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"It is ill biding here after sunset. The slain are unquiet by reason of Streone's deeds." "They will not harm me, Thrand," I answered. "I would I lay here with them even now . . . but that is past." I rose up and went down the hill with him, and the sun set behind it, and it was gray and black against the red evening sky.
Onund's men vigorously attacked the wing commanded by Vigbjod while Thrand engaged Vestmar, but effected little. When the men on Vigbjod's ship had been somewhat reduced, Onund's men, he himself with them, prepared to board her. On seeing that, Vigbjod spurred on his men resolutely. He turned against Onund, most of whose men gave way.
For his help to me the Earl of Mercia has been well paid. Now, what shall be given to the man who betrayed to death the foster son who believed in him as in himself? "Then I, Thrand the freeman of Colchester, nowise caring what befell me, answered in a loud voice: "'Let him die. He is not fit to live. "'Slay him, therefore, said Cnut. "Thereat Streone cried for mercy once, grovelling.
Thrand and Onund went out against them and learned that they had sailed to an island called Bot. Onund and Thrand followed them thither with five ships, and when the vikings sighted them and saw how many there were, they thought their own force was sufficient, so they took to their arms and advanced to the attack.
Thrand invited Onund and Olaf with his party to stay with him, as did Thormod Shaft. The matter of Olaf's marriage was then pressed, and an agreement easily arrived at, for Aud's rank and influence were well known to them. The settlement was arranged and Onund's party rode home again. Aud thanked him for his aid in behalf of Olaf, who married Alfdis of the Barra Isles that autumn.
Wherefore I thought that our own earl was not wroth with me for what I would do; and after that my mind was at rest, and ready to take what peace might come to me at the hands of Cnut the king. "We have seen the earl," Thrand said, when he was gone. "Aye. He tells us that the war is at an end, and that, in truth, Cnut is king in East Anglia." "It is well," Thrand answered simply.
And then over the brow of the hill the Danes began to come. They had circled round and I had not noted them, and came on us from the other side. They were searching among the slain for their comrades. Half a dozen of them came towards Thrand and me, and I suppose that they would have slain me. But my man was ready for them, and took the sword from me quickly.
There were two vikings called Vigbiod and Vestmar; they were South-islanders, and lay out both winter and summer; they had thirteen ships, and harried mostly in Ireland, and did many an ill deed there till Eyvind the Eastman took the land-wardship; thereafter they got them gone to the South-isles, and harried there and all about the firths of Scotland: against these went Thrand and Onund, and heard that they had sailed to that island, which is called Bute.
With that I missed the sword that I loved, for I had thought of selling my life dearly if the Danes would slay me. "Where is sword Foe's Bane?" I cried. Thrand looked round about me, but could see it not. Then he turned over one or two of the slain men who lay thickly in the place where our last stand was made. But he could not find it, until a wounded man of ours asked what he sought.
He received the proposal favourably, saying he knew the man to be of good lineage and to have some wealth in movable property, though his lands were not worth much. "But," he said, "I do not think he is very wise. Why, my daughter is quite a child." Thrand said that Onund was more vigorous than many a man whose legs were sounder. So with the aid of Thrand the terms were settled.
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