Astrid smiled slightly at her defiance and chuckled. "You may struggle. Either way you'll be coming with us. You can do it with your pride intact or broken. Your call." She kept holding her until she would reveal her true identity. When the girl finally pronounced her name, Astrid loosened her grip slightly, but only so that she was a little more comfortable. Ah, so she was the daughter of the matron she had just killed. What a coincidence! Perhaps she would be able to fullfill the matron's last wish by sparing the young girl and providing her new opportunities. Astrid was rather pleased with this.<br/><br/>"Is that so? Then perhaps you would be interested in hearing your mother's last wish." Astrid said and continued without waiting for an answer from Svala. "She wished me to spare her daughter. I do not think there would have been anything to spare had you fought alone against Inge." By that she was referring to Inge's suicidal brashness, the way she compromised tactics for pure strength. Perhaps this girl could teach something to her daughter, although Astrid highly doubted that Inge would be willing to have an enemy offspring teach anything to her.<br/><br/>"You are coming with us." She announced and nodded to another woman who was standing nearby, keeping guard. "But because I sense you are not completely satisfied with your situation, which is perfectly understandable, I'll have to tie you up until you choose to cooperate." The woman guarding walked over to them with some rough and thick rope on her belt. It was the kind that was difficult to cut through and that would produce uncomfortable bruises if the imprisoned squirmed or struggled against them. Astrid pinned Svala down by pressing her palm against her back, so that the guard could effectively tie her hands together and then tie them up between her shoulder blades, so she wouldn't be able to swing them around or grab anything from her belt. "I'm sorry it's painful." Astrid spoke sincerely. "But these are just necessary precautions."<br/><br/>Once the rope was properly secured, Astrid helped Svala back on her feet and guided her forward towards some of her women who had finished looting houses. "She is coming with us. A fine fighter. Treat her with respect." Astrid instructed. "Keep an eye on her. If she runs away, feel free to put an arrow into her head. She won't make it far in this cold anyway." The matron shot a warning glare towards Svala before placing her between two guarding women who grabbed her by her shoulders and got ready to escort her back to their village.<br/><br/>Astrid then turned to those who were coming out of the houses, carrying goods. "Are you done soon? The frost is getting worse. We should hurry back while our feet are still warm from battle." She spoke, receiving nods of approval. "First group, you have my permission to leave and bring word of a victorious raid."<br/><br/>Once she was done with looting, Inge joined her mother along with other women she had led through the houses. The young girl shot a terrible glare towards Svala. "What are you doing with her, mother? You can't possibly be thinking of taking her with us. She will betray us for sure."<br/><br/>Astrid glared at Inge. "Watch your tongue, Inge. We welcome any new additions to the village, wherever they come from. She will adjust with time, just as so many have before her. You, will adjust to her presence, too." The last sentence was said with such strictness that Inge did not continue on the subject but instead sneered and walked off to another group that would leave before her mother and Svala. She couldn't bare looking at the face of the girl who had nearly won her in battle.<br/><br/>"That's it." Astrid nodded to the last women who walked out of the village. "Let's go and let us hurry." She made sure to walk behind the two women who were escorting Svala and kept an eye out for any survivors who might have escaped the village and hid themselves in the nearby forest. Next to her, an archer was readying a bow and an arrow in case Svala would somehow run off.