"I forbade you to come, specifically, when we talked yesterday. Why would you disobey me and put yourself in this kind of danger? Look at me, Ingrid."
Ingrid's body jerked as he yelled. "I wanted to prove I was brave enough to be a warrior," she said. Her voice was hoarse, but she looked up and met his eyes. She couldn't remember hearing him raise his voice at her before. Tightness squeezed her chest, but she sat up straighter and gathered every ounce of courage to hold his stare.
"Which one of you came up with this plan?" He turned his head to look at Selby, "Was it you?"
Selby's lips trembled, her face turned ashen white as she stared wide-eyed at Klaus without answering.
"It was my idea, Papa," Ingrid said, her voice stronger than the last time. "I persuaded her to come along."
"And I'm sure that was hard to do. How long did it take before the two of you decided to have a grand adventure?" Ingrid knew better than to think he wanted an answer. "How long have you been under there?" This time he did expect an answer.
"We climbed in while everyone was still singing."
He rubbed his hand on his face and looked up to the sky. Walking away, he braced his arms on the rail staring out toward the shoreline. Ingrid's heart was racing so hard the pounding in her ears covered any sound as she watched his back. Klaus motioned over his shoulder for Ingrid to join him on the rail. She rolled over, slid to her feet, and stumbled her way to his side.
"I should put you on Rolf's boat and make him take you home," he said without looking at her. Ingrid held her breath. "We are going to a dangerous place to talk about dangerous things. You should not be here."
"Please let us stay. We won't get in the way and we'll be helpful to you. I know it was wrong and I'm sorry for disobeying you, but . . . please, Papa, let me do this." Fixated on his face, she squared her feet and pushed her shoulders back, the muscles rigid in her arms as she held them tight to her sides.
"This ship is no place for a child," he yelled.
"I am not a child. It's time you stopped looking at me as one. I'm here now and I won't go back." Swallowing hard, she struggled to keep her lips from wobbling and her knees from buckling as if she was as brave as she tried to sound.
Klaus rubbed the back of his neck. "Your mother is going to kill me when she finds out I let you stay."
Ingrid sucked in her lip and bit down on it to keep herself from smiling, not successfully. "She'll be fine when we're back home and sees that we're safe."
Klaus turned to face Ingrid. "So says you. It's not your hide that will be missing some parts." He smirked. "Go sit down by the bow and stay out of the way."
A broad grin spread across her face that time. It took all her willpower not to jump up and down.
A snort from behind her made her turn to the left in time to catch Jorg trying to stifle his own smile. She raised her chin and walked with as much dignity as she could on a moving boat. How do I get up to the platform without looking the fool? A wooden box half protruded near the edge where Selby's legs dangled. Ingrid stepped up as if it were a common daily occurrence and settled next to her friend. "We get to stay," she said with as calm a voice as possible and doing her best to keep her face neutral.
A few seconds later Selby nudged Ingrid with a shoulder and she nudged her back. They both looked down at their laps while little giggles escaped.
I'll work on being mature later.
5
Several hours passed while the boat glided through the waters of the river. "I love this so much," Selby said. There was a softness to Selby's voice that surprised Ingrid.
The river was wide enough that all three boats could sail even with each other but they formed a v-shape, like migrating geese. Every now and then water would spray over the bow as the current picked up and increased the rocking motion of the boat. From their position high on the platform, the girls could see the expanse of countryside beyond the dense brush of the shoreline. Feathery green bracken and clusters of yellow star flowers colored the landscape and gave the breeze a fresher, sweeter scent than there was back home. Birds trilled and crickets chirped. Ingrid spent most of her time distracted by the argument taking place in her stomach. A bustle of motion jostled Ingrid as Selby switched places and shoved her next to the rail.
"Lean over the side and on not on me. You'll need to if you stay that color of green much longer," Selby said.
"Thank you."
"If you look further away, toward the horizon, it will help your stomach to settle."
"How do you know that?" Ingrid asked.
"I've heard my uncle say that before. He gets teased sometimes for having the same problem as you," Selby scanned the scenery again. "Look, over there. Two otters. Do you see them?"
"Oh, they're cute." They were rolling and playing, sliding into the water and then back onto the shore chasing each other.
"I don't think I'll be content to stay home anymore after this," Selby said, "It's what I thought I wanted before: a home, family; a peaceful, quiet farm."
"Why haven't you told me that before?" Since when did my warrior friend want to be a simple farmer? And how did I not know that?
"I've never told anyone. My house is always loud and messy. You have to be bold and fight for anything. I never have any time to myself. But, out here . . . I didn't know this existed." She swept her arm in an arc, including the boat, the river, and the shore.
"I'm not sure boats are my thing." Ingrid breathed a laugh and then settled her stare back on the horizon. "I'm so glad you came with me to see all of this."
"Me, too."
The rest of the afternoon drifted slowly by with the occasional need for men to move the sail or shift some of the cargo. The girls talked or rested and learned that privacy would be a rare commodity on a ship full of men. As the sun started to stretch shadows across the water, Klaus gave an order to pull over to an expanse of shoreline where the brush was sparse.
The lazy pace shifted immediately. As soon as the boats were secured on the shore everyone sprang into action. There were extra sails to unload and use as tents, all the supplies needed for the evening meal, and blankets, bedding, and other sleeping essentials to arrange for everyone. No one was idle and Ingrid was given the task of helping prepare the fish. When she opened the lid to the large cask, a pungent smell of vinegar burned the small hairs in her nose. She had to ladle out enough for everyone and load the shimmering silver herring into two large pots. By the time she was finished her sleeves and down the front of her apron were soaked with the sour-smelling whey. Water leaked from her eyes, even though her nose gave up the battle for fresh air. Ingrid hauled buckets of water to and from the river. The fish needed rinsed several times before warmed in buttermilk to eat. She hung a cauldron of skause from a tripod over the fire to heat. The early evening air cooled down rapidly and rosy-gold streaks of sunlight peeked out from the clouds. Ingrid had spotted a large patch of bilberry bushes not too far back along the river, so she grabbed a basket and went to collect some before darkness settled in. Her mouth watered at the prospect of a slab of bread covered in honey and berries. Selby was recruited to help somewhere else so she headed out to find them by herself.
Ingrid filled the basket with a couple handfuls of berries, then she heard rustling among the grass. It came from in front of her, down by her feet. A small bird hurried over her toes and with a shriek she jumped back, losing her grip on the basket. Before she could blink a hand grabbed her arm and she was hurled behind a dark figure. Squealing, she was engulfed by the tall grasses and landed on her knees in the mud. Dazed, confused, and frightened, she could see the shape of a person, male, as she looked up at his back. It was the lean body of Hagen straightened up to his full height. Tightening her lips, she huffed and tried to push herself up, but her hands sunk into the mud. Hagen turned around holding something that made her freeze and her eyes grow wide. Whether it was the thick dung like odor of the mud or the oozing insides of the headless snake still quivering in Hagen's hand tha
t filled her nose, she didn't know, but it made her queasy either way. The fragments of images came together and she recalled the opened mouth that lunged toward her foot a split second before she flew backward. Hagen had thrown her to safety when he charged after whatever danger had scared her. Anger subsided into a mixture of fear and gratitude.
"What is it?" she asked. He smirked at her, but before he could remark she added, "I know it's a snake. What kind though?"
"Oh, it's just a grass snake," he said, "I was trying to decide if it was worth trying to eat it?" A puzzled look crossed his face. It was big enough for sure, since the body filled Hagen's large hand. It hung from his hand like a slippery piece of thick rope.
"Wouldn't it make us sick?" Ingrid said, wrinkling her nose in disgust.
"No." He reached down and inserted his knife into the snake's cut-off head. He gave it a solid toss and it sailed off the blade, far out into the deep of the river. "On second thought, I don't think I want to eat anything that thought your scrawny foot looked like a tasty meal." He chuckled.
"A young plover scampered across my foot." She shuddered at the memory.
Hagen snorted his understanding and with a giant heave, flung the dead body far out into the lazy current. The momentum of the toss made the headless carcass twist into an "s" shape. For an instant, it looked as if it had come alive again before landing with a splat.
"What are you doing out here?" Ingrid asked as she managed to stand.
"I was following you to talk with you. I thought I might have a little fun and knock you into the mud, but not like this. I'm sorry you were really afraid," he said gently as he looked at all the mud she wore.
"Hmm. Well, whatever, I guess you got your wish one way or another. It adds to the smell of herring." She brushed at her clothes but it did no good. "Why did you want to talk to me?"
He looked down and kicked at the base of a clump of grass. Sighing, he said, "I'm angry that you're here."
She stared at him. His shoulders were slumped a little and he was biting the inside of his cheek. He hadn't shaved for a few days and had a small beard growing along his jaw that sparkled with red highlights in the waning sunlight. It made him look handsome, if she was forced to admit it. "Why?"
"Because this is my chance to show I'm a man, on my own. To prove myself. But now you're here like it's some kind of shopping trip that we're all going on for the fun of it. Father will be so distracted making sure you stay safe, he won't even notice me."
"That's not true. Besides, he knows you're a man. You're right by his side whenever he talks to the others and he slaps you on the back like you're one of them. I'm his little baby girl, not capable of anything. I'm the one that needs to prove myself."
"You're capable," Hagen looked at her and shrugged. "Annoying, but able to take care of yourself." He gave her a half grin which she responded to with a glare. "Truthfully, I've followed all the rules and did what I should. You're my silly little sister who sings and dances around all the time. Yet you had the guts to come out here. To stand up for yourself." He pressed his lips flat and shook his head, "All of my training in weapons, hunting, fishing, working on the boats, and even in business dealings--it's all so that I can learn how to be the leader after Father. Now you're here like it's some sort of game."
Ingrid felt her mouth go slack but couldn't move to close it. He's jealous of me? No! "You can't be serious. You have nothing to prove." She narrowed her eyes and peered sideways at him. "Except that you can stop picking on me."
He chuckled under his breath and bothered the mud with his foot. "You're my pest of a sister, and you make yourself an easy target." Ingrid bit her lip and forced the sting out of her eyes. "I'm sorry for that though. I guess I haven't seen you as getting older either. I'll work on that."
"Humph." Ingrid looked away, took a couple steps, and picked up her basket. "Will you get your friends to stop, too?"
"Yeah. They'll leave you alone if I tell them to." Glancing at her for a moment, he sighed. "I haven't noticed Jorg teasing you in a while."
Ingrid rolled her eyes and didn't know how she felt about that. "Tell him he should keep it that way if he wants me to see him as someone I can respect as a man someday." She didn't look at Hagen and surprised herself that she said the words out loud.
Hagen shot a quick glimpse sideways trying to keep the grin off his face. "I'll let him know." A few seconds of silence followed with neither of them looking at each other. "You have a tender heart," Hagen said. "We will face dangers on this trip. Promise me you'll try to stay safe."
Ingrid fiddled with the basket handle and kept her eyes on the ground. "I will. I'm stronger than you think, you know. I can be a shieldmaiden."
"I know. But this isn't the village where you can practice and the dangers aren't pretend. This is real and you aren't ready for it yet."
You don't know what I'm ready for. "I'm more ready than you think," she snapped.
"Don't get all crabby. Just be careful." He blew out a long sigh. "It's getting dark. Forget about the berries and let's go back."
The berries no longer sounded good to her anyway as they started along the path toward camp. "I won't give up on my dreams." She said it out loud, as much for herself as Hagen. She lurched forward from a shove on the back of her shoulder. "Hey, what's that for? You're trying real hard to stop being a jerk, I see."
Hagen laughed. "You need to see the real talents that you have and focus on the way that you're blessed. You care for others and try so hard at things. I would have given up a long time ago had I kept getting bruised and battered by my friend during 'practice,'" he chuckled.
"I never thought you could sound so grown up. It's weird." She smiled.
"Don't tell anyone or I'll toss you into the river with the snake!" he teased. "What was all that about on the docks yesterday, by the way?"
"I don't know. I don't want to talk about that." They walked the rest of the way in silence. Real talents? Was that how I helped that boy? Her head ached and she wondered again if staying home would have been better.
* * *
After dinner, everyone went straight to bed, except Ingrid. Ducking behind some bushes with a bucket of water, she took a quick bath and scrubbed her clothes after the men went to sleep. They would be leaving at first light and a good night's sleep was important, but so was getting rid of the fish smell and caked-on mud. Between worry of another snake and mulling over what Hagen had said to her, Ingrid barely slept at all. Grumpy and tired, she roused the next morning to help with breakfast and get the ships reloaded.
"You need to fix your braids," Selby said as she settled next to Ingrid in their spot at the bow again.
"What do you care?" I didn't mean that.
"Sor-ry." Selby looked past Ingrid with her lips tight together.
"It's my fault, I didn't sleep well. How are you so rested?" Ingrid asked.
"I don't know. I like being out here I guess. And I didn't have a snake try to bite me, so I'm sure that helped," Selby said and Ingrid shuddered at the memory she'd shared at dinner. "Do you want me to help you with your braids?"
"I really don't care, but sure if you think I need help."
"Well, you might be too grumpy to notice, but you have an admirer. I'll help you and you can thank me later."
"What? No one admires me." Ingrid didn't have the patience to talk about boys right then.
"Mm-hmm. Then why does Jorg keep looking over at you and smiling?"
"Because he's a jerk and making fun of me probably. Why do you keep thinking it's something more?"
"You need to open your eyes. There," she finished tying the ends of the two plaits together, "you're welcome."
"Thanks." Ingrid stole a glance in Jorg's direction and straightened her clothes. Selby smiled. "What?"
"Nothing."
Ingrid turned her attention to the horizon and ignored the others. The crisp morning air brought hints of chamomile and sweet balm.
The rest of the journey down river
was much the same as the first couple of days, with Ingrid fighting her nausea by day and camping by night. Finally, Jorvik came into sight and they prepared to land. Everyone jumped ashore and tied the boats along the wooden docks, leaving a few men with each to guard their property. People and boats lined the walkways, which made it difficult for Ingrid to see the city.
"I know you are excited, Ingrid, but this is a dangerous place. You have to watch your surroundings and stay close to me. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Papa."
They made their way toward the main street and headed toward a small hill rising above the ramshackle rows of huts about a quarter mile away. As a group they made a formidable impression through the narrow streets. Ingrid watched as Hagen followed their father and amused herself with how hard he tried to mimic his movements. She heard Selby sigh and followed her gaze for the source. Her eyes were fixed on Hagen as well, but apparently for a different reason.
"You need to look around more. Find another target for your affections," Ingrid said and smiled at her friend.
"Why? Look at him. He's as tall as your father now and so commanding. I'd follow him anywhere."
"Ew. You're pathetic. Get a hold of yourself or I'll make you walk between the Stinks."
Selby snorted. "Yeah, like that's going to happen."
"This isn't what I thought the capitol would look like," Ingrid said, changing the subject and drawing Selby's eyes somewhere other than her brother.
"I know. I thought it would be nicer than our village, not the other way around."
There were a lot more houses than in their village, for sure, but they were not as well constructed or cared for. They were made the same, with stone or plank walls and thatched roofs, but there were gaps that hadn't been repaired. The grasses of the thatch were rotted in places and many sagged dreadfully. More than one they passed had caught fire at some point and the entire structure looked tired and weak. Yet, families still inhabited those rickety hovels. The view in front of them did not match the images Ingrid had formed in her mind before they arrived.
Ingrid, The Viking Maiden (Viking Maiden Series Book 1) Page 5