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Updated: May 5, 2025
The war had passed on to the Wessex borders and then had slackened, as winter came earnest, and now the north and south folk, Dane and Angle, were foes no longer openly. But Ingvar and Hubba were at Nottingham, waiting to fall on Wessex, leaving only strong garrisons in our towns.
I fear me that Ingvar the King goes out of his mind with that of which he raves. Nor do I wonder, knowing now from Cyneward here what that is. Little help shall we take back from Ingvar, for he has bestirred himself to gather no new host since he came back." "Men said that trouble at home brought him from England. I suppose he judged it likely that the Jomsburgers might give trouble," I said.
Surely he can keep his own honour leave it to him." "It is dishonour to Thor not to hail him," said Rorik. Now Ingvar spoke again to me: "Why do you no honour to the gods?" "My fathers honoured them, for the godarship was theirs, and would have been my father's and mine, even as it is yours, Jarl Ingvar. For good reason they left that honour and chose another way and a better.
That, however, I would not suffer, seeing that there was Ingvar to be dealt with. My mother wept, and would have me not go. But here my sister helped me. "Bring Osritha back if you can," she said. "Soon will our house be built again, and we shall go, and you will be lonely." For Egfrid's father had owned Guthrum, and his house and theirs were nigh rebuilt.
And there we saw Ingvar the king for the last time. All alone he stood with his hands resting on his sword, looking at our ship as she passed. Nor did he move from that place all the time we could see him. Silently Thormod gave the tiller into my hands, and went to the flag halliards.
Now, had I not known the great love and reverence in which those three wild brothers held Osritha, I should have been amazed at these words from Ingvar; but there is somewhat of good to be found in every man. Then I answered: "I must fight for my land, Ingvar, but I also would fain not fight against yourself. Where stand you in your line?" "On the right," he said; "Guthrum is on the left."
I had seen Ingvar no more, busying myself about fitting the ship with awnings and the like for these passengers of ours; and what Thormod did about the men he sought I know not, nor did I care to know. There is a dead tree which marks the place where I had been cast ashore in Lodbrok's boat, and which is the last point of land on which one looks as the ship passes to the open sea from the haven.
At last they brought round great cauldrons, in which were flesh hooks; to every man in turn, and first of all to Ingvar himself. He thrust the hook in, and brought up a great piece of meat, cutting for himself therefrom, and at once every man before whom a cauldron waited, did likewise, and it passed on. They signed Thor's hammer over the meat and began to eat.
"Jarl Ingvar," I said; "I will tell you all you will, but I would do so in some less hurried way than this. For I have much to tell." "Take the men home, brother," said Hubba; "then we can talk." "Bind the men," said Ingvar again. "Nay, brother, not the man who wears those rings," said Hubba quickly.
"Ever as Wulfric and I escaped from the vengeance of Ingvar towards Hedeby I wondered that one should be strong enough to defy the Asir and their godar for the sake of the new faith. So I sat in the church of Ansgar among the other heathen and heard somewhat. And again in London of late, where Guthrum will have no man harmed for his religion, I have listened and learnt more.
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