Return of the Ravens (Ulfrik Ormsson's Saga Book 6) by Jerry Autieri
Authors: Jerry Autieri
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know the best way to Vilhjalmer and the best way out of that mess. I just have to link with him."
Gunther shrugged and they studied the pigs in silence. A young woman came to fetch the bucket, but she melted away in shock when she discovered both Ulfrik and Gunther leaning on her fence.
"I see women still think you're ugly," Ulfrik said.
"Don't need to be handsome to get what I want."
They both laughed, and Ulfrik watched the smallest pig finally get his place at the bucket. "I feel like that one, the little piglet scrambling after what everyone else has left me. I had it all, Gunther. Now it's gone."
"Maybe not all of it. Your family will welcome you back."
"They will, but what shall I be to them? A ghost returned from the dead? I knew their lives would have moved on without me, and that I could not force my way back to them. You want to know something, old friend? I don't think I returned for them, but for myself. For another chance at glory. I could've finished my days in Iceland with a good woman and no one would've been the wiser here. Maybe it would have even better for them."
"You do realize it can still be so?" Gunther had to turn to fix Ulfrik with his only eye. "Do this thing for Hrolf, and he'll give you a ship and crew and gold enough to make you a Christian King of Iceland."
The thought hit Ulfrik like an oar slamming across his shoulders. He pushed back from the fence and squared with Gunther, his mouth open.
"You never thought of it?" Gunther shook his head, his thin gray hair falling across his face. "You really do lust for glory."
"There's just not been a moment to think ahead, but you are right. I could return to Iceland a richer man and leave my old family in peace."
"Aye, and maybe it's better for them as you have said."
Ulfrik turned back to the pigs. They had scattered and the bucket lay tipped on its side. How much suffering would he cause Runa to suddenly reappear to her? Konal had loved her in the past, and Ulfrik believed after his apparent death they had found love together again. He could only complicate their lives in the worst way. Moreover, he was nothing now but a poor wanderer. What shame would he visit upon his sons to show up like this? He shook his head.
"Maybe it's best to move on after Hrolf's son is saved. Still, I would like to at least see my family one more time, even if only from a distance. I want to carry away a memory of them all in happiness. Last I saw Runa, we had only recovered from a terrible argument the night before. I would like to replace that memory with a more pleasant one."
"You're good at moving in disguise. Last night you got close enough to give Hrolf a kiss before anyone stopped you. Maybe pay them a visit after this is done."
"No, I may have to leave quickly after that. I'd rather see them before I go. How far is their new home?"
"Hardly an afternoon's travel by horse. It's on the way to the Frankish border anyway. I won't mention that trip to Hrolf, if you choose to make it."
Ulfrik put his hand on Gunther's shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you for that. It will be good to see my family one last time before I leave them for good."
Gunther smiled. "Let's go see your friend, Finn, and let him know he'll be going home a richer man."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ulfrik approached Konal's fortress with his heart beating and his breath ragged. He wore his now-perfected disguise of a traveling wise man. The sky above the dark stockade walls was gray and threatening rain. A low rumble of thunder rolled out of the distance, and the wind blew strong and cool against his face. He did not wear a blindfold, wanting only to glimpse his family a final time before moving on. All his war gear and weapons remained in keeping at the last farmhouse he visited. Unlike the situation at Gils's farm, Gunther One-Eye had accompanied him and paid the farmers to care for Ulfrik and his belongings. The farm sat at the turning
Gunther shrugged and they studied the pigs in silence. A young woman came to fetch the bucket, but she melted away in shock when she discovered both Ulfrik and Gunther leaning on her fence.
"I see women still think you're ugly," Ulfrik said.
"Don't need to be handsome to get what I want."
They both laughed, and Ulfrik watched the smallest pig finally get his place at the bucket. "I feel like that one, the little piglet scrambling after what everyone else has left me. I had it all, Gunther. Now it's gone."
"Maybe not all of it. Your family will welcome you back."
"They will, but what shall I be to them? A ghost returned from the dead? I knew their lives would have moved on without me, and that I could not force my way back to them. You want to know something, old friend? I don't think I returned for them, but for myself. For another chance at glory. I could've finished my days in Iceland with a good woman and no one would've been the wiser here. Maybe it would have even better for them."
"You do realize it can still be so?" Gunther had to turn to fix Ulfrik with his only eye. "Do this thing for Hrolf, and he'll give you a ship and crew and gold enough to make you a Christian King of Iceland."
The thought hit Ulfrik like an oar slamming across his shoulders. He pushed back from the fence and squared with Gunther, his mouth open.
"You never thought of it?" Gunther shook his head, his thin gray hair falling across his face. "You really do lust for glory."
"There's just not been a moment to think ahead, but you are right. I could return to Iceland a richer man and leave my old family in peace."
"Aye, and maybe it's better for them as you have said."
Ulfrik turned back to the pigs. They had scattered and the bucket lay tipped on its side. How much suffering would he cause Runa to suddenly reappear to her? Konal had loved her in the past, and Ulfrik believed after his apparent death they had found love together again. He could only complicate their lives in the worst way. Moreover, he was nothing now but a poor wanderer. What shame would he visit upon his sons to show up like this? He shook his head.
"Maybe it's best to move on after Hrolf's son is saved. Still, I would like to at least see my family one more time, even if only from a distance. I want to carry away a memory of them all in happiness. Last I saw Runa, we had only recovered from a terrible argument the night before. I would like to replace that memory with a more pleasant one."
"You're good at moving in disguise. Last night you got close enough to give Hrolf a kiss before anyone stopped you. Maybe pay them a visit after this is done."
"No, I may have to leave quickly after that. I'd rather see them before I go. How far is their new home?"
"Hardly an afternoon's travel by horse. It's on the way to the Frankish border anyway. I won't mention that trip to Hrolf, if you choose to make it."
Ulfrik put his hand on Gunther's shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you for that. It will be good to see my family one last time before I leave them for good."
Gunther smiled. "Let's go see your friend, Finn, and let him know he'll be going home a richer man."
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ulfrik approached Konal's fortress with his heart beating and his breath ragged. He wore his now-perfected disguise of a traveling wise man. The sky above the dark stockade walls was gray and threatening rain. A low rumble of thunder rolled out of the distance, and the wind blew strong and cool against his face. He did not wear a blindfold, wanting only to glimpse his family a final time before moving on. All his war gear and weapons remained in keeping at the last farmhouse he visited. Unlike the situation at Gils's farm, Gunther One-Eye had accompanied him and paid the farmers to care for Ulfrik and his belongings. The farm sat at the turning
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