Winter Solstice Winter - Book I in the Viking Blood Saga

The creaky sleigh arrived in Trollsoe as the sun made its first appearance of the day. Ailia’s fingers and toes were frozen numb, and now that her hair was short, clipped to uneven lengths, her ears and neck were constantly cold. After having eaten nothing but snow for several days, she was wasting away.

  Her journey had been long and cold, and had taken her through high, snowy mountain paths and between gorges of ice. When she’d fallen asleep for short bouts, her dreams had been filled with images of Soren’s dead body and of Lucia’s betrayal. When she had been awake, she had huddled to the corner of her prison, pulled her knees close, and tucked her finger between her legs.

  People were busy in the streets, opening their shops in the over-crowded market place. Leathers, furs, wool, clothing, jewelry, fowls, and beasts were among the merchandise being sold. The industrious city had nearly managed to outgrow Bergendal over the last decade because of its port, which was beneficial for merchants and tradesmen. It had been over a hundred years since Eiess had burned the city to the ground, but now there was no sign of destruction anywhere.

  Towering buildings and houses that seemed taller than necessary had popped up recently and the city was expanding by the day. Passing by each road, Ailia could peer down the street all the way to the busy longhship-filled harbor. Where does he mean to take me?

  The Viking steered the sleigh onto the wide path in the middle of the city and headed for the bay. They passed men, women, and children busy about their days, dressed in heavy wool overcoats and furs. Trollsoe seemed a happy city and everyone was probably unaware that Bergendal had just been destroyed by the Vikings. Information traveled slowly and it might even be weeks before the news reached here.

  Ailia remembered vaguely the story Soren had told her about her first life. Is this where I lived with him? she wondered as she looked around.

  Shortly after they had crossed the city border, Ailia noticed a young man following her sleigh. He couldn’t be more than in his mid to late teens and he wasn’t what Ailia would call large in stature. In fact, he looked like he could be the shortest man in Trollsoe. He kept his black curly hair in a low ponytail and he wore a brown-bear fur coat with the hood down. Sneaking after the sleigh, he waved to Ailia and smiled.

  She grabbed the bars of her cage and looked out. “Can you help me?” she asked, not knowing whether he would be able to hear her in the distance with other carts, horses and sleighs rushing by and with the bells tolling throughout the city.

  “Quiet!” the Viking yelled back at her. “Or I’ll take a beating to you.”

  Suddenly, the young man took off down the street, vanishing without a trace. Ailia sat back down. That was strange, she thought.

  The closer they came to the ocean, the sweatier her palms became. Does he mean to sell me to a fisherman? She thought of the Nukkern, and of her maredreams where she had drowned. If she were to be sold to a seaman, she would have to live on the water for months at a time. Her pulse rose.

  Longships and fishing boats lined the docks and the pungent scent of fish infused the air. Seagulls flew above, squawking for food, diving for fish. The Viking stopped by the first longship and approached an elderly man who was busy bundling rope.

  “I’d like to sell a well able, strong, young female thrall. She’s a good worker and has served us well in the past,” the Viking said.

  God, please no, Ailia thought.

  “You will need to go see Mercer,” the old man said and pointed to another man, who was dressed like a nobleman.

  The Viking directed the sleigh toward Mercer’s knarr and repeated his proposition.

  “One silver coin,” the nobleman said in a foreign accent, holding his finger up.

  The Viking scoffed. “That’s it?” he said. “You’ll have to do much better than that. She is worth at least ten silver coins, my girl.”

  Only ten? Ailia thought. That has become the value of my life?

  “If you want more for your thrall, you will want to go see Erik or his son, Leif. They are Vikings and buy women for much more,” the nobleman said. “Six longships that way and you will find them.” He pointed.

  The Viking nodded and followed Mercer’s direction. By the time they arrived at the brand new longship, Ailia felt sick to her stomach. The thought of being sold to a Viking—being forced to sea—was the absolute worst thing that could happen.

  “Are you Erik?” the Viking asked a man who was directing the crew.

  “That depends. Who are you?” the man answered, scrutinizing the Viking. His eyes were a deep blueish gray and never rested too long on any one thing. He was as large as Brander, if not larger, and had silver strands of hair shading his dark blond hair.

  “I am Oddvar. I was told you buy thrall women.”

  The man snorted and spit. “Ah! I am and yes, we do,” Erik said, placing his hands on his hips. “But today, we are full. No more passengers will fit on this fine dragonship. It is fine, do you not think?” Different colored shields were lined up on the dragonship’s edge and the sides of the ship were painted in mustard yellow, rust red, and deep-cobalt blue. A large dragonhead was at the front of the vessel, and was painted gold.

  “Uh, yes. She is young and able and—” Oddvar pulled in closer to Erik and whispered something in Erik’s ear.

  Erik’s eyes lit up. “I see. In that case, we can make an exception for one more girl, ay?” he said. “Leif! We have another passenger!”

  Ailia wanted to know what Oddvar had whispered, what had made him agree so quickly to take her along.

  Leif came running and looked into the cage at Ailia, who was cowering in the corner. His hair was much blonder than Erik’s and he had eyes as blue as the bluest of skies. He stood a few inches shorter than his father, but he carried his weight in his chest, and with a fresh scar down the side of his head, and a missing ear, he was an intimidating brute.

  “Five silver coins for the girl,” Leif said.

  “Bah, ten!” Oddvar insisted.

  “Eight, or we leave her behind,” Erik said, handing him the coins.

  “Eight it is!” Oddvar stuffed the coins in his sheepskin overcoat pocket. Oddvar opened the door of Ailia’s sleigh and pulled her out.

  “Do you speak our language?” Erik asked, grabbing her arm, holding it with an iron grip.

  Standing next to the Viking now, she could tell he was even larger than Brander. She had never met a man so large. But no matter his size, she would not speak to the berserker. She squeezed her lips together and looked away.

  “She speaks Norse,” Oddvar said and knocked her on the side of the head.

  She wanted to shove him back, but reasoned it would be best not to start a long trip at sea in a bad way.

  The young man who had followed her earlier suddenly appeared. “I wish to buy her from you,” he said. “I can pay you ten gold coins.” He jingled a leather purse.

  A far better offer, Ailia thought. And I would much rather go with him. She couldn’t help but notice how he looked like a dwarf next to the three stout Vikings.

  Oddvar nodded to Leif and Erik, his eyebrows eagerly rising up.

  “No, she has already been sold to us,” Erik said, pulling Ailia toward him and then shoving her toward the dragonship.

  “Twenty gold coins,” the young man said.

  Erik’s eyes narrowed. “No,” he said again, more firmly this time.

  The young man shifted uncomfortably. “I’m willing and prepared to pay you one hundred gold coins for her,” he said and huffed. “You’d be a fool to turn it down.”

  “What is she to you?” Oddvar asked.

  “That’s my own concern,” the young man replied.

  “Load her up,” Erik said to Leif.

  Leif looked at his father as if he had lost his mind. “But—”

  “Load her onto the ship, Son,” Erik said sternly.

  Leif shook his head but did as his father commanded.

  Who is this young man? Ailia wondered as Leif took her by the arm and le
d her toward the dragonship.

  “Then I surrender my freedom and am willing to come with you as your thrall on your ship!” the young man said to Erik.

  Leif stopped and turned around. There was a pause as the Vikings glanced at each other.

  “Leave us be and keep your freedom,” Leif said. “Don’t waste your life on a thrall girl.”

  “I’m a skilled worker and have labored on longships before. I would be very valuable to you.” The young man moved into Erik’s way, standing between the dragonship and Ailia.

  He is mighty bold to be so young and small in stature, Ailia thought.

  “If this is some sort of foolery, I will have your head,” Erik snapped. “Now, get out of my way!”

  The young man shook his head. “The only thing I desire is to come and serve you, so I can be with this woman here,” he said, walking over to where Ailia stood, and taking her hand in his.

  “You may come as my thrall and I will need those one hundred gold coins from you.” Erik’s eyebrows arched nearly halfway up his forehead.

  The young man didn’t flinch or pause and handed Erik the heavy leather pouch.

  Erik’s eyes shone like golden stars as he peered greedily into the purse. “All aboard!!” he yelled, grinning from ear to ear.

  “Who are you?” Ailia whispered as they boarded the dragonship. She looked up at the massive red sail, which carried a black raven. Just my luck, more bloodthirsty Vikings. She felt the ship move on the water’s surface and she felt a panic rise inside her. They maneuvered toward the stern of the ship, passing rows of wooden chests lining the deck’s outer sides and crates and barrels carrying cargo.

  “I was going to ask you the same question,” the young man said.

  “Why are you doing this? Helping me, I mean?” she asked.

  “When I saw your wagon—” He paused.

  “What?”

  Leaning in, he whispered, “I saw a light coming from it.” They passed several horses, cows and goats on the deck.

  “Light? Hmm—and that made you follow me and give up your freedom?” she asked.

  “Yes,” he said. “I believe I know who you are, but I’m afraid to say.”

  “Don’t be afraid,” she said, hoping he would know who she was and that was why he had risked his life for her.

  Ailia glanced at the ship’s stern, which was carved like a dragon’s tail and also painted gold like the head. She turned to look at the massive dragonhead prow.

  “Ah, you see the dragon,” Leif said, walking up next to her. “It’s to keep away the sea demons and Jormundgand, the Midgard Sea Serpent that encircles all of Midgard’s waters. You know of him, right?”

  Ailia looked at him, the nervous knot in her stomach tripling in size.

  “You, sit here, you, here,” Leif said. He grabbed a rope and tied their hands and feet together, which he then tied to a steel ring secured to a beam on the deck. “We treat our thralls the same way we treat our animals. You’ll have food and water, but you have no rights other than to breathe the fresh air and to think your own thoughts. We own you now, just like those beasts over there,” he said, pointing. He marched off and came back carrying a hefty, grey fur throw. He flung it at them. “Prepare to cast off!” he shouted to everyone on board.

  The young man turned to Ailia again and wrapped the fur around her freezing body. “You are Light, or Lucia.”

  How does he know?

  “I’m Erlend Junior,” he said, grinning broadly, deep dimples etching his pale cheeks.

  Ailia thought for a moment. “Erlend—?” she said. Then she remembered, and she gasped. “Erlend!” she yelled, trying to embrace him. “My grandson!” She felt guilty immediately. “You shouldn’t be here! You need to get off this ship. What about your parents? They’ll worry themselves into the grave not knowing where you are.”

  “When I saw you, I ran back to Sorenhall as fast as I could. I searched for my parents, but they weren’t there. So my grandfather gave me money to purchase your freedom. I asked him what to do if they wouldn’t sell you and he said, 'go and bring Light back, no matter the cost.' So, you see, I couldn’t just leave you. I must complete the mission I started. I’m not a person who gives up so easily, if I might say so myself.”

  “Thank you for what you did. I’m very glad you’re here,” she said, studying his face. His skin was spotted with hundreds of freckles, and his dark brown eyes were nearly as dark as his black, curly hair. “Now, how are we going to get out of this mess?”

  “It appears we are headed to Frostland and then Floraland, so we’ll have a long time to think about it,” he said.

  “I don’t like the water or boats very much,” she said, trying to keep her emotions at bay.

  “I can understand why,” he said. “I’m a great swimmer, so if anything happens, I’ll help you.”

  “But, we’ll freeze to death in the icy water.”

  “Not likely,” he said. “I can manipulate temperatures and heat the water around our bodies. And the only way you can die, is either by beheading or drowning, right?”

  For a short while, Ailia had not thought of Soren’s fate, but with the mention of the beheading, her stomach lurched. “The Vikings took Soren.”

  “You were with him?”

  “Yes. He had just found out it was me. I had just found out it was me.” She offered a thin smile and then she went on to explain how her parents created a plan to deceive Eiess.

  Once Ailia had finished, Erlend said, “Don’t worry about Soren. He never dies.”

  She wanted to believe him, but her heart refused to listen. The sixty-four Vikings on board readied the ship for departure. They each sat down on their chests next to their lengthy ores and started rowing out to sea. Their rhythm was steady and sure, impelling the longship forward with each forceful row.

  Ailia’s heart sank. How would she ever find Soren again, if he were even alive? Suddenly, she thought she heard her name being called.

  “Ailia! Ailia!” The voice echoed in the distance. She tried to stand up but couldn’t as the ropes held her down. Is that who I think it is? It sounded like Soren and Silya’s voices.

  “Ailia!” Soren yelled.

  “Ailia!” Silya yelled.

  “Soren!” she screamed at the top of her lungs. He’s alive! “I’m here, on the dragonship!”

  Erlend started chiming in. “She’s here! Ailia’s here!”

  The dragonship had reached further out to sea now. Leif came over and gagged Ailia and Erlend with handkerchiefs. “Shut up! You belong to us, did you forget?” He gave them each a potent kick and headed to the ship’s prow and said something to Erik.

  I don’t belong to anyone other than Soren. Ailia hoped Soren and Silya had heard them, but even if they had, how would they be able to rescue them? They had no longship. They couldn’t swim after them.

  Erik stood at the front of the dragonship. “Listen up, everyone. On the last journey, we had a few troublemakers on board.” He walked up the narrow lane. “They didn’t follow instructions. I would love to see any others try to do the same. Throwing people overboard bound and gagged is one of my favorite things to do.” He glared at Ailia for a moment. “Bring the ores up!” he yelled.

  Every Viking lifted his ore in from the water and set it aside.

  “Prepare to hoist the sail!” Erik blasted.

  Vikings ran to different stations and waited for the next command.

  “Sails!” Erik bellowed, and the red sail was hoisted up. It immediately caught the strong wind, carrying the dragonship forward. Waves crashed against the bow, and saltwater splashed over the edges and onto the deck. The ship swayed up and down as it drove forth.

  It’s all lost, Ailia thought. We’ll be lost forever in Frostland, never to return home. Tears rolled down her face, and when Erlend saw, he told her not to worry. But how could she not?

  After they had sailed for some time, a Vikings undid their gags. “Time to eat,” he said and threw them eac
h a bowl of mush.

  “How long until we arrive in Frostland?” she asked Erlend. She took a bite of the food, and it tasted so bad that she had to force it down her throat.

  “Much depends on the winds. If the winds are as strong as they are now, we could be there in less than a week.”

  She took a few more bites before she realized she should not have eaten anything at all. “I’m not feeling well,” she said, suddenly acutely aware of the unsettling feeling in her stomach.

  “Do you think you’re going to throw up?” Erlend asked.

  She glanced at him, and as her arms wrapped around her belly, she moaned.

  “Sir, sir, could we please have a bucket? She’s going to throw up,” Erlend said, tugging on the nearest Viking’s overcoat.

  “We have no extra buckets,” the Viking said.

  She reached for her mouth and moaned again. “Could you untie me so I can relieve myself?” she said.

  The Viking hopped over and cut her and Erlend’s ties free. “Suppose you cannot escape now,” he said.

  She sprinted over to the side of the ship and just as she threw her head over the side of the edge, she hurled into the ocean.

  “Not used to sailing?” Erlend said, coming up behind her. He stroked her gently on the back.

  “I’ve never been on a ship until now,” she said. “Well, not during this life.”

  “You’ll get used to it,” he said. “I sail all the time.”

  She tried to smile, but the vomit was too fresh in her mouth and she quickly found herself hurling again.

  By the end of the day, Ailia had vomited more times than she could count. And though the weather was beautiful and sunny, the winds were strong and continually swayed the longship back and forth. The day seemed never-ending, but finally, the sun set on the horizon, sending the heavens into a whirlwind of rouges.

  * * *