Daughter of Fire and Ice by Marie-Louise Jensen

going to tell him?’
    ‘Whatever I think is most likely to convince him to work for me,’ replied Bjorn. ‘Do you have any advice for dealing with those dogs? I can’t go near them without them growling. I don’t fancy getting bitten.’
    ‘Feed them,’ I said. ‘Let no one else give them food but you. It’ll take time, but there’s no other way.’
    Bjorn nodded and went to look for meat. I heard angry snarls and he returned quickly.
    ‘As you say, it might take some time,’ he muttered, nursing a bitten finger.
    I took a strip of clean cloth from my bag and wrapped it around the bite. As I tied the knot, Bjorn grasped my hand. ‘Thank you,’ he whispered.
    ‘It’s nothing,’ I said, surprised. ‘I bind cuts for people all the time.’
    ‘No, I meant thank you for this escape. I’m glad it’s you I’m running away with.’ Bjorn released my hand, and without giving me a chance to reply, he went to relieve one of the slaves of their oar. I watched him, pleased at his words. He must have felt my eyes on him, because he looked up and straight at me from his seat at the oar. I felt myself blushing slightly, and turned away.
    The cliffs began to slowly peel back on either side of us as the fjord widened. The wind freshened and the water grew more choppy, lapping against the sides of the boat.
    Now I could see the open sea ahead of us, the low grey sky coming down to meet the water in the far distance. It was an exhilarating sight. It filled me with a sense of adventure. I was setting out to explore the unknown. I would see sights that no one in my family had seen before.
    The thought of my family sobered me. I longed to know that my mother and brother had reached my uncle’s. But even then, there was no certainty of safety with an army in the district. As for my father, I hardly dared hope he’d made it back to them. I felt tears close to the surface and breathed deeply to dispell them. I needed to be brave. It was what they would want.
    When the sun peeped above the horizon in a blaze of pinks and oranges, the slaves were ordered to ship the oars. I helped tie them securely inside the ship, watching and learning from what the others were doing. Thrang and two other men were hoisting the vast woollen sail. I gasped as I saw it lift on the mast and billow, catching the wind. The ship bounded forward and tilted, suddenly revealing its power and speed.
    ‘Beautiful, isn’t she?’ said Bjorn, coming towards me.
    ‘I’d never imagined anything like it,’ I agreed, awestruck.
    We swung round and instead of continuing out to sea, we headed north, hugging the shoreline. The other ship was following us, I could see. I could make out the people on board scurrying around the deck, readying the sail as Thrang had done.
    ‘Now,’ said Bjorn softly. He walked away from me to where timber was stacked along the length of the ship and swung himself onto it, holding onto the mast with one hand. Then with a dramatic sweep of his other hand, he flung his hood back.
    He wasn’t a tall man, but he was broad and powerful, and stood proudly with his shoulders thrown back and one hand on his sword hilt. His long black hair blew back in the wind and he had a growth of stubble on his chin. He was very handsome, I noticed for the first time. He had fine features and clear eyes. He looked so confident, that for a moment my fear faded.
    At first there was no reaction. Then a few people noticed him, and stared, confused. There was a sudden silence that spread away from us across the ship. The captain caught sight of him and stood frozen for a long moment.
    ‘What in Thor’s name … ?’ he blustered at last. ‘Where is Svanson?’
    ‘I am Svanson,’ Bjorn announced brazenly.
    ‘Liar!’ shouted Thrang, and so swiftly that I barely had time to blink, he’d drawn his sword with a scrape of iron and thrust it at Bjorn.
    Bjorn had been expecting it. My father’s sword flashed out, parrying the blow. He swung Thrang’s