^^ The Ballistae ^^

"I don't know whether to be impressed or pissed off anymore." I growled.

Lostway nodded. "I decided a long time ago to simply be amused. Easier that way."

---

I crawled onto Hansen's ship, and grinned at his annoyed glare. "Hey Captain Hansen."

He sighed. "Do whatever you intend on doing. Go. Shoo."

I laughed and jogged towards the prow, where I'd stored a large set of parts. I pulled them out, and began building a Ballistae, a Roman Invention.

This one had the power to hurtle javelins almost 500 yards, at full Draw. It also could fire arrows slicked in oil, with oil bottles attached to them, though those only flew around 300 yards.

I cranked back the ropes, drawing the giant Bow, and placed one of my arrows in it. It was way too small, but to my surprise, it fit.

When the island came into sight, I grinned wider, a savage grin, feeling my fangs come out of my gums even further with my excitement and agitation.

The monastery was only 200 yards from the cover of the woods, from the maps that Lostway and Laga had shown us, so if I could get this close enough, I could destroy the gates and rain fire down on the Monastery after we've sacked it.

I unloaded it, and separated it into two parts, the bow and stand, and tied them together, slipping them onto my back next to my quiver. It was big and bulky, even to me, but I didn't mind. I slung the quiver of oil javelins and regular javelins over my shoulder as well, and looked at Hansen. "Make land? Or go ashore in the Row Boats?" I hollered to him across the ship.

"There's a Dock." He hollered back, and guided us into it. Several men hopped out and tied it off, so I grinned and raced down the gangplank, catching up with Bryn and her warband, who had simply landed like a normal Viking vessel.

I grinned. "This is so exciting! Okay, I have a Ballistae to burn the monastery down after we're done pillaging, so there's that... anything you need from me?" I asked happily.

She slowly looked at me, her eyes Ice. "Stay Alive. And stay out of our way, if you're not prepared." She said simply, and then looked back at the beach, scanning for scouts, it looked like.

I spotted an older man fetching water from a stream, and silently darted behind him, then covered his mouth, pulling him towards Bryn.

She smirked. "Ahh. Caught one. What's your name, old man?" She asked in Saxon.

He gasped for air. "Donavon... please, don't kill me!"

"We don't want to kill you. I'm actually rather offended by the notion!! Do we look so savage?! Hmph. We're here to find Father Marcus. We are going to take him to speak to Lord Einhur, who has contracted us to seek him out. We have searched quite a while, so my comrades are very anxious to fulfill the contract, lest our employer become... impatient, and lose faith in us." I said smoothly.

He blinked. "Father Marcus? He's at Prayer, as always, it's Wednesday, after all. I apologize for my assumption, I will attempt to be less rude. Judgment is, after all, not in my hands. Forgive me." He bowed his head, repentant.

"You are forgiven, brother Donavon. Truly. Now if you would lead me and my companion to Father Marcus? It is urgent that we speak with him now. If he will not go with us, perhaps he will give a message for our Lord." I nodded, smiling.

He grinned happily. "Such poise! You are very close to the most well-mannered woman I've ever had the pleasure of meeting! Ha! Yes, I will do this. I must fetch water, first, however."

I nodded. "Of course, Brother. Would you like assistance? I am very strong, it would be done quickly."

He bowed his shaved head. "Why thank you."

I nodded and dipped his barrel in the river gently, filling it, capping it, and setting it on my shoulder. "Is that it?"

He nodded, smiling. "Indeed. Let us go, then."

I winked at Hansen and the rest of the two crews, and walked behind him, silently handing them the ballistae pieces.

We approached the monastery soon enough, and I viewed with my trained eye the Vikings taking positions around it in the tree coverage.

It was very large, by Viking Standards, about the size of a large village, but small, for an English Castle.

We reached the gates, and were challenged by two men with gleaming pikes and helms. Brother Donavon talked us through, and I smirked down at one of the men, making him flinch.

We walked through the small city, and Bryn nudged me. There were four patrols of eight enemy soldiers, contrary to our reports.

Brother Donavon noticed. "Ahh. Yes. We voiced dissent about Soldiers entering this holy place, but the King of Sussex demanded it to be so, for our protection. After the Tragedy of Lindasfarne, he wished no more deaths for his Priests and Men of God."

I nodded. "A most wise solution. Do not fear. Our crew is one of great poise, when allowed breath that is not tainted with Salt." I smiled at my small quip.

He chuckled. "Oh I'm sure. I saw that larger Vessel. A proper English vessel, that. Ah! Father Marcus! Here you are! These two women bring news to you specifically, from very far away, they claim. They have shown great dignity and poise, despite their clothing and company." He said softly in a grey haired mans ears, but I caught it.

The younger man nodded. "Thank you, Brother Donavon. Yes, I was expecting a courier from My Lord, but this is rather... well, the Lord works in Mysterious Ways, and so do Kings, I suppose. Come, this way." He smiled at me and Bryn, and gestured into a simple building with three large windows.

I nodded and ducked under the doorframe. He blinked, sitting at a desk and picking up a quill. "I thought your height was a trick of my lack of depth perception... but it is not so! Marvelous! Well. What did the King wish to ask of me?"

I smiled and sat on his desk next to him. "The King didn't send us. He doesn't even know we exist. Lord Einhur Sent us, to take you back to his holdings. Hopefully you go willingly, but if not, I suppose I might be able to make a letter work, but I'd rather not take that risk with my employer, you understand...?"

He blinked and leaned back. "Einhur?... not a name I Recognize... ah!! From Wessex?"

"Northumbria, actually. He resides over Lindasfarne?" I corrected.

"Ahhh. Yes. My mistake... what did he wish of me?" He asked.

I shook my head. "I was only informed he wished your presence, and would not accept anything less than your perfectly healthy questing to him."

He nodded. "Yes, as is the way with Lords. Always with Ultimatums... I cannot abandon my duties here, but I also cannot simply ignore him... I suppose a Brother, such as Donavan, can hold down the fort for a few months while I answer the summons... yes. I will go. Allow me just a moment to write up a letter to Donavan, I'm aware time is of the essence..."

He scribbled down a letter that read 'I'm
Sorry, Brother Donavan, I have Duties to attend to, please take care of the Monastery and Island, I'm sure you'll do fine! Father Marcus Aurelius.'

I smiled. "Very good. You'll not need much for the journey, Father Marcus, as it will be swift as the wind. Let us depart."

We walked out of the monastery, just like that, and once we were in the tree-line, I simply punched the back of his head, and tossed him into the ship, with a guard.

We returned to the gates, and I sighed exasperatedly for the guards. "Sorry, about this, I'm aware it's annoying to open the gate so much. Father Marcus left his Bible, the forgetful man, and demanded I retrieve it. Might you open the gates for me? Just for a moment." I leaned against the gates, huffing for breath, and let my shirt unlace a bit, my breasts shaking as they were given room to move.

They blushed, and one opened the gate while the other attempted bravado. "Yeah, he always forgets things. I think God placed him here to test us all, namely our patience, am I right?" He grinned.

I smiled and giggled. "I know what you mean..." I slipped by him, and walked to the other side, entering the small gatehouse. I called out to him. "I'm free for a spot of fun now, if you're interested..."

He set his pike against the wall, and came in, loosening his belt. "Always for a lovely la-"

I slit his throat, and directed the spray away from me. I walked out of the gatehouse after opening the gates, and then killed the second guard, dragging him inside.

I looked at Bryn. "Am I doing well?"

"Exceedingly. Keep it up. But do cover your tits, my blood is too hot to ignore you." She grinned, and turned to the woods when I complied, waving a hand.

Vikings came out of the Woodworks, silently scaling the walls and pouring through the open gate, and began methodically dispatching everyone in the monastery one way or another, knocking most out.

The soldiers finally reacted, and I leapt into a small group of four, swinging my axe with all my might.

Three heads flew, and the fourth was impaled upon my axe so deeply it stuck. I smashed it into the next target, and it exploded, allowing me free range again.

I looked to find Bryn, and grinned. She was standing above the corpses of four of her own, holding a fifth by his broken neck.

We cleared through the monastery, and found several treasure rooms, but found no females, paradoxically. All the prisoners were male.

Hansen took his pick, taking fifty of the stronger ones, and tying the rest to a giant pile of tinder, made of their smashed pews from the churches. I saved all the books, at least one of each that I could see, and filled five large crates with them. I looked at Hansen. "These are my Loot. Just the books."

He nodded. "Understood. Boys, take it all back to the ships. Hurry up!" He barked, and the crews started hauling the gold, Silver, and crates of books, rugs, furs, Paintings, and anything else they had viewed as valuable, (including the slaves, all connected in lines.)

I looked at the men and boys tied up in a giant funeral pyre. "Now. I'm sure you're all confused, and I'm a benevolent woman. I'll answer any questions you have. But first, would any of you like to fight for your freedom?"

Ten of the thirty had brave souls, apparently, and called out, asking to prove themselves worthy of life. I released them one by one, and handed them a dagger. "Alright. Come on." I nodded, gesturing to my chest.

---

After killing the ten Brave ones and throwing their bodies amongst their comrades, I poured oil over them all, then started smashing casks of oil they had in their stores, and pouring them along the foundations of every building.

I was very methodical about my destruction of this place. Once that was done, I made a trail to the gate, and handed a torch to Hansen. "Would you like to do it?" I asked.

He snatched the flame, and grinned. "By the Gods, yes, yes indeed I would!" He gleefully slammed the embers into the oil, and it traced to the Priests in a mere moment, then spread to the buildings.

My ballistae was fired, the lances of fire slamming into the buildings, and burning them from the top down, as the bottom also burned up. The mosaic windows were cracked from heat, as fire licked along them, and the Priests screams slowly became silent.

He grinned again. "Definitely worth the winter long wait. Now let's get back to the homeland, hmm?"

---

I sat on the ship, staring at Marcus. "So. I'm going to take one of your eyes. Do you understand?" I raised one of the 'Tears of Ymir'.

He nodded slowly, eyes on the knife. "I... understand."

I nodded. "Good. Then brace yourself." I gently reached behind his eye with the crystal blade and severed the cords behind it. He grunted in pain, but was otherwise silent.

I pulled it out, taking the eye with me, and dropped it into a small jar of honey, sealing it again.

Bryn did the same, taking his other eye, and placing it into a jar of honey, before knocking him out.

"Now that that's done." She cleaned the daggers and sheathed them, returning to the tiller. "Onward..." She grinned.