1115; the spear went straight through her body. She had missed, she never missed. She could hear her crew cry out, and her family rush towards her. The spear was wanked out and she fell lifeless in the sand.

1078, December 14, Sigrun Rask was born. From a young age she has always wanted to sail the seas and be a world renowned viking. People would soon fear her silver locks, blue eyes and short stature.

She was born in Sweden, a few miles off the coast, in a small hut her parents called home. It was just the three of them, her father was a blacksmith, able to make any weapon imaginable. Her mother was a farmer, tending to the fields day and night. On her 6th birthday she announced to her parents that she wanted to be a viking and explore all of Europe!

“Sigrun, do you really want to do that. A girl has never been a viking before, none the less a captain of a viking ship.” Asdis, her mother, said worried for Sigrun’s life.

“Ja, you could get captured or killed. Your mama und I don’t want that for you.” Eysteinn, her father, agreeing with her mother.

“Just you guys wait, I’ll be the best viking ever!” Sigrun shouted so the whole village could hear.

Years of practice flew by. A close friend, his name was Fenrir, he was nice enough to teach her how to sail and fight. On her 18th birthday, he gave her a specially made battle axe and her very own ship.

Her new battle axe was taller than her and the blade had her’s and her parents names carved into it. The staff was wrapped in leather and elk fur. Her new ship was fairly small compared to the others but it was all she needed.

“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!” Sigrun grabbed her friend into a hug and lifted him off the ground. “These are perfect! I’ll set sail tomorr-”

“Sigrun, you okay?” Fenrir asked. She was looking down the docks at a young man, he had brown hair, hazel eyes and was fairly tall. In his hand was a homemade crossbow and around his waist were two daggers.

“Who is he? Do you know him?” Sigrun grabbed her friend by the shoulders, asking him question after question, while shaking him.

“He’s Hallbjorn. Why are you asking?” he replied.

“I’m going to marry him.”

“What?! You can’t marry him!” Before he could reason with her she was already sprinting towards Hallbjorn.

When she reached him, she tapped his shoulder and said: “ Hallå, I’m Sigrun, you must be Hallbjorn. So, want to get married!” She said with a grin.

Hallbjorn stood in shock, not knowing what to say or why this girl wanted to marry him. “Uh… Who are you again?”

“The name’s Sigrun Rask, I’ll be setting sail tomorrow, so got to make your decision now.”

“Setting sail? Who do you think you are doing that, men can barely survive these voyages, you think you can?”

“Ja, in fact I know I can.” Sigrun replied, narrowing her eyes at him.

“I’d like to see you try.”

“Fine, how about a deal. If I can survive a voyage from here to Denmark, you have to marry me. If I don’t survive you get my boat, crew and axe.”

Hallbjorn chuckled and extended his hand. “Your on.”

They parted with a handshake and were to set off at 5am tomorrow. “What did you do?!” Fenrir yelled at her. “You can’t make a deal like that!”

“Well, I did.” she replied heading to the bar.

“You’ll die before you get to shore!”

“Excuse me! I thought you had faith in me. You said I was ready!”

“You are ready! But a voyage that long is suicide for a beginner!”

“Then tell my parents I love them.” Sigrun replied, grabbing her beer and heading to her ship.

1096; Sigrun’s first voyage, 4:45 am.

“Didn’t think you would go through with this.” Hallbjorn said to her, walking onto the ship.

“I never back down from a fight. Better get a ring ready, in twelve days you're going to have yourself a wife!” Sigrun shouted walking down to the lower level of the ship.She was so prepared and was ecstatic to set sail in a few minutes.

She walked back up the deck and saw that her crew had arrived.

“Alright men, ya ready to set sail!” She shouted at them. They cheered in response and Hallbjorn rolled his eyes.

10 days have passed on their voyage. Sigrun has remained persistent. Herself and her crew have sailed through storm after storm, they even crossed paths with another captain, it was Fenrir. He seemed different, had an unsettling aura around him. He scoffed at Sigrun and took a swing at her with his spear before leaving.

12 days have passed. They finally made it to Denmark. The cut from the spear that bastard of a captain gave her was slowly forming into a scar.

“Well Hallbjorn. I survived all 12 days. Where’s the ring?” She stood in front of him waiting.

“Alright fine.” Hallbjorn replied. He got out a golden band, that was barely a ring. He handed it to her and waited for her to take it.

“That’s the best you got? Wow me with this.”

Hallbjorn laughed. “Fine. Sigrun, after basically kidnapping me, taking me on a deadly voyage, and giving me no choice in this decision, will you marry me?”

“That’s better. Yes, I will.” She said with a smile and put the ring on her finger.

17 years later and they had a son and named him Berwald. He had blonde hair and silver eyes. He was born on February 25, 1097 on his parents ship, during a storm. The crew saw the child as bad luck or the devil’s spawn, but after Sigrun threatened their lives Berwald was accepted onto the ship. He had been trained in all forms of combat and was exceptional with the swords.

Sigrun had even made a reputation for herself. The way she uses her axe can cut through the thickest ice, and it helped she had a short temper to go along with her strength. Just like she always wanted, people have learned to fear her silver locks, blue eyes, short stature and her axe. She raised Berwald to be a fearsome viking, and people have even said he has an evil aura around him.

Although 2 years later, Sigrun came face to face with the same captain she met on her first voyage, the one that swung his spear at her.

“Would you look at that, the little seal is walking around like she owns the place.”

“Fenrir. What do you want?” Sigrun sneered at him.

“You're stealing my limelight. Get over this silly fantasy und go back to the mainland where you belong.”

“Oh please. I’m more of a viking then you’ll ever be.”

“You really think so… Alright, how about we settle this with a duel. When we reach the shores of Germany, we’ll see who’s better. Your axe against my spear.” Fenrir stated, narrowing his eyes at Sigrun.

“Your on.”

Fenrir chuckled and went back to his ship. Sigrun was ready, this man had been a thorn in her side the moment she set sail. She had enough, it was time to end this.

“Sigrun. Back down, this is crazy!” Hallbjorn grabbed her shoulders and turned her around. “You can’t go through with this, I’m not going to let you do this!”

“I need to do this. If I win, that bastard will be gone forever!” Sigrun pushed Hallbjorn out of the way and stood at the hull of the ship.

1115; Sigrun, her family, and her crew landed on shore. Fenrir was close behind. He had been her best friend since they were kids, what happened to him. She thought he was happy for her, she fulfilled her dream.

“This is it Sigrun. You ready?” Fenrir asked, walking to the opposite side of her.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” She could do this. She knew his attacks, just had to make a large enough wound for him to back down.

They faced each other and Fenrir made the first move. He lunged towards her, his spear flying past her head. She blocked all his attacks, not daring to strike back yet. Fenrir then managed to throw her off balance, sending her backwards. He paused, Sigrun waited for his move. Instead of running towards her, he ran to attack Berwald, she sprinted in between them. She swung her axe one last time, hoping to slice something, his hand, his arm, even his head.

She hit nothing, she missed. His spear went straight through her. She missed, she never missed. Her eyes welled up in tears, her life played back in her head. She saw her parents, her old hut. When Fenrir was her friend, her training. Hallbjorn reluctantly marrying her, Berwald being born. She smiled, chuckled softly and her last words were “I told you I could do it.”

Fenrir wanked his spear out, her body fell lifeless in the sand. He turned to his crew and motioned them to leave. Hallbjorn and Berwald rushed to her side, she was already gone.