As the ships rounded the last bend in the river, Kiera could feel the excitement welling up within her. There, beyond the far opening of the bay was the limitless horizon of ocean that would lead to Ireland.
A gentle nudge on her side snapped her out of her daydream. She was surprised to see Mats Standing next to her, looking off towards the ocean as well. The sea breeze ruffled his thick sandy hair as he leaned his broad shoulders against the side railing.
“I can see you're as excited as the rest of us. It actually feels good to finally leave this land.”
The ocean wind whipped the curly hair that framed her smiling face.
“I've been waiting for this moment ever since we arrived,” she replied.
He turned to her, squinting out the morning light. “I never had the chance to tell you how much the village changed after you became lost at sea. Without you, it was like the heart, the spark of the village had been stolen. But now that you're back, the entire village has come back to life. Your presence among us is such an important part of who we are.”
Kiera shifted uneasily. She was getting an uncomfortable feeling about where this conversation might be going.
“Thank you, Mats, for your kind words. But one person cannot affect a whole village. It was probably just coincidence. The dark mood was more likely from the run of bad luck that struck the village in the past year. After all, I'm merely a slave girl.”
“That can be changed.”
Her eyes widened. “I'm sorry? What can be changed?”
“Perhaps you don't have to be a slave.”
“I…I don't understand.”
He took her hands in his. “I haven't stopped thinking about you since you returned. You have touched my heart and my soul. I now realize that I don't want to live without you. I want you to be by my side, always. Kiera, I want you to marry me.”
Her mouth dropped. “Marry you?”
“Yes! Marry me! You can be my wife, and with that distinction, you will no longer be considered a slave. You will be one of us!”
“But…but…” stammered Kiera, “what about Dagmar and Bjorn? They would have to agree to this!”
Frantically, her eyes scanned the boat. Sitting on a wooden bench, just behind the bow, she caught the beaming faces of Dagmar and Bjorn, their heads nodding up and down. Lorna, on all fours and talking to a crated chicken, was oblivious to the drama taking place. Kiera was astounded. They had already arranged this marriage amongst themselves!
“I can tell you're shocked,” chuckled Mats. “We thought it would be fun to surprise you with the terrific news. And what a great day to propose! It's the first day of our new life away from Vinland. So, what do think?”
Marriage! Kiera's mind spun wildly from all of the implications. If she married Mats, they would live in Greenland for the rest of her life. She would no doubt be bearing children as soon as possible to help out with the backbreaking labour of living in such a marginal land. Marriage and children would tie her to the Vikings and this community forever. Her dream of Ireland suddenly faded to black. They had won. The Vikings had forcefully taken her from her homeland, and they would now trap her and all of her descendants among their people forever.
It was hard to believe that this was a scenario she had contemplated, even wished for, not so long ago. What had happened to her? Did it matter? There was no choice. It was extremely rare for a Viking to find a slave girl worthy of marriage. It was a huge honour for Kiera, one that she dared not refuse. To do so would be an insult to the entire community. She turned to Mats. Her lips parted to deliver her answer.
“Skraelings!”
Their hands broke apart. Mats and Kiera wheeled around, staring in horror to the northeast. The word that sent shivers down the spine of every villager was echoing from boat to boat. Fingers pointed to the north. A fleet of fast-moving kayaks materialized from behind the rocky northern tip of the bay, heading towards the river's mouth. The lead kayak spied the emerging Viking ships. The entire fleet of smaller kayaks changed heading. They began to paddle south. At once, Kiera realized what they were trying to do. She turned to Thorfinn, who was manning the rudder.
“They're trying to cut us off from the ocean!”
“Aye,” he shouted back. “And we can't fight. Not with the women and children on board. It will have to be a race for the open sea. Well, Kiera, it is time to see what your repaired sails can do. Hoist them up! Let's make a run for it!”
Kiera and Mats heaved on the lines. The sail skidded up the mast, filling with a warm southwest wind. After several shouts between the captains, the other boats followed suit. The villagers fell into an anxious silence, their eyes staring at the approaching kayaks and their narrowing escape route. Every Viking knew that it would be close. Some closed their eyes in prayer. Some encouraged the wind to blow with greater force. Everyone had forgotten about the tiny inuak paddling along behind the massive longboats. Everyone, that was, except Kiera.
She leaned over the side of the boat and worriedly looked back. Chocan was paddling furiously, trying his best to keep up with the accelerating longboats. She knew that there was no way the Thule had missed seeing him as well. From personal experience, she knew the Thule loved revenge. Kiera cringed while thinking of what they might do to an escaped prisoner in a stolen Thule craft.
Chocan was slowly falling behind. She glanced forward towards the kayaks. Chocan was not going to make it. Kiera left the mast, ran towards the rear of the boat and took a long coil of rope from the deck. She lashed the end of the rope to the gunwale and took the heavy coil in her arms. Thorfinn, hands glued to the tiller beside her, stared at her incredulously.
“What do you think you're doing?”
“I'm getting this rope to Chocan. If we don't pull him beyond the reach of the Thule, he'll be killed.”
Thorfinn looked over his shoulder at the tiny craft. He shook his head sadly.
“I'm sorry, Kiera. You'll never be able to throw the rope that far.”
She threw the coil onto her shoulder. “Who said anything about throwing?”
In one swift motion, she grabbed Thorfinn's knife from his belt then threw herself over the side of the boat.
“Kiera!”
The icy water hit her like a wall. Her ribs took the brunt of the Impact, crushing the air from her lungs. Fighting the urge to breathe, she released the coil, except for the very end, stuck the knife between her teeth and quickly tied the rope around her waist. Then, with every last ounce of strength, she tore at the water with her arms and legs. She willed herself upwards, fighting against the weight of the rope and the screaming in her lungs.
After what seemed like an eternity, her head finally broke the surface. She gasped, filling her burning lungs with life-giving air. Where was he? She spun, disoriented. There! Amazingly, the inuak was almost upon her. Chocan tossed the paddle into the inuak and desperately leaned over the side. Kiera's eyes were wide with fear as the weight of the rope began to pull her back under. Chocan speared his hand through the surface and grabbed her by the back of her coat. He heaved. Her head broke the surface and with two hands, he grabbed her under her armpits.
Coughing, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, but at the same moment, the rope snapped taut. Kiera screamed as her body felt it had just been ripped in two. The knife that was in her mouth clattered onto the rib below. Chocan gabbed hold of the rope, preventing her from being thrown back into the sea, then he held on. He picked up the knife which lay by his knee and slashed it down upon the rope that stretched away from Kiera's waist. Bracing his foot against the ribbing, he tied the rope to the forward thwart. He slowly relaxed the muscles in his arms, allowing the boat to absorb the tension. Miraculously, the thwart held. The inuak skipped through the waves as it followed Thorfinn's longboat. He turned his attention to Kiera, who lay groaning at his feet.
“You crazy woman!” he shouted. “What did you think you were doing?”
Kiera turned to the side and retched out a lungf
ul of sea water. She looked up through bloodshot eyes.
“I was trying to save your life,” she gurgled.
“By killing yourself?” he yelled, furiously.
She blinked into the bright sun. “The Thule would have caught you. I couldn't let that happen.”
His tone softened. He gently touched the bruise which showed at her exposed waist. She yelped as he pushed gently on her side.
“I think you might have cracked a couple of your ribs. Try to lie still. I'm afraid that we are not out of danger yet.”
“Why?”
“Your friend Thorfinn just saved your life. You would have drowned if he had not ordered down the sail. Otherwise you would have been pulled under before I could have reached you. His effort, however, might just cost us all. Although we're sailing once again, Thorfinn's delay has allowed the Thule to close the gap to the ocean.”
Despite the fiery pain from her ribs, Kiera rolled onto her hands and knees and looked forward. The Viking ship was plowing impressively through the water, dragging the insignificant inuak in its wake. Thorfinn looked over his shoulder at the tiny craft, his face lined with concern. Kiera waved. Thorfinn nodded grimly, then returned to navigating the ship through the ever narrowing gap between the land and the kayaks. The first three ships were now well ahead and already sailing safely into the open ocean.
The Thule were so close that their furious faces could be seen. They knew that they were not going to catch the fourth and final ship. Their focus shifted to the tiny inuak. Perhaps their wrath could be taken out upon the two passengers in tow. The Thule raised their arrows and took aim. Thorfinn signalled for everyone on board the longboat to duck. Kiera and Chocan dove under the leather. She yelped as arrows began smacking into their protective shield like a hailstorm. One arrow did manage to slice through the leather. Kiera flinched as it grazed her shoulder.
Miraculously, the slaps of incoming arrows began to dissipate. It wasn't until the ocean could be heard lapping against the bow that Kiera peered out carefully from under her cover and surveyed the surrounding scene. The flotilla of kayaks sat motionless behind them in the mouth of the bay. The Thule looked on helplessly as their prey escaped, disappearing into the ocean beyond the mouth of the bay.
“Hold tight!” shouted Thorfinn, as the sail was lowered once again. “I'll pull you alongside.”
Kiera and Chocan came out from under the sail. She stiffened as she saw the blood oozing once again from his injured back.
“Your shoulder!”
“It must have been from the paddling,” he answered, grimacing as he gingerly tried to move it up and down.
Thorfinn looked over the railing at the inuak. At least two dozen arrows were embedded in every part of the craft. He shook his head, wondering how anyone could have survived the assault.
“Are you two all right?” he shouted doubtfully.
“Chocan hurt his shoulder again,” she shouted back, taking a cloth. She soaked it in sea water, then wrapped it around his injured back.
“If he's hurt, then we'd better bring him along to Greenland after all. He won't be able to paddle back to land in that condition.”
“You're right,” said Kiera as they bobbed alongside. “I don't think he will be able to paddle back, either.”
“Then let's get going,” Thorfinn said, lowering his hand over the side. “We have to catch up to the other ships before nightfall.”
Kiera looked into Thorfinn's weathered face and shook her head. “I'm not going with you.”
Thorfinn's eyes widened in shock. “What?”
“I'm going to take Chocan back home.”
“But he no longer has a home!”
She looked back at Chocan, then up at Thorfinn with a calm, knowing gaze. “You're wrong, Thorfinn. He does. And I think I just realized that it is my home as well.”
Mats appeared at Thorfinn's side.
“Kiera! What are you doing?”
She smiled warmly at the confused young Viking. “Mats, I like you, but there is no way I'm going to marry you. Sorry.”
Kiera swung the knife and severed the line between herself and the Vikings. She watched placidly as the longboat pulled away. The stunned faces of the Viking crew melted into the hazy morning mist.
“What are you doing?” asked Chocan.
He was just as shocked as the Vikings by the turn of events. She gazed towards the fading ship, watching in silence as the vessel and ocean became one. Then, slowly, she turned to gaze into his bewildered eyes. She reached out and touched him on the arm.
“You were right all along, Chocan. Going home to Ireland was just a dream. I know now that I have already found my home and family. It has been right here all along.”
Picking up the paddle, she turned the inuak south. Choosing her distant landmark, Kiera rode the waves back towards the rugged but welcoming coast.
TWENTY-THREE
One Year Later
The caribou hunt was once again a success. The entire Beothuck nation celebrated their good fortune with several planned days of joyous festivity. On the first night, after the massive feast but before the raucous dancing was to begin, Chocan stood up behind the crude table laden with cooked delicacies and raised his arms for attention. The table itself was a topic of wondrous discussion, for the legs were braced with strange sharp stones that Kiera and Chocan called nails.
Chocan waited for the large crowd to calm, then he went on once again to describe the adventures he and Kiera had shared on their way to the Viking village. The tale of their escape from the Thule was met with awe and excitement. Howls of laughter erupted as Chocan described how Kiera had spun stories of evil monsters and nasty bands of Beothuck, all prepared to destroy any future Viking incursion. It was a shock to everyone when Chocan, at the end of his story, announced that he and Kiera would be leaving.
“Why?” asked Nadie, the first to recover from the news.
Chocan nodded to Kiera, who stood up and moved to his side.
“I want to take Kiera for a visit to the village of the Teachers. To my home. Since she will never be able to return to Ireland, she should at least see what her ancestors were able to accomplish here, across the ocean from her homeland. Sooleawaa has agreed to stay with you and continue the Teaching.”
“When will you return?”
“We don't know.”
“And when will you leave?”
“As soon as possible. To take advantage of the northern winds but before the winter storms begin to blow.”
Nadie frowned. She stood up and gathered with the other elders. While the elders conversed, Shawnadit ran up from the outer tables and wrapped herself around Kiera. Kiera couldn't believe how much her little angel had grown in only a year. The skirt Shawnadit was wearing and had created with her own needle was an excellent first effort for the young seamstress.
“You're leaving again?” asked Shawnadit, upset at the news.
Kiera lowered herself to one knee and lifted the young girl's fallen chin with her finger.
“Yes, but I will come back. Chocan is taking me on a trip to see his home.”
Shawnadit squeezed her. “Can I please come too?”
“I would love to take you, my little shadow, but it will be a very dangerous ocean crossing. I'm not going to risk your life out on the open ocean.”
“I don't mind,” Shawnadit said hopefully.
“But I do,” replied Kiera. “You have to look after Nadie and the rest of the band for me. Your skirt is the talk of the Meeting Place. You'll be in charge of garment repairs while I am away.”
Shawnadit nodded solemnly, then enveloped Kiera in an enormous hug.
“Hurry back.”
The young girl ran back to her table as the elders returned.
“We have decided that we would like to help you in any way possible. The trip is long and dangerous. In our lives, no one has attempted a crossing from east to west.”
Chocan stepped forward. “Thank you, Nadie, and thank
you to the other elders as well. I know the trip west will have its risks, but we are willing to accept those risks. I am sorry that I must leave you for a short time. You are my family, and we promise to return.”
“You are my family as well,” offered Kiera. “I will never be able to thank you enough for adopting me into your tribe and into your hearts.”
Nadie nodded. “Kiera, you are as much a daughter to me as any other member of my band. Thank you for choosing us as your family. And Chocan, I speak for the entire nation when I say that we will miss you. You have brought a great amount of joy and prosperity to our people. May you and Kiera have a safe trip home.”
“We are going back to my place of birth,” said Chocan, pausing, “but here, with you, will always be my home.”
TWENTY-FOUR
The massive sea canoe was portaged in shifts by six muscular warriors through the descending hills of the western woods. Chocan and Kiera were glad for the help. They already had their hands full with their own bags and belongings. It took nearly a week for the group to reach their destination. It was the only southwestward flowing river in this part of Beothuck territory. Chocan thanked the warriors for their help by presenting them with a surprise. He passed to each one a carefully crafted harpoon tip, copied from the one he had discovered in the Thule inuak. The warriors, stone-faced and mainly silent for the entire journey, lit up with childish excitement. They couldn't believe that they finally had this long-sought prize in their hands. Chocan carefully explained how the weapon worked, then wished them luck with the spring seal hunt. The ecstatic warriors thanked the two travellers before heading back to the Meeting Place with smiles that could have brightened the entire night sky.
The next day, Kiera took the bow, while Chocan manned the stern of the canoe. Chocan concentrated on the steering of the craft down the tricky river. He needed to be careful, for their canoe was designed with a deep, pointed keel that, in the ocean, would provide them with stability, but could be easily damaged on shallow boulders.
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