I have no idea how long I’ve been chained up for, I’m still in darkness so have no knowledge on how many days or nights have passed if they have at all. A number of men around me have been driven mad on not knowing their future. Maybe men feel they need to have control of their destiny while females especially married ones are used to going along with what ever life or death gives them. Or am I just thinking all this because I’m also being driven mad by lack of day light and water?
Unknown time continues to pass by, I know that now I’m no longer at sea and that myself and other females have been moved from a ship to a wooden caged cart pulled by horses. The ladies whisper amongst themselves talking about Sea Traders and slavery. Still there is no sign of the old crew or Roar. Due to lack of water I’m spending most of this travelling time in and out of consciousness.
Through the darkness I hear a soft voice. “Come on wake up child.” I sit up and look round. Day light sneaks through the gaps in the wooden panels but still I can’t see anything in my surroundings. The cart has now stopped and voices become louder outside. The soft voice came from inside though, maybe I am dead. “If you show weakness they will not have a use for you and will not let you live.” The soft voice says again. “Who is that?” I ask. I then feel someone touch my arm. “My name is Mairenn. Do not fear me I will get us through this.” “Through what?” I say in anger. “Shush be silent for now let the Sea Traders sleep and we will talk.” Mairenn holds my hand in hers and we sit in silence.
I watch through the gaps in the panels as the Sea Traders outside are sat round a warm fire drinking, laughing and joking amongst themselves. Everyone inside this cart is either quiet or dead. I shake Mairenn’s hand. “Ok now talk.” She squeezes my hand harder and begins to whisper. “What do you want to know child?”
“Where are we?” I ask.
“We are now slaves and to be taken to a city to be sold.”
“Who are the Sea Traders?” I continue to ask.
“They travel the sea’s searching for ships and people to loot.”
“Can’t we fight?” My Nordic background kicks in.
“If I could fight do you think I would be here? I will use the power of knowledge to help us escape, don’t fear child I knew we would meet here.”
“Do you know me?” I ask confused.
“No but my dreams know of you.” Mairenn answers and although I can’t see her face I’m sure she’s smiling. I admit I enjoy the feeling of hope but I can’t help but fear this lady is crazy and is needing water more than I do.
We are travelling again and where ever we are going I feel we are close. I know this land is not home. “Stop.” I hear one of the Sea Traders say from outside. We stop. “Give them some water.” The same voice says. One of the traders opens our caged cart and blinds us all with the brightness of the day light. My eyes burn as I quickly shut them and then I use every effort to re open them so I can study my surroundings. Outside I can only see green fields in the distance and trees up close. We all get passed a bowl of water and no one can drink it quickly enough. I stare at all the females around me who I’ve travelled with and not known. One lady lay dead near my feet, if only I’d known I could maybe have saved her life. Tears begin to fall down my skin and Mairenn sees me and I see her for the first time. “Hush child.” She says while stroking my face. She seemed a little older than me with longer black hair and bright brown eyes. She wasn’t as pale skinned as me and she wasn’t a Nord in fact I had no idea what race she was. She looked Nordic but wasn’t.
The cart makes its last stop, again the day light hurts our eyes as we are forced out of our prison cage and made to continue our journey on foot. Mairenn doesn’t leave my side. Our chains around our ankles are removed but our wrists are still chained together. We are led along a dirt path too narrow for the horse and cart and we helplessly obey every order. Fear now kicks in.
Each side of the dusty dirt path is woods and bushes. The birds sing to each other with no care in this horrible world. The Sea Traders playfully poke and prod us for their own mindless amusement. Most of the females around me are all shaking with fear and the Sea Traders are enjoying it. These men don’t even look as strong as men I’ve killed in battle; they look like farmers more than warriors. A woman behind me begins to drag her feet more coursing us to walk slower. One of the traders begins to shout to her which only makes the situation worse. “Get rid of her!” One of the men call out. They unlock her chains and one foul trader carries her into the woods. I watch as she screams and he laughs. I no longer can take anymore of this. With every strength I have left I kick and scream and yell for the poor women to be returned to me. It makes no difference the Sea Traders only laugh more and each in turn they follow into the woods while another trader watches over us. The women’s screams finally stops and we all continue to walk along the dirt path towards a large castle I can see on the edge of the coast.
We are all inside the castle grounds now and we’ve been thrown into cells until they figure out who lives and who dies. I feel this will be the last time I write inside this Note Book as I know it will be taken away from me come morning.
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Curious once again I am.