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Updated: May 8, 2025
But this of which Osritha spoke was that which Holy Writ will by no means suffer us to do to eat of a sacrifice to idols knowingly, for that would be to take part therein. Nor might I pretend that the holy sign was as the signing of Thor's Hammer. "Halfden," I said, having full trust in him, "I may not do this.
Now nothing seemed more plain to me than that Halfden meant that I should seek Osritha. "What is Halfden doing?" I asked. "Will he not go back to your own land?" "Why, no. For he takes Northumbria as his share of what we have won. Hubba is there now. But we fight to gain more if we may, and if not, to make sure of what we have. One way or another Ethelred's power to attack us must be broken."
Even the ravens, scared maybe by the great shout, were gone, and all was very still. At last Ingvar turned slowly to us and faced our crew. "The sacrifice is yours," he said, "and if it is not accepted the fault is yours also. We are clear of blame who have bided at home." Then Halfden answered for his men and himself: "I know not what blame is to us."
"I speak truth, Jarl," I said, sadly enough, "and Halfden will come to our haven, seeking us both, and will find neither only this ill news instead of all we had planned of pleasure." Then Hubba asked me plainly of Beorn, saying: "What of this cur?" "No more than I have told you, Jarl," I said.
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.
The viking dropped his axe on the deck and seized my hand, gazing at the ring and the runes graven thereon. "Lives he yet?" he said, breathless. "Aye, Halfden Lodbroksson, your father lives and is well in our house," I answered; for now I knew that this was surely the youngest of those three sons of whom the jarl had told me so often.
But from close behind me Rorik lifted his voice: "No blame to the crew but here is one, a stranger, who does no honour to the gods, neither lifting sword or hailing them as is right, even before Thor's image." Then I knew that the worst was come, and prepared to meet it. But Halfden spoke. "All men's customs are not alike, and a stranger has his own ways."
"Now if you have lost friends and ship by the common chances of the sea," he said, "surely you have found both anew. You shall turn viking and go on this raid with us. Glad shall we be of your axe play and seamanship." I turned to him and put my hand into his. "I will go with you, Halfden," I said, for it seemed at that time that I had naught else left for me to do.
In the mean time, a new leader, with a fresh horde of Danes, had landed in England. His name was Halfden. Halfden came with a considerable fleet of ships, and, after landing his men, and performing various exploits and encountering various adventures in other parts of England, he began to turn his thoughts toward Alfred's dominions.
And before the tide served us, Halfden had said that he also would come to London, so that our ship should lead the way up the river. When we weighed anchor Thormod must needs, therefore, reef and double reef his sail, else our ship had been hull down astern before many hours had passed, so swift was the longship.
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