For Charly

[ironforgedshieldmaiden]

As they had countless times before, the Vikings showed up with little to no warning. They'd beached their boats a good mile away in a secluded inlet and now carefully moved through the trees that overlooked the small villiage. It was a score of them at least, a good twenty five men and women, all armed with their decorated sheilds and axes. Lagerhta's sheild-maidens stood out from the rest with their uniform shields that matched the blonde currently squatted down next to a tree, watching the people mill about their day.

"When do we go?" Tovi, her second in command and her most trusted friend, the companion of her son and mother to her grandchildren. Lagertha didn't look up from where she was looking.

"Soon. When the sun starts to fall, we'll move." Pushing herself up, Lagertha turned and set about making sure her men knew the plan. After all, success was the only option as the gold they raided here would do them will in the coming trade of the winter season. Their wives and sons needed something to give for the furs and wares that were sold.

Come sunset, the Viking raiding party descended in the tilted shadows afforded to them by the trees behind them, and set themselves and their swords onto the village. Much like the other innocent lands they'd pillaged, this one had badly trained guards; souls that weren't close to prepared for the slaughter that came rolling down the hill at them, painted faces that would haunt the few that would survive for the rest of their life.

Lagertha was, as always, on the front line of attackers, eyes piercing her victims before her sword did.

Comments

[fromthevalley]

At the edge of the village, a small family conversed with a red-headed woman. She had been with them for much of the day. It was not easy to explain to non-magic folks that their child was a wizard and could do seemingly impossible things. It was outright difficult to explain that they had to leave their families.

It had to be done. The Quill of Acceptance transcribed more and more witches and wizards that were born of Muggles. They had to be found and taught. Helga could travel around and not arouse much suspicion as a merchant and trader. Helga already collected two charges. They stayed outside of the village, near a little stream where Helga had made camp. It was easier to convince people to let their children go than to explain why she was traveling with so many children and no protection.

"I look forward to starting our adventure tomorrow, Eldon." Helga Hufflepuff said kindly to a small boy as she placed her hand atop his sandy-colored hair. The boy smiled hesitantly before looking back up to his parents who were looking at Helga.

"We don't know how to..." Eldon's mother said. "His accidents are..." Her voice fel silent as she looked down at her son. She did not want to see her only child leave. She loved Eldon despite the odd accidents that continued to plague him.

Eldon's father was far more logical. "He will fare better with you." The threat of the Church finding out was a real one.

Helga smiled kindly at the pair. She then reached forward and took Eldon's mother's hands into her own. "It is not forever." She squeezed her hands. "You will see him again when I pass this way next year. Now please, I beg of you, enjoy your night together."

There was more small talk before Helga was finally able to head back towards her camp. An hour later, she heard the screams coming from the village. Helga did not have to wonder at the cause. She had heard them before.

"Get in the wagon and stay there, no harm shall befall you so long as you stay inside." Helga commanded of her two young charges who did not question her. They would be safe as the ground beneath it was Unplottable and there were a few Muggle repelling charms.

Helga Hufflepuff would forever blame the attack on herself. If only she had set more Muggle-repelling charms out. The village might have been passed over. She had to help them.

First thing was first, she had to find out their number and go from there.

2/2

[fromthevalley]

Like a sharp crack of lightning, Helga apparated to the edge of town. Bang! It was as she feared, Vikings. She felt a white hot fire grow in her stomach. Some of the villagers were starting to run away, some were going to fight while some tried to hide. There was smoke. Something had caught on fire or was it camouflage for the Northern raiders?

Using the direction in which the villagers were fleeing, Helga assumed they were coming from the forest. She would attack from behind. If she was lucky, she could confuse them and make them think an army was lurking. The village could be given more time.

Bang! She apparated near the treeline to the east of the village. Helga raised her wand skyward and volley of arrows shot up. Bang! Another crack of lightning and Helga was now to the west. More arrows were shot up.

Both sides would eventually fall back to Earth. It was not a long-range spell.

[ironforgedshieldmaiden]

Twenty five was a sizable number, especially against a village as small and remote as it was, and the Vikings were very good at what they did. Chaos screamed out before them, lit by burning thatched rooves that would continue to smolder well into the next morning if someone didn't put them out before they consumed the homes. With the swords and shields bared, everyone fell to their ferocity.

Men, Women, children - no one was intended to survive, except those few who might earn a bit of pity and their life from their attackers. It had happened before; it would happen again. Blood followed fire and animals that were trying their best to avoid the tragedy in action sprinted across town, headed for the nearest forests.

The crack of Helga's movements thundered through their respective areas, the sound reaching the whole of the valley, albeit less noticeable the further out a soul was, tucked under the screams and destruction. The first round of arrows served to pause the Vikings as a few of them dropped, suddenly sporting arrows.

Immediately, they all found a house to slam themselves up against or into if the possibility was there, saving quite a number of them from the second volly.

Silence fell afterwards, peppered with sobs and the sound of burning, the gentle shuffle of leather over dirt and against wood. They were waiting.

Lagertha gestured at one of her men - Go look.

If there were enemies around, she was baffled. They'd scouted while they waited, making sure there wasn't an offensive fort or men to be found. Lagertha did not like surprises.

It took a handful of seconds more before they started moving again, bleeding out into the moonlight from the shadows of the eves. They were still waiting. Just a moment longer but the men got restless before the women and deemed it too have been nothing.

The din of slaughter would rise again.

[fromthevalley]

They didn't stop. They didn't retreat. Why didn't they stop? Helga shook her head before tucking herself against a tree and steeling her nerves. She poked her head out from behind the tree in time to see two of the raiders approach her current position.

With a breath, she shrunk. Her hands and feet turning into black, fur-covered paws. Helga's nose and face became a snout with two black stripes running down the side, over beady black eyes. There were no other human beings around, just a badger who had easily shrank into the shadows and underbrush.

Helga waited before transforming again. She repeated the sneak attack with the arrows hoping that they would have to send more men to investigate the source. After firing the second volley, Helga disapparated to Eldon's cottage.

Crack! She inside their home. "ELDON!" Helga screamed before her nostrils were assaulted with black smoke. The cottage was on fire. Helga clamped her hand over her nostrils and mouth and tried to see beyond the smoke and shadows.

"Eldon?"

[ironforgedshieldmaiden]

Much like every place that hadn't heard of what the Vikings were capable of, the village really didn't stand a chance. They stormed through freely once more, swords and voices raised. The arrows had delayed and spooked them but the Vikings weren't struck by fear.

A blood splattered Lagertha stopped short as she heard the scream and, with a glance to the few bodies with her before gesturing them ahead, she hefted her sword and padded softly towards the burning hut. There was only one place for anyone to go to escape those flames, and that was out the front door and directly into her very capable arms.

[fromthevalley]

Helga was not able to find a body. There was a spark of hope. It might have been concealed in the sooty haze that permeated the air but perhaps the family had gotten out. They had been able to run.

There was not much time to linger. She needed to breath and didn't have enough breath left to cast a charm to give her clean air to breath. Helga stumbled outside, backwards with both hands over her mouth and nose. The flames had engulfed more than half of the cottage.

She inhaled a deep breath and then started to turn around...

[ironforgedshieldmaiden]

Lagertha looked terrifying, eyes covered in black smear that made her eyes stand out like ice lanterns catching the reflection of the fire on the thatched roof behind the woman, sword held at the ready, smeared with the blood of whoever was last unlucky enough to come in front of her. Her gaze was unwavering and relentless, marking the woman who must be the source of the scream as she came out.

There was a brief glance down her. Weapons? No sheath that Lagertha could see and in that instance, the Viking had a choice. Cut down a villager, or let them go.

Her decision would be based on whatever Helga did in the next few seconds, but like many of her people, she was silent and steadfast up until the moment that she wasn't. If peace was shown, peace might be granted. If fight was shown, Lagertha's choice would get drastically easier.