Page 36 of Viktor at Sea

“I think it’s a good idea,” Manny agreed even though the uneasy expression on his face told me that he wasn’t a fan of the idea. However, he was a doting son who was willing to try anything once at the expense of pleasing his parents. And if I couldn’t do this for myself, then I would do this for Manny and Barden who had always been good to me.

“When do we leave?” I asked with a defeated sigh.

“What about right after lunch?” Barden grinned, looking like there was more he was keeping from me. Instead of asking him about it, mostly because I knew he wouldn’t give me an answer, I helped myself to another slice of bread and slathered it with a thick helping of butter.

I hated to admit it, but Barden was right. Starving myself wasn’t going to make the situation any better. It only resulted in putting me in a foul, intolerable mood, and I didn’t need to give Astrid even more reason to reject me.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Iwas free.

I was back at sea, and I felt free.

My eyes could focus on nothing but the crystal blue waters ahead of me, and I wouldn’t want it any other way. Here, there was only me and the sea.

My one true home.

At sea, I was free from my thoughts and the issues I faced back in Jorvik. Yet, I wasn’t free from my desire, want and need for Astrid. I would never want to be free from Astrid. Not that she felt the least bit bound to me, as I did to her.

“I’ve never been to Isle before,” Manny murmured as he joined me at the rails, peering over at the beautiful water The Serpent glided through.

As this was a short trip, I brought only Manny and Caspian with me. Caspian was currently in charge of the wheel, and Manny had been observing him for a while before he moved to join me at the rails.

“You’re not missing out on much,” I chuckled, dragging my eyes away from the sea to spare him a glance. “Jorvik is much larger and richer than Isle. And your father is a better Chief than Asmund will ever be.”

“He’s that bad?” Manny asked.

“Not the conventional kind of bad where he tortures people and makes them walk the plank,” I chuckled at the stereotype, though I wouldn’t be chuckling if I had a pirate standing in front of me right now. I had very nearly been forced onto the plank once before, and I never wished to re-live that. “But the kind of bad where he’s not very attentive, and people do as they please. While that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, that leads to so many other problems like the island splitting into two sides.”

“Split into two sides?” Manny asked, his eyebrows furrowing together in the middle, confused. “You don’t mean literally, of course?”

“No,” I chuckled and shook my head. “It’s the people that have split into two. I hear that one-half of the people worship the moon and the other half, the sun.”

“But The Almighty is the God of both.” That was the belief of the people of Jorvik, mine included.

“I wouldn’t mention that while we’re there,” I laughed. “I’m not quite sure what Asmund believes, but the unspoken rule is that everyone is to be civil and proper in his presence and the presence of guests. However, I’m not sure how things are when Asmund’s back is turned.”

“That is a rather peculiar situation, isn’t it?”

“I would agree.” I nodded and glanced over my shoulder. “Has Caspian let you have a go at the wheel?”

“He offered, but I turned it down,” he said, uncomfortably shifting from one foot to another.

“Why is that?” My tone was gentle and non-judgemental.

“I didn’t want to steer the ship into any trouble.”

“Nonsense,” I was quick to dismiss. “There’s not long left until we dock at Isle. What better way to do that than to have the Chief’s son lead us there? And you never know? I might be able to make a sea Captain out of you just yet.”

I could tell that Manny wanted to protest some more, to talk himself out of steering the ship, so I didn’t stick around to allow him that opportunity. Instead, I approached Caspian and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Why don’t you go and rest, Caspian? Manny here has kindly offered to take over steering the ship for us.”

“Now, isn’t that kind?” Caspian grinned, shooting me a knowing look. “I’ll go check on the spears. Start bringing them all up on the deck while you give Manny that steering lesson,” he said and turned to Manny who was still standing by the rails, looking anxious. “Just don’t steer us into some rocks, and we’ll be fine.”

“I’ll try not to,” Manny gulped, suddenly looking a little green in the face.

“Come here, Manny,” I beckoned over the young teen. “I’ll keep my foot on the button, and you can take over the wheel.”

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