Despite White Christ they see you as the one who changes to a wolf and appears out of the dark. Their children are brought up fearing you."
"You follow the White Christ?" Her hand went involuntarily to the cross she bore around her neck. "Fear not my wife is a Christian."
"You kill priests and take the holy books. They say you burn them."
I laughed, "They are too valuable to burn. We sell them. And the king, King Eanred; what do they feel about him?"
"Some say he is not strong enough. There are those who would try to take his crown from him. It is why he stays in Bebbanburgh. He is safe there no matter how many try to take his throne."
"And has he children?"
"Prince Aethelred. He is a fine young man and very popular. There are many ladies who would have him as their husband. He leads the king's army."
Just then a weary Aiden strode into the hall.
Ketil stood, "You had better get food for the Jarl's galdramenn." Seara made the sign of the cross and hurried out. Ketil laughed, "She has many superstitions and rituals of her own but she is afraid of witches and wizards."
Aiden sat. He looked weary. "It has been many years since I have ridden so far on the back of a horse!"
"How long will it take us to reach Din Guardi from here, Ketil?"
"If we ride hard then we can do it in one day. It is a hundred miles and from here is a straight line."
"Where will be the danger?"
"There are two such places. One, when we cross the wall. At Hagustaldes ham there is an ambitious young thegn, Coenred of Hagustaldes ham. He sends his men sheep raiding . It is rumoured that he wishes to be King."
"And the other?"
"There is a hall at Alnwick. The Aln is not a deep river and we can ford it if the bridge is guarded but Hagustaldes ham is the place I worry about for we cannot avoid it and we may find trouble."
"Then it is good that we know where it is for we can be prepared."
As we had scouts we used Ketil's oathsworn to lead the horses. Leif the Banner now had two boys to watch although they felt they were guarding my standard. As soon as we left Ketil's home we were in the land of our enemy. His scouts rode ahead and returned as we headed north and east. They kept changing horses. There had been a bridge at Haydon but it had washed away in a storm and so we would have to cross the Tinea at Hagustaldes ham. We broke our journey four miles short of it. We ate and changed horses. We kept our helmets on our saddles and our shields behind our backs. We were there peacefully but we kept a hand on our swords.
We had not gone far when Oswald, Ketil's scout, galloped in. "There are Saxons ahead, lord. A horseman and thirty warriors."
Ketil deferred to me. I asked, "How many are mailed?"
"The rider and four others."
"Fetch the other scout back and stay with the spare horses." Turning to my Ulfheonar I said, "We come for peace but be prepared for war."
They chanted, "Aye Jarl!"
"Ragnar and Gruffyd stay by the banner! No matter what you see. That is an order! Aiden stay by the banner too."
"I will."
Haaken joined Ketil and me. "What does this Coenred of Hagustaldes ham look like?"
"He is the size of Asbjorn the Rock. He has mail which has a coating to make it look like gold. It is not. His shield has a boar upon it with a bloody mouth. A human tongue hangs from it." I cocked my head to one side. He nodded, "A real one!"
Haaken asked, "Does it not rot?"
"He takes a fresh one each month I am told." Haaken looked in disbelief. "It was my wife Seara who told me. When cases are tried by the thegn his punishment for serious crimes is always the loss of a tongue." He shook his head. "And they call us barbaric!"
"And he is a rival for the throne?"
"He is ambitious and would have more power. He and Aethelred, the King's son, were friends. They had a falling out. He is an untrustworthy warrior from what my wife told me."
"She seems to know much about him."
"She is his cousin. She lived in