Havelok The Dane by Charles Whistler (freenovel24 .TXT) 📖

is a matter for the whole host to settle," one said at last. "We will speak to them, and give you an answer shortly."

"Take one of Hodulf's courtmen with you, that he may tell all of the fight," Havelok said: "he need not come back."

I gave the man his arms again, for he might as well have them if he stayed.

"Thanks, lord," he said. "Here is one who will tell the truth for Havelok."

Then our host sat down, and we watched the foemen as the news came to them. We could not hear, of course, for they were a quarter of a mile away, but if any tumult rose we should be warned in time. They were very still, however. There was a long talk, and then one chief came back to us.

"I am going to ask a strange thing," he said, "but the men wish to see Havelok face to face."

Now Sigurd said that this was too great a risk, and even Withelm agreed with him.

But Havelok answered, "The men are my own men, but they are not sure that I am the right king. It is plain that I am like my father, and therefore it is safe for me to go."

"That," said the chief, "is what we told them, and what they wish to see."

"Then," said Havelok, "I will come. Bid your men sit down, and bid the horsemen dismount, and I will ride to them with five others. Then can be no fear on either side."

"That will do well," said Sigurd; and the chief went back, and at once the host sat down.

Then Havelok rode to them, and with him went we three and Sigurd and Biorn.

There was a murmur of wonder as he came, and it grew louder as he unhelmed and stayed before them.

And then one shouted, "Skoal to Havelok Gunnarsson!" and at once the shout was taken up along the line. And that shout grew until the chiefs joined in it, for it was the voice of the host, which cannot be gainsaid; and without more delay, one by one the leaders pressed forward and knelt on one knee to their king, and did homage to him. Only the Norsemen held back; and presently, when we were talking to the Danish chiefs in all friendly wise, they drew apart with their men, and formed up into a close-ranked body that looked dangerous.

"Surely they do not mean to fight!" said Withelm.

Then one of them shouted that he must speak to the king, and that seemed as if they owned him at least, so Havelok went to them.

"You have heard my terms," he said, "and I think that they are all that you could ask. What is amiss?"

"Your terms are good enough," the speaker said, "and we know that our time is come. But we must have surety that the people will not fall on us, for we are flying, as it were. And we want the body of our king. We would not have him buried any wise, as if he was a thrall."

"He shall be given to you, and as for the rest none shall harm you. Moreover, for that saying about your king I will add this: that if there are any of you who hold lands to which there is no Danish heir, he shall take service with me if he will, and so keep them."

So there was no man in all the host who was not content; and that was the second king-making of Havelok, as it were, for now there was no man against him. The hosts were disbanded then and there, and we went that day to Hodulf's town, and took possession of all that had been in his hands. Then was rejoicing over all the land, for a king of the old line was on the throne once more, and his way was full of promise.

CHAPTER XXII. KING ALSI'S WELCOME.

Now there was one thing that was in the minds of all of us, and that was the winning of Goldberga's kingdom for her; but that was a matter which was not to be thought of yet for a long while. Two years were we in Denmark, and well loved was Havelok by all, whether one speaks of the other kings who owned him as Gunnar's heir at once, or the people over whom he and Goldberga reigned. But we sent messages to Arngeir and to Ragnar to say that all was well, and we heard from them in time how Alsi feared what was to come, and had rather make friends with the Anglians than offend them. So he had not given out anything that was against the princess, but had told all how she had wedded the heir of Denmark, and that she had given up her land to himself, and followed her husband across the sea. It was not hard for him to feign gladness in her well-doing; and Berthun counselled Ragnar to let things be thus, and yet prepare for her return.

In my own heart was the wish to go back to England always, for there was my home; and I found that it was the same with my brothers, for there is that in the English land which makes all who touch it love it. And there was the mound that held my father, and there were the folk among whom we had been brought up in the town that we had made; and I longed to see once more the green marshes and the grey wolds of Lindsey, and the brown waves of the wide Humber rolling shorewards, line after line. I tired of the heaths and forests and peat mosses of this land of my birth. And if that was so to me, it was a yet deeper longing in the hearts of the brothers who hardly remembered this place; and after a while we spoke of it more often.

I do not know if we said much to others, but at last the younger chiefs began to wonder when the promised time when they should cross the "swan's path" for Goldberga should come. Maybe they tired of the long peace, as a Dane will. But when that talk began, Withelm knew that things were ripe, and he told Havelok. That was in the third spring of Havelok's kingship, when it grew near to the time when men fit out their ships.

"This is what I have looked for," he said; "and now we will delay no longer, for here am I king indeed, and there is none who will rise against me. Wonderful it is that men have hailed me thus. And now I will tell you, brother, that I long for England. If I might take my friends with me, I do not think that I should care if I never came here again. It is not my home; and here my Goldberga is not altogether happy, well as the folk love her."

Thereafter he called a great Thing[12] of all the freemen in the land, and set the matter plainly before them, asking if they minded the words he spoke when they crowned the queen, and if they were still ready to follow him to the winning of her crown beyond the sea.

There was no doubt what the answer would be; and it was said at once that the sooner the ships were got ready the better.

"Then," said Havelok, "who shall mind this land while I am away? It may be long ere I come back."

Now there was a cry that I should be king while Havelok was away, forsooth! and a poor hand I should have made at the business. But I said that it was foolishness, and that, moreover, I would go with Havelok. And when they said that this was modesty on my part, I answered that I had seen several kings, and that there was but one who was worth thinking of, and that was my brother; therefore, I would go on serving him where I could see him.

"This is what Grim, my father, said to me long ago," I said--"I was to mind the old saying, 'Bare is back without brother behind it;' and, therefore, I must see Havelok safe through this."

"Why, brother," says Havelok, laughing, "if that saying must be remembered--and I at least know it is true--it would make for leaving you behind me here to see all fair when my back was turned."

Then he saw that I was grieved, for I thought for the moment that he would bid me to stay, and so I should have to do so; but he took my part.

"I cannot be without my brothers," he said. "If I had any word in the matter--which mainly concerns the folk to be ruled, as it seems to me (for I do not know of any man who would not uphold me)--I should say that Sigurd the jarl was the right man, for all know that he is a good ruler, nor will it be any new thing to submit to him."

That pleased all, and the end of it was that Sigurd was chosen to hold the land for Havelok.

Then Sigurd sat on the steps of the high place at Havelok's feet, and the king said, "I have no need to tell any man here who this is, and why I think him worthy of the highest honour, for all know him and his worth as well as I. Mainly by him was the thought of my return kept in the minds of men, so that when the time came all were ready to hail me, as you have done. Therefore, as by him I am king, so I make him king also for me. He shall rule all the land while I am away, and to him shall all men account as to me. And because it is right that his kingship should be certain, I give him all his jarldom as a kingdom from henceforth, only subject to me and my heirs as overlord. King therefore he is, and none can say that you are ruled by naught but a jarl."

Then Havelok girt on the new king's sword, and set his own crowned helm on his head for a moment; and all the Thing hailed him gladly, for he was the right man without doubt.

Then Sigurd did homage for his new honour; and after that he rose up, and grew red and uneasy, as if there was somewhat that he wished to say, and was half afraid to do so.

Thereat some friend in the hall said, "You take your kingship worse than did Radbard himself, as it seems. What is amiss?"

"Why, I wanted to go on the Viking path with Havelok, and now it seems that I cannot."

Then one shouted, "I never heard of a land going wrong while its king was away risking his life to get property for his men. There is no man here who is going to rise against either you or Havelok. And it is only to send a message to our great overlord to say what we are about, and he will see that the land is in peace. Nor do I think that any king would harry Havelok's land, for he is well loved by all his peers."

Wherefore it seemed that Sigurd must go also, and we had to set Biorn as head man while Sigurd was away; but that would only be for a month