Ivor Larsson, well clad for war with his helmet already in place, leaned forward to stare at her.
“Hulda Elvarsdottir?” He appeared surprised. “You, here?” He gave a bark of laughter. “We thought you and your wreck of a boat would be at the bottom of the sea by now.”
His scorn made her crew bristle. She called back, “As you can see, we are still asea and thriving. You are in our waters.”
“What?” That made him and every man aboard the lead longboat stare. In truth, it made her crew stare also. “You have no holdings here. And we are raiding.”
“You are wrong,” she called back as boldly as she dared. “I do have holdings here.Wedo.”
Muttering broke out on the larger boat.
Ivor called back, “Impossible. There is a fine prize sitting at your back, girl, and we mean to take it.” A sly sort of smile stretched his lips. “And mayhap avenge your brother, as you were unwilling or unable to do.”
“I have an alliance with the chief of this place, who has granted us rights here. We cannot allow you to attack.”
That forced another laugh from him. “You think to stop me? With your handful of boy-warriors?”
“Along with those men ranged upon the shore. We will join them in the defense, if we must.”
Dead silence fell. Hulda did not think any member of her crew was breathing.
“You are not in earnest,” Ivor said at last. “This is one of your games. Get out of our way, little girl.”
“I will not. I have an alliance, I say, and I will stand by it.”
“Then we will kill you all and fire your boat.”
Hulda drew her sword. Either a courageous action or a mad one. “Try for it. We are the sons—and dottir—of warriors.”
“You are a poor excuse for a crew sailing a poor excuse for a boat. The dregs o’ poor families back home.”
“Are we?” Helje stepped up, strong pride apparently making him forget his differences with Hulda. “Then why have we had a successful season?”
“Consorting with the natives?” Ivor’s sneer was plain to see. “So much for the worth of a female commander.”
Hulda felt her crew bristle. No one behind her spoke, but ja, she could feel. They had proved themselves during this season. Would they accept this arrogant man’s disdain?
Ivor, apparently thinking they would, went over Hulda’s head and called to her crew, “Your mistress is a fool. Get this tub out of my way.”
No one behind Hulda moved.
Ivor began to look seriously annoyed.
“Move this boat, I say, or we will board and do it for you.”
The wrong tack to take.Freyamight be aged and humble, but each of the crew had a stake in her repairing, and sailing her. She wastheirs.
A silent consensus passed from man to man before Garik spoke.
“Will you kill all of us, Ivor? Will you slay your neighbors’ sons and then go home with your spoils from yon settlement and tell everyone there what befell us?”
“I would not want to bring your families such shame. Dealing with the Scots—”
“We do what we must to get ahead. What our people have always done. We have made an alliance to our advantage, and possess the honor needed to keep to it.”
Men now crowded the rail of Ivor’s boat and the other three vessels as men strained to hear. The line of defenders on the shore must also wonder what was happening.
Quarrie.
