The Healer And The Boneless

Chapter 1

  I was being carried on someone's shoulder.When we arrived at the camp site, the air reeked of men. The wind felt thicker on this side. The clouds above us dark and loamy. A storm was approaching us. My hands were tied tightly and blood vessels were starting to appear. Men stared at me and I was trying to avoid eye contact, as I was being taken somewhere else. I knew these were Vikings: for they did not have the fancy armor the English were provided with. This wasn't my first time with the vikings. As a child many times I was a slave for them. I was just really good at escaping.
Suddenly, he dropped me in the mud. I hadn't realized my feet were also tied together, a roar of laughter rose from the crowd.
"What have you brought to me, my dear brother?" A boy sat on a wooden chair, legs clearly deformed.

"A slave. Since you've lost yours, I thought I'll gift you a brand new one. A gift for your victory in England."

The boy slumped down from the chair and the crowd stepped back a little. I flinched with the loud thud of his body hitting the ground. He crawled towards me. "She seems strong." He says, getting close to my face. "She will do just fine. Ubbe, Untie her." He said and sat up with a smile. Ubbe began untying my legs first. "Tell us, what is your name?" He asked loud enough for his people to hear. The crowd began to whisper but they quieted down just before I answered.

"Nia." I say, and I felt tension rise.

"Nia, I am Ivar The boneless." He said and smiled wide while opening his arms out and laughing. The crowd screamed for him. Ubbe started cutting my hands free.

"When I cut these, do not run." He said firmly before untying the rope. My hands were bruised and numb.

"How long have you been a slave?" Ivar asked, crawling back to his throne.

"All my life, sire." I answered, Ubbe helped me up on my feet. I felt light headed. My left side of my head was throbbing.

"You know whats strange?" Ivar asked in a joking matter. "You've been a slave all your life correct? Why don't you sound English." Suddenly he becomes very serious and reaches for the knife laying right on the table beside him. He fumbled with the object waiting for my answer. The crowd remained still with anticipation. Ubbe held me down.

"I was sold often as a child. I've been a slave all my life. I don't know where I'm from. Who my parents are. I just know my name, Nia." He places the knife back. He collided his dirty hands together, and ordered Ubbe to tie me again.

"That was a very heartwarming story." He began. I tensed. I tried to move away from Ubbe but another young man held me from the back. "But I don't trust you. Tie her to that lonely tree." He lazily pointed at a single branch in the middle of the yard.

"Please I've told the truth!" I begged but it was to no avail. The other boy, Ubbe, had already covered my mouth with rags. My screams were muzzled, my vision was blurry from tears, and my face was hot from screaming.

Ivar laughs with bread in his mouth, the crowd turned wild and they spat at my feet. Ubbe began tying my hands around the tree. I begged him to let me go, I'll do anything. Instead, before he leaving me there standing, he gave me one last look. His eyes weren't as needy as Ivar. He wasn't as angry. I watched as the men retreated back to their rightful jobs. I was no longer important and it frightened me, how little I meant to them.