Jerry Autieri - Islands in the Fog

"Life or death? I'll warn my father."

"Do. I like the high sides, good protection from arrows. What's the deck like?"

"I haven't paid attention to it. I'm not allowed on the ship."

"So your father made you swim here? Do you swim?"

"No I don't, and stop being ridiculous." She shifted onto her back leg and folded her arms, but smiled. Toki flashed his smile back.

"I'd like to inspect her deck. Do you think I can get up on her?"

"What? No, of course not. My father would have me skinned."

"That's unlikely. Let's have a look." Toki pulled himself aboard with the grace of a man long accustomed to life at sea. He stood easily on the deck, despite the sharp slant from being beached. Halla's protests were muffled, and he smiled. The deck was like any other deck. He had no real interest in it, other than to tease Halla. When he judged she might be at her limit, he leapt back onto the beach. "A fine ship!"

She remained entrenched in her spot, arms folded and face blushing. Her smile was unfriendly, sharp as a new blade. "I'm glad you think so. Now why don't you go inspect these others?"

"Because I've already found the best one." He held her gaze a moment, then looked at the ship. "No sense in looking at any others."

Halla unfolded her arms, finally shifting her stance. "Well, you can leave now anyway. Go on."

"Why are you out here alone? Weren't you at the feast last night? Shouldn't you be with your parents, or at least have a man to guard you?"

"If you were at the feast last night, then you'd know why I'm here."

"I was not at the high tables. Too little room for me. Did something happen?" Toki omitted he had grown tired of the same songs and same boasts with the same people, and left the feast early to sleep alone. Now he hoped he hadn't been gone when Ulfrik might have needed him.

Halla studied him, then turned aside. "It's nothing. Just my father being his foolish self. His pride overwhelms these lonely islands. He got drunk and insulted your lord. He went off in a huff, leaving mother and me to sit like two stupid children. I just wanted to leave the whole mess."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Halla. If I had known, I wouldn't have teased you. Please take my apology."

A quick smiled poked in the corners of her mouth. "No harm done. I was too quick to anger. I just wish to go home now."

"Tomorrow you will sail for home. Then this whole land," Toki's hand painted the stripe of purple mountains on the western horizon, "will be behind you and poorer for your leaving."

"Your flattery is a bit heavy handed."

"Out of practice, as you can tell. But I sympathize with you. I had anticipated hosting the summer festival. Now that it's here, it's not what I expected. Escaping it is also what brought me to the ships."

"I've seen you with Lord Ulfrik's son. Babysitting is a dull task."

"Not at all. Gunnar is my nephew, one half of my surviving family. It's not that."

Halla looked at him quizzically. "You don't like bragging all day then drinking yourself stupid all night?"

"Not this time, at least. Look, you leave tomorrow, and you have not been this far south before. Am I right?" Halla nodded. "Then let me show you some of the fairer parts of this land."

"I'm not sure about that."

"Do you really need an excuse to leave the festival? Please, allow me to enjoy one small part of the festival in your company."

Halla's smile broadened, Toki's growing along with hers. She searched his face and Toki held his breath. Finally she agreed. "I can't imagine there's much difference between the north and south of the same island. But I will go with you. Though my father mustn't know. Where shall we meet and when?"

"Just meet me here after the sacrifices this morning. I will show you the southern cliffs. If you need to take someone with you, that will be fine."

"No, I'd much rather it be just the two of us."

Toki grinned, exactly the answer he wanted. He thanked her and left, not looking back. As he trotted up the slope toward Nye Grenner, he knew his life was about to change.

Toki had not felt such excitement in years. His pulse beat in his neck. His mind was dizzy with thoughts of Halla. Everyone he met that morning mistook him for being drunk. After pointless wandering, hailing visitors like they were lifelong friends, he strolled into the main hall. The doors hung open as if the hall was gasping for breath.

Toki met Runa inside, her eyes bleary and face haggard. Stray revelers snored in drunken slumber in the shadowy hall. The place smelled of smoke, stale mead, and sweat. Gunnar crawled on the floor, exploring beneath the tables. Runa rolled her eyes at Toki. "The boy is into everything this morning, and I'm exhausted. Can you take him for me?"

"Let him run with the other kids. Or Gerdie will watch him. I've got a lot to prepare for this morning, too."

"Can't you let him follow you for a while? I've got cleanup to do." Runa yawned and rubbed her eyes. Gunnar crawled out from beneath a table triumphantly holding a knife he found. Runa removed it without a word, though Gunnar whined in protest. "Ulfrik's led the rams to the sacred stone. Snorri's giving a hand, but he'll want you there too. And where did you go this morning?"

"Checking on the ships. Come on, Gunnar. I'll take you to see your father."

Runa bent to give Gunnar a kiss on his head. The she paused and regarded Toki, breaking into a coy smile. "Checking the ships? Really? Your smile hasn't been this stupid since we were children."

"You're still drunk, Sister. Good luck with this mess. Looks like the place was ransacked."

He led Gunnar by the hand, his nephew obediently running beside him. Gunnar rambled about how he hoped to see the gods fetch their sacrifices. Toki normally would've corrected Gunnar, but he kept thinking of Halla. She had been receptive to his clumsy advances. The whole encounter was amazing to him. He had feared he would spend his life alone, or with a hag given to him in his old age. Now, he hoped for more.

People were indistinct blurs as he hustled past them. In the same field where Ulfrik and Hardar had wrestled, a large pit had been dug. Dried branches had been piled in to make a fire. Two men finished erecting a spit for roasting the sacrificed rams. He spotted Ulfrik, standing awkwardly in the shadow of the sacred stone that passed for their temple in these treeless lands. He wore white woolen robes and the thick silver arm ring. Sprawling out behind him, sweeping into the fog-shrouded foothills, ran an emerald plain of grass.

"Is that where Odin will eat?" Gunnar asked, pointing at the fire pit. "He can't be burned, can he?"

"I don't know about that, boy. Now be good and stay with me."

"So you didn't walk off a cliff. Where have you been this morning?" Ulfrik stood with hands on his hips. The mention of cliffs surprised Toki, making him fear he had been discovered. Ulfrik waved his hand and shook his head. "Well, you're here now. Do I look foolish in this robe?"

Snorri stood beside him, and clapped his back. "Truthfully, you look foolish out of the robe. I just never told you." They laughed and Toki let Gunnar go to his father, who greeted his son with a brief hug.

Having arrived late, not much remained to do other than assemble the jarls for the sacrifice. As the men began to converge on the pit, Ulfrik turned Gunnar back to Toki's care. Gunnar protested and dropped himself to the grass, as it made him too heavy to lift. Toki swept the boy over his head and then planted him gently at his side. Gunnar laughed and forgot his argument. Toki glanced up to see Hardar had arrived, and Halla stood behind him. She had been observing Toki, and gave the faintest smile when their eyes met.

His return smile fled when Hardar caught Toki's eye. Hardar's flat expression shifted to disgust and he looked away. His eye was still swollen and red from Ulfrik's gouging. Toki knelt to Gunnar, straightening the boy's tunic, and ignored Hardar and his small group. He didn't want to signal too much interest in either him or his daughter.