the others. He then attached a rope to her and held it in his hand, then turned around without her having to ask like she always did for the others.

Rowan paused for a moment, studying him from behind. His generosity was strange and she made a note to herself to ask him about it after she was finished taking care of herself.

She walked as far away as the rope let her and relieved herself, then walked over to the creek to wash up.

Her wrists were caked with dried blood and she gingerly ran the icy water over them, cleansing the wounds. Next she splashed her face and did her best to wash her arms and neck. She had never felt so filthy in her life but she would make due. "I still probably smell better than those barbarians," she muttered to herself. She then combed her hair with her fingers and braided it once again, taming her hair as best as she could.

Once she was done she walked over to the man and cleared her throat. He turned around with a bored look on his face and started working on the rope he had attached to her.