She nodded. She was sure her face was as red as her ass with all the men staring and commenting on it.

“And you promise to take orders if you ever raid with us again?”

“Ja, Jarl Erik.”

“Good girl.” He set a kiss on her brow. “Pull up your pants. This lesson is over.”

“Not while my ass is still sore.”

“And that is a good thing, for you will think about how you disobeyed Tali and what the consequences of it were.” He leaned closer, so his lips were by her ear. “Was Raud good? Worth the wait?”

She nodded and a tremble went through her pussy.

“You should know, he’s the only other man we would have shared you with. The only other Viking who is worthy.”

“He was my first love.”

“We understand that.” He tugged her pants up.

She winced as they scraped over her butt.

“You do it,” he said. “I have no wish to pain you further. And then get in the boat, we are catching this tide and the winds are being kind to us. The gods are on our side this day.”

* * *

By the time the sunhad slipped halfway to the west, the hilly horizon had faded into the distance. The sails Ingrid had repaired were bloated with air, the boat rushing over the water as if racing to a new life.

A new life.

That was what Ingrid hoped awaited her. A new life with her new husbands and lots of sex and sons and hopefully not too many spankings.

She could do without the spankings. She really would have to try to follow their rules about keeping herself safe.

She ate fish and bulrush roots they’d brought from the land, then took over manning the sail ropes.

Raud had settled down to sleep between the crossbars, his head on a bunched-up fur. She found herself looking at him for long periods of time. She wanted to pinch herself that he was here, alive, and had been accepted by the others as hers. But instead of doing that, she tightened her buttocks and the flames of sensation lingering there proved to her that Raud was very much alive and with her.

* * *

One week later andthe wind was still blowing favorably. Ingrid was feeling positive about their journey to the northlands. In fact she was looking forward to seeing the familiar hills, crags, and scarps of home and tasting her favorite foods once more.

I hope the king isn’t too angry with me.

A spanking of any kind from her father she couldn’t bear the thought of.

He wouldn’t.

He might.

No, surely, her men would not allow that.

“What are you concerning yourself with?” Tali asked, looking over at her as she sat on her fur, fiddling with three pieces of leather she’d knotted together to form a decorative bracelet.

“Naught.”

“I know that look, it’s a worry and it’s etched over your pretty brow.”

She shrugged. “I’m hoping my father will not be too angry with me. I behaved badly by running away.”