Uri led us towards Theramill, we were a large band consisting of Uri's men, wagons of slaves to be sold, furs, and of course the weapons Uri collected during his raids. There was even a small group of people who paid Uri to get them through to Theramill safely. It was a good thing. I hated traveling with Uri and his men alone, I felt like my life was in constant danger. SOmething about this trip seemed different. Not only because I had planned to try and leave, but something else. Like I was going towards something I needed. I have never been as far as Theramill before. Uri has told me about the celebrations they have there before. Every few years, for something or other. People always had a reason to get together, I was surprised that Uri, being the bastard he was, was interested in attending these things, it probably had a lot more to do with escaping Helga than anything. I made myself chuckle thinking about that. A girl sitting in the wagon of thrall glared at me. "What's your name?" I asked her, nodding my head towards her. She scoffed and turned her head away from me. "No one." She said to me flatly. "No one, huh? I'm Bodil. Also a slave." I pointed out. No one rolled her eyes at me. "I don't care." She was bent on not being friendly. "Count yourself lucky to be leaving, no one. Things could be worse for you." I urged my horse forwards, away from the wagon. I gave up on trying to help other girls a long time ago.

"We will stop here for the night, get my tent set up and make me some food." Uri ordered his men. I jumped down my horse, clipped my skirt to my belt and then brought my horse over to one of the men. He took my horse from me knowing I needed to get Uri his food. Generally his men were used to seeing me around and treated me with respect. Mostly out of fear of mistreating one of their bosses slaves without permission, and losing their own position. Whatever. I headed over to where Uri was, where two men were unloading a cart filled with tents, food, and other things Uri liked to have. You would probably think Uri was someone of importance in the world before you thought he was a slave trading murderous thief. Sad how well he did for himself, and no one seemed to mind in the village we were near, as long as they had Uri's protection and spoils. "Uri?" I asked, waiting for his attention. "Would you like me to prepare you fresh meat? I will need one of your men to take me into the woods to catch you some." Uri stared at me. "No. Just bring out some of that salted meat and bread Helga sent. I am tired." He said to me grumpily. I nodded and started to look for his requested items.

"Bodil, take this." Tora handed me a small sack with the salted meat. Tora was another slave, she was older, probably in the last stretch of her workable days. Uri will release her soon and she will finally be free. Probably his plan in Theramill. An easy place to dump her off without the worry she will be around looking for work and food from him. "Thank you, Tora. Do you need to rest? I saw you sleeping on that wagon." I said to her, "No. And don't talk like that." She whispered to me. "You will get to Theramill, Tora." I assured her. "Better take these to Uri before he has a tantrum like a spoiled child." She pushed a loaf of bread she dug out into my hands with the sack of meat. I nodded and did what I was told.

"Good, now fetch me some water." Uri ordered me as I passed him the bread and meat for his supper. His men made their own meals, stews from what it smelled like. I kneeled down beside Uri after returning with his water. He held out a chunk of bread to me and then a strip of meat. I took it and ate it without hesitation, I was starving and my stomach welcomed the food. Handing me a second strip of salted meat, Uri said to me, "I will leave Tora in Theramill. I do not wish to deal with her old age problems." I nodded as he confirmed my suspicions, but did not say anything. " You will take over her duties until she is replaced." He ordered me. Again I nodded without a word. "Uri?" I was about to ask him for something for the first time, hoping he would be generous enough to give it to me. "Could I have my own tent to sleep in?" I tested. He looked at me with surprise. Then laughed, "Why do I care? Make yourself a tent, Bodil." I was shocked. I thought he would deny this. I nodded trying to hide my own surprise. Then stood up and walked over to the men who were laying furs out.

"I need a small tent." I told one of the younger men working on setting up the camp for the night. He handed me what I needed without a word and I headed back over towards Uri. I would set up close to him to avoid any suspicion. I threw the materials on the ground in front of me and started to tie the poles together. There were only a few as it was fairly small, enough to be covered. After the tent was built I laid the furs on the ground, just as I was tossing a fur down, I noticed a light shining into a single spot, like when the sun reflects off a sword's blade. I turned to see where it was coming from but was unable to find the spot. I turned back to the light and started to wave my hand around to spot the sun beam. Nothing, the light was steady and kept glinting. I kneeled down to get closer and inspect the shiny spot, I reached my handout and touched the spot with a single finger.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

A flash of light filled my tiny tent like the sun had just burst into the same spot I was standing in. I gasped as I covered my eyes with my arms. "What the hell is happening?" I called out, my stomach felt as if I was grabbed around the waist with a rope and pulled backwards. When it stopped, the light was no longer there. I lowered my arms slowly, unsure what I was going to find. I was still on my knees, but not in my tiny tent. Instead, I was in a room that was grander than anything I had ever seen. The room stretched far behind me, with walls of white stone. There were braziers lining the walls, cold and filled with old ashes and coals. Plants, and vines surrounding the room, except not all of them were dried and dead. In front of me was a platform that was two steps high, the floors were white stone matching the walls. A Large throne placed with two other thrones on either side, then four more thrones behind them. All were equal size and matched perfectly, except for the first one. It was larger, with a crown of branches weaved together, never ending and gold that was hanging off the top right post. It was beautiful and made me feel like I had seen it before. The thrones and the crown were all covered in a thick dust that told me no one has been here in a long time. I started to stand, but as I put the pressure onto my foot the room changed. As if I blinked, I was in my tent once again.

I stood there for a moment, blinking a few times. I kneeled back down and touched the spot where the light used to be again. Nothing happened. I stood up and huffed out a breath in frustration. I was finally going crazy. I thought I would have been older when it happened, but here I am, having visions. Visions. Is that what that could have been? I have heard stories of people of old using magic, and getting visions from the gods to guide their ways. These people disappeared many, many years ago along with elves and other so-called magical types that lived in our world. These were stories we mostly told children as myths of another time. I shook my head, I'm going crazy. I laid down and tried to sleep, I would take advantage of having some extra sleep. Maybe that was it, the lack of sleep was causing me to see things. The morning will be better.

The morning did not get better. I was woken earlier than the birds had raised, by a scream that filled the night air and pulled everyone from their tents. Rushing out of my tent, I found everyone else looking around for the screamer. Another scream filled the air, this time it was coming from the trees that were behind my own tent. "What the hell is that?" I could hear a man near me ask out loud. Uri was walking towards me, towards the scream in the woods. "Who is missing?" Uri asked. I shook my head, "I don't know, I'll start a check now." I started to walk away when he grabbed my arm and held me tight, "No, look." He pointed to the woods, just a few trees in there was a black figure crouching at the base of a tree truck, staring at us. Staring at me. I could feel its eyes looking into my own, the hair on my neck standing up, "Pull your swords." I said softly to Uri. "Your swords!" I yelled. Uri looked at me as if I was crazy then back at the figure in the woods. It was gone. I grabbed Uri's arm and whispered. "Please Uri, have them ready," I begged, my breath getting heavy. "You heard her, your swords!" Uri yelled at the men around us. They surrounded Uri and I with their swords out, waiting for the figure to show itself again. Another scream filled the air behind us. "There!" I heard a man yell out and then, the sounds I heard next were not what I was prepared for. The scream filled the air again, so close to us I could feel it inside my soul, then the sound of flesh being torn followed by a man gurgling as he screamed. I turned to find the man lying in two behind me, the other two men holding their throats, silently screaming as they were raised in the air. "Uri!" I yelled, Uri turning around in a rush, taken back by the sight of the two men in the air. "Heks!" a man beside me yelled. "No, that's no heks." Uri said, "That's something else." The two men in the air dropped dead to the ground, their neck purple and red and looked as if they were hung. I reached out and pulled a dagger from one of the last four men around me and Uri, I could hear the other men running towards us. As a dozen or so men joined us, we could hear a scream in the distance in the trees. "How?" Uri asked out loud. I looked at him, "How did you know it was going to attack us?" He asked me, grabbing my shoulders hard. I shook my head, "A feeling." "A feeling?" Uri asked me. "I don't know." I said confused and scared.