“You have been there before, no? To pay your tribute to Ljósberari when you passed by.”

“Yes,” admitted Ingvar, “but I did not tarry. Who would wish to remain in such a place?”

“My daughter might be there, boatman,” Runolf said from the darkness, his voice thick with emotion. “Tell us what you know.”

Ingvar took a deep breath.

“There is little to tell. There are a few houses and huts, but they are poorly built things. Shacks really. It is a settlement built by thralls.” He paused, as if no further explanation was needed. When nobody responded, he went on. “The buildings, such as they are, will surely not survive once the winter snows come.”

“And Ljósberari?”

“He lives in the biggest house. A hall, really, though it is not a grand thing.”

“Is there a wharf?”

Ingvar nodded.

“Two. Ljósberari’s people came by boat, and they have taken many more from the people hereabouts.”

“Can the place be approached without being seen?”

“Not from the water. They have people watching the river to the north and south. The forest reaches close to the cleared area where the buildings are. They will have guards, but you might be able to get to the edge of the woods unseen.”

Hereward was quiet for a time. He stared out at the star-dotted black water of the river and we waited for him to speak.

“We will be heavily outnumbered,” he said. “It would be best not to fight Ljósberari’s people openly.”

Runolf grunted.

“We will rest up here during the day,” Hereward said at last. “We cannot risk being seen before we reach our goal. Pull Gullbringa in close to the bank and do your best to cover it with boughs, in case anyone passes on the river. Our best chance to take Ljósberari will be to go in at night. Ingvar, you will take us as close as possible and await our return. The rest of us will approach quietly through the forest. When we get there, we will take stock of things. Then some of us will untie their boats, sending them downriver. We don’t want to kill Ljósberari, only to find we have all his people chasing after us.”

We listened intently, trying to imagine putting this simple plan into action. There were so many things that could go wrong. We had never even seen the place and were relying on Ingvar’s memory when he had only been there briefly several weeks before. Much could have changed since then. But a simple plan was better than no plan at all.

“While the boats are released, we will create a diversion, something to draw men away from Ljósberari’s hall.”