In their eagerness to go home, the Danes made for the ships and scrambled aboard the moment we reached the harbour. Some paused long enough to call a parting word-even Hnefi bade me a breezy farewell.
A fair few, toiling under the weight of newly-acquired treasures, required the aid of their comrades to get aboard, but all three ships were ready to up sails in a surprisingly short time.
Thorkel was first to take his leave. He called from his place at the tiller, saying, "Perhaps we meet again one day, Aeddan, heya?"
"Farewell, Thorkel! See that you keep a steady course now."
"Never fear! I have my map!" he replied with a wave, then turned his attention to the sail.
Gunnar and Tolar came to where Dugal and I stood watching. "You are a good fellow," Gunnar told me. Tolar echoed the sentiment: "Heya," he said.
"I owe you a great debt, Aeddan," Gunnar continued, regarding me with sad eyes. "I shall be very sorry if I do not find a way to make good my reckoning." To which Tolar added, "Indeed."
"You owe me nothing," I replied lightly. "Go home to your wife and son. And if you think of me at all, remember also your promise not to go a-viking anymore. It would please me to think of you enjoying your wealth-instead of skinning poor pilgrims for plunder."
Gunnar became contrite. "We are done with that, by Odin." Tolar nodded and spat.
"Then I am glad."
Gunnar gathered me in an enormous, bone-cracking embrace. "Farewell, Aeddan…" he whispered, and then turned away quickly.
Tolar, against all nature, also embraced me, then stepped away with a smile. "You are not so bad, I think," he said meaningfully.
"You are not so bad, either," I told him, and watched him redden with embarrassment. "Go in peace, Tolar-and see you keep an eye on Gunnar."
"That will not be hard, for I am buying a holding next to his that we might be wealthy farmers together," he said, speaking more words than I had ever heard him utter in a single breath.
King Harald was the last to take his leave. He came to where I stood, and presented the small man I had seen him speaking with the previous day. "This man is master of the Venetian ship," he told me, pointing to the yellow-sailed vessel. "He has agreed to take you and your brother priests home to Irlandia. I have paid him to do this, and he has promised to make an easy sailing for you, and to feed you well."
Harald indicated the man, and made a presenting motion with his hands. The fellow glanced at the big Dane uncertainly, and then turned to me and said, "I give you good greeting, my friends. I am Pietro. You are, I believe, to accompany me on my return voyage. That, at least, is my understanding." He spoke fine Latin with a refined, yet easy intonation.
"So it would appear," I confirmed. "Forgive me if I seem doubtful, but I knew nothing about this until now."
"Worry for nothing," Pietro said. "My ship I place at your service." Glancing once more at Harald, who stood beaming at the both of us, he said, "I leave you to your farewells, but come to me when you are finished and we will make our plans."
So saying, the elegant little fellow bowed himself away. Harald smiled with satisfaction. "I brought you here, so it is only right that I should see you home again," he explained. "I searched for the best ship, and his is almost as good as my own. He has sailed from here many times, and I think he is a good pilot. But I told him that if ever word should come to me that you were ill treated, I shall come and slit him throat to belly like a fish."
"Do you suppose he understood you?" I wondered.
Harald's smile broadened. "Who can say?" He clapped me on the back then, and said, "I leave you now, Aeddan Truth-Sayer. You were a good slave, I shall be sorry to see you no more."
"You were a splendid master, Jarl Harald," I told him. We embraced like brothers, and he turned and hurried to the ship.
Within moments of Harald's climbing aboard, the Sea Wolves took up the oars and pushed away from the wharf. As the ship glided out into the channel, I saw Gunnar standing at the dragonhead prow, waving to me. I waved back, and then came the command in Harald's loud voice to man the oars, and Gunnar disappeared.
I felt a presence, and noticed that Dugal, who had kept himself apart, had rejoined me. "That is that," he said, and I sensed some relief in his tone.
"Yes," I said. "That is that."
I watched until the longships had passed from sight down the Golden Horn, then led Dugal to where the Venetian ship lay at anchor, explaining how Harald had arranged for our journey home.
"The Sea Wolf did that for us?" wondered Dugal, much impressed.
The ship's master met us as we approached. He bade us board and satisfy ourselves that his was, indeed, in every way, a splendid vessel. "We have been many days awaiting the last of our trade goods-silk cloth and pepper, and bowls of glass and silver," he said. "We should have left six days ago, but the emperor's funeral caused a small delay. God willing, the ship will be loaded by this evening and we shall be ready to sail this time tomorrow."
"So soon?" I said, and then thought, Why not? There is nothing to hold us here any longer.
Pietro hesitated. "The season grows late, and we should not look upon the good weather as a gift that will last forever. However, we could wait a day or two longer, if you prefer."
I thanked him for the offer. "That will not be necessary," I replied, and wondered just how much Harald had paid him. "We will be ready tomorrow."
"Very well," Pietro said, inclining his head as if acquiescing to my wishes. "I will send a man to collect your things in the morning."
Returning to the villa, I informed Brynach and Ddewi of the arrangements Harald had made for us, and our imminent departure. "So soon?" Bryn wondered aloud.
"Pietro said he would wait until we were ready," I explained. "But I could see nothing to hold us here. I know it is not much time," I allowed; "if I had thought you wanted to stay on-"
"No," Brynach said quickly, "no-you are right. There is nothing more for us here." He paused, looking thoughtful. "And is it still your plan to return with us? I thought-"
"Where else would I go?" I said, then added quickly, "So, then, you have one last day in Byzantium. There must be something you wish to do in the city before we leave."
"I was always hoping to pray in the Church of the Holy Wisdom," Brynach replied; Ddewi and Dugal nodded their agreement. "I would like that. The brothers at Christ Pantocrator were going to take us, but then…well, it makes no matter."
"Go," I urged. "All three of you-go now. There are guides aplenty eager to show you the wonders of Constantinople for the price of a loaf." I gave him one of Harald's gold solidii. They protested such extravagance, but I had nothing smaller to give them and suggested it was little enough payment for their pains and bade them to enjoy the day.
They held quick council between them and decided to do it without delay. "Will you not come with us, Aidan?" inquired Dugal, regarding me with concern.
"There is nothing more I care to see or do in this city," I answered. "Besides, I would only steal your joy. Go and say your prayers, Dugal, and never fear-I will be here when you return."
No sooner had they left, than Faysal appeared to say that Lord Sadiq desired to speak with me. I had been expecting a summons of some kind, and now that it had come, I found I was unready to face him. Guilt about how Kazimain and I had parted was, I suppose, making me dread a confrontation.