The way we used to be

Chapter 2 / Greenland

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The journey went to Greenland, which was nothing more than a day and a half's trip away. During that time, Leif was lenient and let Thorfinn get used to the rocking ship and the cold air. Quite surprisingly, however, Thorfinn didn't get seasick, and he didn't shiver. It was like he was born to be on a ship.

He walked around, swinging in the ropes and looking at the horizon. Soon they could see nothing but a vast ocean and blue skies from all sides.

Leif could tell that Thorfinn was at least just a little fascinated by that, and so Thorfinn was the first to stop and notice the line on the horizon that was Greenland.

Immediately Thorfinn was able to see that it was much larger than Iceland, but other than that, it reminded him of his home; it was tall with large cliffs and snow.

It might not have been far or too different from home, but it was his first time in another land.

"You remember what I told you? We'll be staying a day or two with my brother and sister, and then we'll sail along the coast to get to a small, isolated village," Leif reminded Thorfinn of the plan, and he nodded without a word.

Really, he didn't care about Greenland; he wanted to get to the northern countries, where there was a chance he could find his father's killer. That was the reason he was going with Leif on this journey, and he knew that Leif knew it. His mother had known it too.

"My brother is an adventurer too, though, not like me; he does it more for..." Leif trailed off. Thorvald did not enjoy it in the same way Leif did; he did it for power and for his own gain. There wasn't necessarily something wrong with that, but Thorvald could be a bit much. "Now, anyway, you'll be excited to know that he plans to travel to Vinland in the coming years. Isn't that exciting?"

Thorfinn whipped his head towards Leif, his unkempt hair flying around his face, and then, with a surprised look on his face, he urged his gaze back on the tiny silhouette of Greenland.

It felt like such a long time since he had heard the mention of that place, though he often thought about it and wondered if he and his family would have traveled there one day if his father had never died.

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Thorfinn had one and only one impression of Leif's brother. He did not like him. He had stayed out of the way, walking around the farm, but he did learn what his plans were. It would take more years before he could do that, according to Leif, but his brother planned to go to Vinland and live there to bring more people and create a settlement.

At the mention of the place, Thorfinn had stopped in his tracks, and then he had gotten upset, walking away from Leif without saying a word as to why.

Leif's brother, Thorvald, had a quick temper and a constant angry look in his eyes. Thorfinn knew that he wasn't much different from that, but people like that shouldn't go to Vinland. It was supposed to be a peaceful place, but he was worried that it would not stay that way if angry people went there.

It had Thorfinn in a very bad mood, a mood that stayed with him as they sailed along the coast until they came to a small village.

Someone atop a hill pointed at them from afar, and Leif grinned, knowing he had been spotted.

He laughed loudly as they docked, and Thorfinn was surprised to see the number of children running towards the ship.

"Thorbjorn, good to see you, and good to see that all the children seem to be well." Leif stepped off the boat and approached a man with a tall stature and messy dark brown hair.

"You as well, Leif, and you have brought... your son?" The man grinned and looked at Thorfinn curiously. Thorfinn almost turned to look behind him. He didn't mean him, did he?