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The large hall was cleared, and little trace beyond the dint of blows on walls and table showed what fight had raged therein, but only Thormod and Cyneward and Ingvar were there; and Ingvar slept heavily in his great chair. "This is his way of late," said Thormod, looking coldly at him; "fury, and terror, and then sleep.
Then you have turned Christian?" "Aye," answered Cyneward, flushing, though not with shame, for it was the first time he had owned his faith to one of his former comrades. "Now I thought this likely to happen to some of us," said Thormod, not showing much surprise, "if maybe it is sooner than one might have looked for. However, that is your concern, not mine. Keep out of Ingvar's way, though."
For Hubba went to Northumbria, there to complete his conquests, and Halfden was on the western borders of Wessex. And before he went Guthrum took great care for the good ordering of our land and that he might leave it at all at that time was enough to show that he feared no revolt against him. Now as I sat in our hall, listless and downcast, one day in July, Cyneward came in to me.
Then was I down on the slippery deck, felled by a blow from a great stone hammer that some wild pirate flung over the heads of his comrades before me, and Cyneward dragged me up quickly, so that I think he saved my life that time.
"Let us go at once on this tide," I said, starting up. "Not so fast now, comrade," laughed Thormod. "Would you come again half starved, as last time, into the lady's presence?" Then I called Cyneward, but when he rose up and came to us, Thormod stared at him, crying: "You here, Raud! I thought you were with Ingvar." "Aye, Thormod, I am here at least Cyneward, who was Raud, is with Wulfric." "Ho!
And I saw him do even-handed right to both Dane and Saxon, and that pleased me, for already I had liked the man's honest face and free bearing. He greeted me well, taking me aside presently with Cyneward into a private chamber. And there he told me that he would ask me to do a favour towards him.
"I bide here with Wulfric," he answered, having paid no heed to our low-voiced talk. "Wulfric sails with me to find Ingvar," said Thormod, and at that Cyneward turned to me in surprise. "Not Ingvar," said I, "but one in his house. Will you come with me?" Then he understood, and his face showed his gladness. "This is well," he cried; "gladly will I go with you and return with that other."
So I asked: "What of Ingvar's moods? are they more fierce than his wont?" "Well, between us twain," he answered, looking at Cyneward, who sat apart from us across the king's chamber where we were, "Ingvar is not all himself lately, and all men fear him, so that he is no loss to the host." I knew somewhat, I thought, of the reason for this, and so did Cyneward, but passed that over.
There were but two horses left, and those none of the best; but Cyneward and I mounted them, and rode as fast as we might on the road which he said was most likely to be taken by fugitives. We had but two miles to ride, for in the fog that frightened crowd of old men, women, and children had surely circled round, and had it lasted would never have gone far from the town.
So our little company parted, and Cyneward, who had been Raud, and I went back with the elder monk and the farm folk to our place, going slowly in the warm twilight, with our hearts at rest, and full of the wonders we had seen that day. Only one thing would the monk and I ask Cyneward, for we wondered how he had learned our faith so well. And that he answered gladly.
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