Sea-Wolf's Bargain

For a week they had sailed that brutal sea, hammered by vicious waves and numbed by the bitter wind. The men were exhausted, and one boat had vanished, her crew taken by the dark gray water. Squinting through the downpour, the chief strained to pick out the coast beyond the solid sheet of rain. They ought to be near now, and in weather this foul, they would likely reach shore without being seen. That suited him. The warriors could make camp and rest in the dry caves overnight, in a hidden place he'd chanced upon during his reconnaissance trip. No one would discover them there. He grinned, giving silent thanks to Aldor[i] for the help. Months of preparation were nearly over, and all of it was unfolding as planned. Tomorrow, they would begin the final phase. Tomorrow, every bit of this should belong to him... [i]Norse creator deity linked to wisdom, war, the arts, culture, and the dead.