Raven Sails
Standing at the highest point above their home, she prayed they’d return this night.
It was three moons since they’d watched the raven sails leave their harbour. Bjørn had come to her, giving her a lingering kiss before leaping aboard the longboat. “Never fear, Frain. We will return when the midnight sun is at its zenith. I’ll be home before my son is born.”
She felt a twinge in her back, a pulling ache in her belly, but still she stared into the midnight sun. In the distance she saw the raven sails at last. The longboats were coming home.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleSo is there a history behind this sweet story, Carrie?
Purely my fascination with the midnight sun, Margarida. I could just imagine the viking men leaving in their longboats and using the moon and / or the midnight sun to tell the passage of time. The time when the midnight sun is at its zenith would be midsummer day, so I’m sure the child will be blessed by the gods if born that day.
A sweet tale, Carrie. I felt the longing. I’m glad Bjorn returned in time before his son is born. Lovely.
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, Lotchie. I think any mother would want to know her husband is safe from the sea before her child is born. My Viking mother is very strong and determined and had great faith he would come home. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
You’re welcome, Carrie.
How nice with a Viking story, Carrie! You have well described the fate of many women at the time, waiting and hoping to see signs of their ships far out in the sea. You paint a beautiful and exotic picture of one of those women, looking into the midnight sun. However, I doubt that a Viking woman actually could see the midnight sun. It’s true that in the northern countries you have… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThanks for your comments, Christer. I did do my research and there were some clans in Norway that lived north of the arctic circle with north facing shores. I do wonder if it’s these clans that eventually found their way to Iceland and Greenland. To get to England they would have had to follow their coastline to the south first.
For anyone who may be interested after reading Christer’s comment, this is the area of Norway where my Viking clan is based. I did a lot of research both online and Google Maps to find an area where the phenomenon would occur for my Viking protagonist:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjarkøy
Thanks for your information, Carrie! I had no idea that Vikings came from the areas in the northernmost part of Norway. Interesting! Concerning the colonization of Iceland, it happened during the 880s, after Harald Hairfair had united Norway into one single kingdom. This was not accepted by some of the wealthy families who preferred to leave for Iceland. In Iceland, a serious punishment by the court (the Althing) was to “outlaw” a… Read more »
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThis is a lovely story, Carrie.
Thank you, Thompson. Glad you enjoyed it.
Excellent work, Carrie ?
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To Leave Comments - Please SignIn with GoogleThank you, thought I’d better do one that didn’t associate midnight with evil doings!