JARL HAKON OF NORWAY.
"Well enough," replied Vagn, "what is it?"
"I suppose you see that you cannot hold out for ever; but it would be
needless trouble for my men to batter in the door. To-morrow we will
meet Jarl Hakon, and if you give yourselves up in peace I will not
bind you."
"What shall we do?" whispered Vagn. "It is true that we cannot hold
out here."
"Do!" exclaimed Astrid. "Would you trust your father's betrayer?
Wait till we meet Hakon, that will be time enough to give up!"
Vagn raised his voice. "We wish nought to do with traitors, Thorkel.
Let Jarl Hakon speak with us; till then we will bide."
Thorkel made no answer, and they heard him move away. The three
captives ate some of the food, drank a little stale water, and with
nightfall the boys took watch and watch, leaving the single couch to
Astrid.
Toward morning, however, the latter awoke and insisted on doing her
share of the watching; so Sigurd, dead tired, yielded up his watch
and dropped off to sleep. The boys were now suffering from their
wounds, but they had refused to let Astrid bind them up, as this was
strictly against the laws of the Jomsvikings.
These fierce men were trained with the greatest strictness, indeed,
and death was the penalty for the slightest infraction of their laws.
Wounds might not be bound up, and no pain might be complained of; for
suffering was only part of the long training that made the Jomsborg
brotherhood the most terrible fighters in the world.
Both boys were wakened by a jar that shook the ship, and they found
the sun well up. "What was that shock?" they cried, in alarm.
"Another ship," replied Astrid. "I can see nothing, but I heard the
sound of oars and voices."
Springing to the loopholes, they found that they could see nothing;
but the sound of excited talking came to them, and in a few moments
steps advanced quickly to the door.
"Ho, Vagn Akison! Astrid of Vendland! Open!"
Astrid seized Vagn's arm. "It is Jarl Hakon! I know his voice well!"
Without hesitation, Sigurd, sheathing his sword, threw open the door.
There in the sunlight stood a man of lofty stature, magnificently
armed and with beard and hair as sunny as that of Sigurd; but his
face was gloomy, and his eyes quick and shifty.
"Do you yield to me?" he asked quietly.
Astrid laughed. "So you war against girls, Jarl? Well, I suppose I
must surrender!"
The Jarl smiled, and laid his hand on her hair. "Keep the bow,
child; you have done nobly and well. Come to my own ship."
As they followed him down the ladder and over the side, Sigurd saw
that Hakon's hair was streaked with gray, and that he walked stiffly
as from old wounds. Beside Thorkel's ship lay another, a splendid
warship, and as they climbed over the bulwarks the two ships were
cast apart. Hakon led the way to his cabin, and said, kindly:
"Sit you down and fear not. Thorkel has told me the tale of the
vows, especially that of yours, Vagn Akison. By the hammer of Thor,
your comrades will have tough work if they think to take Norway from
me!" He smiled grimly.
"Jarl," exclaimed Astrid, "was it by your orders that we have been
attacked? Remember that Svein is my uncle!"
Hakon nodded. "I am sorry, indeed, that you were taken; you will be
returned unharmed later, with whatever scat Svein thinks just. But
who are you, Fairhair?"
Sigurd laughed. "That is truly what men call me, Jarl; my name is
Sigurd Buisson."
Hakon whistled in surprise. "So! Then I have two good hostages!
All the better; I will take you up to Thrandheim with me, but have no
fear, for you will be well treated--at least for the present."
With this Hakon left the cabin, giving it up to them, and the voyage
began. The boys were indeed treated well, their weapons were left
them, and had it not been for the surrounding circumstances they
would have enjoyed themselves immensely.
That night they made the southern end of Norway, for the ship was
pushed on with all speed, both of sail and oars. Jarl Hakon was
racing for his kingdom now, and no effort was spared to reach
Thrandheim, Norway's capital, as soon as might be.
Next morning they landed at Howes, and Hakon sent speedy messengers
north over the mountains to his son Jarl Eirik, who was in Raumarike;
and splitting up war arrows, dispatched them to all the chiefs near
by as a token to gather men at once. Then, with fresh rowers, the
ship hastened on as never ship had hastened before, for the realm of
Norway was at stake.
The following evening they stopped at Raumsdale to send out the
war-arrow and get new rowers; but they pushed on quickly, and on the
third day sped up the Thrandheim Firth and reached the city just
after sunset.
An immense crowd greeted them, for the news had sped fast, and they
landed amid a great shouting and clash of arms. Jarl Hakon kept the
boys with him, and sent Astrid to the King's Hall, where she would be
given waiting-women and cared for as became her rank. Then, without
going thither himself, he turned aside, followed by all the
multitude, and proceeded to the great temple of Thor, the War-god.
Jarl Hakon was a pagan, believing firmly in the old gods of Norway,
as indeed most of his subjects did. The Thrandheim temple was the
greatest in the land, and Jarl Hakon, as ruler of the country, was
the high-priest.
As they passed beneath the great stone doorway Sigurd Fairhair
shivered, and Vagn whispered to him, "Firm, Sigurd, hold firm!"
Sigurd pressed his hand in reply. As they saw whither they were
going, the boys had resolved not to take part in the worship of the
heathen gods, for both were Christians. The temple was high and
gloomy, and the torches lit it very poorly; but around the sides they
could see statues of Odin the one-eyed, Freya the beautiful, and the
other gods. At the end, opposite the doorway, stood a high altar
before the golden statue of Thor, and Hakon slowly ascended the steps.
As he did so, the vikings, bonders, and townfolk fell on their knees,
and beyond the altar Sigurd noticed the priests bringing in a white
bull for sacrifice. Looking around, he saw that he and Vagn were the
only ones standing; others saw it, too, and an angry mutter ran
through the vast building, like the low gathering of a storm.
The two boys paled, but stood firm and erect, as Jarl Hakon uttered a
short prayer to the war god. When his voice ceased, the mutter
behind him swelled into a roar, with fierce shouts of "Kneel!"
"Kneel!" "Death to the Christians!"
Hakon turned and raised his hand, the roar dying away at once. When
he saw the cause of the tumult his face darkened.
"To your knees, to your knees! Would you insult Thor in his own
temple?"
"We kneel to none save the white Christ," spoke out Sigurd boldly,
though his heart beat fast.
Hakon's hand flew to his sword, and the crowd surged forward; then
the Jarl's hand dropped, and he motioned to one of his men.
"Harald, take these two to the King's Hall and see that no harm comes
to them, on your life. Go!"
Without a word the boys followed the man as he led the way out, their
heads high and their hands on their swords. The Norsemen made way
for them with muttered threats, but gaining the open air, their guide
led them through the dark streets, and in a few minutes stopped at
the Hall.
They were led to a room, and the door was bolted. At the rasp of the
bolt Vagn broke silence.
"Whew! That was a close shave for us, old man! I was scared stiff
when you answered Hakon!"
"So was I," admitted Sigurd, smiling. "But we are too valuable as
hostages, so it didn't take much bravery. See here, are we going to
stay with Hakon?"
"Not if we can help it," laughed Vagn. "I suppose we'll be watched
closely, though, and then we must look out for Astrid."
Sigurd nodded. "Well, we'll see her in the morning. She is not in
danger for the present, anyway."
Sigurd was mistaken, however, for they did not see Astrid for a week.
They were closely confined to their room, and only on the sixth day
following were they allowed to leave it. Their warder was the same
who had led them from the temple the first night. As he came in on
the sixth morning, he left the door open, and said:
"You are free of the town, but do not leave it. Jarl Hakon has gone,
so you had best be watchful, as I am responsible for you."
"Where has Hakon gone? Is the Lady Astrid here?" asked Vagn.
"I know nothing of any Lady Astrid, but Jarl Hakon has gone south to
More to raise men, and will return to meet Jarl Eirik, mayhap."
The two boys did not wait to learn more, but hastened out to the
great hall, and there they found a woman who directed them to
Astrid's room. Making their way thither, Astrid came to the door
with a cry of joy.
"Oh, I thought you were dead! I saw Jarl Hakon once, but he was
terribly busy and would tell me nothing. Where have you been?"
Vagn outlined their adventure at the temple, and told of their
subsequent imprisonment in a few words.
"I never would have dared do that!" exclaimed Astrid as he finished.
"To brave all those men that way! But come over here to this window
and speak low; there are women in the next room."
Making sure that the door was fast, Sigurd and Vagn joined her at the
window.
"Last night I heard two men talking out in the hall, and I listened.
Jarl Eirik has gathered a great force of men from Raumadale and
Halogaland and Thrandheim, and is fitting out an immense fleet in the
greatest haste. Hakon is raising men in North and South More. Two
nights ago, just before Hakon left, a messenger came from Eirik.
"Here is their plan. When Hakon has raised all the men he can, he
will come north to meet Eirik, who is making his way south. They
expect to have at least 150 longships when they combine forces, and
intend to wait for your fleet in Hiorunga Bay and take them in a
trap."
"A trap!" cried Sigurd. "With that great force?"
"Yes, because they are afraid of the men of Jomsborg, even with the
numbers three to one. The peasants are to tell Jarl Sigvald that
Hakon is in Hiorunga Bay with only one or two ships, and Sigvald and
Bui will hurry in to capture him, thus falling among the whole fleet.
Do you see?"
Sigurd's eyes flashed. "So Hakon is a traitor still! This is
terrible, Vagn; in a trap like that no one will escape!"
"I am afraid not, Fairhair," Vagn shook his head sadly. "Sigvald
will fall into it, for he is impetuous and hasty, as is your father
also. I see only one thing to do."
"What is that?" cried the others, as he paused.
"That is for you, Sigurd, and me to steal a boat here in the harbor
and sail out south. We have a bare chance of reaching Sigvald in
time. Has Eirik reached Thrandheim yet?" He turned to Astrid.
"Not yet, but he is expected at any time."
"Then we may make it!" broke in Sigurd, excitedly.
Here Astrid drew herself up, and said, in a determined voice, "Wait a
minute! If you go I go, too; you needn't think you can leave me
behind!"