Escape to the Forbidden Isles

Chapter Five: The Isles Draw Nearer

Thora loved the isles more and more the closer they got. The cliffs were beautiful, the meadows gorgeous, and best of all, it was already apparent that caves existed in the cliffside. A sandy beach with real sand greeted them, so unlike the painful rock pebbles beaches on Malicious Island. This was a perfect paradise.

"It's beautiful," Thora breathed.

"What?" asked Tove, who was standing nearby, and had been gazing at the island too, until now.

"Oh, um, I was just talking to myself," Thora answered.

"Oh." Tove sounded disappointed. Thora felt bad.

"I was noting how beautiful the island is," Thora told him. Just then, she noticed trees perfect for climbing at the edge of the meadows.

"The island does look really nice," Tove said. If he said anything else, Thora wasn't able to hear it, because that was the exact moment that Skye had chosen to look out to sea. When she caught sight of the beautiful island, an ear-splitting shriek erupted from her.

"IT'S THE FORBIDDEN ISLES!" she bellowed. "THE TERROR OF THE SEVEN SEAS!"

"That island isn't forbidden," one of the cousins said scornfully.

"And why not?" demanded Skye.

"Well," answered the small girl, intimidated by Skye's loud voice. "They're too pretty to be forbidden."

"THAT'S IT!" thundered Skye. "The Isles look beautiful, but maybe they have a disguise. Maybe evil hungry animals that eat people live there, or storms blow people away, or-"

"Skye, you are scaring the children," Iona reprimanded.

Indeed, several children were wide-eyed with fear, while others were tearing up, while still others were looking at Skye as if she were the god of thunder incarnate. She considered this.

"Hmmm, you're right," she grumbled. Suddenly, her eyes brightened and she roared, "BUT WE'RE VIKING PIRATES! WE ARE MIGHTY AND STRONG! WE CAN DEFEAT ANYTHING!" Skye stomped off, a parade of children marching behind her.

Tove turned to Thora.

"Forbidden Isles?" he asked.

"Oh, just some old legend or something," Thora answered.

It was obvious now that the island was not one island, but several. Three main ones made up most of the collective whole. Dotting the coastline were some islands smaller than Thora's house back at Malicious Island and some large enough for a few houses at least. The beach would be perfect for docks. There were perfect climbing trees, gorgeous meadows, excellent cliffs, and incredible caves to explore. There was a spot just right to build their new settlement. If they ever decided to raise sheep, the meadow would be just right for that too. The natural beauty of the island – the tall, massive rock formations, the heather waving in the breeze, the cliff face, the caves, and the beach – made the "forbidden" part of its name sound ridiculous. 

Thora kept watching the islands until they were steering into its bay. Then, the boat hit the sand. The people waited anxiously to set foot on the island. Thora joined her mother as Leif ventured off the side into the shallow water.