A Whisper to the North

Chapter II ✠ Shallow Cuts

Una sat forward in her elaborately engraved chair. She had been waiting for this moment a long time, waiting on the Danes to come and claim her life. It felt surreal in a way. This group of people being here, after a long decade, was quite comical to her. They were the least intimidating bunch of Vikings she had ever seen. Una could see in the dim light of the lanterns hanging from the rafters that the group's body conditions were quite rangy.

Una suspects that these have been slaves used as bait to enter the kingdom. From there, they could sabotage from the inside out, not from physical force, but by gathering intel on the weak points in the kingdom's barriers.

Una could see the woman she had spoken to, she looked fragile in this light, and yet still, she wore the garb of nobility. This might be yet another ruse. No noble that Una has ever seen has had a sunken face.

"Who are you? What business do you have here?" Una said, squeezing the top of the chair arms in both of her hands.

"What is the meaning of this? Where is the Queen!" The woman shouted angrily, disregarding what Una had asked.

"Speaking," Una said with agitation.

"You!?" The woman said, looking beside herself.

"Why yes, I am the Queen you so desperately wanted to see. Now, what was it that you needed to tell me? Ah, yes. Vikings have tragically ravaged your people, and you fear for your life. Is this not correct?" Una grinned and sat back on her throne.

"Enough of your nonsense, where is the Queen!? I demand to see her this instant!" The woman seethed.

Una had enough of this Dane. She stood up and walked toward her. The two women who were at her side backed away and were replaced by the four men in the hoods.

"As I said before, I am the Queen of this land. Now, what is your true purpose for being here!" Una said, unafraid to walk up to her.

The woman was just as tall as Una, but she lacked any weight or strength to fight her. Una was not afraid. Even her guards looked weak.

"I demand you, answer me!" Una shouted.

The woman grinned maniacally.

"It was to ascertain where the queen was; obviously, you are no queen." She laughed.

"Hmph," Una said, folding her arms.

"Darren!" Una shouted.

Suddenly a tall guard came through the hall and stood in-between Una and the woman.

"Please escort our guests to their chambers. They have been on a very arduous journey to find me and are not in their right minds. A deep rest would do them wonders."

"Yes, my liege," Darren said, revealing his sword hidden behind his cloak.

Suddenly one of the men in hoods slipped between Una and Darren. He pulled Una down and held her neck at knifepoint. Una was not scared. More or less, she was shocked and slightly amused. Her intuition was yet again correct.

"We won't be going anywhere until we get what we want. And we want the Queen."

Darren turned around to act, but before he could, the other three men pounced on him and held him to the ground.

"Do not fight back, Darren! They speak before they end up injuring themselves." Una said under the tension of the man behind her.

The man that held her arms behind her back had more strength than she imagined. As he pulled Una back farther on him, the woman in the silk gown fled, trying to pry the doors around them, only to be met by guards.