By some sort of mutual understanding they decided to stay sitting on the bench in the warm sun listening to the busy sounds of the harbour settlement. After all, it did provide a good view of the street and the farmland behind the harbour. But it wasn’t long before their peace was interrupted when from behind the row of houses ‘snake arms’ appeared herding the children before him. Not daring to move, as the berserker had yet to appear, they sat very still...waiting.
Without a glance in their direction snake arms moved beyond their view and none of the children gave any indication that the trio had been seen. Still they waited. Finally, not able to wait any longer, Sarah jumped up and walked to the rear of the house, peering cautiously around the side of it.
“No berserker. Just snake arms. Where is he?” Sarah said to the boys, who were standing right behind her.
“This is good news, a lot less trouble if he’s not around. Come on, we need to move. Look, ‘snake arms’ just went between those two big buildings at the end. Quick Leif, see if he comes out the other side” said Hakon.
Leif ran quickly to the other end of the house. “No, he’s not come out on to the street” said Leif on his return. Sarah though was still puzzled by the absence of the bear warrior.
“So, that means the children are being held in either of those buildings.”
“Right, so we lay low until dark and then get the children, and then…”said Hakon.
“Look, we need more information. A good plan is one where all the possibilities are accounted for. I hate to say it, but we need to split up for reconnaissance and information gathering, between now and nightfall,” said Sarah.
“What do you want information for?” asked a small voice from behind them. Sarah almost flew out her skin, Hakon and Leif both had the presence of mind to almost draw their weapons but stopped when they saw that the enquiry came from a small skinny boy. Putting a hand out to halt the boys, Sarah quickly crouched down.
“Do you live here?”
“Why do want to know?”
“We need some information, we could make it worth your while if you would help us?” said Sarah in the kindest voice she could muster. The boy seemed to think on this for long time. Impatient, Sarah tried a different tactic, “My name is Sarah. What’s yours?”
“Olaf” he replied.
“Hello Olaf, this is Hakon and Leif. We are strangers here and we’re looking for some friends of ours.”
“Don’t you mean, those two are Danes and you are something else. You’re looking for the Danish children who are off to the slave markets, aren’t you?”
For all his size, the look he gave them was of someone much older; Sarah shuddered to think what he had gone through in his short life. She decided that honesty was probably the best policy here.
“Yes, we are. Can you help? We just need some information,” said Sarah holding the boys gaze.
“I was taken from my village in the north where my parents raised reindeer. Raiders came to our summer camp...they…they killed my mother and father. My brothers and sisters were taken and we were all sold, I don’t know if they are alive or dead.” He paused.
“I will help you because there was no one to help me. I have been a slave for five summers; I do not want to be a slave any longer. Will you take me with you when you leave?” The way he spoke, in a flat monotone voice, caused Sarah’s eyes to well up; she just wanted to give the little man a big hug.
“Of course Olaf, you can come with us you won’t be a slave anymore”.
“What are you two talking about?” said Hakon impatiently. Sarah realised that neither he nor Leif had understood a word that had been said, they had been talking in Olaf’s native language. Trying to be nonchalant, Sarah told the boys Olaf’s story and request.
“Sarah! We can’t go around picking up every waif and stray that comes along!”
“I’m not going back on my word!”
“Gods! You are too soft for your own good. You don’t know who he is! Thor, save me from this crazy girl!”
Sarah smiled sweetly at Hakon who was trying to look stern. She turned to Olaf who had watched this exchange with interest.
“Are you two married or something?”
“Good grief! No!” said Sarah blushing furiously, changing the subject quickly.
“What can you tell me about the children that are being held?”
“Okay, I know lots ‘cause I take their food to them. But not here, that old crone would beat me if she saw me talking to you. Come with me.” Olaf ducked out between the buildings and into the fields at the rear of the settlement.
Sarah, Hakon and Leif exchanged a look and then quickly followed him across the fields, Sarah kept looking over her shoulder, feeling very exposed. Olaf led them to a low pile of rocks which they huddled behind. As soon as they were settled he continued.
“There are many Dane children in the second building from the end. Some are bigger than me but most are like me or smaller. They were bought by Skavgard, he is the chieftain around here, but he won’t keep them. A Svear merchant named Svein the Fat, a huge man, takes them across the sea where they are sold to Arabs for silver. Skavgard is obsessed with silver and will do anything to get it. Rumour has it that he has a huge cache hidden in the ground somewhere near his hall. But people ‘round here are too scared of him, he’s really mean.” The last was said with a grimace.
Sarah had been translating all of this to Hakon and Leif as Olaf was speaking. Hakon touched Sarah’s arm. “Ask him how many guards and if there is a way to get the children out without drawing attention to ourselves”. Sarah started to translate, but Olaf quickly stopped her.
“It’s okay, I understand their language but will not speak it. My language is all I have left that is my own.” Pride tinged Olaf’s voice.
When Sarah told Hakon and Leif this, Hakon simply shook his head and repeated his question, this time asking Olaf directly.
“Sometimes there are two but mostly just one. The warehouse is quite old and is about to be repaired in several places because the wood is rotten. Perhaps in the rotten places you can make a gap big enough to get your kin out,” he replied with a shrug. Once more Sarah translated.
“Have you seen a large warrior with a bear skin cloak?” His absence still bothered Sarah for some reason. Olaf just shrugged his shoulders saying;
“Whatever you do, you’ll have to do it tonight; the fat man intends to leave at first light”.
“Bum!” said Sarah as she told the boys this last bit of not-so-good information. Silently they sat as they absorbed all that Olaf had told them. A shout from the settlement made Olaf spring to his feet.
“I have to go. It is time for food to be taken to your kin. I will check out the rotten wood and perhaps pass a message onto someone,” said Olaf quickly, all the while keeping an eye on the settlement.
“Ask for Rolf, tell him that we will get them out tonight and to be ready, ALL of them. We will wait here until it gets darker and then…” began Sarah but before she could finish Olaf was off at a run towards the settlement. Sarah watched him go, feeling two pairs of eyes on her back, she reluctantly turned towards Hakon and Leif.
“What?”
“You can speak Sami?” It was more of an accusation then a question. Hakon had obviously been bursting to have a go at her.
“Is it really that important? Shouldn’t we be focussing on how to get the children out?” Sarah knew that there was no way to explain that stuff, Hakon would just have to get over it.
“She’s right, our attention should be on the children” said Leif. Silence fell once again as there wasn’t much more to be said and it was still sometime until nightfall.
Chapter Sixteen