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I shall come again, and it is not certain that we shall then part any better friends than we are now." Atli rejoined: "I shall stay at home and abide whatever comes to hand." Thorbjorn then went off home.
"Farewell," she answered frankly, with a smile, and went out with Atli. "A bold raid and a lucky one," said the Viking complacently to himself. "A fairer face and brighter eyes I never saw before. Who can she be? Like enough some lady come to hear the spaeman's mystic jargon, and swallow potions or mutter spells at his bidding.
But all this pleased Atli wondrous ill, yet he dared not cross her mood. Now, in Iceland the time drew on when men must ride to the Althing, and notice was given to Eric Brighteyes of many suits that were laid against him, in that he had brought Mord, Ospakar's son, to his death, dealing him a brain or a body or a marrow wound, and others of that company.
Perchance she led Brighteyes into this snare." But, though she spoke thus, bitter jealousy and anger burned in her breast and she remembered the sight which she had seen when Eric and Swanhild met on the morn of Atli's wedding. Then Hall told of the slaying of Atli the Good by Eric, but he said nothing of the Earl's dying words, nor of how he goaded Brighteyes with his bitter words.
So these twain poured out, and the kings drank, and were exceeding drunken, and Vingi notes it, and says "Naught may I hide that King Atli is heavy of foot and over-old for the warding of his realm; but his sons are young and of no account: now will he give you rule over his realms while they are yet thus young, and most fain will he be that ye have the joy thereof before all others."
But the women misdoubted them much of this venture; nevertheless Eric might not be gainsayed. Now, the road to Mosfell runs past Middalhof and thither he came. Atli, standing at the men's door, saw him and cried aloud: "Ho! a mighty man comes here." Swanhild looked out and saw Eric, and he was a goodly sight in his war-gear.
Atli was sparing of speech over this, but Grettir was right unsparing, and said that they would meet another time if his will came to pass. <i>Of Thorbiorn Oxmain and Thorbiorn Tardy, and of Grettir's meeting with Kormak on Ramfirth-neck</i>.
"I have heard something of that, and I have guessed more, Brighteyes; but methinks Swanhild is little given to gadding now. She is as cold as ice, and no good wife for any man," and Atli sighed, "'Snow melts not if sun shines not, so runs the saw. Thou art an honest man, Eric, and no whisperer in the ears of others' wives."
His heart was heavy because of the guile that his tongue must practise, and his face was dark as a winter dawn. "What news, Asmund?" asked Atli. "Early tidings are bad tidings, so runs the saw, and thy looks give weight to it." "Not altogether bad, Earl. Swanhild gives herself to thee." "Of her own will, Asmund?" "Ay, of her own will. But I have warned thee of her temper." "Her temper!
In dying she prophesies the future, telling of Gudrun's marriage to "Atli" and of the death of the many men which will be caused thereby. After Brynhild's death Gudrun in her sorrow flees to the court of King "Half" of Denmark, where she remains seven years. Finally Grimhild learns of the place of her daughter's concealment, and tries to bring about a reconciliation with Gunnar and Hogni.
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