The Northman - Sample

It wasn’t much of a ferry and he wasn’t much of a ferryman. Considering the river was in full flood, swooping and swirling, filled with broken boughs and even whole trees, not to mention the odd corpse.

Aedan regarded the thin old man who proposed to take him across this torrent. The ferryman stood shivering in the driving rain, hand outstretched for Aedan’s last silver penny. He must be stupid or desperate. Aedan watched another fresh corpse circling, caught briefly in an eddy. An arrow stuck out right between its shoulder blades . The Danes would work their way down river looking for a crossing point with ruthless efficiency. It seemed that Aedan was desperate too.

“When we are safe on the other side old man.” He waved the silver penny at the starving old wretch,

“Now! I want it now!” Aedan laughed aloud,

“Perhaps you’d rather wait for the Danes, they will pay you well, in steel not good silver coin.” He was impatient now and getting angry,

“You have to cross anywayold fool!” That was certainly true, even the old man could see the sense of it. The Danes would kill him out of hand. He gestured angrily with a gnarled paw,

“Quick then, …my lord.” Aedan laughed again, the old devil had some wit at least.

            He jumped into the crude little punt bringing the rope with him and sat in the stern. The old man took up the oars suddenly emboldened by activity and the desire to survive. He kicked a long pole at Aedan,

“Fend off anything that might sink us, … my lord.” Aedan took the pole and considered where he would shove it when they reached the other side, if they reached the other side.

            Just out from the shore the current took them powerfully, inevitably downstream on a wild, terrifying ride. It was all the old man could do to keep her headed towards the other bank. Every muscle and sinew in his withered old carcass stood out with the exertion. He was stronger than he looked. Aedan was soon distracted, kept busy with the pole.

The old man deftly wove a course around invisible channels and great boulders that he had probably sat on in the summer. Now they shoved up massive plumes of brown river water any one of which could have drowned them both, but for the old man. He was constantly casting anxious looks up and downstream looking for danger and making small adjustments to their course. Aedan reflected that maybe he would let the old man keep the silver penny.

            Just yards from the shore Aedan’s heart leapt as the little craft twirled around in the current seemingly out of control. But the old man was still completely, miraculously, master of the river. He roared,

“Take the rope and jump out when you can.” Aedan crouched, one hand on the gunwale ready to vault off. It didn’t look good. With a flick of the oars the old man brought her round so that she was swept up against the bank pointing upstream. Aedan jumped over a half undermined Willow pointing out from the bank, praying it wouldn’t fall into the river just yet. It held. The rope snapped tight as he got a couple of loops around the thickest part of the tree. He tied it off and dodged around the tree to help the old man but he was already ashore and tying another line from the stern. They’d done it!

            Aedan whooped and danced with elation, the pure joy of being alive. The old man allowed himself a smile,

“I’ve crossed in worse.” He proudly held out his open hand. Aedan danced over and took the old man by the shoulders,

“By the Gods, you’ve fairly earned your silver penny old man, for a while there I thought we were done for.” The old man took his penny and it vanished into some secret recess about his person.

“I’m Christian.” He gestured towards the little boat,

“Help me lift her out of the water, there’s more rain in that sky.” Aedan shook his head still smiling,

“Thanks be to your God then!” He held out his hand,

“I am Aedan Ardagh son of Col, I thank you for your service.” The old man seemed shy now,

“Alan the ferryman, son of no bloody idea.” The both burst into laughter and bent together to haul out the little boat.