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Updated: May 11, 2025
It was a place that none of the men cared for much, since they saw their comrades feasting at the end of the room, while they must bide hungry till the end, and mind that no sparks from the flaring pine fell on the guests, moreover. Eglaf would have excused me this had I wished; but I would take my turn with the rest, and maybe did not mind losing the best of the feast so much as the others.
I could not see Alsi anywhere, nor Eglaf. Steadily the numbers drove us back, though before Havelok was always a space into which men hardly dared to come. The wedge was pushed away from us, and we had to fall back with it, until we crossed the stream; and there Sigurd swung the massed men into line, and then came the first pause in the fight.
Now I could not see Havelok as yet, and so I went into the stone-arched Roman guardroom, and Eglaf the captain fetched out a pot of wine and some meat, and made me very welcome while we talked. And presently I thought that I might do worse than be a housecarl for a time, if Eglaf would have me.
Then Berthun came and beckoned to me, for I must fetch Eglaf the captain at once, as the king had need of him, in haste. Then Eglaf hurried to the hall; and after a word or two with Alsi, the horns were blown outside the hall door to call every man of the guard to the place. And when they came, we were all set round the wall as if guarding all that were in it.
"Then," said I, "go and ask Eglaf, the captain of the housecarls, for he knows all about it. We are no raiding Danes, but those who fight for Goldberga of East Anglia." At that a hum of voices went down the English line, and this earl bit his lip in doubt. "Well," he said, "that is Alsi's affair, and I will speak to him.
"Go, fool," said Alsi, and I thought that he would have stamped his foot. Now I knew who was meant in a moment, and even as the steward took his first step from off the dais to go down the hail to his own entrance, I said to Eglaf, "Here is an end to my service with you. My time is up." "Why, what is amiss?" "The bridegroom is my brother that is all; and I must be free to serve him as I may."
I have heard men scoff at the thought of love at first sight, but never can any one of us do so who saw this wedding. Now the folk cheered, and loudest of all honest Eglaf and his warriors. I wondered what should come next, for neither feast nor bride ale was prepared, and Berthun was looking puzzled.
At that Alsi met with more than he bargained for. At once Berthun came forward, and forth came I, and without a word we sat one on each side of him. There were others who would have come also, for I saw even Eglaf take a step towards the high place, had we not done so. Alsi's face became black at that, for here was not the friendless churl he was scoffing at. But he tried to smile, as if pleased.
But if Woden or Frey, or whoever looks after good deeds, scores the mistake to Alsi as well, it will be the first on the count of charity that " But at this Berthun rose up in stately wise. "I may not listen to this. To think that here in the guardroom I should hear such " "Sit down, comrade," said Eglaf, laughing, and pulling the steward into his seat again.
And when the guard was set I waited alone in the guardroom of the old gate, for Eglaf was yet at the hall, and would be there all night maybe. And presently Earl Ragnar came in and sat down with me. He was silent for a while, and I waited for him to speak, until he looked up at me with a little laugh, and said, "I told you that I had to fight Griffin tomorrow?" "You did, earl.
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