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Updated: May 20, 2025
The race of King Harald was not yet dead, and Queen Gunnhild presently found that there was a woman in Norway whose true love and faithfulness were better than all the guile and treachery that jealousy could devise.
But, as he could not be king by favour alone, he resolved to become so by other means. Two winters after Erik's enthronement his brother Halfdan died a sudden and painful death at a feast in Thrandheim. It is told that he was cunningly poisoned by Queen Gunnhild.
Some of his men would come presently and sleep across the doorway, but the evening was young yet. "You seem as if you had heard somewhat pleasant," Olaf said when I came in. I suppose that my certainty of finding Gunnhild and Hertha pleased me well enough to make my face bright.
Now Olaf, as he sat on the floor, chained to the door post, set to wondering where his new master intended taking him to, and he could think of no likely destination but Norway. Why else should this man have bought him but to deliver him to Gunnhild? So thereupon he began to question how he could escape.
"When we were at Penhurst," she said, "you told me how you were seeking me well, maybe I was seeking you. It fell out thus. When you and Olaf, whom I long to see, scattered the Danes here, Gunnhild said that we must fly, for they were seeking hiding places. So she would go to her sister, who is abbess at Ramsey, by the great mere of Whittlesea.
Olaf said, "Let it be known to you that we ran our ship afloat from the coast of Norway, and these are of the bodyguard of King Harald, the son of Gunnhild, who are here on board. And as for my race, I have, sire, to tell you this, that my father lives in Iceland, and is named Hoskuld, a man of high birth; but of my mother's kindred, I think you must have seen many more than I have.
"I needs must do somewhat, lord king," said Ottar gravely, "and it came into my mind that these Danes would be as badly scared as should I have been had I met Gunnhild; and methought that Redwald's lady would forgive me for his sake." "Aye, surely," I said.
Now the firelight from the half-open door fell on his face, and I saw that it was one of those two thralls of mine. "Ho, Brand," I said, "answer me truly. Know you where bides Dame Gunnhild the witch?" "No, lord. We know not where she bides but it is not far hence, for we see her at times in the village, though not often." "How did she escape when the Danes came?"
Even we Angles never forgot that the race of Ecgberht was Saxon and not of our own kin altogether. The Dane was as near to us as the Wessex king, save by old comradeship, and the ties that had come with years. So all that Edred and I could do was to bid the steward take his orders from Gunnhild, and so ride back to Bures along the riverside track.
And I made up my mind to that at last, not wondering that it was so, for I was but a warrior and a landless thane with nought to be proud of but skilful weapon play, and some scars to show that I had been in a fight or two where blows were falling. And I minded how I had told Ailwin that I held myself free, and thought that he and Gunnhild, and maybe Hertha also, would have it so.
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