[ Book 1 of my "The Last Kingdom" Fanfiction series]
Khaana was a rare find and a wild prized gifted to Earl Ragnar as a slave from a wealthy ruler who once considered her a prized pet.
The Danes have never laid eyes upon a Black African, and figure...
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Time had rolled around for Khaana to try and get Ubba or his men to let her outside of the cage for a moment, She had spent every hour trying to figure out something, and nothing that come to her.
Khaana stared with a blank gaze at a woman who was cleaning the hall, half of her chestnut hair was shaven and she had a long scar across one eye, looking about suspiciously she scurried to Khaana's cage, she pressed her finger to her lips and showed her a key. Khaana sat up a slight question mark on her face as she watched the woman fumble with the key.
"who and why?" she asked. "I am no one, but a woman needs time for herself, I can take you to the river to bathe." she offered with a faint smile. Khaana returned the smile with caution, as she opened the age door. Khaana hopped out, "and how do you get out of here?" she asked the woman.
The woman ran across the room and brought a heavy large fur and sheep's skin cloak. she draped it over Khaana pulling it over her head. "they cannot see your shape under the great size of it, walk wide and square your shoulders, they will think you male." the woman said. Khaana nodded and did as she was told, stepping out in the fresh air was enough to clear Khaana's mind, if she could be taken to the water, did that mean the shoreline? or did it mean a pond, she prayed it was the shore however, in reality it would be silly, the land was rich in small pounds and rivers.
Khaana sound herself at a pond, she threw away her furs and stepped into the freezing waters, swimming down at far as she could, if only for time to think and feel free. opening her eyes, through the slight murkiness she could see the sun though distorted by the the water and she new sun down would be soon.
Surfacing for air and looking about, she spotted the woman weaving quietly on a fallen free. Khaana knew she would not be out here long, but guilt stopped her from running, she could not betray the woman's good will.
The sound of a arrow whizzing through the air caused Khaana to duck into the water, her eyes above the ripples she looked about to see where it had come from. The woman dropped her weavings and drew her axe, "Show yourself! you are in Ubba's lands!" She called out. Khaana jumped as she watch two arrows lodge into the woman's chest, she gripped her axe tightly as not to drop it as she fell to her knees and then laid out on the floor.
Khaana swam towards the land, pulling herself from the pond as fast as she could manage, when before her was offered the fur and sheep skin cloak. "You are lady Khaana?" asked a young Dane warrior standing before her. His boots were wet and muddy as if he had been wading through water.
"who asks?" Khaana asked him carefully, taking the cloak from him she covered herself. turning to look over her shoulder she saw two more Danes exit the woods, "we are Ragnar's warriors, you must move quickly." The young Dane said. Khaana stole a last look at the woman laying on the ground. "we cannot leave her." Khaana said, "we've no time." The Young Dane urged. "she should not have been out here, I will take her closer to the village or you will." Khaana said.
