A chapter in which Wyn chucks somebody overboard

My eyes flew open at the sound of yells and cries. What on earth?! I gripped the bow that I'd been given at Sir William's castle. Suddenly it seemed a lot more flimsy then before. There was a thunder of steps coming down into the hold of the ship. I nervously pulled an arrow out of the quiver laying next to the bow and strung it.

"Boy! Boy, where are you?!"

I breathed a sigh of relief. Sir William! Thank goodness!

I tried to deepen my voice as I asked, "What's going on, sir?"

"We've been attacked!" his eyes looked crazed. "By Norse pirates! We're going to be killed!"

"Where are we on the coast?" I demanded, not believing how calm I was feeling.

Sir William's eyes flew about, distracted. "I...I think we're by France, but I can't remember. Oh, we're going to die!"

I glared at him. "We're not going to die. Now follow me." I strung the bow and quiver on my back and started towards the steps out of the hold.

I stumbled along the hallway where the crews' cabins were, my legs still not used to the sea. Sir William tripped after me. The sounds of a fight grew louder to my ears. We didn't have much time. I kicked open one of the doors. Just as I'd thought--there was a porthole. I breathed a sigh of relief and quickly pulled Sir William inside.

I opened the little window. "Out," I commanded.

He gave his stomach a look, and then the little window a look, and then he dived out. He ended up making it--after I pushed. ("Push harder! Push harder!") I was rewarded by the sight of Sir William disappearing and a loud splash! below. I didn't give it a second thought. I dived through.

It was freezing cold water. Sir William was floundering, the ship pulling away from us. I could see the coastline of France just a little ways off. I quickly grabbed Sir William and started to swim him towards the shore, glad that I knew how to swim. I pulled him on shore and collapsed, exhausted.

"We...we got left behind," Sir William whimpered. "Now we're never going to make it to the crusades!"

But we HAD to!

"We'll make it," I promised him. I lifted my eyes to the sunrise. "Even if we have to walk the whole way there."

And I meant it.