Page 27

14

The sea was a deep blue with flecks of green. Sigrid watched Norway fade into the mist as they sailed away from it. It seemed so small from this vantage point, so insignificant, and yet it was her entire world. Gunnar’s men were well trained, and they manned the ship well. Sigrid stood facing the wind, feeling it flutter through her hair. The salt and the brine smelled lovely, and the world seemed open to her in a way that it never had before.

“Is this your first time on a ship?” Erik asked, joining her.

“It’s the first time being this far out. I’ve always dreamed of this, although I used to dream about being a part of a raid. I never thought I would be going to the Highlands to make allies.”

The boat swayed and creaked. There were occasional shouts from the crew as they told each other to adjust their trajectory or the sail to catch the wind.

“I’m just glad we’re sailing smoothly. The last thing I want is to encounter a storm, or worse, one of Ivar’s ships.”

“I don’t know if he’d come this far out again. He won’t know that we’re sailing out here, will he?” Sigrid asked, suddenly looking behind her in panic for fear that a ship would be surging through the water toward them.

“I don’t know. He probably assumes that I’m going to try and find some way home. Elof would have likely told him that I asked him for a ship. Ivar might think about who would be willing to help me, and that might lead him to Gunnar. We have to move quickly when we’re over there. I don’t want Ivar to hurt anyone on account of me.”

“Me neither,” Sigrid said. “So you are going to bring an army back and fight him?”

“That was our agreement,” Erik said. “I’m sure my father will honor it. You will have your justice,” he said.

Sigrid nodded and started to think about what lay in wait for her after this. She gazed toward the horizon. A faint mist settled upon it, casting everything in a dreamy haze. So far, she had never been able to look beyond her revenge, but now that it was getting closer, it was actually starting to become possible that she might succeed. But what then? She would be free to do whatever she wanted, and she found it troubling that nothing presented itself to her. Erik was different. He had always known what he wanted to do and how to go about doing it. He had been born with a destiny because he’d had his parents to show him the way. But that had all been ripped from Sigrid.

“What is your home like?” she asked.

Erik’s eyes lit up with pride, as they always did whenever he spoke of home or his family. “We live in a main village that has existed for generations, but after my father arrived, it became something of a trade hub. It was vulnerable to attacks before the Vikings arrived. They set up a settlement nearby, but whenever I think of home, I think of the two villages as one. There are other villages in the same region, and we try to protect them from bandits and other things. Over time, there have been some other Vikings who have set up camps. It seems as though everything is getting gradually closer and closer. We look out for each other, though, and trade to help each other. Nobody goes hungry, and we all share resources.”

“It sounds like the way things should be,” Sigrid said.

“My parents have done well to maintain such strong levels of trust between the locals. I only hope that I can continue in their stead when it is my time to take over.”

“I’m sure you will. You have all the qualities of a good leader,” Sigrid said, offering him a rare compliment.

“Thank you. I hope so, but sometimes I have my doubts. Mother and Father make it seem so easy sometimes.”

“From what you’ve told me before, they have their own difficulties. And at least you have the rest of your family to rely on.”

He nodded. “That is true.”

“And I’m sure in time you will have a wife as well,” Sigrid said, just about managing to keep her voice even. “Are you betrothed already?” She braced herself for the response to her question. It wouldn’t have surprised her if he was. After all, it made sense if he was going to take over from his father. He was of a good age to be married as well, and it might have explained why he had been reluctant to fully enjoy everything that could be enjoyed in bed.

“I am not,” he said.

Sigrid felt her heart soar.

The rest of the journey was uneventful. The water was smooth, the weather was fair, and there were no other vessels sent to trouble them. Occasionally, Sigrid peered at the water and saw shadows of movement underneath, the sign of great sea creatures wending their way through the watery depths. But even these did not dare to attack a Viking ship.

Eventually, three days later, land appeared. Erik pointed to the small islands where his uncle had made his home, and then his gaze turned to the large, rocky shore of the Highlands. From this vantage point, it looked much like Norway had, and Sigrid was surprised at how similar it seemed in color and foliage. There were rocky cliffs and a sandy beach upon which people were working on ships. There were small fishing boats out in the water as well, and the people looked on in wonder at this new arrival. The ship landed, and the crew made sure that it was safe on land. Erik and Sigrid disembarked, and the moment he stepped onto the shore, a great cry ran up as people came to greet him.

“I thought ye were dead!” one man cried, and others came to look at him with disbelief. Erik assured them that he was well, and then he declared that he needed to get home as quickly as possible. There was a spring in his step and a smile on his face as he breathed in familiar air. He was far different from the prisoner that she had known who had slumped in the corner of his cell and looked defeated. Here he was in his element, and it was a joy that could only come from being at home.

Sigrid had to stride at full pace to keep up with Erik. Now that he was home, it didn’t seem as though anything was going to delay his return. There was a throng of people trailing behind them as well. Sigrid knew there would never be so many people eager to see her. They walked up a sloping rise and strode along a road that ran parallel to some woodlands. Sigrid glanced with intrigue and wariness at these new horizons. The flora was so familiar to her, and yet it was different as well, which gave it an eeriness that was unsettling. However, she didn’t have a chance to let her gaze linger on anything for too long as she was moving so briskly.

They passed a horse and wagon, and again, a chorus cried out that Erik had returned. Good cheer was thrown their way as more people joined, and then they were in a village. They walked into the middle and were surrounded by buildings. Word spread, and people poured out of other houses. A thousand questions were flung in Erik’s direction, and he struggled to answer one before another three sprouted up. Sigrid found it all overwhelming and cast wary glances at all the strange people swarming around her and Erik. Her chest tightened, and the world seemed to close in on her. Had she ever been among this many people before?

Just as the world was beginning to spin, there was a hush.

“ERIK!” a huge, bellowing cry rang out that stopped everyone in their tracks. The crowd parted, and Sigrid could breathe a little easier again. Her eyes turned to a man who looked a lot like Erik, although a little older, a little taller, and a little more muscular. He strode up to Erik and gripped him in a firm embrace.

“My son…I worried that I would never see you again,” he said.