Wild Viking Princess Read Free Page A

vessel was not Danish—Norman perhaps? Wherever they had come from, they were being tossed like a cork on the snarling sea. They had lost their sail and steering oar by the look of it. The efforts of the few remaining oarsmen were getting them nowhere. She was a large boat, larger than the one that had come to her rescue.
    The Danes came as close as they dared, but near enough to see the grim desperation on exhausted faces turn to open mouthed surprise when they espied the Danish longboat. Huddled figures clung to the mast, but any shelter had long since been lost to the wind.
    Widening his stance, Reider cupped his hands to his mouth to urge them to jump into the sea, but no sound emerged. Frustrated, he made a wide beckoning motion, but heads shook in disbelief.
    It’s your only chance.
    Suddenly, a figure moved away from the others clinging to the mast, climbed unsteadily onto the side of the stricken ship and leapt into the water. A boy! He clutched something to his chest, but lost his grip on whatever it was when he hit the water. Every head turned to watch the lad flail his arms, trying in vain to make headway towards the smaller boat. He seemed determined not to give up, though stark fear was etched on his face. It was evident he was not a swimmer and would likely drown, dragged under the waves by heavy furs. Reider looked back at Kjartan struggling to hold the tiller with the help of another crewman. The plucky youth was the only one with the courage to jump. Reider would not let him drown. He took a deep breath, offered up a prayer to Aegir , and dove in.
    The impact of the icy water took his breath away when he resurfaced. The swells towered over him. He kicked his legs, treading water. Timbers creaked and moaned as the boats battled wind and waves. Then came another sound borne on the wind—the yelping of a dog! He caught sight of it nearby, swimming in circles, barking frantically. Suddenly, the boy’s head bobbed back to the surface next to the animal.
    Reider sucked in another deep breath, swam to the boy and clamped his arm around his ribs, surprised to feel a flotation device strapped around his upper body. Reider had heard of sailors wearing inflatable animal skins when they went to sea. Much good it had done! The boy was unresponsive. Reider waved his free arm and his crew hauled him back with his prize. The hound paddled after them, disappearing beneath the waves several times.
    After two harrowing attempts, Reider managed to hand the boy off to a shipmate. He heaved his own body back on board with difficulty, barely able to make his frozen limbs work. Leaning over the side precariously, he reached down and hooked his numbed fingers into the exhausted dog’s studded collar. The creature was nearly done for. He put his other hand on the dog’s rump and hauled it up to the boat with what little strength remained. He braced himself with the squirming dog against his chest, then tossed it, hoping someone would catch it. He collapsed to his knees and coughed till he choked. Lungs afire, he gulped air.
    Several men from the stricken vessel were now in the water, swimming to the Danish boat, doubtlessly emboldened by the heroic rescue they had witnessed.
    Suddenly, a swell lifted the battered cog, held it suspended, then turned it upside down. The Danes could do nothing to aid the men trapped beneath. The exhausted swimmers were dragged one by one into the Danish boat.
    Reider caught sight of the doomed ship’s name, barely visible and upside down. He squinted. Nordique ?
    Shivering, Reider signalled to Kjartan to take them back. They had saved as many as they could. His friend nodded grimly, his clenched jaw showing the strain of the battle against the elements.

CHAPTER THREE
                                                                         
    The exhausted Danes moored the boat in the hidden cove. Though the storm’s rage had