Valrik swore again. The headman shoved away his enormous platter and glared down at the pair.

‘He caught them together,’ said Bayan.

‘Jarpr couldn’t be that stupid, could he?’ growled Valrik. His orders had been hard but simple. No plunder. No women.

‘The others are saying he attacked her.’

Lilla saw now how young the girl was. She was babbling in her terror, pleading with the headman. Seeing the fear in her eyes stirred up old anger in Lilla. Why should she be begging for mercy? The fat headman still had grease smeared across his chin, but his friendly features were now dark as thunder. ‘She says she’s innocent.’

‘It was only a bit of sport,’ wailed Jarpr in Norse, but even if they could have understood him they were deaf to his pleas. ‘Skipper, I swear – help me!’

A fist smashed into his jaw. He buckled over, whimpering into the dust. The wronged father’s voice was a rapid rattle, fervid for justice.

‘He’s invoking Tengri the Sky God to avenge this wrong,’ said Bayan in a murmur. But all at once the headman silenced him with the raising of his finger. The whole company fell silent with him. The only sounds were the crackle of the huge fire and the whimpers of Jarpr and the girl.

The headman spoke. ‘He’s saying Tengri sees all and judges with the eye of the sun,’ relayed Bayan. The headman barked an abrupt command. Four men came forward and seized hold of Jarpr who started writhing on the floor, bleating helplessly. The lad was drunk out of his skull. The men tied ropes around his wrists and ankles and shoved him down on the ground. From somewhere two oxen appeared and were led into the feast-circle.

‘What are they going to do to him?’ asked Lilla, cold horror filling her veins. But no one answered. She watched, disbelieving, as Jarpr’s limbs were fastened to the harnesses. The headman pulled himself to his feet – no small achievement given his immense size – then he murmured a single, soft word. Whips cracked down on the white rumps. The oxen started forward, pulling in opposite directions, each uttering a bellow of protest that was answered by Jarpr’s bone-chilling scream.

‘Plead for him,’ Lilla implored Valrik in a whisper. ‘Plead for his life! For Frigg’s sake – they’re going to tear him apart!’

‘And what in black Hel do you think I can do about it?’ he snarled.

‘Offer silver! Offer anything. Now – before it’s—’

But it was too late. There was a final shriek, a crack of bone and a sickening ripping sound. Lilla looked away, but still heard the oxen stumble forwards as resistance to their brute strength ceased. A rank smell filled the air.