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Then one weapon flashed red suddenly, and it was Biorn's, and back into the tower he sprang as his foe fell, and Havelok flung the door to, and I barred it. "Up," said Biorn; and in the dark we stumbled from stair to stair, while the crowd howled and beat on the door below us. It was good to get out into the moonlight on the roof, where we could rest.
But I had rather that she was made queen by your word also, that whither I live or fall in the strife that is to come, you may fight for her." At that there was a murmur of praise, and all agreed that she should be crowned at once. So Havelok set the crown on her head while the chiefs in one voice swore to uphold her through good and ill, as though she were Havelok himself.
"Lincoln cloth, and bar iron, and such like; and with it all one thing that is worth showing to you, jarl, for I will sell it to none but yourself." Now we went aft slowly, and presently Havelok and the jarl were alone by the steering oar, by design on our part. "This seems to be somewhat special," said Sigurd. "What is it?"
But when that talk began, Withelm knew that things were ripe, and he told Havelok. That was in the third spring of Havelok's kingship, when it grew near to the time when men fit out their ships. "This is what I have looked for," he said; "and now we will delay no longer, for here am I king indeed, and there is none who will rise against me. Wonderful it is that men have hailed me thus.
"Maybe it is the last time that I come living out of the house," Grim said; "but there is one thing yet to be done, and it must be done here. See, son Havelok, these are your brothers in all but blood, and they must be that also in the old Danish way." "Nothing more is needed, father," Havelok said, wondering. "I have no brothers but these of mine, and they could be no more so."
He shall never know, and I shall be a bondsman still, for I will never be free till thou, my King, shall set me free." Then was Havelok very glad, and he sat up and begged for bread. And they hastened and fetched bread and cheese and butter and milk; and for very hunger the boy ate up the whole loaf, for he was well-nigh famished.
Now Alsi the king sat staring at him, still as a carven image, with his hand halfway to his mouth, as he raised his horn from the table; and Ragnar looked wide-eyed, for he knew him again, and I saw a little smile curl the corners of his lips and pass; and then Havelok was at the step of the high place, and there he gave the salute of the courtmen of a Danish king, heeding Berthun, who tried to make him do reverence, not at all.
And ever as we drew nearer Havelok became more silent, as I thought because he had never seen so great a town before, until we passed the gates of the stockade that keeps the town that lies without the old walls, and then he said, looking round him strangely, "Brother, you will laugh at me, no doubt, for an arrant dreamer, but this is the place whereto in dreams I have been many a time.
Thereat some friend in the hall said, "You take your kingship worse than did Radbard himself, as it seems. What is amiss?" "Why, I wanted to go on the Viking path with Havelok, and now it seems that I cannot." Then one shouted, "I never heard of a land going wrong while its king was away risking his life to get property for his men.
If one speaks of Havelok, one must needs think of Goldberga; and if one says a word of the queen, one means the king also. Happy in their people and in their wondrous fair children are they, and that is all that can be wished for them. There was one thing wanting for long years, that I and Withelm ever longed for for Havelok a thing for which Goldberga prayed ever.
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