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Updated: June 28, 2025
Estein liberated the prisoners they had taken on the march, and leaving Ketill in charge of the main force and the hostages, he and Helgi set forth about noon for the seat of King Bue. Their way at first took them over a flat, white waste by the shores of the lake.
The boat was stealthily launched, and into it as many men as it would hold were crowded. "Keep the rowers on their benches, we may have little time to get away," said Ketill in a gruff whisper to his forecastle man, whom he left in command of the ship. "We have little wish to be caught." "Push off, men, and remember he who speaks above a whisper I shall think is tired of life."
I will call Ketill and the Orkneyman, and we four will hold council here." Ketill, the broad-beamed captain of the ship the same whose path had been stopped by Atli a man of few words and stout deeds, and Grim, the Orkneyman, came up to the poop. There they deliberated for long. Helgi was all for fire. "Let us hear how the men of Liot will sing when they are warm." Ketill gave a short laugh.
He had nothing for it but to equip me with this great sheep-skin coat and cap, and a stout bow and sheaf of arrows; and then, after a most kindly parting with his goodwife, I made him set me on my way to Ketill. He liked not the job over much, yet he dared not refuse, and so we started.
Mine have been no boy's deeds." "Take no offence," replied Helgi, still laughing; "tell your deeds of derring-do, and let Thor himself envy, I will undertake to make you laugh at mine own adventures afterwards." "I will warrant your doings will make me laugh rather than envy," said Ketill. "But, as I said, you left us, and so we were left here without you."
"Halt! we shall take advantage of the slope, and await them here." The men halted, and grasped their weapons, and in expectant silence their leaders watched a small troop defile out of the town. "Call you that an army?" growled Ketill. "There are barely a score of them." "Ay," said Helgi, with a sigh, "there will be no fighting to-day."
I myself have had to flee for my life from a yelping pack of Jemtland dogs; and for aught I know, Ketill and the rest of my force may be drugged with drink and burned in their beds even while I talk with you. Give me some plain answer?" Atli looked at him for a minute, and then replied gravely, "I have heard, indeed, that some strange change had befallen Estein Hakonson.
In height and build they were very equally matched, but men noticed that Estein moved more lightly on his feet. In a loud voice Ketill proclaimed that whoever should withdraw outside the ring of stones should ever after bear the name of dastard. Then all went outside the circle, and with a shout Liot sprang at his foe.
"The strong and foolish fight with weapons suited to their hands," said Thorar; "the weak and wise with weapons suited to their heads." "So hands, it seems, are better than heads," put in Helgi. "Know this at least," exclaimed Ketill, "your sons have perished before you. I slew them in the outset of the battle." The dying man laughed a ghastly laugh. "My sons!" he cried.
"The black traitor Thorar, and with him some ten or twelve others, doubtless all the sober men at the feast. It took them but a short space to find the dead sentinel; and thereupon Thorar, who seemed almost beside himself with anger, sent the others off in haste to intercept our road to Ketill, while he himself ran to collect a force from the village.
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