The Savage Wilderness by Griff Hosker

Author:Griff Hosker
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Sword Books Ltd.
Published: 2019-09-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Fótr showed his increasing skills by guiding us into our bay without recourse to me and that pleased me but I was still concerned and worried about Arne’s plan. He was my brother and he was the jarl; I would do anything for the clan but until I had seen my dream become a reality, I could not return to Larswick, I would not return across the seas.

When Gytha was not there to greet us, I was concerned although the sight of Ada, heavy with child, made me happy. I had not missed the birth of my daughter. The rest of the clan who lived close by the bay were also present for their men had been aboard. Some were tending their fields but the sound of the horn announcing our arrival would soon recall them. We had food for the winter and there was little time for reunions and embraces. A human chain carried the salted meat to be preserved as well as the full barrels and, after the shields and the chests had been removed, I lifted the decking. Although it had only been a day or so the smell from the hold told me we had taken out our cargo none too soon. I would leave the deck off for a week or so to allow fresher air into the hull and I would examine it for leaks. I would also have to set Ebbe and the others to seek out more stones for ballast as well as for the new drekar.

Once the drekar was secured and the mast stepped I hurried to greet Ada, “The baby?”

Ada shook her head, “This one is wild and headstrong. Lars was little trouble but this one kicks and wriggles like a bag full of cats.”

“But you are well?”

She kissed me, “I am well.”

“And Gytha?”

“She was fine until two nights ago and she has not risen since.”

Two nights ago, she had come to me. “I must go to her. Ebbe, take your mother to our home and then you and Bear Tooth can gather all the hooves from every animal we hunted and begin to boil them to make glue. The sooner we start the better.” I saw Lars looking at me, “And take Lars with you. He can be useful.” He looked delighted although the smell would be quite horrible. “Make the fire downwind of the stad and close to the shipyard. I will speak with Gytha.”

It should have been Arne who visited Gytha but since Freja had been overlooked as a future volva there had been an ever-widening rift between them. It was all on Arne’s part, I knew that but it was something I could do without.

Snorri was next to the bed and holding his wife’s hand. My immediate thought was that she was dying. Her voice was stronger than I had expected from her appearance when she spoke, “I am not yet ready to die, Erik, but I am weary. Warning you took much out of me.

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