I crept through the trees and shrubs, I hid behind a small tree stump and steadied myself. I was hunting for dear in the forest of Arbor in the north eastern part of the Kingdom of Vigeo, which was part of the land of Calria. My target was about twenty to twenty five feet in front of me. My father, Beorn, had taught me how to hunt. How to remain as quiet as possible and how to stay upwind of the animal I was hunting.
I edged ever so slightly closer and drew back my bow. My hand shook a little but I took one deep breath, narrowed my eyes and let loose. The arrow silently sailed through the air and struck my target, it fell instantly to the ground.
“Good shot” my father called out from behind some trees.
“How long have you been watching me?” I asked, completely unaware my father was anywhere near.
“Long enough to know you’ve been listening to your old man and have become a good hunter!” He smiled as he approached me. A bow and quiver of arrows across his back. “Come now though, we must complete the ritual.”
My father had always taught me about the meaning of life. That this deer and other animals like this sacrificed their lives to fed us and we should always respect that. The animal may not always be killed by an arrow shot and therefore we must put the animal out of misery and pain.
We both came across the deer lying in a heap on the ground, it’s legs moving slightly and it’s breathing ragged.
“You know what to do” my father spoke to me as he kneeled next to the wounded animal and stroked it.
I knelt down near its head and pulled out my dagger. “Lord we thank ye for the gift that has been bestowed upon us and we pray for this animal. May it go in peace!” With that I thrusted the dagger into the deers neck and sliced it open. It’s never a pretty thing to do but my father has taught me that the animal won’t go to waste and it’s what we must do, to help survive.
“Good lad!” My father said as he stood up. “Now let’s return to the village and get back to your mother and sister!”
I pulled the arrow from the deer and put it back into my quiver.
“I’m sure you can handle the deer?” He smirked as he walked away.
“Yes father” I said as I grabbed the deer by the front legs and lifted it up. I managed to manoeuvre it up and carried it across my shoulders. This would not have been possible a few years ago but at the age of nearly twenty now I was well on my way to being a strong man. My wavy dark blonde hair rested just above my broad shoulders. My large muscular arms held onto the deer as I followed my father back out of the forest to our small village of Tamrin.
“Our hero’s return!” My mother, Elinor said as we returned to our small home.
“What did you bring me?” My sister, Luna came out of our home with a small skip to her step and hugged our father. Luna was a year younger than me and was quite the beautiful young woman. She was about a foot smaller than me at five foot, one. We had the same colour of hair which hers grew down to middle of her back. Her eyes were an ice blue compared to my darker grey blue. I don’t like to admit it but her figure was certainly developing. Every day she was growing and turning into the double of our mother. Her chest was becoming larger and her cleavage was beginning to stretch her dresses that our mother would make. Some of the dresses my sisters wears now, are our mothers.
“Only the finest flower for my little sunshine!” Father mused as he presented Luna with a small yellow flower.
“I love it, thank you father!” She hugged him again and skipped off back into the house.
“Hunt well today?” My mother asked my as I placed the deer down onto the ground.
“Very” I nodded “someone even had the presence to watch me without me knowing!”
“The lesson of life is never over!” My father said as he pulled a small wooden stool and placed it next to the deer. “And onto the next one!”
Over the years my father had taught me how to skin and butcher a deer. I was learning quickly but I always admired his skill with a blade. He seamlessly cut away the animals layer and fur and expertly cut away the meat leaving nothing to waste.
“Not a bad size, you are becoming quite the hunter!” My mother admired as she kissed my forehead before she was handed a small portion of meat for today’s food. My father wrapped the rest of the meat back inside the skin to be stored away.
“Come boy, grab your sword!” My father gestured.
My days would mainly consist of target practice and sparring. Only recently was I allowed to go hunting by myself. We would spar in a small clearing next to our home where my father would teach me how to fight and defend myself. I could now hold my own against him. He would never tell me where he learned to fight so well, just always said he would tell me one day.
He always used a boring short sword much like mine even though I knew he had a great sword tucked away somewhere. I had seen it a couple of times and my eyes were always drawn to a golden lion on the end of the swords handle.
We practiced our fight for a couple of hours before mother summoned us for dinner.
“You’ve become quite the fighter son!” My father said as he patted me on the back. “Might even be as good as your old man soon enough!” He laughed.
“If I’m half the fighter you are father then I’ll be ok!”
“That you will be son!”
The rest of the day and evening went by very uneventful. And soon enough it was time for sleep.
———
The next morning started like many others. Mother preparing breakfast as father would be off out to the village centre to gather supplies. My sister would be sitting learning how to sow and fix clothes. She had become not half bad at it as well.
“Good morning my son” mother greeted me with a kiss. “You’re father will be back soon!”
“Hope he brings me something!” Luna said from her seat near mother.
“He doesn’t always have to bring you something!” I told her.
“No he doesn’t but he does anyway!” She scoffed back at me.
“Urgh he doesn’t bring me anything and you don’t hear me complaining!”
“That’s cause I’m his favourite! Eh mother?!”
“Stop it both of you, you are both my favourites!” Mother said, a motherly finger was wagged our way.
Just after I had finished my breakfast I got up and grabbed my bow and quiver.
“And where do you think you are going Ragnar?” My mother could sense me without looking.
“I was just going out into the forest again! Just to practice!” I pleaded my case.
“Mmmm I would say ask your father but he’s taking longer than normal.” I could sense her internal debate. “Fine but be back before noon, I need your help today!”
“Thank you mother!” With that I was off.
“I heard an I love you,” echo out of the house.
“Yeah yeah, love you too!”
I made my way back into Arbor Forest. I had become very familiar with the forest over the years and knew of a small part where I could practice my arrow shots.
I spent a hour or so practising my shots. I had to admit that I had become a decent shot and most of the time would hit where I was aiming.
Once I had had enough, I decided to explore a little further around the forest. There was about three main pathways through the forest. As I neared one of them I heard the sound of marching and armour clanging with the obvious sound of horses. I followed the sound and came to a small cliff that looked down onto a road. I watched as the army of Vigeo marched passed. The group was lead by knights one carrying the banner of the blue lion, the sigil of Vigeo. Behind the knights were men at arms bearing swords and shields and to the rear a handful of archers. On my best estimate there was maybe around fifty men.
I was blissfully unaware that below the cliff I was on, atop a small hill there was men in black armour creeping through the bushes. I didn’t notice them at first but as I looked more intently, more stood out. Before I knew what was happening. Arrows were flying through the air and the men in black armour attacked the army of Vigeo. I watched on in stunned silence as Vigeo’s men did their best to defend themselves but they were unprepared for the ambush. Men were being slaughtered and cut down. I knew I had to leave but I could not bring myself to do it.
Suddenly a hand grabbed me by the shoulder.
“Ragnar we must go, now!” My father said as he almost dragged me away.
“What about the Kings men?” I asked trying to keep up with him.
“There’s nothing we can do unless, you want to meet a similar fate!”
“Who were the men in black?”
“That is Lord Romulos’ men from the blacklands to the south east! There was a warning in the village this morning about raids by his men in neighbouring villages. He is moving for control! Now hurry!” My father shouted as we moved faster, weaving through the trees.
As we cleared the forest we were stopped in our tracks. Plums of smoke and fire lined the village as screams could be heard.
“No” my father whispered harshly as he took off running towards the village and our home.
We made it to our home but it was empty, it had been ransacked. There was no sign of mother or Luna.
“Noooo” my father growled. “We should have been here!”
“I’m sorry father”
“Do you know the place your sister used to always hide?” He said without looking at me.
“Yes” I simply answered.
“Go look for her there and if she is there, stay there with her!”
“What if she’s not?”
“Pray to the heavens she is!”
My father left without an other word, his great lion sword now tightly in his grasp. I watched as my father ran up the small hill leading towards the village centre.
Fear and dread overwhelmed me but I had to find my sister. I could only guess my father was off to find mother. I grabbed my sword from the house and with my bow set off to find Luna.
When my sister was younger she used to always hide in this small alcove in the side of a ditch by a small stream. It was just outside the village and I prayed she was there. My heart sank as I got there and she wasn’t.
I quickly ran back towards the village. Now in search of my whole family.
As I made my way through the outskirts of the village someone called out to me.
“You there stop!” I turned to face two men in black armour moving towards me. White wolves embroidered on their chest. “Put the sword down!” One of them warned.
I stood still, not saying a word but gripping my sword tighter and bringing it into a defensive position.
“So be it” the man shouted as he rushed me.
I easily parried his first few attacks and managed to slice a cut across his leg. He fell to his knee in pain and shouted out in pain as the other man now attacked. I wasn’t as prepared and had to take several steps back as the man attacked me with fury. As I dodged out of the way I managed to thrust my sword into the mans side. He instantly dropped his sword and fell to the ground. The other man now somehow managed to rush me with a noticeable wobble as he swung his sword. He was slower than before and I blocked his attacks before thrusting my sword through his chest. His face went pale as he lifelessly collapsed.
I froze on the spot. My father had always taught me how to fight and more importantly how to kill a man but this was the first time I had ever taken a life.
I had to quickly compose myself as I had to find my family. These were bad men and I guess they deserved to die.
I decided to sneak my way behind the houses of the village rather than the main paths, which were scattered with dead bodies. All men and woman and heartbreakingly children too.
I heard the noise of a woman scream and then was greeted with the site of a man in black armour forcing a woman over a small wall. Her dress was scrunched up and her rear exposed as the man had his way with her. Her face was full of pain and fear.
I took my bow from my shoulder and drew an arrow. My aim was true as it struck the man in the back and he pulled himself away from the poor woman.
Before I could draw an other arrow the woman turned and screamed as she pulled the mans dagger from his belt and struck him several times in the chest. The man was just as surprised at the attack as I was.
I moved passed the woman and told her to hide, she was left sobbing on her knees. Her hands now covered in blood.
As I reached the centre of the village I watched on as there was a large group of the white wolf soldiers. Beyond them there was a couple of carts with cages on them, I scanned across them and my fears were realised when I saw my sister, Luna in the second one. There was blood down the side of her face. Her arm was outstretched away from the cage.
“Father!!” I heard her cry over all the other screams and shouts.
I followed her hand and saw my father kneeling on the ground. He was covered in blood. My heart sank further as I recognised the body laying on the ground before him. It was my mother. My eyes became misty with tears as I watched the scene unfold.
“Finally found the infamous Beorn Ironhide and he’s a farmer now!” A man in long black cloak with a wolves fur draped across the shoulders laughed out. “My father told me stories about you and how formidable you were fighting for King Nemea and his legendary Lions Legion. How pitiful.”
My father wordlessly remained on his knees, his head hung low looking at his beloved wife. Her dress stained in blood.
“The white wolf will rise and the Lion will burn!” The man shouted as he grabbed my father by the hair and pulling his gaze to him. The man uttered a few words that I could not hear before pulling a large sword from his side. I watched in horror as the man drove the sword through my fathers chest. Pulling it out my father fell to the side.
Rage overcame me as the man wiped his sword on my fathers now lifeless body. Rational thoughts were gone, I was driven by hurt and angst. I dropped my bow to the side and slide off my quiver. I sprang from behind the small wall I had been hiding from and ran at the man in the black cloak. There was no surprise attack as I roared in anger as I headed for him. My sword held high.
He was a little caught off guard but managed to parry my furious flurry of attacks. He was a taken back though as I hit him with all the strength I had. With one way ward swing I managed to cut the side of his cheek. He instantly held it with his left hand but before I could launch an other attack, several men in black closed in on me. I did my best to block there’s attacks but there was too many attacking at once. I was some how able to run one through but an other sliced across my arm, I had to let go out my sword as another swing of a sword came slicing across my back.
I fell hard to the ground. My eyes were dazed and my body felt numb. I could feel death was close and closed my eyes to accept it.
“Wait” I heard faintly.
I opened my eyes and could make out the man in the black cloak standing over me. His face red with blood. “Leave him” he barked “the wolves can get this one!” Was all I heard before a large foot connected with my face and blackness.