A Viking's Catch (Book One of the Sogn Series)

Chapter Fifteen

Nafarr closed the distance between his spot at the door and Clare, to where he stood tall before her timid form. She did not stay frightened for long, as she bit her lower lip and mustered the courage to face him.

            "Where have you been?" He asked, his voice gruff as he crossed his strong arms over his chest. His eyes penetrated hers with fury.

            Clare rolled her eyes and tried to play it off, "What are you talking about? I have been here."

            "With your shoes and the hem of your dress caked in mud? I think not." He defied her, bringing her down to a situation that she had only ever been in with Roald. For a split second, she could see the resemblance between the two brothers.

            "Well, then why do you not tell me where I have been? Since you seem all-knowing of the matter." Her tone was challenging, but Nafarr did not back down.

            He responded by lifting a single brow on his face and uncrossing his arms. Then, with a long drawn out sigh, he took a seat next to her, "You are planning an escape, are you not?"

            Clare found herself biting her lower lip again but not because she had mustered courage, and instead was losing it. Should she tell him the truth? Did he know the truth?

            "Yes," the word slipped from the tip of her tongue.

            "And," he began, smirking slightly, "How do you plan on escaping?"

            Clare thought that was an odd question for him to ask, because she thought he would have been more furious than curious. But, she decided there was no turning back now, "By one of Roald's old ships."

            Nafarr was much too calm as he replied, "And how do you plan on leaving on a ship that has ripped sails and practically holes in the stern?"

            "I have connections that have provided me with supplies," she admitted sheepishly, "And a few of the slaves have helped me repair it."

            "How many slaves?" he asked hastily.

            "Nearly all of them." She admitted again.

            Clare was prepared for Nafarr to go on edge and become furious, but he did not. Instead, he laughed loudly at her reply, and then grinned widely at her, "I will make you a deal."

            She questioned, "A deal?"

            "Yes," he paused, "I will let you and five slaves go on this ship, but ye have to do something for me in return."

            "And what is that?" Clare asked, becoming wary of his proposition.

            Nafarr smirked widely, "Do not get caught."

She was taken aback at that. Was Nafarr really letting her getting away with this?

"But what about Roald?" She asked breathlessly.

"Do not worry about him," He said, standing up again to face her, "as long as you do not get caught, then I can deal with him."

She paused, staring him in the eye for a long time before asking, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," he gave a wry smile, "it is not right for him to keep you here after all the trouble he has put you through. But, I cannot let all the slaves leave with you because then he really would have my head. In fact, he will probably have it just for your disappearance, but I can come up with an excuse for you."

"That being?"

Nafarr shrugged nonchalantly, "Death."

"Death?" she sneered, "He will not believe you."

"Oh, but I am his brother, remember?" He snapped back in a low chuckle, "Besides, there are neighboring clans that would be more than willing to try and take over while he is gone. I could say that you and five slaves died during one of their attacks."

Clare laughed at that, "I may not understand your true intentions, but I must thank you for all that you are about to do for me."

He waved a hand in the air, "No need to thank me." Then, he began to walk back towards the door but before he left, he turned around to face Clare once more, "Oh, and Birla does not really like me, yes? For I fear that she is one of the 'connections' that you spoke of and only distracted me for you."

Clare frowned a bit at that, but it was all the answer that Nafarr needed. He chuckled lowly for a bare instant, and said, "I feared so, but that is okay. The woman was always too good for me anyhow. I knew it was too good to be true."

And with that, Nafarr left, but little did Clare know that it would not be the last time she saw him.

vvv

The hardest decision Clare had to ever make in her life was choosing five slaves that would accompany her on the journey home. Early that morning, before the sun had risen, they all stood amongst the slave's sleeping quarters, discussing who would voluntarily stay and who would go with her.

Many slaves, especially those who were men, decided to stay because they were stronger and could resist the Viking's strict orders and punishments. The second group that would stay, would be those who were born into being slaves, because they knew not a life outside of their own world, and did not have the lingering hope to return to a home that they did not know. Only a few more than those decided to stay, proving their bravery but Clare knew that they hoped she would come back for them, and she would do all that she could to do just that.

"I will go with you." Onora said, after the discussion was nearing the end, "but I think that Jemima should come with us as well, for she is wise and can help us in dire situations."

Clare nodded, "That is fine."

It was finally decided that a mother and her young son would accompany them, as well as another girl who had about ten and two years. Clare frowned a bit, knowing that those accompanying her would not be much help, and especially in the case that a storm would hit. Though, she remained strong because like her fisherman of a father, she knew much about sailing the seas, and with Jemima's wisdom and Onora's spirit, they could accomplish much.

"We must leave now," she whispered, "the sun is rising and the Vikings will soon awake."

The slaves bid them their farewells and as they left the building, the slaves handed them bags of food and old, tattered blankets to keep them warm. It was all that they had to give them for the long journey ahead, but Clare took it all with gratitude.

The mother and child, and the small girl stood by the shore as Jemima, Onora, and Clare held up the hems of their dresses and pushed the ship into the water. It took several strenuous minutes to finally push it into the canal, but they immediately jumped onto it as it began to float. Clare helped the mother and her young boy onto the boat, and the girl had managed to get onto it with the help of Onora. It was only a minute more before they were steering the ship away from Sogn, and towards an adventure that Clare would never forget.