Chapter 1 - Capture

 

They came in the early spring. The thunder of hooves echoed through the small village and those that had even the slightest warning fled. The soldiers rounded up the rest and brought them to the village green. The men were separated from the women, taken to the church and locked inside with a guard.

Inga would all remember it well, the clear sky, the fading crisp of winter air and the soldiers with their swords. The youngest and the oldest were separated out from the women, leaving the best huddled together.

"Strip down," shouted the leader from atop his stallion. No one moved. He gave a slight nod and two of the men grabbed the nearest woman and cut off her dress as she screamed. They threw her naked body to the ground.

"I don't want to ruin what little clothing you have; but if you resist, I will cut it from you and possibly - you to little pieces," his voice was cold with boredom.

The midwife, practical as ever, removed her head covering and her dress and stood proudly in front of them, as if daring them to do more. Shakily the rest followed her lead, until all were standing naked.

The air was cold and they stood shivering, nipples hard, faces red as they were examined like cattle. The leader made rude comments about most of the women...too old, too flabby, pockmarked...and then he came to Kyndra. Her hair was long, the colour of clear honey. Even clothed, he would have known her to be a great beauty. She was even beautiful standing there sobbing. They pulled her away from the group.

Many of the women focused gazes on the horizon, telling themselves this would all be over soon. The leader rode past Inga and moved to the end of the line, selecting two other girls, Lotta and Lila the twins. The women were starting to dress when he came back.

He reached out with his riding crop and lifted Inga's chin. There was a beauty there that could not be denied despite the almost painful thinness caused by a winter's hunger. She stood frozen like a deer in the woods.

"This one, she can be fattened up," he gave her a nod, indicating she should move to where the other chosen girls stood.

Inga did not move, her mind refusing to accept what the man said. She narrowed her eyes in anger thinking that she would die before going willingly with these men. She was engaged to be married that midsummer; the cloth for her dress waited on the loom at home.

When the Captain motioned for two of his men to take her, she bolted.

With several brothers, Inga had learned early how to run. Unhampered by the long skirts of a woman, she fairly flew over the ground toward the woods. The curses and shouts of the men only seemed to push her to run faster, to not looking back.

One moment she was running, the next there was pain as the air was knocked out of her. The Captain swung the girl by her hair over the horse. He must have been very skilled at his work, for by the time the horse slowed to a walk, he had her hands bound behind her back, a loop of rope from them to her neck. If she struggled, she would begin to choke myself. Lying still, she could still breathe. He shoved a foul cloth in her mouth to keep her from cursing him and his men.

"Please Captain," an older woman pleaded, "Take me, I will serve you well, Please free her, and we will give you what little gold we have. Please!"

He laughed as he spurred the horse. For a few brief moments Inga could see her mother running after them and then stopping in the dusty road, sobbing.

It took all her concentration to stay balanced and not to choke herself. She prayed they would stop soon for the night, and she would have a chance again to escape. They rode hard, stopping only briefly at midday to water the horses.

They did allow the others to dress again, but the Inga's dress law back in the village on the dirt. She ached so much she truly didn't care about her nakedness. Her wrists and neck felt raw from the bindings. She was grateful when the Captain removed the gag and allowed her to moisten my lips before gagging her again. Each girl was taken to a bush to relieve herself and then they were on the move again.

At some point just before dark, they brought the women to a clearing where more soldiers waited. There was loud yelling as the group rode in. The men made appreciative noise as Kyndra and the twins were lowered to the ground. They had not had to ride like a bag of flour and looked much better for the ride than the other girl must have looked.

The Captain swung off his horse and carried his captive into a tent, dumping Inga on the ground with little care for gentleness. Taking out a knife that looked like it was several feet long, he moved toward her. She tried to move away from him, but was numb and could not move. He cut the ropes, chuckling at her fear and sheathed the knife. Movement was agony and Inga lay curled on the floor for some time, before she could move her arms and legs without wanting to scream.

Meanwhile, the Captain sat at a small table, reading over some papers, sipping wine and not paying much attention to her. As she gained movement, she inched toward the side of the tent, watching to see if he noticed her. He gave no sign he had, so she inched some more. She stopped when a young man came in with a tray of food and served it to the Captain. He ignored the naked captive.

The smell of the food made her stomach ache. It had been a hard winter for her family; they had not starved, but hunger was common. Still, she inched toward the tent wall slowly, until she felt the sturdy fabric against her naked skin. Pretending she was sleeping, she waited for her chance. She may have dozed in truth, for at some point she was aware that the Captain was gone from his table and she was alone in the tent.

Moving as silently as she could, Inga rolled under the edge of the tent and crouched on the cold ground. His tent was in the middle of the camp, but the darkness was complete and things seemed quiet. She moved toward the woods, wanting only to be free. She could get her bearings later and find something to cover herself. The darkness was her ally, hiding her from those who might have seen her otherwise.

She might have been a hundred feet from the camp when she heard a shout. Inga broke into a panicked run. She must have been spotted by a night patrol. Something flew at her from the right and then next thing she knew, she lay on the cold ground, pinned under the heavy weight of an armoured man.

"Looks like we found the Captain's little rabbit," he laughed as they brought her back to the tent. She was shaking from cold and fear, but tried to pretend that it was a righteous anger.

They threw Inga at his feet, naked and bruised. She looked up in defiance, to see his cold eyes.

"You will be punished, girl. I will make you a lesson to the others that you cannot escape. You are for tribute and I will be damned if I don't come back with my quota."

"You can beat me, but you will never break me!" she vowed haughtily.

He looked at his men, "Tie her up and wake the others."

The guards took her outside and strung her up on a tree by her hands. She was not going to let them do this easily and fought and kicked. Perhaps the other women were like sheep, but she would not become an eager tribute girl.

Avoiding her flailing feet, they easily restrained her. She was tied in such a way, that she could not see the women approach, but could hear them shuffling in the evening cold. Then the Captain came out of his tent carrying a whip. He looked the girl in the eye with a look that sent shivers down her body. How could any man perfect such a look of anger, disdain and desire?

"This girl tried to run away tonight," he announced to the gathered women, "You have all been chosen as gifts of tribute. Any attempt to run away, any disobedience from you will be punished. The first punishment for running, is twenty lashes to the back...or any other place I decide is best."

There was an eternal silence as Inga waited for the first blow. She would not scream, she vowed to herself, she would not give him that pleasure. She would not.

*CRACK*

A scream shattered the silence and she knew it was hers. A river of pain erupted from her back and she swayed from the force of the blow. She steeled herself for the next one and managed only a moan of pure agony. Each blow went lower down her back, across her buttocks, her thighs and calves. Someone lifted her feet, holding them in an iron grip despite her struggles. He had only given the girl eighteen strokes.

*CRACK* *CRACK*

White-hot pain spiralled through her followed by soothing darkness.

Inga woke at some point, her body a throbbing mass of pain. Movement caused licks of hot fire through her body, and she could feel the warmth of morning sun on her still naked skin. Wood was beneath her and there was the steady creak and sway that told her that she was on a wagon. It took some time for her mind to deal with each sensation. She was blindfolded, gagged and chained. She could hear the movements and whispers of the other women. Inga faded in and out of this reality, until the cart stopped. The women were taken out and set about jobs to help set up camp and cook the food. Inga was left in the wagon.

She cried in hunger, cold and frustration. If she ever got my hands on the Captain, she would rip his flesh off his body with her own hands. The sounds of approaching horses made her abandon her plans of revenge. Inga heard his voice, the sobs of other women, and the lewd comments of the men.

She was not prepared for the gentle caress of a hand across her rear. Inga jerked away even as the movement made her cry out behind the gag.

"Easy now Hellcat, it was just a touch." It was his voice, the Captain. "I have never failed to bring the most beautiful women as tribute -- women who define grace and sensuality. But you, Hellcat, are going to ruin my record. Luckily for me, I found quite a catch this morning, so I may not have to hand you over."

Inga stopped struggling in relief and hope. Would he free her?

"But," he continued with a soft chuckle, obviously reading her body like a book, still tracing his fingers between the marks on her back, "I have never been bested by a tribute girl. I have decided that I am going to tame you, girl. I am going to find a way to take your anger and rebellion and turn it into desire. I will have you begging for my touch that you so hate now. Yes, girl, I will tame you."

An hour after his promise to her, Inga was in his tent, her hair still damp from the forced bath his men had given her. It felt good to be clean again, but the memory of the men touching her so freely, their voices and suggestions of what they would do if they could -- all caused her to tremble in fury.

Inga's hands were bound behind her back with what felt like silk cloth and she knelt next to the table as her feet were too injured for her to stand. The Captain sat at his table, a plate of steaming food in front of him; the whip lay next to the plate. Inga could almost taste the food from here.

"Are you hungry Hellcat?" he speared a morsel of meet on a fork and held it up.

Should she answer? Would he think she was giving in to his will if she did? Inga shifted slightly and felt the throbbing ache of the lash marks from last night. The realization that he could and just well might whip her if she didn't answer made her decision.

"Yes, I am."

He stared at her and then prompted, "Yes, I am..?"

"Yes I am hungry."

He gave a sign that indicated he was holding his anger in check, "Whenever you speak to me, you will call me Master."

"I will not!" Inga moved back and looked at him in disbelief. "I am not a slave! I am a free woman."

His hand moved in a blur, the whip coming down hard on her exposed naked breasts. Once. Twice. Three times. Inga curled toward the ground, trying to cover herself with the rest of her body, rocking with the pain. He pulled her upright by her hair and put his face close to hers.

"You stupid girl. A tribute girl is a slave. You may not be sold on a block, but you are no longer free." He pushed her back hard enough that she fell to the tent floor. He jumped up and stalked to the door and told his boy something. Inga watched with worry, he still held the whip and as he came back toward her. Her fear of the whip had her trying to squirm away.

"YOU WILL HOLD!" he bellowed lifting the whip. Inga froze. His eyes narrowed for a second and he lowered the whip, brushing the tip over her thigh, "You look so lovely that way, the sheen of your skin in the candlelight. Now girl, how do you address me?"

The whip kept moving over her skin, sending odd pulses through her body. What use was fighting him on this so he would whip her more? "Master," Inga whispered, keeping her eye on the whip's movement.

"Louder," he prodded the whip between her legs and Inga whimpered in fear.

"Master," her voice cracked saying it.

"Good girl," he moved back to the table and took a piece of the meat in his fingers and held it over her mouth, "Open up."

Hungry, she didn't argue. She savoured the meat, wishing she could have more.

"What do you say girl?"

"Thank you..." Inga had to force the last word from her, "Master."

"Good girl. I have some rules, Hellcat. You have learned the first. The second rule is that you always obey me. I see you fear the whip, so I will use it for any disobedience for now. When you obey, you will be rewarded with food, a blanket, clothing, or more.

"When you are waiting for my next order, you will kneel like so." He pulled her up and arranged her legs, straightened her back. "For the next few days this will be easy to remember because of your feet. Afterwards, I will not hesitate to beat them again to keep you in mind of your proper position."

The boy came running into the tent with a wooden chest. He saluted, handed over the box and stepped outside. The Captain opened the box and took out a slave collar. Only the lowest and most common of slaves wore them. Inga must have moved, for she felt the sting of the whip on her thigh and he snapped, "Position!"

Inga tried to hold the position as he opened the collar and approached her. No! Her mind screamed, you were to marry and be a free woman, have children, a family -- not this!

The metal of the collar was cold and heavy as he snapped it closed around her neck. Inga started to cry silently at the humiliation. Even if she escaped, there would be no hope for her now.

"What are you girl?" he asked, his fingers brushing the edge of the collar and down her breasts.

"A free woman held as a slave, Master." Inga spit out his title now with venom.

His eyebrows lifted in bemusement, "No, a slave. Tell me that you are a slave."

Inga did not speak until he had given her five more lashes of the whip, "Slave. I am a slave, Master."

"And who owns you slave?" he started the caresses of the whip again, and she squirmed, not knowing really why she did so.

"I suppose you do."

*CRACK*

"Master," Inga added, "You do Master."

"Now slave, I am ready to sleep. Do you want a blanket for the night?"

"Yes, Master," she swore the metal collar was heavier now than it had been moments before.

He opened his pants and pulled himself out. He was huge and thick, "Suck me then, slave."

Inga leaned back in disgust and shook her head in refusal.

"Obedience or punishment slave, which will it be?"

She looked at him and then the whip. She couldn't deal with more pain right now. Inga was cold and hungry and hurting. Fighting back her sobs, she leaned forward and tentatively licked him. It wasn't so bad.

"Suck me slave, not lick."

Inga glanced up to see where the whip was. It was still in his hand. She opened her mouth and took him in. After the first few sucks, she heard him give a sigh of pleasure. Inga doubted she did a good job. To be sure she was not skilled, but she continued, reminding herself that she would be grateful later when she had something to cover her nakedness in the cold. Inga was not prepared when he grabbed her head and pushed her down on himself, forcing himself deep into her mouth. She gagged and struggled frantic for air and release. He stiffened and moaned as if in pain and he pulled out, his seed spilling down her throat and into her mouth. Inga knelt coughing and spitting in disgust as he laughed.

He attached a chain to the collar and fastened the chain to his belt. He pushed her to the floor and tossed a blanket over her. Laughing still, he lay down on his cot. Within moments he was asleep. Inga cried herself to sleep, aching with lashes yet again. She had found hell and feared she was enslaved to the devil himself.

Several times in the night she woke cold, thirsty, hungry and hurting. Inga could not shift her position, nor wrap the blanket around her to trap in the warmth. Dawn came with agonizing slowness and the camp began to move.

The Captain's boy came and unlocked Inga. He practically carried her to where she could relieve herself and then left her near the cook fire. The cook was a tall, thin man with a sallow expression and slurred accent of the western islands. He seemed not to notice her shivering nakedness, but ordered Inga to serve the women. She feared that any argument on her part would keep her from her share of the food, so she gritted her teeth against the pain and walked from the cook fire carrying bowl after bowl of steaming gruel to the women seated near the wagon.

Kyndra spat at Inga, "Whore!" Despite the captivity and harsh conditions she still managed to look aloof and beautiful.

Several of the other women spat and hissed the word too. Inga didn't bother to defend herself. What else could they think considering her naked state and the collar around her neck?

When they were finished, she collected the bowls and scrubbed them. Inga was not given any food, but sent back to the Captain. The tent was already down and packed. He stood near his horse, giving orders to some of the men. Inga dropped to her knees at his feet, not out of submission, but exhaustion and pain.

When the men left, he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. "I hear you served well this morning and without complaint. If you had complained, you would be walking the rest of the day. But I am pleased, so you will ride with me."

"Thank you, " Inga mumbled sullenly and remembered to add, "Master."

He mounted the horse and swung her up in front of him, holding her between his arms, he secured her arms behind her back again. The company moved out onto the road and headed slowly toward the capital. As they rode, the Captain took out some bread and fruit and fed it to her bite by bite. As they rode, he talked to her, asking her questions about the village Inga had grown up in, the other women and general things. He made sure she said "Master" every time until she did not think about it. He then spent some time telling her about his childhood pranks.