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Meanwhile Eric and Gudruda came to the house and there Asmund greeted them well, for he was troubled in his heart about his daughter, and very glad to know her living, seeing that men had but now begun to search for her, because of the snow and the darkness. Now Gudruda told her tale, but not all of it, and Asmund bade Eric to the house.
Eric grew red as dawn, and thanked her graciously; but after the feast he spoke with Skallagrim, asking him of the Gudruda, and when she could be ready to take the sea. "In ten days, lord," said Skallagrim; "but stay we not here with the King this winter? It is late to sail." "Nay," said Eric, "we bide not here.
"Eric's hair," said Hall, "that Swanhild cut from his head with Eric's sword." Now Gudruda put her hand to her bosom. She drew out a satchel, and from the satchel a lock of yellow hair. Side by side she placed the locks, looking first at one and then at the other. "This is Eric's hair in sooth," she said "Eric's hair that he swore none but I should cut!
Now she spoke aloud. "Of what use to be so fair?" she said. "Oh, wherefore was I born so fair to bring death to many and sorrow on myself and him I love?" And she shook her golden hair about her arms of snow, and, holding the napkin to her eyes, wept softly. But it seemed to Eric that between her sobs she called upon his name. Now Eric could no longer bear the sight of Gudruda weeping.
Afterwards Skallagrim barred the men's door and the women's door, and, going to Gudruda, asked where he should stay the night till it was time to ride for the sea. "In the store-chamber," she answered, "for there is a shutter of which the latch has gone. See that thou watch it well, Skallagrim; though I think none will come to trouble thee." "I know the place.
Gudruda the Fair stood over the fire and with either hand she let the two locks of Eric's hair fall upon the embers. Slowly they twisted up and burned. She watched them burn, then she threw up her hands and with a great cry fled from the hall. Björn and Hall of Lithdale looked on each other.
A man's voice answered: "Who passes there?" "I, Gudruda, Asmund's daughter." The form came nearer; now Swanhild could hear the snorting of a horse, and now a man leapt from it, and that man was Eric Brighteyes. "Is it thou indeed, Gudruda!" he said with a laugh, and his great shape showed darkly on the snow mist. "Oh, is it thou, Eric?" she answered.
Slowly the light gathered in the empty hall, it crept slowly into the little chamber where Eric slept, and Gudruda slept also with a deeper sleep. Now the two women came from their chamber at the far end of the hall, and drew near the hearth, shivering, for the air was cold. They knelt by the fire, blowing at the embers till the sticks they cast upon them crackled to a blaze.
Folk may hear thee, Eric, and then thou wilt be in danger I would say that, then shall ill things be told of me, because I am found with him who slew my brother?" "I slew Ospakar too, Gudruda. Surely the death of him by whose side thou didst sit as wife is more to thee than the death of Björn?" "The bride-cup was not yet drunk, Eric; therefore I have no blood-feud for Ospakar."
But the men were much wearied with fighting, and the decks were all cumbered with dead and wounded, so that by the time that the Gudruda had put about, and come to the mouth of the waterway, Ospakar's vessel had shaken out her sails and caught the wind, that now blew strong off shore, and sped away six furlongs or more from Eric's prow.
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