by Griff Hosker
Sitting so high up we were aware of where we would make our turn and also the effect of the freshening wind. I was now used to the motion and even Siggi, now that his hands were healed, seemed easier. Part of it was that there was no smirking Karl just waiting for us to make a mistake.
“Let fly!” Ulf’s voice was a relief. We took all of the reefs from the sail and then slid down to tighten the stays to the satisfaction of the helmsman. There were squeals from the captives as the drekar heeled over at an alarming angle. They thought we were going to capsize. We were not. For some reason that made me laugh. Ulf shouted, “Have some ale, you have deserved it!”
The oarsmen had already broached the ale we had taken from the men of Gwent. I took my horn from my neck and scooped a hornful. This was not the watered beer we had at home. This was man’s ale. I knew it and drank carefully. I would normally add water but I had killed a man. I was almost a warrior. I did not count those I had hit with stones. They might have lived. My father came over to Arne and me. “Are you watching over your little brother Arne?”
He laughed, “He needs no one to watch him. Leif would have been hurt but for his reactions.” He put his arm around me. “He will be my oar brother.”
My father shook his head and lowered his voice. “Better that you become Siggi’s oar brother. Erik is strong enough in the heart to row with any but Siggi needs you Arne. It was not right that the younger of you defended Siggi.”
This was the first time that my father had ever criticised either of us. He must have heard what I had done. The drekar was a small place to hide secrets. Arne nodded. “You are right father but Erik thinks quicker than I do. If I had been given time then I might well have done what Erik did. Erik can be a little reckless.” He gave me a look. My father did not know but I did. He was talking of my wounding of Karl.
“I am reckless. I confess it. I will try to curb it.”
My father took me by the shoulder and shook his head, “It is part of you. You cannot change what you are. I have the same nature and I find it brings me into conflict with others.” He threw a glance at the jarl who was watching us. “I will have much coin from this raid. We will take our snekke with my brother and the five of us will sail to the mainland. We will take timber. You can now sail and I know that you can fight. I will build a drekar. There are men will follow me. I would rather have twenty good men to follow me than a whole crew like this one.” Although he was speaking quietly, I saw his brother look over and frown. Uncle Snorri got on with everyone. He was popular. He did not rise to anger as quickly as my father and he tried to see good in all men.
“And I, for one, look forward to that day. Father I see Olaf and Leif. They are dividing the treasure.”
He laughed, “And here am I planning your future. Go!”
Arne followed behind. I knew that he was envious. Perhaps he and Siggi might be given something. Leif and Olaf were sat by our shelter. Karl was scowling at all and shouting at the captives. It was to no avail for they did not understand any of his words. We ignored him and the three of us sat before Olaf and Leif. Olaf had laid out everything that we had collected. The two pairs of boots were too big for me. The two swords were too big but there were two daggers and I would have one. If I could have some coins too then that would be good.
Olaf said to me, “You helped to kill one warrior and you slew a second on your own. One of these swords is yours by right. Which will you have?”
I shook my head, “As much as I would wish a sword, I will not be able to use one for some time. Leif needs a sword. I would that Leif has one.”
Leif’s face lit up. “I will ever be in your debt.”
Olaf looked at the two and took the better one, as was his right. “I choose this one.” Leif nodded and greedily grasped the sword, scabbard and belt. Olaf held the two daggers and smiled, “You wish one of these?”
“Aye.” I took the longer narrower one. I had Karl’s which was a short dagger. This would be like a short sword. In addition, the longer one had a scabbard.
The weapons out of the way the rest were divided between the three of us as well as Siggi and Arne. We all had coins. Olaf and Leif took the cloaks and boots. Siggi and Arne were given the metal crosses. I was given one leather jerkin and Leif took the other. We were all happy. Karl was not.
I said, quietly, “Should we not give coins to Karl too? He was with us when they attacked.”
Leif shook his head, “You did not see, Erik, but he never even took out a sling. He sat behind Ulf North Star. Ulf knows this and that is why Olaf’s grandfather put him in charge of the captives. He saw what Karl did. He will not sail again with Ulf as a ship’s boy.”
Karl was staring at me and hatred burned in his eyes. I had made an enemy. I took off my belt and slipped the scabbard through it. When it was fastened, I took out the blade. It was narrower than most blades. I knew that would be a weakness. It could break more easily. I touched the edge it was sharp. I had wanted to sharpen it. Instead I held it in my hand and felt the balance. My pleasure was ended when Ulf shouted, “Ship’s boys!” We went back to work.
On the voyage back home, I felt my body changing. At home Arne and I ran everywhere. We used our slingshots and we climbed but here on the ship we spent even longer each day running down a crowded deck or clambering up the stays, sheets and mast. I knew I was becoming stronger. Even Siggi looked different. His hands had now healed and he was able to reach the yard almost as quickly as Arne and me. By the time we saw Orkneyjar in the distance I knew that the boy who had left Hrólfsey was now lost at sea. When Karl and I had fallen into the sea it had changed us both. It had made him weaker and made me stronger. The ocean was my friend and I did not fear her. I had been reborn. As yet I had no name although some on the ship called me fearless while others used the name, Walhaz Killer, but I knew that one day I would have one. Hrólfsey was not going to be enough for me. I had seen the sea and it had an attraction for me I could not explain. What lay beyond the horizon?
Chapter 4
We called at Dyflin on the way back and the surplus captives were sold along with the holy books and goods from the church. Only the jarl and his hearth weru went ashore. I was not sure why but my father saw a conspiracy in this. He was loud in his criticism. The chest of coins they brought back told all that we had done well. The jarl had also made representation about the attack from Mann. He told us that he was given a satisfactory answer. My father did not believe him.
We left to sail the last part of our journey. We were dropped off first. There were just four men and three boys who would disembark. I had seen my father, uncle and the jarl in deep conversation during the latter part of the voyage. It had looked animated. The booty had been shared out and perhaps my father thought it was an unfair division. I knew from other warriors that my father and his oar brothers had borne the brunt of the fighting. My father and uncle had a small chest of coin and two sheep. The two had also captured weapons and daggers for themselves. They had purses they had taken too. We unloaded our goods on the jetty. The two sheep hurtled off. My uncle laughed. “They cannot go far and we know who they belong to. Besides Loki the ram will find them soon enough!”
Olaf and Leif came to clasp our arms as we lifted the chest from the drekar. “We would sail with you three again. More, I would stand in a shield wall with you, even you Siggi Deck Crusher! You could have given up but you did not. You worked hard and showed courage.”
Snorri Long Fingers nodded, “Siggi Deck Crusher, I like the name, my son.”
“And it is better than Siggi the Clumsy.” Siggi nodded acceptance. Like my father a man did not choose his name, others did.
In truth it was a good name for it was like a riddle. Men would ask how he got his name and when Siggi told them they would smile. A boy who fell from a stay and survived was a lucky man.
As we headed up the hill towards our farms my father spoke to all of us. “The jarl wishes to make war on Mann and to punish them for their attack. He doe
s not have enough ships and so he will be sailing the islands to gather support. I do not think that he will have enough men until the next raiding season. We will sail to the mainland to get the timber we need for the keel. We have the winter to begin to build our drekar.”
Arne said, “It took a long time to build the snekke. Is there any point?”
Snorri Long Fingers laughed, “We had but two men and a slave. Now we have three voyagers who have shown they are not afraid of hard work. It will take a year, no more, but first we have to collect the timber.” There was a sack on the chest they carried. “We took wood axes from the Walhaz as well as two swords. We can hew our own timber.”
Karl’s dagger was wrapped in the blanket I had tied around me. I wondered how to tell my father. I could not keep the blade hidden forever. I decided that I would tell him at Samhain. That was when we made our bone fire and prepared for winter. I would make a sacrifice to Odin so that the Allfather would help me with my father.
We separated at my uncle’s farm. Helga ran to meet her father and his wife waved at us. Siggi and his father took their share from the chests and the sack. Arne and I helped my father to carry the lighter chest. We had collected the sheep and driven them to join our herd. The two additions would improve the herd and meant we could slaughter our oldest ewe. Loki would cover the two new ones so that we would have spring lambs. Edmund was tending the vegetables as we strode up to our longhouse. Edmund never smiled. I think he might have run away if it was not for my mother. Edmund and she had some sort of connection. I never discovered what it was but Arne and I thought they were related in some way.
My mother appeared in the door. She looked happy to see my father. Even though she had been taken as a slave my father had married her and I think that she liked him. Certainly, she smiled more than Edmund. She threw her arms around him and kissed him. “You have brought my boys home! They are safe!”
My father put his arms around us and said, “More than that they have fought our foes and Erik has killed a man!”
My father was proud but my mother was a Christian and her hand went to her cross. She then held me. “You could have been killed yourself!”
I shook my head, “No, mother, for the Allfather guided my hand.”
She was disappointed. She had tried to make us Christian but failed. “Come, I will make the meal while you empty your chest.”
Arne and I were eager to see what weapons he had brought back. Apart from the two wood axes there were just two swords and a couple of poorly made daggers. Arne and I were disappointed. My father smiled, “I know, you hoped for more. What can I say, the Walhaz have poor weapons. The other three swords your uncle and I captured had bent in battle. They are fit only for melting. As we have no weapon smith we will have to wait.”
“What of helmets? Surely they had helmets too.”
“No Arne, not ones which were worth taking. Why do you think we lost no men and the ship’s boys killed two warriors?” He ruffled my hair. “The Walhaz are poor enemies. I told the jarl to raid the Saxons. They have better weapons. He did not listen to me. He seeks easy foes.”
“And what of the men of Mann?”
“If he ever manages to get enough ships then that would be a raid which would be worthwhile. Arne, this sword is yours. Erik has his dagger and that will have to suffice.” I saw Arne give me a knowing look.
“That is good and I am happy.”
Time passed and we grew. We were no longer children. Not yet men we were learning to behave as men did. My father had decided that we needed to sail the snekke. Arne, Siggi and I had learned much on the drekar. Now our lessons would continue on ‘Jötnar’. We were busy preparing the snekke for sea. We had trees to harvest before winter. The Norns were spinning for Gytha discovered that she was with child. The baby would be born at the end of Þorri. My mother would give birth just a short time before. The brothers were pleased but father made a blót to ensure that it would be a healthy baby.
We were hunting seals. The Allfather had not given us many trees nor cattle but he had filled the islands with grey seals and they were ours to harvest. They were our bounty. We delayed our departure as the grey seals had come ashore to give birth to their young. We relied upon the seal for food, oil and skin. They were hard to hunt at sea but when they came on land then they were easier to kill. We rose in the middle of the night. They were easier to hunt in the early morning. The seals had all given birth to their young and some had been weaned already. We had a short time to hunt them. We needed to do so when the pups were able to fend for themselves. We needed at least ten seals to sustain us. Our fathers carried a spear each. The three of us each carried a spare spear. I had my dagger and Arne took his short sword. I saw that Siggi wore a dagger which his father had taken. We also had our slings. They would distract the seals while our fathers slew them.
We heard them long before we saw them. They were basking on the rocks as the sun came up in the east. Already some were heading for the sea. They were a vigilant animal and they had sentries watching. They would be the first ones we would hunt. After they had been killed the slower ones would be hunted. It made the seal herd stronger and we would have better meat. The three of us would approach first and throw stones at the nearest sentry. When he came towards us then our fathers would slay him. By moving along the shore line, we made the most of every opportunity to take seals.
We came at them so that we could smell them and they could not smell us. We came from the dark of the west. We were just ten paces from the first of the sentries. He sat atop a rock. We laid down our spears and took out our slings. Behind us our fathers approached with spears ready. The seal detected them when they were just four paces away. Even as the sentry seal started to bark two spears were thrown and the seal was knocked to the sand. Our fathers each grabbed a second spear and hurried to the next sentry. He had seen them and began to race towards them. They were faster than one might have expected and had sharp teeth. Our fathers wore leather but it would not stop a seal bite. The three of us hurled our stones and they smacked into the animal. It had a thick layer of blubber which meant our stones did not inflict wounds but they made the seal turn and that allowed two more spears to end the sentry’s life.
“Spears!”
While Siggi took the last spears to our fathers I went to the first seal to pull the spears from its body. It was dead. The spears had not penetrated deeply but one must have struck the heart for there was a great deal of blood there. I did not want to damage the heads of the throwing spears. If I did then I would have to repair them. As I pulled it from the seal’s body, I felt it strike a bone. I turned the head slowly and pulled each time I turned. Eventually it slid out with a satisfying slurp. The second one was easier.
“Spears!”
I rant to my father and uncle and handed them the two spears. They had killed another seal. By the time the tenth had been killed the beach was empty. The seals had fled to the sea. They would return when it was safe. This was when a horse would have been useful. While Arne, my father and uncle took back two seals at a time Siggi and I guarded the seals’ carcasses which we had gathered together. Already seabirds were swooping. We took out our stones and killed a herring gull, a skua and two sea gulls before they decided to find other hunting grounds. It took until late afternoon for us to take all of the seals back and begin the work of skinning and butchering the animals then rendering the fat. Siggi and I plucked and prepared the four sea birds for a stew. We would all eat in our longhouse. The rendering and butchery would take a couple of days. The stink from the fat rendering made the two pregnant women ill. We were used to the smell, as were they, but as Snorri said, “Women change when they carry a child! It is their lot to bear such adversity stoically!”
The two men skinned the seals. Such work was skilful. We needed the skin in one piece. Our job was to cut up the meat and the fat. When the skins were taken, they were placed on drying frames before we began the process of tanning. We had a clay and
rock lined pool. We all made water in it and then soaked the dried skins before drying them for a second time. All in all, it took fourteen nights before we had all of our tasks completed. The fat took time to render but when it was done, we not only had fuel but delicious and crunchy fat which we ate liberally spread with sea salt. The bones would not be wasted. When the nights became so long that there was almost no daylight, we would carve the bones into useful implements: combs, pins, knife blades and handles, sewing needles, fishing hooks. There was no end to the uses to which we would put the bone. I was determined to make even better fishing hooks than I had before. On the raid I had not caught as many fish as Siggi. I blamed my poor hooks. Ulf North Star had suggested using five or six hooks on a line with something shiny. I had found a coloured misshapen stone on the beach when Karl had tried to kill me. I knew that I could polish and make a hole in it to attract the shiny fish which made such good eating. Siggi had risen in the estimation of all by his skill at fishing.
And then, when days lengthened, it was time to go for timber. Until we used the new seal skins to make our boots and capes, we would be barefoot and have to use our old capes. We were hardy. Leaving Karl’s dagger under my sleeping cot I took my new one and we boarded the snekke. We had sailed her around the island when we had been seeking seals but we would now be sailing her out of sight of land. She looked remarkably small. My father had named her ‘Jötnar’. It was a joke for she was hardly a giant but my uncle pointed out that the jötnar swam through a flood of Ymir’s blood and that this was a good omen for we would sail through a sea of our enemies’ blood. I liked the name. I also liked the fact that we did not have to climb the mast. We were able to raise and lower the sail by lowering the spar. She was lively and we could sail almost into the wind. We would, however, be learning to row on the snekke. While one of us steered the other two would row with our fathers. That way we learned to row and we learned to steer. Those two days as we sailed to the mainland were amongst the best I could remember. The weather was good and we were all in a good humour.
