Page 53 of Alien Viking's Passion

The tentacles tied her wrists together and shoved the white fabric into her mouth, fastening it behind her head. Then the lid was slammed on while Valtyrr laughed with wild abandon.

The box shook as it was lifted. Aretha fought wildly to kick at it and to get free of the thin rope around her wrists, but her legs were curled up beside her and the chest was too small for her to wind up for a kick. The hilt of her sword was impossible to reach,and the fabric was dense and prevented her from screaming.

Valtyrr’s laugh turned into a loud song, disharmonious and ugly.

Still Aretha fought to escape. She saw light between the lid and the rim of the chest, so at least she wouldn’t suffocate. But what the hell was going on?

Those had been tentacles. Like those on a squid. Or an octopus.

Or a kraken.

What the hell was Craxon mixed up in?

She went crazy, kicking and writhing and screaming. But she doubted if anyone could hear or see that she was inside the box.

Shit.This had suddenly turned really ugly.

18

- Craxon -

The loading started, but there wasn’t much to carry aboard apart from supplies for the journey, some alien-sourced items Bragr had given as parting gifts and a couple of crates of goods that merchants were hoping to trade for Ragnhildros things. This was the first large ship to leave Hjalmarheim since the longships had broken.

The ship had been namedEira Einherja.Eira the Lone Fighterwas a name everyone thought was perfect — she had fought her final battle mostly alone, although Aretha had struck one of the skrymtir, too.

“Of course the name must also remind me ofher,” Craxon seethed to himself.

Valtyrr came walking along the pier, carrying a wooden box on his shoulder. “Room for a crate of fish, Crax?”

“There’s a good amount of fish both in Ragnhildros and in the ocean we shall be crossing,” Craxon grunted.

“Ah yes. But none of them have been prepared in the way they do it here. Did you know, Crax? They take a big fish, gut it but leave the head on, then bury it along with certain herbs and leave it in the ground for a season or two. Then they—”

“Yes, yes. I’m sure it’s wonderful. Just put it somewhere it’s not going to spread its smell too much.”

“Aye, our prince.” Valtyrr grinned, then walked past him down the gangway. A whiff of the same unpleasant, decaying smell washed over Craxon. He had not taken a bath after all, then. Well, he could always be thrown overboard, tied to a rope, and dragged through the waves for a while, the way sailors would sometimes do with excessively smelly shipmates.

Craxon spent the morning supervising the loading, inspecting the sails, and rigging and keeping an eye on the pier, in case a small female with a direct gaze, wide hips, and a bright smile were to approach. But there was nobody like that.

They were fully loaded well before midday. Earl Bragr, Countess Josie, and some of the alien females came to see them off, along with Bragr’s huskarls and huskvens.

“I shall return for the coronation,” Craxon promised as he and Bragr gripped each other’s forearms in goodbye. “Surely this magnificent ship will be able to carry me both home and back here again.”

“If Njord is willing,” Bragr said in the usual way. “We shall look for your sails thirty days hence, Your Highness.”

“Ah, you have finally settled on a date? Very well. Josie, thank you for the hospitality and the understanding. If it were possible to atone for the embarrassing spectacle I’ve made of myself these past few days, I would try my best. As it is, I fear it’s beyond thescope of any apology I could offer. To you or to your friends.” His eyes darted along the pier, up to the buildings of the jarlagard. But there was nobody else coming. No hazel eyes were staring at him from afar.

Josie didn’t smile. “Love is a hard ocean to sail, they say here. Me, I disagree. I think love is both easy and wonderful. But it must bereal.”

“Perhaps it becomes easy,” Craxon said, raising an eyebrow. “But I have witnessed that the realest love can have the hardest beginning. A deadly one, indeed.”

Josie blushed and seemed to squeeze Bragr’s hand. “I can’t say that you are wrong, Your Highness. Thank you for all your help! None of us would be here now if not for your unfathomable bravery and kindness. Only to a true friend can I utter these words: I hope you know what you’re doing. Because it looked real tome.”

“You speak like a queen from the old days,” Craxon managed, reeling from her directness and astonished at how well she spoke Garda. “And that is appropriate. For Hjalmarheim will soon be a kingdom. And its queen is already legendary as the Meistr who saved the land from darkness.”

He jumped into the ship. “Cast off! Raise sail! Row us away from the pier!”

His small crew did their best to obey. They were only ten, and everyone had to help. Even Signe the Soothsayer was at the steering board, gazing to the horizon with empty eyes that saw more than seeing eyes could.

---