United States or Greenland ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Many were the questions that the Danes asked me as I spoke, and I answered them plainly, for indeed I was glad to see the look in Halfden's eyes as I spoke to him of his father, I having naught but pleasant things to tell of him, which one may say of few men, perhaps. And by and by I spoke of his having taught me the use of the Danish axe.
Thormod was his name, and I knew presently that he was Halfden's foster father, and the real captain of the ship while Halfden led the fighting men. "Food first and talk after," quoth this Thormod, and we fell to. So when we had finished, and sat with ale horns only before us, Halfden said: "I have sought tidings of my father from the day when he was lost until this.
Now though that saying pleased me, I could not wish for the wild viking as husband to our gentle Eadgyth, though I loved him well as my own friend. So I said that I thought Halfden's ship was his only love. "Maybe," answered the jarl; "but one may never know, and I think it would be well for English folk and Danish to be knit together more closely."
"Ho, brother!" he cried; "I thought you had harboured the greatest bear in all Jutland in Raud's hut. And it is naught but two strangers. What is the trouble with them?" "Look at yon man's hand," said Ingvar. I held out my hand, and Hubba looked at the rings, whereupon his face lit up as Halfden's had lighted, and he said: "News of our father and brother!
Thrice he dipped Halfden's flag in salute, but Ingvar made no sign, and so he faded from our sight, and after that we spoke no more of him. But Osritha wept a little, for she had loved him even while she dreaded him, and now she should see him no more.
Not for the first time saw I that ship cleared for action, but never had I seen it done so swiftly, though we had but half our fighting crew, sixty men instead of a hundred and thirty or so. I armed myself swiftly as any, and Thormod bade me take Halfden's place on the fore deck, where the men were already looking to bowstrings and bringing up sheaves of arrows and darts.
They were Rorik's men, therefore, and not our crew who likely enough would but have jeered at me had they found me hiding thus. "Halfden's men have drunk all the ale in the place, and that was not much," said one man; "let us try the water, for the dust of these old storehouses is in my throat." Then he began to draw up the bucket, and it splashed over us as it went past our doorway.
Now, seeing that our talk was earnest, there rode up another Danish chief, and it was Guthrum, the man who had seemed to take my part at the idol feast. I was glad to see him come at this moment. "Here is Halfden's friend," said Ingvar to him, "and he, forsooth, would have us go in peace." And the Danish king laughed harshly.
Then a new hope that came to me made me clasp Osritha's hand and kiss it before I must see to arming myself; but she clung to me yet, and I kissed her gently, then turning away sorely troubled went to work. Soon I was ready for Halfden's word, and Osritha buckled on my sword for me, for she had felt and taken it.
Yet I think of the long days and moonlit evenings on the deck of Halfden's ship with naught but keenest pleasure, for there I watched the life and colour come back into Osritha's face, and strove to make the voyage light to her in every way. And I had found my heart's desire, and was happy.
Word Of The Day