A Short Tale From Norse America: A Valkyrie of Vinland: The Markland Settlement Saga

By Colin Taber

A Valkyrie of Vinland.

Gylla, Bjorn and her crew are marooned on new shores as an early winter closes in fast and fierce.

There are friends, foes, and a mysterious treasure, and that's all before the gods intervene!

Welcome to the early years of Norse America!

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A Valkyrie of Vinland is a standalone short story.

If you have already discovered Colin Taber's alternate history setting, The United States of Vinland (USV), this tale is placed in that timeline midway between USV#3: Loki's Rage and USV#4: Odin's Hall. Familiarity with the broader USV series and characters is not required. This short story is approximately 30 pages long and is a standalone tale.

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The Markland Settlement Saga series (including separately published short stories) reading order is:

• The United States Of Vinland (USV#1): The Landing
• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#1): Young Ravens & Hidden Blades
• The United States Of Vinland (USV#2): Red Winter
• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#2): Old Gods (written with permission by L.E. Sheppard)
• The United States Of Vinland (USV#3): Loki's Rage
• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#3): Hunted (written with permission by L.E. Sheppard)

And coming in 2022 and early 2023:

• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#4): A Valkyrie of Vinland
• The United States Of Vinland (USV#4): Odin's Hall
• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#5): A Wolf's Call
• The United States Of Vinland (USV#5): Markland Aflame
• A Short Tale From Norse America (ASTFNA#6): Blood of Bears

This open-ended alternate history series will continue with future installments chronicling the eventual founding and rise of one of the greatest nations the world has ever seen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Thought Stream Creative Services
• Release date: Jul 28, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201785789

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: A Valkyrie of Vinland

The Markland Settlement Saga

Colin Taber

Published by Thought Stream Creative Services, 2022.

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

A SHORT TALE FROM NORSE AMERICA: A VALKYRIE OF VINLAND

First edition. July 28, 2022.

Copyright © 2022 Colin Taber.

ISBN: 979-8201785789

Written by Colin Taber.

Also by Colin Taber

DragonTide

The Rising (Coming Soon)

A Storm's Roar (Coming Soon)

A New Day's Hope (Coming Soon)

The Constellation Series

The Dying Lights (Coming Soon)

The Markland Settlement Saga

The United States of Vinland: The Landing

The United States of Vinland: Red Winter

The United States of Vinland: Loki's Rage

The United States Of Vinland: Odin's Hall (Coming Soon)

United States of Vinland: Markland Aflame (Coming Soon)

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

A Short Tale From Norse America: A Valkyrie of Vinland

The Ossard Series

The Fall of Ossard

Ossard's Hope

Ossard's Shadow

Ossard Rising

Lae Ossard: One White Rose

Lae Ossard: Two Souls Grae

Lae Ossard: Three Fates Red (Coming Soon)

The Ossard Series (Books 1-3)

The Red, White And Blue Universe

Red#1: Burning Skies

White#1: Burning Skies (Coming Soon)

Blue#1: Burning Skies (Coming Soon)

The United States of Vinland

The United States of Vinland: 4 Tales From Norse America

Watch for more at Colin Taber’s site.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Also By Colin Taber

Dedication

A Valkyrie of Vinland | Velkomvik, Vinland | These events begin after Loki’s Rage.

Also By Colin Taber

About the Author

To my long patient readers.

My apologies for the delay in releases, but look for big things in the coming 12 monts.

With Ossard wrapping up in December 2022, I'll be locked on to USV!

A Valkyrie of Vinland

Velkomvik, Vinland

These events begin after Loki’s Rage.

Gylla, daughter of Eskil the Founder, stepped out from Agmundr the Shipwright’s hall and into the dawn. She looked to the east, where the sunrise painted the frosted autumn pasture before her in gold under a fresh blue sky. The morning was not only clear but chill. Thankfully, the wind was absent, leaving the waters of the sheltered bay behind her calm.

She could feel it. Soon enough, the first snows of winter would be here.

The shipwright’s Icelanders set a watch each night to keep an eye on the approaches to their camp. The site was made up of their ship anchored just off the gravel beach, a hurriedly built timber hall with a sod roof the shipwright had already led his people in completing, and another that still rose beside it. There were also some small shacks used to dry fish, as well as seal and reindeer meat. Between the two buildings, they had a few pens to hold their pigs and sheep.

With Agmundr’s sixty people, plus Gylla’s own crew of eleven, the place was already starting to feel less like a camp and more like a settlement that was several years old.

While the Icelanders had originally been seeking Markland far to the north – and Lakeland in particular – as part of Ineke’s fleet, they now seemed content to stay where they had landed. Under Agmundr’s leadership, they knew they did not have to travel any further. They could farm, hunt and fish in Vinland as they began their new lives in the lands of the west.

She did not blame them.

The time she had already spent here had shown her greener pastures, deeper woods, more game,