A Short Tale From Norse America: Young Ravens & Hidden Blades: The Markland Settlement Saga

By Colin Taber

Two Norse boys, a raft, and some unbroken rules to test.

Join Ulfarr and Brandr in the new Norse settlements west of Greenland, as they do what adventurous boys do best; push boundaries.

Welcome to the early years of Norse America!

***

Young Ravens and Hidden Blades is a standalone short story that reads as a boys adventure tale.

If you have already discovered Colin Taber's alternate history setting, The United States of Vinland (USV), this short takes place in Markland (what we know as Labrador, around 1000 years ago), and is placed in that timeline midway between USV#1: The Landing and USV#2: Loki's Rage.

Familiarity with the broader USV series and characters is not required.

This short story is approximately 30 pages long and is a standalone ebook. For paperback readers of USV, this tale will be included in the front of USV#2: Loki's Rage as bonus material.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thought Stream Creative Services
• Release date: Aug 5, 2013
• ISBN: 9781498917155

Colin Taber

  Colin Taber was born in Australia in 1970 and announced his intention to be a writer at the innocent age of 6. His father, an accountant, provided some cautious advice, suggesting that life might be easier if his son pursued a more predictable vocation. Colin didn't listen. Over the past twenty years Colin's had over a hundred magazine articles published, notably in Australian Realms Magazine. In 2009 his first novel, The Fall of Ossard, was released to open his coming of age dark fantasy series, The Ossard Trilogy. The second installment, Ossard's Hope, followed in 2011 and was supported by a national book signing tour. Currently Colin is working on the final book in that trilogy, Lae Ossard, and his new series The United States of Vinland. Colin has done many things over the years, from working in bookshops to event management, small press publishing, landscape design and even tree farming. All he really wants to do, though, is to get back to his oak grove and be left to write. Thankfully, with an enthusiastic and growing readership, that day is coming. He currently haunts the west coast city of Perth.

Book preview

A Short Tale From Norse America: Young Ravens & Hidden Blades

The Markland Settlement Saga

Colin Taber

Published by Thought Stream Creative Services, 2013.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

A SHORT TALE FROM NORSE AMERICA: YOUNG RAVENS & HIDDEN BLADES

First edition. August 5, 2013.

Copyright © 2013 Colin Taber.

ISBN: 978-1498917155

Written by Colin Taber.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

A Short Tale From Norse America: | Young Ravens & Hidden Blades

Sign up for Colin Taber's Mailing List

Also By Colin Taber

A Short Tale From Norse America:

Young Ravens & Hidden Blades

The two boys ran across the grass-covered hills under the midday sun. They dodged shrubs and jumped lichen-spotted rocks that punctuated the thin soil. Neck and neck, they raced down into gullies hosting sprays of summer wildflowers and shallow streams, and startled birds and hares that fed and sheltered as best they could in the windswept landscape.

The boys, despite pumping their ten-year-old legs to reach their destination, found the breath to tease each other that the ghost of the Godsland Wolf was chasing them down.

She’s at your heels! cried Ulfarr, son of Eskil, the founder of Markland, the new Norse settlements in the west.

Brandr, son of Ballr, laughed, but answered by barging his blond-haired friend with his shoulder to send him careening away. A few breaths later, he cried out, No, she’s not after me, but you! She wants the son of the man who came to steal Godsland away from her!

They both laughed as they raced on, crying out and trying to knock each other off their feet.

Soon enough they reached their destination — the rocky shore where they had left their raft.

Ulfarr announced, A draw!

Brandr laughed as they slowed. I let you win!

Ulfarr chuckled as he shook his head and waved his friend toward the raft. Come, let us get it into the water.

They had put the raft together during the last summer, building it with driftwood and finishing it off with some rope and planks. Godsland, the gateway to the new western settlements for ships coming in from Greenland, held a fair supply of both. Eskil had let his son take some off-cuts, as long as he promised never to cross the channel or land alone in the rival lands of Lakeland.

Dazzled by visions of grand voyages,