A Warrior of My Own

A/N: if you are looking for a quick fix this is not the story for you I tend to like the romance of a story not a quick one off. Thanks and Enjoy

Ch. 1: Captured, Freed, and a giant of a man

I had been in these woods for over two weeks, with little water, less to eat, and no idea where I was headed. The men who had taken me from my home, we little more than swine and smelled worse. I had actually gotten used to the leering looks and the disgusting comments.

What actually surprised me is that they didn't touch me. According to the leader of the Swine, I was to be given to there liege lord as payment for something.

I still couldn't believe that I had ended up here. Two weeks ago when I woke in my hut, it was a beautiful day. My father was already up and taking care of the animals so I had started the morning meal.

My father and I had always been alone, my mother having died before I could remember and having no siblings. We lived in a small hut nearly three days travel on horseback to the nearest village. My father had allowed me to go with twice on his trips into town, but after the disaster on the second trip I didn't go again.

A man had cornered me in the blacksmiths shop and forced his mouth on me. When father came back he nearly killed the man. So, I had very little contact with the outside world.

"We will be there tomorrow." One of the men spoke aloud breaking me from my reverie. I took a look around as we stopped to break camp for the evening. Once again we were in a little meadow, surrounded by trees. If it weren't for the circumstances it would be a beautiful place.

I didn't really want to sleep. I knew if I did I would dream of my father's death once again. The monsters that surrounded me had toyed with him before finally ending his life.

I was thrown of the horse I had been travelling on and forced to sit on the ground. I watched as the started a fire and got out bed rolls and furs for sleep. Very little was spoken as it seemed everyone was waiting for the next day. I wondered what the new place was to be like and knew that even if I had the chance to escape, I had no where to go and no idea how to get there.

With that thought in mind my weary body laid down and I couldn't even fight the sleep that came over me.

******************

When I jolted out of sleep, it was to realize that someone had there hand over my mouth. I looked up into a pair of brown eyes and knew instantly it wasn't one of my captures. The boy signaled me to be quiet and to follow him. I knew there was the possibility that I was only trading one evil for another I took the chance to leave.

I tried sitting on my own but with bound hands would have fallen if he hadn't caught me. He immediately pulled a blade and cut the rope on my hands before helping me to my feet. I swayed a little and he steadied me and helped me quietly sneak through the camp and into the woods.

We hadn't gone maybe 100 feet into the woods when we came upon two horses and the biggest man I had ever seen. As the big man turned around and spotted us, the boy at my side ran into his arms and gave him a toe shattering kiss. To say I was surprised was an understatement but the love on their faces was enough to keep me quiet.

When they finally remembered they weren't alone, they both turned to me with blushes on their faces.

"Sorry, not very polite of us." the little man whispered.

"It's fine, you look like you love each other dearly. It's a beautiful thing." They both looked at me in shock before huge smiles lit their faces.

The little one spoke again. "My name is Jolin and this mountain here is Kolden. We don't have time to talk here. When we get to our village we will talk more."

" I am Katarina. Am I to be a slave to your Jarl?"

"No Kat, you are a free woman now. But let us hurry, we do not want them waking to you gone anytime soon." It was the first time the big man spoke and his soft quiet voice was shocking.

They helped me onto one of the horses and Jolin mounted in front of me. I watched Kolden mount his horse with the grace of a man ten times smaller and then we were off.

We had been travelling for hours, were out of the woods and the sun already rising in the sky, when I caught the first signs of life. We had crested a hill and in the near distance I saw the buildings of the village. It was bigger than the one back home.

"Almost there." Jolin whispered to me. I just nodded and waited to get there. We were still traveling at a fast pace, as we didn't know how far behind us the men could be.

Minutes later we entered the village and the fear of what could happen had my body shaking with fear.

"Do not worry little Kat, no one will harm you here you have my word on it." Kolden said beside us. "We will protect you." I looked over to the man and saw the determination on his face. That alone had me calming down.

As we rode through the village, people stopped and stared, whispering behind their hands. My arms tightened around Jolin but I held my head high. We were soon in front of the Jarl's hall and Kolden helped first me and then Jolin from our horse. A small boy ran up and took the horses to feed and brush them.

Jolin took my arm a turned me to face the pair.

"Kolden's brother is the Jarl. He will see to it that you are taken care of. We live in his hall, so we will not leave you. You have nothing to fear here." I just nodded my head afraid to speak for fear I would beg them to take me away from all these people.

The big doors of the hall opened and Jolin led me through. I looked around the hall in wonder. It was clean and very manly but at the same time the majesty of it was beautiful. When we entered the eating hall everyone's eyes turned to us. I lowered my gaze to the floor to avoid it.

"Kolden!! You great big lug. What are you doing back so soon?" A low melodic voice boomed from in front of us.

"We came across that scum Borin and his men. Seems they had captured a girl to give to you in payment of what they owe you. So in honor of my brother we helped her escape and brought her here to free her. She is under my protection and any who harm her will deal with me."

There was an audible gasp around the room at the giants words. Kolden still stood in front of me so I couldn't see his brother.

"You know very well no one would harm the girl Kolden or I would have there head. But alas I do not see one here. Where is this girl you speak of." Kolden slowly moved to the side and revealed me to his brother the Jarl.

I was afraid to look up and actually look at the man.

"Look at me sweeting, let me see the prize that my brother helped." That comment made me angry. After the past two weeks, and the stupid man thought me some sort of prize.

"I am no man's damned prize." I yelled as I looked at him for the first time. When I did, the whole world stood still. I had thought Kolden was big. This man put him to shame. He stood at almost seven feet tall and had more muscle than any man I had ever seen. And by the gods was he gorgeous. He had golden hair that fell in waves down to his shoulders, and a face almost to angelic for his body.

The feature that stood out the most were his bright green eyes. They damn near glowed.

"Well I can see why Borin decided to take you. I have never seen an equal to your beauty."

"That man killed my father and dragged me from my home. Forgive me if I don't care why." He frowned at me and then looked to his brother.

"Have Jolin get her cleaned up and dressed. There are clothes in my chambers that will fit her. Bring her down for the noon meal. I believe Borin and his men will be here shortly." With that he walked off and out the hall door.

"Come Kat, let us get you cleaned and in decent clothing. Then we shall eat." Jolin spoke and I realized I had never let go of his arm.

Jolin helped me throughout the whole process of bathing and getting into my new clothes. The problem was that my new clothes were no dresses. The only thing the man had in here were men's wear. Granted they fit but I had never felt more exposed.

The black pants hugged and cupped every inch they covered and the white shirt covered with a red laced corset found at the bottom of a trunk made my chest look like it was going to fall out. It was when Jolin was combing my unruly black curls that fell past my waist that Kolden knocked and entered. He entered quietly and sat in a chair next to the bench I was sitting on.

"Kat I need you to listen carefully. My brother had you dressed this way for a reason. You are to look every inch a warriors woman. He is going to claim you are to be his bride and that you were stolen before you could wed. Cade is a good man, and he wants to make sure Bolin and his men pay for the harm they did you. You must play along with whatever Cade does. I promise he will not hurt you but even he will be stunned by your beauty this day."

"Why does everyone say I am a beauty. I have never even seen myself, yet everyone claims it. I do not want to be this way. I want to go home and have my father back. I want my quiet life in the woods." I started to cry and couldn't get my self to stop.

Jolin brought a cool rag and wiped my face before he helped me to a looking glass in the corner of the room. I was taken aback by myself. The clothing accented my small waist, rounded hips, and large breasts. My long black hair framed my whole body and made my sun kissed skin glow. I had full lips, a pert nose, and dark grey eyes. All in all I did look beautiful, but at the price I had to pay for it, I still wished I looked different.

Kolden bought me a belt with two long daggers attached to it, and helped me put it on. "Let us go back to the eating hall. Cade and Borin await."

I took one last look in the mirror and marched out of the door. My head held high, shoulders back and my black calf high boots announcing my arrival. Cade was waiting by the door to the hall to escort me himself. Without saying a word I strode to his side.

When he finally looked down at me, he gasped and then groaned. "You rival even the moon goddess in beauty dear Katarina. I will be the envy of every man this night." With that he escorted me inside.