Viking's Love by Karolyn Cairns

chances of her escaping.
    Several Vikings remained aboard in his
absence guarding the wealth of Lockwraithe in his hold. Having time
alone to think brought back her father’s murder at the hands of
Joran Ivarsson.
    Allisande felt guilty to not feel the intense
grief she should to know her father was dead. She never got along
with her father. His ill-treatment of her mother often caused
bitter arguments between them over the years.
    Harold flaunted his use of the female serfs
in her mother’s face. He was often cruel to his wife. Collin found
cause to step in between them when he would be in one of his rages
and seek to take it out upon Lady Edwina.
    Allisande was ashamed of her father, finding
him vain and weak. Her father wasn’t a soldier, but a man loyal to
his king. She suspected some irregularity with his claim to have
paid a tribute to the Viking leader to protect his lands. She
warned him recently of what would happen should he trust the
Vikings.
    Harold wouldn’t listen to her or Collin. All
those at Lockwraithe paid the price for it in the end. Her family’s
wealth was now in the possession of Joran the Stonehearted. She
frowned when she thought of him.
    Joran made no attempt to touch her. For that,
she was grateful. She was allowed to study him freely in the days
following her capture. She reluctantly allowed he was handsome in a
brutish sort of way.
    He was a large, powerfully built man. His
arms and thighs bulged with taut, corded muscle and power. His
chest was wide and taut with strength. His abdomen was flat and
ridged; not soft and paunchy as so many Englishmen’s were.
    His hair was the color of pale wheat in
midsummer. It fell in waves to his broad shoulders. His rugged
features gave him a distinctly attractive appearance once he shaved
his thick beard off.
    She despised herself for thinking him
attractive. The man was her enemy, not a suitor! He meant her and
her family harm, she reminded herself on more than one occasion. He
would take delight in hurting her to get back at Harold.
    Allisande knew she risked much in defying the
Viking as she did. She managed to avoid rape at his brutal hands,
but for how long? She smiled grimly as she thought of taking her
sword to him should he touch her. That thought cheered her and kept
her spirits up as she sat to await her fate.
    Allisande was realistic of her ability to
fight him off. She hadn’t the strength. She was a few inches over
five feet and no match for the Berserker. Thinking of escape helped
to ease the terror of her situation.
    She knew her circumstance was precarious
after she killed two of Joran’s men in the attack. She heard his
men comment her life was now in Ivar’s hands. Most of the Vikings
agreed she would die by day’s end. She heard them talking out on
the deck after their leader left for his father’s house.
    Allisande faced this new terror with little
fear, hoping for a quick death. Tears filled her gaze to think of
dying so young, but she pushed back her fear. She had the honor her
father lacked to face what was to come.
    Her only consolation was that her mother was
spared this fate. No, she would not beg for her life, only hope God
was merciful and spared her suffering.
    Wulfstan was demanding her death in exchange
for his brother’s demise at her hands. She grimaced as she eyed the
knots at her wrists she’d been working to loosen for hours. She
only succeeded in tightening them. The chafing made her wince in
pain. She looked down at herself and choked back a sob of
despair.
    No one would know she was a powerful baron’s
daughter looking at her now. Her garments were ripped in several
spots and she was filthy. Her hair hung in lank waves to her hips.
She could smell her own body’s stench.
    Allisande always prided herself on
cleanliness. After days of not being allowed to bathe, her spirits
were getting considerably lower. As a result, her temper was
growing short. The clean water they had aboard the ship was for
drinking. The