[center][h2] [color=ec008c][i]THE ABUSER [/i][/color][/h2][/center]

Reidun was able to get Conall settled with a tall bottle of strong ale. He was sitting round a fire with some of the others. She had asked Aksel to keep an eye on him. She was in a rough mood so she thought she might go see to that farmer who hit his wife or daughter. She saw Harek.[color=f49ac2] “Hey you want to go with me? I’m gonna kill a man.”[/color]

Harek looked up in surprise from the fire he was warming his hands at.  Grabbing his sword and a skin full of ale. [color=00aeef] “Aye I’ll come to make sure you don’t get yourself killed.” [/color] Jogging to catch up to her he took a long drink from the skin and splashed his face with some ale to wake him up more.  [color=00aeef] “So who are we gonna be killin?  Did you find who burnt the boats?”[/color]

Shaking her head Reidun’s voice hardened slightly. [color=f49ac2]“No, we know it was them but not the specifics of who. I want to kill a man in the village I saw mistreating his family last eve before dark. My poor Conall is having bad memories thanks to the ones who ruined the ships and killed those at the outpost.”[/color] She massaged her neck a little trying to lessen the tension.[color=f49ac2] “I need to be extremely violent.”[/color]

 [color=00aeef]“I guess I could supervise you while you do that.  What would Conall do to me if I let you get lost in the woods.” [/color] Grinning at his own humor he tripped on a root coming up from the ground.  Gaining his balance he glared back at the root and muttered something about hostile trees.  [color=00aeef] “I won’t stop you from beating the man up, but I must advise not killing the man.  That won’t do the family any good.”[/color]

Reidun looked irritated. She saw his logic but she wasn’t happy about it. [color=f49ac2]“Fine, but I’m going to scare the piss out of him. And that bastard is going to hurt for a week at least.”[/color] They walked through the trees to Oakshire. She knew there were others raiding there and she only cared about that one family. She went to open the door and felt it barred. She smiled. [i]Good. I hope he is already scared.[/i] After two hard kicks the door came open and it took her only one good hard shove to knock over the table and other furniture against it.The family was a boy of seven or eight and a girl about twenty and a man about thirty years old. 

Reidun was fierce looking standing in the doorway.  An axe on her waist with one in her hand she was in traditional fighting garb. Tight pants that went to her boots. She had on armor of the best leather and a shield that she set down on the table near the door. She wore her long red hair in a ferocious looking updo that twisted into a messy waterfall of a braid. Her pretty face was covered in angry lines and painted runes as was her neck and arms. She walked into the room in her bad mood which became ten times worse when she saw the young woman with bruises on her arms and a black eye. The little boy was hiding behind her whimpering. 

She took a step towards the girl and the boy when the man stepped forward from behind the bedroom curtain. Reidun motioned to the girl and boy to move away from the man. Scared and confused they went to where she pointed. They saw Harek in the doorway and weren’t keen on getting too close to him. Reidun walked straight up to the man and grabbed him by his shirt and pulled him towards her. She slammed his back into the wall and she got in his face. He was only about three inches taller than she was. 

[color=f49ac2]“I saw you yesterday. You like to hit women and children. I like to hit men who beat on women and children. See, women where I come from train with the men and we fight with them. This is why we are stronger than you english. Men and women are equal and we can do everything a man can.” [/color]

She looked at the man’s eyes who seemed to be extremely perturbed that a woman was manhandling him so easily. He spit at her and her eyes narrowed. [color=orange]“You bitch! Who do you-”[/color] Turning her head just a little she allowed the man to lean against her body just a little. 

[color=f49ac2]“There is no softness in warriors.”[/color] She said.

Reidun let him go and then she kneed him in the groin and slammed her axe about a half an inch away from his head. His eyes widened in fear. She called the children over, [color=f49ac2]“Come, stand there.”[/color] Looking at the girl she said, [color=f49ac2]“Women should not allow a man to beat her or her children. Who is he to you?”[/color]

The frightened girl said,[color=yellow] “He is our uncle. Our parents are dead.”[/color] Reidun nodded.

 [color=f49ac2]“You know how to use an axe right?”[/color] Watching the girl nod she said, [color=f49ac2]“Good, the next time he hits you or your brother you cut something of his off!”[/color] The startled girl nodded. Then Reidun waved the children back and she pulled her arm back and she slammed her fist into his face repeatedly and then started on body shots. When the man fell to the ground she looked at the girl.[color=f49ac2] “I mean it girl. You kill him if you have to but don’t take that from any man.”[/color]

The young woman looked at Reidun and smiled at her as she left the home. Reidun was still a little hot about the abuse and she looked unapproachable to everyone except Harek. 

[color=00aeef]“Well that was quite exciting, now wasn’t it.  I do wonder if the uncle is going to try anything more now?” [/color] With that Harek jumped a step ahead and began to walk backwards.  [color=00aeef]“I am just wondering if that got your rage out or not.  I am terrified that maybe when walking back a terrible bloodlust will consume you and I get a blade to the back of the head.”  [/color]Smiling Harek turned back around and nearly walked into a tree.  Spinning out of the way he gave the tree a glare that would have made a hardened warrior collapse in fear.  [color=00aeef]“I swear I will be killed by a murderous tree.  Damn trees have long memories.”[/color]

Reidun watched Harek trip again and laughed at him. Grinning she asked him,[color=f49ac2] “You’ve been tripping a lot how much ale did you drink before we left?”[/color]

[color=00aeef]“Hey, one must always celebrate a victory, no matter the cost they came at.  If victory isn’t celebrated, what is the point of winning.”[/color]  Harek looked through the trees to see the light from the camp and sighed. [color=00aeef “Everytime I come back to a raiding camp it feels like home.” [/color] Getting extremely quiet he muttered, [color=00aeef“Maybe someday I’ll get a real one.”[/color]

[color=00aeef]“Thank you for bringing me along on this little excursion of yours, it has been quite entertaining.”[/color]

Reidun heard what he muttered.[color=f49ac2] “Aye, I’d like that too. I’m hoping we can get some land here and  make our home. I think I’m almost ready to settle down. Now that I’ve found Conall… I wouldn’t mind a babe or two in the next few years.”[/color] She glanced over at him. [color=f49ac2]“Is that what you are thinking too? Any ladies in mind?” [/color]She grinned. She wanted her friend to be happy.

[color=00aeef]“Maybe, just maybe you gossip.  If I said anything you would tell Conall, and that man can’t hold a secret for his life.  Honesty and alcohol is never a good mix.” [/color] Harek shook his head and smiled, [color=00aeef]“That happens to be the reason we met.  The giant was bragging about how he had never been beat in combat and I wanted to have a peaceful drink.  Unfortunately for him he decided I was short enough to use as an armrest.  Ask him how well that went for him.”[/color]  Harek had begun laughing at the old memories.

Reidun laughed. She could imagine how well that went. [color=f49ac2]“Well he is rather tall. He thinks everyone is short so you are not alone there.”[/color] She grinned to herself at the thought. [color=f49ac2]“I left him with Aksel and a large bottle of ale. He needs to sleep and calm down. I am worried about him. What advice would you give me? He is having troubles from the past in his mind.”[/color]

Harek’s eyes softened hearing what his friend is going through.  [color=00aeef]“All he needs is for you to be there for him.  With a person to lean on he will be fine eventually.  You should go check on him, he is probably so drunk he might try to fondle Aksel.  He will be much less useful without a hand.”[/color]

Reidun laughed and reached over and touched his hand softly. [color=f49ac2]“Thanks Harek. I’m glad you came with me.” [/color]Reaching over she kissed his cheek and then ran towards Conall and Aksel.

Harek turned away from Reidun and wondered if he would be able to find his spot by the fire again.  Taking another drink he began to walk towards the general direction of his fire.  As he sat back down at the fire he looked into the blaze.  He saw villages on fire, people screaming, horses stampeding.  All the terrible things he had done in his life were flashing before his eyes.  He couldn’t pull his eyes away from the fire, from the visions.
[@Pandapolio]