Islands in the Fog (25 page)

The copper-haired man laughed. "You are far off course, Toki the Black. You are traders? This is your crew?"

"Most of the crew was lost at sea; their families survived." He lowered the pine branch. "Two more remain with my ship. We saw where you launch fishing boats, and I picked this place to land."

The man smiled, but the older man frowned and rubbed his scraggly beard. Toki trusted their down-trodden appearance would convince the men to be hospitable. The old man, despite his distrusting looks, welcomed them.

"It's a sad tale, but not an uncommon one. Living by the sea brings us these stories often enough. I am Isleif, and this is my son Sigvid. My other sons you will meet when they come home with their catches."

Toki bowed low, offered the names of the others. Gunnar proudly proclaimed himself Ulfriksson, which made Runa smile but Toki wince. He knew he overreacted; Ulfrik was not so widely known or so pursued.

They gathered into the main hall, swept in to a welcoming hearth with fat, square women tending the stew leftover from the morning. They welcomed Toki's group to be seated along the wall benches. The once-barking dog now ran among them, tail wagging and snout pushing into everyone's legs. Light from the open smoke hole placed a large square of white at the center of the hall, and it filled the rest of the single room hall with a pleasing glow.

Isleif assured safety for their ship, and that the local Hersir who King Harald installed had eliminated banditry. "I don't much care for the high king's tax, but we are loyal to Jarl Rognvald. Been on these lands since Odin made the world with Ymir's flesh. So we do what we must to stay."

Eager for news from the world, Isleif and Sigvid pressed for details. Toki had to invent more news, to cover his story. But somewhere he must have given a conflicting report, as he noticed Isleif and Sigvid exchanging confused glances. So he hurried his point. "Truth is we want to be back at sea as soon as we can and return to Denmark. We need supplies. Food mostly. There's little left to trade, but I carried some silver bits with me to buy food. If you can help us, I would appreciate it."

"We can help," Isleif said without delay. "Silver is good in summer, so they say. Can't eat it or burn it in winter. But what is the rush? Certainly you want to refresh yourselves. Stay for a meal."

"We couldn't impose like that. We are simple traders and must be gone soon. Families in Denmark must know their husbands are lost to the sea."

"But yet their families are here," Isleif said, his face smiling but his voice carrying the accusation.

"All right, I will be honest with you." Toki looked at Einar then Runa, and both nodded. The other women huddled together, frightened. "We come from the Faereyjar Islands. Our lord is enslaved there, and we seek fighting men to aid us in freeing him. But we were blown off course, and we do need supplies. The men we seek are far from here. I will pay generously for food fit for sea travel. Then we will be gone and never heard from again. I promise this is the truth."

Isleif's face creased in a smile. "That hardly seems something worth lying about. But it sounds a good deal more like the truth. Most of what we can spare will last you at sea. But still you must at least eat one good meal. My wife and daughters should cook for the gods. And you should meet my other sons. Share your news with us. Fishermen can take your words far, and maybe bring more help to your cause. Plenty of men in these lands are looking for a good fight now that King Harald has conquered everything."

"It's true," echoed Sigvid. "I know men willing to sail for the right price."

"I can offer some silver upfront," Toki said. "But there is not much, and they would be fighting for a take in the spoils."

"If the spoils are rich, then at least a few might be interested in joining."

"He's speaking of himself," Isleif shouted. "He's long been a widower, and his last child died in winter. He's also useless in every way. Why not take him?"

Toki's pulse quickened, excited to find potential crew. "There is gold in the north, and the enemy we face has captured much of it."

"Good, I'll think on it. But stay for a meal. We will need time to arrange for your supplies."

Toki scanned the others in the room. Runa seemed appeased to make some progress, while Halla and Dana seemed uninterested. "Then we will accept your offer of a meal. Such generosity is unexpected but much appreciated."

They began to discuss the details of what Toki needed for the return journey. He liked Sigvid and Isleif. Their homes were simple communities, innocent of any concerns beyond making a living for their families. He hoped Sigvid would make good on his promise to persuade other men to join them. Toki felt like his luck had begun to turn.

Halla kept away from the others, using Dana like a shield between her and Toki. She could not face him, not with what she planned.

She was leaving at the earliest possible moment.

Isleif's hall was overcrowded with his multitudes of family. Thrand and Njall had returned with other fishermen. Isleif summoned all his sons, daughters, grandchildren, and daughters-in-law. They all joined a raucous feast proclaimed as a welcome. Halla appreciated hot food again; after a few days of rations, even leather would taste sumptuous.

Sigvid was loudly bragging of his old life, then inexplicably offered a toast to Toki. Halla was not interested in them. She only considered the exit an arm's length away. Unfortunately the door was shut or she could have already sneaked away. Dana pressed against her right side, while her left side hung at the edge of the bench. The table where the remains of dinner now lay locked them in place.

"Lady Halla," she whispered. "You are not serious?"

"I've already told you. There's a larger village to the north. The women say the jarl there is stern but fair. We just follow the road a short while."

Dana remained silent, then crunched a chicken bone in her mouth. "It's dangerous to travel roads alone."

"You will protect me." Halla had never seen Dana fight, but her father had insisted she was a good brawler. Thinking of her father summoned a wave of anxiety. This whole trip, everything was bent toward killing him. He was not a good man, she knew. He beat her mother, beat her, and treated them like possessions. But he was her only father. It felt wrong to be aiding people set on killing him, even if he had earned their hatred.

"What about Lord Toki?" Dana asked. They both glanced at him with the mention of his name. He was laughing with Runa and Isleif.

Halla's face crumpled to a frown. "His sister rules him, and his sister is a witch."

"But don't you love him?"

Halla elbowed Dana and she dropped her head in silence. Halla did love him, or had loved him. She no longer knew; everything had become overwhelming. He was a patient man, gentle with children, brave and smart. He had confident and strong features. But so much had happened. In his heart he must blame her for his troubles. He might say otherwise, but surely he knows none of this would have happened without her. One day that knowledge would turn against her. One day, he would drink too much, dream of all he could have done, and blame her. Then the beatings would begin and a life of misery ensue.

She could not let that happen. Starting over elsewhere was her only hope for a better life.

The sun set early in this land, so that by the end of their feasting twilight fell. She heard Toki informing Sigvid he would sail the next day.

"Our hall is crowded," Sigvid said. "But you are welcome to sleep in the barn."

Toki shook his head. "We should sleep with our ship. Thank you for the fine meal."

As they returned to the ship, Toki attempted to speak with Halla. She limited herself to a few nods and no words. She dared not speak, fearing she would abandon her plan to leave. Toki gave up once they arrived at the ships, drawing a thin sigh of relief from her. Sigvid and Isleif, who had guided them, said farewell and promised to return at first light.

Halla knew she had to flee this night, and shared a wide-eyed stare with Dana.

They slept aboard the ship with the sail drawn over for cover. Each man would take watch. They had all drank too much and Halla expected they would fall asleep. She thought Einar looked the most hopeful, and he had the second watch after Toki.

She lay curled on the deck as if asleep, Dana next to her. Halla marveled that her slave had actually fallen asleep. It seemed hours before Toki slipped aboard the ship and roused Einar for his turn. Halla waited longer still, then nudged Dana awake.

They slipped off the ship one at a time. A bright moon filled the sky, spilling light onto the beach and the path leading back to Isleif's home. They lingered a moment, in case anyone heard them leaving. Only muffled snoring and the lapping of waves on the beach made any sound. Einar, as expected, lay asleep by a dying fire. The women slipped past him like two elves fleeing into the woods. Halla turned back once, staring at the covered ship. She felt her hand start to raise as if to say good-bye, and her eyes began to mist. Dana hissed at her, having gone ahead, and Halla spun around and followed her away.

They found the track that the women of Isleif's home had promised. It was well-traveled and coiled through the purple gloom of the woods. Halla clung to Dana, who did not appear any braver than herself. But the two kept moving down the track, pausing at every hooting owl or snapping branch in the underbrush. Despite their delays, they found the outskirts of a large village before sunrise.

The moonlight revealed silver rooftops of long houses and squat buildings. The track led straight into the heart of it, though Halla could not see where it ended. She guessed it must lead to the mead hall that poked above the other buildings. Deciding a nighttime arrival would invite trouble, Halla planned to wait until dawn before presenting herself to the jarl.

They settled into the darkness beside the road. Halla felt crowded and overpowered by so many trees. Their branches looked like ugly claws and the pungent scent of them assailed her nostrils. She and Dana huddled together in silence, listening to crickets.

"Lady Halla, what are you going to tell the jarl of this place?"

"The truth. I am a jarl's daughter taken here against my will. I am fleeing those who took me here."

Cricket song filled the gap. Halla looked at Dana, who was barely visible now that they were out of the moonlight. She could see a faint gleam on her forehead.

"Did you bring any silver?"

"Just a few of my rings. We can cut those down to trade for what we need."

Again Dana nodded and fell quiet. Halla shifted around to square off with her. She was looking into the middle distance and seemed worried.

"Tell me what you're thinking."

Dana smiled and shook her head. "We're not really running away, are we? You just want to get back at Lord Toki."

Halla slammed the damp earth with her fist. Her voice was raspy low. "Of course we are running away. We have to start over somewhere else. If we stayed tonight, then we'd be stuck on that awful ship tomorrow. What else could we do?"

Dana nodded, and it did nothing to satisfy Halla. "Well, I asked you a question. What else could we do?"

"We could have taken silver, planned a little more, then fled when we reached those other lands."

"Well, I suppose that's true." Halla twisted away from Dana again, folding her arms. "But I could never be sure if a chance would come, unlike tonight. So this is better."

They sat for a long time, watching the sky turn deep blue with the first hints of sunrise. Halla stewed on Dana's presumption. She was only a slave, after all, and could not be expected to understand the nuances involved in this situation. That is what Halla told herself. But eventually the silence overwhelmed her.

"You don't think we'll get away?" Dana shook her head. "Then what do you think? We've been together forever. Just tell me everything you're thinking."

Dana chuckled. "Lady Halla, you've never wanted to hear truth. Why start now?"

Halla sucked her breath. "You're horrible!"

"I'm sorry. I was wrong to say that. But I'm not worried about getting away. I'm worried about the jarl and the people of this place."

"What for? The jarl has a good reputation."

"A good reputation among strangers. What do we really know? We're two girls walking into a foreign place, no silver, no weapons, no one to protect us. Lady Halla, you will make a terrible slave."

Halla put her hands to her neck, as if a slave collar had already been clamped around it. "But look at this place. It's civilized. Why would I be made a slave? I've done nothing wrong."

"Neither did I," Dana whispered. "But men from a village just like this killed my family and dragged me across the ocean for no other reason than that they could."

Halla suddenly felt cold and her stomach tightened. From within the village a cock crowed and she jolted at the sound. The sun was rising and already from the edge of the tree line Halla could see people emerging from their homes.

"Do you think we should go back, then?"

Dana nodded.

They carefully emerged from their hiding spot, stepped out onto the path while watching the village behind them. Then they turned and faced a man standing in the path. Halla screamed and the man jumped back, drawing a knife.

Dana immediately leapt in front of her, dropping into a crouch and throwing her hands wide. The man regained himself, smiled and lowered his knife. He was tall but thin, a fringe of hair circling his bony head. His gap-tooth smile was friendly, even silly. He held up his other hand in peace.

"I thought you were elves come to kill me or worse. What are two strange women doing on the road at dawn?"

"Stay away from us," Halla warned. She ducked behind Dana. Her heart throbbed, feeling like it would burst out her throat. "Get off the road and let us pass."

The balding man laughed, dry and hollow. "I'll not be hearing orders from you two. You look like you rolled up with the tide." He started to approach. Halla heard sounds coming from behind. The man's knife glinted in the thin light. "Where are ..."