\u201cFather,\u201d Thormar says, drawing his attention. \u201cMay I ask why we do not sail west? Wasn\u2019t that what Thorkel wanted? I\u2019ve seen maps of islands and other lands to the west and southwest past the long forest of the elves. I\u2019ve heard they\u2019re rich with resources.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey are also rich with danger. I would love to journey west, but now is not the time to throw men into the sea. Besides, in order to get there, we either have to risk sailing too close to the elven lands or risk sailing too far into the Dead Sea where monsters swim, the Kraken among them along with the Merrow. I\u2019d rather face the elves than those monsters.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAren\u2019t the elves of the forest the enemies of the elves that hunt us in their ships? Why don\u2019t we make peace with the Forest Elves so we can sail safely across their shores?\u201d Thormar asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is a good suggestion, but I doubt the elves will hear us out when we have many of their people enslaved. Like the blue-eyed High Elves who hunt us, the green-eyed Forest Elves have no love for us either,\u201d father says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cScyra, daughter of King Teowulf, mentioned she trained with them,\u201d I say without even thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMaybe she can speak to them on behalf of all of us?\u201d Thormar asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPerhaps when we meet them during our next All Clan meeting, we can talk about it then and look into the possibility of sailing west. However, if we ever do want to make peace with them, I\u2019m sure they will request that we free their people we hold as slaves. That will not go over well with those who hold them as thralls,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSurely, we can compensate for them. There can\u2019t be many enslaved,\u201d Thormar says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnough to severely dent our coffers,\u201d father says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat if we outlawed slavery entirely?\u201d Thormar asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Father nearly chokes on wine he brought to his lips. \u201cIf I tried to outlaw slavery, I\u2019d be parted with my head. Besides, our way of life would come to a halt. You underestimate how much we rely on slave labor for our day-to-day life. Everything from farming to most of the laborious tasks in our ships. Let alone those who help alleviate men\u2019s lust. Lots of men resort to taking slaves for wives since many men have multiple wives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCouldn\u2019t we pay for such services?\u201d Thormar asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Father shrugs. \u201cWe could\u2026 Perhaps. That would probably tarnish our coffers just as much as paying to free the slaves from their masters. And a large part of our wealth comes from selling slaves to the other tribes. Let this be the end of this conversation. Maybe someday in the future we can find a new way to provide for our people, but for now slavery is ingrained in our culture and is the biggest source of resources we have to provide for our people. If it comes to the life of a slave over the lives of our citizens, I will sacrifice every slave in our town.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After we leave the hall for our own rooms to pack, I walk into Thormar\u2019s room as he fills his packs with what he thinks he needs for our raid. Most of it is junk he could easily do without, but this is not a battle I care to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI agree with you, little brother.\u201d He looks up at me with a raised eyebrow. \u201cI despise our reliance on thralls. I think it is wrong. As much as I despise the elves, I can see they are not that different from ourselves. Neither are the other races we have enslaved. And I also would like to sail west, as Thorkel wished.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy didn\u2019t you say something, then?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecause father is right. Our society would collapse without the slaves for now. We have no other way to support ourselves, and if war is to come then we will need every man and woman to fight. Sailing west is an unknown risk full of danger. It is better to attack the safer bet and get what we know is possible than to risk everything on something we have no idea of what it could bring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He sighs. \u201cYou\u2019re right. I just\u2026 I want to see what\u2019s out there. I need to know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow about this, little brother? I\u2019ve been saving gold for some time. If you raise enough money, I will help you pay Osvald to build a new ship. Then all you need to do is recruit a crew and next summer, you can sail west. But you will have to do it with only the men you can take on your ship. It is a gamble and a major risk, but if you are sure about this, you can have your chance to sail with your own ship. Which I will partially own, of course, and I\u2019ll get a share in the profits along with the tax you\u2019ll owe to father. But you and your men who join you will get the rest of whatever you earn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thormar doesn\u2019t even hesitate. His eyes light up with excitement. \u201cYou\u2019d do that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I nod. \u201cOf course. This was important to Thorkel.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWill you come with me?\u201d he asks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I shrug. \u201cPerhaps, I do not know. As the eldest now, my duty is here with the people. I must go where we vote and most likely, that will be south.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He nods. \u201cI\u2019ll start making plans and recruiting. I\u2019ve already got friends who I\u2019ve been talking to that are very interested in going west. Trandil, Einar\u2019s nephew, and possibly his son Eystein. Our second cousins of Koll\u2019s grandchildren are also interested. At first it was just Gudrik and Starolf, but now Asvor, Bolla, and even Hilde. Same with Hosvir, Solmund and Griotgard\u2019s younger brother. Svala wants to come too and she\u2019ll be old enough next summer. Hosvir even convinced his sister Vigdis. Bodvar wanted to come, but now that he is with the Wolf Clan, I suppose he can no longer come with us. Maybe this Gadaric will come?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve been planning this for some time. The only problem with your crew is they are all as young as you are. No experience. You\u2019ll need someone who knows what they are doing and knows the seas. I won\u2019t let you go until you find someone who can help guide you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFair enough. I\u2019m sure we\u2019ll find someone by next summer,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou also do not have a Sea Navigator and you can\u2019t have Skardi,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHopefully whoever has the experience can be the sea navigator,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPerhaps\u2026 Maybe even Svala might do, but she is still too young and untested. You want someone who has been out on the sea for some time and knows what they are doing or you\u2019ll be sailing in circles. You must have someone who can read the stars, the moons, and the sun. They must be able to know when storms come and how to tell when land is near. Without one, you\u2019ll end up lost to the sea and most likely in the Kraken\u2019s belly,\u201d I say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He sighs. \u201cI will find one. I am sure of it, brother. I have to sail west. It is a feeling deep inside my gut.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I walk up and put my hand on his shoulder. \u201cI will do whatever I can to help you. I believe in you. We may disagree on things from time to time, and I\u2019ve given you a hard time here and there, especially when Thorkel was alive, but I do not doubt your conviction. You are smart. Smarter than most of us. You\u2019ll do great things, I know it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thormar barrels into my chest with a bear hug. He\u2019s gotten much stronger, especially with all the training in the mountains. \u201cThank you, Bothvar. It means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I nod and mess his hair up. I need to stop doing that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust remember this one thing, if you meet a race of people who do not speak your language, do not teach them bad habits,\u201d I say, which makes him tilt his head. \u201cOr else you\u2019ll have to endure getting your hair messed up every time you see them.\u201d With that, I walk out with a wry smile on my face. Something father always did to us, always getting the last word in, giving strange advice, and leaving you to ponder it. But it is good advice, nonetheless, and I\u2019m sure if he goes west, he\u2019ll need it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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