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Updated: June 18, 2025
He knelt down by the bedside, heeding Iron-face little, though he nodded friendly to him, and he held his face close to hers; but she had her eyes shut and did not open them till he had been there a little while; and then they opened and fixed themselves on his without surprise or change.
Then spake Folk-might: 'Thou wert a boy methought when I cast my spear at thee last autumn, Face-of-god, but now hast thou grown into a man. Now tell me, what deemest thou we must do to slay them all? Said Face-of-god: 'Once again it is clear that we must fall upon them at home in Rose-dale and Silver-dale. Again Folk-might nodded: but Iron-face said: 'Needeth this?
Therewith he cast down the flowering branch he was bearing, and pulled his sword from out his sheath, and took it by the point, and held out the hilt to Iron-face. But the Alderman smiled kindly on him and said: 'The blade is a good one, and I say it who know the craft of sword- forging; but I need it not, for thou seest I have a sword by my side.
Now all knew Iron-face, and they cried out, 'That will we. So he spake again: 'I doom the troubler of the Peace of the Holy Thing to pay a fine, to wit double the blood-wite that would be duly paid for a full-grown freeman of the kindreds. Then the cry went up and men yeasaid his doom, and all said that it was well and fairly doomed; and Iron-face sat still.
As he spake the heart of Face-of-god swelled within him, and his cheek flushed; but Iron-face sat up straight and proud, and a light smile played about his face, as he said gravely: 'Friend of the Westland, I thank thee for the blessing and the kind word. Such as we are, we are; nor do I deem that the very Gods shall change us.
But when they were full of meat, and had drunken somewhat, they fell to speech, and Iron-face spake aloud to his son, who had but been speaking softly to the Bride as one playmate to the other: but the Alderman said: 'Scarce are the wood-deer grown, kinsman, when I must needs eat sheep's flesh on a Thursday, though my son has lain abroad in the woods all night to hunt for me.
There was a murmur of joy at this word, since all men took these felons for deadly foemen; but Iron-face said: 'What meanest thou by "we"? 'I and the men who had guested me overnight, said Face-of-god, 'and they slew the other three; or rather a woman of them slew the felons. 'Valiant she was; all good go with her hand! said the Alderman. 'But what be these people, and where do they dwell?
'Well, son, quoth Iron-face, for he was merry, 'a roebuck is but a little deer for such big men as are thou and I. But I rede thee take the Bride along with thee the next time; and she shall seek whilest thou sleepest, and hit when thou missest. Then Face-of-god smiled, but he frowned somewhat also, and he said: 'Well were that, indeed!
She had seen Face-of-god once and again since the Day of Battle, and each time had been kind and blithe with him; and for Iron-face, she loved him so well that she was ever loth to let him depart from her, save when Folk-might was with her.
Then stood up Iron-face the Alderman and said: 'This is well asked, and soon shall ye be as wise as I am on this matter. Know ye, O men of Burgstead and the Dale, that we had not called this Gate-thing so hard on the Great Folk-mote had not great need been to look into troublous matters.
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