“Only one, lord,” Kalen panted.
Cenric glanced to Edric.
“It could be him. Or not.” Something in the way Edric said it suggested he was hoping for the latter.
Cenric grinned at his friend, but he didn’t sheath his sword. If it was raiders, they’d chosen an unlucky time. All the village’s men happened to be here along the riverbank. If they’d come hoping for easy prey, they would be disappointed.
Not to mention they had a sorceress to heal anyone who was injured. Cenric was hardly worried as he strode out from the shed with his thanes following behind.
Several voices called out, but no one seemed to be panicked just yet. At the sight of Cenric striding calmly along the beach, the people calmed, though they backed away.
Friends?Snapper appeared from wherever he had been napping, excitement shivering through his furry body.
The ship came into sight—a thing of beauty with seventeen oars, same as the number of steeds owned by the First of Fathers, Havnar, the king of the gods. The usual wolf head prow of a Valdari ship was replaced by the likeness of a deer so as not to frighten the good spirits in friendly waters.
The vessel neared slowly, its shields hanging on the sides. These were men in a friendly harbor, not raiders.
Cenric recognized the ship before he recognized the figure perched near its prow. Not sheathing his sword, he raised his voice to be heard across the water. “Who dares to sail into my lands?”
Thirty-four rowers manned the ship, crouched over the oars. Several other figures moved to and fro, at least two women.
The figure near the prow was a large man, a full head and shoulders above most. The wolf’s pelt around his shoulders made him look even larger and broader than he was. Silver and gold rings banded his massive forearms. He swept a bow toCenric with a grin. “Only us poor travelers come to exploit your hospitality and delightful company.”
Edric made a disappointed sound from behind Cenric. No fights today, at least not the sort the red-haired man had been hoping for.
“Presumptuous, as always.” Cenric allowed himself to grin back at the Valdari. “Kalen, show them where they can dock.”
Kalen stepped a little apart, signaling to the man at the prow and led the way, jogging down the riverbank.
Snapper raced after him, barking.Hróarr! Vana! Friends!
One of Cenric’s first constructions after becoming alderman had been a series of docks so that ships didn’t need to be dragged ashore for loading and unloading. Though they still stored the ships on land over winter, it had made life much easier during the warmer months.
Cenric finally sheathed his sword. Word had begun to spread through the village, but no alarm had been raised. Hróarr tended to inspire excitement and curiosity.
The ship docked and Cenric walked to meet it. Some of the thanes he sent back to work, but Edric walked with him to meet Hróarr.
The big man was the first to leap from his ship and to the docks. He paused to help a svelte woman down after him.
“Snapper! How are you, you mighty beast?” Hróarr rubbed Snapper’s sides, scooping him up like he weighed no more than a rabbit. He wrestled with the dog, Snapper’s tail thrashing wildly while his thoughts squealed with delight.
Hróarr! Hróarr here!
Hróarr finally set the dog down and bounded to meet Cenric on the shore.
“Cenric!” Hróarr met Cenric in an embrace that was more a grapple than a hug. They both squeezed, each one trying to push the other off balance, laughing.
They shoved until they were out of breath and had to either let go, or wrestle on the ground. They clasped forearms, shaking in the more traditional way.
Cenric laughed, slipping into the Valdari language. “Ah, it’s good to see you, brother.”
They were cousins, but Cenric had known Hróarr far better than his own siblings. They’d been raised together, though Hróarr was a few years younger. In Cenric’s mind, Hróarr was his little brother. The dead men who had been his father’s sons were strangers.
“I couldn’t miss Blydmoth, now could I?” Hróarr scoffed, like the thought had never occurred to him, also switching into Valdari.
“I’ll be happy to have the extra hands for the slaughter,” Cenric replied.
“You know me and my men are always good for a bit of bloodletting.” Hróarr chuckled at his own joke. “Vana, my beauty.”
