Stay

As he spoke, Honnah and two other women came to me and led me away from Olin who smiled at me encouragingly as they led me to a side room. Eliza was already there and they were undressing her and putting her in a tub of steaming water. There was a second tub next to it and they started pulling my dress off. The water was hot enough that I hissed in a breath as they eased me into it, then began scrubbing me down and rinsing my hair. They chattered with each other and sometimes at me, stroking my hair and looking me over. I looked over at Eliza and the women with her were more quiet, only talking with each other as they worked.

They finally pulled me out and dried me off, but I had to stand as they rubbed oils into my skin all over and even into my hair, still fussing over the curls and the color. It made me wonder if they had ever seen red hair before the way they kept messing with it.

Finally, they pulled a long, white gown onto me. It was thick wool and actually soft and not itchy. They fitted a little laced up leather vest over my arms and the dress, cinching the loose dress tight around my waist, all the way from my hips to right under my breasts. They pulled woolen stockings on me and supple leather boots, then stood back and looked me over, smiling.

"What about underclothes?" I asked nervously.

They looked at me curiously, then pulled me back out front with the others.

Olin stood when I came out and his smile brightened his face. He closed the distance and took my arm, leading me to sit next to him on a bench seat near his father who was still talking. I noticed Eliza across from me, the younger brother, Badric? Next to her and looking at her with wide and adoring eyes. She looked like she was coming out of her haze as she looked around in confusion.

Jenal was brought out, dressed like the other men in leather pants and a woolen shirt dyed a dark brown like his eyes. Olins shirt was dark blue, like his eyes, and I wondered if that was a custom as I looked around. All of the mens shirts were either blue or green except for Jenal's. I noticed then that Eliza's vest was also blue and not brown like mine. Like her eyes. Like my eyes.

I peeked at Olin and he was looking down at my chest, his eyes appreciating what they were seeing. I hugged myself and he reached around me and put a hand on my hip as he grinned.

I sat there for an eternity looking around as Handir talked, then finally said something and Olin was talking, answering questions and laughing. He stood and pulled me up, turning me to display me as the onlookers cheered and shouted. He stood talking, holding me in front of him and against him, one hand over my shoulder and pressed to my sternum to hold me in place as he gestured with his other hand. When he wasn't gesturing, his other hand rested on my shoulder.

My eyes met Janel's and he was glowering at me. We had been friends for years and when Eliza had started trying to catch his interest, he had shunned her completely. Two weeks ago he had come to me and asked me if he could walk with me to the beach to talk. I had put him off, promising him soon, but avoiding him because I knew what he wanted to say. Then the invaders came.

Now it was too late and Olin stood there in front of him with his hands on me as if taunting him. I looked away sadly, wishing I had said yes. I had known it would be Janel some day, I had only wanted to put it off a bit longer before getting married and starting a family. I wiped away my tears and looked over at Eliza. She was watching Badric as he spoke to her, leaning close to her. She looked in shock, but not upset.

Olin finally sat down with me as his father began talking again, but moments later, he was pulling me up again as everyone got up to head out of the huge house. Olin led me to a large hall full of tables and three huge fireplaces where food was being prepared. Olin sat me at a bench next to him and his brother sat Eliza next to me as he sat with her. She looked at me, still in shock. She looked past me at Olin, then back at Badric. She turned back to me. "How did you get the handsome one?" she asked almost angrily.

I blushed and looked down, but didn't let her goad me. "He got to choose last, you were already taken," I said with a shrug.

That seemed to make her feel better, but she was still sullen as she sat there. Janel and the monk sat across from us and soon Mavrin and Kole as well. They were putting us all together at the table, near the monk.

"What is your name?" I asked him.

"Linus," he answered, "though most call me brother. While we are here you may all call me Linus. We can start your lessons now. We can start with 'food'."

He began telling us words for everything around us and it was all a bit overwhelming as I tried to commit the words to memory. "Stop!" I finally said, shaking my head. "It's too much. Just a few at a time and let us all use them a bit or it will all just jumble together."

Olin leaned close to me and spoke.

"He is asking why you are upset."

"I'm not... it's all just... overwhelming is all."

Linus spoke to Olin and Olin stroked my hair back as he turned my face to his and spoke softly.

"He said not to worry, he will take good care of you."

I blushed and saw Jenal shift next to Linus.

Badric began talking to Linus and Linus spoke to Eliza. "Badric also says he will take good care of you and... hopes to give you many children."

"You said..." I began, but Linus cut me off.

"I think he misunderstood the gift. He thinks it is forever and not just a year. I will speak to Handir when he is not... otherwise engaged."

Eliza broke down sobbing and Badric spoke quickly to Linus, who spoke back to him just as quickly. "I told him you were missing home and you were feeling overwrought and tired. I will straighten this out, but for now I will make sure you get the tea along with the other girls. Don't say anything."

I put my arm around her shoulder and she let me, hiding her face behind her hands as she leaned down and cried on my shoulder. Badric tried to console her, but she shrugged off his hands almost violently, making a scene. Soon everyone was going quiet and looking at her and Handir asked Linus what was happening.

Linus spoke quickly, trying to play it off, but Handir stood, his face looking angry as he watched Eliza break down completely. He yelled something and I shook Eliza. "Liza, you have to settle down! Don't make them angry, it's ok. We will fix it."

Olin nudged me, handing me the small leather flask and I immediately held it to her lips. She took a drink and in seconds she calmed down and went still. Badric pulled her away from me and held her on his own shoulder, petting her face and hugging her against him.

I turned and looked at Olin, handing him the flask with a mumbled 'thank you'. He patted my leg and gave me a small smile. I felt my own unease rising up, afraid of what was going to happen after this feast when the men were done talking and drinking.

After an hour, the fear began wearing off. After two, I was tired and bored. After three, I was falling asleep at the table. Linus was still talking at us, but I wasn't listening. Every few minutes, a cheer would jerk me awake and the voices and laughter got louder and louder. Still, I was nodding off constantly until hands on my arms pulled me up.

I gasped, looking around, disoriented as the two women led me around the table, holding my hair out so everyone could look at it and feel it. I let out a cry of fear when one of the men pulled my hair hard enough to make me stumble. There was laughter as another man grabbed another handful and tugged, making me stumble towards him.

Olin was there suddenly, speaking angrily to the men and the women as he took my arms and pulled me back against him.

The women chided him, but he yelled back, still angry as he pulled me around behind him. There was some nervous laughter, but Handir stood and came closer, saying something sternly. The women dropped their eyes and the men looked away, then Handir put his hand on Olin's shoulder. Olin turned and the two men put their heads against each others as they closed their eyes and clasped shoulders.

I watched for a moment, a little in awe until they released each other and Olin turned to me. He pulled me out of the building and into the night, leading me along the lighted path to the giant house. I faltered as we went in and he led me to a side room, pulling back on his hold on my wrist. He looked at me a moment, then tugged harder, pulling me into the room. There was a low bed under canvas curtains and I pulled harder, trying to get free of his grip. He closed the canvas flap on the door and let me go as he stood between me and the door. His smile was meant to be soothing as he moved closer, but I shook my head and backed away. He followed, his hands open, his smile calm, but it only made me more afraid. He was backing me to the wall and I tried to dart around him, but he was fast. Ridiculously fast for his size. He caught my arm and spun me, holding me tight to him with his hands holding my wrists and my arms crossed in front of me. He put my wrists in one hand and untied the laces on the little vest, loosening it, then opening it.

"I don't want this!" I told him, shaking my head as he lifted me enough to carry me to the bed.

He pulled the dress up and off, over my head and I cried out again, trying to push him away. He turned suddenly, away from me and pointed at the wall. I looked and there was a light, linen nightgown hanging on a low peg. I hurried to it and grabbed it, yanking it on. He took my dress to the peg and hung it, not turning until I was covered. He turned and set me on the bed and knelt, pulling off my boots and the stockings and setting them off by the dress before he stood and started pulling off his own clothes. Even when his shirt was over his head, he still managed to snatch my arm as I tried to run past. He was laughing as he tossed me back to the bed and finished undressing. I turned away, feeling cornered and helpless. He took my arm from behind, gently, and pulled me to the bed as he got in. I stayed turned away from him, going stiff and closing my eyes, as if not seeing him would make him go away. He shifted and blew out the light, then laid down next to me and pulled me in close to him. He spoke, something low and quiet, whispering. It seemed like another story, something calming, soothing. I listened to him talk for an eternity, then jerked awake to a loud noise.

Olin caught my shoulder as I started to sit up, making me stay laid down as he raised up and looked down at me. He spoke softly and I heard the noise again. A banging of metal on metal.

"What is that?" I whispered, looking at the light outlining the canvas flap on the door.

Olin whispered to me as he laid back down and pulled me close, pulling the blankets tight around both of us.

The banging came again and I tried to sit up again. Olin chuckled and got up, going to the flap and pulling it open. He motioned me to come look, but all I saw when the light shone in was that he wasn't wearing a single stitch of clothes. I looked away, my mouth an 'O' of shock. The bang came again and I got up, moving to the flap without looking in his direction and peeked out. There were four women near the huge fire pit, lifting huge pots and kettles and setting them on a huge grate, making the grate clang and the pots bang as they moved things and lifted.

"Is it morning?" I asked, turning to try and see outside. There was light around the door to the huge house. It was morning. I felt like I hadn't slept at all.

Olin took my shoulder and led me back to bed as the flap fell shut, but I could not go back to sleep. Instead, I slipped out of bed and went out to watch the women working. I had never seen cooking done this way and I was curious. They immediately handed me a big tray of some sort of tuber and a knife, then she showed me how to peel the tuber. I sat peeling and watching them cook all morning until Honnah came out. She blinked at me, then quickly took the knife from me and pulled me into Olin's room. She yanked my dress down and shook it at me, whispering fiercely.

I nodded and took the dress. "I won't go out there without it again," I promised, though I didn't see what difference it made. The gown showed less than the dress, not hugging my body the same. I glanced at Olin, but he was still asleep as I got dressed and went back out there. I went back to peeling and watching the women until Linus came out with Jenal. Apparently they were sharing a room. Jenal sat down near me and Linus moved close and began droning on again about what the women were doing and what the words were for everything.

"You ok?" Jenal asked quietly.

"Yeah."

"He seemed upset when he took you out of there last night."

"Not at me. He just brought me back here and we went to sleep. That's all."

"Nothing else?"

"No, nothing else."

"The other boy, I heard him with Eliza last night. He had her."

"Did she sound ok?"

"She didn't sound like anything, she was quiet."

Linus leaned closer. "Not that it is something to speak of," he said primly, "but she was not upset and the things he was saying to her were not indicative of her distress in any way. On the contrary, from his words, she was actively participating."

"After she started coming too last night, from whatever it was you gave her, he started giving her whatever they were drinking. That honey wine," Jenal said softly.

"Mead," Linus corrected.

"Mead. She was drinking it until she could hardly sit up."

"We will all do as we must," I said quietly as Olin came out of his room. He grinned at me and came out and pressed his head to mine as he held my face in a massive hand. I stayed still, feeling awkward, but turned away from him as soon as he let me go.

"He seems different than the others," Jenal said softly, his eyes on Olin. "Like... he likes you."

"He picked me to come be his captive for a year, so he must have liked something about me."

"No... I mean like he is going to want you to stay here."

"They all think her red hair is some omen," Linus said. "Honnah was speaking of flame haired grandchildren blessing their line and Hendal of how lucky it was that Olin thought to take a second look at you despite how short you were. He said he would be a grandfather before the year was up."

"So they mean to keep me?" I asked Linus fearfully.

"He means to make you want to stay," Linus answered.

"I don't. I want to go home! There... is a boy there. He asked after me and I shouldn't have put him off, but I did," I said, blushing and not looking at Jenal.

"He will likely wait for you," Jenal said slowly, his hands closing into loose fists like he did when he was nervous. He wasn't sure I was talking about him.

"I hope he will. He has been my constant friend since we were small. I wanted to finish the year with no responsibilities before tying myself down and starting a family. There was never any doubt that it would be him, though. Not one."

"He... would be gratified to know that. It probably makes the situation you are in now twice as hard for both of you."

Linus looked back and forth between us, then leaned close. "If the boy Olin does like you so much, and his family is set on seeing you together, I wouldn't look twice at any of the other captives unless you want to see his head decorating a ship mast. None of them would look kindly on it. Focus on the task at hand and hold off on the moon eyes until you are back on your home shores."

I blushed and looked down at my task with a will.

Jenal leaned closer. "Nothing that happens here will matter, nothing at all. I know it is not in your control."

I gave a slight nod, my face burning with shame as tears welled in my eyes from it.

"I mean it!" Linus hissed. "Don't even look at each other! That is not done here, taking what is considered another mans, even if it is just her heart! The boy wants it, if he thinks you have it, he will carve yours out!"

"We understand," I said quickly, passing the bowl of peeled tubers to one of the women. She handed me a plate of some sort of pepper and showed me she wanted it diced small. I began dicing and we were all solemn and quiet until Eliza came out with Badric. She was smiling at him shyly and he was grinning broadly as he led her to the table. Soon after, the others began coming in as well, gathering at the table, looking sleepy and a little shaken. Jenal and Linus joined them, but I stayed and finished dicing the peppers before I joined them. Handir came out and pulled Honnah up from her chair and what looked like weaving and kissed her passionately, both of them laughing as he let her go and touching each other's faces affectionately.

More people came out of rooms, or into the large house, gathering at the large table as the women cooked and talked. Olin finally came out and he grinned at me as he came and sat on the bench next to me, straddling it with a leg on either side of me. He pulled me close, turning my face up to his and leaning in to press his lips to mine. I froze, wanting to pull away but not daring to as he held me there, his lips on mine. He finally released me, then touched my face like his parents had and I felt my face heating all over again with how unsure I was. Was I supposed to do it back? Did I want to? No. I turned my face away from his hand and looked down and he chuckled and petted my hair as he looked around the table. Linus abruptly went back to 'teaching us'.

Olin spoke to his brother and they talked back and forth and I watched Linus's face turn red as the two spoke. The room got loud enough that no one could be heard across the tables as food was set out in front of us. Olin decided he was going to feed me this morning, holding both of my hands in one of his as he used the other to feed me and him both. It was humiliating as he pushed food into my mouth with his thumb, running it over my lips as his eyes shone. I was miserable, but he seemed to think it was a fun game. I couldn't look at anyone, but I wondered if the others had to undergo similar tortures.

Olin started leaning in and kissing my lips between bites, wiping away my tears with his sleeves, smiling at me and speaking softly to me. When most everyone had left or been led away, he finally let my hands go and stood, speaking across the table to Linus.

"He says he has to go and train but will return here for midmeal."

I gave a small nod and he leaned down to pull my face up in another kiss before he left. I looked around, a little lost.

"What do I do?" I asked Linus.

He looked over his shoulder at Honnah who was weaving again, then at the women who were cleaning up breakfast, then back at me and shrugged. "I don't think it really matters so long as you are back here when he returns."

I got up and helped with the cleaning and the women smiled at me. Linus sat near me and translated the things they were saying and tried to teach me more words. Cleanup transitioned into making another meal and it was more peeling and cutting as I sat and listened to Linus talk about where he was from and being chosen to spread his faith. I didn't tell him that I thought maybe his singular male god might be too busy to be paying attention to him since he had had no end of troubles since he left his monastery to spread the word.

Olin came in with another man before lunch, they were both laughing and he led the man to me and pulled me from my chair to stand and the man smiled and nodded appreciatively.

"This is his friend Gustan, he wasn't here yesterday because he was out on a hunt," Linus told me as Olin spoke to him.

I gave Gustan a tight smile and he clapped Olin on the back, then reached out and took hold of my hair, pulling a handful of it close enough to see and feel up close. I was almost ready to cut all of my hair off. He asked Olin a question and Olin answered, laughing, then took hold of my face and leaned down to kiss me. I caught his wrists as he pressed more firmly, holding me more tightly and I knew he was doing it for his friend. I did not try to pull away, but I went stiff all over and pressed my lips together tightly as he tried to force my mouth open with his. His firm hands forced me to comply and I let out a small wail of fear as his mouth invaded mine, not understanding what it was he was doing or what he wanted.