The Prophetess *COMPLETED*

Chapter 4

With the last possession boarded, I was escorted from the old castle. My stepmother and siblings were crying painfully, and Mary had disappeared the previous day. Baron Ainsley was glowering his accomplishments. He had a new trading partner, and had gotten rid of me in the way he had always wanted. 

I shed no tears and my farewells were mute. I had not spoken since Yngvarr Bodmordrson had tried to strangle me, three days ago. My throat was too damaged. 

I instinctively knew that to cry would give my sire a final victory over me and I preferred death over letting him get any more satisfaction at my expense. I was made to walk near my master's horse, for slaves had no rights to ride unless permitted, and I had not been so. I was wearing my 3 chemises, several tunics, several skirts, stockings, and carried three more pairs of shoes hidden under my skirts. It had to be so, because my father had forbidden me of carrying clothes or shoes except whatever fit onto my person. When I would board the Knarr, I'd take out the extra items on my person, and fold it in a cloth. I knew, in a part that was myself, yet not myself, that I would never come back to this land. 

I felt it deep within that however much he had thought to buy the vikings, my sire had made a terrible mistake. Flashes of the future revealed themselves to me as I walked. In one of them the sun glimmered off my master's sword as he cut off my sire's neck and I clenched my fist hard enough for my nails to puncture skin, trying not to cry.

Yngvarr had kept his promise. He had not spoken Saxon for the last two months, except when he almost killed me and the moment he had stepped outside the keep's walls, he no longer spoke the Norman tongue to anyone, not just me. He spoke his rough northern speak, and I understood about half of it because of his lessons. I always knew when he was talking about me even if he used different words. I felt it in my bones. Every time he spoke about me, I also heard the same words, min smukke pige. I wondered what they meant, but I could not ask. My voice was gone.

After half an hour of walking, we arrived at the river. His ship was big, with white and red sails, it had a strange animal on the front of it, but I did not know what it was I suddenly recognized it as a design similar to the one my brothers had boarded in the dream. Yet again I could not ask, but I was curious to know what that animal was. 

There was a ramp of wood connecting the river and the ship, and my master dismounted his grey stallion. He gave the reins to another man, and he took the horse aboard. Then my master grabbed my arm, and led me towards the boat. I knew he was trying to prevent me from escaping, but where I could I escape to? 

I boarded the ship at last and behind us the last men were entering the ship as well. The last one dragged the wood inside and we set off. I looked all around me, and noticed the noise of chicken. I walked slowly towards an opening in the ship, not wanting them to think I was trying to escape, and I saw several hens and goose.  I also saw many men and women. They appeared to be in good condition, and none of them were shackled though it was obvious they were prisoners. They had been servants or slaves for a long time, so they knew how to behave and held no hope of escaping.

The sound of weeping from the front of the ship caught my attention. I walked towards it and saw another group of women there. They were all weeping and I knew these were the sold daughters of noblemen as heartless as my father. I wanted to calm them, to say everything was going to be ok. Indeed, I tried, but the only thing that came out of my mouth was whispers so low the wind snatched them away. One of them noticed me. 

A small girl, 11 years at most, had red hair and green eyes. I sat beneath the strange animal, and motioned her over. She came, hobbling uncertainty on the balancing ship. I mentioned her to sit down and she did, looking at me strangely.