Islands in the Fog (29 page)

"My husband does not lie!" Sif's arms flapped as if she could fly.

"Then your wretched voice has scrambled his mind," Toki said. One of the jarl's hirdmen laughed. "The accused should speak her story."

Jarl Orlyg waved Halla forward. "Let's settle this quickly, please. It's only morning and my head hurts already."

Halla let herself down and Dana followed. The two sheepishly came to Toki's side. Halla trembled and looked Toki in the eyes. He smiled and put his arm over her shoulder. "Just tell us the truth of this morning."

She sighed and paused, then started to tell how they left at night and found the edge of the village. She described her fears of slavery and their decision to return. "I was so childish. I should not have run from my husband. He is too kind to me." Sif clucked her tongue and Runolf rolled his eyes. "When we got on the track, this man blocked our way. We told him to stand aside, and he said he doesn't take orders from us. He came at us with his dagger. I feared what would happen. So my slave defended me. She hit him in the face and tripped him. Then she stomped on his stones. I took his dagger so he couldn't use it on me. We ran back here. There was never a purse, but I threw the dagger in the bushes by the track up there."

"Do you see what liars they are? Could two scrawny girls do that to me?" Runolf folded his arms as if his logic were irrefutable.

Jarl Orlyg smiled. He pointed to two of his hirdmen. "Go search the bushes for a dagger. You, slave, show me the hand that struck Runolf."

Dana held out her hand. Orlyg grabbed it, roughly flipped it over. He rubbed the red, scraped knuckles on Dana's hand. A low laugh grew from his belly. He folded Dana's hand into a fist and gently guided it to Runolf's face. He ducked away but Orlyg snarled at him. Dana's knuckles fit the line of bruises. In only a few moments, the hirdmen returned with an unsheathed dagger.

"It's a fine dagger," Orlyg observed. "Was that one picked off a defeated Frank too?" He and several others laughed at the joke Toki did not understand. "I'd check your stones, but I think there's enough proof to bear out the woman's story."

"This is an outrage, Jarl Orlyg!" Runolf's face twisted in shock. "These are strangers. You don't even know their names. How could you side with foreigners over your own people?"

"They are witches!" Sif began flapping her arms again. "They've caught you in their spells!"

"Not another word." Jarl Orlyg's voice registered no anger. "Not a single word. Or I will become very angry. Very angry."

Sif stopped flapping and Runolf bit back whatever he was about to say. Jarl Orlyg turned to Toki. He asked for his name and his homeland.

"I am Toki Sveinson from Denmark. You must have heard of me?"

"I've not heard of you. Not really interested. You're leaving, for good?"

"As soon as I have your permission to sail, I will be gone with no intention of ever returning."

Orlyg nodded appreciatively. "But your wife did steal his dagger."

"Which has been returned."

"Let me finish." Orlyg's voice held a hint of ire. "Your slave also assaulted and injured Runolf." Runolf began to protest, but Orlyg's scowl silenced him. "So you will pay him seven bits of silver for his troubles. This is the fastest way to settle and get you off my land. Can you pay?"

Toki agreed that he could, and asked Einar to bring the silver from the ship. He came with it cupped in his hand, and showed it to Orlyg. He judged the pieces to be a fair size. Runolf took the silver with a trembling hand. Toki could not resist teasing the fool. "Use the silver to buy yourself a codpiece."

"This will not be forgotten," Runolf said as he clutched the silver in his fist, shaking it at Toki. "You and your witches will pay."

"Forget it," Orlyg snapped. "You've been compensated for your troubles. And you forgot about your stolen purse?"

Runolf staggered like he had been struck. Orlyg and his hirdmen laughed.

"Make up better lies when you get me out so early. Toki Sveinson, be on your way before nightfall." Orlyg patted Isleif on the back and nodded to Sigvid, then left. Runolf and his wife followed.

Toki watched them go. As he expected, Runolf turned once he reached the track. He pointed his dagger at Toki before vanishing into the woods.

They launched
Raven's Talon
by early afternoon, after a final meal and farewell at Isleif's home. Toki worked the tiller as he guided his ship along the shore, seeking mercenaries Sigvid promised lived along the coast. The winds had remained strong and sea spray misted the deck. He inhaled the salty air, excited to renew his mission. Runa stood in the prow leaning forward as if she could force the ship to travel faster. The others scattered along the rocking deck, biding time until the next landing.

Toki called Sigvid to join him. He asked about their route, which Sigvid detailed for him.

"So what was the joke about Runolf and the Frankish knife?" Toki asked.

Sigvid chuckled. "Runolf is mad. All I know is he spent many years away. He claimed to have gone a-viking everywhere: Ireland, Anglia, Frankia to name a few. He says he went as far south as Micklegard, and has a coin to prove it. He constantly brags of treasure gained while a-viking in faraway lands—always after picking it off the body of a warrior he killed."

"He doesn't seem like much of a fighter to me."

"He might have been once," Sigvid said with a shrug. "I didn't know him then. But your two women took him out, could've slit his throat had they wanted. Doesn't much credit him as a warrior."

"The slave's Irish, and a good fighter for a woman."

Sigvid gave a gusty laugh. "No matter, these days Runolf is a drunk and a fool. But he married well, even if it doesn't seem so, and only Jarl Orlyg is richer. He has many friends, too. Not all of them good men. We did well to leave before he caused more trouble."

"He got all those riches while raiding? I think you don't believe that."

"Doesn't matter what I believe. He's been rich a good long time and people like rich men."

They spoke of other things for a while. Toki outlined the general plan and the goal of killing Hardar. He kept his voice low, and explained Hardar and Halla's relationship. Sigvid winced, and both looked at Halla.

"That will explain running off," Sigvid said. "Plus I've been watching your sister, and she wants to hang your woman and dance under her corpse."

"No need to be so blunt," said Toki. But he looked past Sigvid to Halla and Dana seated together with their heads bowed. Gerdie and Gunnar sat opposite, now joined by Runa who at least smiled again now that they were back to the mission.

"Well, I'll check the sails again. You should've caulked this ship before we left. Water is coming from five different places." Toki merely nodded at Sigvid's excuse to leave. His mind had drifted to Halla.

He was beginning to feel used, as if his only purpose for her was to remove what she disliked. The heady glow of protecting a beautiful, innocent woman had faded. Now he felt detached.
Why shelter someone who doesn't recognize the effort
, he thought.
Others need me just as much, if not more
.

As if his thoughts were a beacon, Halla looked at him. He had been staring and not in a friendly way. A smile trembled on her face, fading before it could show. She looked at Dana, said something, then approached Toki. She staggered as the ship rocked, but came to his side and held the ship's rail.

"We should talk," she said in a small voice.

Toki nodded, resolving that he was not going to crumble. She had to understand words cannot solve all problems, and he planned to teach her that lesson. They stood together in silence as Toki wrestled with the tiller. He watched the pale green stripe of the coast, seeking the landmarks Sigvid had described. Halla followed his gaze.

"I am sorry for what I did, Toki. I behaved like a foolish child. I caused so much trouble for everyone."

He glanced at her, trying to act unimpressed. He glimpsed the pain on her face as she watched the coast. He felt a visceral reaction to it. His hand itched to draw her near. But he fought it and kept silent.

"My worries have burdened me, beyond what I can carry. Your sister hates me and so does everyone else. They all blame me for the problems. I guess they are right."

"There is truth to that," said Toki. "But it is only half-truth. I must share in the blame."

Halla smiled, then dabbed her eye with her sleeve. Toki saw tears beginning to roll down her cheeks. "But they don't want to blame you, and so blame me for all of it. I understand why; I'm the stranger here. But enough of that."

She turned to Toki, placing her hand on his. Toki stiffened, felt his heartbeat strengthen. He glanced past her at Runa, who watched them with a bland expression. "Halla, I know you've suffered. But running away was foolish and dangerous. In this land, you would have soon been made a slave or worse."

"I know," Halla whispered. She withdrew her hand and rubbed her face. "I've always run away when things become difficult. I will change that. I've learned my lesson now."

"So easily? It may be as you say, but I will need to see the truth of it."

"You will. I've done so much thinking about myself. My fate has been strange, but I've been gifted with you. You are unlike any other man I've known. I will remember that, and I hope you will forgive me."

"You never ran away, so there is nothing to forgive."

He continued to study the coast. Ahead he saw the large cluster of high rocks indicating the first landing was close. Halla stood in silence. She at last sniffed and drifted back to sit with Dana.

He swallowed hard. His heart pounded and he felt himself wanting to call her back. His mouth even opened. But he could not let Halla assume tears and fine words paid for all. She needed to doubt herself a while longer, even if it pained him to leave her so distraught. He told himself it was for the best, and he needed to focus on saving Ulfrik. His own problems must wait.

He guided the ship around the rocks, keeping a wide margin. Gulls dotted the highest rocks, staring down impassively from their high roost. Suddenly they rushed into the air, screeching in anger.

Toki's stomach dropped. Something had scared the gulls. So far off the water, gulls would not flee seals or dolphins. That left only men.
Raven's Talon
could not turn sharply enough, and it glided past the rocks. "Danger behind the rocks! Get down!"

He shouted before he saw the small, dark ship sliding out from its hiding place. Despite his warning, everyone only paused in confusion.

"There shouldn't be any danger this close to ..." Sigvid stumbled back, hit the mast, and slid to the deck. A gray fletched arrow vibrated in his chest, a dark red bloom forming on his wool shirt.

Nearly ten men stood in the small ship that had launched from behind the rocks. It was no warship, with only space wide enough for one man to a bench. The dark figures were swathed in gray robes, cowls drawn and faces covered in cloth masks. They fumbled to keep their balance as several of them leveled bows.

The women screamed. Runa grabbed Gunnar and draped herself over him. Dana did the same for Halla.

"Hard to port!" Toki shouted. The men took to the rigging and Toki slammed the steering board. If he could cut the angle to the bowmen, he would spoil their shots, and then out-pace pursuit. But as Toki struggled to turn, the attackers had the broadside of the ship.

Arrows plunked into the deck, or hit the water. Njall screeched as a high arcing arrow landed in the soft flesh of his neck. He plunged overboard, the rigging he held snapping free. Thrand wailed as his brother vanished over the sides. Einar dragged his mother to the gunwale, then took up Njall's place.

The ship creaked and moaned as it veered toward the coastline. The aft of the ship dragged across the current, and Toki glanced behind. The enemy blocked each other in their narrow boat and shouted curses as they arced their shots into the air. Arrows clattered onto the deck. One pinned Runa's cloak. She did not cry out, only tightened around Gunnar.

"We have to get Njall!" Thrand had tied off his rope and now pointed at the water.

"Get on an oar and row. We can get away."

"He's my brother!"

Toki shook his head. He hated leaving Njall behind, but the arrow wound had been mortal. Sigvid's body fell flat on the deck as the ship leaned, as if to emphasize the danger.

Einar took an oar but Thrand ran to the port side to search for his brother. Two more arrows hit the deck. Toki again glanced back, and found the enemy rowing.

"Get back to an oar, Thrand! We have to escape or we'll all join Njall."

Thrand raged but finally obeyed. With Thrand and Einar rowing, Toki felt confident he had speed enough to slip the enemy.

Then he saw they were fast heading for the shore.

With a curse, he fought to turn the ship parallel to the coast. In just moments they would become beached and easy targets. The enemy had been falling behind, as if they intended not to pursue. But again Toki had no choice but to expose his side to the enemy. They stopped rowing and took up their bows.

"Row for your lives," Toki screamed. In moments they would be past the danger and
Raven's Talon
would shoot away.

An arrow hissed past Toki's head. He could feel the air, it had come so close. He laughed.

Then he staggered back.

He was looking at the blue sky. The frightened gulls glided in circles. He realized his hand still gripped the tiller. But his waist burned hot and wet. He raised his head.

A shaft had bored into his side.
Only half a thumb's width and it would've missed me
, he thought. His mind was strangely calm and clear. He looked around. He met Sigvid's empty eyes staring at his across the deck. He heard Einar and Thrand grunting with effort. He did not hear any more arrows falling.

"That's good," he said to the gulls high above. "I think we're away."

Hot wetness expanded beneath him, and he began to grow cold. "So now the gods claim their price. I should've have lived to do more." His voice trembled low and weak. He realized he could no longer see anything. In moments, neither could he hear. Then he drifted into a cold sea of silent darkness.