Kirstie

In the morning, when the sun rose and Father McAndrews and the girls finished their Haddock with a bread and water breakfast, the girls hugged the old man, promised not to give him away, and headed back toward the ships. Kirstie offered a thought.

“Even if we end up staying here for a week, he should be all right with the smoked fish we left for him.”

“And the full water bucket,” Yrsa said, and then she added, “Have you thought about what you are going to do about you-know-who?”

Kirstie looked at her friend and shook her head. “Danna, the mother goddess says she is ready when the time comes, but I don’t see what else I can do. He has had three chances to do the right thing and go over to the other side, and three times he has refused. He seems determined to be worshiped and bring humanity back under the old way of the gods, his gods. This cannot be. The old way has gone, and the new way has come.”

Yrsa nodded slightly but said nothing.

“Kirstie!” Kare, of all people, saw her first and ran to her. He grabbed her and sort of hugged her before he angrily grabbed her by the upper arm and dragged her into the camp. “We were worried about you out there in the rain and the dark. We searched for you until it got too dark to see and the rain came hard. Where did you go? What did you do all night?” He showed concern, but anger as well, like how dare she run off without him right there to watch her.

“You must be hungry,” Thoren said, but Kirstie shook her head.

“Kirstie called a fish from the sea,” Yrsa said. “We found a place to shelter, and she made a fire so we could cook the fish. We are fine.”

All Kirstie could think was at least Kare knew how to hug.

“Come on,” Kare said. “Captains Ulf and Odger came in early this morning, and he has called the captains together for a meeting.” Kirstie arrived in time to hear something very disturbing.

“Cnut remains a believer in the old ways, and he is fighting against this Christian business as much as against the kings in the land. He knows Lindisfarne is responsible for reaching the people with the Christ. He wants it utterly destroyed. He wants to finish the job Halfdan Ragnarsson started twenty-five years ago. I figure after twenty-five years the monks have had plenty of time to refill their coffers with plenty of gold and silver, and that will be ours to take.”

“So, to understand,” Harrold said. “You are telling us now that Cnut is not concerned about Bamburgh. Lindisfarne has been the target all along, only you are just now telling us.”

“No. The raiding was an important first part of the deal, but I figured we needed to keep one eye focused on the king’s city in case he did send the army after us. Now I figure all eyes will be focused south from here and no one will be looking north toward the monastery, so ruining the place should be easy.”

“And Cnut won’t pay us unless we destroy the monastery. Is that so?” Jarl said.

“Basically,” Ulf said, but he said it in a way like he was surprised anyone might object. “Look, there is no rush. Let my crew rest today and tend their wounds. We can sail to the island in the morning and still take them completely by surprise.”

No one said any more. Kirstie and Yrsa backed away. Unfortunately, Kare and Thoren stayed right with them.

Kirstie whispered. “We have to get free and get Father McAndrews. We have to warn the people of Lindisfarne.”

“Thank you, Lady. I was thinking the same thing but did not know if I should say it.”

They began to make plans.

Near the end of the day, Kare left their little camp to talk to Harrold. Thoren stayed by the fire to watch the girls, but Kirstie imagined she would have no other chance. “Now,” she whispered and stood.

“Where are you going?” Thoren asked.

“To relieve myself?” Kirstie said.

Thoren looked closely at their faces and said something Kirstie did not expect. “You better hurry before Kare gets back.” They hurried.

“He knew we were leaving the camp” Yrsa said.

“Not necessarily,” Kirstie tried to object.

“He knew we were leaving the camp,” Yrsa repeated. “I would say he knew we had found a way to get to Lindisfarne and warn the people, and he let us go to do that.”

“So, like he said, let’s hurry.” Kirstie thought Thoren was a better man than Kare. She did not mind the man marrying Hilda.

When they reached the shore and cave, and explained what was happening, Father McAndrews panicked a little. He calmed when he said the journey in his little boat only took a couple of hours.

“So, no need to rush,” Kirstie said. “They won’t move out until tomorrow morning. We can have supper first and you can pack before we go. Where is the boat?”

Father McAndrews took them to the edge of the cave and pointed down. “There. in the hollow space between that big rock and the cliff. It is covered against the rain and any breakers big enough to wash over the big rock, but that only happens in the worst of storms. Last night was not so bad.”

Kirstie nodded. She built up the fire while Yrsa fixed the second haddock, the smaller one. Small was fine since they would not be saving any for breakfast. Somehow, she managed to remove the smokey flavor, so it tasted like fresh caught.

“How did you do that,” Father McAndrews asked.

“Secret old family recipe,” Yrsa answered, and Father McAndrews did not pry.

When they had eaten, Father McAndrews said they better hurry. “The sun will set in an hour and we want to be well out of these islands by then. There are rocks in many places to avoid and I have to be able to see the landmarks.”

Kirstie shook her head. “Better we leave after dark, so we won’t be spotted by our people.”

“That would be dangerous,” Father McAndrews countered.

“Have faith,” Kirstie said, and they waited until it was nearly dark, and only moved because they heard men talking and shouting, scrounging around on the clifftop.

“Quiet and careful,” Kirstie said and went first down the rocks that made something like a very steep and narrow stairway. They uncovered the boat when they heard the men overhead get louder. They got the boat in the water when one man shouted. They found the cave.

Kirstie and Yrsa sat side by side and each took an oar. They would not let the old man row. Kirstie said he had to stay in the bow and spot their direction, to tell them left or right to avoid the rocks. Getting out into the sea between the islands took some effort, but the father had been correct in his assessment. The waves below the cave were not nearly as strong or high as elsewhere, though the boat still bobbed up and down like a cork.