The Viking's Captive! (for Louise and somedude)

[somedude]

The longship of the Viking chief Ivar Ironshield made it's way along the coast of Sussex looking for targets of opurtunity to raid. It was propelled by the deadly Norse warriors who also served as oarsmen and in the prow stood the tall and proud, broad shouldered and golden haired and bearded Ivar. Ivar was clad in a mail shirt and iron helm with a broadsword belted at his waist as his hawklike gray eyes scanned the shoreline for prey.
Then he spotted what looked like a royal procession or pilgrimage moving along the beach. There looked to be a group of women and priests or officials guarded by a dozen Saxon warriors in scale or mail armor with linden shields and spears. Ivar's ship carried twenty five warriors besides himself so they outnumbered the guards better than two to one and those the warriors guarded would have valuables as well as be potential hostages for ransom.
"I see a ripe target for the taking boys!" Ivar called to his men. "Arm up and prepare for a fight! Helmsman aim for the shore ahead of those Saxons!" he commanded while pointing to their target.
"Aye Ivar!" called back the gruff old helmsman and aimed for the shore as half of the Vikings armed themselves while the other half worked the oars to drive the longship toward it's target.
"Easy prey boys!" Ivar declared as he loosened his sword in it's scabbard and his men laughed and shouted in agreement as the longship knifed through the waves as it headed for shore and their unsuspecting victims.

[Louise]

She may have been the Kings daughter, but right now she felt like crying. It was cold and drizzly and she hated this stupid religious ceremony. Ever since she was 14 she had been forced to come along with the priests to pay homage or whatever it is they did down at the bay. She kicked at a pebble which bounced into the leading priests leg.

She supressed a grin.

"Alina!"

Her older brother hissed at her...his face set in stone.

"Behave or Father will beat you again"

She refused to meet his glare and instead looked out to sea...how she hated this village, miserable little people squabbling in the mud...

She sighed and trudged along behind her brother. Her long dark hair blew behind her in the wind...she was tall, lithe, firm young growing breasts but still had youth about her face...marriage would be the next 'duty' her father would expect of her...she shuddered...

[somedude]

While the armed half of the warriors aboard Ivar's longship stood ready to attack the others still on the oars drove the ship as hard and fast as they could. The Saxon guards seemed more interested in watching the ceremony the Christian Priests were conducting than the see and so the attacking Norse were not spotted till it was too late. The ship was already sliding into the low surf and Ivar armed with shield and broadsword leapt from the prow of his ship followed by a dozen heavily armed warriors as the startled Saxon warriors formed a defensive circle around the nobles and priests.
"At them boys!" Ivar called and with loud war cries to Odin the heathen Norse charged at the Saxon's in a wedge and once the ship had beached the rest of the warriors armed themselves and swarmed after.
The Saxon that Ivar faced foolishly hurled his spear at the tall Norseman who deflected it with his shield. As the man was trying to draw his sword the Viking cut from the right to severe his leg and stepping over the screaming man Ivar was within the circle of Saxons. The priests scattered before the tall Norseman but one young nobleman drew a swhortsword and stepped between the Viking and a beautiful young girl with long dark hair.
"If that's the way you want it boy!" Ivar growled and raising his shield he advanced on the Saxon who he heavily out-armed.