Free Viking Boy by Tony Bradman

breath was driven from his body. He held on to the knife though, keeping it hidden in his clenched fist while a couple of men lashed him and Rurik to the posts. “Well, Rurik, are you ready to die?” Ari shouted from the quayside. “Any last words for us? Or has your wit finally failed you?”
    Gunnar looked up at Ari and Vigdis and the crowd. He thought about the knife again and turned it over in his hand. He would have to wait until he was under the water to cut himself free. What then? There was a crowd watching, so he’d have to swim off underwater to escape. But where could he go? If he headed out to sea he’d drown just the same. And what about Rurik?
    “Well, there’s one good thing about dying, Ari,” said Rurik. “At least after tonight I won’t ever have to look at your ugly face again.”
    There was a great roar of laughter from the crowd, and Ari scowled. “I should have killed you when I had the chance!” he yelled.
    “You mean when four men were holding me down?” said Rurik. “They’re lucky you didn’t try. You’d probably have killed one of them instead!”
    The laughter was louder this time, and Ari scowled so fiercely it looked as if his face was folding in on itself. But then Gunnar saw the old man from the God House standing just behind Ari, smiling beneath his wide-brimmed hat. Gunnar felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. So it
had
been him!
    “I’ve a good mind to come back down there and kill you now,” Ari yelled.
    “Don’t you dare, Ari!” screamed Vigdis. “Orm said he was to drown!”
    “Don’t argue with her, Ari,” said Rurik. “She’ll take your other ear off.”
    The crowd roared again, but Gunnar was watching the old man. He moved forward, peered over the quayside, then sought Gunnar’s eyes. Of course – the quayside was supported by thick pilings, and behind them was a space which the sea never filled, however high the tide. If they could swim there underwater no one would see them from above, and they could wait till the crowd had gone.
    “The tide’s coming in!” someone yelled, and the crowd cheered.
    Gunnar looked down. Sea water was rolling over the mud, making pools that swiftly overflowed. Soon it was up to his ankles, and rising steadily.

T HIRTEEN
F OOD FOR THE F ISHES

    G UNNAR BEGAN SAWING at the bonds on his wrists, and soon his hands were free. Dealing with the rope round his chest would be harder. He would have to wait till the sea covered it. And he still had to work out what to do about Rurik.
    “I’m sorry, Gunnar,” Rurik said suddenly. “You don’t deserve to die like this.”
    “I don’t intend to,” muttered Gunnar. The ships in the harbour stirred and creaked. Small waves slapped against their hulls, and the sea chuckled under their keels. Up on the quayside the crowd grew even noisier, and the old man from the God House had disappeared.
    “You must try to accept it, Gunnar.” Rurik’s voice was soft and sad. “This is our fate. It seems neither of us will be going to Valhalla.”
    “But I can save us, Rurik. I’ve got a knife.”
    “I should have died a warrior’s death…” Rurik said wistfully. “Do you really want to know what happened to me in Miklagard?”
    Gunnar groaned in frustration. He wanted to yell and scream at Rurik and shock him out of his despair. They didn’t have time to worry about such things – the tide was coming in quickly and the water was already up to Gunnar’s waist. But Rurik’s story might be important. “I’m listening,” Gunnar said.
    “I betrayed my brother,” said Rurik. “We had always been close – only two summers separated us. So we took the road to Miklagard together, and as I was the older I swore an oath that I would look after him. We fought the Greek Emperor’s enemies many times side by side. But on the day he was cut down by barbarian raiders I was sleeping off the ale I had drunk the night before.”
    “That wasn’t a betrayal. You might not have