But when it wanted now but five weeks of winter, Styrbiorn busked him for his faring into Sweden. He deemed it not good that he should come home this time with too great a force of ships nor too many men along with him, lest the King his uncle should think that showed unfriendly, as if he, to whom the King had plighted his faith solemnly and obliged himself to grant him kingdom now and his father’s heritage, should come in a manner to misuse his favourer and claim it with drawn sword. Howso, there fared with him Bessi Thorlakson and Gunnstein and others of lesser note: ten ships in all. Biorn fared not this time with him into Sweden, but being taken with a sickness abode in Jomsburg. But the more part of the Jomsburgers held the sea still, for it was not their way to leave harrying till winter set in.
Styrbiorn and his men sailed north with a fair wind, and in good time came through the Low and went ashore at Sigtun. And there was Eric the King with a great company ridden down to Sigtun to welcome Styrbiorn. The King, when he saw him come aland, lighted down from his horse and made haste to meet him, and Styrbiorn came striding quickly over the big stones and up the shelving rough ground of the firth’s margin, and they gripped hands and stood so a minute, and then the King drew Styrbiorn to him and embraced and kissed him. Styrbiorn had grown and waxed mightily even in these six months since he came before to Sweden, and albeit King Eric overpassed most other men in greatness of growth, yet men marked now that even with the advantage of the ground (for the King stood on the slope and Styrbiorn below him towards the waterside) the King’s eyes looked but level with Styrbiorn’s, and the limbs of Styrbiorn seemed greater than the King’s and his breadth of shoulder broader and his chest deeper. Men that watched them at that meeting said that never had they seen very father and son fainer of one another than those two. And certain it is, there was no child of his own body that King Eric set such store by as he set by Styrbiorn.
So now was all made ready, and the ships drawn up aland, and the gear packed on wains and a-horseback, both their own stuff and many good gifts which Styrbiorn had brought from Jomsburg to give unto the King his uncle, and they took horse and rode all in company northward towards Upsala.
Styrbiorn rode hand by hand with the King. They talked of this and that. Styrbiorn was somewhat silent and ever again let fall their talk, as if there were something he was eager to hear but would not himself speak first of. As they rode on, and the King still spake of this and that but naught of the main matter, Styrbiorn waxed yet the more ill at ease and yet shorter of speech; but he held himself in well. The King, who saw all this very plainly, made no haste to end it. At length, when their journey was three parts done and they rode up over the brow of a little wooded knoll of ground which had the top as it were a table of the native rock bare as a man’s hand above the trees, whence they looked north over the vast uplandish country and wood and water and might see, some miles off, the houses and temple at Upsala, the King drew rein and said to him, “Three weeks hence hath a Thing been called whereat thou shalt be taken to King in Sweden, along with me, even as was thy father aforetime.”
“Have my thanks for that, Lord,” said Styrbiorn, and took the King’s hand in his. The King was looking on him, but he on Upsala. And the King marked how the whole port and bearing of him was altered now, and how the face of him, that was clouded, was bright now like the land’s face at point of day.
They rode on. After a time the King began to say, “That were good now, Styrbiorn, now that thou art come to man’s estate and takest up kingdom, that thou shouldest take a wife. Or what thinkest thou of that?”
Styrbiorn answered, “I have thought on’t. And ’tis most needful.”
“Doth thine eye rest anywhere that seemeth good to thee for this?” asked the King. “Thou hast fared abroad in many lands these three years, and I never yet heard tell of so bad a land that it bred not a fair woman or twain.”
Styrbiorn laughed. “That is true enough, King. Yet I know not. For a wife—”
“ ’Tis two matters: to have, and to keep?” said the King.
“I have found none yet,” said Styrbiorn.
“I will tell thee,” said the King, “what hath been in my mind. There is King Harald Gormson hath a daughter, Thyri. That were a match many kings would deem them lucky might they get her. The maid is fair, too, as men tell me, and good-mannered, and of fourteen winters old.”
Styrbiorn said, “I knew her, when I was there a-guesting last Yuletide.”
“Well?” said the King.
“I like her well. But I had not thought on’t,” answered Styrbiorn.
“If she should please thee, that should please me well,” said King Eric. “But it is for thine own choosing.”
Styrbiorn said, “I had not thought on’t. But here, as in other things, your rede shall be mine, Lord.”
When they were
