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‘It seems I have seriously underestimated a number of people,’ Hrolf said.
‘At least you are able to admit it.’
Sayrid rapidly gathered extra pieces of wood, buckets and an old fork as possible missiles. Hrolf, she noticed, did the same.
He nodded his approval. ‘We need all the weapons we can get.’
She bent down and tore a strip off her skirt and wadded it.
‘Let me guess—you need to be able to move your legs when you fight.’
‘That and I want to block his retreat.’ She dipped the makeshift torch in the burning embers and then walked purposefully to the unguarded ship. It was very easy to set it alight.
‘Shall we retake this hall?’ she asked Hrolf. ‘Even though we have no hope of survival, we will retain our honour.’
‘We go side by side.’ He smiled. ‘You have to like the odds.’
‘I have faced worse.’
His face sobered. ‘But I haven’t. You must stay safe.’
‘I will if you will.’
At that moment, a warrior emerged from one of the outbuildings, carrying a piglet. When he spied them, he stopped. Sayrid rolled a bucket forward. He went to go over it, but the piglet began to squirm and he toppled over.
Hrolf ran forward and swiftly dispatched him. But at his dying shout, others emerged from the building.
Sayrid engaged the first one, Although he was skilled, he was no match for her. With a few swift strokes, she beat him to the ground. As she finished, another warrior charged forward. This one was more deliberate in his actions, but not any real challenge.
‘Watch your back!’
Hrolf’s call caused her to pivot and instinctively raise her shield. A bone-jarring thud hit her shield, nearly cleaving it in half. The warrior fell at her feet.
‘I owe you a life debt,’ she choked out.
‘I’ll remind you of it later.’
There was a loud cry of ‘Hrolf! Hrolf! Hrolf!’ His remaining men streamed from their prison and the battle truly was joined.
Sayrid fought hard, but a grizzled warrior took advantage of her tiredness. She was forced on to her back foot as her bottom touched the wall. All her muscles ached and she doubted if she had enough strength to lift her sword.
Suddenly the warrior’s face developed a surprised expression. He toppled forward. Sayrid summoned her remaining energy to move out of the way.
‘I, too, can fight,’ Magda said, brandishing a bloody knife. ‘Revenge for my kinsmen.’
‘Keep up the good work!’
Sayrid raced back to where Hrolf stood with his men. Lavrans’s ship now blazed bright, lighting the sky.
‘Lavrans! Stop sulking! Come and fight like a man!’
‘Hrolf Sea-Rider, I have nothing against you.’ A large man emerged from the barn. He was handsome in an overly pretty way which had started to run to fat. There was a faint air of Regin about him and she had to wonder if the rumour about Regin not being her father’s was true. ‘Leave this place. Return to the East. My quarrel is with Ironfist and his children.’
‘You attacked my holdings, killed my men and destroyed my hall.’ Hrolf slapped his sword against his leg. The lines of weariness were clearly etched on his face. ‘I challenge you to a fight to decide this once and for all.’
Sayrid gulped hard. He would need every ounce of strength to fight an opponent like Lavrans.
‘A pleasure. This has been coming for some time.’
‘For far too long.’
Hrolf glanced at Sayrid. Sweat poured from her brow. Her gown was now splattered with mud and blood. A streak of dirt marred her cheek. But she had never appeared so lovely to him. Bravery, courage and passion flowed from every particle of her body. Finally he knew what he was fighting for. It wasn’t land, riches or even glory, but for this woman and the life he hoped to build with her. It wasn’t about her putting him first, but about him putting her there. There were so many things he wished he’d said to her. If Odin and Thor were with him, he would tell her tonight while they lay wrapped in each other’s arms.
‘I fight gladly.’
‘Then shall we have to? And don’t worry, your wife has no appeal for me, but it might be amusing to see how she waltzes with a bear.’
‘My wife is worth a thousand of you.’
Round and round, they circled each other, probing and testing. All of Hrolf’s muscles screamed, but he kept focused on his opponent, waiting for him to make a mistake. Then, when he thought he could no longer hold the sword another instant, he heard Sayrid call out. Lavrans turned his head.
In that split instant, Hrolf lunged forward, using the trick Sayrid had used against him. Lavrans ended up on the ground, his sword to one side.
