She wouldn't be alive if she hadn't done what she had done. In fact, Ragnar, in truth, should have endeavoured to make an example of her. He should have listened to his men and nailed her to the side of the building. He should have had her drown, burned; yet here she was chained and bound in his ship, on the way back to Kattegat.

When they had entered the building filled with those that worshipped the Christian god, on their latest trip to England; Ragnar and the others had expected no fight back. The corridor filled with terrified shouts and screams, as the Vikings had attacked. Yet there had been one........one woman that had no intention of accepting the fate that met the other women there. The dowdy clad female standing in the Christian's place of worship, before the symbol of their god, with two swords in her hands. Yelling at them to come for her. Those that thought they could show this woman the error of her ways, instantly coming to regret running in, as she fought with a strength and skill that would not only put most shieldmaidens to shame; but also, some of Ragnar's men. Guttural sounds escaping her lips, as her blades slicing through flesh and cut through bone with ease. It obvious to the king that this was a woman unlike the others that called these places home. That she was no stranger to fighting and bloodshed, and Ragnar couldn't help but find himself intrigued. Couldn't help but want to know more about her. So, when they had finally been able to overcome her, he had stopped his men from killing her; he had ignored their calls to see her punished for killing so many of their own. The most feared man in the world, watching as she was thrown to the floor. Watching as the blood soaked woman had pulled herself to her knees before the cross that stood on the altar and lowered her head in prayer.

                                                        >>---------------------------------<<

Ragnar watched the woman. They were close to Kattegat now, close to home; yet despite how long it had taken them to get to this point, his prisoner had said nothing to anyone, other than her god. He knew something about these women from his conversations with Athelstan. He knew that she was a nun, but that she could not have been one for long, given that the hair they could now see, was still short. He knew that she had taken a vow of chastity, that she had renounced all of her worldly goods and had devoted herself to prayer and the god that the Christian's worshipped. That the ring on her finger, meant that she was married to this god. Yet how a woman, with skills that would be welcome on any battlefield had come to find herself as this, he did not know. Ragnar just hoping that Athelstan would enjoy the gift that he had brought him, and that he could get the answers he so craved, when the fleet arrived back home.

                                                      >>------------------------------------<<

Everyone rushed to the dock, as the ships moved through the Fjord. The first ones already being tied up. Athelston smiling, as he saw Ragnar jump from the ship and onto the wooden pier. His brows furrowing, as his friend was quickly joined by a bound and chained woman. The breath catching in his throat, as the priest realised what this woman was. Her clothing, hair and the ring on her finger, letting Athelstan know where exactly Ragnar and those that had followed him on his raid, had been.

Quickly, Athelstan pushed his way through the crowd. He had to admit that the notion that Ragnar and the others had attacked another place of worship, made him feel sick. The thought of the deaths of countless defenseless monks and nuns, felling like a weight on his shoulders; the former monk just hoping that his prayers for their souls would be enough. That if he could prevent this woman from being disgraced or killed, it might feel as though some good had come from this. Though why Ragnar would decide to bring this one woman back to Kattegat with him, Athelstan could only presume was for the same reason that the king had not killed him; that she could speak old Norse and he believed that some of her knowledge might be of assistance in future raids.

"Ragnar................" Athelstan said, greeting his friend warmly. Ragnar smiling back, as he handed the monk from Lindisfarne the length of rope that, along with a chain, bound the wrists of the woman that stood quietly behind the king.

"I brought you something................I thought that it was about time that you had a slave of your own; but I don't think that she will be easy to handle, and I would be careful. She killed a number of my men when we went into the church. It would appear that this one is more than just a simple nun." Ragnar explained, as he hugged the priest.

"I have tried to speak to her, but she will only talk to your god in a language I cannot understand. I thought that perhaps you could learn something from her.............." Ragnar explained. The woman looking up, as she heard her captor speak English to the new man. Athelstan taking a slow step forward and offered her a smile. A smile that she did not return.

"I...............I will see what I can do..........." Athelstan replied, not sure that he liked the idea of having a slave. The monk letting go of the rope and offering the nun his hand instead. The woman looking at it for a moment, before dropping her eyes to the floor. Athelstan turning to Ragnar, as the Viking let out an amused chuckle.

"I told you she would not be easy. But perhaps after a while, you and she might do something about breaking that oath of chastity you take." The king said quietly, as he handed Athelstan back the rope. Giving his friend a hearty slap on the back, before he joined the others in greeting the rest of the people. The Saxon carefully pulling on the rope, and leading the silent woman to his cabin.