Word Count: 18,132
Summary of Events:
Bergljót helped her siblings pick blueberries — the last of the berries to be preserved — and thought about how controlling her older sister was, trying to figure out why she was that way. Hallbjörn and Maria spent some more time talking together before they decided to practise the popular dances of Deuschbren so they'd be good at them when they got there. Bergljót's father came home for lunch in terrible pain from an old foot injury that made Bergljót worried the predicted storm was not only coming, but would be frightfully severe. Hallbjörn and Maria were trying to sleep, but the heaving seas, thunder, lightning, and other stormy noises kept them awake; the ship suddenly collided with something and Hallbjörn suspected it'd run aground . . .
Excerpt of the Day:
The hollers and yells outside sounded more panicked, like screams. The ship rocked some, groaning, creaking, with occasional snaps as it did so.
Hands pounded on the door and Hallbjörn scrambled to his feet. He hesitated partway to the door, in spite of the desperate pounding, and hurried to grab some breeches from one of the drawers he’d stowed his clothes in — all of which locked to keep them from sliding open and shut.
Before he could get them out and pull them on the person pounding on the door shattered the glass window.
“We’ve hit the reef!” the desperate sailor screamed. “She’s breaking up! Abandon ship!”
“Hurry Maria!” Hallbjörn said, hurrying into his clothes.
Maria stayed in the bed, frozen with fear. Hallbjörn hurried over to her and clutched her in his arms.
“The ship is being held secure, and land should be close, come quickly, we’ll shelter there until another ship can fetch us to Deuschbren,” Hallbjörn said. “It’ll be alright Maria.”
She still trembled, tears streaming down her face.
Hallbjörn kissed her on her trembling lips.
“Quickly,” he urged, releasing her. “I’m going to help with the horses.”
The rain was driving, and waves heaved over the side of the ship that seemed to be clutched rather securely in the jaws of the reef. The hold doors were open and Hallbjörn saw that one of the horses was already out.
Ropes had been tied around the girth and then pulled around the mast to help haul the frightened horses up the slippery ramp. Cloths were bound over their faces so they couldn’t see anything that might alarm them as they were hauled up.
In spite of the wind and rain they all seemed to be happier to be up on deck, although they still startled at the thunder and waves.
Shrill equine screams sounded below deck, along with shouts, then came the scrambling of hooves, and — his lead trailing loose behind him as the only rope on his body — the powerful grey stallion, Nótt Höfðingi, surged up from the hold.
Quickly Hallbjörn surged forward and seized the lead, pulling it tight as the stallion made to charge for the prow.
The stallion wheeled around, throwing himself onto his hind legs and thrashing them only for a moment before the ship’s rocking set him off balance and forced him down.
Still he hopped, tossed his head, even bucked, screaming and pulling on the lead as Hallbjörn fought to stop him and calm him.
The slippery deck didn’t help Hallbjörn’s efforts, especially not when another wave crashed over the side, drenching him through with icy water and causing Nótt Höfðingi to scream and fight even more.
Finally the stallion succeeded in pulling Hallbjörn off his feet, dragging him across the main deck toward the rail.
Loud cracks of splintering wood sounded as Nótt Höfðingi raised his forelegs, and launched upward with his hindquarters over the rail; the ship fell away, panicked screams ringing out behind, as Hallbjörn was swept overboard.
Pronunciations:
Nótt: noet
Höfðingi: hohfdeengee
No comments:
Post a Comment