chapter 6

Eric and Gudrun set out across the sea on their raft in a fierce storm.

CHAPTER 6

Clouds had begun to gather while they had been busy with the raft and now the wind was starting to rise. The two questers pushed their vessel out into the sea. They had taken off their shoes and socks and piled them on the raft, with their backpacks and weapons. Pushing the raft between them Eric and Gudrun waded out into deeper water, the waves lapping at their knees, wetting their rolled up trousers.,

“There’s a storm coming”, remarked Gudrun, peering up at the darkening sky.

Great grey clouds were building up in the west. The wind was growing stronger, and the waves scrabbled at the shore, trying to gain control of the land stone by stone.

“Hope it holds off till we reach the other side” said Eric.

They were clear of the shore now, so they clambered on board and

Eric took up the paddle. He paddled further out and further still, until the wind filled the blanket sail. Eric used the paddle to steady the raft and keep it on a straight course.

“So, what’s it like in your village” he asked Gudrun, “when no one is ill?”

“The same as most villages I would think”, Gudrun answered him.

“I mean, what is your family like, what kind of stuff do you do?”

Gudrun shifted a little, making herself a bit more comfortable.

“My father is a tanner”, Gudrun began. “He cures skins and furs for trading, and he also makes bags, and harness for the horses. I have five brothers, all younger than me, but I don’t live with them any more. Two years ago I was apprenticed to Torunn the wise woman.”

“How come?” asked Eric as he straightened their course a little to the east.

“They thought I was a seer”, Gudrun answered. She stopped talking for a moment and smiled to herself. “I kept going off into a trance. I would sit still and stare at nothing for ages, but when I stopped I couldn’t tell what I’d seen. My parents thought my ‘gift’ needed training, so they sent me to the wise woman.”

Gudrun smiled again. “I don’t really go into a trance though. I was just sitting quietly in my own space. My brothers are rowdy. They run all over the house and yard, driving my mother mad. Finding a quiet place was impossible, so I made my own. I’m not a seer. Torunn teaches me healing and about herbs and plants. And I’m learning the sagas and the village stories, and how to read runes. But I’m not very good at it yet.

“Our village is near a town and sometimes my father goes to trade his skins. Sometimes Torunn goes to tell fortunes. I go too, but I’m not allowed to tell fortunes because I make too many mistakes. Once I told a man he was going to die but on the way home it was the man’s horse who died. So I don’t dare tell fortunes any more.”

“I’ve never been to a town”, said Eric. “My village is too far away.”

He was keeping watch on the approaching storm. He wanted to be ready for action when the force of the gale hit them.

“Oh, the town is a fine place” Gudrun told him. “There is a fence all around the outside. The houses stand close together in streets paved with wooden planks. There are buildings everywhere, and loads of stalls. You can trade for all sorts of stuff, silk, pottery, wine and food. I went to the Thing last year. You know, when everyone gets together and holds a fair. The village leaders all meet to make new laws and punish people who have broken them. They made one man carry a red-hot iron to test if he was guilty.”

“What had he done?” asked Eric curiously.

“Stolen something I think. He dropped the iron and got fined two chickens and a sack of grain.”

“What if he hadn’t dropped it?” asked Eric.

“They would have checked if the burns on his hands had healed in a few weeks”, Gudrun explained. “If they had he would be innocent, if not, then he would be punished.”

“I’ve never been to a Thing” said Eric as he straightened the raft again.

“It’s great fun” said Gudrun. “Everyone gets together and there are kitchens set up, and stalls, and feasting.”

The wind had grown stronger still. It filled the sail and the raft sped across the sea. Gudrun fell silent and a look of sadness crossed her face.

“When the sickness came it hit the village hard. The men are still away raiding. Those left behind got sick very quickly. None of our herbs were any good so Torunn sent a man to the town but they turned him away. He begged them for help, but they gave him none, bucause they have the sickness too. So that’s why I’m on the quest, to bring home a cure.”

“I know how you feel” Eric told her. “Most of our men have gone too. Those who are left are too old or crippled to make the journey. Loads of them are ill or dead, and myy little brother was sick . He’s probably dead too, by now.”

Eric wiped one sleeve across his face, as he turned away so Gudrun could not see the tears in his eyes. The wild sea made the raft bob up and down making it difficult to steer.

“I volunteered for the quest”, he went on. “I wanted to prove myself. Everyone laughs at me for being small. They don’t mean to be cruel and I don’t mind, mostly. But it would be nice to hear ‘Well done Eric’ once in a while.” He kept the raft steady as a huge wave lifted them high. “The chieftain’s son volunteered too. So they held a duel, to decide which one of us should go. Neither of us wanted to share the burden. Ulf Sveynson is really tall. He’s the same age as me, but he can carry me on his shoulders.” Eric laughed. “Everyone’s taller than me! When I went to say goodbye, Ulf was firing arrows at a tree. He aimed at me and said ‘get lost!’”

“What did you do?” asked Gudrun.

“Walked away”, Eric told her. “I beat him in the duel with a sword, but |I couldn’t outrun an arrow. Ulf would have shot me down like a seagull!”

They could see the other side now, but the storm was upon them. The sea

swelled and blocked out the land from view.

“Hold on!” yelled Eric as a enormous swell threatened to capsize them.

Eric paddled frantically; trying to keep the raft steady was nearly impossible and he nearly lost the paddle in the sea. Then the sail flapped loose. Eric tried to fix it, but he couldn’t keep his balance. The raft lurched and he tumbled into the sea. Gudrun made a grab for Eric who clutched her hand and scrambled back on board, still holding the paddle. But things were about to get a lot worse.