Alwilda II

“There isn’t a single person here who won’t do as you order, Highness,” said another voice. It came timidly from behind Runa and she moved to show Kadlin sitting there sewing.

“If you want to join our conversation you can just speak up without being so scared,” Alwilda told her. Kadlin had been Runa’s servant until she had been invited a place on the crew. She still hadn’t grown used to her new freedom to speak her mind. Alwilda was surprisingly democratic about some things.

“Yes your Highness,” Kadlin said, her head still lowered respectfully.

“Alwilda, please, if father hasn’t disowned me already he will soon.” The evil smile on Alwilda’s face spelled horrible things for the future politics between Sweden and Denmark.

Prince Alf of Denmark sat in his throne while a naval scout knelt before him. Prince Alf’s father, the king, was away to another country at that moment as an envoy and Prince Alf had been left in charge of the working of the kingdom. No one could think of a single objection to this since Prince Alf was the future heir to the throne anyway. Well Prince Alf could think of a reason why he shouldn’t do the job, it was boring, and a lot more hard work then he liked. It wasn’t that he was lazy exactly; it was just that he only liked expending energy when he wanted to. At that moment however he wasn’t exactly as bored as he normally was. He was being entertained by the scout’s report.

“So after the whole ship of young women descended on your poor, helpless, heavily armed ship what happened?” he said, his head propped on his hand.

“They weren’t exactly unarmed themselves, Your Highness. They knew what they were doing with their weapons, and they outnumbered us. They had a lovely young lady who seemed to be their captain and she headed right for our captain, with her sword out. We were all fighting, but I have to admit that they might not have taken them as seriously as we should have. Their captain killed ours, and some of our crew is dead as well.”

“Did you at least manage to kill some of them as well?” Prince Alf asked, though he could guess the answer already by the way that they scout still hadn’t raised his head to look at him.

“We injured some, but there weren’t any deaths on their side. They attacked just too quickly, without any warning at all. They even made us treat their wounds after the fighting was over.”

“How could they make you do something like that?” Prince Alf still looks only entertained; there is no annoyance in his face at all.

“They told us that they would burn our ship and throw all of us into the ocean if even a single member of their crew died. I have never seen such merciless girls before. They couldn’t have been more then seventeen, any of them and yet they were totally heartless when dealing with us. Their captain, the lovely woman I mentioned earlier, actually threatened to cut out my tongue.”

“Was she joking?”

“Not with her blade pressed against my lips, I don’t think so, Your Highness.” Prince Alf bursts into outright laughter.

To be continued...