TLV - 03 - The Sign of the Raven Read Online Free PDF

cried.
    At the Thing, most of the yeomen said stubbornly they would return. "What use is gold? My children can't chew on it this winter." But enough of the younger sons were ready to fight that Harald could man a hundred and eighty ships. He steered from the Gota, southward along Halland, and wherever there was settlement he landed to sack and burn. It was his hope that news of this would draw Svein up to him. But if he must, he vowed, he'd ride into Roskilde and cut the Dane king down in his own hall.
    After a week or so of thus harrying, he entered the shallow curve of Lofufjord, where the river Niss empties into the sea. Hills rolled gently back from the beach, yellow with ripening grain, dark with patches of woods; a sizable hamlet lay under thatch roofs near the shore. As the Norse rowed closer, they saw a line of armed yeomen forming.
    "They haven't the hope of a snowflake in hell," said Thjodholf. Sadness crossed his face. "Those are brave men."
    "They are Danes," said Harald.
    He let the anchor drop and the horns blow to summon his captains for council. Haakon Jarl was First aboard, with troubled mien. "I have a boon to ask of you, my king," he said.
    "Well?" Harald waited, arms folded on his breast.
    Haakon met his gaze steadily, though Harald's eyes smoldered. "When I was serving Svein," he said, "I lay to at this spot for a while, being sick. One of the folk here took me in and treated me kindly—Carl, his name is. It would be an ill repayment to slay him and make his children thralls."
    "Aye, so." The jarl was astonished to get a mild answer; he had been ready to use strong words and even threats. "Well, we can spare this one thorp since you ask it. Go you and tell them we will grant peace if they lay down their arms and give us such provisions as we need."
    Haakon bowed deeply, and sprang into his boat with a joyful face. Thora gave her man a puzzled look. "It's not your wont to do thus," she murmured, "especially when it's a favor to one you distrust."
    Harald stared across the quiet waters. The jarl was in his boat, holding empty hands aloft as he was rowed close to the strand. "That fellow stands by his friends," he replied. "It was well to make him ours, if we can."
    Agreement was quickly reached, and the Norse swarmed merrily ashore. That night there was cheer in the hamlet, and Harald supposed a number of new souls would be added to it nine months hence. He himself tented with Thora on the beach, but Haakon was a guest in Carl's home.
    The next day Harald led his host inland, where they slaughtered cattle and robbed houses as before.
    It was a mighty strand hewing, and the countryside smoked when they came back that evening. Haakon felt that his host Carl's eyes were reproachful, and gave the man a good horse.
    In the misty morning, Harald ordered the fleet to ready itself. That went slowly, for there was much to take aboard, and they were still there after noon.
    Then a shout rose up. Harald ran from the beached Fafnir and stared west. A bright hard glimmer was on the horizon, sunlight bouncing off gilt.
    "Ships!" exclaimed Ulf. "A whole fleet!"
    "Svein, by God!" Harald whooped it forth. He tossed his hat in the air and hugged his marshal and danced Thora across the sward. "Blow the battle call! On armor, out swords, here comes the end of the war!"
    By the time the chiefs were gathered, it was plain that the nearing force was of overwhelming size, easily twice their own number. The ships spilled over the sea, it was dark with them; against the dazzle of the westering sun they swarmed like midges.
    Eystein frowned uneasily. "So Svein has used his old trick once more," he said, "and this time we cannot escape unless we start soon."
    "Yeomen!" snorted Styrkaar. "We can cut them into flitches and eat them for breakfast."
    "I've seen a pack of dogs pull down a boar," said Haakon. "What think you, my lord? Shall we stand and fight, or shall we take to our heels? It's no dishonor to run from such odds."
    Harald's