Richly clad, as were his crew, Hadding stepped ashore. One ran ahead toward Haakon’s hall, to say that the king of the Danes was bound thither. He led his troop at a staid pace. The crowd gave way, closing in again behind. Voices buzzed. From her hillock Ragnhild saw his height and the slight limp in his gait. She caught her breath.

King Haakon met King Hadding outside the hall and made him welcome in seemly wise. Hadding kenned the graybeard who had bidden Ragnhild farewell on the Troll’s Hood, but said nothing of it. “I hear great men are gathered in your house,” he told Haakon. “I thought this might be a good time to speak with you and them of things that touch all our kingdoms.”

“They are more the sons of great men,” answered the Norseman. “They seek the hand of my daughter, for everybody thinks she will be a lucky as well as gainful match.”

“Yes, I’ve heard something of this too,” said Hadding. “I’ve been hereabouts a while.” More than that he did not tell. His men were as close-mouthed as he.

He did not want to blurt forth that it was he who had saved the woman. Rather would he first feel out how things stood. These were haughty hot-tempered men that wooed her. If any of them called him a liar, for his own honor he might well have to fight; and if he killed, that meant a blood feud on his hands, not easily settled. Of course, Ivar, lately back from Denmark, Thorfinn, and others were witnesses to the truth. Nonetheless he felt it beneath him to call straightway on them, as if he were a worker whining to be paid.

Moreover, there could be reasons why wedding Ragnhild was unwise for him. He only knew the Niderings by word of mouth and what little he had seen. They might not be the best of allies. She herself might be a bad sort. He doubted that, but he had no sure knowledge All in all, he reckoned it best to wait and watch. His years of kingship had taught him carefulness.

Haakon’s queen met him at the threshold of the hall. She was young, for Ragnhild’s mother had died, but she knew well how to speak to so high a guest, lead him to the seat of honor, and with her own hands bring him a beaker of mead. The man who sat there before, a king from the Uplands, glowered, though Haakon was quick to give him a fine sword. These could indeed be gurly waters.