Continuing from this story, I’m joining Studio30 Plus’s weekly prompt.
THE PROMPTS
Brouhaha and/or Uproar
[noun] a noisy and overexcited reaction or response to something; a loud and impassioned noise or disturbance.
Edited to add: I’m trying to come up with a name. So far I have either Falling for a Viking, The Touch of a Viking or Falling Through Time. Naming stories is the hardest thing EVER!
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I wasn’t sure what pulled me back to consciousness, my aching jaw courtesy of burly brutes or the raucous uproar by the same burly brutes. But, I was alert, awake and angry. I was propped against the wall, sitting on the dirt floor inside of a wooden building that looked sort of like a rough hunting lodge. There was a hearth with a roaring fire and a few women skittering about, serving the men who were seated at the long table situated fireside. There was some sort of themed event going on because they were all dressed like Vikings. Cute, I thought. Strange, but cute.
My gaze leveled on the person whose shoulder I had been traveling upon. He was surrounded by the rest of the band of jerkfaces and they were all staring at me. When you have five muscular, half-naked men staring at you, trust me, it can be a bit intimidating. I had no idea what they were plotting to do with me, an American tourist who probably hadn’t been reported missing yet. These guys looked like they were made for raping and pillaging.
It didn’t matter how loudly they were talking, I had no idea what it was they were saying. It became obvious they were trying to communicate with me when a man, who I shall now refer to as “Blackbeard” because a ratty black beard was his most distinguishing feature, squatted down and sort of grunted at me. Although, I knew it really wasn’t a grunt because I could clearly tell it was his language. But, seeing as I only spoke English, most other languages may as well be grunts. In which I made a note to self that I should consider taking a language other than American Sign Language.
He pointed to himself, spoke an unintelligible word and then poked me in the chest. I had seen enough movies to be fairly certain he was asking me what my name was.
“Mia.” I responded rather timidly.
Blackbeard jerked a finger toward himself again, “Torrad.” And then he shoved a thumb in the direction of a rather hunky guy, “Mak.”
His amber eyes held me captive. I figured he was anticipating some sort of acknowledgement. So, I nodded, “You’re Torrad. He’s Mak. Cool. Can I leave now?” I tried to give them my best pout and made the begging motion with my hands, “I really need to get back to my group.”
Torrad scratched his beard and grunted in Mak’s direction. The other three just stood there staring at me with bewilderment. Which made me self conscious, like perhaps my chest was exposed or something. So, I did a quick scan to make sure everything was in its place. I was still wet but no boobage to tempt these hooligans.
They huddled together, talking loudly amongst themselves. I was pretty convinced I wasn’t going to be raped, none of them had made any moves toward me yet but I wasn’t going to let my guard down. Sure, I didn’t know what they were chatting about but since they all seemed pretty flustered, as though they had never met an American girl before, the chances were good that my virginity would remain intact.
The one named Mak, whose sapphire eyes I had noticed earlier, circled me. It made me nervous, I’ll admit. I tried not to let it show so I tilted my head up to stare back at him defiantly. He was able to kidnap me but he’d get more than a fight if he tried anything else.
A good-natured squeal followed by laughter distracted attention briefly away from me. One of the bigger guys sitting around the table had grabbed a pretty blonde girl and pulled her onto his lap. He wasn’t shy about where he was placing his hands on her tiny body and she didn’t seem to mind it in the least.
Mak and Torrad joined in on the laughter. I was mesmerized by Mak, he was pretty good looking despite all that hair on his head and face. The two braids in the blonde of his beard were held in place by glass beads, the same ones that decorated the bottom of the braids in his thick mane. Aside from the difference in eye-color, Torrad and Mak were clearly brothers. Everything about them from their build to the slope of their noses were similar. They needed a good shaving and a personal shopper at Nordstrom’s and they’d be successful Instagram models. Girls ate their look up and these guys would look great with the man-bun.
When the fireplace brouhaha had died down, the boys were back at it with their inspection of me. All I knew was I needed them to understand how I had to be getting back to my travel companions. I tried to stand up so I could make my point by heading to the door which was when I realized I was a, so dizzy and b, my legs were tied together. How hadn’t I noticed that?
When I collapsed back on the ground, I decided it was time to start panicking. Complete with hyperventilating. My actions may have worried Mak a bit, his brows furrowed. He disappeared for a minute, returning with a wooden cup marked with engravings of a dragon. I brought it to my lips and, assuming it was going to be water, I drank deeply. The liquid wasn’t water but it was some sort of sweet wine that hinted of honey. Mead, maybe. These guys really got into character.
The thing that concerned me, however, was…if this was indeed some sort of Viking role playing camp, then why was I tied up and being held against my will?
I took a really intense look at the interior, there wasn’t a single modern amenity. Nothing. No lights, no television hanging over the fireplace. There weren’t even any plugs in the wall.
Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply as I processed a feeling I had. Something altered within me, a knowing of sorts that lacked in understanding. I did realize that it probably wasn’t going to be as easy to get back to the hotel as a simple hike through the woods.
I glanced around again, noticing the eyes curiously yet hesitantly lingering on me before shifting away. I swallowed down a scream as intense fear and confusion washed over me. Things like this, they weren’t real. No one just falls from a bridge and lands in a different time. It’s an impossibility.
I felt cold prickles across my forehead and my palms began to sweat. Here I was. Sure of the fact that I was no longer in a world that was familiar to me. And I had no idea how the heck I even got here. Worse yet was, I had absolutely no clue how I would get back.