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"There may be fighting here, and she is best out of the way. Her folk will hail her, and she will be safe with them, Arnkel notwithstanding. Thoralf will send his wife and daughter with her that they, too, may be safe." Then he laughed at me again, and said that if all his followers were so ready to leave him, he would be a lonely man shortly, and so on.
So that chase went on, and I wearied of watching it at last. Then Bertric and I went to Asbiorn, for we would ask concerning some things which had happened. Men were serving round the midday meal at the time, and we ate and talked. The first thing I asked him was what he had done with our ship. "Sold her to one Arnkel in Norway, so to speak," he answered, with a grin.
That my grandfather would not suffer. He would have me rule, for I should not be the first woman who had done so in his little realm. One of my ancestresses fought as a shield maiden as I thought myself until today in the great Bravalla fight long ago. It is her mail which I have on now. Arnkel pretended to agree to this, being crafty. It pleased the chief, and deceived me till yesterday.
But the men saw and roared, and there was not one on the side of the man who would do so evil a deed. They made a rush for the dais, overturning the tables, and hustling aside Eric's men, who were in their way, else there would have been an end of Arnkel. Maybe in the long run it had been as well for him, but in the scuffle he opened the door behind him and rushed out.
The luck of the torque has left me." "Come with us after all," I said. "No doubt Arnkel will be willing to give you just that chance." But he shook his head. "No, I bide with Hakon. But there is Asbiorn yonder who will see to Arnkel. And I am sorry for Arnkel if they meet."
There was wailing when her men found that she was missing, and they said that she must have gone distraught in her grief, and wandered to the mountains. How was she left on board?" "Arnkel put her there," I answered. "So that explains his way somewhat. He seemed to want that ship caught, and yet did not. When we did sail, he steered wide of the course she took, and too far to the northward."
"I wonder this evil Arnkel parted with the treasure so lightly." "My folk would not have let him lay hands on it in any case," she answered plainly. "And they would keep it from Heidrek." "That is how the men of Heidrek fell on us," I said. "He must have landed his men beyond your sight, but not far off." "There were two ships seen passing north in the storm," she said.
"Steady, friends!" he said sternly, "steady! No need to tell Arnkel that his time has come yet. Let us get to the hall quietly, and thereafter shout as you like "Ho! stop that man!" One had broken away from the crowd and was off toward the hall at full speed, meaning, as I have no doubt, to warn Arnkel and win reward. But he did not get far.
But he cared not at all for the name, so that he held his own place among his own people, and therefore let it be, for he was a friend of Harald's and helped him to the one throne. Whereby we have lived in peace till just now, when the old chief grew feeble. Then came my far cousin, Arnkel, and would take first place, for my father, the old man's son, was dead.
But those words of his came to Arnkel as a taunt, and his look at me was terrible. "Ho, men," he shouted, "will you own an outland lord?" "Aye, we will," said Gorm the Steward sturdily. "Sooner than listen to a coward and would-be murderer of women." That ended the matter.
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