Viking Tribute

Chapter 7: Questions

 My slumber was interrupted by the same grunting and moaning that I heard the previous night. I rubbed my eyes and glanced at the sky. The sun was hidden under low dark clouds, and I couldn’t figure out the time. The sea was rougher and as the ship lurched forward, so did my stomach. I raced towards the railing and was held back by a bulky man.

“You are not to leave the tent, chief’s orders. If you do, he will chain you to the mast.”

I clenched my belly, trying to keep it under control.

“I am sick, what can I do?”

He shrugged.

“Use the bucket, the other thrall will empty it for you.”

I ran back to the tent and knelt over the bucket, hoping it was clean. It was given to us women to serve as latrines, and we were to throw the contents overboard and rinse it after each use.

Fortunately it was empty.

I was feeling light headed; my last meal had been the previous evening. I returned to my makeshift bed and curled in a ball, waiting for the next bout of nausea. The state of the sea worried me. Having nearly drowned, I feared being thrown into the water again. What if a storm broke? Could the ship handle it?

The bucket was taken away and shortly after Magge was at my side.

“I brought you some food, my Lady. Lord Einarr wants you to eat.”

“You can call me by my name Magge, I’m not a lady anymore. And thank you for this, but I really can’t have anything. I’m sick at the idea.”

“He will not be happy. And I prefer to call you my Lady, it reminds me of my previous life.”

“I’m sorry Magge. I wish I could have prevented them to take you. The way they are using you… It must be terrible, I can’t even imagine it.”

She shrugged and looked away.

“It is not so bad my Lady, I assure you. I am used to it, and they are not brutal. Some of them are even gentle. One told me that he would ask Lord Einarr to sell me to him, he wants to marry me. I hope he does, he seems a good and kind man. It would be nice to have my own house and maybe children, if God wills…”

“But aren’t you mourning your freedom?”

She laughed sadly.

“I lost my freedom a long time ago, when my husband died and I was forced to exchange my body for food. When your father asked me if I agreed to be sold as a slave, I was glad to accept.

At least I will be fed and cared for. With the crops failing, I would have died of hunger this winter coming. No man would give me anything if they had to take it away from their wife and children. This bargain was a blessing.”

I felt humbled by her answer. Never had I realized that being free could be a curse for paupers. No one would provide for them in their time of need. Often they would turn to slavery for themselves or their children when resources became too scarce. But I had never thought of it as an improvement.

Shame overcame me. I had been whining about my fate, when hers was far worse, and she accepted it gracefully. I was still a maiden, I hadn’t been mistreated, and my captor risked his life to save mine. Yet I hadn’t shown him any gratitude.

The worse that could happen to me was to become a heathen’s wife. And rape of course; it scared me, but if Magge had been through it and survived, I should be able to.

“I apologize for behaving as a spoiled child Magge. You are a far stronger woman than I am. I commend you for your resilience.”

“It just comes with need, my Lady. You never knew it. We will be fine.”

I smiled at her and wondered:

“Did they tell you where we are headed?”

I hadn’t paid it any attention until now. I had no idea of where I was going to spend at least the next year.

“To a country named Iceland, my Lady. Nowadays most Norsemen are Christians, but these retain their old beliefs. They seem to treat women well, they are lacking them. We are somehow lucky.”

I nodded and she left, going to report to her master. I saw her speak to him respectfully, head bowed low. He dismissed her, and then took long strides towards me.

Brushing past me, he searched in a nearby chest. Magge came back with a cup of water, and he poured some powder from a pouch in it, holding it to me.

“Drink, it will settle your stomach.”

I took a tentative sip and grimaced. The taste was acrid, it stung my tongue and throat.

“What is this? Poison?”

“Ginger root. It’s a remedy for sea sickness, drink!”

He motioned to me imperatively. I obeyed, downing the whole thing in one gulp. It made me cough and my eyes watered. It was that bad.

Yet after a few instants the nausea ceased.

“It is much better. Thank you for this, and for saving me too. You put yourself in danger for me.”

He gave me his first genuine smile.

“I am a strong swimmer, it wasn’t too hard. Eat now, and rest.”

He glanced at the sky and frowned.

“A strong storm is brewing. We might beat it to Barra, with some luck. The wind is pushing us in the right direction. We will spend the night there; Jarl Gilli is a friend, despite being Christian. They will be hospitable.”

My voice nearly failed me.

“What will happen if we don’t reach it in time?”

He crouched and grabbed my chin, forcing me to stare in his eyes. Blue, they were blue, I noted, although it was an odd time to notice it.

“We will simply have to stop elsewhere, do not fret. I will not put us at risk, although we might not be as welcome.”

I nodded; it was unlikely for anyone to welcome unknown longships with open arms. But it might give me an opportunity to escape.