Chapter 11: Sailing!

The ships rocked lightly against the smooth waves swooshing down below the heavy wooden frame of the boat. Astrid was seated beside a light haired woman who appeared to be in the mid-twenties, just as she was. She contemplated on whether she should speak or keep rowing the oar cooperatively in silence. The sun had been out at its peak for a few hours. The blazing sunlight burned Astrid's pale skin like the fire burns food upon an iron skillet. Most of the clouds that hung in the sky had floated away except for a few smaller white wisps against the blue canvas, which provided no protection from the sun's bright rays. A strong breeze started blowing, causing a difficulty in rowing the paddle.

"Drop the sails!" Gustavo yelled to the men beside the beam that held the heavy white sails.

They hastily released the thick ropes, flying the sails high which allowed the boats speed to increase rapidly. Sailing was something Astrid had done very little of. The last time she was on a boat was when she was captured and brought to the new lands. She glanced out along the horizon. Nothing but clear blue seas was visible, which gave her a insight of freedom. Everyone on the boat was equal-men, women, and slaves. The extended view of water made her heart wrench since she knew that eventually shores would come closer, they would land, and once landed she would be known as a slave again, which made her cringe at the thought.

Erick sat at the helm of the ship on a small bench made specially for him. It was off to himself a few feet away from the others, giving him his own personal space. While the others would sleep atop each other, Erick had enough room to prop his head against the walls of the boat to sleep soundly. Astrid could not help but fill with hate and disgust when she saw him. How could such a man, who she thought liked her, betray her in such a way? She pondered to herself. The waves crashed upon the ships sides, breaking Astrid away from the world that was living in her solitude mind.

"Astrid!" Erick shouted over the loud sounds of the boat. She turned her head around where she seen Erick motioning her towards him aggressively.

Astrid looked over at the shy woman, who returned a meek smile, sitting beside her before leaving the bench. She stepped over benches and legs of the crew to arrive at the end of the longboat where Erick stood erected on his own bench at the helm.

"Yes sire?" Astrid responded staring up at Erick.

He jumped down from seat, disturbing the boat's smooth motion, to meet Astrid closer.

"Can you speak the French language?" He asked, tilting his head slightly.

Astrid shook her head. "No sire."

Erick stroked his trimmed beard as he glared out into the distance, then at the sky. He pretended as if Astrid was not even there.

"May I return to my position, sire?" Astrid blurted, gaining Erick's attention once again.

"I thought your God taught you different languages." He snapped. "I will not have you lying to me Astrid. If you can speak French, tell me now!"

Erick grabbed her forearm tightly causing Astrid to gasp in pain.

"I cannot speak it sire and that is final." Astrid responded, her voice filled with pain. "It was not God, sire, that taught us languages but our priests in the church."

Erick's eyes grew wild with a peak of insanity that filled the baby blues.

"Did you correct me, Astrid?" He growled. "Did you speak of your God in my presence?"

Astrid barely nodded her dropped head, embarrassed once again for mistakenly saying something.

Erick jerked her arm forcefully once again. "Do not ever speak of your God again! You know how I feel about Christians!" He shouted aggressively, releasing the grip from Astrid's arm. "Return to your work, slave."

Astrid rubbed her stinging arm as she glared up at Erick once more.

"Jezebel is a Christian. Why do you not condemn her for what she believes." Astrid mumbled. "I forgot, you love her and intend on marrying her. I will just let you know you are marrying a Christian. If you do not believe me ask her yourself!"

Astrid quickly left the scene before Erick could argue anymore with her. She calmly sat back down beside the young lady, who continued rowing in silence. Astrid studied the woman carefully. She had a soft complexion with very tender, feminine features. Her king blonde hair was tied up high on her head, where the rest of the women shaved or braided their hair to give them a fierce look. She had eyes the colors of emeralds shimmering in the sunlight. The lady was beautiful and delicate looking. Astrid wondered what was her business of being there? Astrid turned her attention away from the woman and began focusing on her own situation. She was here to win back the only thing she desired-freedom.

The people around her shared no words, no emotions...nothing. The majority's brooding faces held the expressions of fear, resentment, and unwillingness. While some appeared sanguine with a touch of insanity in their eyes. Astrid could not place her many feelings. So many flooded her heart which left her with uneasy emotions.

The day ticked slowly in silence. Astrid had not spoken a word to anyone but Erick. The atmosphere on the boat was still. Some people seemed to be enjoying the adventure; while the majority of warriors despised the trip along with Erick and Bard for leading the unnecessary raid. The crescent moon was fading into the evening sky which would soon be turning to night.

"My name is Iona." The lady softly whispered. "You are Astrid, correct?"

Astrid stared at the lady for several seconds before opening her mouth to speak.

"Yes, I am Astrid." Astrid stated placing her hands onto her lap. "It is a pleasure to meet you Iona."

"You are a slave aren't you?" Iona asked, pulling the oar onto it's holder. "I heard people talking about you. They say you are brave and do not fear death."

"Slavery is what holds me from having emotions. It holds me from living happily." Astrid began. "Death does not bother me. It is not like I have much to live for anyhow. Sometimes I feel death would eliminate me from the bonds that hold me from being free."

"I wish I could be strong like you." Iona spoke, looking around the boat. "Everyone is so strong here, everyone but me."

Astrid placed her hand upon Iona's leg. "Everyone is strong in their own ways. We cannot all be warriors or leaders."

Iona smiled hopelessly. "I do not know why I am here. Jarl Bard called for an army and I pledged I would join. I only I joined to prove to my family that I could. They begged me not to leave they fear I will be killed. I am only twenty"

"I know you can do it." Astrid smiled. "You will return as a hero and your family will be proud."

Astrid realized then that Iona was an innocent young girl who had the world at her fingertips. She could do what she pleased. She was about to become a symbol of bravery to her loved ones. But the main thing Astrid knew she had, that Astrid longed for, was a family. She had a family who loved and cared for her so much they begged her not to go.

"What about you?" Iona asked nicely, pushing the oar back into the water.

Astrid grasped her fingers around the smooth wooden paddle, helping Iona push the heavy water back.

"What about me?" Astrid questioned, confused by what she had meant.

"Why are you here?" Iona yapped meeting Astrid's gaze.

Astrid let out a sigh and tilted her head downwards with a slight shake. "A deal was made and I had to come on this voyage."

"Oh." Iona answered simply. "If you do not mind me asking, what happened to your face?"

Astrid reached up to the bruise that stood out from her pale face. She felt it throbbing and could only imagine how it looked to the innocent Iona.

"I was beaten by my master." Astrid bluntly responded, removing the hand away from her face. She felt her heartbeat growing rapidly as it began faster and faster with no explanation why.

Iona noticed the subject brought an uneasy feeling to Astrid and left the conversation at that. She studied Astrid, who held a nervous behavior. Astrid stared at the floor of the boat for a long while in silence. Thoughts rushed through her brain like sand through the fingers-freely without any way of stoping it. Astrid placed her hands onto the temples of her head, applying a forceful pressure against them as her painful thoughts raked her brain. She soon straightened her posture and began rowing as if nothing had happened.

The sky began turning dusky with twinkling stars scattered all along the clear sky canvas. The bright moon started to shine through, brighter and brighter with each passing minute. Before long the world around was consumed by darkness. The people were cramped up atop of each other on the hard floor of the boat, sleeping as best as they could with what they had to work with. Three men continued rowing slowly, burning big lanterns that hung from the snakes mouth. Erick was at the bow of the boat curled up on his own small bench with his head leaned against the wall of the boat sound asleep. Astrid and Iona remained on the bench where they had been the entire time, propped against each other's back for support. Astrid was wide awake, thinking about what was to come in the next few days.

It had been estimated by Gustavo they would arrive in four to five days; of course it was only a guess. No one knew for sure how long it would take to arrive at Bayeux, which was located along the English Channel that connected to the Seine river. Once Bayeux was defeated they would sail up the river to the French city called Evreux.

Astrid looked across the twinkling water, trying to think about something positive but nothing came to her mind. She stared up at the black star filled sky. She thought of her mother and sister and wondered what they was doing now. She wondered if they thought about her as much as she thought of them; or if they were still there. They were only a memory now. A vague, bittersweet memory that came to her each night she sat in silence. A falling star burst through the clear, glowing sky. Upon seeing this Astrid felt a tear fall onto her hand as a wave of peace came to her. It was a sign, she felt, that was meant for her to see and to remind her to keep fighting, a brighter day was coming.

Day after day went by and nothing had changed but the day. An open sea surrounded the twenty boats as silence eat away at the passengers controlling its movement. Erick seemed hopeless in finding the land, as well as the crew. Astrid's arms were burning from the strenuous back and forth movements of rowing the oars. Iona's head bobbed up and down from fatigue. Her face had burnt bright red along with her arms. She sat in agonizing pain from the blistering red skin.

"Land!" Gustavo shouted, stealing the crew's attention.

After four days of travel, green blobs of land began to appear off in the distance. The people's moral began to grow, causing them to row harder and faster to reach the land quicker. The closer they got the more Astrid realized Bayeux was just a peaceful village that was minding their own business, just like Hamburg, Astrid's home, was when the Northmen raided.

Astrid began to panic. She could not bear to take part in destroying a home someone had worked had to make when they had done nothing to deserve it.

Was freedom really worth the killing of innocent people in an innocent village? Astrid wondered to herself as she watched the land begin to grow closer and closer. There was no thinking about it. The raid was about to begin.

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