Hilda (Raiders and Ruins)

Hilda is the antagonist from the book Raiders and Ruins by Terry Deary. She is a young English girl who is enslaved by Vikings. She is described as an ugly, unpleasant girl with short, dark hair.

History
Hilda was born in English town Jarrow, located on the river Tyne. Her family is poor, so her mother sells her to Vikings as a slave for three polar bear leathers. Since that, she has accompanies Viking married couple Thorfinn and Freydis on their trade routes, although she has actually never learned to speak Norwegian very well.

One day, she saves Eric, an English young novice monk who fled from the abbey in a small boat and almost died in the storm, and gets him on their ship. At first sight, she take care about him nicely, but she actually plans to sell him as a slave. Eric suspects nothing and thanks her dearly, causing Hilda has to stifle laughter in front of him.

When they finally come to Viking village, Hilda cons Eric to calm him down while she tied him up and leads him to the marketplace. While selling, she uses him as a translator, because Eric can speak both English and Norwegian. However, she causes him problems with Mad Magnus by an accident when he tells him he is fool, although he only translates Hilda's sentence. Hilda eventually sells Eric for six sheep and then he finally realizes what she did.

Later, Hilda reveals Eric the Vikings' plan to rob his old abbey and helps him to learn their biggest secret: new, faster dragon ships. Unfortunately, her owner decide marry her with the recently deceased leader of the Vikings, meaning she will be burn in his ship along with him. As she doesn't understand what the Vikings say and Eric lies to her about it, she suspects nothing. That night, Eric decides to escape in his boat and takes Hilda reluctantly (with reason; she is complaining all the way thankless). Unfortunately, their plan fails.

With Mad Magnus' help, Eric and Hilda evetually successfully escape from the village and warn the monks from Eric's abbey, but are only able to save Father Patrick and Ethelbert, Eric's friend. They all return to Jarrow where Hilda's mother let them live in her house.