The sea softly dowsed the shoreline. The sound a gentle and pleasant hum to Anna’s ears. A stark contrast to the wild waves that once carried her here to Hedeby, a foreign land with foreign tongues. It had been over a year since she was brought over by the Vikings. Torn from her home, her family, her status and all that she knew. In between her new duties, she’d kept an open ear, noting their words, traits and traditions. Even as a mere slave, communication was essential. Over time she’d picked up a few words, and though she was far from fluent it was enough to get by. Her captors, the Grímssons had luckily shown some kindness towards her, but they were still her captors. Her fingertips absentmindedly drifted to the carved bone pendant hanging loosely from her neck, carved by her own hands. She yearned for her homeland. It pained her to think she’d never see the lush green hills of Wales ever again, but it was a future she had to accept.
