Knight Quest (Time Hunters, Book 2) (11 page)

 In Medieval Law animals could be charged with committing a crime. They were tried in court and given sentences for injuring or killing people and even stealing.
They must have been barking mad!

 During 1348-49, a third of England's population died from the Black Death. No one knew it was caused by rats carrying infected fleas. Many people thought it was a punishment from God. It was also thought that bathing and changing your clothes would make God angry, as it was a sign that you cared too much about what you looked like. So lots of people didn't wash.

Stinky!

 Water wasn't safe to drink, so people including children drank ale instead.

Beer for breakfast anyone? Yuck!

Which Viking was the most vicious?

Who was Erik the Red?

Did Vikings wear horned helmets?

Join Tom and Isis on another action-packed Time Hunters adventure!

Tom stuck his tongue in his cheek and frowned. “Right,” he said to Isis. “Maybe the dragon's back means the longship.” He pointed over to the boat's carved front.

Isis nodded and stroked a purring Cleo. “Yes. It seems pretty obvious that the riddle is talking about a journey over the sea.”

“Perhaps we'll be going somewhere in that boat,” Tom suggested.

Just as he opened his mouth to ask Isis if she knew what Valhalla was, they heard shouting and loud voices coming their way.

Tom looked around and spotted a group of tall, terrifying men. They wore helmets and fur cloaks. At their sides, they carried the longest broadswords he had ever seen. They were running, like a herd of angry moose, down to the longship. The only obstacles that stood between them and their vessel… were Tom, Isis and Cleo.

“Are those the Vikings you were talking about?” Isis asked quietly.

“Yes,” Tom said, gulping. “I'm afraid so. They tried to look as fearsome as possible so their enemies would just keel over with fear at the sight of them.”

“Well, that little trick won't work on me,” Isis said. But Tom could tell from the quaver in her voice that she didn't feel as brave as she was pretending to be.

Cleo yowled when she saw the strangers and darted into the folds of Isis's cloak.

At the head of the group, Tom noticed a Viking who was as tall and as broad as a door – a hulking, muscle-bound man compared to the others. Bright-red hair hung down his back in wild, matted clumps. His bearded, ruddy face was covered in freckles. In his huge hand he swung a gleaming axe.

“Do you think that axe is meant for us?” Isis asked.

The red-headed giant thundered towards them. His steely gaze was fixed on Tom.

“We're about to find out,” Tom said, trembling like a jelly. “Please don't kill us!” Tom shouted, holding his hands above his head in surrender, as the stranger came to a stop and loomed over him. Hardly daring to look into that fearsome face, Tom stared at the Viking's boots instead. He had the most enormous feet.

Tom hoped the Viking had understood his plea for mercy. Everywhere else that Anubis had sent them, he and Isis had magically been understood. He just had to hope his English words had come out in Old Norse!

Beside Tom, Isis skipped backwards and forwards. Her fists were balled, but next to the huge Viking, she looked like a chick trying to pick a fight with a cockerel. “Come on then, you big red hairball!” she shouted up at him. “You don't mess with a princess!”

Cleo hissed and swiped a claw at the Viking. The little cat's stripy fur was standing on end. Tom admired his friends' courage.