Yngvild and the Forest of Dreams

Knarvik

We hit Knarvik early the following morning. There was a major flaw in our planning. We had neither money nor goods to barter. We had packed the bare minimum, and up until we abandoned the Thunderbird, Old Bjorn had handled everything.
'What have we got left to eat?'
'Enough for some bread, cheese and blackberries for lunch. After that we're down to five ship's biscuits and a small bag of seal jerky.'
'Not sure I feel that hungry, yet.' I said.

Knarvik was bigger than Portree, and not the sort of place that would take in two hungry young people and feed them. In Straven we routinely fed visitors, but then we weren't exactly over run.
The port had a T shaped jetty and a harbour wall. A couple of big ships were moored at the end of the jetty and some smaller ones were loading or unloading against the shore end.

'Let's go ask at the Board of Trade if they know what ships have left recently going South.' Noren pointed at a blue painted hut where the arms of the T joined.
'That's a crazy idea, but I can't think of anything better.'

Jafnadr, try to look inconspicuous, please.

We walked along the sea front to the hut. Sure enough it was the Board of Trade. Noren went in first and I followed.

'Excuse me please. My mother and sisters sailed south recently, and I wanted to pass them a message.' Noren said.
The official looked up, he had grey hairs starting to appear in the light brown of his beard.
'Unless you are on official business I can't tell you anything.' he said.
'I wouldn't ask you to do something wrong. But I need to tell my mother and sisters about the impending death of my father.' Noren said.
'Well that puts a different light on it. How many people are in the party?'
'I have a lot of sisters, and some of them had their daughters with them. I'm not sure exactly how many were travelling, but you'd have noticed them. They're all beautiful and there were no men or boys with them.'
'Hang on, I think Olaf mentioned a party like that.'
'--was it about two or three days ago?'
'Olaf! Man down here needs your help.' the agent turned and yelled up the stairs behind the counter. 'One moment, he'll remember.'

Another man came down the stairs, two at a time, and crashed against the wall at the bottom. A younger man, no older than us, beardless and wearing rumpled blue clothes.

'Olaf, tell these people about the party of ladies you mentioned the other day.'
'Yes, boss.' Olaf said. 'Loads of kids, all girls, and some high born lady that stayed in her chair. One of her daughters, name of Alfinna, did all the paperwork.'
'Can you tell me what ship did they got on please?' Noren said.
'It was the Nordic, bound for Caratis.'
'Thank you, are there any other ships due to go that way we could get a message on?'
'The Albany at the end of the dock is going to Beretha, which is about a day's sail short. They'd be able to pass the message on via the local office there. Shouldn't be more than five or six days behind them.'
'Thanks. You've been very helpful.'
Noren and I hurried out of the office and down the jetty.

'That was very smooth' I said.
'I just sort of knew that he'd help if I gave him a good reason.'
'Impending death of your father?'
'Well, it's likely someone will kill him soon. He's causing too much trouble to be left alone.'

The Albany was a long sleek vessel with three square rigged masts. It was maybe half as long again as the Thunderbird but not quite as big as some of the ships I'd seen docked at Kronstadt. She wasn't fitted with oars, just sails. I guess she was too big for oars to be any use. She was tied up against the end of the jetty, with a temporary bridge set between the ship and the jetty.
Several people were moving carts down the jetty to the ship. Others were moving the contents of the carts into the cargo hold of the Albany. A beam was being used to lift and swing  cargo from the jetty into the ship through a large hole in the middle of the main deck. The Albany was taller than the jetty was and there was a steep slope up the bridge.

A sailor stopped us as we approached the ship.
'Well met! Can I help you?' she said.
'I understand you are going to Beretha.' Noren said.
'That's right, sailing as soon as we've got the cargo aboard.'
'We're looking for passage to Caratis, and wondered if you could take us with you?'
'I'll need to check with the Captain, it's a good ten day journey, we charge 10 siller a day per passenger. Up front.'
'Do you have any crew vacancies, we're both off the western isles fishing boats.'
'I'm pretty sure we've got a full complement.' 
'Any chance you can ask the Captain, please?'
The sailor shrugged and walked off up the bridge and onto the ship.

'What are we going to do if they say no?' I said.
'We'll have to find a way of earning some money to feed ourselves and then get another ship.'
'What if Alfarinn keeps on moving and we lose the trail?'
'We'll have to find it again somehow.'
'Look! It's the Captain.'
A well dressed man with lace on his coat came down the bridge and approached us. He wouldn't have looked out of place at the dinner we'd had with the King. Although he did look out of place on the jetty. He strode over to us, I bowed slightly when he closed, as did Noren.
'Well met, good Captain!' Noren said.
'Well met, young man.' he said. 'I understand you want to work your passage?'
'Yes. We both grew up in the western isles and were on the boat crew. We know how to sail, row, steer and navigate.' Noren said.
'and use arms?' the Captain said.
'Yes. They call me Yngvild the fierce because I stand well in the line and hit back hard.' I said.
'I see.' the Captain looked me up and down, and had a good look at my sword, like he was trying to see something that wasn't quite clearly in focus.
'Do you have any places for us?' Noren said.
'We've got a full complement of sailors. Can you show me how good you are with your weapons?'
I unslung my bow and fitted the string.
'Captain, I am second to none with a bow. Name your mark and I will put an arrow in it.' I took an arrow from the quiver and knocked it.
The Captain had a good look around.
'you see the weather vane on the end of the harbour wall?' he pointed out a flag like weather vane over the harbour from us, about two to three hundred yards away.
'I see it. Which part would you like me to shoot?'
'I was going to suggest seeing if you could get an arrow to go that far.' the Captain said.
I raised my bow and pulled back the arrow in one smooth action, just like I'd been taught. I focused on hitting the target and let the arrow loose.
It wiggled away from me and I watched it shoot towards the weather vane. It made contact with the middle of the vane and sent it spinning around the staff. The arrow continued straight over the harbour wall and ended up in the sea beyond.
'Was that good enough?' I said.
'Passable. You can join the security team.' the Captain smiled.
'What about him?'
'He can join too.'
'Are you expecting trouble?' I asked.
'It pays to be ready just in case.' the Captain said. 'Go on board and report to Arne the Armsman. He'll sort you out.'

As we walked up the bridge onto the ship Noren turned to me and said 'No storms or shipwrecks. I want to get there smoothly and in one piece.'