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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.
"What is this?" he said, and his voice was low, and yet clear in the silence that had fallen, for all his men behind him had stopped as if turned to stone where they stood. Then from my side sprang Osritha before any could answer, meeting him first of all, and she threw her arms round his neck, saying: "Dead is Lodbrok our father, and nigh to death for his sake has been Wulfric, your friend.
And when the red light from wharf and open house doors danced in long lines on the ripples towards us, and voices hailed our ship from shore, and our men answered back in cheery wise, she drew nearer me, saying: "Is this home, Wulfric?" "Aye," I answered. "Your home and mine, Osritha and peace."
"When there were ten of you, I thought?" "Sir, as we told you, he is no mortal man, but a fiend." "Beasts, fools! Well, I have hanged this one, at least!" growled Ivo, and then rode sullenly on. "Who is this fellow?" cried he to the trembling English. "Wulfric Raher, Wulfric the Heron, of Wrokesham in Norfolk." "Aha! And I hold a manor of his," said Ivo to himself.
And though he knew not why I had done the deed, for the sake of his friendship with my father and myself he would have hidden it, and even as he did so I came, falling on him. Whereon he grew wroth, and fought. "It seems to me," said the earl, "that a word from you should rather have made Wulfric help you and thank you; not fall on you. Now let the witnesses say their say."
"Other was the meeting I had planned for you and me, Wulfric, my brother-in-arms. Yet you are most welcome, for you at least are here to tell me of the days that are past." "It is an ill telling," said Ingvar. "That must needs be, seeing what is to be told," Hubba said quickly.
Now one of the franklins there, who knew me well enough, said: "Wulfric, be not ashamed to confess it, if for once you shot ill if your arrow went by chance to Lodbrok's heart, I pray you, say so. It may well be forgiven." Very grateful was I for that kind word, but I would not plead falsely, nor, indeed, would it have told aught of the other wound that had been made.
Then it left him and came to me, thrusting its nose into my hand, but I would not notice it, for justice's sake; but when it saw Beorn, it bristled up, flying at his throat so that he fell under it, and the guards had much ado in getting it off, and one was bitten. "The dog condemns Beorn," said the earl, "but Wulfric bred it."
Nay!" "All right, then," said Robert, struck by a sudden idea; "then let me go somewhere else." His mind sought eagerly among the memories of the historical romance. "Sir Wulfric de Talbot," he said slowly, "should think foul scorn to to keep a chap I mean one who has done him no hurt when he wants to cut off quietly I mean to depart without violence." "This to my face!
So before the king and my father went to Winchester there was high feasting, and those two were pledged one to the other. Then was a new house to be built for them at Hoxne, where the wedding itself should take place. "Maybe Halfden will be here by that time," said Lodbrok to me. "I wish, friend Wulfric, that honest Egfrid had not been so forward, or that you had another fair sister."
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