His words, tripping and stumbling, came like a clatter of weapons about the King’s ears. The King looked up in his eyes without blenching, a deadly look. A dirty greyish pallor was on the King’s cheek and brow: his lips were drawn back, showing in a set grin his teeth and gums and that ugly great tooth of his that jutted forth like a wild swine’s tusk blue and monstrous in the left-hand corner of his mouth. His right hand was clenched like iron on his sword-hilt, but his sword abode safe home in the scabbard. When Styrbiorn had ended there was deep silence, save for the faint sound of the wash of the waves on the seashore below them.
“So it is, Styrbiorn,” said King Harald at length, “that thou art a strong man. But I think thy strength shall one day overreach itself. I’ the mean season, thou must have thy way, here as in what else besides. But if thou wilt humour me so far, to forbear from shaming me before mine own folk, that will seem somewhat.”
“Then is the bargain made,” said Styrbiorn. His wrath was gone by like a squall in March, and that good and merry look that his friends knew in him crept like spring sunlight from his eyes and brow down to his mouth. He reached out his hand. The King’s hand in Styrbiorn’s grip was like a dead fish. Styrbiorn said, “True it is, there is no witness of our bargain. Yet I think thou’lt keep troth with me. But I will have thine oath too, King.”
The King sware by Christ and Mary.
“I’ll have thee tied all ways,” said Styrbiorn. “Thou must now swear by Thor.”
The King sware by Thor.
Styrbiorn said, “Now we understand one another, thou and I. And now I shall think well of our friendship.”
XIII
The Sailing of the Fleet
When it was given out by what agreement King Harald and Styrbiorn were made friends men wondered much, thinking that here was a new strong wind set in, to blow so suddenly away that old standing bridal pact made with King Burisleif. The King’s men for the most part thought that he had shown wisdom in these dealings, and in a day or two were all quarrels forgot that had arisen betwixt the Dane-folk and them of Jom; and most men accounted this to Styrbiorn. And they marked how even the King himself seemed, in outward show at least, of one mind with Styrbiorn and entreated him as he had been his very son. Styrbiorn and Thyri were wed now without more ado.
Now was the time come near for their keeping tryst with Palnatoki, and Styrbiorn sent Biorn Asbrandson his foster-brother to Jomsburg to let Palnatoki know they were with King Harald and how that affair had sped, so that Palnatoki might come now with all his power of fighting ships to Styrbiorn in Alaburg, instead of waiting for him in Jomsburg as they before determined. For this was in Styrbiorn’s mind now, that they should sail that summer west over England’s-main and lay under them those western lands. Men spoke well of the choice of land there, and the land was called a good land and worth the harrying.
In due time came Biorn back alone. He had this to say: that Palnatoki was there indeed in Jomsburg with his host, and had besides a great multitude of men and ships gathered from the east; but when he would have had these follow him to Alaburg, then said they all that they were come thither to Jomsburg to meet with Styrbiorn, and that they were not minded to go thence at any man’s bidding until Styrbiorn should come to fetch them; but that when he should come, then they would go with him whithersoever he would, and do his commands. Styrbiorn saw there was naught for it but he must fare to Jomsburg. That was the tenth night now of their guesting with King Harald in Alaburg. They sat at supper, and Styrbiorn was glad and merry as he had not been these many months.
It was wonderful stormy weather that night, and it so befell that there was sailing by the Jutland coast a little north of the east mouth of the Limfirth a man of Iceland bound south out of the Swede-realm on a cheaping voyage. The wind and the sea drave his ship aland and she was broken in pieces in the shallows, but the skipper and his ship’s company saved themselves and came ashore. That was about sunset. This chapman was named Worm Grimkelson. Oft had he sailed a-cheaping into the land of the Danes aforetime, and it was ever King Harald’s wont to make him welcome. There was no dwellings of men thereabouts whereas Worm and his shipmates were come ashore, so they took this rede, to make haste to Alaburg and crave shelter of Harald the King. They fell in with no man on their way thither through the wind and rain, and so it was that when Worm came into the hall and stood before the King and gave him greeting he knew not at all that these were Jomsburgers a-guesting there with King Harald, nor that Styrbiorn was there; nor was Styrbiorn known to him by sight nor any of those that were with him.
The King bade thralls look to Worm’s men and give them to eat and drink, but for Worm himself the King let make room at the board. The King asked him was there good cheaping this year, and Worm answered it was better than some years and worse than others. The King asked whence they were come, and Worm answered they were come from Sigtun.
“Thou art the first man this year, Worm,” said King Harald, “to come south hither out of the Swede-realm. What tidings hast thou to tell us thence? For I think it good sport to hear tales and tidings a-nights
