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Updated: June 16, 2025
What can I do?" and almost did he weep for my hard case. "Let things go their own way, my brother," I said gently. "I do not fear the sea, nor this man here Beorn. Do you go to Reedham and tend Lodbrok's hawk for me, and send word to my father, that he may come home, and to the king, so that Lodbrok may have honourable burial."
"Now am I, with good Ingild your other godfather, in Elfric's place toward you," he said; "think of me never as a king, but as a father, Wulfric, my son." And he bade me take my place as Thane of Reedham, confirming me in all rights that had been my father's.
It were long to tell how the people cheered, and how they were answered from the ship, and how I spied Halfden on the fore deck, and Thormod at the helm, as ever. And when Osritha saw Halfden's gay arms and cloak and all the bright trim of the ship and men, she said to me, speaking low and quickly: "They have not been to Reedham, or it would not have been thus."
Then she would laugh at me; until one day I said that I would she could come over to Reedham and see for herself. At that I thought that I had offended her, for her face grew red, and she left me. Nor could I find a chance of speaking to her again for many days, which was strange to me, and grieved me sorely.
But she struck at him and soared away, and I watched her go towards Reedham, and was glad she did so with a sort of dull gladness.
Then, if you will, you shall leave us and make your way homeward, there to give messages to my father and yours, and to look for my coming to Reedham shortly. There will I winter with you, and we will sail to Jutland in the spring." Then he looked long at me, and put his arm round my shoulder. "Truly I shall miss you, Wulfric, my brother, yet it is but for a short time."
The jarls bid me say that Wulfric of Reedham, Lodbrok's preserver, is a welcome guest in their hall, and they would see him there at once." "Nevertheless," I answered, "Raud the forester was the first to shelter me, and I do not forget." Whereat Raud was pleased, and together we went to the great house, and entered, unchallenged.
For he lay at Harleston to be near at hand, as the wedding was to be from the house of Egfrid's father, because Reedham seemed as yet a house of sorrow. And I was glad when the Thane asked that it should take place at Hoxne, and it was safer also.
Soon the bishop judged that the time was come for mass, and he called softly to me, bidding me serve, for I had often done so for him in the old days when I was a boy and he was at Reedham, and I knew well what to do. Then was said a most solemn mass with that one aged priest, and us few men present. And all was very quiet round us, for no wind stirred the trees on the old rampart.
There are few thanes' houses which have so many chambers as ours, for because of the king's friendship with us, my father had added, as it were, house to house, building fresh chambers out around the great hall itself, till all one might see was its long roof among the many that clustered round and against its walls, so that the thanes who came with him, or to see him, might have no cause to complain of ill lodging with Elfric of Reedham.
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