I glanced back, noticed the three Vikings approaching us, and begged Aethelflaed to get up as I pulled her to her feet. We kept running, but they were faster. I faced them, keeping Aethelflaed behind me as I held my dagger out in front of me.
“She’s a fighter,” one of them chuckled. “I like them fiery.”
“You will not touch her,” Aethelflaed insisted, my hand reaching back to squeeze hers before I slashed at one of the men when he got too close. My eyes widened when I saw the gash on his arm, his shout of pain followed by a command to take us. The man next to him charged me, grabbing my wrist to try to disarm me, but I remembered something Finan had taught me. I dropped the dagger from that hand, catching it with the other hand before stabbing the blade into his leg. He yelled as he fell to the ground, but when I turned to face the other man, he was throwing a punch that knocked me to the ground. “Melkorka!” the princess screamed, the sound distorted as my head was ringing.
“Why do you Saxon women always have to be so difficult?” the man that had punched me asked, rubbing at his knuckles. I realized I had dropped my dagger, my eyes blinking to clear the spots dancing before them as I felt around the ground for it. “It would be simpler if you did not fight us when we came for you,” he mused, glancing over at the princess. “Leave with us, and I will let her live.” Aethelflaed looked over at me, my eyes meeting hers as I slowly shook my head, urging her not to go with him. My hand continued moving along the forest floor until I found my dagger, my fingers wrapping around the hilt before pulling it closer to me as I tried to get to my feet. “Fight us, and I will kill her here and now,” the man threatened, making his way towards me. He grabbed my hair from the back of my head, yanking my head back with a sneer. “I imagine someone will miss this pretty face.”
I breathed heavily through my nose, anger filling me before I let out a rough exhale and plunged the dagger into his chest. His eyes widened, looking down to find the blade buried deeply inside of him and watching as I ripped it from him.
Chapter 6 of "My Heart Is In You" by NellyHarrison