Sihtric said, ‘But from England’s more southerly ports the ice can be evaded. The Vikings who tried to settle Vinland could not defend themselves against the skraelings. But imagine how it would be to equip a new expedition, from an England united with the northern countries: the wealth of the English, the shipbuilding and navigation skills of the Vikings. We could challenge the skraelings - learn how they hunt for seals and for bears - take the women who sew their skin boats. “‘Across ocean to east/And ocean to west/Men of new Rome sail/from the womb of the boar.” We can take this new world. It’s all in the prophecy.’

Harold frowned. ‘The boar, though? What can that mean?’

‘Of that detail I’m not sure—’

‘Jorvik,’ Godgifu said suddenly, and they looked at her. ‘I’m sorry, lord. But it just occurred to me. The city’s English name is Eoforwic, which means the place of the boar.’

Sihtric’s eyes gleamed, startled by her intervention, satisfied as another bit of his puzzle was solved. ‘Jorvik, then. It is the fate of our generation to build a new empire spanning oceans, reaching from Vinland in the west to the Baltic in the east, with its hub England - and its capital will be Jorvik. It won’t end there. The German states will be drawn to the huge volumes of trade passing to the north, turning away from the Latin south—’

Harold held up a hand. ‘Enough. Just tell me how we reach this promised land.’

‘It is all in the prophecy,’ Sihtric said. “‘Step by step.” The fifth stanza describes the coming of the Vikings to Lindisfarena. The copiers in the monasteries laboured for centuries to preserve the Menologium for you, lord, and the Menologium’s own words gave the monks a chance to save it from the fire of the Northmen - which they did.

‘That achieved, the Menologium survived to be presented to Alfred - and proved to him that he would prevail against the Danish force, when all must have seemed lost. Another step completed. And with that achieved, we come to stanza nine.’

‘Which describes this very year,’ Harold said, intrigued, disturbed. ‘Which you claim predicts my actions.’

‘Yes.’ And the priest read again: “‘End brother’s life at brother’s hand./A fighting man takes/Noble elf-wise crown./Brother embraces brother./The north comes from south/to spill blood on the wall,”’

‘Brother slaying brother,’ Harold growled. ‘We’ve discussed this before. I won’t have Tostig killed, priest.’

Sihtric returned his glare steadily. ‘But it may be necessary. The fighting man, the elf-wise - isn’t that clear now? It was your duty to take the throne of Alfred.’

Harold glared at him. ‘Move on, move on,’ he snapped. “‘Brother embraces brother.” What does that mean? Must I forgive Tostig now?’