by Griff Hosker
“I know but that island is the one we must use for it is the last piece of land before we cross the Great Sea.” I shrugged, Erik had made this voyage and had not known the end of it. I would do the same although the weight of the clan was on my shoulders. If I failed, then the whole clan would die. Just then some seabirds screamed overhead, and a chilling thought struck me like a dagger. Suppose Erik had not died with his sword in his hand; none had seen him die. If he had fallen without a sword then his spirit would be flying above us! Touching my hammer of Thor, I said, “Brother, if that is you above me, guide us to safety!”
The wind which took us was not a powerful one and that helped for most of the children had not sailed before. They had been born on our island. The women busied themselves keeping the youngest ones occupied. Ada, my brother’s widow, had her hands full with Lars and with Ýrr. At least now that Ebbe had set the boys to fishing they would not be racing around the deck like mad things. The women all sat together. Arne’s wife had killed herself when Arne had died and his three children were now being cared for by Siggi’s wife, Gefn and the other women. Arne, Siggi and Maren were all less than five summers old. The women of the clan had cursed Freja for abandoning her children. The three were now the foster children of the clan. When Gefn took another husband and was married the children would become her husband’s foster children. If she did not marry, then the clan would care for them. Vikings did not abandon any child. The Clan of the Fox looked after its own.
The gentle motion of the ship soon had the babies and young children asleep. We had made shelters from old sails and hide. They would help to collect water and also give some shelter. We had many furs for the land we had left had given us much. They had cost us dear, but it meant that the babes and infants were comfortable. Ada left the nest the women had made and came over to me for Bear Tooth had joined the fishermen. She looked astern, beyond the other two ships.
She was silent and I knew her well enough now to know what was going on inside her mind for she had loved my brother, her second husband, “You are thinking of Erik?”
She nodded, “He is in my thoughts always, but I wish we had Gytha with us for she had the power to see into the spirit world. She would have known if he was in Valhalla or wandering the skies. With the volvas on three ships then it is hard to combine our powers.” She smiled at me. “Call me foolish for leaving all of his belongings in the hall we shared. His bear cloak, shield and wood axe are there.” She laughed in an embarrassed sort of way. “I even left ale and mead for I know that if he did not die and he returns then he will be thirsty.”
“You think he will return?”
“As I said, I do not know and we three volvas are still learning how to use our powers. When we are closer to the land of our birth then we will gain in strength. We are not Gytha.”
I gestured towards Anya who was playing with Maren. Anya was Helga’s younger sister and they were the daughters of Gytha who had been the matriarch of the clan, “Has she shown any signs of inheriting her mother’s powers?”
Ada nodded, “And she may have the greatest of all powers for Helga used a sword and that diminishes the power of a volva.” She stroked my hand on the steering board, “You are young, but the clan believes in you. Erik would be proud of you. He did all that he could to protect you from Arne.”
“My brother Arne was not himself at the end, but he was my brother and I wish that he had not died. When we land might you be able to see into the spirit world?”
“I fear not for it is a ceremony and a ritual which takes time.” She waved a hand at the children who, when they woke, would have energy to burn. “When we land, we will be cooking and trying to watch these sprites!” She looked thoughtful, “If we do find the Land of the Wolf then we can seek the help of Ylva for she is the greatest of all witches. She may be able to visit the spirit world. I heard that she and her grandfather met a Norn. She might be able to help us.”
I laughed, “Then all I need to do is navigate across this wide ocean and find a tiny dot far to the east! I am humbled by your confidence.”
She became serious, “When we lay together, Erik told me of the voyage for he was sad that it had caused the death of my son, Dreng. He went through the voyage in great detail. He told me that he learned to sail by sailing. Each day on the ocean he learned a little more about the sea and his snekke. It is good that this is a benign wind and that we are close to land. I know from Erik’s words that when we head east then we will face seas like mountains and bottomless pits of black water. He did and he survived.”
“But not your son.”
She smiled, “The sea did not kill him; it was the land and something he ate there. Besides, it was wyrd and his death, sad though it was, brought me happiness with your brother and Dreng died with a sword in his hand. He is with his father.”
Anya shouted, “Ýrr wakes!”
Ada shook her head and patted my hand, “She will want food. You cannot fill her!”
That first day passed but Ada’s words had given me comfort. Each mile that we sailed and each landmark which we passed made me more confident. I had now sailed ‘Gytha’ further than Erik for she was a new ship and he had barely sailed her for hours. I would learn to sail along with her. Erik had let me sail her for most of her sea trials. I had learned, already, that she was slower than ‘Njörðr’ but that she was more stable. There was less movement. She was also brand new so that the mast and the decks were still changing. The drekar would become different as she sailed through the seas. I did not yet know her completely, but she was beginning to speak with me and I felt comfortable.
Ebbe returned to me and I realised that he needed lessons. Once we left the land, we would need another helmsman. Æimundr Loud Voice was one who could sail if he had to for he was a leader. I had Harald of Dyroy, and he had stood a watch once or twice with Erik. I needed to train them while we had the safety of the land. Our hurried departure had meant that we could not prepare as well as Erik and I had planned; the Norns!
“Come, Ebbe, it is time for your lesson. You can take the steering board while I make water.” He looked nervous and I smiled, “Speak to her for she is a woman and likes gentle words.”
He nodded and said, somewhat self-consciously, “‘Gytha’, I am young, but I would be honoured if you would allow me to steer you.”
As I dropped my breeks and faced away from the wind, the sail seemed to sigh and I said, “That was well spoke and she is happy.”
We had ship’s boys keeping watch. None had done the job before and once I was happy that Ebbe was steering well I walked down the drekar. I had been a ship’s boy for my brother and knew that it was a frightening prospect. Danr, who straddled the cross tree and mast still gripped it with two arms as though he feared to fall. After a few more days he would relax and just use one, “Danr, when you spy a beach which has no smoke near it then hail me. We look for a campsite.”
“We are camping soon, Captain?”
It seemed strange to hear me addressed thus for I was not yet twenty, “No, but it will do no harm and it will keep your eyes on the land. Do not worry about the sea. There are no enemies there!” As I headed to the bow, I knew that was not true. We had hunted whales and knew that they could damage us, but this was not whale season. We had been here long enough to know that.
It was Petr who watched at the bow, and he was lying along the sheerstrake with his arms wrapped around ‘Gytha’s’ prow. She would not mind for Gytha had ever been warm. He grinned as he turned, “Captain, there are fish as big as our snekke and they dance before us as we fly across the waves. How do they do it?”
“I know not but if you see anything bigger then shout it out for I have no wish to be struck by a whale!”
That night we found a sheltered beach. Danr had heeded my words for it was deserted. The Norns must have been in a good mood for the high cliffs around it meant that there was no danger of us being attacked and we lit fires and the women cooked. The ships’ boys
of our three ships scurried amongst the rocks gathering pails of shellfish. We would save our salted meat for as long as we could. The women also cooked some barley and oat bread. They did not make loaves. They made flatbreads which were cooked on the sides of the precious cauldrons. I sat with Aed, Padraig and Æimundr Loud Voice.
It was Æimundr Loud Voice who spoke first. I know that he felt responsible, in some way, for the deaths of my brothers, cousin and nephew as he had brought back the survivors and left my brothers and cousin, Siggi, to their fate, “Today went well. Erik has trained you well, Fótr.”
“Perhaps but we have yet to face the open sea. I had Ebbe take the steering board today. Tomorrow I will see if Harald of Dyroy can handle her.”
Padraig nodded, “She is bigger than ‘Njörðr’ but I can see that she is slower. We had to reef our sail to avoid running you down.”
“I spoke with Bear Tooth today and he said that our last stop, the island my brother first found, might be the most dangerous place for he does not know the tribe there and he lacks knowledge about their ways.”
Æimundr Loud Voice asked, “Do we need to stop there?”
“We do and we need to collect water unless it rains twixt here and there. That is something which I remember.”
“Aye, when we sailed to the seal islands before we found the Land of Ice and Fire, we discovered that problem.” Padraig and Aed had sailed with my brother, Erik, and they had learned from him.
Aed had the loneliest job for he just had his family on board the snekke. I did not know how he would sail at night. “And how will you get relief, Aed?”
“I will take the night watch and my son Erik Aedsson and my wife, Maren, will follow you.”
Æimundr Loud Voice put his hand to his hammer, “A woman steering a ship?”
Aed laughed, “I am Hibernian and not Norse. We have women who can steer, and Maren is Finnsdotter. He knew how to steer.”
Æimundr Loud Voice nodded, “Aye you are right. It is strange that all those who could steer have died before now. Apart from you three, we are all warriors.”
“Perhaps it is our time.”
Padraig said, “We have not spoken of this but what do we do if we are separated? It could happen; there are fogs, storms and other hazards.”
I had thought of this and I remembered when the snekke had been thought lost. “We heave to for one day and then continue on the course we have begun. Once we leave the last island, we head due east, across the Great Sea. According to my brother’s map that will bring us to the land where the Franks have their great river and were Hrólfr the Horseman rules. It is not where we wish to be, but the alternative is to land in Hibernia.”
Padraig said, “That is our land and we know the waters.”
I could tell that he wished us to do that but I did not. I nodded, “And I would sail there but it is north of east and that is a harder course to keep if we are separated.”
“Then let us sail east until we have travelled for a moon and then change the course to north by east.” Padraig was a positive person who always sought the best for us all.
If I had been Arne, I would have argued for that was his way but Erik would have done as I did. I nodded, “That is a good plan for Erik thought that the voyage would take between two and three moons. If we become separated, then we wait for one day and then continue to sail due east.” It was a plan and, at the time, it sounded like a good one but the Norns were spinning!
Reginleif, my wife smiled and lifted the blanket for me. Erik lay between us and we spoke in whispers so as not to disturb him. I cuddled with her, feeling guilty that I was having to ignore my pregnant wife and young son.
“I am so proud of you, husband. Today all the women spoke of how happy they are that you lead us.”
“But I feel so young and I fear to make a mistake.”
“They say that Erik was younger when he sailed away and although we are now leaving this land, they know that it was good that we came.”
I nodded and kissed her, “I know that we had to come to this land and I still wonder if we could have stayed.”
“There are many who believe that had Erik led the clan then we could have stayed for he was wise beyond his years and could have made peace with the Skraeling. He was the one converted Bear Tooth to our ways. The land was a good one and we could have made it our home.”
“But you wished to return east?”
“Aye for I feared that the jarl would lead the clan to destruction. You felt it too.”
“You are right, and if we had stayed and Erik had found the maiden of his dreams what then?”
“You are thinking about Ada?” I nodded. “She would have understood, and she would have shared Erik. Do not forget that Ada is wise and had lost a husband and a son already. When she married Erik, it was like being reborn and she knew that their time together was a gift from the gods. She is content.”
“And you, are you content for I cannot give you all the time that I should?”
“I am luckier than many for I still have my man and Erik still has a father. When our next child is born there will be others who can help me while you sail the ship.”
“Is the baby imminent?”
She shook her head, “No, you goose, for there are three moons, at least, before my time but I know that we may be at sea longer than you said and I must be prepared. Fear not, Ada and Egilleif will be close by for we are family.”
I kissed her, closed my eyes and fell asleep. My dreams were troubled for I saw Erik, alone and fighting off the Skraeling. Unlike Arne I was not a true warrior and I saw little glory in his death.
We left as the sun rose in the east and I took the sun as a good sign. The worst sunrise for us would be a grey and overcast one for that would herald a storm and winds from the east. The few men on each ship had to help the boys to haul on the ropes and the sheets to raise the sail. As yet it was an untidy process but Erik had told me that it took time for boys to learn to handle sails. He, Arne and Siggi had had a cruel and harsh taskmaster on their first voyage who had been uncompromising. Erik had always been patient and I tried to be the same. As yet there was no hurry and it was better to coddle and nurse them while we could pull in each night and rest on the land. Once we were at sea with no comforting land to run to then the adjustment of the sails would become critical and need lightning-fast hands and reactions.
Chapter 3 Fótr
That second day at sea I began to let both Harald and Ebbe take the helm. It was strange teaching a man who was fifteen years older than I was and, at first, I was nervous, but Harald knew his limitations. He was a fine weaponsmith and a fair warrior. He could sail but it had been on the snekke when he had fished with Aed and Padraig. I think teaching Harald of Dyroy gave me confidence because things I told and taught him which seemed simple and second nature to me were revelations to him. Erik had been a better teacher than I had known. Perhaps it was because he had begun work when I was so young. I had sailed with him on the snekke and he had helped me little by little. I was patient with them as I took a sight from the sun which had decided to make an appearance. It meant we had a better idea of our position. I marked the map and then put the compass and map in the chest by the steering board. Both Ebbe and Harald knew to watch the hourglass and to turn it. They would make the mark on the wax tablet we had made. To the others what we did seemed to be unnecessary but Erik had taught me that the marks and scratches we made were vital to the success of the voyage.
Once I was happy with his work, I left Harald with Ebbe by his side and walked the drekar again. I knew that, once we struck land, I would no longer lead the clan and I was happy about that but for now they looked to me for Erik had imparted all that he knew to me. He would have been a better jarl than Arne and I would use what I had learned from Erik allied to the knowledge of the many mistakes which Arne had made. I listened and I watched. Erik had told me how he tried to spot when someone was fearful or nervous for such people make mistakes. We were
all, quite literally, in the same boat and the weakness of one could harm the whole. We had widows on board. With so few men it was unlikely that they would find a man until we landed and found others. It was the lonely widows to whom I gave the most attention and spoke kindly to them. I was aware, as I passed them, of Ada, Reginleif and Egilleif watching me, I smiled and Erik who was now dangerously active rushed to grab my leg. My nephew, Lars, grabbed him by the arm, “Come and play with the stones!” Distracted, Erik obeyed.
Petr shouted from the masthead, “Captain, I see smoke over the land!”
“You have good eyes, Petr!”
The fact that we were not going to land for at least twelve hours meant that the sightings were not needed but it kept the lookouts alert. I spoke to the other lookouts and then stood on the gunwale and held on to the forestay; I peered at the land. By my estimation, we had another four or five nights, at least, before we reached the island. If all were as peaceful as the first night then I would make a blót to thank the gods. I had never made one but I knew that one who ignored the gods risked all. Arne had discovered that. I could not remember his making one but my father had.
It was as I came back to the steering board that I saw Bear Tooth speaking and laughing with Anya, my cousin. They looked to be close and I wondered at that. She had chosen to be on my drekar while Tostig, her brother, had asked to sail on ‘Njörðr’. Tostig had been close to Arne and Siggi. Siggi’s wife, Gefn, was on the ‘Njörðr’ with Helga her sister in law. I now saw why Anya had chosen my drekar. It was strange for Anya was older than Tostig and me. Anya had been close to her mother, Gytha, and had nursed her when she was dying. Perhaps the young Skraeling had been her salvation during that time. Whatever the reason I saw affection between them. It was wyrd. I had worried that Bear Tooth would miss my brother but now I saw the threads of the Norns in all of this. Bear Tooth watched over Lars, my nephew and Anya would be his reward. She deserved happiness too.
