Read Online The Thrall (The Viking Hero Series Book 1) by Njord Kane - Free Book Online

turned and began walking towards
the village. He had no choice really. If he refused the demand of the
Karl, one of the village's freemen, he would have been cut down by
the man's ax.
    There was a difference between a thrall, whom was
property, and that of a freeman. It would not of been considered
murder to kill a thrall. There would only be an obligation to pay the
thrall's owner for damage to their property. It was no different than
killing a cow or breaking a tool and then having to pay the owner the
amount for replacement.
    They walked the whole way without saying a word.
Rowan walking in front with the Karl behind him, holding his ax over
his shoulder. They walked this way until they reached the village and
continued towards the center. They gathered an occasional curious
look from the villagers that took noticed them.
    They stopped when they reached the village center
where the Jarl's Hall was located. This was were Jarl Erling resided,
although Rowan himself had never been inside. He'd been to the
village center many times and even to the Jarl's Hall, but was always
told to wait outside. The Hall was a place for freemen.
    However, this time
Rowan got to go in and see what it looked like inside for the first
time. The Karl who led Rowan there had pushed him inside while he
told him to go in.
    Rowan stumbled
in the doorway and nearly tripped and fell flat on his face. As he
entered he was momentarily blinded. It took a moment for Rowan's eyes
to adjust to the lighting inside .
    He was surprised by the hall's size. It looked
even bigger from the inside than it did from the outside. The design
was very different than the typical longhouse. It was much larger and
more open to accommodate a larger group of people.
    There were three great
fire pits in the center of the Jarl's Hall. Each fire pit had heavy
wooden tables and benches lined on each side of them. Along the walls
were additional rows of heavy tables that also had benches on each
side. On the opposite end of the hall there was a seat that was
raised up above the others.
    Rowan could see Jarl
Erling seated at this raised chair with some of his armed House Karls
at guard on either side of him.
    Rowan knew what the
Jarl looked like, he'd seen him on numerous occasions when the Jarl
requested items to be made by the blacksmith. Bjord had crafted many
things for the Jarl on many occasions.
    The Karl that brought
Rowan into the Jarl's Hall grabbed him by the iron collar that he
wore around his neck and used it to lead him to the Jarl.
    When they were in
front of the Jarl, the karl pulled Rowan down by the iron collar and
commanded, "on your knees thrall!"
    Rowan obeyed, keeping
his eyes lowered and knelt down before the Jarl, whom was looking at
them with great curiosity.
    "Jarl
Erling, my lord, I found this thra ll outside the village. I
asked him where his master was and he claims that his master had been
killed by a wild beast."
    The Jarl nodded without saying a word.
    The karl added, "we haven't seen the
blacksmith in a couple days, I suspect this thrall has killed his
master and his son."
    Neutral faced, Jarl
Erling quietly looked at Rowan for a few moments before
turning to one of his guards standing next to him and ordered, "bind
him."
    The guard stepped
forward and took Rowan's hands behind him and bound them with leather
lashings. After tying the binding, he lifted Rowan up by his arm and
pulled him up to his feet.
    The guard then guided
Rowan back near the fire that was in front of the Jarl and pulled him
back down to his knees and stood behind him.
    As Rowan was being watched by one the Jarl's
guards, the Jarl instructed another guard to "fetch the
blacksmith's household."
    The guard turned and expeditiously exited the
hall.
    Rowan remained there on his knees facing the Jarl
with his head bowed down and hands bound behind him. He was not sure
of what was to become of him. This was definitely not a good
predicament to be in and now he questioned his decision to