The Shield Maiden's Revenge: A Viking Novella (The Vikings of Vinland Book 1) by Bibi Rizer

Author:Bibi Rizer [Rizer, Bibi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-04-15T07:00:00+00:00

8 A BOAT FULL OF MURDEROUS MEN

There was a decent blaze in the house on the bluffs by the time Katla and Frey arrived at the dock. Geirr Sveinsson’s men were playing a game with dice as they waited for their master. They leapt to their feet when they saw Katla and Frey arrive.

“Mistress Katla,” one of them said. Katla took him for a thrall, and thus trusted him exponentially more than the other three men. “At your service. What I can I do for you?”

“My father has bid me accompany Jarl Sveinsson back to his lands. He is ill and I’m to see him home safely.”

A gruff older man spoke. “I’m perfectly capable of delivering my own lord home safely.”

Frey moaned dramatically as Katla argued. “Do you question Jarl Hálfdanarson’s

wishes? See how ill your Jarl is. And anyway, my father is also worried about Gull. I’m to stay with her awhile to help her settle.”

The thrall had already tucked Katla’s travelling satchel in among some barrels and crates on the small vessel. He took Frey’s arm and led him onto the boat, finding him somewhere to sit. Frey huddled there, and trembled convincingly.

Katla looked up at the moon and gave thanks that none of Geirr Sveinsson’s men had taken the time to properly acquaint themselves with her father. If they had they would surely see what she had told them for what it was. Lies. Anyone who knew Grímr Hálfdanarson would know he cared for no one, worried about no one and never lifted a finger to help anyone if there wasn’t something in it for him.

“What’s that blaze, mistress?” the thrall asked, helping her onto the boat.

Katla glanced back at her father’s house on the clifftop carelessly. “Our thralls,” she said. “Father gave them permission to have a bonfire to celebrate with the leftovers.”

“What a kind master your father must be,” the young man said.

Katla probably would have laughed if not for the image of her father’s body burning to oblivion, along with one of his liege lords, and his house. She put it from her mind as she settled herself next to Frey. He gave another pitiful moan.

There was little wind, so the men set to the oars and soon they were at the mouth of the fjord, bobbing on the gentle swell and turning west. They would hug the familiar coast by the light of the moon and only drop anchor if the moon clouded over and they lost sight of where they were. Failing that, they would be in Geirr Sveinsson’s territory by dawn.

And then what, Katla thought. She would try to secure Frey in Geirr’s house, perhaps bribing his slaves with locks of her gold braided hair. Then she would fetch Gull and…something. Leave, with Frey. And Gull. She let her head fall into her hands, sighing with frustration.

“Mistress Katla,” Frey whispered. “There are four men on this boat. One is a thrall. Three may be loyal to Geirr Sveinsson. And we have two swords.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.