Sarah awoke with a start, her heart racing. She had fallen asleep, again. Looking around frantically it all came rushing back to her. It had been a dream that had woken her; she didn’t normally remember her dreams but this one was particularly vivid.
Not that it made any sense, mostly images of her mother and the old lady in the multi-coloured hat and a full moon, but then there were snakes and the cold eyes of the berserker that had merged with the liquid brown eyes of Olaf the slave boy.
That was what had woke her up and had her heart racing. What is it about the berserker that worries me so much? Why was Olaf in my dream? She had been certain they could trust him but now, she wasn’t so sure. Just a dream – doesn’t mean anything – it’s the stress.
Hakon and Leif had also drifted off, not surprising given how little sleep any of them had had since they had left home three days ago. Three days ago? Or was it four? It seemed like an age. It was getting dark, she reached over and gently shook Leif’s arm.
“Wakey, wakey sleepy head” she whispered, smiling.
“Huh! I’m not asleep, just checking the insides of my eyes for cracks” said Leif almost instantly awake.
At the sound of his brother’s voice Hakon also woke up. The three of them cautiously peered over the pile of stones at the settlement. The village was winding down for the evening with the exception of a group of men sitting on the benches where they themselves been sitting earlier. Heart in mouth Sarah quickly and quietly followed the two boys as they headed for the warehouse that Olaf had indicated earlier.
Both boys were now carrying their weapons, ready for action. This did not make her feel any better but all the same she removed two of her throwing knives from their belt and held them ready. She was sure someone would see them. To her great relief they made it to the rear of the warehouse without any problems.
Just as they were getting their breath back the slight figure of Olaf appeared from the gloom. All three had their weapons raised before they realised who it was. Olaf held his hands up, palms out.
“It is only me,” he said nervously licking his lips, his eyes darting back and forth.
“Sorry Olaf, you startled us” said Sarah, frowning. Something was wrong. Olaf’s previously impassive face was a picture of movement. Before she could say anything, Olaf spoke rapidly.
“Put your weapons away and come, I have found you a good place, it is just around the side here, very rotten wood. I told your family that you were here; your brother Rolf had already found the rotten planks and has been working at them. There is only one guard at the moment and he is outside at the front, I will watch for him.”
Beckoning, Olaf turned away from them not waiting. Hakon and Leif put their weapons away and followed. Sarah hesitated, something wasn’t right; still frowning, she didn’t move, waiting for the pieces to fall into place. Everything clicked at the same time as she heard a muffled shout from around the side of the building. It was Leif and it was a warning.
Without thinking she ducked around the other side of the building and sprinted to the front. Quickly peering around, she saw the guard standing before the doors of the warehouse, nonchalantly swinging an axe. The sight of the axe gave her a brief anxious moment but before she knew it her hand flicked out.
The warrior gurgled, dropped his axe, clutched at his throat and crumpled into a silent pile. She stared amazed at her hand as she realised that she had just thrown one of her little knives. She ran over to the man, apologised under her breath and gingerly retrieving the valuable knife, ducked into the darkness of the warehouse.
Please let the children actually be here, she prayed to herself. Trying to see in the darkness was difficult, but she could hear shuffling and whispers to the rear.
“Rolf? Harald? Are you here? It’s me Sarah”, she said in loudish whisper.
The tension in the air seemed to dissipate with her words and a small crazy boy launched himself at her legs. Sarah picked him up and gave him a big hug.
“Sarah, quick ‘snake arms’ and the bear have Hakon and Leif, come listen” said Rolf pulling her to the end of the building. When she got there she saw that at least some of what Olaf had said was right, the boys had been trying to dig their way out. But now the hole that they had made was blocked by several large booted feet and the ends of a bear cloak could be clearly seen. Sarah listened.
“Where is she?” It was not ‘snake arms’ who spoke, this was a voice that had misery and death in it. Sarah closed her eyes, trying not to give into the feeling of despair that threatened to overwhelm her.
“I will find her and when I do you will watch as I kill her, slowly. There is nothing more pleasurable than killing one of the Myrhes an Loor.” His voice dripped hatred.
There’s that name again, Myrhes an Loor? Why does he hate me so much? Someone had better tell me what is going on very soon…
Focussing her thoughts Sarah looked at the children surrounding her; they all looked as terrified as she felt. Reaching down deep inside herself she motioned them all back and then with shaking hands reached and yanked as hard as she could on the bear cloak.
“You want me? Better come in and get me then!” She said trying to sound braver than she felt. I do not know why I did that. Sarah scrambled to her feet yanking her little knives free of their belt, the children melted into the darkness. Standing with her legs in the stance Gunnar had taught her, his words echoing in her head ‘relax, focus, see the target, not with your eyes but with all your senses’.
“Dear goddess what am I doing?” Sarah muttered to herself.
Heavy footsteps preceded a loud roar as the door was ripped off its hinges announcing the arrival of the bear. He stood silhouetted in the door way, a dark, featureless being of the night.
“Your goddess won’t save you now. I have never had a double before, first the mother and now the daughter” he sneered. For a moment Sarah’s resolve started to waiver, confused thoughts flitting through her mind. What the heck was he talking about?
He had started to move forwards, a small shriek from one of the children brought Sarah’s world back into sharp focus. The full moon appeared from behind a cloud illuminating the man as he looked towards the noise exposing his neck, her target. The amulet began to hum and glow brightly, her breathing slowed. It seemed like there was no one else in the room, just the two of them. She blinked and had an odd sensation of being separated from herself.
Sarah watched as her arm moved back, the little knives flying in slow motion one after the other. The first two missed, one flying through the door into the darkness beyond and the other thwacked into the door frame but a third and a fourth found their target. The bear stopped in his forward motion as stunned, he clutched at the knives protruding from his neck. A fountain of blood erupted.
He tried to speak but blood gurgled from his lips as he sank to his knees, his eyes fixed on hers. Images flashed into Sarah’s mind. Men and women dying, swords flashing, gun smoke, the whirr of arrows flying, death and then her mother holding her stomach as her life seeped into the dirt, the bear standing triumphant, a smile cold as ice.
A scream from one of the girls brought Sarah back into the present. She saw Rolf, eyes wide as saucers staring at Sarah, Harald’s face was hiding behind his older brother. She heard the last gasp of the bear as he fell forward with a thump.
“Come on, we have to move, all this noise will have the whole village down on us, no talking okay” Sarah started towards the doorway, when another figure loomed large. Sighing, she really wasn’t sure she could do all that again, all the same her hands found another little knife.
“It’s me, Hakon”.
Relief flooded through her, “Where’s Leif?” she asked.
“Tying up ‘snake arms’, are you okay? Once you distracted the bear we were able to get the better of him. What about the children?” said Hakon walking towards Sarah, coming to an abrupt halt before the sprawled out figure of the berserker.
>
“What the…who?”
“Hakon, it was incredible! Sarah, did it, she killed him” said little Harald excitedly, almost jumping up and down. Hakon looked at Sarah, questions burning in his eyes.
“Look, we don’t have time for all this, we need to get moving to the boat but not before I get my knives back,” said Sarah, tentatively removing the two knives from the bear. Even dead he was scary.
Hakon sighed and shook his head; “Right, everyone come here. When we get outside the door we are going left, be as quiet as you can and keep up. Can a couple of you carry the little ones?” Several heads nodded.
Hakon and Sarah peered out of the doors, looking left and right. All was quiet. In the distance some laughing and singing could be heard from the men who were drinking but to Sarah’s amazement no one had come to investigate. She looked up at the night sky and without thinking or knowing why said a silent thank you to the moon, which was once more hidden behind a cloud.
Hakon took the lead and motioned for the children to follow while Sarah stayed at the back, making sure none got left behind. Briefly she wondered what had happened to Olaf, she probably owed Hakon an apology. She saw Leif join his brother, glad that he too seemed unhurt. They had a brief discussion and then Leif moved off quickly towards the boats.
Chapter Seventeen