Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
So I took the Jarl's cutter, manning her with enough men of my own crew; and Kolgrim came with me, and we sailed to Kirkwall in company with Thiodolf the scald. Then when Thiodolf took me into his presence, I saw Harald Fairhair for the first time, as he sat to receive Einar's messenger in the great hall that Sigurd had built and which we had dwelt in.
When hand goes to sword hilt one knows what is coming, and even as the man said his last words I was on them, and Kolgrim was not a pace behind me. The Dane's sword was out first; but I was upon him in time. His horse swerved as mine plunged forward, and I rode him down, horse and man rolling together in the roadway. Then the man to my right cut at me, and I parried the blow and returned it.
Then we went swiftly back to Kolgrim, and as I mounted and rode off, the blaze flared up behind us, for the tarred timbers burned fiercely in the wind. "That will tell Odda that the Danes are flying. And maybe it will save Wareham town from fire, for they will think we are on them. So I have spoiled Jarl Osmund's supper for him."
Then the leading ship put her helm up and stood across our course, and the second followed her. "We must out oars now if we are to weather on them," said Kolgrim at last. Then the men shouted; and I looked at the second ship, to which they were pointing. Her great sail was overboard, for the halliards had gone chafed through maybe, or snapped with the strain as she paid off quickly.
"Thane," I said, "here is a chance for us to win back the banner, as I think." He looked up sharply, and I pointed. "Let us ride at once into the wood, and wait for them to pass us. Then, if we dare, we can surely dash through them." Kolgrim sat close to me, and our horses were tethered to a spear. He rose up when he heard me speak, saying: "Here is more madness.
Kolgrim and I stood under the lee of a shed, waiting for the fisher to get his boat afloat, and looked out on bending trees and whitened water, while beyond the harbour we could see the great downs, clear cut and dark, almost as well as by day, so bright it was. It was low water now, which was good for us, for the winding channels that lead up to Wareham were sheltered under their bare banks.
If Danes are in the place, they have doubtless stolen them; and if Saxons, they will get them back." "There will be no Saxon dwelling so near the Danes," I said. "Maybe the place is full of Danes some outpost that is careless." "Careless enough," said Kolgrim. "If they are careless for three minutes more, they have lost their horses."
Is it to the starboard hand that the bolt rope goes, or to the other board?" "I pray you to forget my foolishness, lord king," cried Kolgrim, growing very red and shame faced. "That I shall not," the king answered, laughing. "I owe you thanks for such a jest as I have not played on a man for many a long day. Truly I have been more light hearted for my laugh ever since."
"Sigurd would have us know it and take revenge." "No man has dared to go near that doorway till you came, Ranald Vemundsson," Kolgrim answered. "Now I fear that he plans to lure you into the mound, and slay you there without light to help you. Go no further, maybe you will be closed up with the ghost." That was not pleasant to think of, but I had seen nought to make me fear to go in.
And then I told him how things had gone after his fall. "Kolgrim has fought, therefore, a matter of fifty trolls," I said; "which is more than most folk can say for themselves." Whereat he growled from the doorway: "Maybe I was too much feared to know what I was doing."
Word Of The Day