The tide turns

Chapter 24 / Trapped in Jomsborg

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Everything had gone so horribly wrong, and Gudrid blamed herself. She remembered how Thorfinn had warned her, and she had seen how worried Thorfinn got at the market, and without thinking, she still called his name so everyone could hear.

She wasn't sure if it had been fear on his face as he told them that they needed to leave immediately, but she recognized the look of anger when Bug eyes pointed to the ships that followed them.

If she had been stronger, if she had some skill that was of help to him, like Hild had, she would have demanded to go with him. She hated watching him try to do things on his own. He just looked sorry, letting a hand linger on her arm, promising he would be safe, before he had Hild jump into the water and waddle to shore.

They just had to make it to Funen Island to meet up again, but they made the same mistake again, becoming too excited at the mention of Thorfinn's name after he had been late to meet up with them again.

That was why they had been captured and why she was here, acting as a handmaiden for Thorfinn's cousin. He was a cousin she wasn't even sure he had, but he was a sweet boy.

Leif and Einar had managed to escape, and she was glad. She hoped everyone was safe, and that hope went out to Hild and Thorfinn as well, of course.

"I'm really sorry about this. Because of me, you're trapped here."Baldr apologized, his shoulders hunched and his brows furrowed in frustration. It was the same expression Thorfinn made when he was worried, and she found that a little funny; they were family, and though they had never met before, they still had so many similarities.

"No, it's alright" Gudrid tried to reassure him. Of course it wasn't alright; she wanted to get out as soon as possible, but she didn't want Baldr to think that it was all his fault. "We just need to come up with a plan; let's see..."

She began to look around the house, and Baldr continued to be at a loss, staring at her.

"How can you be so calm? Are you not scared?"

Gudrid stopped, thinking about it. She was stressed, and she was scared, but she probably wasn't as scared as she should have been in the situation that she was actually in. She raised her arm to look at it and smiled.

"I've experienced worse."

"What?!" Baldr raised his voice, horrified by that thought. "Worse than this!?"

"It's okay" She shook her head, remembering the fear of back then, after she shipwrecked and after Thorfinn had left. She had gone every day worrying that she would die or that she'd make it back home, so this wasn't as scary at all because her friends knew where she was and all she would have to do was make it to the well.

She began gathering laundry in her arms. It was already folded and clean, but by unfolding it and gathering it messily in her arms, she could make it look like it needed to be washed.

"What are you doing now?"

"It can be an excuse to leave, right? I need to wash the dirty laundry."

"Oh," Baldr nodded slowly, "it might work."

"Come, help me get some more."

"Oh, of course," he hurried, grabbing all the clothes he could find and throwing them into her arms, though his worry was still easy to spot. It was easy to forget that he was only ten years old.

"Hey, you know it will be alright, right?"

He looked up at her, not sure if he believed her, but he smiled. He appreciated her trying and her offer to bring him along. If the war couldn't be stopped, then maybe he would ask if that offer still stood.