The Queen watched from the howe there till dusk. Her women were crouched about her like frightened sheep, speechless, clinging one to another, sobbing for fear and their teeth chattering. She, heedless of their presence this hour gone by, turned now and with a sharp and imperious word bade them gather their wits and follow her home.
Lamps were lighting as the Queen came into the King’s garth. At every hand were wounded men, within door and without. Helgi was there in the door, harnessed as from battle, as the Queen came in. She halted to greet him and ask for tidings.
“There must be one day more,” answered he.
“What of the King?” she asked.
“All safe and sound,” said Helgi.
The voice of him sounded strange, and she peered at him through the uncertain light in the porch there of twilight and the reflection of the lamps within-door. She saw he was propped against the doorjamb.
“And what of that other?”
“Not all I’d wish,” answered Helgi. “He hath come too near me, though I fetched him a sword-stroke o’ the huckle-bone may well last him for a keepsake.” He laughed, and his legs gave way beneath him. The Queen caught him in her arms. Blood gushed from his mouth. She heard him say in a choking voice, “A hath paid me, Queen.”
They bare Helgi into the King’s hall. He was dead ere night was done. Hour after hour long after nightfall came wounded men back to Upsala, some to be leeched and some to die. No man came back that night who might stand on his feet and hold spear or sword; for things were come to this pass that, for all his strength of men and the succours that Tosti had brought him, the King was worsted in that day’s battle. His folk had with all their might and daring but barely availed to hold off Styrbiorn from Upsala, in so much that had there been but another hour of daylight it was like enough there had been an end, and the King’s whole army broken and done away.
The King abode with his army. They had no time to take their tents and camp-gear with them as they gave back fighting step by step. So the womenfolk and the old men brought meat and drink down to them on Fyrisfield at nighttime, and they lay out nightlong under their shields.
Styrbiorn and his host had use that night of the King’s baggage and war-booths. Styrbiorn had a wound from his fighting with Helgi, and there was not one of those lords of Jomsburg but had taken some hurt that day. Battle-weary they were, yet high of mettle and with hearts at ease, they and every man of their army, as they sat down for that second night in the highways of the battle. For they had fought at the beginning against heavy odds and had evened them at length, and the advantage of the day was theirs, only night parted them.
Earl Wolf came to Styrbiorn where he sat after supper nigh to a great fire, and about him sat the lords of the Jomsburgers and men of his bodyguard. “That will be well for us, kinsman,” said the Earl, “ere men turn them to sleep, if thou shouldst make prayer now unto the Gods that they shape things tomorrow as we would have it, and help us, not our enemies.”
“I will do that, foster-father,” answered he. “Yet is it in our own might and main that I would have us put our trust. I had liever thank the Gods when we shall have won the day than go a-praying to them beforehand.”
But all deemed that good, if Styrbiorn should pray to the Gods. So Styrbiorn did on his great iron helm winged with raven’s wings, and took in hand his great naked sword of shining iron, and so stood up in the smoky glare. And he shouted unto Thor, calling upon his name and saying, “Do that I tomorrow have victory!” The voice of him so shouting was like the thunder of a battle-horn. From wing to wing of the camp men heard and knew his voice, and they shouted likewise unto Thor from fire to fire. Men heard in the King’s camp that shouting, and even in Upsala. Little comfort they took hearing it.
About the middle night King Eric rose up and waked two or three of his bodyguard, bidding them go with him. The King took helm and shield and spear and fared now through the black night to Upsala and came to the temple. He bade his men bring torches and wait in the outer court of the temple, while he himself went in to the inner shrine where was the altar and holy place
