artless. He should have hidden his true thoughts from others, participated in their chaotic attacks, bragged about the slaughter of old men and boys. As a respected warrior he would be in a much better position. Forkbeard would treat him seriously, would ban Adisla’s marriage at least. He wouldn’t even need to ban it. If word of his displeasure reached the prospective groom’s house, he would never go through with his suit. Now this. And what if he couldn’t find the wolfman? His only option would be to challenge Forkbeard to single combat. He was confident he could survive on a battlefield but a one-on-one duel with a man who had cut his way to kingship was a different thing. Never mind. If Forkbeard tried to harm Adisla then Vali would defend her.
‘This is a perilous course for all of us,’ said Vali.
‘Perilous courses are my favourite sort,’ said Forkbeard. ‘Remember, kings are made for glory, not long life.’
Vali tried to reply with something like he would have said to Bragi — ‘If you have the wit, you can combine both’ or ‘You seem to have lived to a respectable age’ — but the words seemed lodged in his throat.
‘I’m up at the assembly of kings at Nidarnes until midsummer. It is a month. Return with the wolfman by then or watch your farm girl hang,’ said Forkbeard.
‘And then will you excuse me marrying your daughter?’
‘Not a chance. You’ll have proved yourself a great warrior. Your girl’ll live, that’s all. Now get out of here before I change my mind on that one too.’
Vali saw how he had been forced into a situation where the best he could hope for was that things would remain as they had been. The worst? Well, that wasn’t going to happen. The chances of finding wolfmen, let alone capturing one, were terribly slim. A different plan was needed. Adisla would have to marry her farmer immediately. That would make it much more difficult for Forkbeard to take her as a sacrifice. It would mean they would never be together but she would live. And he would still have to go on his mission. He was sure he wouldn’t return.
For the second time that day, he ran the distance between Forkbeard’s hall and Adisla’s house, pushing himself ever faster. Halfway there he heard hooves behind him — three riders of the king’s bodyguard, their purpose clear. They were riding bareback, with only bridles on the horses. They hadn’t had time to saddle up because they were trying to beat him to the farm.
The horses slowed as they approached. They were on a narrow track through trees and he moved to bar their path.
‘You stop there!’ shouted Vali. ‘As a prince I command you to stop.’
The horses drew up. The riders were armed — one with a sword and two with spears — but he felt sure they wouldn’t attack him.
The swordsman drew his weapon and pointed it at Vali — it was Ageirr, who had told him the news of Adisla’s marriage in the first place. ‘Where are your arms, prince? Ah, but you are Vali the Swordless, hearth hugger and thrall friend, aren’t you? How do you propose to stop us? With the words you learned from the women? Or are you going to speak our enemies’ language at us?’
The other two laughed, though slightly nervously. Vali was after all a prince, and they knew very well that at some point he might have the power of life and death over them.
Vali was desperate. ‘I’ll pay you to let me go first. On oath, you’ll have money if you do so.’
Where Vali would get this money from, he didn’t know. Maybe he could sell the helmet his father had given him, if he could get it back off Bragi.
‘We are sworn defenders of the king,’ said a spearman. ‘There is no money that can sway us from his orders.’ He urged his horse forward at a trot.
As he came past, Vali lunged for him, grabbing his tunic and pulling him from the animal’s back. The horse was spooked and bolted, streaming the reins behind it. The other two kicked their mounts forward and around the pair brawling on the ground. ‘See you at the slut’s house!’ shouted Ageirr as he passed.
Vali jumped up in useless desperation.
The bodyguard followed him and dusted himself down.
‘A fair smack, prince, weapon or no weapon, I grant you that,’ he said. Then he looked to the ground. ‘I’m sorry for what’s to happen to her. She is a fine girl.’
‘Save your words for your horse,’ said Vali, turning to run through the trees to the farm.
She was gone, of course, when he arrived. Disa was waiting in the doorway. He had never seen her so angry.
‘What have you done?’ she said.
Vali felt hot and wretched. ‘How is she? Where have they taken her?’
‘She’s at Forkbeard’s hall. She’s perfectly well and likely to remain so until they hang her. What are you going to do about it, boy? What are you going to do?’
Vali’s body felt full of energy. He was bursting to go somewhere, to do something, to make it all go away, but even as he said the words, they sounded unconvincing. ‘I’ll do as Forkbeard demands — I’ll find the wolfmen.’
‘How?’
‘I… I’ll go north and walk around until they attack me.’
For the first time in his life Vali saw Disa’s eyes fill with tears.
‘You’ll do nothing of the sort, you useless fool. That’ll be two of you dead if you do.’
‘Then I’ll go to Forkbeard’s hall and fight him for her.’
‘You’ll fight Forkbeard, a man who killed his first enemy at twelve and who has murdered more people than you have ever seen. You fight Forkbeard, you’ll…’
She wiped her eyes. Bragi was watching from where he was sitting beneath a tree. He had decided long ago that the best way to keep an eye on the prince was to spend time at Disa’s himself.
‘You, old man, you go with him.’
‘I was told the order yesterday, madam. The boy is to go alone.’
‘You knew, and sat there drinking at my table?’
‘I knew he was to go; I knew nothing of the fate of your girl, on my oath.’
Disa composed herself.
‘Will you lend him your sword at least? It’s the best blade in the kingdom.’
‘It would be my dearest wish,’ said Bragi.
‘Then come on,’ said Disa. ‘We have no time to waste. Come inside.’
‘I need to go now. I need to find this wolfman,’ said Vali.
‘That,’ said Disa, ‘is exactly what we are going to do. Get Ma Jodis; we have work to do.’
11
Word of what was happening spread throughout the little farmsteads and curiosity drew a crowd. They packed into Disa’s house so tightly that she had to drive some of them outside.
While they waited for Jodis to come, Disa took a pack from her shelf and began to stuff it with food — bread, some cheese, honey in a pot sealed with cloth — and other things. She was talking, as much to herself as to Vali.
‘You’ll need food, for a little way at least, and something to light your fire. I’ll put in some webs and yarrow for wounds. The honey’s not to be eaten; you can put that on any cuts you get too. Long root will give strength to your blood and mint will keep you watchful. This,’ she said, holding up a small flask, ‘is to be taken in small quantities when you are well hidden and sure to be safe from enemies. It will help you sleep through the white nights, no matter how hard the bed, though you need no more than a drop. Five drops in a man’s glass will see him sleep so soundly he cannot be woken for a day — you may need to resort to such measures if you are hard-pressed. Here is wolfsbane, to take away pain, again only a drop. Now, what else?’
As she scoured her shelves Bragi came in with his sword. Disa took it from him without a word and put it next to the pack. All the time Vali was stewing in his shame. He had condemned Adisla to death because he had considered only himself, not her.
