athelstanthescribe | (no subject)

"I never planned to sail at night," Ragnar says. "That's dangerous!"

He grins.

"Then we have every reason to stop and make camp."

"So," Ragnar says, "let us collect the bones of this boy, and some coin, and cover the rest of it safely. And then, we can do all that we planned."

He smiles.

"Let's. And we can come back for the rest in small amounts."

"And when we find the magic place again, we can fetch what we want to take there."

"If we do. We'll keep some back against that day."

"And the vessels; there must be a cross as well?" Ragnar says. "For the church there."

"There will be, somewhere in here", Athelstan says with a nod. "Is there a prayer that needs to be said for the boy?"

"We'll sacrifice something when we rebury him down in Kattegat, among people," Ragnar says. "A young male goat, for example. The blood will wash off enough of the duty Earl Haraldsson placed him under."

A young male goat -- strong but expendable, like this poor boy.

"Good. You know what needs to be done. I can select the goat, if you like."

"Yes," Ragnar says.

He starts gathering the thin bones onto his leather jerkin, very carefully.

Athelstan kneels down and begins to help him, handling the bones with tender reverence.

"Do you remember his name?"

"... Bjarni," Ragnar says. "I think."

"Bjarni", Athelstan says softly. "It'll have to do. No one should be buried without a name."

"Lagertha would have known for sure," Ragnar says.

"Perhaps some of the survivors from the village will remember."

"Yes," Ragnar says. "There are still some left that we can ask."

Athelstan nods.

"And at worst, we can bury him as Bjarni."

"At least, he will be buried, and free to go to his afterlife," Ragnar says.

On top of the gathered bones, he gently puts the skull.

"And there's a chance of Valhalla for him?"

"He did die a warrior," Ragnar says, as a way of saying yes.

Athelstan nods.

"It's in the gods' hands, of course, but it's good he has a chance."

"Yes," Ragnar says. He carefully goes through the loose earth and the gold, to make sure they have all the bones.

"Now, coin. Can you put some in your belt pouch? I will as well."

"There's always a bit of room in there, in case I find something..."

He wraps the boy's bones in the jerkin, then reaches for a handful of coins.

Ragnar picks some as well -- a not so small fortune, in fact -- and then starts carefully covering up the rest of the hoard again.