17. Break

The next day you stand outside watching as the King's vessel stand at attention while waiting for him. When he arrives he takes a moment to say farewell to Sten's family. You think you feel a bit of tension in the air when he clasps arms with Sten but can't dwell on it long as Rurik moves to you next. He simply nods at you but the sharp, almost contemplative, look in his eyes makes you uncomfortable. It's not until he, and his retinue, have long since faded into the distance that you finally relax slightly. After a few days it all starts to feel like a distant memory as you fall back into your old routine. Time continues to progress and it's not long before the first snow fall of the year blankets the ground outside. Shivering slightly, you pull your fur lined cloak tighter around you. Sten, and a large group of men, are currently on a hunting trip and not expected back for another couple of days. Snow crunches lightly under your feet as you make your way up the path through the town.

It's relatively quiet as the sun is beginning to set behind you and many people have already returned to their homes. You're almost back at the hall but walk slowly as you enjoy a rare moment of solitude. As you approach the entrance of the hall you pause when you think you notice movement in the forest to your side. Turning your head, you stare into it for a moment, before finally dismissing it as nothing more than your imagination. That night you toss around your bed restlessly before finally sitting up in frustration. Getting out of bed you walk over to the window and pull one of the curtains back. A full moon hangs in the sky and the snow below glistens in it's silver light. You continue staring at the calm scene before you when a shadow slinks by the forest edge across the way. You stare in the direction of the shadow then quickly jump and release the curtain when a different shadow follows it.

You try to calm your breathing before moving back to the window and peeling the curtain back open slightly. Peaking out of the sliver you concentrate on the moving shadows ahead of you and after a moment make them out to be human shapes. Your fingers quiver slightly as you release the curtain and step back, wondering what to do. Before you can have time to react a loud scream rings out through the still night out. A moment later, a door is flung open somewhere out in the hall, and soon the sound of people rushing about is heard. You quickly slip a pair of boots on and throw the cape you had been wearing earlier over your nightdress. Pulling your door open you take a step back when you see men running and pulling on armor as they go by. Toke and Sigrid quickly make their way down the hall and she pauses for a moment when she sees you. "Stay here." She says before pulling your door shut and you hear it lock.

Running back to the window you stare out as a group of men run past it towards the town. You don't recognize them, however, that could be because they all have dark hoods pulled over the heads. Dark shadows cover their faces and you shrink back slightly as the sound of shouts starts coming from the direction of town. Now, that the men have passed by, the scene before you is as empty and calm as it had been earlier. The only visible evidence anything has changed comes in the path of boot prints cutting through the blanket of snow. If it weren't for that, and the cries and yells still coming from the direction of town, you might have thought you dreamed it all. Unfortunately, it's not a dream but a waking nightmare and you're currently alone, corned, in a locked room. Time passes and you pace around your room as the sounds outside continue. After a moment you pause when a new noise catches your attention. The sound of a door opening can be heard from the corridor outside your room and you rush to your door when you hear footsteps.

Opening your mouth to speak, thinking it might be Sigrid, you quickly stop when the door handle starts turning. It doesn't twist all the way and you see it start rattling back in forth when the door doesn't open. Taking a step back you wait as there's a moment of silence then the door shakes in it's hinges as something slams against it. Thankfully, the sturdy door holds, and you can tell it will take more effort to open. Still, you're not about to wait around for whoever is on the other side and start looking around desperately. There's a small dagger on the stand next to the bed but you still haven't been taught any useful fighting skills. Turning around you find your eyes drawn to the window and tilt your head. The door behind you shudders as something is smashes into it again. Thinking quickly you grab the dagger and throw your cape on before moving to the window. Standing with your back to it you wait as there's another long pause on the side of the room. Loud heart beats echo in your ears as you slowly count down under your breath.

A moment later you pull your arm forward and ram your elbow back into the glass just as the door is hit again. Looking back over at the door you can tell it won't hold much longer and quickly cover your hand with your cape. Using your protected hand you quickly remove the rest of the broken pane before climbing through. Your exhale shakily and your breath slightly obscures your vision as it freezes in the cold air. After glancing over your shoulder, you quickly decide to follow the trail of footsteps that lead around the back of the building. You hope heading in the direction the men came from will be better than going the same way they did. The trail leads into the forest and you quicken your pace before slipping inside. Now that you're in the cover of the trees you no longer follow the pre-made path. You just needed to make sure whoever is after you can't easily find your trail. The noise from the town had already started dying down slightly before you entered the forest. But it now sounds muffled as you make your way deeper inside it's dark interior.