Toki smiled, then laughed. Raven's Talon had lost sections of railing and spots of decking had loosened. Otherwise, she had survived. He did not believe his old ship had come through such a storm without becoming swamped or capsized. He squeezed his eyes shut and silently thanked Thor for the mercy, grabbing the silver hammer hanging about his neck. Without looking, he knew the others were doing the same.
"Is everyone alive?" he called out. "The storm has passed us."
Einar was the first up, then pulling his mother to her feet. Gerdie sobbed and hugged him. Toki turned back to Halla and raised her up. "You are fine. See? We have survived."
Halla's clear eyes were wide in terror and she merely looked at him, clumps of wet hair hanging over her face. Toki smiled, but she stood mute. He took a knife and cut the rope tether from her arm, then did the same for himself. Dana stood under her own power, and offered the tether for him to cut.
Toki checked each person to reassure them and check for injuries. Gerdie's shoulder had twisted and her arm was numb. Otherwise, bruises and rope burns were the worst damages. Runa nodded wearily and waved him away when he tried to help with her tether. Instead he knelt down to Gunnar. His face was serious and stern. Toki held his breath a moment; he swore Ulfrik was looking at him from Gunnar's eyes.
"You were a brave man," Toki said, bracing Gunnar's small shoulder.
"No I wasn't. I cried."
"We all did, Gunnar."
"Father told me not to cry and to obey my mother. She told me not to cry, too."
Toki shook his head, glanced up at Runa who seemed oblivious. "I think he'd make an exception this time. It's natural to be scared when death is near. Just don't let the fear rule you. You did well today. Now continue to take care of your mother. You'll do that, won't you?"
Gunnar nodded with the sober solemnity of a child. Toki patted his head and stood, now addressing Runa. "You're not hurt?" She looked away and shook her head. Toki continued, "I've been in worse storms, but I didn't think this old ship could take it. She really took the beating well."
Runa now fixed him in her gaze, her brow drawn tight. "If we had stayed in sight of land, we could've avoided the storm. Now we are in the middle of the ocean, and you don't know where we are."
"Of course I know where we are," he said, his stomach sinking. He had vague idea, but the storm had buffeted them for what seemed hours. Without stars in the sky or land on the horizon, he was only guessing.
"You looked away when you said that," Runa said gently. "You could never hold my eyes when you lie, not since we were children."
"Well I'm not lying now," he lied. "I marked our heading before the clouds covered the sky. When the sun is out again, I will pick up the course."
Runa stared at him, her eyes flinty and her jaw flexing. He thought she would strike him, but her shoulders fell and she exhaled. "I hope so. I hope the gods didn't spare us only to have us die lost at sea."
Gunnar suddenly interceded, pulling Runa's sopping skirt. "Uncle Toki is the best sailor in the world. Father said so. He can sail to the edge of the world and back. Don't worry, Mother."
Toki laughed. "Listen to your son. When the sun is up, we will get a bearing and make up the lost time."
A dim smile played on Runa's face. She lightly brushed Gunnar's smooth cheek and looked out at the black water.
Toki focused everyone on recovery. They worked stiffly to clear debris and account for damage. At first the sea fought them, rocking Raven's Talon and making the slick deck treacherous. Soon the waters calmed and the sky lightened to an exhausted gray. The water flattened out like an iron pan beneath a heavy cover of clouds. After several hours there was nothing more to do. Without work to focus on, worry set in.
He scanned the skies constantly, finding it gray and the sun hidden behind thick clouds. The other men began to do the same, and Toki realized how vexing it was to see them checking the skies. The women started to do the same, though he knew none of them understood navigation.
"I don't know where we are. There's nothing to show us the way." Thrand looked expectantly at Toki; even his lazy eye seemed to pierce him.
"These clouds won't last forever. Let's just give it time."
"But the wind is blowing us somewhere."
"Gods! Do you expect me to blow the ship back to shore myself? Give the weather some fucking time to change!"
Toki's outburst drew everyone to him. He felt like a lone man in the center of an enemy attack. Faces were flat and expressionless. He felt lines of anger pulling down his cheeks. He shook his head, and rubbed his face briskly.
"Toki, we are lost, aren't we?" Halla's voice was small and fragile, but it tinkled like a silver bell in the stillness of the sea. She stepped forward, her hair matted and her clothes clinging to her body. "Aren't we, Toki?"
"We are not lost, but we might be off course. There's a difference. I just need the sun or a landmark to show me where I am." He smiled, but Halla did not. No one did. Toki felt his chest tighten. "Well, look for yourselves. Can anyone say where we are right now? It's all the same until the clouds break or we get some other sign. Listen, have you ever known clouds to last forever? They'll break, and then I'll reset the course."
"We're lost," Halla said quietly. She hugged herself and looked at the others. Then her lip began to tremble and her voice grew shrill. "We are lost at sea. Like in the stories of men who sail away and never return. We are going to die out here."
"Don't be foolish," Toki shouted. "You're just scared. Don't speak like we are doomed."
"Foolish?" Halla's voice hit a new height, setting Toki's teeth on edge. "Then where are we? Where are we headed? You don't know! No one knows! We could be heading deeper into the ocean, and we've got nothing to eat nor enough water to drink. It's a disaster!"
"Be quiet, Halla!" Toki stepped toward her, felt his hand itching. Halla reacted as if he had struck her. She leapt back, screeching, and then tears started to flow.
"You led me away from home to kill me at sea! How could you? How could you think of hitting me?" Dana, her slave, grabbed her arm and whispered to her. But Halla tore her arm away. "I'm going to die, and for what? Nothing!"
Toki did not see Runa coming. She flashed beside him, then she strode to Halla. Her blow thudded on Halla's face. She collapsed to the deck with a yelp, holding her cheek. Dana moved but Runa flashed her eyes at her, and Dana stood down. "Your screeching is not helping us either. Calm yourself and mind what you say. You are on this ship because you chose to run away with my brother. This is Fate, so accept it."
Runa turned and faintly smiled at Toki, who stood bewildered. Runa then swept her gaze around to everyone. "Toki does not control the wind or the skies. But he is the best sailor any of you know. So respect him, listen to him. Let no one blame another for this. It is the work of the gods alone. If we are lost, we are lost. We must discover where we are and where we can find help. Until the sun or stars shine again, be silent." She looked down at Halla. "No one is interested in opinions. We all want facts, which can't be had until there's more to see than clouds."
Runa massaged the back of the hand that had struck Halla. She smiled broadly and then rejoined Gunnar who stood behind Toki. As she brushed past him she spoke in a near-whisper. "It felt good to shut her up."
Toki rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at his sister, with Gerdie at her side and patting her back. Then he looked at Halla, struggling to her feet with Dana helping her. The three men stood in between, faces red with embarrassment. Finally, Toki faced the sky. It had not changed.