VII + 

Eric and Styrbiorn + 

The king had with him in Upsala in those days three men whom he held in good esteem. They were not good friends with the throng of people, and many thought it as near a bit to call them ill-doers as call them men of valour. They were named Helgi and Thorgisl and Thorir. None knew the father or kindred of any one of them, but most folk thought they must be King Eric’s bastards, and that for this sake his eye rested kindly on them. For this was much noted of the King as his years wore, no less then aforetime, that he was mightily given to women, and kept not to his own. + 

These three on a day walked up and down a-talking together and making game, when there passed by before them without the King’s hall Sigrid the Queen. She was whiter than a sunbeam on a bright day; and she carried the child of her and Eric, that was named Olaf, in her arms. And the child was now about a twelvemonth old. + 

Thorgisl said, “There goeth one shall be King yet in our time.” + 

“That is to be looked for,” said Helgi; “unless Styrbiorn send him first to a cold lodging. For, ‘a foe’s child is a wolf to cherish.’ ” + 

“For men of our mettle,” said Thorir, “a lap-king were a better choice then Styrbiorn, when he cometh home.” + 

“A lap-king? What is that?” said they. + 

“One that should sit quiet in his mother’s lap,” said Thorir, “and leave us to follow our sport.” + 

Helgi said, “I know not how it seemeth to you two, but to me it was ever a wonder that Styrbiorn bestrode not this mare, and the foal were not his rather than the King’s. I have smelt matters betwixt them now and then.” + 

“How? Is not princesses in Holmgarth enough for him?” said Thorir. + 

But Thorgisl said, “I never found thy tongue too slow, Helgi. Thou wert better let alone that bad talk.” + 

“Have it as thou wilt,” said Helgi. “Howbeit, I leave you there a fair pool for a dry tongue to fish in. We may turn it to some good use next year, belike, if he come home to play the King here.” + 

“I think,” said Thorir, “that we three have had trouble enough, each man of us, with this young quat, should make us unwilling to wear our lives out under his shadow. But we must be mindful of this, that he hath waxed mightily in these two years he hath been abroad out of the land, and will be waxed yet more next year.” + 

So went the talk of those three. But the next news in hand, a day or two after, was no smaller matter than this: that Styrbiorn was come into the Low with an hundred ships. Men wondered much at this and much guessing there was, what the King was like to do, and how he would take this homecoming of Styrbiorn’s months before his due time. And that was in the mind of most of them, that this was carried with too high a hand for the King to let it pass; so that they who wished well to Styrbiorn were sorry when they heard of his coming, but his ill-willers were glad at heart. + 

Styrbiorn left the host of his ships in the Low, and himself rowed with a few ships up to Sigtun and there took horse and came to find the King his uncle in Upsala. At their meeting was naught asked nor answered betwixt them openly, how long he was minded to stay nor what was to be thought of his unlooked-for coming. Nor was aught said, either by Styrbiorn or by the King, that might let men know clearly if the King were minded to punish this disobedience or to swallow it. The King seemed to bear himself somewhat coldly and aloof from Styrbiorn; and as days went by, and all quiet, men knew not what to make of it. Some thought the King was over kind to Styrbiorn and could not find it in his heart to put force on him. Some two or three, that had little wit, thought the King was afeared of him. Thorgnyr and they that knew the King best thought they knew that he held his hand of a purpose, seeing in this thing a trial of Styrbiorn whether he would yet of his own accord do right at last without stress nor argument laid on him. + 

On a day men made a great gathering at the tarn called Kysingtarn for playing at the ball. Styrbiorn was there and with him they that were chiefest among his following: Biorn Asbrandson, namely, the Broadwickers’ Champion, and Bessi Thorlakson, and Gunnstein Lowry, and Odd o’Marklands, and other men of note among the Jomsburgers. So when folk were now come together to the tarn Styrbiorn went straightway to Helgi, where he stood along with Thorir and Thorgisl, and asked them to play with him. + 

“That will we gladly,” answered they. + 

“Let us share out the sides for the game,” said Styrbiorn. “I and my Jomsburgers shall be of one side to play against you stay-at-homes of the other. That will be the greatest sport.” + 

“We shall like that well,” answered Helgi. + 

“The greatest sport?” said Biorn: “but belike the greatest make-bate. That will be better, Styrbiorn, if thou be of one side, and Helgi of the other side along with me. And the rest you may share out evenly, some of our folk and some of your own countrymen here of either side.” + 

Styrbiorn said he cared not which way it should be, so the game were good. + 

“That will be better,” said Helgi then, “even as Biorn hath counselled. For you of Jomsburg are of such might and prowess in all feats, ye were sure to get the better of us if we were pitted against you: and that the more, Styrbiorn, seeing thou art become so great a man: in every other place I mean, save in Sweden alone, and that thine own native land and rightful realm.” + 

And now they went to share out the sides as Biorn would have it. In the meantime not once nor twice only but many times would those companions, Helgi and his, be keeking and girding at Styrbiorn to the like tune; and every time he laughed them off in seeming carelessness and merriment, as if he imagined not into what port their rotten barque would arrive. + 

When they began their game there was not a man might stand up against Styrbiorn, nor bear away the ball if he were in the way. He played most against Helgi, and Helgi gat ever the worst of the market when they two came together. Until on a time when Helgi would have held him to keep him from the ball, Styrbiorn caught him and cast him down so rudely on the hard ice that for a minute’s space or more he abode there senseless, and the blood gushed out of his nose, and his knees and knuckles were scraped raw with the rough ice. Helgi thought he saw Styrbiorn’s drift now. He liked this handling little enough; but he could not for shame cry out upon it, since it was in the game. And now Biorn of the other side flung the ball so hard at Thorir, taking him fair in the belly, that it knocked all the breath out of his body. + 

Earl Wolf was there with Thorgnyr the Lawman looking on at the game. He said to Thorgnyr, “It is easily seen which be here the stronger players, though the sides be fairly matched.” + 

“There is envy enough and discontents,” said Thorgnyr, “without these plays to blow them bigger.” + 

“Thou and I are not every day set forth on the same road,” said the Earl; “nor, an we were, is it always easy for us to walk together without jostling. But I think we are at one in this, that we would gladly bid farewell to my foster-son until winter’s end, according to the King’s word and his own.” + 

“Many,” said Thorgnyr, “would blithely bid Styrbiorn farewell, but not all would wish him safe return.” + 

“I know not that,” said the Earl. Then he said, “Let us two be open with one another. Canst thou guess what is in the King’s mind?” + 

Thorgnyr gave him a look from under his deep-shadowing eyebrows. “I can guess as well as thou canst.” + 

“What say Helgi and his?” asked the Earl. “Methinks thou art in their secrets.” + 

“They are no friends of mine,” said Thorgnyr. + 

“No,” said the Earl. “But that sayeth not that they would not gladly use thy wisdom.” + 

“I am not to be used by other men,” answered he, “except only by the King. Or is that news to thee?” + 

“That I knew too,” said the Earl then. “And therefore have I wondered somewhat that Helgi and Thorgisl and Thorir should be so oft in thy company. But then I bethought me that, all and if no man is able to use thee for his tool, yet thyself wilt not stick, belike, to use the first tool thou shalt light on, so only thou mayst thereby avail to shape the matter as thou wouldst have it.” + 

The Earl, so speaking, watched him narrowly. But as much might he learn from a carven pillar as from that old man’s face. Thorgnyr spake: “He is a man of sense, none can gainsay it, who will make shift with a dung-fork if he lack spear. But why shouldst thou think, for a matter of this kind, I’d need either? I can bide my time.” + 

Now snow began to fall in swirling eddies of large white feathery snowflakes. Yet they played on as briskly as ever. The Queen looked on at the game, muffled in a cloak of woollen stuff that was dyed the colour of the rowan leaf in the first nip of autumn and lined with swansdown. She had drawn the hood of it up over her ears, so that the proud and lovely face of her and the bright hair above her brow looked out as it were from a doorway or ice-cave mouth of snowlike whiteness; and her face was bright with the snow’s touch and the biting air, and her eyes most bright and eager as she followed the game. Folk marked her so standing and watching, and man said to man, “This is a strange new fashion, that women should wish to look on the ball-play, and in this wild weather.” + 

And now thicker and thicker fell the snow, until the ball was hid by it from the players and they from each other. So now they break up the game. The Queen walked beside Styrbiorn as they went back to the King’s house: she said, “Thou hast outplayed them all at the ball-play, kinsman Styrbiorn; and that were something to brag of in a bonder’s son.” + 

“King’s son or carle’s son,” answered he, “it stirreth the blood.” + 

She looked up at him, and her face was like red dawn on the high snowfields. “Thou hast outwearied them,” she said. “And yet seem’st thyself scarce breathed.” + 

“Wearied!” said he: “not a man of ’em. Not even Helgi.” He looked down, met her eyes, and laughed. + 

When they came to the hall nothing would please the Queen but that Styrbiorn should go with her into her bower, where her tire-women sat at broidering and her nurse with the Queen’s young son in her arms. The nurse brought her the child that opened his arms and laughed, but the Queen bade her keep it and bring ale for Styrbiorn. So that was brought in a horn gold-rimmed, and the Queen made Styrbiorn drink and sit down near her beside the fire. There, he looking much in the fire and she on him, they sat a-talking: the Queen saying most, calling to mind old times, asking him of his doings abroad these two years past, of Garth realm and Biarmaland and Wendland and Jomsburg. To all this Styrbiorn answered with but a short word here and there, for never was he a great talker: laughing at whiles, musing in a quiet content, lulled and caressed with the warm sweet accents of her speech that worked subtly in his blood like the luxurious influence of old wine, deep and calm; repose strangely pleasant after violent things: warmth after wind and snow. + 

Shorter and shorter grew the speech between them, and the silences longer. After one long silence the Queen, bending down to pick up a brand half-burnt that had tumbled from the fire, said suddenly, “Why art thou come hither again before the time?” + 

“I could not help it,” answered he. + 

“Why?” she said. + 

He frowned, then smiled: “I know not. I could not.” + 

“But why didst thou come?” + 

“I have told thee.” + 

“It was against the King’s command,” said she. + 

“He hath said naught against it.” + 

“There was that in Sweden could draw thee⁠—even from Holmgarth?” + 

He said nothing. + 

“And yet there be pleasant folk in Holmgarth?” + 

“Like enough,” said he. + 

“I have heard tell of them. What drew thee hither, then?” + 

“I know not. Somewhat. This, that I could not help it. Nigh three years abroad: ’twas enough for the while.” + 

Albeit the sun was still some hours from his set, a dim light only it was that came from out of doors from the snow-eddying grey air and sky; but the firelight shot up from under. And the firelight gilded with ruddy gold the square proud features of Styrbiorn’s face and brow, the massive arms and throat of him, the great and masterful mouth and jaw, all warm in the firelight’s pulsing radiance and beautiful with splendid youth: the down yet soft on his cheek, and the hair of his head strong-curling, short, thick, and coloured like pale mountain-gold. + 

The Queen spake: “I have watched thee, kinsman Styrbiorn, at the ball-play. That were sport now, and a thing to pleasure me, if I might look upon thee harnessed and weaponed, as thou art wont to go whenas thou leadest out the war-gathering of the vikings of Jom. Let me see thee so.” + 

“I have not my weapons here,” said he. + 

“It is to please my fantasy,” said the Queen. + 

“It is a folly,” said Styrbiorn. + 

“Is it then too great a thing for thee to grant me?” she said. Then, her eye lighting on arms that hung on the big-timbered wall before them: “Why, these will serve.” + 

“What’s this?” said Styrbiorn. “The King’s mine uncle’s?” He stood up from his seat, a little uncertainly, as if this whim of hers carried the jest something beyond the bound of jesting. But she too had risen and would hear no word, crying on her women to lift down the rich-wrought byrny and great eagle-winged helm of Eric the King, and the rimmed shield and the greaves of polished bronze. These last she herself buckled on Styrbiorn’s legs, he laughing the while at the whole matter, somewhat shamefacedly, as at some mad prank scarce fit for him to play with, being no longer in his child’s age. Yet is it to be thought that he felt it was not wholly child’s play: the touch of the Queen’s hands gliding with a swift and caressing motion along the great muscle of his calf, as she made fast the fastenings of the greaves. He stepped back as a man might step who has blundered into another’s chamber. Not to lose countenance with her, he laughed yet the more boisterously, taking the King’s helm that a woman proffered to him and setting it on his head. So that there he stood in the firelight’s splendour, helmed and byrnied and with shield on arm, and girt with the King’s sword silver-studded. Erect and grand, as of an eagle alighting from his skyey eminence, the brown wings spread upward from the helm on either side. With lips parted, the Queen looked. She spake no word. + 

“The gear fitteth me?” said Styrbiorn. + 

The Queen met his laughing glance with no answering smile. Only under the silken bosom of her gown her breast lifted suddenly like the sudden filling of a sail at sea, and her dark eyes opened on him very wide and tense. She mastered herself on the instant, and was all cool and easy jollity. But to Styrbiorn, who was not yet so young but he had learned to know well enough by this time of day where the little coney loves to scout, that wide-eyed look spoke a language plump and plain. + 

“What of my young kinsman?” said he. “Wilt sail with me, lad, when thou’rt of age?” And he took the child from the nurse and held it high over his head, dancing it in air. But the child was frighted, and puckered up its face and screamed. + 

Now it so befell that Helgi was stood in the doorway looking on in this nick of time. He went now to find his friends Thorir and Thorgisl, and they talked together long and low. After that, they went to find Thorgnyr the Lawman. They were somewhat slow in coming to the point with him, but Thorgnyr was pleasant with them and led them on to talk freely. And at length they unlocked to him that which abode in their mind, that it was now the happy hour to pull the bench from under Styrbiorn, and that the means thereto lay ready to hand: namely, to let the King know plainly that it was common talk in the house that Styrbiorn and Sigrid were overgood friends together, and to let him know that Styrbiorn was minded to snatch by force not his own heritage only before his time but the whole kingdom from out of his uncle’s hand: “And that he sitteth openly in the Queen’s bower, and all as if he were already set in the King’s stead, both in bed and hall; and striketh too and spurneth the King’s own son, which crieth out and weepeth pitifully.” + 

“Which of you will tell this tale to the King?” asked Thorgnyr. + 

“This was in our mind,” answered Thorir, “that this should be the hopefullest way, if thou wouldst be willing to talk to the King, Thorgnyr: if indeed thou deemest well of our redes.” + 

“When it cometh all to all,” said Thorgnyr, “is there a word of truth in the whole story?” + 

“Say there were not,” said Helgi: “ ’twill come true afore the tale be told.” + 

“Fruit is best gathered when ’tis ripe,” said Thorgnyr. “As for this tale of yours, it will not fill half the nostril of a cat. I’ll have naught to do with it.” + 

“Come with me,” said Helgi then. “I’ll show it thee through the chink of the Queen’s door.” + 

“No,” said Thorgnyr. “I am not a pryer into chinks and look-holes.” + 

So they went out from Thorgnyr very ill content. + 

“What’s to do next?” said Thorgisl. + 

“What but to go to the King ourselves?” said Helgi. + 

“He will not heed us,” said Thorir. + 

In the end they were of this mind, that may be it was best for them to say naught of it for the present. “Only we will not cease to flatter and egg him forward to some open violence, which shall give the King just pretext to do him away ere a worse thing befall.” + 

Styrbiorn put off the King’s armour and betook him to the great hall. Here he sat quiet till supper time, and spake to no man. Men deemed it strange to see him so quiet and brooding. Before supper he came to the King. “Lord,” he said, “I did ill to come back before the time. I will ride down to the ships at daybreak and fare abroad again.” + 

“That is well spoken,” said the King, and took him by both hands. + 

“It was not to vex you I came hither,” said Styrbiorn. “It was a long time. It seemed to me I could not help but come. You have been good to me; and now I will go away and keep to the bargain.” + 

They gripped hands and said no more. But there was great content in the King’s eyes as they met Styrbiorn’s. + 

The King brought Styrbiorn and his men down to the ships next day. They took leave of both parts with great kindness, and the ships rowed out of the Low and were no more seen. The King rode with Thorgnyr on their way home. Thorgnyr held his peace. After a while the King said, “Thou art a wise man, Thorgnyr, but I think I have taught thee somewhat.” + 

Thorgnyr looked at him awhile in silence. Then he said, “It is not to be denied, King, that you have played well; and you have gotten that you played for.” + 

The King was like a man that hath borne over long time a difficult burden and, casting it down at length where he would have it, breatheth free and seeth all fair before him. He looked at Thorgnyr with a twinkling eye. “It is hard for thee, Thorgnyr, but thou must own thou wast wrong.” + 

“I was not wrong,” said Thorgnyr. + 

“No more,” said the King then in a sudden anger. “Thou wast wrong.” + 

But that old man looked sullenly before him, riding northward at the King’s side. He said again, under his breath, “I was not wrong.” + 