Book 3: 'Arrow Odd'

21.0 VIGNIR

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

VIGNIR (Circa 868 AD)

"And his shield was called Hrae's Ship's Round,

And his followers were called the Hraes'."

Eyvinder Skald-Despoiler; Skaldskaparmal

(868 AD) Oddi was returning to Europe with his fleet and he followed Queen Alfhild's advice to the rune, and they sailed north up the Newfoundland coast to Slabland then headed east out to sea and soon Oddi saw birds off their port side to the north and he knew that they were flying above the Glacier land and then, as Oddi was adjusting the course of Fair Faxi using a navigational device he had acquired in Baghdad, he noticed seagulls to the north, which could only mean Iceland, and from the number of gulls, there was quite a bit of it. He told his men that they could use some fresh water so he led his fleet north and they spotted what looked to be a large island with mountains that seemed to be belching smoke and steam. As they approached from the south, Oddi led his fleet west, looking for Floki and his ships. They had been circling west for about an hour when they saw a half dozen ships anchored in the mouth of a fjord and Oddi recognized one of the ships as belonging to the Viking, Captain Floki, who had sailed with him on his first journey to the Newfoundland. The whole Norwegian fleet swung into the fjord, which sent the anchored ships into a panic until Floki recognized Fair Faxi and told his men it had to be Arrow Odd.

Floki welcomed Oddi to Iceland and told him that he had observed seagulls to the north when they went to find Saint Brendan's land a few years back, so he later returned to the area of the gull sightings and found this island of fire and ice and he called it Iceland. "It's not a very inviting name," Floki laughed, "but it sure beats calling it Fireland." They were now in the process of establishing the first settlement on the island. Oddi visited with Floki for a few days while his fleet topped up their fresh water supplies.

One evening Oddi was anchored off a headland of the fjord when he saw a man rowing from the east in a boat. Whoever it was, was rowing powerfully across the open sea, and he was amazingly big in size. He rowed so hard up to Oddi's ships that it seemed everything would be broken before him. Then he rested on his oars and asked who was in charge.

Oddi said to him, "I am Arrow Odd. Who are you?"

"I'm Vignir," he answered. "Are you the Odd who went to Bjarmaland long ago?"

"Yes," said Oddi, "but it wasn't that long ago."

"I am speechless," said Vignir.

"Really...it wasn't that long ago," repeated Oddi.

"I am speechless because you are my father," said Vignir, "and I can barely believe that you're a father to me, for you are so small and weak looking. I'm sorry, I'm just speechless."

"Who is your mother?" Oddi said.

"My mother is Hildigunn," said Vignir; 'I was born in Giantland, and raised there, but mother told me that I must find my father and begin training as a Viking, so I have been searching for you. She told me that Arrow Odd was my father, a Viking and a hero, and I was thinking he would be a real man, but now I see that you are the least of nobodies to look at, and so you will likely turn out to be."

"You little shit," said Oddi. "Do you think that you will do more than me? Or work greater feats than I have? But I will accept you as my son and you're welcome to remain here with me and I will train you."