Past Loves Ch. 06: Burwenn and Hala

As the still vigorously blushing young nun attempted to escape from the soft embrace of the viking woman, she felt Hala stir behind her and murmur a few words in her own foreign tongue. She tightened her grip around her as well, subconsciously pulling Burwenn deeper into the embrace. She was trapped and couldn't escape the stronger woman's hold without waking her, which she was desperately trying to avoid in case she tried to... kiss her again. The memory of the kiss made Burwenn blush even harder if that was at all possible and also stirred something in her stomach that had nothing to do with the growing hunger there.

Eventually Hala began to stir too and opened two bleary eyes to find her young nun captive almost curled into a protective ball in her arms, her arms and legs tucked around herself as if attempting to hide.

'Good morning lille blomst',

she murmured, before finally releasing Burwenn and rolling away off the pile of furs and blankets that had been their bed for the evening. Burwenn uncurled herself and nervously pulled herself into a seating position with her back against the hard stone wall behind her. It was only when she looked up that she realised that Hala was completely naked. There was not a scrap of modesty preserving fabric or fur about her, and she stood brazenly and shamelessly before her with a small smile of amusement on her face.

Burwenn found herself completely paralysed by the sight, knowing that she should look away from the naked form of another person, but at the same time completely transfixed. Her eyes flashed back and forth between Hala's strong, muscular shoulders, her small but round and firm breasts, with their hardened pink nipples in the cold air. Then down to the small patch of blond fluff hiding what lay between her legs, and down to her thick strong legs. Hala was standing in a most unladylike fashion, full of bravado and confident delight at Burwenn's clear discomfort.

'What's the matter darling? You've lived in this house of wenches for long enough, I'd have thought you'd seen plenty of the female form? Or perhaps you've just never seen something quite as glorious as me? Do you like what you see?'

The question snapped Burwenn out of her reverie and she dragged her gaze away, closing them tight shut and attempting to cleanse her mind of the image of the Viking woman from her mind. She repeated to herself a short prayer that had been taught to her to use in times when sinful urges rose within her. And then she realised that surely she shouldn't be having such urges towards another woman?! And then she started repeating the prayer to herself even harder and faster to drive both the image and the sinful thought out of her head.

Hala laughed softly at Burwenn's distress and moved away to find some clothing. She came back a few moments later wearing a loose fitting pair of dark green trousers and a linen shirt. She slumped down on the furs next to Burwenn and placed her hand gently onto her shoulder.

'Hey... Hey, stop please. I'm sorry for startling you and showing you... that. Things are just very different where I come from, but now that we're here things might get a little more relaxed and fun around here too. So you might as well get used to seeing such things, because we're going to be here for a while.'

There was a crunching noise as Hala bit into an apple that she had retrieved from a stash over by the fire, and Burwenn also felt the hard, smooth texture of another pressed gently into her palm.

'What do you mean you'll be staying?' She asked nervously, still not looking up from the floor.

'You're raiders, aren't you going to ransack the countryside? Why stay here?'

'Hah, well thing about that is that with winter on the way we need a place to hold up until campaign season when we can make a move further inland. Plus you nuns here have a lovely defendable abbey here, lots of stores and... good company. So we've decided to hole up here for the winter, make ourselves comfortable, and get to know you lovely English people while we're at it.'

Hala chuckled roguishly and nudged the smaller nun beside her with a friendly smile. Burwenn could feel her eyes on her as she nibbled nervously on her apple,and on one level knew that there was nothing but cruel heathen delight in seeing a woman of God laid so low in that smile. And yet, if this Viking woman had wanted to kill her or enslave her somehow, then why was she being so friendly? She could have taken whatever she wanted from the young nun. Burwenn's mind both failed to imagine, and at the same time, rebelled against what Hala might want from her. Surely she was just trying to make her feel comfortable so that her inevitable betrayal would be all the more heinous? Surely this strange powerful woman from across the sea did not, could not desire her?!

Burwenn was so lost in her own thoughts and confused musings that she did not even notice that Hala's hand had found it's way down to rest gently on her upper thigh. It was covered of course by a thick layer of dark grey wool and linen underskirts, but still the pressure of another person's hand on her sent tingling shockwaves up and down Burwenn's leg as soon as she realised. She looked up at the confident blond haired woman beside her in shock and not a little fear. Hala was looking at her with intense, possessive eyes that scared and intrigued Burwenn in equal measure.

Slowly Hala began to stroke her hand up and down the young nun's leg, a tender gesture of care, rather than the rough rushed grabbing of her male brethren. A flutter of anxiety and maybe excitement rushed through Burwenn's chest. What did this mean? Was Hala going to do to her what the man yesterday had tried to do? How would that even work? Such questions were immediately forced from Burwenn's mind as Hala leaned close once more and her mind was suddenly overcome with the heady scent of the other woman's hair, the feel of her heat and then the sweet taste of apple on her lips as Hala planted another strong, willful kiss on her lips.

But this time, Burwenn did not freeze completely in shock like she had before. She found herself strangely transfixed by Hala, by this moment. She knew that what she was doing was a terrible sinful act, abominable by God and all his ministers. But if that were true then how had God abandoned her to this fate? To be the plaything of this beautiful but debauched Viking warrior? And why did it feel so good to be kissed by her?

But then there was a clatter at the door and the sound of Hala's companions returning to the open Chapel hall broke the silence, and the kiss. Burwenn came back to herself and recoiled quickly, the moment of tender touch suddenly gone and replaced by overwhelming terrible shame and revulsion at what she had done, had allowed to be done to her. Hala simply looked annoyed and frustrated that she had been so rudely interrupted. She said softly,

'Don't worry, like I said, you're with me and none of these louts will touch you or they'll have to deal with me. But I've got to go for now. So stay here and keep safe, lots of bad men about in the country right now and I don't want you falling into rougher hands than mine understand?'

Burwenn merely nodded in submissive shock, knowing that whatever this woman Hala had in store for her, that it probably could not be worse than what her male companions might want from her.

Hala got to her feet and walked over to where her two companions were waiting, then followed them out of the chapel. Burwenn was left alone at last and, at last with nobody else around to see her, she allowed herself to burst into tears. Tears for herself and the life she had led, now lost and destroyed. Tears for her sisters, captured or dead or worse at the hands of these invaders. And tears for the future, what would happen to her now? Was she to become some Viking Warrioress's personal slave, a derogatory symbol of her lowly status at the feet of these loathesome heathens.

But try as she might to hate the Vikings for what they had done to her and her sisters, Burwenn found herself unable to direct the same vehemence and hatred towards Hala. The woman had been kind to her so far, saved her even from a worse fate. Maybe she could be a saviour of sorts, a protector at least. Whatever happened next, she knew that her best chances of survival lay with that woman and her strange, undeniable attraction.

Even remembering the brief kiss that they had shared just moments ago was enough to make Burwenn flush again, and then shudder in shame and embarrassment at her sinful thoughts. God did not allow such relations between two women, or between two men. That was why he had made two kinds of people, that was the way that it was supposed to be, how her teachers had always taught her the world was designed to be.

But lying there alone and afraid in the empty ruins of her chapel home, Burwenn could not stop her mind returning to the feel of Hala's warm strong hand on her thigh, the scent of her hair and the soft touch of her lips. She tried to force such feelings out, to pray and focus her mind on the words of God that all the young nuns in the nunnery had memorised. But the intrusive thoughts always found a way back in, and she was hot and flushed and frustrated in ways that she had rarely been, or allowed herself to be before.

The human closeness of her brief interaction with Hala were more than she had had for more than a decade, since she had been a child. And now that the gift of human contact had been granted to her, her body yearned for the touch of Hala again, a siren song of heathen delight that her touch-starved body could not deny.

She was hot and frustrated, and so she finally loosened the ties which kept the pale grey nun's veil and wimple over her head. She let it fall to the side, and in a way she felt part of her life attached to it fall away, the nunnery was gone, now merely a wintering barracks for these foreign invaders. There was now no cleric or pastor to chastise her for not showing the correct humility. With her head-clothing removed, the short-cut brown fuzz of hair atop her head was finally able to breathe in the chill air of the chapel and she ran her hands through its short tufts with relief.

Next she reached up and pulled the scapula, the large woollen piece of cloth which covered her shoulders, off over her head which again allowed the heat which was rising in her to escape from her neck and now exposed cleavage. Burwenna had worn these items of clothing every day for so long that she had never realised how much they stifled her in the summer and itched horribly around the neck. Her soft pale skin goose-pimpled slightly at the touch of the air, and Burwenn even giggled a little at the thought of one of the Matrons walking in now and seeing her in such a state of undress. She would have been wearing a hair-shirt for a week for showing so much skin.

At long last the heat, was it panic or arousal, began to fade and Burwenn was able to pull herself to her feet at last. She left her wimple, scapula and veil where she had discarded them and set about trying to put the chapel into some form of order.

- - -

The young nun, now maybe nun no more? Spent her day attempting to make the chapel appear a little more as it had once done. She left all of the Viking's clothes, gear and provisions where they were, not wanting to incur their wrath. But she righted the shrine at the head of the room, and rooted around for the holy relics to place back on it. The nunnery may be gone and all the nuns with it, but that didn't mean that she wasn't still a woman of God, respects had to be paid. Most of the precious items had been removed, all the silver and gold and even some of the bronze and iron relics that the nunnery and collected. But eventually she found a simple wooden cross and a small clay model of the Lady St Mary hiding discarded under an upturned bench. She placed these back on the altar and spent some time praying before them.

But this time, she relaxed, let go of the burning shame-filled sins that she had committed, the pleas for mercy and deliverance. She merely spoke, as if to a friend and let go of her fear.

- - -

Hala returned late into the evening along with her warrior brethren. Burwenn had tried to make herself useful and had lit the fire in the centre of the chapel, burning some of the old benches that the vikings had broken. And she had lit as many candles as she could find littered about. The Shield Maiden warrior smiled with a look of pleasant surprise when she walked into the chapel, and her brothers in arms looked on with jealousy at the simple-clad figure of Burwenn who knelt still in front of the altar, her hands together in prayer. Hala winked at her companions silently before heading over to her captive nun, who was pretending to ignore her.

In reality Burwenn's body was filled with fear and anticipation of the viking woman's return. She knew that whatever happened next would be very much beyond her or even God's control. She was in the land of the heathens now. Her anxiety had spiked the moment she had heard their heavy footsteps approaching up the nunnery path, then she had nearly jumped in shock as she heard the door open. Now she knelt with quivering skin waiting for the touch that she knew was coming.

At long last, as she heard footsteps approaching across the silent chapel, Burwenn felt the gentle pressure of Hala's hand on her right shoulder, she tried desperately not to flinch at the touch, but Hala clearly noticed the tension in her and pulled back respectfully.

'Good evening my lille blomst',

The deep but feminine voice of Hala said in a whisper so as not to disturb the quiet of the hall.

'Your hair looks nice without that silly rag covering it, why don't more of your people show the hair that the gods gave them more proudly? Such a pretty thing like you shouldn't be hidden away from the light of the sun.'

Burwenn felt Hala sit down next to her, but pretended to keep on praying, her eyes closed with her head turned up towards her simple altar. She could feel the warmth of Hala beside her, and detected the faint smell of her sweat and clothing. She shuddered involuntarily as more goose-bumps passed over her skin.

'I've found a nice little room nearby that I've claimed as a bedroom,' Hala continued, 'You nuns aren't much for luxury but I think that I've added enough comforts that I can make a nice bed there for the evening. It's cold in here. If you want to keep warm then you can either stay here by the fire with my friends, or come find me, we'll keep each other warm im sure.'

And with that, Hala slunk off from beside where Burwenn knelt and she heard her footsteps disappearing off into the dark corridors of the nunnery, leaving her alone in a room with fifteen or so large burly men. For a moment there was silence, and then one of the men called out something to the praying nun in his heathen tongue. Obviously Burwenn didn't understand a word of it, but the intent was clear. Quickly she stood up, gathered her long tunic around her and followed the direction of the footsteps. Another call followed her out, it's jeering manner making her very glad that she had chosen this path.

She was only just out of the chapel and into the small corridor which linked it with the nun's quarters nearby, when a hand grasped her strongly by the wrist and another pressed her firmly against a wall. She tried to scream out but in that moment she felt the now familiar touch of Hala's mouth on hers as the woman planted a firm passionate kiss on her lips, stifling her cry of alarm. Burwenn felt nothing but relief and gratitude in that moment and allowed herself to melt gratefully into the kiss, even reaching up and placing her hand gently on Hala's hip.

The viking woman broke the kiss and even in the dark, Burwenn could see the smile which broke her handsome face.

'I'm glad you decided to join me søde, follow me.'

Hala held Burwenn's hand and led her gently down the corridor to a small dark chamber that had once been the home of two of Burwenn's sisters. The beds had been little more than wooden pallets on either wall, but now they had been pushed together and covered in various furs, torn down tapestries and blankets to make a welcoming and comfortable bed for the viking warrior. A single shaft of moonlight glinted through the small window and illuminated the spot where Hala now sat, framing her in a silvery halo of light. The soft moonlight in her long blond hair made her look almost, angelic, a saviour to be sure.

Without a thought of regret or shame, Burwenn followed her into the room and sat down beside her new companion, her rescuer and captor. And once again their eyes met in the low light, Burwenns, dark and brown, to match her short, soft hair and Hala's light and blue and intense, like gems. She leaned forward for another kiss on the other woman's lips, and felt another tremor of fear and delight run down her spine, melting into the warm embrace of the woman who had saved and ensnared her.

Gently, piece by piece the couple removed Hala's cumbersome clothing, the long lengths of cording which held up her heavy boots, the even heavier chain-mail shirt, the thick woollen tunic and trousers. Burwenn had never seen another woman wear trousers, and the way that they clung to and revealed the shape of Hala's legs and hips was strangely pleasing to the eye. Finally the warrior stood naked in the shaft of moonlight before the nun. Burwenn marvelled at the muscular strength of her limbs and torso, the way that her skin moved and reflected the light as she gently swayed from side to side. There was not an ounce of fat on her, she was a creature of pure muscle and sinew, her hands strong and powerful, which now reached forward to run their fingers gently through the nun's hair.

Burwenn marvelled at how Hala's hands could have such power and roughness, but such tenderness and dexterity as well. She smiled and bit her lip slightly as those hands ran down to the nape of her neck and gently tugged at the meagre threads of hair on her head.

'I knew you'd warm up to me eventually my little søde' Hala rumbled with a smile,

She was now standing before Burwenn, close enough to that her small pert breasts were at the perfect height for the young nun to lean forward and gently lick. Burwen desperately wanted to, wanted to taste those hard, rounded nipples on her tongue and to feel the other woman's body against her own. But something still held her back, as much as she had tried to let go, a part of her still screamed that this was a sin, a heinous act damning her to hell for all eternity. Hala could sense the hesitation in her new conquest's eyes, and so she cupped her head gently with her palm and guided it forwards until her lips finally met her left nipple.

All of the resistance that Burwenn had felt was instantly dismissed as she nibbled hungry on the pert, ripe nub. The voices that had screamed in her head were banished and silenced as she reached up to scrape her nails down Hala's back, provoking a cry of pleasure and pain from the viking woman.

Needing no further provocation, Hala firmly pressed Burwenn back down onto the furs behind her, and with surprising strength and ferocity tore the simple woollen tunic that had been the young nun's last remaining modesty away with one swift ripping motion. Burwenn was shocked and thoroughly excited by this display of power and revelled at the feeling of the cool night air on her exposed skin while Hala now knelt on the bed between her open legs. She felt the shackles of shame fall away as she submitted to a new life as Hala's personal whore and she loved every second of it.

Hala looked down upon her once chaste and shy nun with a smile. Years of meagre diet but hard work had given Burwenn a lithe and slim body. She had very few curves to speak of, with the merest hint of breasts now standing proud in the cool moonlight, and her long legs were as pale and shapely as birch branches. But what drew Hala's attention most of all was the tiny patch of soft brown hair that lay exposed now at the crux of those legs and Burwenn squirmed in impotent anticipation of what might come next.