"Actually, Toki and I have much to discuss and were going to step outside. Is that your girl trying to hide in the crowd? Have her join you at the high table. She'd like that, I'd bet. Introduce her to Halla. She can be her guide while she settles into Ravndal."
The recognition he offered to Gunnar's girlfriend brightened his son's face. "I'm sure she would like that."
"Excellent idea," Toki said to Halla, who shrugged and stumbled with a weak smile. "Get to know the girl while I speak with Ulfrik. We won't be long."
Once outside,they walked down the black boards of the main road and past the last of the townsfolk settling into their homes where lamplight glowed orange around the door frames. Soon, those lights would extinguish as the fortress settled into slumber. They strolled a short distance before Ulfrik renewed their talk.
"You have spoken much today, and you've spoken nothing at all. I have not summoned you, and you and your crew do not seem in distress. So answer me truthfully. Why are you here?"
Toki rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. They both stopped walking. Having removed his mail surcoat, he now wore only plain clothes and a gray wool cloak and seemed far less grand than he had in the morning. Somehow he seemed smaller and less sturdy without leathers and mail padding him.
"It's as I said. My daughters do not know their family and it is time they met you."
"I'll let you consider that answer again," Ulfrik said, a wry smile on his face. "I will not judge you, old friend."
"But you should judge me," Toki said and met Ulfrik's eyes. "I have defied your orders to remain in Nye Grenner until your return."
"You think overmuch. Fate's hand is at work, and it is time for our threads to intertwine again." Ulfrik clapped Toki's shoulder and he chuckled. "Do you remember our first meeting?"
"When you broke my nose with your shield? Not something to forget, is it?"
They laughed together and Toki's posture relaxed. "Well, that day I knew Fate drew us together and I was not wrong. Today you arrive at the moment when I've lost a fair portion of men in battle with Clovis. Is that not Fate's design made clear? You were meant to come and that is all. But I want to know what the gods planted in your heart to get you to return to me."
"The song of battle," Toki said without hesitation. "Each night when I close my eyes I hear the clash of shields, the clang of weapons, the battle cries and the screams of the dying. All my life I have lived in the heart of the fight, shield and sword against my enemies and only blood and pain to give or receive. But I haven't feared for my life in six years. Nye Grenner and the islands are at peace with all the ambitious men gone to Valhalla. I've become a farmer, and I can't stand it. I cannot risk dying in my bed. My fate is to stand at your side, with my brothers, and destroy our foes and claim glory that I can carry with me to the feasting hall when I am finally slain."
Ulfrik smiled approvingly, feeling the strength of Toki's words and drawing satisfaction from them. "Noble reasons, every one. You will find no end of enemy here. I've been seven years in this land and the Franks are the most stubborn people I've met, as unbending as their blades. But they are weak and divided. You'll remember Odo from Paris? Now he is their king, but only to the peoples of the west. The Eastern Franks have a different king. If we keep hammering, soon they will have a third in Hrolf. The gods want us to take this land, and by the right of our strength we should possess it. The Franks are not wise enough to recognize this. So, my friend, you will battle droves of foemen and your sword will grow dull in hacking them back from our borders. Welcome to Frankia, and welcome back to my side."
They clasped arms and Ulfrik laughed in delight. "You bring me thirty warriors in my time of need. Fate is kind to me for a change."
"My thirty men are not battle tested," Toki said, lowering his voice. "They've tired of life in Nye Grenner and followed me here, but I would not trust them to hold against hardened warriors."
"Practice will come soon enough," Ulfrik said, then guided Toki by the arm to start back toward the hall before the way grew too dark. "Now I have better news. I have a share of treasure I've held aside for you. There is much I owe you for your service, but I could never send it north nor leave my duties here."
He stopped short of explaining it was the share of the treasure they had sought together in Paris. With Konal's return, secrecy had to be preserved.
"That is well," Toki said with unexpected indifference. "It would have only served to trouble me in Nye Grenner, but now I am glad for it."
"Who did you leave in charge of Nye Grenner? I am not eager to abandon those lands, not after so much blood has soaked that grass to keep it mine."
"Gunnbjorn Red-Hand. He is Frida Styrdottir's son and her family is well respected. He has sworn a public oath to me, and I believe he will serve the people well. He is one of them, unlike me."
"I remember them both. Gunnbjorn will be a fine leader," Ulfrik said. The two walked a short distance before he summoned the courage to ask his next question. "Halla is not pleased to be here. What have you promised to gain her agreement?"
"She is a changed woman," Toki said, choosing to examine the stars above. "There is nothing left in Nye Grenner with her family all dead. I promised there would be many Christians here for her to deepen her understanding of her god."
Ulfrik snorted. "She still clings to her faith in the dead god? She wastes her life on a weak god. The dead god's priests are worse than snakes and we kill them by the score without any notice from him. But when we call out to Thor or Odin, they answer in thunder and war. The new god is failing his people in Frankia; anyone with eyes will see as much."
"Let Halla discover this on her own, and don't share your thoughts." Both men laughed as they closed the final distance to the hall. Ulfrik stopped them on the track.
"Look, Runa has not mentioned your wife in six years. I am hopeful she has left her anger behind, but I cannot be sure. I will find you and your family a place in my fortress, but it might be best to keep you separated for a while. Has Halla put aside her differences?"
Toki remained silently searching the night sky, as if his answer were hidden there. Ulfrik could not help but follow his gaze to the brilliant eyes of the night sparkling overhead. In time, Toki spoke his answer softly.
"My sister, your wife, cut out Halla's mother's tongue. The wound never healed and she suffered two winters before she died in agony. I say keeping Runa and Halla separate is a good idea. For all that Halla speaks of her god's love of forgiveness, she has little place in her heart for it."
Chapter 15
Throst clung to the shadows of Ravndal's stockade walls awaiting his prey. His heart raced, not from fear but from anticipation. The sun was diving toward the western tree line, and already the cold air of nightfall chased people back to their hearths. Crows lifted from rooftops, protesting the end of day as they winged toward their woodland nests. His hands trembled with excitement and he wrapped his right hand tighter into the sack of rocks that he had cushioned with old rags. He weighed it in his other hand as he pressed against the cold, rough logs of the wall.
Regaining access to Ravndal had been simple. Ulfrik had taken pains to keep an army from sneaking upon his fortress: clearing trees and other hiding places, digging ditches and lining them with wood spikes, not to mention setting his fortress atop the highest hill in the valley. A single man would still find challenge in threading this gauntlet to reach the gates, but not if that man still had friends inside.