"Lord Buliwyf, we are Blackkar's men. His lands have fallen to his enemy. We have news for his daughter, Lady Astrid." He spoke clear and deep, meeting his better's eye.

Astrid had to make a controled effort not to charge around Buliwyf and demand news of her father, of her home. But she refused to allow her impatience to show the man she loved such disrespect.

I must know! Please, my vision must be untrue. HE WILL tell me my father lives still!

Without the small glimpse at her he turned, held up his hand and turned it to her, drawing her forward. "Speak of the news you have," he ordered the other man, eyes buring like live coals.

"My Lady." The beraggled man knelt in front of her, at her feet. "Your father has been slain by Baldar. The lands and hall have been over run by our enemy." He took a deep breath and, forged on. "This is what we have brought you of your father and mother." He motioned one of the other warriors forward. In the man's hand was clutched the ram's head at the hilt of the sword she knew so well. It was offered to her and she took the heavy steel willingly as another man moved forward to hand over a small hammered silver band. It was her mother's and this Buliwyf took and adorned her head with.

Even with her strength and faith Astrid felt tears choked her throat, gathering in a dew mist at the tips of her lashes. But one look at Buliwyf and his unwavering courage and she stilled herself against the emotional onslaught that threatened to sweep her away into the black abyss of dispair. She then glanced across the essemblage to where Herger stood, his face impassive. Lifting the sword slightly, she was pleased to see him nod his head in an almost unperceptable motion, an unspoken messege passing between the two.

"My Lord,......." she began, only to be silenced with a look from Buliwyf.

"You will eat and sleep here from what I provide. Gather your number and with the dawn we will speak of what is to be done with Baldar," he told the man at Astrid's feet. The humbled warrior offered his thanks and was led by the slave women into the great hall. Buliwyf and Astrid followed once a new watch was set, once he was certain there would be on man or beast that could sneak into his domain.

*********************

Weliew had watched the proceedings from the door of the great hall, taken personal stock of each warrior who came for respite there. The blonde warrior drew her eye. Strength radiated from the man. She licked her lips, as images of him gloriously naked flowed easily into her head, making her desision an easy one. Once she had finally gained her goal she would take this man to her bed, too. She would make him her lover as Buliwfy would be her cheftian husband. Turning, she mounted the stairs, making her way to her chamber before her presence could be detected. She would make an appearence with the new day. But she hadn't disappeared unnoticed. Herger stood across the hall watching the queen's appreciative gaze on the new arrival. His eyes narrowed as she glanced between Buliwyf and the warrior. It wasn't difficult to see where her thoughts led her.

********************

Men gaunt from weeks of fighting, weeks without proper food, sat devouring anything set before them by the slaves. Olga helped to serve the warriors that fought for her friends, home and lands. From time to time she would look to where Astrid stood, near Buliwyf, as she poured horn after horn of mead. Even from this distance she could see the haunted heartache that filled Astrid's eyes. She could see that she took strength from the man at her side and Olga gave the briefest hint of a smile.

"Should you not keep that smile for me?" Ibn's warm voice came from over her shoulder. She turned with a even brighter smile for him.

"This I save just for you," she said, trying to skirt around him, pitcher in hand. But he grabbed her about the waist before she could move more than a step. "Are not there other things you have saved from this this night?" he whispered, grazing her ear with his teeth.

"I have but, I must see to Buliwyf's guests. Then I will see to your needs, my beautiful Arab," she whispered in return, caressing his forearm with her free hand as she spoke.

"Hurry about this service, woman. I find it difficult to keep my hands from you and that table is starting to look a fine place for a mating." The merriment in voice was soon eclipsed as Herger neared.

"Buliwyf wishes to speak to you." He slapped the Arab roughly on the shoulder, gesturing as he moved away.

"Soon," he left Olga with the sensual promise.

She returned to serving the men as Ibn trailed off to answer the summons of their fearless lord. She managed to fill half a dozen more horns before she was pulled into the lap of one of the warriors, skirts quickly hiked up to her waist. Squeezing her eyes closed, she could only offer a prayer that Ibn wasn't watching for she must not fight. She was a slave and this was her lot in life, accept this attention willingly. The faceless warrior was about to enter her with the hard steel of his member when she was jerked bruitily off his lap.

***********************

Astrid took advantage of Buliwyf's distraction with Iban and Herger and moved to where the blonde warrior, who had lead her father's men, sat eating as if he had not seen a morsel of food in months. Her hands flittered across her skirt as she prepared to ask the familiar man of the other person from her home she feared she had lost, having no vision of the woman, or feeling at all.

"Gunnarr." She toughed the smooth slick armor of his shoulder, her fingers coming away coated in fresh blood. "Are you injured?"

"Yes," he said, his face impassive, meeting her eyes.

"I shall look after your wound once you have eaten." She attempted a smile; it ended up as a tight grimace.

He nooded his head simply and went back to sinking his ivory teeth into the dripping meat in his hand.

"There is something else I wish to ask you. Have you word of Sibon?" she questioned, her eyes swimming with unshed tears as he shook his head.

"Baldar's men over ran the hall and took slaves as they went. Sibon was surely among them." He pulled Astrid down to the bench beside him and whispered so as not to be overheard. His piercing azure eyes bore into her. "I searched for her among the ones who had not fallen to the enemy. But it was for naught. I could not find her, there was no word from the others to where she could be found. My Lady, I did what was possible." His words tore at her far more than she had expected, realizing that Sibon could be lost to her. Closing her eyes she let the last image she had of the woman who she had come to admire beyond her slave statis, wind around her mind. Sibon's round face belying her years as she seemed even younger than Astrid, filled with concern for her mistress. Her raven hair wound tight in a braid that swept the earth as she tilted her head up to bid Astrid farwell. Black eyes that gave away nothing of the soul beneath and filled those who looked upon them with fear filled with tears that casscaded down her pale cheeks.

"My thanks, Gunnarr, for your search," she told him and started to turn away only to be met with the sight of Olga being ravished for all to see. She turned a quick eye to Ibn, thankful that he hadn't noticed the actions of the warrior. The look of horrified resignation on Olga's face ripped at Astrid.

"Gunnarr," she gasped, knotting her delicate hands in her skirt.

The man looked up and followed Astrid's hard gaze. He pushed to his feet at the scene that greeted his eyes. Astrid had been offended and he offended in turn by the actions of the other man. It was he that tore her from the other's grasping crude embrace, pushing her toward Astrid as the woman gained her footing.

"We eat, drink, and sleep. Nothing more or you will answer to the hilt of my sword," Gunnarr growled low and deadly at the warrior.

Olga grasped Astrid's arms as she was enfolded in a tender and understanding embrace. Safety and understanding lay with her friend and that is what she clung too. "Go to Iban now, say nothing of this lest there be bloodshed when none is needed," she instructed Olga, pushing her in the opposite direction of the glaring men. Then it happened, what she had tried to avoid.

Gunnar backed way several paces as the warrior jumped to his feet. "You hold no rein over me and if it's a woman I wish it is a woman I will have," he howled, drawing the surrounding assemblage's attention.

"You will meet your death this night if you do not hold to what was ordered of you. I will have no men of Balckkar's dishonor him among other Lord's," Gunnarr hissed, trying to bring a swift end to the conflict.

"It is not I who dishonor him my brother. It is your woman ways that bring shame upon him," the man charged Gunnarr, just as Buliwyf noticed the malee across the hall.

"Enough!" she bellowed, nearly bringing the hall in on itself. Her anger reverberated against the walls like a wild creature ready to pounce.

Olga bolted into Ibn's arms shaking from her encounter. Wrapping her tightly in his arms, he gave her a questioning glance. She shook her head and refused to tell him of the warrior's misdeed. Astrid was soon to join them, eager to have words with Buliwyf on the matter. There was only one way to ensure Olga wasn't mistreated in the future and she was determined to see to it.

******************

The rekindled fire in the hearth warmed the room to a comfortable tempertature. Weliew stood before its warmth sliding the gown she wore from her shoulders. The night's excitment had her mind spinning, thinking of all types of delicious fun she would like to treat the blonde warrior to. She would have her way -- she swore it, knowing there were few who could stop her. Just as she would let the gown drop to the floor there was a decidedly masculine sigh that came from her bed.

"Ah, mother, beautiful as always," Wigliff leered apriciatavely at her bare breasts.

"You are never to call me that!" she spat, surprise lining her eyes. Letting the gown fall, she moved across to the bed.

"Better to call you mother than lover?" he laughed at her anger, dismissing it as easily as he would a presistant child.

"Call me neither, Wigliff! Call me your queen! But never will you call me such things again!" She slipped into the bed, below the furs. "Where have you been?"

Wigliff stood staring down at her, eyes burning into her. "You will do well to remember who knows your secrets. Who is the keeper of your confidence." He stripped from this soiled clothing in a series of quick jerks and shoves. Finally he decided to answer her question. "Fighting at Baldar's side. He now has lands to call his own, taken from those who were unworthy."

Weilew gasped, smiling at the welcomed information. There was the brief thought that with proper planning she would be rid of Wigliff once and for all. After all, the one who held her secrets would most assuradly have to meet a well timed death.

"I see you have not coaxed Buliwyf to your bed. How are you to pawn my child as his if you can't even get him to use your lovely body?" He groweled, returning to the bed and sliding between her open thighs.

"You know of the child?" she gasp, her eyes going wide.

"Your body gives you away, my queen." His lecherous grin had his eyes glowing like hot coals inside the sockets. "I know my father could give you no child. He was long past his prime and I know well your marriage bed. Do your forget our love making so soon?"

"NO," she arched her back wildly as he entered her silken sheath with one viscious thrust.

"My child grows inside you. Buliwyf will take it as his own or I will drown it at its birth. Do you understand, Weilew?" he growled, hand squeezing her throat with merciless pressure as he slammed into her clentching body. His own brutality combined with the spasming of her tight wetness around him sent him spiraling into a hard climax. Releasing his hold on her throat he leaned down to her bare breast and sucked at the large dusky nipple. She sighed in pleasure as the last of her orgasm faded under her building excitment. He was a cruel man finding pleasure in pain and bit down hard on the wet peak until he tasted coppery blood.

"I've changed my mind, my queen. I've lost the heat I once had for you. Buliwyf takes the child or you will both die. It would give me great pleasure to cut the womb from your body before I slit your delicate throat." He laughed, turning onto his back and waited for a renewed erection.

She knew better than to question his sincerity. He would never speak untrue of death, of killing. "I try still to bring him into my bed but there is a woman." She cursed her quaking voice. "She is a witch and has woven a spell around Buliwyf."

He turned slapping her hard across the check. "The woman is no witch. She is king Blackkar's daughter, Lady Astrid. Soon, she will no longer stand in your way. Even now, in the forest and among the warriors below, there are those who will capture the enchanting Astrid and deliever her to Baldar. This should be but a simple task for you." He pinned her again using her body as he wished, giving pain and pleasure in equal amounts.

*********************

The blackness of the sky above was dotted ocassionally with the light of the brightest stars. But the the land was locked with the ink of night. Edgtho opened up his other senses taking in his surrondings with an easy grace. The cat that blended in so perfectly with the nightscape purred in contented bliss to only be with the man he heeled.

"You, beast, are more night than animal," he chuckled, rubbing the furred head affectionatly. Reward came in the form of a brush against his leg, with more force than he anticipated, knocking Edgtho to the ground.

"You will pay for that, cat," another chuckle as the beast planted its massive paws on his chest. Just then the cat lifted its nose to the breeze and with a feral growl loped off into the forest.

Edgtho jumped to his feet and searched the trees for intruders, but it was useless. The night was too black and the forest too dense. He relied on his hearing but still there was nothing but the gently blowing breeze. With a deep agitated sigh, he made his way up the nearst tree, perching there, watching.

*******************

Buliwyf lay with his head cradled between the twin mounds of Astrid's ample breasts. He could feel the tension tugging at her body.

"There is something you wish to speak of." He lifted his head ascertain the truth from her with his gaze. "I know the death of your father is hard for you to accept," he tried, as she grew even more tense.

"Yes, his death in battle was good. But I will...." She sighed, tears glistening brightly. "He will forever be in my thoughts."

He nodded, understanding. It was not their way to grieve, as such, for a fallen warrior who would find a place at Odin's table. But the love of a daughter for a father was understandable to him. She was safe to she tears here, in their chamber, with him. For as much as he understood her upset, he had to compound it. It was his resonsibility to her, to her father, as a warrior.

"Astrid, I will leave with the men soon. I shall take back your father's lands and insure my wife's safety. We will marry before I leave you," he told her, massaging her small waist. Thinking that some day he would watch a child grow in her womb below his hand.

"Buliwyf, you musn't. My father would not wish it. You should not meet Baldar in battle, I have forseen it. Take but a few men and travel quickly to Blackkar's kingdom, burn all that is his and make the land barren. Kill all beasts that graze upon its green meadows and you will purge the disease of Baldar from my home," she offered, hoping he would at least consider her insight into the matter.

"And you have seen this in a vision?" he questioned, taking note that she had not mentioned their marriage. He wasn't about to let the matter drop. He wanted her as his wife, his queen. "Are you not happy that we will wed?"

"I have known since the moment I lay eyes upon you, in this bed, that we would wed. It was my destiny. It was why I was sent to you." She smiled, caressing his strong jaw.

"That is good, Astrid. Love brought me back to this life and I have loved you every moment since." His kiss seared her lips, bringing a world of truth spinning into focus around them. She was loved and it felt like drawing breath for the very first time.