by Jada Turner
Part III
Astrid led Andor up the rocky beach to where the tree line began. She sat down and motioned for him to follow suit. Andor looked over his shoulder, making sure his brothers and crew were still in sight. If anything were to happen, he wanted to be prepared for anything that might go wrong. His father had taught him to always be prepared and never get too comfortable when on these journeys.
Andor sat down beside Astrid, but was sure to keep a distance between them.
“You’re afraid.”
Andor furrowed his brow and said, “not afraid, just cautious. If you knew my father you would know he was the same.” He still was not convinced that Astrid was telling the truth.
In the distance he watched Finn and Kristoff in a heated discussion over what to do. He wished that he could hear them, but knew that his presence there would cause Kristoff more frustration.
“Finn is afraid. He doesn’t want to listen to me because he thinks I’m a ghost. He is probably telling Kristoff that you should all leave as soon as possible and never look back.”
Andor nodded.
“Kristoff is trying to be brave. He wants to stay here and make the land his own, but is wary about sending the crew away.”
Andor nodded.
“What about you, Andor? What do you want?”
Andor cleared his throat and move slightly farther away from her. He found it weird that she was able to know what was probably taking place between his brothers. “I think we should stay.”
“And do what with the crew?”
Andor shot her a quizzical look.
“Your father said you would be the deciding factor. That you would be able to provide a medium between Finn and Kristoff.”
Andor stood up and walked back down to the beach, leaving Astrid sitting alone. When he approached he could feel the tension in the air between his brothers and the fear pulsating throughout the crew.
“Finn, take half the crew and go get mother. Kristoff and I will stay here with the rest of the crew and do whatever this Astrid is saying our father wants.”
Kristoff’s entire body tensed and he said through gritted teeth, “I thought you were staying out of this Andor?”
“I was, and nothing was getting done. This is the best plan.”
Finn’s eyes were wide. “I...I don’t think I can man the ship alone.”
“Fine,” Andor said, “You stay, I’ll go.”
“I don’t want to stay here with a ghost!”
“A spirit.” Astrid was standing right next to them and no one had even noticed her arrival.
Finn jumped back.
“I’ll go with Finn. You stay here with a handful of men and get this place ready for mother's arrival.” Kristoff had the final word. Andor suspected that he was just as scared of Astrid as Finn was, but he didn’t want to admit it.
Andor nodded, “see you in a week.”
Finn was the first to retreat toward the ship. He was happy to get away from Astrid. Kristoff motioned down the middle of the crew standing on the beach. “You all are coming with me, the rest are staying with Andor.” He turned and walked toward the ship. The men he called fell in line behind him and few others went with them, they feared staying on this beach.
Part IV
“Do you think something bad is going to happen to Andor?” Finn grumbled under his breath to his older brother as he rowed the ship. With less crew members aboard, the brothers had to do some of the manual labor.
“Don’t worry about Andor. He can take care of himself. Set your mind on retrieving our mother.”
“But, Kristoff, we left him with a ghost!”
“She gave no reason to suspect her of violence. End of story. Just row.”
Finn nodded. If Kristoff said the discussion was over, then Finn wasn’t going to push his limits. He looking ahead at the open sea and rowed in sync with the rest of the crew.
The goal was to get back home in three days time, a whole day faster than the journey would normally take. The crew was not happy about the extra effort that would have to be put into rowing the ship, but what Kristoff said went with no argument.
Everyone’s head was dripping with sweat as the afternoon sun beat down upon them. For once, Finn was thankful for the frigid air. Usually he stood beside his brothers shivering, but trying to tough it out. He decided that the crew had the better job, because they were able to stay warm.
When the sun began to set, a few men left their benches and retreated to the covered area on the deck. Kristoff noticed this and his face immediately turned deep red with frustration. He rose from his seat and stomped over the men who had left their seats.
“What do you think you are doing?” He was fuming.
“Sir, the sun is setting. This is when we stop.”
“You stop when I tell you to stop. Get back to those benches and row on.”
One of the men opened their mouths to argue, but Kristoff put his hand up to stop him and pointed back to the benches. The men all stood up like dogs with their tails between their legs and trudged back to the benches to begin rowing again.
Finn and Kristoff rowed on with them. There were murmurs of frustration throughout the crew, but the brothers kept their eyes ahead and did not engage.
“How long are we going to row for?” Finn whispered.
“Until I’m tired.”
The men continued rowing late into the night. Kristoff had every intention of getting back to their mother as fast as possible and then back to Andor.
Part V
Andor stood ankle deep in water watching the horizon. The ship had gone out of his sight a while ago, but he watched anyone. The crew stood huddled behind him, waiting for orders. Astrid stood just behind them, giving Andor the appropriate space she assumed he needed at this time.
The crew began to whisper that they were probably left on this beach to die. They didn’t think Finn and Kristoff would ever return. Andor heard everything and grew frustrated. The men seemed to have no faith in him at all.
He turned around to face them. Taking his eyes off the horizon for the first time since his brothers sailed away without him. “Get to work!” he barked.
“We have no tools or resources. How are we going to fix this place up?”
Andor did not know the answer, but he didn’t want to admit that he was at a loss. Instead he shouted, “figure it out!” and waved his hands at them to dismiss them. The men all walked up the beach toward to tree line.
“I can get you the tools you need.” Astrid walked up beside Andor and reached out to touch his arm, trying to comfort him.
Andor squirmed out of her reach and nodded. Without a word Astrid disappeared into thin air. The whole situation made his stomach do loops. Part of this was terrifying, he was alone with a strange woman and a handful of crew members. The other part was exciting, he was alone with a beautiful woman and was in charge of a handful of crew members, following his father’s wishes.
With one last glance at the sun setting on the horizon, he walked up to where the crew members were gathered. They were wandering around searching the ground for anything to use to enhance the houses in the village.
“Tools will be here soon.”
The men all turned to Andor and he could see the fear in their eyes. He felt more calm now than he did down by the water. He took a deep breath and with every bit of energy in him he said, “everything will be fine.”
It was out of character for Andor to be the one to reassure the crew, usually that was something Kristoff did. As the oldest brother, he was a natural born leader. It was something Andor always resented about him, but no he had the chance to show that he was capable of being a successful leader as well.
Astrid reappeared and place a pile of mallets, ropes, and other resources in front of the men.
“What are you all waiting for, get to work. My mother will be here in a week and this place needs to be looking its best.”
The men all reached down and
took something from the pile and then dispersed about the village to work on the houses, paths, and landscape.
“Walk with me.” Astrid reached for his hand, but Andor again pulled away. She walked toward the ocean and Andor followed.
“What’s the plan here?” Andor felt that he had no time for formalities. He wanted to do whatever it was his father was supposedly asking.
“All work no play is bad for the soul, Andor. Your men are all working, you need to relax a bit or else you may join me and your father in the afterlife before you’re ready.”
Andor looked her up and down. She was young, seemingly just around his age. “And do you speak from experience.”
Astrid smiled, “we don’t age in the afterlife. I passed when I was 19, just a year younger than you are now. My home was invaded by vikings living here in Jutland. When arriving I had a decision to make: did I want to return as a ghost and terrorize the people of Jutland or return as a spirit and help other people gain control of an awful society. Here I am now, guiding you.”
“How do you know my father then?”
“He arrived in the afterlife just as I was accepting my place back here as a spirit. When he heard my story, he immediately became like a father to me. My own parents chose to be ghosts and we hadn’t spoken since. Your father informed me that you and your brothers were fulfilling his life mission and your dying mother's wish. He told me that Jutland was your next destination.”
“Did you warn the people to leave here?”
“I came back posing as a ghost and haunted them out. If you are anything like your father, I knew I had to meet you. He speaks highly of you and your brothers, but especially of you, Andor.”
Andor blushed. He had always felt like he went unnoticed by his father.
“I’m here to help you.” Astrid reached out again to touch his arm. Again, Andor pulled back.
“Are you afraid to touch me, Andor?”
Andor turned red. He was wary about coming into contact with a spirit, if they were anything like ghosts, he knew that she wouldn’t be a solid being and that he could pass through her as if she were a cloud. “Well, I’m just not sure I’m ready to accept the fact that you aren’t alive.”
“As a spirit, I am more human than I am ghost. You can feel me just like you can feel your brothers.” Astrid place her hand out, palm up, inviting him to place his hand on top.
Andor hesitated. He looked at her hand then back to her eyes then back to her hand. He slowly reached out his hand and placed it directly on top of hers. His heart began to race. Her hands were ice cold and it caused goosebumps to form all the way up his arm. “You’re freezing.”
Astrid laughed and said, “what did you expect? I’m not alive, just as you said.”
Andor laughed as well. It had been months since he was in the presence of a beautiful girl. His heart began to flutter. This caused him to feel nervous. He knew what a bad idea it was to fall for a girl that was unattainable. This girl was not even alive!
Part VI
Andor and the other men all slept under thick blankets made of animal skin that they found in one of the building that must have been the home of an avid hunter. With the sun gone, the wind picked up. Being inside and under blankets helped them remain warm, but the windows were cracked and drafts of biting cold wind blew through the house all night long. Astrid was gone for the night. She told them that she would be back the next morning with more news from Andor, Finn, and Kristoff’s father. Some of the mean questioned her word, but Andor felt confident that she would indeed come back to them. There was some sort of understanding between the two of them. Andor felt like he could trust her completely.
He could barely sleep at night though. Not because of Astrid, but because he had no idea how his brothers were or how the journey home was going. He dozed in and out of a dream state. He had a nightmare that his brothers got caught in a bad storm and that the ship capsized.
Some of the crew shook Andor awake. “Sir, you’re having a nightmare wake up!” They were shouting. Andor jerked awake and opened his eyes. He was drenched in a cold sweat. The sun was finally up, he made it through the night.
“Andor?” The sound of Astrid’s voice drifted through the window. Andor jumped to his feet, high stepped over some of the sleeping crew, and made his way outside. The ocean air was brisk. He pulled his robe tighter around himself.
“Good morning Astrid. I hope you,” he paused, “do you sleep?”
She laughed. “I don’t. There is no need to. I never feel tired!”
Andor smiled, something he rarely did. “Well I hope you had a good night then.”
Astrid grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the home he spent the night in. “Let the men sleep longer. I will tell you all about your father's plans while we search for something for you and the men to eat. Can you hunt?”
This took Andor by surprise. He hadn’t anticipated a hunt. The food was all on the ship with Finn and Kristoff. “No, I never have.”
“Be right back.” Astrid disappeared. It caught Andor by surprise every time that she could just come and go like that right in front of his own eyes. He stood there, not sure what to do or how long to wait. Before he made a decision either way, she returned. Appearing right beside him, just like she had never left. She now held a crossbow. “Do you know how to use a crossbow?”
“N-no,” Andor stuttered. It was hard for him to admit that he had no idea how to do something considered to be a man's job.
“Well you’re in luck,” Astrid said, “I borrowed this from a man in the afterlife who was one of the best hunters. He taught me how to use it. We will have meat in no time.”
The two of them made their way into the forest in search for some animal to eat. They tiptoed around, trying to remain silent, and they spoke in hushed whispers. “So how is my father?”
“He’s a great man. I see a lot of similarities between the two of you. He is also stubborn.”
Andor laughed.
“I think that is the first time I have ever heard a laugh from you.”
“It’s been a while.” Andor agreed. “Since my father passed, it’s been hard. Kristoff and I don’t see eye to eye most of the time and poor little Finn struggles with that. It’s hard being bossed around when Kristoff isn’t even a full year older.”
Astrid lowered the crossbow and turned to look at Andor. She stared deep into his eyes. Andor felt his heart beginning to beat faster. “Your father said Kristoff always bossed you around, but that he knew you were the real leader. He said that you allowed it more often once Finn was born, because you didn’t like it when he cried.”
Andor’s stomach tightened into a knot. He hadn’t thought about their childhood in so long. Finn used to cry at the sounds of his older brothers arguing. Andor would always back down and let Kristoff have his way, because it made Finn stop crying. Years had gone by and Andor became bitter at the thought of always letting Kristoff be in charge. It was nice to remember that deep down he was a good man and not the hardened shell Kristoff had forced him to become.
He reached his arm out and brushed the back of his hand down Astrid’s jawline. Her cold skin made his skin feel alive and electric. She smiled back at him. “It’s strange,” he said, “you make me feel comfortable. You make me remember there is more to life than these journeys with my brothers.”
“Andor…”
Andor leaned down to her and kissed her lightly on the forehead.
“Andor, I don’t think this is the best idea. You could get hurt.”
“You wouldn’t hurt me, would you?”
Astrid shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t,” she paused, “but we are not the same. This can’t work.”
“I don’t care.”
Astrid stood on her tip toes, dropped the crossbow to the ground and wrapped her arms around his neck. She whispered in his ear, “no one can know.”
Andor wrapped his muscular arms around her waist an
d pulled her against his body and kissed her passionately.
Part VII
Two days had gone by since leaving the shores of Jutland. The crew was exhausted from all of the extra rowing. They were to tired to voice their exhaustion and continued warily rowing the ship through the rough ocean water. Finn was also exhausted, he was very obviously the weakest of the three brothers. As the peacekeeper, a role he appointed himself to, he didn’t feel the need to bulk up like his brothers did. It didn’t matter to him who was the strongest or most in charge, just that everyone got along. Kristoff was probably exhausted as well, but he would never admit it. As long as Kristoff was rowing, so was everyone else. They stopped rowing for two meals a day and to sleep for about three hours per night.
“We should be there by tomorrow, right Kristoff? That’s the plan, right?”
Kristoff was growing annoyed with the amount of questions his younger brother was asking on the journey home. He snapped, “Finn, what did we tell you about caring so much about plans?”
“That I needed to relax, I know, but this trip is different. We went to be back quickly for our mother. I think I should be allowed to worry about our timing, aren’t you worried at all that she will pass before we get there? Or, even if we get there in time, that she will pass before we get back to Jutland and Andor has the chance to say goodbye?” This rebuttal surprised everyone in earshot, including Finn. He was never one to talk back to Kristoff.
“We’ll be to mother tomorrow. Keep rowing.” Kristoff didn’t have the energy to fight with Finn nor did he want to upset him. Kristoff tried his hardest to stay on Finn’s good side, because he thought it would help him get his way more often when he and Andor had a disagreement.
The water was choppy but not too rough and they had been lucky in terms of weather. It rained lightly that morning, but it wasn’t too much that everyone was soaking wet and freezing. All things aside, the trip was going smoothly.