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Updated: May 27, 2025
I said. "How came he in your hands?" "He came over the border, lord, and we had him straightway," said the man simply. "Methinks there were men after him." "Where is he?" said I, anxiously enough. "He can pay ransom." "He is ill," said the man; "he cries for his daughter. Jefan thinks that he is that thane whose daughter was in our hands last night with you." "Ill?" said I; "is he much hurt?"
"It is good enough; otherwise I might have put in a word. This Jefan has the name for an honest man, as I have ever heard." "The one thing about it that I mislike is that we seem to be running away from hearsay," I said. "Mighty little hearsay was that which set Sighard flying across the border, I take it," Erling answered.
Now Gymbert halted his men beyond bow shot, and called to Jefan once more to give us up; and so finding no answer beyond a laugh from the men who were watching him from the rampart, drew his sword and bade his men fall on.
"There had been a bit of a fight before we took him. One smote him on the helm, and he was stunned. Thereafter he came to himself, and again fell ill. He will mend, for it is naught." "But where is he?" "We have many camps, and I cannot tell you. You are a stranger. But, says Jefan the prince, an you will come to him I am to guide you." Now I was in doubt indeed, for this was a dangerous errand.
We have lifted every head of stock well-nigh up to Sutton walls since dusk," and he chuckled. "There was no man to hinder us." Then he told us that we were all bound for Dynedor hill fort together, and that there we should find Jefan. And so we went slowly, with the herd of raided cattle before us, with a silence which made me wonder. Presently I said as much, and the chief chuckled again.
For when we had been there a few days Jefan would speak with me, and together we went to the walls of the city and looked southward across the river toward the Severn sea, beyond which lay my home. "See, friend," he said, "there is your way, and there is a ship crossing to the old port at Worle tomorrow.
I have sorely troublesome tenants, the Danes, in our land of Gower, and you can take them in hand for me. You are the man I need as what you would call the ealdorman there. You may take such a place in all honour." "Jefan," I said, "you are indeed a friend, and I will not say no to you. All seems to go well when you have a hand in it." "Sometimes," said he, laughing.
"Jefan ap Huwal the prince sends greeting to the thane on the pied horse, and bids him and the lady come to him if there is need for help. He has heard that the thane serves the Frankish king who hates Saxons beyond the seas, and thinks that mayhap he has foes here in Mercia."
Still he was anxious; for if he had looked at me he would have seen that I was already armed, and that so also was Erling. We needed but our spears to complete the gear for battle if that was to come and they stood, each with the round shield at its foot, by the fire where we slept, twenty paces off. Now Jefan pulled up, and tried to look back through the mists.
So I bent and kissed her hand, and she went back into the hut. Sighard was calling to her to come and tell him what all the turmoil was. Then I hurried to where Jefan stood on the works by the gate, whence one could see all over the camp, and half round the hillside as well.
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