A Dance With Death- The Shield Maiden

Chapter Eight Freya 875AD

I woke with the rising sun, a ball of restless energy. The fire was nothing but embers and the only thing left to eat, was a pigeon. It was stringy and chewy, but it sufficed.

I knotted my tangle of hair up and out of the way and collected my weapons. chugging down some ale I went to brush off and tack up my new mount.

The day looked to be another hot one, the sky a deep cloudless blue. I wound my way through the hills and past the now abandoned village, we raided but a week ago.

I was growing restless stuck in this one camp and I knew I was not the only one. We had come to this land to help our king and he had left us stuck here, waiting on his word. The tension building in the camp, was palpable and it soon would come to a head.

I turned onto what looked like a well used road, I could see a cart ambling along a little ways in front of me. A few walkers laden down with baskets shuffled along the side of the road, heading in my direction.

I pushed my horse on, picking up a comfortable trot and carried on along the road. I was eager to learn whereabouts it led.

The people I passed shot anxious sideways looks at me as I passed, but I carried on my way. I did not want anything they carried and so had no reason to harm them.

I could make out buildings in the distance and the road was getting busier, with smaller roads joining the main one from various directions.

It was a busy town and seemed to be market day, the road was bursting with tables and men and women all shouting, trying to be heard over one an other.

It was so similar to the streets of home and made me a little nostalgic for home. I used to love the hustle and bustle of market day.

Here winding my way though the crowd nobody paid me much mind, I put my hood up to cover my face. I hoped this way I would pass as a man. or more likely a boy, with my small stature. I dismounted and hitched my horse to a hitching post. I wanted to be able to move more easily through the crowds.

I pushed through the crowds and went from stall to stall, looking at their wears. I wished I could understand what they was saying. I must make that man teach me his language.

I spent the morning wondering the streets and looking at the various things for sale. Everything from food, to clothes and furniture.

A few people gave me a wide birth, or a sideways glance, but overall I moved through the crowd unnoticed. I didn't utter a word, so not to give myself away.

I snatched a couple of apples from a stall, as I moved back through the crowd and to my horse. I pocketed one and bit into the other, juice running down my chin, it was delicious.

I gave the other apple to my horse, before mounting and making my way back out of the town and back up the road. I cut off across a field and cantered back towards the tree where I had met the man before. I was even more determined to find him now.