Read Catla and the Vikings for Free Online

that’ll help?” She crossed her arms in front of her chest and flounced her head away from him. “It’ll make it worse.”
    â€œNay, Catla. Talking helps. A shared worry becomes smaller. You’ll see.”
    Sven should know what she’d seen yesterday. It was his village too. But his comments had made her angry. “I’ve already told you. Do I have to tell it again?” she said.
    â€œNot the part about you seeing the smoke and running up the hill, but could you tell me what you remember about the village?”
    â€œCottages were burning, and smoke covered everything. Dogs were barking, and there was a Norse warship in the harbor. Two boys, maybe my brothers, herded the pigs, and…”
    â€œHold on a bit, Catla. Slow down. Draw me a word picture. Can you remember how many cottages were actually in flames?”
    Catla took in a slow deep breath to steady herself and uncrossed her arms. She thought harder about what she had seen. She told him again about the Nord-devils and their axes, cottages on fire and the way people were hidden and then revealed by the swirling smoke. “Do you think the Nord-devils will have killed anyone?”
    â€œI don’t know.” Sven shook his head, looking sad.
    â€œThe Nord-devils pushed everyone toward the goat pen. It would make a good prison. They’d only need a few guards.”
    â€œI agree. How do you know the Vikings were Norsemen? Maybe they were Danes.”
    â€œThey spoke Norse. I heard it but was too far away to hear what they said. I know a few words. Old Ingrid taught me a little Norse, and Father and Mother speak it some. Besides, the ship was a warship like those that sailed past the cove on their way to battle some days ago.”
    â€œAll right. How many Norsemen were there?”
    â€œI couldn’t tell. I tried to count but I just don’t know.”
    â€œDid it seem like a lot? More than our village?”
    â€œMaybe so,” Catla said. “There was one ship in our cove. I don’t know how many men it takes to sail one of those. It was really long.”
    â€œNot many or quite a few, depending on how far they go. They’d plan on using captured slaves to work the oars. They’d get about thirty rowers from our village. They might be planning to raid other villages as well.”
    â€œAigber.” They said it at the same time.
    â€œWe need to hurry” said Catla, and they picked up their speed. “That’s all I remember. I ducked down and then made myself look again, but there was even more smoke by that time, so I couldn’t see any better. I was so scared, Sven. Still am.”
    They walked in silence for a while, and then Catla said, “I do feel a little lighter. Let’s talk about something else now. Why do you know this path so well, Sven? You’re not a smuggler, are you?”
    â€œSmuggler? What gave you that idea?”
    â€œI don’t know. Olav talked to me about smuggling. He’d like to see it stopped.”
    â€œWhat do you think, Catla?’
    Sven’s question caught her by surprise. He wanted her opinion. And he looked interested.
    â€œDo you use a willow twig on your teeth, Sven?” she asked.
    He laughed. “Yes, but what has that got to do with smuggling?”
    â€œMaybe nothing. Likely, nothing.” But she smiled at him in return.
    â€œOlav says smugglers expect real coins for pay,” Catla said. “If people have coins, he says they shouldn’t buy from smugglers.”
    â€œIt’s not always like that, but I agree in some ways,” Sven said. “Some fellows I know in Aigber and York have talked about smuggling, but I’ve never done it. Only wondered how it’s done. I’ve never been all the way to Aigber. My pals from Aigber have come to Covehithe many a time. My cottage was a good meeting place with Father gone so much. I got quite good at picking up the trails on