Hadding and Gangleri stood near the hacked, reeking lichs of the warlocks. Thuning’s was among them. “You saved us, lord,” said the king. “How can I ever repay you?”

The old one leaned on his spear. “There is no need,” he answered. “This was my will.”

“But we must at least give you your honor at Haakon’s hall and afterward at mine.”

“That shall not be. I am bound elsewhere.”

“What? How can you get off this island, unless in a ship of ours?”

“I have my ways.” Gangleri was silent a while. Two ravens swung low, croaked, and flew off. “You shall see me no more in this life,” he then told Hadding. “Remember what I have taught you.”

“I shall.” And indeed the wedge of men lived on throughout Northern lands. It caine to be known as the swine array, for it ripped through an unready host like the tusks of a wild boar.

“But—this life?” Hadding dared ask.

“Yours will not end at anyone’s hand but your own,” Gangleri said.

After another span in which only wind, sea, and hovering fowl spoke, he went on: “This do I rede you. Squander not your years on small quarrels, but seek such wars as are worth fighting. Wage them abroad rather than close to home. The work of a king is to ward his folk.

“Farewell.”

He turned and strode off toward the wood. His tallness was quickly gone into its shadows.

XXIV

That midwinter Queen Ragnhild was again brought to bed with child. Her fight was still harder than before. Sometimes a moan slipped out between her teeth. The blankets were so bloodied they must be burned afterward. It took months for her to get back her strength. Yet the bairn, a girl, was healthy. She came into the world shrieking as though in wrath, and at the breast she bit painfully hard. It seemed right to her father that they name her Ulfhild, Wolf Battle.

In spring a ship arrived from Svithjod bearing high-born men who sought out King Hadding. They brought word from King Uffi. He was sick of a war that gained him naught. Surely it cost the Danes, too, more than it was worth. Let them make peace.

Hadding sent back a stiff answer. His folk had much to avenge. However, he was willing to think about taking a weregild, and meanwhile would stay his hand if the Swedes behaved themselves.

Messengers went to and fro during the summer. Uffi did not want to pay, as much because that would be knuckling under as because of the gold. Nor had Hadding awaited it. He merely did not wish to seem overly eager. He lowered the award but said that oaths must be sworn that Danish traders would have entry to Geatish and Swedish marts, free of hindrance and scot. And thus the dickering went between those two.