Captured (Closed)

[Scriven]

The invasion began at first light.


Their dragon-tipped prows gracefully parted the waters like true serpents. When they made land the Scottish were ready and waiting for them and the battle had begun, a metallic clash of steel instantly filling the air, punctuated by the cries and screams of men.


The men all around Nanook fought like true warriors, heavy swords or tremendous axes in their calloused hands. Many had the pure Nordic look to them- tall, strong men with golden hair and blue eyes. A few, like Nanook, were barrel chested and flame haired. He fought like a madman, what they called a true berserker. He was as terrifying and terrible on the battlefield as he was gentle everywhere else. Around him those that fought fell to his sword, their blood watering the earth. Scotland's shores would see many fall that day, but only of those who stood to fight. They were honorable men, the Scots, but the Vikings were invaders and constantly expanding. They believed the world belonged to the strong and were trying to carve out their niche in it.


The serfs either fled or surrendered. The lot in life of a slave was not necessarily a bad one. They were not asked to take up arms for their masters, and the change in who lorded them often made little difference to the run of their day. That wouldn't necessarily be the case with many of these though. There was no stronghold for the Vikings in this part of Scotland, and so their prize would be taken back with them across the sea to Norway. Gold and man alike would be taken home as their prize.


The role of serf and thrall was much the same though. Their rights were not the same as a free man, but they were treated fairly and provided for by their masters. Nanook had many thralls who worked in his home or tending his lands. Over the years he'd even found a fair few lovely wenches who on occasion warmed his bed.


His wife, Tabby, was still the love of his life, but he would never say no to the alluring gaze of Belle, nor the waiting arms of Rhiannon, and it was the viking way. Tabby was neither shocked nor dismayed by the behavior, nor was any true Viking woman. It was only the foreigners who didn't understand their ways that called them ungodly heathens.


Ungodly! No, they had their gods, just not the one god that the British had begun to worship. Scotland was an interesting mix though. Christian in name, perhaps, but many of their ways were still pagan.


Nanook's sword took down the leader of the fray, who he suspected was the lord of the manor up on the hill just North of them. When he fell the battle disintegrated and those left standing surrendered. The pillaging began.

 

[Captainsassypants]

The news of the oncoming invasion spread around town like wildfire as soon as the viking ship had been spotted approaching the coast. Many of the townspeople fled in fear, those that didn't run stayed to fight. Perhaps Fey would have fled as well but she couldn't leave Aggie, her adoptive mother. The woman had become quite frail in her old age and it would be impossible for her to survive any sort of a journey, so they stayed.


Besides she needed to stay to tend to the fallen soldiers after the invasion was over, that was assuming that she made it safely through the invasion of course. However until then her and Aggie were forced to hide in there small but cozy house. They had both crammed themselves into a small broom closet which was a tight fit to say the least. The close proximity was not made any better by Fey's constant fidgeting.


"Calm down dear. It will all work out in the end I'm sure of it." The old woman offered giving the girl a comforting pat on the knee with a very frail and boney hand. "I'm sure our small little cottage will be so underwhelming that they won't even bother coming here." She explained in a hushed voice.


"That's not it" Fey responded with a head shake. "I just feel so useless just sitting her." She explained. She was only the slightest bit scared for her own safety. What was bothering her the most was that she had to just sit back while people she knew were being injured or even killed. She wanted to be out helping them. That was her skill after all and it bothered her that she couldn't use it. She was sure Aggie would understand that as she had been a healer too. She was even the one who had taught Fey the skill, but she had now become too old to continue healing which left Fey to take over but she continued to teach the girl as much as she could.


"Well that's just what you have to do. Going out there would only get yourself killed and then you wouldn't be able to help anyone." The woman said firmly but gave a sympathetic look understanding the girls feelings. She was sure she would have felt the same way when she was young and stubborn much like Fey.


Fey knew she was right going out would be a death wish... But it did nothing to make her feel better. She just hoped this would all be over soon she wasn't sure how long they had been crammed in the closet but she did know her legs were starting to cramp up and she desperately wanted to get out of there.

 

[Scriven]

They had started with the manor first, which contained most of the valuables. Gold candlesticks and pitchers with jeweled handles, fine furs and silks, books and a silver telescope had all been carried back to one of the ships. The people themselves were the other things of true value, perhaps even more than the things that glimmered. The townspeople were being lined up to swear their loyalty, the healthy and strong being taken for thralls in their homeland.


Some had hidden in their homes and hid there still. Many had accepted their fate and rather than tempt the vikings that had invaded into more violence had simply surrendered and willingly boarded the ships, most with a few bags of worldly belongings.


Nanook was set to the task of making sure no one else was hiding. He went into each home and looked around for valuables and people, then moved onto the next. He entered a small house and looked around at the empty dwelling with a shrewd eye. He could smell cornmint and saw medicinal herbs hanging from the rafters to dry. Lavender, thyme and chamomile added their fragrance to the home as well. A healer lived here, Nanook guessed. A healer was a valuable individual in any land, but the vikings were hungry for knowledge. Perhaps this healer might be able to add to what they already knew, and even if they couldn't it was always a useful profession to have around. He wouldn't mind having a healer in his own house now that Tabby was round with child.


There was no one in sight though. He looked around and saw two beds. Had the occupants already come out and sworn their loyalty? Perhaps. Nanook turned to leave, but heard the faintest sound, as if something slight had shifted. He turned back, his eyes landing on the closed closet. It was a minute space, but large enough for a person to hide. He strode to the door and yanked it open, his eyes widening in surprise when he found not one woman, but two crammed inside hiding.


Nanook grunted, sheathing his sword. It was an old woman and a young wench. Either could be the healer, or both. Perhaps the younger was the granddaughter and learning the skills, or perhaps the elder was a patient. The young lass was a pretty thing, thought Nanook, fair and silver haired, with mis-matched eyes.


"Your lord has been defeated. If you swear your loyalty to the Norse you will be unharmed. Will you give yourself up to the Vikings?" he asked in a deep voice that was rough from yelling.

 

[Captainsassypants]

Aggie and Fey stayed inside the closet for what seemed like forever. After a while they had fallen into a silence just listening hoping maybe they could hear what was going on outside. They could not discern anything that happening until the sound of heavy footsteps announced the presence of an intruder.


Fey gave Aggie a wary look and held her breath hoping whoever had entered their house would look around see they had nothing interesting and leave quickly. She was almost certain they were about to leave but when she moved to look out the crack of the door her foot hit a broom, knocking it over. She silently cursed herself for moving as the broom banged against the wall alerting the man to their presence.


Her heart raced as the person approached the closet. She gave Aggie an apologetic look and reached out to take the woman's hand as she waited for them to be discovered. Her eyes widened slightly as the door swung open revealing a very large man with fiery hair, he looked nothing at all what she had expected a viking to look like but that really wasn't important at the moment.


Fey could not help but jump when he pulled out his sword, her back was pressed firmly against the wall of the closet. Aggie hardly moved but gave the younger woman's hand a small squeeze silently comforting her. She didn't quite understand how the woman could act so calm in this situation but she guessed when you had lived so long death was not something you feared anymore.


Surprisingly enough death was not what was in store for them as the man asked if they would swear their loyalty and give themselves up. For a second Fey's multi-colored eyes flickered with defyance, but then she thought better of it. She gave Aggie a hard look before she let go of the woman's hand and took a small step forward.


"I will go, all I ask is that you leave the woman. She would be no use to you anyway." She said trying to make her voice seem firm. She had no idea if this would work, but it was worth a try. If she couldn't do anything else she at least wanted to save Aggie from the fate awaited her if she went with the man in front of them. The woman had saved her as a baby and raised her as her own Fey wanted to repay her for all she had done and this seemed to be her last chance to do so.

 

[Scriven]

With a frown, Nanook surveyed the old woman. She had a frail cast to her and the young woman might be right. She might not be strong enough for the voyage across the sea, which was hard for some.


"A healer lives here," he said, addressing the old woman. "Is it you? Those who know medicine are valued among my people, as are elders. You would always find yourself with a place among us."

 

[Captainsassypants]

Aggie had been just about to speak when Fey cut her off giving her a sharp look. She was going to do everything in her power to keep the man from taking her mentor. "I'm the healer. She's too weak to heal anymore, and so I have taken over all healing responsibilities. " She explained telling the truth.


"I will ask you again, please leave her her and only take me. I promise I will be much more useful to you" She said staring him straight in the eyes. She was doing her best to put on a strong act but she really was not nearly as brave as she pretended to be. Inside she was terrified at what agreeing to go with him meant for her.

 

[Scriven]

Nanook stroked his beard, looking at the young woman speculatively. She was slight as a wood nymph, he thought, but she had a determined streak coursing through her.


"Why do you try to keep her from coming?" Nanook asked. "I have said she will be respected among the vikings. You would leave her with no one to care for her in her old age?"


He was curious to know why she was so adamant about leaving her mentor behind. It was clear by the home that no others lived there. He was also intrigued by the young woman. She was unusual to the eye and would stand out among the many flaxen haired Viking women. Would she be enough to catch the eye of his younger brother, perhaps? His brother had been broken hearted for a time and it seemed his heart had healed badly, leaving him with little love in his heart for the fairer sex. He was a jovial young man, and yet skeptical of women. Perhaps a silver-haired Scottish beauty could tempt him to reconsider.

 

[Captainsassypants]

"Well to be quite frank, I don't trust you" Fey said her eyes narrowing on him for a moment. She knew Aggie would be cared for by the villagers who had fled, she was counting on it. She was very well liked in their town and she had done many favors for people over the years, so there was no reason for them not to want to help her after Fey was gone.


She just wished the man would agree to her terms and be done with it already, but instead he drew it out. If she thought she could have run she would have, but she couldn't leave Aggie and she was quite certain she wouldn't have gotten very far anyway. So without any other options she stood there and waited for him to make a decision. She only turned when Aggie gave her hand a small tug and offered a look of gratitude but said nothing seeming to have respected the girls decision. Fey returned the look with a small sad smile before she looked back towards the fiery haired man.

 

[Scriven]

She wasn't particularly persuasive, thought Nanook with a grin.


"I'll be taking you both. Twice the healers!"


He smiled jovially and opened the door. "Out with ye then, toward the boats with the others."


He looked out toward the sea where the beautiful dragon-headed ships waited on the glistening sea. He breathed in the fresh, cold air and put his weathered hands on his leather-clad hips. Across the sea and a few short weeks away his wife awaited him. Her belly would be much larger than the last time he had seen her, his growing son getting bigger every day. His first son by Tabby, and one they feared she would never have. They had finally conceived though, but her pregnancy was difficult. Having the old woman around would comfort her and the young one could treat them both and perhaps lift Nate's spirits.

 

[Captainsassypants]

"That's not fair!" Fey cried when he refused her deal with a grin. She felt helpless and angry and she wished she could have knocked the grin right off of his face. She was almost positive that he was going to agree and she felt quite betrayed when he didn't.


She stayed put when he told them to go off toward the boats with the other prisoners they were taking. She refused to go anywhere with him after he had refused her deal. She had only agreed to go if Aggie could stay, but since he wasn't going to let Aggie stay then she wasn't going to go anywhere with him, at least not willingly.


"That's not the deal I made. I said I was going only if you agreed to let her stay." She told him crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. She knew it was probably pointless but she needed to feel like she had at least tried.

 

[Scriven]

Nanook turned, his smile disappearing into an expression of displeasure when he saw that the young woman was firmly planted in place and not following after.


"We did not make a deal, wench. I told you if you swore loyalty you would not be harmed and you asked me to leave your mentor. You asked, and I refused. Do you refuse to come willingly?"


She clearly didn't understand the situation. Her lord had been killed and all around her her people were being loaded onto Viking ships to be taken back as thralls. She was in no sort of position to bargain with him. A woman, no less! The Scottish lass needed to be taught a lesson. She was earning his ire when she ought to give him thanks. He was willing to take in an old woman rather than leave her in a deserted village because his people valued knowledge. She had chosen to give him insult, but he would take no more. He put two fingers between his lips and whistled shrilly.


"Al!" Nanook called to the man who was approaching. "Tie the young wench up and and put her on the boat."


He left the woman behind with a shake of the head and a tow-headed Viking removed a coil of rope from where it hung at his hip. He grabbed Fey with strong arms and a no-nonsense scowl, binding her arms to her sides. A length of rope remained that he could yank her along by. He looked at the old woman and raised a brow. "I don't need to tie you up too, do I?"

 

[Captainsassypants]

Fey recoiled when the man's attitude changed from being a relatively agreeable to to being mean and nasty obviously unhappy in her decision to defy him. For a moment her brave act broke and she looked a little afraid but she quickly masked it again keeping her face blank. She was really beginning to dislike him. She had thought he might have been reasonable but obviously he was not.


When he then ordered for someone else to come tie her up her eyes went wide in shock. How dare he have her tied up! It was so dehumanizing he was having her treated like she a cattle rather than a human being, but there was nothing she could say to him as he soon left leaving her in the hands of another man.


"Don't worry about me dear, I promise I'll be okay." Aggie finally spoke trying to assure Fey, after Nanook had left and before the other man had come in. She really didn't want to see anymore trouble come to the young woman because of her. Fey only responded with a nod but she still wasn't happy about it.


Once the other man had come in to tie her up she kept her body rigged giving him a dirty look but not doing anything to fight it. He frightened her and she had already learned speaking only seemed to get her in more trouble. She stayed silent the whole time even when the rope began to dig into her bear arms hurting her.


When the man then turned to Aggie asking if she would need to be tied up too, the woman shook her head and only followed along after the two of the as they were lead towards the ship.

 

[Scriven]

Aboard the dragon ships, Fey was the only one that had refused to swear her loyalty. Her townspeople looked at her in surprise as she was yanked aboard one of the ships bound in rope. Nanook looked over at the silver-haired Scottish lass and sighed, making his way over to her.


"You'll see I'm a man of my word. If you obey me you and your grandmother will not be harmed. Disobey me and you'll be punished."


Nanook looked at the old woman with a frown. "Should have taught her a bit o' common sense. Her spirit's going to get her in trouble."


When they were ready to set off the drums began beating, keeping the rhythm for the men who dipped their oars into the water in unison. The journey back to cold and snowy Norway had begun.

 

[Captainsassypants]

The trip was a long one, it had taken weeks before they reached land again. The journey had also not been a particularly enjoyable one for Fey or Aggie. They had been crammed together with the other townspeople the entire way there, and after she had been led onto the boat tied up in rope all of them kept looking at her like she was some awful trouble maker. She didn't understand why she was the only one who seemed upset about being forced into servitude.


She had at least been untied after a day only leaving small bruises where the rope had dug into her. They were also fed well enough, which she couldn't complain about either. She just hated the way she was treated and how they kept calling her 'wench' but after opening her big mouth a few more times she tried not to talk a much as she possibly could.


She was extremely glad when she and Aggie were finally lead off the boat and on to solid ground. She was beginning to believe they were going to be stuck on that ship forever. She was just worried about what would be in store for her now that they had finally reached their destination and they weren't simply being transported anymore.

 

[Scriven]

They had finally reached the cold shores of Norway. The dragon ships sailed smoothly into the harbor as people from the village gathered around to greet loved ones they hadn't seen in months, or else receive the terrible news that they now dined in the great halls of Valhalla with Odin and the other warriors who had fallen before them.


Nanook was heavy, barrel-chested and muscular man, but he moved with nimble quickness to get off the boat and greet his wife. She was larger than the last time he had seen her. Months ago she had only just begun to show her pregnancy, but now her belly was enormous and round. She made a waddling run toward him and threw her arms around his neck joyously, her white-blonde hair swinging behind her in a long braid. Nanook lifted her slightly off the ground in his embrace, then set her gently on her feet.


He had expected to find her glowing and rosy with her pregnancy, but her cheeks looked slightly sunken and her skin had a greyish cast. "Tab, are ye feeling alright?" he asked worriedly.


Tabby waved his concern away. "It's just your son causing me trouble already. He's ready to be out in the world, I think. He's a strong one! He kicks my ribs like he thinks they're the enemy."


Nanook chuckled and looked over his shoulder and the silvery-haired young woman and her elder that had made the journey with him across the sea from Scotland. "I've brought you a healer. Perhaps she can ease the pain of your battered ribs."


He motioned for the Scottish lass to come over with one arm. "This is my wife, Tabby. She's pregnant, as I reckon you can see. I hope you can do something to ease the burden she bears."


Tabby smiled at the young woman and gave a nod of greeting. "Welcome to our home. This village is Elveness. You've got your work cut out for you coming to live with a man like Nanook, but he's not so bad as he looks. His bark is worse than his bite," she confided with a grin. "What shall I call you?"

 

[Captainsassypants]

Fey walked slowly along side Aggie, holding the woman's arm and helping her off the boat as they followed a few steps behind Nanook. She looked around in in wonder at their new surroundings as she wrapped her free arm around herself feeling the frigid air give her goosebumps. She was a bit surprised when she noticed all the people gathered around waiting on the shore to greet the ship and everyone aboard it. She hadn't realized their arrival was going to be such a big event.


Fey stood back as she watched Nanook go running off towards towards a fair haired woman who admittedly was very pretty but she was also obviously very pregnant, and from the looks of her sunken in cheeks it was apparent to both Fey and Aggie that she was struggling with the pregnancy. It then became obvious to Fey as to why he had been so intent on bringing healers back with him.


As Nanook motioned Fey over she let go of Aggie making sure she was okay to stand on her own before stepping only slightly closer to Nanok and his wife, keeping her distance. She didn't say anything as Nanook introduced them but studied the woman trying to figure out what would help her. It was dangerous to give pregnant most plants generally used for healing unless absolutely necessary, as they could have negative effects on the baby. Although the woman looked quite worn the best thing for her would be to eat and get some rest, but Fey would do her best to help anyway she could.


"My name is Fey and that is Aggie" She told the woman reluctantly as she motioned to the woman behind her. Aggie seemed quite worn out from the journey and Fey only hoped she would have a chance to rest soon. She was getting a little bit worried for the woman, but she tried not to think about it while Tabby spoke to her. She much preferred Tabby over her husband, and even though she had attested that he wasn't as bad as he seemed Fey was still not convinced.

 

[Scriven]

Tabby nodded her head to Aggie. "Well it's nice to meet both of you. Let's go though, I'm freezing!"


She was bundled up in a long tunic and leggings, plus a fur-lined cloak that had once belonged to Nanook, but her fingertips and nose were red from the chilly air that blew in off the coast. Nanook put his arm around his wife and gestured for Fey and Aggie to follow.


"Where's that brother of mine? Didn't want to come greet me?" Nanook asked gruffly.


"He disappeared this morning and I haven't seen him since. I guess he didn't hear the horn."


In Elveness when their warriors returned a horn was blown that could be heard almost everywhere in the village. Someone had blown it almost an hour ago when the ships had been spotted in the distance.


Nanook shook his head. "He's always wondering off."


They reached the house, which was a long, two-storied wooden structure without any windows. Though in Scotland and the rest of the isle windows were common and the wealthy could afford glass, in Norway it was simply too cold. The result was that the wooden structures were often very dark and smokey inside, but they managed to keep the homes fairly warm as long as the fire in the hearth didn't die.


The longhouse backed up to miles of farmland and a much smaller personal garden that Tabby and some of the other women in her home tended. Geese ran around the yard and a couple of pigs were huddled to the side of the barn.


"This is home," Nanook told the two women. He pulled open the door and ushered them inside. It was difficult to see at first until their eyes adjusted to the dim light, but once they did a staircase leading up to the second floor became visible to the left. The first floor was was a sort of all-purpose room with no walls. The cooking area was located around the hearth, as was the long wooden table where they ate. There was a very large piece of wood in one corner of the room that was being carved, though the shape was still too rough to make out what the intended design was. In another area there were different crafts in various phases of completion. Upstairs there were a few bedrooms- one for Nanook and Tabby, another for Nate, and two that belonged to the thralls who worked in the home.


"Why don't you take a seat by the fire?" Tabby suggested to Aggie. The woman appeared old and frail; Tabby very much doubted that the long voyage had been easy on her. Her eyes flicked to Fey, who was much younger and heartier. Also quite pretty, she noted, but not in the usual way that Nanook was attracted to. She wondered if her husband had any sort of interest in the silver haired Scot, or if he genuinely had brought her for her skill with healing. "I'll show you around the kitchen and we can make some tea, alright?"

 

[Captainsassypants]

She was freezing Fey thought with a laugh when Tabby suggested they get out of the cold. At least she was dressed for the weather, Fey was only wearing a short sleeved dress that did nothing to shield her pale skin from the cold. She was doing everything she could just to stop herself from shivering. Aggie, poor Aggie was probably getting the worst of it! The woman complained about the cold in the middle of the summer she had to be freezing to death out there, Fey though as she tended to the woman.


She then glanced up with a bit of interest when she heard Nanook mention a brother. There was more of them she wondered. She could only hope that his brother of his was quite unlike him because she could possibly handle one of him, but if there were two she had no idea what she'd do. Luckily it didn't sound like he was around much. So even if he was completely horrid she would not have to see too much of him. She tried not to bother herself with it too much though as it was extremely unimportant at that moment.


When they then reached the house she looked at the building in a bit of wonder. It was nothing like the little cottage she had grown used to. It was much larger, but had no windows which must have made the inside seem quite dark and depressing Fey thought.


"This whole thing is all yours?" Fey asked Tabby hardly being able to accept that one family could have such a large structure to themselves. What did they do with all the space?


She then helped Aggie inside the building as they were ushered in. The room was dark, just as she had expected. Luckily it was also warm which melted her chilled skin instantly. The main floor was also very large and looked like it had many different functions. She had no idea what to expect the second floor to look like but she figured she find out soon enough.


"Thank you dear, I'd really appreciate that. You have no idea how much these old bones ache." Aggie said speaking for the first time when Tabby suggested she go sit by the fire. Reluctantly Fey let her go watching her with a concerned look making sure she made it there alright before she turned her attention back to Tabby, smiling when she suggested they make tea.


"Okay" She agreed with a nod. The idea of tea sounded so nice to her right in that moment. She had grown so sick of the bland food she had been fed on the boat and a nice hot glass of tea sounded like heaven.

 

[Scriven]

Tabby led Fey toward the cooking area, one hand on her stomach as she waddled awkwardly. She was in the last stages of her pregnancy and was finding it more and more difficult to get around. "There's a well just out back. Nanook's younger brother fills up this barrel for us every morning though." she explained, showing Fey the water they used for cooking and cleaning. "And then empties out what's left at night. Here are the pots- we can use this one for boiling some water."


Tabby handed Fey a soapstone pot and asked her to fill it with water, then gave her a large, slightly singed leather mitten. Over the fire there was a metal pole affixed between to pegs. Several s-shaped hooks hung from the pole which could be used to suspend pots from their iron handles. Tabby also gave Fey a set of tongs to fish cooking stones out of the fire to speed up the process of boiling water. When she was done and had brought the pot back, Tabby showed her the store of herbs used for making tea, as well as some of the other goods they kept in baskets. She gave Fey two mugs to bring to the table, then brought one over for herself and sat beside Aggie.


"Now we've got two healers, but little by the way of medicine," Tabby noted with a sigh. "Aggie, I expect there'll be plenty of young women and girls coming by to learn a bit of the trade from you. I hope you won't mind teaching them. Fey, you'll have to explain to me the herbs and roots and whatnot you'll be needing. I admit I only know a bit of medicine, so much of it is beyond me. You can start a garden though to grow what you can, and we'll trade for what you can't. You might want to have a look in the woods nearby though and see if any of it grows wild."


Tabby took a sip of her tea and closed her eyes tiredly. When they reopened she furtively looked around the home for Nanook, but he had made himself scarce. The pregnant woman set down her mug and assessed Fey for a moment. "I don't want to worry my husband, but this babe is causing me much strife before he's even entered the world. These last few weeks I've bled some, and I feel tired all the time. I thank the gods that Nanook found two healers. Is there anything to be done, Fey? I've been trying to conceive for years. I fear I may never get another if I lose this one."

 

[Captainsassypants]

Fey listened diligently as Tabby explained where the water, pot, and herbs were kept. She took the pot and filled it with water and hung it over the fire watching as it soon came to a boil and then brought it back to fill each of the three mugs with the water and then placed the tea leaves in each. They would have to wait for it to steep for a moment or two before it was ready to drink but while she waited she brought her and Aggie mug to the table and sat down.


She wrapped her hands around her mug contently liking the way the heat warmed her hands. She had to admit being there was really not quite as bad she she had expected it to be and she was starting to like Tabby. Maybe she wasn't going to hate it there after all.


When Tabby then addressed Aggie the woman offered a kind smile " Oh I don't mind a bit. I'm just afraid Fey will have to show them most of the skills as my hands just don't work the way they used to" She explained as she wrung her hands together. She had rheumatoid arthritis which made doing simple tasks quite difficult and it made smashing up plants and other herbs for medicine completely impossible. "I can explain as much as I know and what I can't do Fey will have to teach them. She's been a very good student and I think she's now even surpassed her teacher." She said speaking quite highly off the young woman.


Fey only waved the complement off though. She was no doubt good at what she did but she was by no means better than Aggie. She then gave a nod when Abby told her to let her know what sort of plants and herbs she would be needing. "Thank you, I think it would be best if I go looking to see what grows near by first and then I'll let you know what I couldn't find" She said she usually preferred using plants that grew locally. When you grew plants that were not indigenous to the area then the effect of them never seemed to be quite as strong as if they naturally grew there.


When the fair haired woman then confessed her issues with her pregnancy Fey frowned. "Sadly there is not much I can do while you are still with child. " She explained "I believe the issue is that your body just is too small and fail and the baby puts a lot of stress on you. The best thing for you is to rest and eat generous portions of food " She explained trying to think of what else she could do. "However there are plants that can better prepare you and help to induce labor. If you'd like I can go out and see if I can find any" She finally offered.

 

[Scriven]

Tabby nodded, though she felt glum. Since the moment her husband had announced that he had brought healers with him back from Scotland she had been nursing a strong hope that one of them would know of a medicine that would ease the bleeding. She knew from the other women in the village that it was a bad sign. She knew her son was well and fighting though; she felt him often moving inside her. Hearing that there was little Fey could do while she was with child was a disappointment, but she tried to hide her worry.


They sipped their tea and warmed up in front of the hearth, and when they were done Tabby slowly pulled herself to her feet, using the side of her wooden chair for support. Fey was dressed lightly and in the style of the Scottish. If she was going to venture out into the woods and help with the household, she was going to need more appropriate clothing, otherwise the girl would freeze. Luckily Fey looked to be about the size she had been before she had become pregnant. A few of her garments would get her started, and more could be made in her downtime.


"I'll show you upstairs and get you some warmer clothes. It must be much milder in Scotland," she said with a hint of envy.


She led Fey up the stairs. The second floor had an arched ceiling, so that it was comfortably high down the middle of the house, but much shorter on the sides. It was split right down the middle with one long hall, divided into four quarters. Tabby led Fey into the first room, which was where she and Nanook slept. There was a brightly died and handsomely woven rug on the wood floor, as well as a few woven tapestries on the wall. They weren't in the style of the English tapestries, which depicted scenes of people carefully picked out with thread. Rather, they were woven from colorful wool in pleasing geometric patterns, and they helped to insulate the room. The furniture was heavy and wooden, but elegantly carved. The artist had a fine eye for detail.


Tabby lifted the lid of a wood and iron-banded trunk at the foot of the bed and carefully knelt on the rug to look through the contents. "I was once a similar size as you," she told Fey wistfully. "These ought to fit just fine."


She removed a long-sleeved smock in a soft blue color and held it up. It was made of wool, but soft and warm, and was the undermost layer of Viking women's garb. Next she found a gown to go over it, which was a much more vivid shade of blue and colorfully embroidered. A cloth belt went over it, just above the hips, and from this women often hung their oft-used implements. She handed the garments to Fey, then dug around in the trunk some more until she found her old coat. It was long sleeved and full length, but had no buttons. Instead, it was fastened with a brooch either at the neck or just below the bust.


"You'll be much warmer in these, I'm sure, and you'll look practically like a Viking yourself." She smiled broadly, then sat with a tired sigh on the bed. "The woods aren't too far from here. You can take one of the empty baskets with you in case you find anything. Try to be back before sunset, alright?"

 

[Captainsassypants]

Fey felt bad that she wasn't able to offer Tabby any better solutions. She could see the woman was obviously very worried for her and her baby's safety. "I'm sorry I can't do more to help" She said with a frown, she was fairly certain Tabby and her baby would be ok if she just took time to rest and didn't put too much more stress on herself. If she could find the plants she had mentioned earlier then it should help her a great deal but she couldn't make any promises.


After they had finished their tea and Tabby suddenly stood up offering to give Fey more appropriate clothes for the weather the young woman stood and gave a small grateful smile. "Thank you I would appreciate that, and yes it was much warmer in Scotland." She agreed. When they had left Scotland it had been on the verge of changing seasons so it really wasn't that cold, but after the long journey to the north it had grown very cold and she simply was not dressed for that sort of weather.


She followed carefully behind watching with a bit of amazement at the way Tabby waddled up the stairs. How she didn't fall over was a mystery to her. Only a few moments later she forced herself to look away, seeing as gawking in such a way was not very polite. She was just thankful that Tabby had not been able to notice her rudeness. Instead she put her attention on looking around the second floor. There looked to be four rooms on the second level and she began to wonder which would be hers, but she decided not to ask and followed Tabby into the first room.


"I do not doubt it" Fey then said when Tabby said she had once been Fey's size. She then took the clothes as they were handed to her. They were pretty, but they weren't the same as she was used to wearing. They did look like they would be quite warm which Fey was happy about. She wasn't going to freeze to death which was all she really cared about. She then gave a small laugh when Tabby said she'd look like a viking in the clothes "Thank you again, I shouldn't be gone too long." she assured before she went off to get changed.


She quickly changed into the clothes she had been given. The blue color of the dress making her pale skin take on a more rosy look and the coat was fastened around her neck similar to a cape. After she had changed she wasted no time in grabbing a basket and went running out of the house off towards the woods. She was anxious to explore the land around her and see what sort of plants grew there.


Wandering into the woods she hardly paid much mind to where she went and instead walked aimlessly picking up things along the way. She had always felt so at home in the woods and these woods were no different to the ones she was used to roaming back in Scotland. Both had the earthy smell she loved so much and created a serene atmosphere where she could be alone with her thoughts. As she continued to walk further into the wood she was quite pleased to find that many of the same plants that grew in scotland also grew here, and there were even a few she had never seen before.

 

[Scriven]

It was hard to imagine a forest more beautifully suited to the task of selecting timber for the finest ships in the world. They grew closely together, each tree racing to grow taller than the others to get its share of the sun. They were good, straight trees soft enough for carving but strong enough to make sturdy planks.


Building ships was more than a profession for Nate-- it was a passion. Shaping the wood so that it skimmed the water, carving the prow into beautiful serpents, it made him exultant in a way he couldn't explain. Nanook had insisted he understood the feeling, saying he felt that way on the battle field when the clash of steel filled his ears and he knew every moment might be his last. Nate could only smile and disagree when his brother said such things. The two couldn't be any less alike. Battle was passion and heart hammering and blood racing and excitement. It was like love, another thing Nate was happy to do without. When he had his tools in hand or was looking at a log and trying to imagine what it could be, that was tranquility and deep breathing and understanding and peace. It was the exact opposite of battle.


Nate put his hands on the smooth trunk of the tree before him, feeling for any bends and twists that his eye couldn't see, but she was perfect. She would make a good, strong Viking ship one day, one made by his hands. Nate removed a long ribbon of fabric and tied it around the base of the tree, marking it so he could find it easily when he was ready to cut it down. The scrap of cloth fluttered in the wind, flapping with the breeze that suddenly changed directions. The cloth blew the other way and his eyes followed, but he saw someone moving in the distance. Nate frowned curiously, wondering who it was. With a mischievous smile, the young man decided he would sneak up upon whoever it was who had decided to roam the wood that day. A child from the village, perhaps? An old maid gathering mushrooms? I'll give them a fright, Nate thought.


He moved with practiced eased, making hardly a sound as he drew nearer. A young woman came into view, one of fine silver hair. He didn't recognize her and instantly banished his previous notion of startling her. There was something familiar about her garb, he thought, though he couldn't quite place it. Why didn't he recognize her? He knew everyone in the village. Was she an outsider, a foreigner? No, she was dressed as a Viking. Perhaps she was the relative of someone in town, coming to visit.


"Hallo," Nate called, weaving between two trees to come into view. He noted the basket in her hands. "Are you looking for something?"

 

[Captainsassypants]

Fey weaved her way through the trees gathering more things for her basket. She had gotten mostly willow bark, which was good for treating most aches and cold like symptoms. Everything else she had found could only be found in small amounts. She was really hoping to come back with more, to insure she would be prepared later on, so she continued to search the forest floor for anything that was even remotely useable. It was a shame that she had to start her collection of herbs and plants all over again. It had taken her a long time to collect and dry all of the one's she had left behind. If she had only been able to bring them with her it would have made things so much easier. Truthfully she didn't mind looking for new plants though, she enjoyed the time to herself, especially after having spent weeks crammed together with a bunch of other people.


She just hoped that Aggie was alright back at the house without her. She was sure Tabby would do her best to look after the woman but Tabby wasn't exactly in the position to take care of any one but herself. She was probably being over protective anyway. How much trouble could the old woman get herself into just sitting by the fire?


Shaking the thoughts away she hummed softly to herself and tried to keep her mind on the task at hand, but that was a lost cause. Not even two minute later her mind had already wandered as she began to wonder about how her life would be now. Was she just expected to do the same as she had done in Scotland by helping to leaned her abilities to the towns people? Thinking of the townspeople she wondered what sort of people lived in the town and who she would help Aggie teach their skills to. Then he mind shifted again as she remembered Nanook had said he had a brother. Then her mind began to race with questions like when would she meet him, what was he like, why wasn't he at the house.


Her endless questions were beginning to give her a headache and when the voice came pulling her out of her head it was probably for the best. Hearing the voice she turned suddenly on her heals "Who's there?" She called out her eyes searching for the source of the voice as a man with fiery hair came into view from between the tree's. His hair was very similar in color to Nanook's, she had thought vikings were supposed to be fair haired but perhaps there were more ginger haired vikings than she had originally thought.


When he then asked if she was looking for something she gave a shrug. "Nothing in particular, I'm just collecting some plants" She explained looking down at the basket she was holding in front of her before she glanced back up at the young man."My name is Fey by the way" She offered figuring it would be polite to introduce herself.

 

[Scriven]

A cold breeze blew, catching the strands of her silver hair and making it dance. At first he was reminded of steel, but the way the strands glimmered reminded him more of moonlight on the water.


The girl introduced herself and Nate smiled sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm Nate. Should've said so before."


He stepped over a fallen log, walking nearer to her. He peered curiously in her basket and saw the bark she had collected along with a few plants. It only served to make him even more curious, though he didn't want to pester a stranger with so many questions. Though he knew little about medicine, most people knew the uses of willowbark tea. He had no idea what the other plants were for though. Were they medicinal? It didn't look like she was collecting roots or mushrooms or plants to go with a meal.


Her mismatched eyes caused him to do a double take and look more closely. "I see why you're called Fey," he told her with a smile. "You've been touched by one of the fair folk."