The United States of Vinland: The Landing (The Markland Trilogy) by Colin Taber

also
wisdom in leaving at least one of us with the women.”
    With
a spiteful look at Steinarr, Ballr took a metal blade out from where he’d
tucked it into his belt and threw it down on the stones of the beach. With a
curse, he turned and stalked off towards the hall.
    Halla
moved to follow him.
    Gudrid
looked to her husband and said, “You will not be taking all the blades with
you. You need to leave at least some sharpened bone or stone.”
    “You
will have some blades.”
    “Good
luck then, my husband. May the gods aid you.”
    “They
have had a hand in our fate so far, so I do not doubt they will come if we have
need.” He walked across to her, and kissed her, and then little Ulfarr in her
arms. “We will go now before Ballr decides to return and argue.”
    She
nodded.
    He
turned to the other men and said, “Let us discover the source of the smoke and,
if possible, return by sunset so we might make our plans. If it is opportune,
we will stay and do what we must. But we will not take needless risks. There
are too few of us to join a fight we cannot win.”
    Most
of the men nodded, but Steinarr flexed his arms and grumbled.
    ––––––––
    T hey
landed on the other side of the sound after midday. They used two oars from
their long-sunken ship to paddle across, poling in the shallows of the foreign
shoreline. From there, they immediately began to climb the rising,
scrub-covered side of the fjord, seeking the source of the smoke that had
seemed to come from a valley one or two ridges beyond.
    While
they paddled across, Eskil decided it best to come at the smoke from the cover
of land and not from the exposed waters of the sea. They expected groves of
trees deeper in, the same as were on the fjord’s steep slopes, or perhaps even
small woodlands. Such a landscape would give some cover and might give up signs
of other inhabitants before the Godslanders encountered them.
    They
climbed the steeply rising land and kept quiet and close. Eventually, after
following the hard trail past rocks and through shrubs and stunted trees, they
approached the top of the ridge.
    Puffing,
Steinarr whispered to Samr, “We better not get into a fight. Ballr will never
forgive us!”
    Samr
chuckled at his brother’s words. Taking the opportunity to stop and catch his
breath, he turned and looked back, the view stilling his laughter.
    Steinarr
also stopped, making the others stop and turn.
    Before
them lay the waters of the sound, flat and smooth, but still speckled with ice
in many places. Looking across what seemed a narrow passage of calm, they then
looked down at the green and white spread of Godsland, the island’s hollows
still caked with snow.
    Torrador
spoke first, breaking the spell, “Look, there is our hall.” He pointed to where
their settlement lay, half hidden by the hill.
    Erik
asked, “Do you think Ballr is watching us?”
    Eskil
looked about, stroking his blonde beard. He shook his head and instead said,
“And who else has watched us – or perhaps watches us even now? We are too
exposed. We need to put more effort into exploring what lays about us, making
sure we cannot be surprised by unknown neighbours or other rogue beasts.”
    “By
the strength of Thor,” murmured Torrador, seeking divine protection.
    “If
we have seen the smoke of another fire, I think there exists a good chance
someone has also seen our own. We must be more careful.”
    The
others agreed.
    “We
have not seen anyone yet, not in any of our expeditions,” Erik offered.
    “Not
yet, but we will see someone soon enough.” And, with that, Eskil turned and
continued the climb.
    ––––––––
    T hey
finally came to the ridge’s crest, the lichen covered rocks showing amidst a
mix of tired grasses, brush and the odd bit of stubborn snow. Stunted pines
grew in some places, but most trees stuck to the sheltered gullies or the base
of the fjord where a variety such as birch and willows crowded the ground.
    Eskil
made them all