Free The Saga of Colm the Slave by Mike Culpepper

said Colm
again.
    “All right. That trader who bought the
goods, we can get passage with him. I kept back an iron kettle and
tripod to use on the trip and a small sack of grain, mostly oats.
We can eat porridge all the way home.”
    “Here,” said Colm, “I’ll pay the rest
when I can.” He held out the silver pennies to Bjorn, who nodded
absently. Colm said, “I need to return Eystein’s sword.”
    “Why?” Bjorn was surprised. “You used
it, you did your share. No, Eystein will be insulted if you return
his gift.”
    “I don’t want to be in his debt.”
    “You owe him nothing. Anyway, sooner or
later, he’s going to charge into some place and get a spear in his
guts. Then we’ll hear no more of him.” Bjorn considered. “Let me do
the talking. I’ll tell Eystein that I need you as a travelling
companion.” Bjorn looked at him, “And I do, Colm. I need someone to
help me home. Anyway, I’ll tell Eystein you have no option, that
way no one will think the less of you.”
    “I care nothing for what people think.”
A freed slave has no reputation to lose.
    Bjorn smiled. “Even so, let me speak.
Now,” he said, rising, “We should go talk to Eystein before he gets
too drunk to listen. Here,” Bjorn held out his hand. “You’d best
hang onto these. We’ll have other expenses, no doubt.” He dropped
the silver pennies back into Colm’s hand. Then the two men walked
back to the fire where the others were shouting and laughing.
     

5.The Berserk Feud

    When Colm got back from raiding, it was
almost winter and there was little to be done on the farm. The ewe
and her daughter had just come into season and needed breeding and
there was a decision to be made about whether to geld the young ram
or not. “I waited for you to come back,” said Gwyneth. “I didn’t
want to decide without you.”
    “Then I’m glad to be here,” said Colm,
“But what are your thoughts?” In truth, he would have supported any
decision of Gwyneth’s and called it perfect; he could not question
the choices she made in his absence – better he had been here to
make them himself!
    “Well, sometimes I think one way, then I
think the other.” She glanced at old Edgar who sat down the bench,
studying his bowl as though to raise more skyr within it. Edgar had
been a slave long enough to know that he should speak only when
spoken to.
    “Do you have thoughts on this, Edgar?”
The old man still seemed hesitant. “After all,” Colm nudged, “You
have more experience in these matters.”
    Edgar cleared his throat and began a
long discussion of the pros and cons. He was toothless and his
words were sometimes difficult to understand but the choice was
clear enough: a ram to impregnate the ewes would mean not having to
ask for this service from another’s animal; on the other hand,
every flock required a wether or two to protect it and show some
sense to the ewes, who were taken up with lambs and milk, and the
rams, whose brains were all balls. There was no question, this
year, of slaughtering the animal for meat – that must await the
time that there were so many sheep that this kind of decision would
be a simple, everyday occurrence. Then something Edgar said caught
Colm’s ear.
    “You say that Ketil has a good ram?”
    “He has a spotted brown. Both its
parents were spotted, too. His dam bears twins two times in three
and gives an extra week’s milk. His sire had many offspring, good
wethers and breeders, too.”
    “You think we should breed to this
ram?”
    “Oh, aye…” Edgar shrugged. Colm knew
there was more to be said.
    “What else?”
    “Well, Ketil has some doubts about
breeding to this ram. Last season, many births were strange,
including a two-headed ewe.”
    “Is the ram cursed?”
    Edgar shrugged, “Who can say? But…” He
shrugged again.
    Colm called up patience and wheedled old
Edgar into speech.
    “Well,” said the old man, “The old ram,
this one’s sire is gone. Oh, that was a feast! He