The Dragon's Redemption

Chapter 9 Blackfish

"I don't like you going out in the boat!" Brieanna whispered as she held Sam close, pouting.

"Having a boat is just part of island farming elf. Originally I was hoping to steal a boat and run off with you. Now I own a boat." He touched his thumb to her protruding lower lip and kissed it. "You're so cute when you pout."

"Do you know how to sail?"

"No."

"Have you ever even rowed a boat?"

"I'm sure I will pick it up," Sam said, then he kissed her forehead and laughed.

"Well, that's my point, you're a landlubber."

"I can swim quite well." He replied. Brieanna was totally frustrated with his last statement.

"I FORBID it!" she said firmly stamping her foot in frustration. Sam laughed at her holding her closer.

"You forbid me to go out in the boat, Brie?"

"Unless you take me along," she said coyly looking at him through partially veiled eyes hidden by her long eyelashes.

"We'll be killing whales."

"Who do you think will do most of the butchering and cleaning?"

"You have a valid point."

"SO!"

"So what, half pint?"

"Am I going?"

"Yes... you would probably sneak on board anyway. At least I can keep my eye you."

"Darn right, besides, I know how to sail," Brieanna said sticking her tongue out at him. "My dad had a sailboat. I'm quite good."

"You are full of surprises Brie."

"Of course I am, I'm a girl." She turned away from him and wiggled her bottom. "I'm going to wear pants and a tunic, give me a minute." Sam lightly swatted her bottom and she yelped and ran off giggling.

"Wait a minute half pint, you said you can't remember your childhood," Sam said chasing after her into her room.

"I can't, I just made that up." She said with a devious smile as she stepped into a pair of pants she had already cut down and pulled off her dress and put on a short tunic she had traded for with one of her small knives with a boy. Changing in front of Sam, she had turned her back to him prior to pulling off her dress and putting on the tunic, giving him a view of her back.

"I don't know what to do with you, you are so bad," Sam whispered. "You had this all planned, didn't you!"

"You love me don't you Sam?" she said smiling innocently.

"That doesn't mean I won't spank you cute little bottom," he said teasing. She laughed then turning again to face away and dropping her pants.

"This bottom?" she said wiggling her bottom again and laughing with delight. "Now that we got that settled let's go to the boat."

"You're a bossy little thing Brie." Hand in hand they walked to the boat. The pod of long finned pilot whales (blackfish) had been spotted in the shallow water of the fjord above of the bay. Brieanna sat at the tiller of their boat as a dozen men rowed. She followed the long line of other boats. Sam quickly became accustomed to the rhythm of rowing. They planned to carefully encircle them, forcing them into shallower water catching them with the dropping tide. They moved quietly so not to spook the whales, just keeping close enough to encourage them to swim further into the bay. Brieanna was not the only woman in the boats as the small community lacked sufficient numbers of men to adequately manage all the boats. The pod of whales were driven slowly up the fjord toward the beach. The beach was sandy and sloped gently into the bay. The driving of the whales continued for several hours and by the time the tide had dropped they had eighty-four whales grounded.

The men on the shore worked quickly using a heavy knife, a monustingari, to sever the spinal cord and aorta killing the animal within seconds and allowing it to bleed out. Then a large blunted iron hook, a blasturkrokur, was hooked into the blow hole and the whale hauled up on to the beach. The boats also came ashore to aid in the slaughter. The water and sand of the beach was red with blood. Not one blackfish were spared, even the calves and pregnant females were quickly dispatched. Two women started a fire from dry driftwood on the beach which was allowed to burn down into a bed of coals. Children were climbing everywhere on the beach. They touched the dead whales, some jumping over them, a few braver ones stepping into the blood red water. Abigail kept an eye on Aednat as she joined the other children on the beach.

The whales were quickly gutted. Everything had a use, even the stomachs and bladders were used as floats for fishing nets. The skin with its blubber were cut off in strips and these were handed out to the children first. Sam handed one to Aednat who immediately ate it with relish. Most of the meat was salted and set out to dry on a large array of drying racks along the upper beach. The strips of skin and blubber of also salted, some dried and some were to be pickled. The large thick steaks taken from the back of two of the largest animals were roasted on the beach and that evening they feasted on blackfish, flat bread and beer.

In all the activity and chaos Aednat went missing in the darkness for a minute or two. Sam, Abigail and Brieanna began their frantic search and were joined by others. Brieanna ran screaming to Oother who carried a tiny limp form from a deep pool of water along the beach. He had tears in his eyes as he whispered, "She is gone Brie...I'm so sorry," then he lay the child on the sand.

"NO-O-O-O!" Brieanna screamed as she fell to her knees. Sam quickly lifted the child and covering her mouth and nose with his mouth tried breathing into the child as the other villagers watched.

"Sam...she's gone," Abigail whispered as she touched his shoulder in comfort. Brieanna was numb of all feelings at first when suddenly her hands began to glow blue. She put her hands on the child's chest and immediately felt her lungs fill with fluid. Brieanna's breathing faltered and she started to lose consciousness. Her chest hurt as she struggled for air, then Aednat took a deep breath as Brieanna also took a deep breath. Acting quickly Sam rolled the child onto her side as she vomited sea water and began a series of spasmodic coughs. Brieanna lifted the child into her arms as both she and Aednat cried. Sam also in tears kissed Brieanna's cheek and Aednat's.

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Aryanna stood by the window looking out across the snow filled wheat field and the golden domes of the city in the distance. She was wearing her nightgown and a thick robe yet she was still shivering. She had her arms folded across her chest, her left hand on her shoulder. Her eyes were flooded with tears. Her mother approached slowly, "Aria, are you OK?"

"When I emerged as a witch, what was it like Mom?"

"I knew immediately...my heart skipped and my soul soared. I felt it again tonight. I take it you did too?"

"My Ana, I'm sure it was my Ana!" Aryanna broke down into tears. Her mother held her and they were joined by her father who held them both. "In my heart I've always known that she was alive...Niohoggr, what did you do? Where are you? Please answer me!"

On another world, secreted deep in a cave Niohoggr too wept. Shame and guilt had a paralyzing effect on the dragon. In his heart he wanted to answer Aryanna, to fly to her, but he could not. He trembled at the thought of admitting his role in the loss of Aryanna's children. "I'll stay with my Brie and guard her with my life," the dragon whispered, "this time I will not fail."