The Valhalla Saga 01 - Swords of Good Men Read Online Free PDF Page A

dropped the appearance of fearful respect and looked again at the ingredients on his workbench.
    A smile spread slowly across his face.
    VINGULMARK, EAST NORWAY
    Torches set on pikes cast a flickering glow over the tiny settlement. A solid mass of armed men formed a silent ring of steeland blades, two thousand strong. Inside the metal band, confused and shivering people were being roused from run-down huts.
    It was a raw night. The kind of night that bit your skin and chilled your bone. If there was a moon somewhere, it was hiding behind thick banks of grey cloud.
    A blood night, Finn thought.
    A small shrine to the old gods had been erected in the middle of the place. It was a pitiful thing. Poorly carved statues teetered over stains from animal sacrifices and a faint smell of rotting food lingered in the air. Just like all the others so far. He detached himself from his regiment, strode into the centre of the ring, took up a position next to the shrine and turned towards the locals.
    ‘Who is your chieftain?’ he shouted.
    None of them seemed eager to move, but eventually a council of sorts emerged. Five men shuffled reluctantly from the safety of the crowd and formed a line in front of the big bearded soldier. That would be the council, then. They looked miserable, Finn thought. They were ragged and scrawny, a mismatched family of starved dogs. Filthy rag-wearing mud rollers, the lot of them. But orders were orders, and his were to draw the leaders out and keep them there until the King would speak to them. Still, their chieftain seemed to have at least a little pride left in him. He straightened his back and squared his broad shoulders. With fire in his eyes he looked at Finn and took a step forward. ‘We have done nothing wrong.’
    ‘That will be for him to decide.’
    ‘Him who?’
    Finn glanced at the man but did not answer. He looked strong. The way he puffed his chest and arched his back, Finn reckoned that’s what he wanted to look like. However, experience hadtaught Finn the difference between strong men and fighters, and this man was a farmer, not a fighter. Furthermore he seemed angry, and angry farmers had no business being out on a blood night. No business at all.
    Out of the corner of his eye he spied movement. Unlike the confused peasants, he did not need to turn and look. He knew very well what was happening.
    To his side, the soldiers in the ring made way for a man on horseback.
    Straight blond hair framed a handsome, clean-shaven face. The rings in his mail shirt gleamed in the firelight and the silver embroidery on the cloak slung around his shoulders seemed to come to life, flowing up and down his arms and back. A simple metal band sat in place of a crown.
    King Olav Tryggvason rode slowly into the centre of the settlement, past the men and the women, the young and the old, towards Finn and the pathetic village council.
    As instructed, Finn had made them stand next to the shrine. When the King saw it, he pulled the reins on his horse and stopped. Dismounting swiftly, he walked around the shrine, inspecting the crude idols of Odin, Thor and Freya in turn. Finn watched as he bowed his head and clutched his hand to his chest, thumbing that strange necklace of his, the cross that looked like a Thor’s Hammer but without the head.
    As Finn and the farmer watched, he turned and looked at them.
    His features betrayed no emotion.
    He walked slowly over to the man who had claimed to be the leader of the settlement. When he was close enough he fixed him with a cold look.
    ‘Who is your god?’
    The man seemed confused at this.
    ‘Our god? What do you mean?’ He looked at the King for explanation. None was forthcoming. Looking at the idols, light dawned. ‘Oh. I understand. We sacrifice to Odin for the battle, Thor for crops and Freya for fertility, just like everybody else.’
    King Olav looked straight at the leader. ‘For this you will give me twenty of your strongest men.’ The chieftain’s eyes