Unbroken

She screamed in panic-a desperate, raw cry for mercy-as she clawed and tore at the iron grip that held her fast.

Sigrid kicked. Struck. Her nails tore into the unknown assailant's flesh. Panic. Raw strength. And then-

"No!" She kept ripping the word from her throat, turning it into a raspy sound.

She gasped for air, her chest tightening as if a giant hand squeezed the life out of her. A suffocating claw.

Then, through the chaotic roar of terror, she heard it.

"Sigrid."

Impossible. The voice was deep. Familiar. Safe. Like an echo from another time.

"Ragnar?"

Her body stiffened. The grip on her loosened, and instead of breaking free, she clung to him, terrified of losing him.

And then she broke.

The sobs came in uncontrollable waves, so powerful that her legs gave out beneath her.

The world blurred, terrifying and unreal. She wanted to sink, to disappear into the darkness, but Ragnar held her fast.

"Shh... I'm here. It's all right."

The words were gentle, yet laced with an unease he did not entirely conceal.

He had to say it again. And again.

She clung to those words as desperately as she clung to him.

"I thought..."

She could not finish before another sob wracked her body.

He pulled her closer. "You're safe now."

She couldn't tell how long it went on, only that she felt close to losing her sense of self.

But when the tears waned, he helped her to her feet, as though she might shatter. She blinked, glancing around, still dazed, before realizing they stood by the water's edge, the cold air creeping beneath her clothes.

"Take them off," Ragnar said, looking at her clothes.

She froze and stared at him. "What?"

Ragnar shrugged off his coat and handed it to her. "Throw your clothes into the water. He must believe you are dead."

Her hands trembled, struggling to process and to act. But she obeyed, stripping down to her shift as he pushed the cart over the rocky ledge. It hit the water with a heavy splash.

Then he led her to his horse, lifting her onto the saddle. She slipped from time, losing touch with the world.

She sought temporary escape. Exhaustion caused her to lose track of time, her head resting on his shoulder.

The last thing she remembered before sleep took her was the warmth of his arms and the quiet safety of his presence.

But she awoke again with a scream. Her breath came in short, frantic gasps as she bolted upright in the dark room. A fleeting instant gave her the impression of being back in the cellar.

Her body was stiff with fear, but she forced herself to take a deep breath. Her eyes searched for something familiar in the dark.

Loneliness pressed in on her, as suffocating as the dark.

Her feet hit the cold floor, and a shiver ran through her.

Her body moved on its own, carrying her out of the room toward the crackling sounds from the main hall.

Ragnar sat before the fire. The light from the flames cast shadows over his face, making him look older, more worn.

When he noticed her, he straightened.

"Sigrid, please rest!"

She didn't reply but sank into the chair next to him. The warmth from the fire touched her face.

Ragnar exhaled and stood up.
"Let me fix you something to eat."

She heard him exiting the room and objects shifting. When he returned, he handed her a cup and a plate of bread.

She grabbed the food with both hands. It tasted of almost nothing, but she couldn't stop.

The wine burned her throat as she emptied the cup.

Ragnar watched her.

"Sigrid, I told you not to-"

"I know." She swallowed hard. "I should have listened to you. He seemed to expect us."

"But that's impossible. It must have been a coincidence."

"I just wanted to see them... How did you find me?" She cried away, tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I knew the moment I came back, and I waited in the woods until I saw them carry you out... and I followed."

Sigrid lowered her gaze to her lap.

"I thought... you'd be relieved if I just disappeared."

"You really thought that? I would want nothing bad to happen to you, Sigrid."

"Thank you... for finding me."

He stood up and looked at her.

"But you need to stay hidden so he thinks you're gone. Dead. Understood?"

"Understood, and Thora?"

"I'll keep looking. As long as you promise to stay here."

She swallowed hard. "Yes, I promise."

Sigrid let her gaze wander around the room. The shadows from the hearth flickered across the walls. No one was in sight. "Are there no maids left?"

Ragnar crossed his arms over his chest. "I sent them away. All but one, but she's gone to bed. I'm not taking any chances."

Sigrid exhaled, disappointment flashing in her face for a brief second before she pushed it away. "Oh..."

"Just say what you need." Ragnar straightened. "I'll help you."

She looked down. "A bath."

Ragnar stood still and briefly seemed thoughtful, then left the room.

Sigrid pulled the wool blanket tighter around her as she followed the sound of running water. After a moment, steam curled into the air, rising from the wooden tub.

She fumbled for words. "I... I need help." She brushed a hand over her arm, as though trying to hide what lay beneath. "I'm... broken."

"If you want me to, I can do it?"

"I don't think I have any other choice." In that moment, she didn't care what people might think or say. All she wanted was to wash off the filth and the pain.

"Just call for me when you're in the water," he said, then left the room to give her some privacy to undress.

The water enveloped her like a blanket, almost too warm. She curled up, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her forehead on them.

Ragnar froze when he saw her back.

She stared at the wounds on her hands left by the tight ropes that had dug into her skin.

He said nothing, but she sensed it-the slight hesitation in his movements as he reached for the soap, the careful way his hands lowered into her hair.

His fingers were steady, almost gentle, as though she were fragile.

Nobody spoke. Only the sound of water lapping against the sides of the tub.

When he finished, he stood and left her so she could dress. When she was done, he had replaced the bedding with clean sheets.

Sigrid let her body sink into the mattress.

"Sigrid, what did he do to you?"

He sat on the edge of the bed. His gaze was dark, but he didn't press.

She took a shuddering breath. The words caught in her throat. "He punished me for being disobedient. He's done it for as long as I can remember."

She closed her eyes. "As a child, he'd carry me out into the woods at night. He said if I made the slightest sound, the wolves would take me. I was terrified."

Ragnar swallowed hard. "What did he punish you for?"

"Because my father put me on a pedestal."

Ragnar clenched his jaw. "But you were a child."

She lifted her head, her gaze clear despite the tears that threatened. "I know, but at least it strengthened me in the end."

"He tossed me from a boat once, as I bothered him. So I learned to swim. The feeling of drowning..." She swallowed hard. "It was horrible."

Ragnar closed his eyes for a moment. "I can understand that."

She took a deep breath, as if gathering courage. "I'm sorry... for how I reacted when you tied me up, but I..."

She couldn't finish.

Holding her gaze, he made her almost feel the urge to look away.

"I understand. That was my mistake. I was afraid of losing you." He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling. "I haven't let anyone in since my mother. And when I did... I held on too tightly."

An uncomfortable silence suddenly filled the room before a tentative smile played at the corner of her mouth. "I think we're good again?"

He laughed, lightly. "I think so too."

She exhaled, as though something inside her released. "And I'm glad you have Gerd."

He only answered with a brief smile. "But now you need to rest."

He pulled the blanket over her. When he sat in the chair beside her, she took a deep breath.

"I can't... I don't want to be alone." The tears pressed forward again, but she forced them back.

"I'll stay here until you fall asleep."

Several times throughout the night, she woke with a start, but each time, she saw him there-sitting, asleep, but still close.

The sight of him calmed her, and she drifted back into sleep.

For the first time in ages, a fragile sense of safety settled over her.

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