‘Or there’s no wind at all?’ piped his brother.

‘You’ll need to row.’

‘That’s where we come in.’

Erlan looked them up and down. They were lanky brutes, that was for sure, and they had some nerve if they thought he’d even consider it. They also had a point. He couldn’t row the knarr on his own. He remembered his father’s helmsman, Esbjorn, always said a tall man with a strong back was the best sort on the end of an oar. Here were two of them. ‘I don’t even know where I’m going.’

‘South, ain’t it?’ said Adalrik.

‘And far away from here,’ added Leikr.

‘That’ll do for us.’ The pair of them were grinning like crescent moons.

Erlan scowled. ‘Go on then. Stow your gear in the bows.’

The twins yelped with delight. Adalrik punched Leikr for good measure. There was no doubt they knew their way round a boat, and probably better than Erlan. In a short while they had everything ready. Erlan untied the bows and pushed the prow into the stream, wading along the steer-board side through the biting cold water.

There was a sudden drumming noise in the boat.

‘Yargh!’ squawked Adalrik. ‘The damn dog’s pissed all over me!’ He leaped up while Leikr cracked into paroxysms of laughter.

‘Aye. He does that. There’s a bucket under there.’ Erlan pointed forwards.

He held the boat while Adalrik sluiced away Aska’s piss. This done, Erlan was about to jump in the boat when he cast a final glance towards the hall. He noticed a small shadow crouched twenty yards up the bank. ‘Someone’s watching us.’

A small pair of eyes was twinkling in the gloom. ‘The little brat,’ Adalrik growled in disbelief.

‘Who is it?’

‘Our baby sister.’

‘Your sister! What in Odin’s arse is this? Some family migration?’

‘Tikki!’ hissed Adalrik. ‘Come ’ere!’ The shadow rose to its full height – which wasn’t much – and trotted down to the water.

‘Did you tell her what we were doing?’ Adalrik asked his brother accusingly.

‘Mebbe I did. She woke up. She knew something was up and said she’d start yelling if I didn’t tell.’

‘Idiot.’

‘I want to come with you,’ said the girl.

‘You must be mad!’ laughed Leikr.

‘Get rid of her,’ snarled Erlan.

‘So where are we going?’ she asked, already wading out to the boat.

‘I said get rid of her. Else you can all of you piss off and I’ll sail west.’

Adalrik went to the bows and rummaged around in his gear. He soon returned and crouched down so his face was level with hers.

‘We’re off to find the king of kings, little sister. But it’s too dangerous for the likes of you. Stay here and we’ll tell you all about it when we come home.’

‘Papa will come after you.’