Varangian (Aelfraed) by Griff Hosker Read Free Book Online Page A

and pulled when Weasel and his companion did so.   As soon as the blade struck the water you could feel the resistance and the boat barely seemed to move.  “Stroke!” The next one was just as hard and it was another ten strokes before I could discern any movement. My son, Harold, would be a warrior before we reached Miklagård at this rate. I pulled hard and Weasel rewarded me with another inane grin and I saw that we had now picked up speed. We soon fell into a happy rhythm but it was a relentless pace.  The Jarl soon stopped shouting ‘stroke’ when we reached the speed he was happy with. I wondered why no-one was at the bow watching for danger but the captain seemed happy enough.  Soon my arms began to burn with repetition and I risked a glance at Ridley who appeared to be unfazed by the pain.  I took comfort in the knowledge that Eric would be struggling more than I was. As night began to draw in Jarl Gunnersson perversely upped the rate and we were flying along but I felt certain that I would collapse before he slowed down.  Suddenly he shouted, “Up oars!” As he did so he prepared the anchor; he waited until we were much slower then dropped it over the side and I saw that we were in the middle of the river.  I could barely breathe, let alone speak and so I grinned at Weasel and Ridley. The oars were passed in and stored in the middle as a lighted torch was hung from our stern. We had learned that one of the duties of the night watch was to replace the torches so as to avoid a collision with a downstream boat.
    I was still lying on the thwarts when Jarl Gunnersson came along.   “Well Housecarl how did you find that?”
    “Give me a shield wall any day.   That was brutal!”
    “When you get to Miklagård seek out the apothecaries for they have oils and potions to ease the pain.”
    I shook my head, “No Captain, once I leave this boat I will never row again.”
    I heard a roar of laughter from behind and my Red Horse company, even Ulf were all laughing at me. I looked at Eric.   “How did you manage?”
    “I might not be a warrior Lord Aelfraed but I learned to row as a child.   You will soon get used to it.”
    I shook my head ruefully, “I doubt it.”
    I had chosen the middle watch for Eric and me.  I regretted it, as Stig woke me, but I had to take the worst duty for myself.  As I rose I felt the stiffness in my limbs.  In another few hours I would be up again and having to row once more.  And this was but day one! Eric changed the torch and we sat at the bow watching for any ships coming downstream and any ripples in the water which should not be there.
    “Do not look at the light Eric or it will spoil you night vision. Look to the dark.”
    “Thank you.”
    There was silence for all the creatures of the night were either far away or too quiet to be heard.   “Do you regret coming Eric?”
    “Oh no!   It is even better than I thought it would be.  And the stories the men tell! They will make wonderful songs. It is good to be with men who take me as I am and do not try to change me into what they wish me to be.”
    “Your brothers?”
    ”My brothers.  My father let them treat me harshly but I think that if it had been just me he would have been kinder.  He had a reputation to keep. I will miss him a little but as my mother is dead, there is nothing left for me in Hedeby.”
    It had surprised me how well this Prince of the Danes had taken to the life but then I thought back to my childhood at Medelai and the bullying of my brothers.   After that anything was preferable so I suppose Eric was just pleased to be away from his prison. I looked at my hands; the cloth had helped a little but it was now in tatters.  I resolved to use my gauntlets the next time and hope that the leather protected me more.
    By the time we pulled in to the town of Velikiy Novgorod , many days down the river, my hands had toughened up and my muscles felt toned.   I no longer felt the burn and the Weasel