Nerida sat straight as Bjorn walked into the small shack that she was being held prisoner in, his eyes narrow and dark as she noticed something large in his hands. She had been kept as a prisoner for almost a month, Ivar coming to her side every day and night. He would bring her food, water and even warm pelts to sleep on.

As sweet as Ivar was, Nerida knew that a bloodlust laid dormant inside him, only needing that simple push over the edge. She watched as Bjorn took the folded pelt from his hands and laid it out flat in front of her, her eyes going wide as she knew exactly what she was looking at.

"That marking on your arm, is just like this. Tell me what this is—and I might let you out of here." Bjorn spoke, his words almost making her laugh with glee as she knew now, she had the upper hand.

Nerida sat back against the hard-wooden pole and crossed her arms, her eyes bolting to the open door as she saw Ivar crawling in. She had grown fond of him, thinking of him with kindness and warmth.

"Hello—Ivar." She said in broken Norse watching as he smiled and nodded his head at her, Bjorn looking at him as he now knew that Ivar had been sneaking into the shack. Ivar crawled over to her, straightening his legs as he sat beside her, no space left between their bodies.

"Hello, Nerida."

"Ask her about this, ask her what it is. She has the same mark on her arm, as this one." Bjorn said in frustration as he pointed to a small island.

"Greece. Home. My—home." She answered as she pointed to the map and to her tattoo, watching as Bjorn's eyes went wide. Nerida knew that the map he had was old, far older than he must have realized since Rome was no longer the center of the world. The empire had fallen into ruin, and the world had changed so much since that map had been painted.

"Greece? And this, where is this?" He asked as he pointed to the water, Nerida shaking her head no as she held up her shackled arms. She wasn't going to tell him anymore until she was released and treated as an equal. She was no one's slave or prisoner. She knew that if she had her old crew by her side she would not be in shackles.

"Go and find someone in the trader's market who speaks her language, the language of Greece." Bjorn commanded as several men left the shack, Nerida turning to Ivar as she felt him staring at her.

She was not a simple, she knew that Ivar had some sort of infatuation with her, and while she knew she was fond of his presence, she knew nothing more about him. He had a cocky smile a smile that she often found on herself. She saw a lot of herself in him, but the moment she found herself thinking of him she would push him from her mind. She could not stay in this world, she needed to commandeer a boat and get as far away from the Northmen as she could.

Moments later the wooden door flew open, the two men walking back in with a frail looking olive skin man. She sat up as Bjorn started speaking and pointing at her, Ivar's hand gripping hers as she felt her body tense. Nerida watched as the man took one look at her, a coy smirk going over her face as she realized that her reputation and fame had reached back to her home.

"What is the matter?" Ivar asked as he noticed Nerida smiling at the frightened man. Ivar had tried to convince his brother Bjorn and his mother that Floki could take Nerida in, but both refused to let her out of chains.

"That is Nerida—the ferocious, the merciless! She will kill us!" The old man said as he pushed past Bjorn and the others. Nerida laughed and clapped her hands feeling a sense of pride run through her as she remembered all the times she and her father had pillaged and raided villages. People would run screaming in the streets as they walked by, swords in their hands as blood sprayed on their faces.

Ivar watched as Nerida stood and screamed at the Trader who was still trying to get away. A smile grew on his face as his admiration for her grew. She was no ordinary woman, she was a warrior and a terrifying one at that.

"Ask her about this!" Bjorn yelled at the trader as he shoved the frightened man forward, Ivar watching as the entire room went silent. Moments later the man finally started speaking to Nerida in a tongue that Ivar desperately wanted to know. He wanted to have his own private conversations with Nerida, he wanted to know all about her.

"She will not tell you until she is unshackled and free to do as she pleases." The trader said, Bjorn's patience running thin as he threw an empty bucket at the wall, Nerida not even blinking an eye.

"I won't have her free to kill one of us, is she willing to have peace?"

Everyone watched as the tradesman asked Nerida if she would agree to the terms, Ivar holding his breath as he knew her answer was life or death. He wasn't going to let Bjorn or even his mother try to drag him from Nerida, since he knew she was his gift from the gods. She had been sent to him for reasons that were still unknown to him, but Ivar desperately wanted to find out the reason.

"Peace. Yes." Nerida said as she nodded her head in agreement, Bjorn slowly removing her shackles as she continued to speak to the tradesman. Ivar smiled as he saw the shackles removed from her reddened skin, knowing that tonight she would get a bath and treated like she deserved. He did not care what anyone said, he wanted her by his side and only by side.

"Nerida wishes to have a blood pact with you Bjorn. She will not kill any of your people, and in return she had requested that when she is ready to return to the sea, you will give her food and a boat." The tradesman said as Ivar felt a sinking feeling in his stomach. He didn't want her to leave, but he also knew that the gods had fated her to him, so no matter what, their paths were tied.

"I agree." Bjorn said as he took his dagger from his side and sliced the palm of his hand, everyone watching as Nerida sliced her own hand with ease moments later. Ivar felt a pang of jealousy as he watched the ritual, wishing that he could have a blood pact as well, but he knew greater things were in store for him and his Nerida.

****

The entire day was spent in the great hall, everyone surrounded as Nerida (with the help of the tradesman) explained the map. She explained that the blue covering the map, was the vast Mediterranean and that to get there, they had to sail up the coast of Frankia.

"Have you been? Have you seen all this?" Sigurd asked as Nerida nodded her head, several people scoffing at the idea of sailing that far. Pirates were not well liked by any clan, especially the Vikings, since most Pirates raided new worlds before the Vikings ever could.

"She had sailed farther than most had dreamed, she and her father had planned to travel to the ends of the world." The tradesman answered his fear for Nerida fading away with each conversation they had.

"And what happened? You got lost?" Queen Aslaug spoke causing a chuckle of laughter through the Great Hall. Nerida smiled in pity at the Queen, since she could see in her eyes that she had a very pampered life, a life that in the end would mean almost nothing. She had many sons, but Nerida could sense that she loved only one of them; Ivar.

"What gods do you believe in?" A tall skinny man with black around his eyes asked through the crowd, a smile forming on her face as she recognized each word the man said. She was slowly learning their language, observing every word she could hear. She wanted to know their language, she wanted to know more of their way of life, but most importantly, she wanted to know Ivar.

"Zeus." She said simply watching as everyone around her laughed at the existence of Zeus. She was not angry, since most of her anger had been lost killing Christians, Christians who wanted to rid the world of the true Gods.

Nerida took the time to leave the Great Hall, no longer interested in explaining anything to them at that moment. The night air was cold as small snowflakes fell all around her. She had changed into a tight-fitting dress that a lovely woman named Torvi had given her. Her hair was now braided intricately around her head causing a small ache in her temples.

Nerida turned as she heard scuffling behind her, a smile forming on her lips as she saw Ivar quickly crawling towards her. "Why you follow?" She asked the best she could, confused as to why Ivar would choose to leave the warmth of the fire, to join her in the nightly cold air.

"I laid claim to you. I go where you go." He said simply, Nerida's eyes widening as she stepped towards Ivar and kneeled in front of him. Ivar gasped as she punched him across the face, blood pouring down his lip as he looked back at her shocked.

"No one—Claims—me!" She hissed as she stood and walked into the darkness, Ivar breathing deeply as a cocky smirk ran over his face. No woman had ever treated him in that way and for the first time in his life he felt alive. The gods had sent her as a test for him, and he was not going to disappoint them.