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Updated: May 7, 2025
"Aye, I think my father fears treachery from all men," the Atheling answered. "But Olaf has done well for us both at the first and now in sending word by you." Then the sword I was wearing caught Eadmund's eyes, for he was ever fond of goodly war gear. "So you have a new sword instead of that I gave you," he said. "And I think you have made a good exchange. Let me see this."
And ever Eadmund's clear voice cheered on his men from behind me.
And as he did so the Mercians, Streone's men, wheeled round and fell on our flank, fighting for the Danes, and the Danish line swept the Stamford men from before them and joined the Mercians; and I heard a great sob rise in Eadmund's throat, and he called to me, and charged among the traitor's men to reach him if he might.
Surely never moved host so swiftly as Ingvar's, for even as I went, heavily enough, from Eadmund's presence, a man spurred into the town saying that Earl Ulfkytel faced the Danes with a fair levy gathered in haste, between us and Wisbech. They had crossed the fens where no man dreamed that they might come, and were upon us as if from the skies.
For no man ever thought twice of Eadmund's brother Edwy, who was weak bodily, nor of his half brother, the other Edwy, whom we called "king of the churls," by reason of the low birth of his mother, for no thanes would follow him had he had the gift of leading.
But in a moment that word of his was changed, for now fell from towers and bulwarks a fearsome rain of heavy darts and javelins, and the men fell back from the crowded fore decks to seek safety aft until the store of weapons was spent. Truly, there must have been sheaves of throwing weapons piled ready on the roadway of the bridge. Then Eadmund's voice cried: "Steady, men this cannot last!"
But there was no need to say more, for the long camp life had sharpened Eadmund's ears to aught unusual. Now I heard the bar of the door thrown down, and Eadmund came out with a cloak round him and his sheathed sword in his left hand. "Redwald friend what is it?" he said. "Even what we have feared, my prince," I answered, looking at him. "Where has the blow fallen?" "At Sandwich.
For every day Olaf looked for some sign that should bid him go back and take his own land from Cnut's hand. Now Ethelred would not stir from London, fearing treachery everywhere. And again Eadmund's levies melted away for want of their king's presence, and at last we persuaded him to meet Eadmund at Coventry, and I went with him.
That was Eadmund's calm answer, and looking on Ingvar I saw the same bode written in his face as had been when I would not honour his gods. Then he spoke slowly, and his words fell like ice from his lips. "It seems to me that this land is in the hands of us heathen without your giving." "So that may be, for the time," answered Eadmund; "but your time of power has an end."
At that word the front ranks sprang like wolves to meet one another and then came the shock of the meeting lines and the howl and cheer of Dane and Englishman and under the arrow storm the spear and axe and sword were at work. I kept my shield up and covering Eadmund's right side, and watched. The time for us to take our part had not come yet.
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