Status: Sequel to "Piece in Our Time"
Time Changes
Chapter Two
He rode, he rode as fast as he could to the river bank. His horse coming to a halt, the hooves pushing up the snow under them. Asmund dismounted and brutally pushed passed his people towards the water. They were cheering and throwing their fist in the air. Sigurd, a sickly looking man was smiling and waving at the group, as if he were being praised for ending the longest winter they'd had yet. Sigurd hauled a small boat up onto the bank, and turned to meet Asmund at the edge of the throng.
"The Witch is gone." He bowed at Asmunds feet in waiting for praise from his Clan Chief.
Asmund pushed the man to the ground, he didn't even stop to watch as the thin man crumpled into the snow, and rushed into the water. He threw off his cloak and leather skins before plunging into the icy water. He searched for Eva. He was sure his open eyes were freezing. He racked the bottom of the river, searching for the woman. He pushed up through the surface of the water with a loud cry. His long hair plastered to his chilled skin. Asmund trudged back to the embankment, his people backing away hurriedly as he neared. He stood,naked and drenched in front of his clan.
He scanned the crowed. The faces of his people, scared and nervous. They anticipated his wrath and were unsure why. Asmund let his gaze land on Sigurd. The older man shook and coward at the edge of gathering. Asmunds eyes narrowed and he took two large steps towards the man, he gripped at his neck and lifted him high into the air.
"You disdain me."Asmund turned his head and looked over his people. Watching in fear as their leader threatened the life of a clan member.
Asmund dropped the fragile man to the ground below. "My whole clan rejects my charge. You sentence an innocent woman to death!" His entire body heaved, the muscles in his jaw line ticking, the veins in his arms throbbing.
"As harbinger of this act you, Sigurd, will be punished by order of the Chief." Asmund stated simply, and for all to hear.
"You will be an example of what is to come of those who ignore the orders of Asmund Thorirson."
The clan leader stepped away from the now begging man, and through the opening in the crowd. Naked and numb, Asmund entered into his tent, he ignored the deafening silence outside and fell to his bed of furs. Closing his eyes, he allowed Hera, whom had followed behind him, start a small fire in the tent and pull a pile of warm furs over his body. Asmund let the warmth take over, one arm over his eyes. He let his breathing slow. She had disappeared from the water. Which means she had gotten away. His strong, vibrant Eva had escaped. Which only meant one thing.
He had lost her once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tiernen, can we please take a break?"
They had been riding for an entire day straight. Eva's legs tingled. She had regained her feeling sometime during the ride, but being astride the horse for so long was making her body ache. Her back was stiff. They hadn't done much talking, Eva had sulked most of the ride. She was confused,how had Tiernen found her, and why had Asmund simply let her go? She still felt weak and tired, but her mind wouldn't rest. She had closed her eyes at one point in search of sleep, but the constant buzzing in her mind, the whirl wind of thoughts wouldn't allow her to rest.
She heard Tiernen call out to his men, and the horses halted. She felt his presence slip from behind her and then she was gripped around the waist and lifted from the horse. The split second feeling of relief caused her to sigh heavily. Her thighs relaxed, and she stretched her arms above her head.
"Can you stand?" His worry was just another ingredient to her confusion. Tiernen had been uncharacteristically caring during the ride. He had left her alone, but had kept her body close to his heat. He had used his arms as a barrier from the cool wind, and had tucked her head against his chest during the ride.
"I think so."
Eva let off her grip on his shoulders and stood up straight. She could feel the blood rushing back through her body. Tiernen was rummaging through his pack, when he came back he handed her a pair of clothes. A black pair of skins, and a tan long sleeved top. Before she could ask about them, he had turned away to converse with his men.
She shrugged and looked around for a hidden place to change. She found a heavily bushed area to the left of the horses and walked swiftly towards it. Her clothes had dried, but uncomfortably so. It would be nice to have a fresh pair on. She quickly pulled off her soiled clothing and stepped into the pants that were to long, and the shirt with the sleeves that went past her hands. She rolled both up and stepped back into her boots. Eva pulled her hair up on her head before emerging from her makeshift dressing room.
The men had started a fire and tents were being raised up. Eva sighed heavily and lent against a tree. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched. The scene before her so similar to that of Asmunds own Clan, just smaller in size. Tiernen motioned her over, and to the fire. She stood in front of it's flames, rubbing her hands together and holding them up. The warmth was welcomed and the ache in her frozen fingers began to lighten, she could feel color returning to her cheeks.
"So, how do I repay you, Tiernen?" The question had been lingering in her mind, behind the thoughts of betrayal and the realization that she had almost died.
"You're going to marry me."
Eva turned her head up quickly, her eyes wide in shock. He had said the words like he was discussing the color of his horse. Eva dropped her arms to her side, and fell to the snow. A crumpled heap at the edge of the fire, Eva's thoughts silenced and she stared blankly into the flames.
"The Witch is gone." He bowed at Asmunds feet in waiting for praise from his Clan Chief.
Asmund pushed the man to the ground, he didn't even stop to watch as the thin man crumpled into the snow, and rushed into the water. He threw off his cloak and leather skins before plunging into the icy water. He searched for Eva. He was sure his open eyes were freezing. He racked the bottom of the river, searching for the woman. He pushed up through the surface of the water with a loud cry. His long hair plastered to his chilled skin. Asmund trudged back to the embankment, his people backing away hurriedly as he neared. He stood,naked and drenched in front of his clan.
He scanned the crowed. The faces of his people, scared and nervous. They anticipated his wrath and were unsure why. Asmund let his gaze land on Sigurd. The older man shook and coward at the edge of gathering. Asmunds eyes narrowed and he took two large steps towards the man, he gripped at his neck and lifted him high into the air.
"You disdain me."Asmund turned his head and looked over his people. Watching in fear as their leader threatened the life of a clan member.
Asmund dropped the fragile man to the ground below. "My whole clan rejects my charge. You sentence an innocent woman to death!" His entire body heaved, the muscles in his jaw line ticking, the veins in his arms throbbing.
"As harbinger of this act you, Sigurd, will be punished by order of the Chief." Asmund stated simply, and for all to hear.
"You will be an example of what is to come of those who ignore the orders of Asmund Thorirson."
The clan leader stepped away from the now begging man, and through the opening in the crowd. Naked and numb, Asmund entered into his tent, he ignored the deafening silence outside and fell to his bed of furs. Closing his eyes, he allowed Hera, whom had followed behind him, start a small fire in the tent and pull a pile of warm furs over his body. Asmund let the warmth take over, one arm over his eyes. He let his breathing slow. She had disappeared from the water. Which means she had gotten away. His strong, vibrant Eva had escaped. Which only meant one thing.
He had lost her once more.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Tiernen, can we please take a break?"
They had been riding for an entire day straight. Eva's legs tingled. She had regained her feeling sometime during the ride, but being astride the horse for so long was making her body ache. Her back was stiff. They hadn't done much talking, Eva had sulked most of the ride. She was confused,how had Tiernen found her, and why had Asmund simply let her go? She still felt weak and tired, but her mind wouldn't rest. She had closed her eyes at one point in search of sleep, but the constant buzzing in her mind, the whirl wind of thoughts wouldn't allow her to rest.
She heard Tiernen call out to his men, and the horses halted. She felt his presence slip from behind her and then she was gripped around the waist and lifted from the horse. The split second feeling of relief caused her to sigh heavily. Her thighs relaxed, and she stretched her arms above her head.
"Can you stand?" His worry was just another ingredient to her confusion. Tiernen had been uncharacteristically caring during the ride. He had left her alone, but had kept her body close to his heat. He had used his arms as a barrier from the cool wind, and had tucked her head against his chest during the ride.
"I think so."
Eva let off her grip on his shoulders and stood up straight. She could feel the blood rushing back through her body. Tiernen was rummaging through his pack, when he came back he handed her a pair of clothes. A black pair of skins, and a tan long sleeved top. Before she could ask about them, he had turned away to converse with his men.
She shrugged and looked around for a hidden place to change. She found a heavily bushed area to the left of the horses and walked swiftly towards it. Her clothes had dried, but uncomfortably so. It would be nice to have a fresh pair on. She quickly pulled off her soiled clothing and stepped into the pants that were to long, and the shirt with the sleeves that went past her hands. She rolled both up and stepped back into her boots. Eva pulled her hair up on her head before emerging from her makeshift dressing room.
The men had started a fire and tents were being raised up. Eva sighed heavily and lent against a tree. She crossed her arms over her chest and watched. The scene before her so similar to that of Asmunds own Clan, just smaller in size. Tiernen motioned her over, and to the fire. She stood in front of it's flames, rubbing her hands together and holding them up. The warmth was welcomed and the ache in her frozen fingers began to lighten, she could feel color returning to her cheeks.
"So, how do I repay you, Tiernen?" The question had been lingering in her mind, behind the thoughts of betrayal and the realization that she had almost died.
"You're going to marry me."
Eva turned her head up quickly, her eyes wide in shock. He had said the words like he was discussing the color of his horse. Eva dropped her arms to her side, and fell to the snow. A crumpled heap at the edge of the fire, Eva's thoughts silenced and she stared blankly into the flames.