thinking and all I'm getting is poison. If Hardar refuses gold, he is being unreasonable. That shit of a man has been courting a fight since the festival. If that is his wish, then I will nail his head to my mast and sail it around the islands until it rots off. Like all of us, I pray the gods it will not come to that."
"Hardar is not alone. Others desire our wealth and will join him to steal from us. It's more than a fight between you and him. It's us against everyone else." Thorvald's voice was low and grave.
"I have allies as well, Ragnvald for example. You exaggerate the threat."
Ulfrik folded his arms over his chest. His head throbbed as he glared at Thorvald. The blacksmith's gaze faltered and he sat down again. Snorri and Ari both nodded in approval. Ulfrik then turned to Toki.
"I'm sorry, old friend. We cannot interfere in a father's plans for his daughter. And I can't accuse Jarl Vermund of being a murderer without better proof than third-hand rumor. The life of a jarl's daughter is a difficult one, particularly with a jarl like Hardar. I am going to return Halla to her family, and again I forbid you from ever seeing her again."
Toki looked at him and swallowed. He nodded and clasped Ulfrik's shoulder. "I'll not defy you again. I have been chastened."
"I sincerely hope you are," Ulfrik said, his expression flat. "For if you defy me, you may never set foot on my land again. I will declare you an oath-breaker and outlaw. I have to protect my people, Toki. All of them."
Hardar arrived within a day of Toki pulling ashore with Halla and Dana. Ulfrik never doubted he would show, but he hadn't expected such dire news. The man before him wrung his hands, eyes darting around the hall. The exertion of frantic rowing had matted his hair flat. He repeated himself when Ulfrik did not respond. "All three of Hardar's ships are coming. Beast heads are mounted and shields are off the rails. We could see the gleam of their mail. Do you hear, Lord Ulfrik?"
Ulfrik watched the sweat trickle over his twisted nose. Runa sat next to him, frozen over her breakfast of salted whale meat. The hirdmen lining the tables held still and silent. Warm sunlight from the smoke hole framed the hall in a bright block.
Blinking away the shock, Ulfrik regained himself. "Gather the people to the hall. Summon the rest of the hird to the slope."
Ulfrik's wooden voice lacked power, but men snapped to their duties. Meals were abandoned and drinks spilled as they rushed to retrieve their weapons. Already a horn sounded. Ulfrik closed his eyes at the sound. "War again. How far must a man travel to escape it," he spoke to himself, rubbed his face, then faced Runa and Gunnar.
"What's happening, Father?" Gunnar's eyes were wide behind his dark bangs. He sat on Runa's lap, watching the hirdmen rushing from the hall.
"You will stay with your mother." Ulfrik looked into Runa's eyes, her face taut with fear. He brushed her cheek and whispered to her. "It may only be a show. Do not worry, wife. He is eager to embarrass me."
"I hope that is all he is eager for," she replied.
Ulfrik had no more time to spare. Snorri was behind the last of the hirdmen squeezing out of the hall. Ulfrik heard shouts and hurried voices. He pulled Snorri's arm. "Hold on. You need to get Toki and those two women. Bring them to the slope as fast as you can. I will stall Hardar, provided he isn't seeking battle."
Snorri nodded. "He didn't waste any time getting here. Do you think he knows already?"
Ulfrik shook his head. Snorri jogged off while a line of women and children queued at the entrance. Ulfrik returned to his room to wear his mail and helmet. He snatched them off the rack, toppling it in his haste. He gave the hall to Runa, who was organizing and calming the confused people cramming inside. Nye Grenner had never been raided, and many had never experienced that terror before. Ulfrik hoped they wouldn't experience it today.
Outside, his men formed a loose block of
"Hardar is not alone. Others desire our wealth and will join him to steal from us. It's more than a fight between you and him. It's us against everyone else." Thorvald's voice was low and grave.
"I have allies as well, Ragnvald for example. You exaggerate the threat."
Ulfrik folded his arms over his chest. His head throbbed as he glared at Thorvald. The blacksmith's gaze faltered and he sat down again. Snorri and Ari both nodded in approval. Ulfrik then turned to Toki.
"I'm sorry, old friend. We cannot interfere in a father's plans for his daughter. And I can't accuse Jarl Vermund of being a murderer without better proof than third-hand rumor. The life of a jarl's daughter is a difficult one, particularly with a jarl like Hardar. I am going to return Halla to her family, and again I forbid you from ever seeing her again."
Toki looked at him and swallowed. He nodded and clasped Ulfrik's shoulder. "I'll not defy you again. I have been chastened."
"I sincerely hope you are," Ulfrik said, his expression flat. "For if you defy me, you may never set foot on my land again. I will declare you an oath-breaker and outlaw. I have to protect my people, Toki. All of them."
Hardar arrived within a day of Toki pulling ashore with Halla and Dana. Ulfrik never doubted he would show, but he hadn't expected such dire news. The man before him wrung his hands, eyes darting around the hall. The exertion of frantic rowing had matted his hair flat. He repeated himself when Ulfrik did not respond. "All three of Hardar's ships are coming. Beast heads are mounted and shields are off the rails. We could see the gleam of their mail. Do you hear, Lord Ulfrik?"
Ulfrik watched the sweat trickle over his twisted nose. Runa sat next to him, frozen over her breakfast of salted whale meat. The hirdmen lining the tables held still and silent. Warm sunlight from the smoke hole framed the hall in a bright block.
Blinking away the shock, Ulfrik regained himself. "Gather the people to the hall. Summon the rest of the hird to the slope."
Ulfrik's wooden voice lacked power, but men snapped to their duties. Meals were abandoned and drinks spilled as they rushed to retrieve their weapons. Already a horn sounded. Ulfrik closed his eyes at the sound. "War again. How far must a man travel to escape it," he spoke to himself, rubbed his face, then faced Runa and Gunnar.
"What's happening, Father?" Gunnar's eyes were wide behind his dark bangs. He sat on Runa's lap, watching the hirdmen rushing from the hall.
"You will stay with your mother." Ulfrik looked into Runa's eyes, her face taut with fear. He brushed her cheek and whispered to her. "It may only be a show. Do not worry, wife. He is eager to embarrass me."
"I hope that is all he is eager for," she replied.
Ulfrik had no more time to spare. Snorri was behind the last of the hirdmen squeezing out of the hall. Ulfrik heard shouts and hurried voices. He pulled Snorri's arm. "Hold on. You need to get Toki and those two women. Bring them to the slope as fast as you can. I will stall Hardar, provided he isn't seeking battle."
Snorri nodded. "He didn't waste any time getting here. Do you think he knows already?"
Ulfrik shook his head. Snorri jogged off while a line of women and children queued at the entrance. Ulfrik returned to his room to wear his mail and helmet. He snatched them off the rack, toppling it in his haste. He gave the hall to Runa, who was organizing and calming the confused people cramming inside. Nye Grenner had never been raided, and many had never experienced that terror before. Ulfrik hoped they wouldn't experience it today.
Outside, his men formed a loose block of
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