"Wake!" Melcorka kicked her heels against the door of the chamber in which the refugees slept. The noise echoed around the crowded room. "Wake up!"
They stirred slowly, men and women, with two of the three children waking and the third snuffling as she ignored the peremptory order from this strange woman with the long sword and haunted eyes.
"What time is this to waken us?"
"Who in God"s name are you?"
"My name is Melcorka the Swordswoman." Melcorka ignored their protests. "The Norsemen have defeated us. They have slaughtered our army, captured our king, r***d our women, tortured our warriors, taken our people into s*****y and ravaged and occupied our land. And all we have done is run for sanctuary."
They looked at her through old, defeated, hopeless eyes.
"It is time to strike back!
