Kirstie

“Rune. Captain Stenson, Sir, it is time to go back to sea.”

Captain Stenson shook his head. “I’m still spending what we got on the last trip. I’m not like Harrold. The sea has no hold on me. It is a tool, to make money and trade for the things we need. My ship is in drydock right now. Maybe in another year.”

“But I have to get to Normandy today, yesterday.”

“I have heard you say Normandy before. Where is that?”

“The north coast of France, east and west from the mouth of the Seine River. It is a place where many from Norway and Danish lands are going to settle. I suppose it is not called Normandy yet, but it will be soon enough because it is where all the Northmen live.”

“Ah, yes. I think I know what you are talking about. What is so vital about that place?”

“There is a hag there that needs to be overcome.”

“Like the one at the king’s house?” Captain Stenson pulled back from that idea.

“Like the one in Bremerhaven,” she said before she remembered. “Oh, that’s right. You and Frode were off talking to the guild masters while the rest of us were fighting for our lives.”

“Yes, well. I can’t help you. Frode and the crew are not ready for the next adventure. Captain Jarl is in town, you know. He has been home for nearly six months. He might be ready to try his luck in Normandy. Why don’t you ask him?”

She did.

“I’m thinking about it,” Jarl said. “But I don’t know about the Norman shore, as some call it. There is still too much fighting going on there. Rollo the Dane and the King of France are not getting along well.”

“We would not have to go near any of the fighting.”

“No way to guarantee that. Besides, there will be fighting if you are going after another hag. I saw what the last hag did to Chief Birger. I would not wish that on any member of my crew.”

Kirstie let out a wry smile. “I am sure you don’t want me to go to Oglo to buy a ride to the Norman shore. When they ask why the men of Strindlos refused to take me I will have to say because they were all afraid. Not to suggest that you are all cowards. I would never say such a thing.”

Jarl frowned. He thought to change his direction of attack. “But look at you. You are what, seventeen? Eighteen and unmarried?”

“I’m sixteen,” Kirstie said. She was just tall for a girl.

“And very pretty. Very well developed to be a wife to some man. It is a long time at sea, and some men can only go so long without getting ideas.”

Kirstie called to her armor which covered her with weapons of all sorts. Jarl blinked. “They can think all they want, but you should know, if they try something, I may have to kill them.”

“And your friend, Yrsa.” Jarl did not quit. “She would just compound the problem.”

“Yrsa can take care of herself, and better than you can imagine. She is an elf of the woods, and I am only telling you that because you are the captain of my ship and I do not wish to keep secrets from you. Besides, Yrsa can speak whatever the local tongue is and get better results than you and some town elder yelling at each other.”

Jarl rubbed his chin. “There might be some benefit in that.” But then he shook his head. “It takes time to get enough furs and hides to make a trip worthwhile, and I have been to Brittany and once to Iberia, but I have avoided the Norman shore and have no experience in France, well, Flanders, but that really doesn’t count.”

Kirstie decided she would have to play her hole card. “How about if I buy my way aboard your ship. Same as Rune. Fairy picked honey and wax, ivory tusks, and amber. These things can make you some real silver.”

“Are you bargaining?”

“If I must. I prefer to think of it as purchasing a ride there and back again. That must include Yrsa if she chooses to come.”

“The elf?”

“To make sure the goods don’t get stolen.”

“I think we can do that, but we can’t leave instantly.”

“No, we can’t,” she reluctantly agreed. “I’ll need a few weeks to gather my goods.”

“Leif,” Jarl called. Leif, Jarl’s navigator and skipari came from the back room where he had been listening in. “I think we have a deal.” Leif just grinned.

“Sneaky,” Kirstie said. “But probably safe. I just dropped a couple of dwarfs off at Svend’s shop. They are already talking about tearing down the furnace and building a new one.” She walked to the door. “I’ll tell you when I’m ready.” She called to her dress which instantly replaced her armor. Jarl blinked again, and Leif stopped grinning.

“We will be ready when you are,” Jarl managed to say.

On her way home, she imagined Jarl bargained like a nobleman. He told her every reason why she could not come and would have kept it up until she came up with the trade goods. He already planned on taking her, he just wanted to make sure he got his hands on some amber and ivory first.

He should be the earl—the Jarl of Trondelag. Then we could call him Jarl Jarl, she thought. Maybe Jarl Jarl Binks.

Yasmina

Aisha came bounding into the room with a small bundle of things to take. “I’ve hugged my mother and father and said good-bye to everyone. Are you ready?” She asked because Yasmina already had three bundles on her bed, and they were not so little.

Yasmina continued to rifle through her trunks, drawers, and closet, fingering everything and thinking about it. She felt like she might need everything. She wanted to take it all with her.

“Get your riding clothes on,” Aisha said. Yasmina grumbled but complied while Aisha went through her bundles. Yasmina protested at everything Aisha removed. “I need that,” she said several times.

Someone knocked loudly on the door. “I’m not ready,” Yasmina yelled in an automatic response she gave since she was six.

“Come in,” Aisha yelled to the door.

Ahmed came in. Two soldiers waited in the hall. “Princess,” Ahmed spoke. “Al-Rahim has requested that you wear your armor. There is no way of knowing in advance what kind of response we may get from the Qarmatians outside the gate.”

Yasmina huffed and called for her armor. It replaced her riding clothes and came as previously adjusted with the lengthened skirt and the long sleeves. It also came with the Cloak of Athena that al-Rahim insisted be called the Cloak of the Owl. The hood of the cloak remained up and she remained veiled which was vital for going out in public. Aisha made Yasmina carry two of her own bundles, and they went to the stables.

Yasmina’s new and younger horse was already saddled and ready to go. Aisha stuffed Yasmina’ bundles and her own bundle in the bags that hung from the back of the old Roman-like saddle. Then Yasmina’s mother showed up crying for one last round of hugs and tearful good-byes. When she would not stop hugging her daughter, al-Rahim coughed and spoke.

“We must go before the Qarmatians begin to enter the city.”

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MONDAY

Kirstie and Yasmina both need to get going, but sometimes it takes time and effort just to get ready. Then there are delays and interruptions that cannot be foreseen.  Until Monday, Happy Reading.

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