Part 43 (1/2)
And still Gudruda sat in her bride-seat, and, with eyes fixed in horror, watched the waxing of the war Near to her stood Swanhild,down curses on her folk, who one and all cried ”Eric! Eric!” and swept the thralls of Ospakar as corn is swept of the sickle
And there, nigh to the door, pale of face and beautiful to see, golden Eric clove his way, and with hirim Terrible was the flare of Whitefire as he flicked aloft like the levin in the cloud
Terrible was the flare of Whitefire; but ht of Eric's eyes, for they seehtedand flickered, and crashed the axe of Skallagrih the press of war they won their way Now Gizur stands before them, spear aloft, and Whitefire leaps up to meet him Lo! he turns and flies The coward son of Ospakar does not seek the fate of Ospakar!
The door is won They stand without but little harrim; ”to horse, ere our luck fail us!”
”There is no luck in this,” gasped Eric; ”for I have slainthem is Bjorn, the brother of her whoht thanhis red axe ”We have won great glory this day, Brighteyes, and Ospakar is dead--slain by a swordless ri, rode towards Mosfell
All that evening and all the night they rode, and atthey came across the black sand to Mosfell slopes that are by the Hecla Here they rested, and, taking off their armour, washed themselves in the stream: for they were very weary and foul with blood and wounds When they had finished washi+ng and had buckled on their harness again, Skallagri across the plain with his hawk's eyes, sawfast towards theht we had stayed their hunger for a while”
”Would that I ht”
”I have still strength for one or two,” said Skallagriht! But these are no foes They are of the Coldback folk The carline has kept her word”
Then Eric was glad, and presently six men, headed by Jon his thrall, the same man who had watched on Mosfell when Eric went up to slay the Baresark, rode to thear women,” said Jon, ”whom they met at Ran River, had told the at Middalhof, and they would know if the tidings were true”
”It is true, Jon,” said Eric; ”but first give us food, if ye have it, for we are hungered and spent When we have eaten ill speak”
So they led up a pack-horse and frorith came back to them
Then Eric spoke ”Coh I have not sought it, much blood is on my head Atli is dead at my hand; Ospakar is dead at my hand; Bjorn the Priest, Asmund's son, is dead at my hand, and with them many another man Nor may the matter stay here, for Gizur, Blacktooth's son, yet lives, and Bjorn has kin in the south, and Swanhild will buy friends with gold, and all of these will set on me to slay me, so that at the last I die by the sword”
”No need for that,” said Skallagriht, and now, as before, the sea is open, and I think that a welcome awaits us in London”
”Now Gudruda is ed before she was fully wed,” said Eric, ”therefore I bide an outlawed h it be death to stay, unless indeed Gudruda the Fair goes with ried that we shall feel The odds are too heavy, lord”
”Mayhap,” answered Eric ”No rieve when ht, and there I stay, till those be found who can drag me from my hole But this is my counsel to you: that ye leave me toroad”
”That will not I,” said Skallagrim
”Nor we,” said Eric's folk; ”Swanhild holds Coldback, and we are driven to the fells To the fells then ill go with thee, Eric Brighteyes, and become cave-dwellers and outlaws for thy sake Fear not, thou shalt still findat your hands,” said Eric; ”but stormy waters sho the boat is built May no bad luck coood fellowshi+p And now let us to our nest”
Then they caught the horses, and rode with Brighteyes up the steep side of Mosfell, till at length they carim had once shown to Eric Here they turned the horses loose to feed, and, going forward on foot, reached the dark and narrow pass that Brighteyes had trod when he sought for the Baresark foe Skallagri it, then caiddy point of rock, and, catching at the birch-bush, entered the hole So they gained the platforreat cave beyond; and they found that no man had set foot there since the day when Eric had striven with Skallagrim For there on the rock, rotten with the weather, lay that haft of hich Brighteyes had hewed fros beside as the Baresark had left the in the cave, Eric, Skallagrim, and the six Coldback men, and there they dwelt ot together food and a store of sheepskins, and other needful things For he knew this well: that Gizur and Swanhild would before long coainst them, and, if they could not take them by force, would set themselves to watch the ried fiercely in the hall, and nothing but death ht stay it The minds of men were mad, and they sth of all that e company feere left unhar thralls and womenfolk had fled the hall, and with them some peaceful men
Then Gudruda spoke as one in a dream