King Alfred's Viking

, while bright light and deepest shadow chase each other across land and sea beneath them. Kolgrim and I stood under the lee of a shed, waiting for the fisher to get his boat a

when the wind ceased its howling for a moment; and at high water the haven had been well nigh too stormy for a small boat. Now we should do best to go by water, for wind was with us; though, unless the

ng up the haven on the first rise of tide, and the lights of Wareham town grew plainer every moment. From the number of twi

n water, and the town was before us. The fisher took to his oars now, lowering the

setting us into the northward of these. That was the river one would have to cro

lain that they were not seaworthy. There were wide gaps in their bulw

, as we drifted past them; "there was hardly one that came in unhu

y, I thought at the time, and afterwards knew that I was right. T

th river, when we were fairly in it and under the nearer houses of the town. But

done?" I aske

terday," h

attack by land from Poole; also that they overrated our numbers, which

uses stood back from the water, so that there was a sort of open green between it and

some one," I said; "it is of no u

we were if we mixed among the men in some inn or other gathering place. So we bade the fisher wait for us, and found the

t led seemingly from one bridge to the other across the town. Here men were going hither and thither with torches,

out of the house, and l

d Kolgrim, "and another o

o came past me fr

id. "What is in the wind here?

at it is time we did so," he answered short

nswered. "What

" said he. "You had better get to

xeter, or back to

go and ask Jarl Osmund himself--or follow

uch tales that they shivered, and soon we had a crowd round us listening. Nor did I like to hurry away, for

loiterers hurry. I drew Kolgrim into an open doorway, and stood

rrow," I said. "Now we can

n was thinking of himself. So we went across the town, and a

guard had gone forward, but this train of followers would hardly get clear of the town before daylight. They had heard grea

o me, and to Odda also, so

s flying from the exposed roofs. It would be dead against us; and the sea was white with foam, even in the haven. So we must go by road, and th

he place. However, the bridge was down; and if it had not been done in too great haste, any fugitives from the count

of the landing place, saying that he was well known and in no danger. He would sleep now,

he road, for it never left the curves of the shore, and all we had to do was to be h

d, with a lane of its own leading to the great door. What buildings there were seemed to be behind it, and no man was about; but there was light shining fro

oadway. "I must try to steal these horses for ourselves. If Danes are in the p

he Danes," I said. "Maybe the place is ful

they are careless for three minutes

e. The wind howled round the house so that none would hear the clank of mail, which we could not alto

wall, looking to see the doors thrown open at any moment. Then we leaped to the saddles and turned to go. The

still, looking back with the horse'

men have slept over the farmhouse ale. Maybe the stables beh

my sword hilt. But the great heavy door swung slowly, as if the one who opened it had trouble with its weigh

tall maiden, white robed, with gold on neck and arm. The moonlight on her seemed weird with the glow of the fire shining through

his you?" she

beyond me, and both Kolgrim and I would seem black against it, as she came from

n. "I can scarcely see for

aid, for that at lea

thralls, who should have left them?" she asked,

ly alone and helpless, and I could not understand altogeth

t fled, lady?" I asked. "Su

they heard the news. Has not

left in the way of our Saxons if they came on the morrow, and I could not take her to Poole. And

t in Wareham in some way. D

note as of some new fear in her voice. "Ha

d. "Now we will take you to your father

istening open eyed to all this, and

ess, master?" he w

o the fisherman to take to her friends, and then ride away--that is all. The

im la

, master; but that is what one might

was very strong and seemed qui

me with us, lady," I said "we

ight, seeing that the men loved to see their king go bravely, and being, moreover, nowise loth to do so myself. She seem

e here," she said. "I bade the t

wn in the moonlight. Maybe she had no knowledge as to which of man

d I would ask you to come quickly; e

cannot go without my nurse, and she is very sick. I think she sleeps now. Men feared her sickness so that we brought he

that it was likely that she would soon be missed and sought for; yet I cou

dle to Kolgrim

said gently; "I have some

that was a low bed, to which the maiden went. A very old woman, happed in furs and heavy blankets, lay on it, and it needed but one look to tel

not?" the maiden said, loo

off my helm. "It is the best sleep of

ore at me, with wide eyes, and then she knew what I

be on the road. And so still were we that Kolgrim got off hi

ed back

and say one word--'Saxons'" I

move, for she was bent over the bed and what lay thereon. It

ster!" he s

d, and then I touched t

The dame is past all help of ours, an

way from me, and I drew the coveri

Saxons will not wrong the dead," said

in danger," she answere

pings to her and made ready very quickly, "for it see

when she was clad in outdoor gear, she bent once more over the bed as in farewell, while I turned away to Kolgrim and

ome mail-shirted warrior round my waist, as we hurried back to the ships after a foray; but this was the first time I had had charge of a lady, and it was in a s

e house, and then came a hill, and we walked, becau

know not to whom we speak n

f surprise in her v

Thora, Jarl Osm

was up and down among the host ordering all things, and deeming his daughter in safety all the while. He had not had time to learn

roaring through the broken timbers of the bridge. The fisher slept soundly de

him when he came ashore with

know not. I have s

y, as I knew. Moreover, I had a new plan in my head which pleased me mightily. Then I thought that if I were to meet any man who suspected me, which was not likely, the Lady Thora would

quickly, and went back to th

re I must take he

se, surely,

rom here," I answered; "

, wondering. "It is acr

went across the open, and came to the road through the town along which

f the first houses, Thora stoppe

I am heading you in

e?" I answered. "There

y but I think you do not belong to us. Your speech is not like ours

think that I am not of your pe

re not. Oh, how shall

elm again, and drew a su

ex? It were like what they say of him to do

held it in both of hers, l

King Alfred, nor would I

re that you are of the Northmen that were seen with the S

ttle troop coming down the street, their arms flas

nds, Lady Thora," I answer

e said, and drew me b

and ropes, and it was plain that the jarl had found out h

ld keep up the p

ant," I said. "If any heed me, I pra

and letting go my hand which she yet held. "If you a

n of King Alfred's," I said.

-for they were close to us--calling aloud to Osmund to stay. And he reined up an

daughter into the saddle, and the whole troop turned to go back. The footmen cast down their burdens where each happ

er us. Mind not the things left in

g no more heed to me. That was a good tale of things left that

d thought of my other plan. Kolgrim s

l?" I said to the fisher

tinder moreover

ose ships we saw. I have a

as not far. I fired all three in the cabins under the fore deck, so that, as

nted and rode off, the blaze flared up behind us,

t will save Wareham town from fire, for they will think we

t was plain that she was brave enough, for there were many things to fray her in the whole of this matter, though perhaps it

eached Poole in broad daylight, while the gale was slackenin

would have me speak with King Alfred and take some reward from him. And I told him that

the matter of these Danes,

he

here will be trouble if they sail out to join these. I must follow them, therefore, end send men to Alfred to warn

er the gale ended, I might be there before he joined the king by land

not meaning to fight unless some advantage showed itself, for they were too many, b

what plunder should be taken was to be their share in due for their services. They were little loss, for they were masterless vikings who

this warfare against the Danes my own quarrel, as it were in his company. Already I had a great liking for him, and the more I heard of Alfred the king, the more I wished to see him. At the least, a man who could build ships like these, having every goo

fear, but as if longing for his praise. And I thought that