TLV - 02 - The Road of the Sea Horse Read Online Free PDF

jaws. "It was as if I would live forever. But now it seems that being dead is a lonely thing."
    "Lie down, my lord," said Einar. "In the morning this will look better."
    Harald heard the story the next day; it was running through the whole army. "It may be that Magnus Olafsson is fey," said Halldor somberly.
    "It may be that the night mists got into his head," answered Harald. "Men get dreams and dreams, and most of them mean naught." Nevertheless, he felt a crawling along his nerves, as if something unseen had brushed close.
    Toward evening a hard-riding scout brought word that the Danish host was near, headed south, and they could look for battle the next day. Harald made his preparations coolly, but Magnus spent most of the time alone with a priest. That night, the campfires burned high and men sat up late, unable to sleep.
    In the morning, after they had broken their fast, horns blew and the army went into war formation. The men spilled from the road and across grain-fields, leaving a giant swath crushed behind them. Harald rode an outsize horse by his banner, raven black against bloody red. A knee-length byrnie dragged at his collarbone, a cuif and helmet bound his hair. Glancing along the lines, he saw endless rows of men, sunburned faces and dully gleaming iron. The host held their spears aloft, axes on their shoulders; their tramping created a sound like low thunder. Ulf was on his right hand, Halldor on his left, faces unsmiling and somehow unhuman behind the nose guards. Through a haze of dust, he could barely spy Magnus, hollow eyed and eerily intent on his own thoughts.
    They had not gone far when dust and steel rose ahead of them, and the Danes came into view. Harald shaded his eyes and made out Svein in their van. Wearing a gilt helmet and scarlet cloak, he was astride a high-stepping white horse. Behind his shield-burg was a cluster of brown-robed monks. The sound of their chanting filtered through the windless air and Harald spat. "Ever the priest lover. Those shavepates will help him little today."
    Nobody talked of peace. Horns lowed, and arrows darkened the sky. Harald dismounted, hobbling his steed, and lifted the shield up before his face; he grasped a one-handed ax and bore a sword at his waist. Slowly, the two hosts lumbered toward each other. A stone thudded off Harald's shield.
    "This is no hastily raised band of farmers," said Ulf. "We'll have work to do."
    Ahead and to the left shouts and clangor arose as Magnus engaged Svein's leading men. Harald took the shoulder of the lad carrying his flag. "Hold. Let them come to us, it'll weaken their formation."
    Suddenly blue, hating eyes were ranked before him. He whooped, tossed his ax in the air, caught it, and stepped forth. The edge howled down. He felt a wooden shield rim split and the arm beneath it break. The Dane screamed, falling backward. The man behind pushed him forward again. Harald knew a moment of wonder about this fellow he was killing: how many children did he have to weep for him? Then he was down, and a sword was thunderous on the king's own shield.
    For a long time there followed the confusion of battle. Both armies held together, but the Danish line was pushed back. Overhead ravens and eagles wheeled, waiting for their feast. Banners fluttered, above the hosts. A wounded man clutched his belly, trying to stuff his guts back inside; a father held his dead son in his arms, stroking hair clotted with blood and brains; a warrior looked at the stump of his arm, not yet understanding what had happened. But those were only chance glimpses. Harald's flickering eyes were concerned to see how the whole battle was going. Meanwhile his ax smote till it shivered and he must draw sword.
    There, now! All at once, no one stood before him. This Danish wing was broken and men were fleeing in terror. Harald winded his horn and pointed his standard-bearer left. They flanked Svein and smashed their way toward him.
    Svein's banner was down!
    Harald saw the