Many turns and passage hands ago...... a young Rarius set forth on a Journey.... a Journey that would take Him far away from His Home... His beloved Torvaldsland

Armed only with the great axe that belonged to His beloved Father..... and with a bota of Torvaldsland paga which was a gift from a Scribe friend.... He set forth.... on foot..... against the advice of His Family...... but this Rarius..... Thorsbane.... knew there was but one way He was to seek

He had won many battles.... had furred many a bond-maid.... but Thorsbane knew in His heart of hearts what He sought..... a love more true than the lifeblood throwing through His veins... a love that would know no boundaries..... one that could only be found in chains

And so His Journey was simple. He would seek His fortune..... and His fate

On the second day of His Journey, Thorsbane came upon a Raider camp.... feigning drunkenness.... He stumbled into Their camp... swinging His great axe...... singing a Torvaldian folk song at the top of His lungs......

The Outlaws laughed heartily at the sight of this large blonde giant stumbling towards Them..... Their Leader stood up..... "Ho, Northerner" He chuckled... "drinking Our wages, are We??" * Thorsbane grinned suddenly, and lowered the axe to the ground with a mighty thud. "I challenge Any One of you to a spar" He boomed......

The Outlaws laughed in delight. Raiding and warring can be wearying even for the most mighty of Rarii.... and a challenge from One of the North was always a welcome respite from the mundane..... the Leader approached Thorsbane.... regarding Him with a grin. "I will take Your challenge, Northerner...... and if I win, I will feed You to My Thalarion"...... laughter erupted around the camp, and Thorbane merely grinned and pounded the Leader's shoulder in agreement. "And if I win, Outlaw Leader...... I get her" pointing to a lovely slave kneeling nearby

The girl gasped...... and drew back... trembling. she was very comely..... a light-skinned wench, with auburn hair and green eyes. Thorsbane had noticed her the very ihn He set eyes on the camp, and knew that she must be His. The Leader smirked..... and clapped Thorsbane's shoulder. "Very well, agreed, Northerner...... and I must say, You have a fine eye for slave flesh...... "

The girl was stripped. bound, and thrown to the circle of the Men.... Thorsbane grinned down at the lovely wench and licked His lips. she trembled under His gaze.... but did not dare to meet the eyes of the blonde Giant of the North.... the Leader, none too pleased at the way she had glanced at Thorsbane, grunted "so, Northerner.... let Us see what They grow up there in Those icecaps "

Picking up the axe.... Thorsbane circled the Leader..... Who in turn circled Him..... hefting His own axe, silently cursing the luck that would have Him using only His sword; spears; bow; and quivas for the last several passage hands......

The great axe arced sharply downwards... in a deliberately awkward maneuver.... missing the Leader's head by several horts. The Leader laughed "is that all You can do, Northerner? whatever happened to the famed skill with the axe?" as he swung His own weapon high and brought it crashing down in a graceful swoop towards Thorsbane......

Throwing His head back in laughter..... Thorsbane slipped to left and neatly sidestepped the arc of the axe.... the impact of the throw had unbalanced the Leader and he stumbled....... His first, and last mistake. Swiftly knocking the Leader to His knees with a single blow to the legs, Thorsbane reared back taking advantage of the temporary shift in His center of gravity and just as swiftly brought the axe down in a sharp Chop......

Not wishing to kill His host, Thorsbane expertly and deliberately held back from allowing the axe its full impact and twisted the Bade as It descended.... the flat of the Axe connected with the Leader's skull felling Him..... Thorsbane shrugged and muttered...... "He'll sleep it off. "

The Men clapped Their left shoulders and shouted Their admiration of Thorsbane's skill. Thorsbane merely grinned, set the axe down, sat cross-legged near the fallen Leader, and looked at the girl.... His prize.

Within a few Ehn the girl was thrown to Thorsbane's feet.... He grabbed a handful of her auburn hair, and pulled her small body into His lap. Looking into her eyes, He felt His heart sing..... and with a soft chuckle... held the girl close as she swooned into a dead faint in His arms.....