Then the group rode on to the Trollfarm.
They searched the place carefully to make certain that no one was
hiding there. It was then that Thorolf changed the plan.
“I think it best we all stay together
now. They may be waiting at Bjorn’s place and, if he shows up
alone, they will be too many for him.” The others nodded. “We will
leave the women and some hands at each farm, then ride back for
Magnus and the others and search these men out.” And so they
agreed.
Two slaves, good runners, were left with
Gwyneth at the Trollfarm. They would watch the approaches and, if
they saw anything, would run to get Thorolf and Magnus. Marta and
her daughter Gerda dropped off at Thorolf’s farm. Watchers were
posted there as well. Bjorn had no family to look after his farm.
He named a man as steward but all the other hands were sent out to
scout the area. Some went up the mountain to the shieling where old
Edgar watched the flock. Some were sent inland to the desolate lava
fields. The rest fanned out around the farm. Thorolf had now set up
sentries from the Trollfarm on up all along the valley. He and
Bjorn and Colm settled in for an uneasy night.
Magnus was eating when a runner brought
him news that the berserk had been spotted. He was on the ridge
above Svart’s farm, spying out the place. Magnus immediately sent a
man to warn Svart and others to ride to the Trollfarm and to the
river to fetch Egil and Thorgils. Then he rode to Ketil’s farm.
It was dark when Magnus arrived. Ketil
welcomed him in and the two of them began drinking beer and
plotting how they would tackle the berserk. Around midnight there
was a commotion at the door and they grabbed their weapons. Svart
stumbled in. Clearly he was frightened of staying at his farm
alone. The three men sat up drinking until dawn.
Just after sunup, Magnus’ man returned
from the Trollfarm. He reported that Colm wasn’t there but that he
had sent another runner on to Thorolf’s place. Magnus was angry and
stalked about his place yelling and shouting. After a while the
others brought him back inside and gave him more beer. There was no
word from Egil and Thorgils.
One of Thorolf’s scouts reported seeing
Glum and Glam just below Bjorn’s farm, riding south. Another,
breathless, came running with word that Grim was camped just past
Thorolf’s farm, waiting there. Then the runner came with news that
Snaekulf was far to the south, above Svart’s steading.
“They split up and waited for us,” said
Colm. “They were watching to see where we would go.”
Thorolf nodded. “Now they will gather
and go after the lone men – Magnus, Ketil, Svart…”
“We could take these three on now,” said
Bjorn. He told them of a way to get to the road where the twins
would meet Grim. There was a path down past the cliffs, then up
over a hillside. “They will be in sight of one another when we come
down the slope, so we will be fighting all three.”
Better than meeting four, thought Colm,
especially considering who the fourth is, but he said nothing.
The men gathered their weapons and rode
out. Four farmhands and three slaves went with them. No one really
expected the slaves to fight.
When Magnus heard that none of the men
were at Thorolf’s farm, he was furious. He struck the runner who
brought him the message and yelled at the others gathered around.
When the slave got up from the ground, Magnus hit him again, a
great backhanded blow that set the man flying. The slave raised to
one knee. He did not stand up again but knelt with his head bowed.
Blood dripped from his nose onto the ground.
Svart and Ketil grabbed Magnus and
pulled him onto the bench where he sat, breathing heavily. Suddenly
he raised his head, light flashing from his eyes. “Where is the man
now?”
There were eight men, five slaves and
three hands, on the ridge now, watching the berserk and reporting
his every move. One of them was careful to kneel before Magnus
before he spoke. “He is
They searched the place carefully to make certain that no one was
hiding there. It was then that Thorolf changed the plan.
“I think it best we all stay together
now. They may be waiting at Bjorn’s place and, if he shows up
alone, they will be too many for him.” The others nodded. “We will
leave the women and some hands at each farm, then ride back for
Magnus and the others and search these men out.” And so they
agreed.
Two slaves, good runners, were left with
Gwyneth at the Trollfarm. They would watch the approaches and, if
they saw anything, would run to get Thorolf and Magnus. Marta and
her daughter Gerda dropped off at Thorolf’s farm. Watchers were
posted there as well. Bjorn had no family to look after his farm.
He named a man as steward but all the other hands were sent out to
scout the area. Some went up the mountain to the shieling where old
Edgar watched the flock. Some were sent inland to the desolate lava
fields. The rest fanned out around the farm. Thorolf had now set up
sentries from the Trollfarm on up all along the valley. He and
Bjorn and Colm settled in for an uneasy night.
Magnus was eating when a runner brought
him news that the berserk had been spotted. He was on the ridge
above Svart’s farm, spying out the place. Magnus immediately sent a
man to warn Svart and others to ride to the Trollfarm and to the
river to fetch Egil and Thorgils. Then he rode to Ketil’s farm.
It was dark when Magnus arrived. Ketil
welcomed him in and the two of them began drinking beer and
plotting how they would tackle the berserk. Around midnight there
was a commotion at the door and they grabbed their weapons. Svart
stumbled in. Clearly he was frightened of staying at his farm
alone. The three men sat up drinking until dawn.
Just after sunup, Magnus’ man returned
from the Trollfarm. He reported that Colm wasn’t there but that he
had sent another runner on to Thorolf’s place. Magnus was angry and
stalked about his place yelling and shouting. After a while the
others brought him back inside and gave him more beer. There was no
word from Egil and Thorgils.
One of Thorolf’s scouts reported seeing
Glum and Glam just below Bjorn’s farm, riding south. Another,
breathless, came running with word that Grim was camped just past
Thorolf’s farm, waiting there. Then the runner came with news that
Snaekulf was far to the south, above Svart’s steading.
“They split up and waited for us,” said
Colm. “They were watching to see where we would go.”
Thorolf nodded. “Now they will gather
and go after the lone men – Magnus, Ketil, Svart…”
“We could take these three on now,” said
Bjorn. He told them of a way to get to the road where the twins
would meet Grim. There was a path down past the cliffs, then up
over a hillside. “They will be in sight of one another when we come
down the slope, so we will be fighting all three.”
Better than meeting four, thought Colm,
especially considering who the fourth is, but he said nothing.
The men gathered their weapons and rode
out. Four farmhands and three slaves went with them. No one really
expected the slaves to fight.
When Magnus heard that none of the men
were at Thorolf’s farm, he was furious. He struck the runner who
brought him the message and yelled at the others gathered around.
When the slave got up from the ground, Magnus hit him again, a
great backhanded blow that set the man flying. The slave raised to
one knee. He did not stand up again but knelt with his head bowed.
Blood dripped from his nose onto the ground.
Svart and Ketil grabbed Magnus and
pulled him onto the bench where he sat, breathing heavily. Suddenly
he raised his head, light flashing from his eyes. “Where is the man
now?”
There were eight men, five slaves and
three hands, on the ridge now, watching the berserk and reporting
his every move. One of them was careful to kneel before Magnus
before he spoke. “He is
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