We've been together fifteen years since... and it's the only time I've ever seen her angry. Ylva was my mother's name. It was the first thing that came into my head. I think... that was the moment. Ever since, I've been afraid of battle. That's why I fled.— Thors Snorresson
Night Wake (夜の航海 Yoru no Kōkai?) is the 10th chapter of the Vinland Saga series.
Overview[]
Sailing the boat at night, Ari talks with Thors who reminisces about the day of Ylva's birth and the name he gave her. He also tells Ari that the birth of his daughter changed him and which was the catalyst of why he fled from the Jomsvikings. Arriving at the Faroe Islands, the group is ambushed in the narrowed entrance to the village.
Summary[]
It is nighttime and Thors's ship quietly sails forward along Leif's knarr. Thorfinn sleeps in Thors's lap while Ari, tired, looks out to the sea. He is impressed when Leif corrects Thors's course and takes the lead, wondering how he can tell which way to go without seeing anything, not even the stars. Thors warns Ari to not look too hard into the night sea, as it'll suck him in. Ari asks Thors what the battlefield is like, wanting to hear some heroic tales and hoping to become a man himself by taking down an enemy captain. Thors tells Ari he'll have a tough fight ahead of him, since Ylva has a thing for strong men. Ari is flustered Thors noticed he likes Ylva, and Thors asks if he loves her. Ari says he supposes he does, as she's a pretty girl.
Helga, the only time Thors ever saw her angry, tells Thors to name their daughter
Thors tells Ari that Ylva, his firstborn, was born when he was still with the Jomsvikings. In a flashback, he is seen holding the newborn Ylva roughly, noting she is a "noisy thing" and asking the women assisting his wife if there's something wrong with her and if all babies are so loud. The women panic and ask Thors to support her head. Thors tells Helga, recovering in bed after a hard birth, to give him a son next, as it's what the Chief (Helga's father) wants. Helga asks Thors to give their daughter a name, but Thors dismissively tells her to pick something out as he is busy and must leave for Norway. As he goes to leave, Helga yells out his name and tells him to give their daughter a name. Thors notes that in fifteen years together, it is the only time he ever saw Helga angry. Ari seems disappointed that this is the story Thors chose to tell after he asked for a "heroic tale". Thors tells him that Ylva was his mother's name and the first thing that came into his head. He says it was the moment he became afraid of battle, and why he fled.
As they start making their way into the inlet, Leif notices something feels off
Leif calls out from his knarr, letting Thors know the Faroes are ahead. Thorfinn wakes up and asks his father if they have made it to England, but Leif tells him they have just reached the Faroe Islands located between Iceland and Norway. They will stop there to catch their breath, replenish their water and trade supplies in a village within the inlet, which will make their journey easier. Ari asks Thorfinn if he really thought they'd bring him all the way to England. Thorfinn stubbornly says yes. As they start rowing into the inlet, Leif suddenly stops beating his drum. Thors asks him what's wrong; Leif says something is not right. After a moment, he says there are fewer houses in the village ahead and the last time he was there. Thors tells Leif they should turn back, as he doesn't like the feel of the place and the terrain is bad for them.
Askeladd's men, watching the inlet from overhead, notice the ships are turning back
Up on the inlet cliffs, Askeladd's men look at the ships below, realizing their quarry is on to them and turning around and noting they're cautious and may be toughter than they look. Despite being closer than ideal, they one of the men instructs the others to lose debris over the ships below to deal the ships as much damage as possible. Below, Thors and the others look up as rocks and wood fall on them from overhead.
Characters in Order of Appearance[]
- Ari
- Thors Snorresson
- Thorfinn
- Mols
- Leif Ericson
- Ylva (Flashback)
- Helga (Flashback)
- Hakon
- Mord
- Magni
- Grim