New Found Land by John Christopher Page B

“they are more women than warriors. Indeed, I believe their women might fight better.”
    Brad said: “You could be right about that. Which would make the odds around two hundred to four. Curtius, we have to be sensible. We’ve had the good luck to be warned in advance. We can take advantage of that.”
    â€œWait till tonight, then,” Bos suggested. “They will get drunk in the hall, as they always do. That is the time to fall on them and hack them to pieces.”
    Curtius nodded reluctantly. “Perhaps I can wait till tonight.”
    Simon said: “Are you both mad? They’d probablyfight better for being drunk. And there are the women, as Brad said. Killing them isn’t important, anyway. Getting clear of the island is.”
    Curtius looked obstinate, but Bos asked: “What do you say we should do?”
    â€œThe winter feast,” Brad said, “takes place at the full moon. The moon’s half full now, so we have time to make preparations. Our best plan obviously is to escape by night in one of the longships. There are things we’ll need, like food and water for the voyage. We must choose the right moment.”
    â€œHow soon?” Bos asked.
    â€œNot right now, certainly. We want a clear night.”
    The weather had been dull for days, with a sharp east wind and low cloud. Curtius said: “What if there is no clear night before the feast?”
    â€œThen we’ll have to take a chance on getting away in the dark. But it’ll be a lot easier with a moon.”
    â€œAnd there’s the question,” Simon put in, “of when Lundiga can get away.”
    Curtius scowled at him. “We do not take the girl.”
    Simon said: “Without her warning us we’d be heading for a nasty death. Of course she’s coming.”
    â€œShe is one of them,” Curtius said, “and therefore not to be trusted.”
    Bos said: “What you say is right, Simonus. But she will be better off here, with her own people.”
    â€œLundiga betrayed her people when she warned us,” Brad said, “as Curtius pointed out. If we disappear, they’ll be pretty sure it’s because we found out what they had planned. And since she’s been with Simonus and me so much they’re bound to suspect her of telling us. We have to take her.”
    Curtius shook his head. “I say leave her.”
    Bos looked troubled. “I like the girl. And she has done us a favour beyond price. If you think she would be in danger . . .”
    â€œRight,” Simon said. “That’s three to one. Lundiga comes with us.”
    Curtius said in disgust: “I would still rather go out there now and kill them all.”
    â€¢Â Â â€¢Â Â â€¢
    They spoke to Lundiga next morning. Simon said: “We’ll let you know when we’ve fixed the time for going. The safest way will be for you to slip away and join up with us on the quayside.”
    She looked at him in surprise. “Oh, no.”
    â€œWhat do you mean—no?”
    â€œI told you because I could not bear that you should be killed. But I could not go away with you. That is not proper.”
    She spoke with a flat certainty Simon recognized. Surprise was succeeded by exasperation.
    â€œWhat’s proper got to do with it? You must get out of here.”
    Her yellow hair swung with the shake of her head. “I cannot.”
    Brad took up the argument. “Simonus is right. What would happen if your people knew you’d warned us?”
    She said simply: “My father would kill me with his own hands.”
    â€œThere you are! And they’ll know someone told us. They’ll guess it was you.”
    She looked at Brad with unhappy eyes, but said after a moment: “It is not proper.”
    Simon had a moment of fury. She really was pigheaded to the point of dumbness. He raised his voice.
    â€œIt’s your life we’re talking