"You will pay for this! You are the worst!"

Harald only laughed as the girl he was carrying kicked and thrashed around.

"And why am I the worst?" He asked, laughing with the others as they found her antics amusing.

Kari, she said her name was. Fitting, she was as unpredictable as the wind even as he carried her on his shoulder.

She smacked her bound fists on his back, her effort futile. "You promised that you would release me from my bounds!"

"And I did. I released you from the ropes binding your legs." He proudly replied, happy with himself for thinking of such a thing. There was, after all, a reason why he kept pointing at her feet.

She gasped with indignation, repeatedly hitting him. "You must think you're so clever. You tricked me!"

"I did not. I released you from those ropes and now I am taking you with me to our camp. A better home than that pole you were tied to." He answered, smirking.

She became quiet for a while, making Harald think that perhaps she had given up.

Suddenly, he felt a hand tug his hair making him cry out in pain. He glared at her over his shoulder. She only grinned innocently at him, before tugging it again.

"Stop that." Harald commanded. No one dared touch his hair, after all. Kari was the first in a while.

Kari smiled sweetly, tugging it softly before yanking really hard and making him growl lowly. "And what are you going to do about it?"

He stopped walking, putting her down. He watched as she looked around at the people around them, noting the shifting look in her eyes.

She was trying to find a way to escape. Clever girl. Perhaps it was fate that they came across her.

He smiled a vicious grin. Maybe he could frighten her a little bit to ensure her compliance.

Harald drew his sword, moving towards Kari whose hands were still tied with flimsy ropes. "Maybe I should cut off your hands so that you can stop being a bother."

She stood firm as he stalked towards her, her chin raised. "Wouldn't I be more of a bother without hands?"

As he neared her, he could see that her hands were shaking. She was afraid and yet, she was standing firm against him. She was not begging for mercy nor was she asking speaking nonsense.

Even with her fear, she can still stand weaponless against a man who could strike her down faster than she can blink.

There must be more viking in her than he thought.

Finally, he was close enough that he can see the depths of blue in her eyes, the stormy clouds reflected in them.

He was distracted for a second before he shook himself from his stupor.

"Give me your hands." Harald commanded.

Kari shook her head, still defiant. "No."

He grabbed her wrists forcefully, positioning his blade above her hands.

He met her eyes, before bringing the blade down, cutting the ropes binding her hands.

Amused by the shocked look in her eyes, he bent down, his mouth positioned right at her ear, whispering.

"Promise kept."

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Kari's mouth dropped open as Harald straightened again before walking in the direction they had been going in.

She rubbed at her wrists, trying to sooth the raw skin, wincing silently.

She stared at his back as he walked away, whistling to himself.

Kari shook her head in disbelief. "What on earth-"

"Are you not coming?" Harald called back, as the others followed him.

She glared fiercely at his figure, burning holes at his back before spinning around to walk back to her village.

Just before she could continue walking, she paused in her steps as she saw the rising smoke from the burning village.

It was tragic. That had been her home for so long and now she sees the grey smoke rising up to kiss the clouds. It was terrifying and at the same time, beautiful in a twisted sort of way.

By the time she arrived there, everything would have already been reduced to ashes. The homes, the animals, the bodies. There will be no home waiting for her there. There will be no one left, she had insured that.

Even if she were to leave her village, where else could she go? No one would be left, everyone had ran at the sight of the barbarians. There was nowhere she could run. She had no money, no family. She had no future.

Nothing was waiting for her there.

Her mother had tried to escape that way of living all her life and now, Kari is faced with the decision to go.

She would be a fool not to go.

Perhaps going with the vikings, with King Harald could finally stir her to the path she was supposed to take, to her rightful destiny.

That was the reason why Kari found herself turning back in the direction of the vikings' camp.

Thinking that she had to catch up with the men that seemingly disappeared into thin air, she quickened her steps to catch up with them.

Just before she could turn into a clearing, a hand settled on her shoulder, making her jump in surprise.

She turned around and saw Harald, looking at her with a knowing grin.

"Had you taken any longer, I would have thrown you over my shoulder and carried you all the way." He said, slinging an arm around her shoulder.

"You wouldn't dare." Kari gritted, her tone hard.

Harald seemed amused. "Wouldn't I?"

He reached for her, but she was faster. She twisted out of his grip and unsheathed one of the knives at his waist.

She pointed the blade towards his neck, threatening. "I will not be your slave. I am a free woman, do you understand me?"

He looked at her, an indistinguishable glint in his eyes. After a while, he was silent then he spoke. "Very well. If you can keep up, I may very well consider you my equal."

Kari let out a scoff, twisting the knife from her grip that the handle was towards him. "I can keep up."

Harald grinned, not taking the knife from her. "I do not doubt that you can."

"Take it, it is yours." Kari replied, confused.

"Keep it. Should you find yourself in another rope situation, at least you will be able to grant yourself freedom."

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