Freydis by Gunhild Haugnes

Author:Gunhild Haugnes [Haugnes, Gunhild]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-82-999282-6-7
Publisher: Indie Author Project
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

The pains begin on the very morning they have agreed for their departure. Freydis stands doubled up on the beach as the pain shoots through her back. She suddenly remembers the previous difficult birth in all its horrid detail.

‘We can’t leave, we must wait till the child is born. I can’t give birth on the high seas!’ Freydis shrieks.

She has to support herself on a stone as she curls up, hoping to ease the agony that overwhelms her. Nobody hears, except Bjarne and Gudrid, who keep sending her worried looks. But they are powerless. Karlsevne has spoken, and both her husband and her brother agree with him. She curses them at the top of her voice, and it makes not the slightest difference.

Suddenly Snorre rushes up.

‘The skraelings are on the war path, war against us. They are coming,’ he pants.

Terror seizes everyone. No-one is going to listen to the pleas of a woman in labour now.

They drag all they have on board, urging one another to speed up their efforts. Freydis protests, but is hauled on board, howling, by Torvald and Torvard.

Gudrid and Maja remain aboard the Serpent to assist with the birth. Gudrid has to leave her own little son in the care of a slave girl and the child’s father, Karlsevne, on board the Karlshode.

Soon all the boats are afloat, and not a minute too soon. For here they come at full speed, brandishing their weapons: a whole army of skraelings.

There are many more than last time, and now they have painted their faces and upper bodies in blood-red warpaint. Furiously they run into the sea. Behind them the fleeing settlers see a skraeling with a stature equal to their own, a broad-legged, powerfully built man with long hair who shouts orders to the warriors. Is he their chief? They seem to have an Eirik the Red of their own.

All at once, the warriors stop, and they all begin firing arrows at the three ships which are now on their way out to the open sea. Most of the arrows thud into the ships’ sides like a sudden shower raining on lead; They do little damage and drop feebly into the water.

But one of the arrows hits Torvald in the belly. The searing pain causes him to drop to the deck, doubled up in agony. As her own birth pangs grow ever stronger, Freydis has to witness her brother fight for his life. Torvald is a brave man.

With great courage, he pulls the arrow out himself. Maja runs briskly back and forth between Freydis and Torvald. With great determination, she attempts to staunch Torvald’s bleeding with bandages, herbs and salves, and asks Gudrid to assist both with the birth and the wounded man.

They do not succeed in stopping Torvald’s bleeding. Both he and Freydis shriek when their suffering reaches its peak. The rest of the crew keep silent. The Christians mumble quiet prayers that all may go well. They have shaken off the skraelings and set a northerly course.

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