Chapter 31: From Princess to Slave

Oliefsborg: Two Weeks Later

Lorna looked down at the strings that tightly held her wrists together. She felt betrayed and lonely as she sat alone in the corner of the longhouse watching Bard, Knute and Erick talk. The glow from a small lantern above her illuminated Jezebel's form nearby.

"Is she alive?" Jezebel's faint voice asked, stepping closer to Lorna. She swaddled her child close to her chest. "I must know."

Lorna shrugged, wriggling her wrists around once again in hope they would miraculously come loose. "I do not know what you are talking about." She leaned her head back against the wall in despair. "Frankly, I do not care what you are talking about. I only wish I was home."

Jezebel eased down beside Lorna, loosening the tight ropes. "I am talking about Astrid Egger. Is she alive?"

Lorna nodded in response. "Why do you care? It is not like she is anything to you."

"Oh, but she was." Jezebel whispered, looking down at her child with tears in her eyes. "I was once her friend. She was once..." She shook her head. "Whatever now it is in the past and I have tried to let my past go." Jezebel looked at Lorna hastily. "Then if she is alive, why did they get you instead of her?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Lorna asked, rolling her eyes annoyed. "You are one of them why should I tell you anything! They all lie!"

"I can get you out of here." Jezebel whispered, pulling the roped tight once again. "If you answer my questions..." Her voice trailed off as she arose. "Princess."

Jezebel smugly smiled, waltzing toward the throne where Erick sat with his son. Bard paced back and forth, rubbing the thin layer of scruff that had grown upon his face.

"I have sent a man to bring my forces here from Lundur." Bard stopped cold in his tracks looking down at Lorna. "And when he returns we will take this little princess back and get the one we actually need." He snapped, continuing with his paces. "I cannot use her for anything she is too young."

"But is the princess!" Jezebel shouted, jumping up from her chair. Erick buried his face into his palms. "She is the niece of Astrid's husband."

Bard looked at Jezebel amused and began laughing hysterically. "If she is a princess," he caught his breath. "I am a king."

"She is correct." Knute piped in, raising his hand. "Lorna is the princess and Astrid is the queen."

Bard's laughter left quickly, turning into deep thought. He made his way back to Lorna, who was now curled up into a tight ball attempting to sleep.

"Wake up!" Bard yelled, pulling Lorna up. "Why did you not tell me you were a princess? You know I have always wanted to marry royalty."

Lorna pursed her lips angrily, jerking her arm away from him. "Well you will have to wait on doing that, because I am not interested." She spat in his face. Bard led her to the table where he forcefully sat her down.

"If you wish to live and wish your kingdom to live," Bard mumbled in Lorna's ear, running his finger along her jawbone. "Then you will do as I say."

Lorna stared daggers at Bard. "I do not think so. My will uncle would kill you as soon as you sat foot in his castle, if Astrid did not get to you first." She smiled cockily. "You were the one who took everything from Astrid, even the skin on her back! No wonder she turned out the way she did, she lived here for her life!"

"Shut up, Princess!" Bard backhanded Lorna. "Spoiled children like you are why we raid, pillage, and kill. It teaches you lessons; lessons that you will not learn any other way." He leaned forward, kissing Lorna aggressively as she pulled her body away. "We will go to wherever you came from and we will get Astrid."

Lorna blankly looked at Bard, then at Erick. "Why does God allow people like you to live while innocent and good people are dying!?"

"Because your God has been taken over by ours." Bard replied, pulling her up. "You will be my wife, then the crown will be rightfully mine!"

Lorna shook her head, while tears began streaming down her face. "May you rot in hell!" She shouted angrily, spitting in his face. "I will see that the crown is never yours, no matter what it takes from my life!"

Bard put his hand behind his ear and leaned forward sarcastically. "I am sorry, but did you argue with me?" He rudely asked, glaring into her piercing eyes. "The little princess will not get to eat tonight." He shoved her forward, staring straightforward at Jezebel. "Return to your corner!"

Lorna plopped down in the corner as tears welled in her bloodshot eyes. Night came slow for Lorna as she watched the people in the room feast and talk about invading her homeland again. She listened to the plans of how they were going to take Astrid. Her heart shattered when she heard Bard talk about killing Deman to take his place as King while she was his queen. She regretted her decisions and longed to be back home, but it could never happen. Knute watched her closely from across the room, pity was written along his face. The hours ticked away by long, excruciating minutes as Lorna watched each person turn in for the night, one by one until the room was empty and dark. She knew morning would come rapidly and she would have her will put to the test once more.

With the vague light from the glowing embers of the fire, Lorna could see the figure of someone approaching her. She sat up nervously, hoping that it was a person she liked. Knute placed a small bowl of vegetable stew in front of her along with a cup of water.

"It is not much," Knute mumbled, dropping his head meekly. "But I hope-"

"Thank you." Lorna said, cutting Knute off. "I appreciate your kindness." She took a sip of the cool water. "Even though you are the reason why I am here." She mumbled under her breath, before she began eating the stew.

"I am sorry this had to happen. Erick made this decision." Knute said, sitting down beside Lorna. "I knew it was wrong but Oliefsborg was in danger and we had to do what was necessary to keep its people safe."

Lorna glanced down at her bleeding wrists caused by the tight, thick ropes digging into her soft skin. "I know." She quietly spoke, looking up at him with a smile. "I can see that you are a good man, Knute." Her eyes scanned the dimly lit house. "This is what Astrid lived? Bless her soul, I never knew-"

"Astrid was strong." Knute spoke. "She had a will to be free, that is what kept her going for all of those years." He laid his hand lightly upon her arm. "I will see to it that you become free once again. You should get some rest." He suggested, pulling a blanket over her body. "I will stay here by your side so you can sleep without any fears."

Lorna smiled, nestling up beside of him. "I do not know why I trust you," she yawned, closing her eyes. "But I do. I feel safe with you."

Knute pushed her blonde hair away from her eyes. "Goodnight."

¤§¤

Astrid watched Deman, who stood peacefully on the balcony, silently from the door. She pulled her cloak around her body, shielding the cold night air from her body as she neared him.

"I sometimes wish the stars could talk." Astrid softly spoke, leaning forward against the stone rail. "Then I could hear my mother again." She smiled, looking at the starry night sky. "She would tell me how far I have came from what I was before."

"The stars would have so many stories that it would take the entire sky to hold them all." Deman silently glanced up at the starlit sky. "I wonder where my beloved Lorna is at tonight?"

Astrid paused, focusing on his stiff face . "Where she is at is like hell, I know it." She straightforwardly replied, wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing her head against his back. "I hope I am wrong, but I do not think I am."

Deman placed his cold hands over Astrid's, before wiping away a single tear. "It is what it is, there is nothing you or I can do for her now." He faced Astrid calmly, running his hand down her arm until his hand was in her's. "Maybe we have see the last of the Northmen."

Astrid shook her head, looking beyond Deman at the glistening water in the distance. "I think our war has just begun." She nodded her head. "As I said before, I hope I am wrong-"

"But you do not think you are." Deman completed her sentence, pulling her into a tender embrace. He run his fingers through her hair, while he comfortingly rubbed her back. "Wherever my dear child is at, I wish her well. And for our Northmen friends..." He mumbled nervously. "I wish them well, also."

"That is where we are different." Astrid tilted her head up, staring peacefully into Deman's eyes. "You wish them, well while I am plotting their death. You are a better person than I and you will always be." She kissed him upon the cheek. "And that is why I love you."

¤§¤

Lorna rolled over onto her back, looking up at the ceiling. She pushed herself up from the hard floor, looking at Knute who had slept beside her all night. The room was still dim, but it was daylight on the outside world.

"Jarl Bard!" A man shouted, rushing into the longhouse, breaking the silence. "Jarl Bard!" He called once again waiting beside the chamber door.

Bard staggered out of the bed chamber, rubbing his tired eyes. "What could you possibly want?" He asked, popping the 'p' aggressively.

"You are no longer the Jarl of Lundur." He bluntly stated, averting his eyes from Bard.

Bard shook his head in denial. "What do you mean I am no longer Jarl?"

"Leif has usurped your power and has given it to-" the man stopped, glancing up at Bard who was turning red win anger.

Bard shook the silent man. "Who has my power been given to!?" He shouted, echoing throughout the house. Everyone in the house locked their attention on the scene.

The man dropped his head, avoiding eye contact.  "It has been given to your sister, Erika."

"Erika." Bard mumbled, placing his finger upon his lower lip in thought. "Erika! That whore could not take care of herself if it was not for her idiot husband! What makes them think she can rule Lundur!?" He shook his head, denying everything that had just been said. "No, it cannot be. They cannot usurp my power!"

"They have already, sire." The man whispered, folding his hand together. "They do not wish for you to return."

Bard bit his lower lip, popping his eyes out crazily. "Thank you for that information." He mumbled, turning away from the messenger. He stumbled toward the throne, where he plopped forcefully down onto the hard wood. "We will take Princess back to her home and go from there." He huffed in anger. "I will win. I always win."

Lorna watched him carefully as her began pounding his fist on the arms of the throne.

"In the morning," Bard announced, gaining the attention of every person in the longhouse. "We set sail once more. Only this time I will be going with you and we will finish the job."

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