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Chapters (76)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise forMATTHEW HARFFY
  3. BY MATTHEW HARFFY
  4. Title Page
  5. Copyright
  6. Dedication
  7. Maps
  8. Epigraph
  9. Contents
  10. Place Names
  11. One
  12. Two
  13. Three
  14. Four
  15. Five
  16. Six
  17. Seven
  18. Eight
  19. Nine
  20. Ten
  21. Eleven
  22. Twelve
  23. Thirteen
  24. Fourteen
  25. Fifteen
  26. Sixteen
  27. Seventeen
  28. Eighteen
  29. Nineteen
  30. Twenty
  31. Twenty-One
  32. Twenty-Two
  33. Twenty-Three
  34. Twenty-Four
  35. Twenty-Five
  36. Twenty-Six
  37. Twenty-Seven
  38. Twenty-Eight
  39. Twenty-Nine
  40. Thirty
  41. Thirty-One
  42. Thirty-Two
  43. Thirty-Three
  44. Thirty-Four
  45. Thirty-Five
  46. Thirty-Six
  47. Thirty-Seven
  48. Thirty-Eight
  49. Thirty-Nine
  50. Forty
  51. Forty-One
  52. Forty-Two
  53. Forty-Three
  54. Forty-Four
  55. Forty-Five
  56. Forty-Six
  57. Forty-Seven
  58. Forty-Eight
  59. Forty-Nine
  60. Fifty
  61. Fifty-One
  62. Fifty-Two
  63. Fifty-Three
  64. Fifty-Four
  65. Fifty-Five
  66. Fifty-Six
  67. Fifty-Seven
  68. Fifty-Eight
  69. Fifty-Nine
  70. Sixty
  71. Sixty-One
  72. Sixty-Two
  73. Author’s Note
  74. Acknowledgements
  75. About the Author
  76. An Invitation from the Publisher

I could still barely believe that the monk had travelled to Uuiremutha unannounced. When he had called out from the boat in the river the night before, I had been as surprised as I had been elated. I had missed Leofstan. I had realised over the winter that I had taken his guidance for granted, and the thought of being able to speak and pray with my old master once more, filled me with joy.

By the time we had secured the small rowing boat and Leofstan and the man he had travelled with had disembarked, most of the warriors from the hall had arrived. Some bore sputtering brands from the fire pits, and they came charging and roaring down the path, brandishing shields, swords and spears.

My cheeks had burnt as I told them there was no attack, that there were only two men, a monk and a fisherman, and they came not in search of vengeance and plunder, but of roasted pig meat, the scent of which had travelled over the Uuir.

I had worried that the men would once again make me the butt of their jests, but it had not been as bad as I had feared.

“Hunlaf is always at the centre of every battle,” Ida had jeered. “But I am not sure we need a shieldwall against a monk and a peasant.”

A few of the men had laughed, but most just seemed pleased that they were not called upon to fight while their stomachs sloshed with ale and food. They had trudged back up to the hall, and, after I had retrieved the jug of ale from where I had left it and given it to Drosten, I had followed them, leading Leofstan and his travel companion, whom he introduced as Eadmaer, up the path towards the renewed sounds of merriment and the inviting smells from the cook fires.

Leaving Leofstan, I made my way towards Runolf. The great sail was full, straining at the rigging. The mast creaked and I marvelled at the huge forces being placed upon the oak and the skill needed to shape the keel, strakes, ribs and thwarts so that the vessel would not splinter apart. Brymsteda flexed beneath my feet like a living creature and Runolf laughed with the pleasure of riding the waves once more. I had watched the Norseman fight with his massive axe, and believed him to be born to battle. But now, leaning on the steerboard and shouting orders to the crew of this ship that had been fashioned to his design, I thought that, deadly as he was, his true place was here, master of a beast-prowed wave-steed.