She stepped up to the high seat and settled herself. He beckoned her guards to take places nearby and shouted for the serving folk, as loudly as if he were aboard ship. Soon everyone had a brimful horn but her, who got a goblet of South-land glass. Svipdag signed his with the Hammer. “Let us drink to peace between us,” he said.

“Peace for now, at least,” said Gro.

“May it be for always.”

“We shall see about that, shall we not?”

Nonetheless, tautness slackened off a little. Over the years she had gotten men into her hire, one by one, who felt more beholden to her than to King ‘Gram. Some were Swedes or Geats. These she had brought with her. They were not unwilling to drink, eat, swap tales, and make merry with Svipdag’s Norse. Meanwhile she and he spoke together in undertones.

Next day they met alone in a loft room of the hall. Long were they there. Sundown was close, unseen through a fog that swirled and dripped outside, when he said, “We seem to be coming to an understanding. If you will wed me, you shall have queenly honors here in Denmark.”

She knew well that he had a wife at home in Ranriki, and two more in the neighboring lands that he had made his. This she did not care much about. He would seldom be with her either. Gram had left her side before his death, not briefly for a leman but altogether for Signy. She, Gro, was the daughter of a king, whom Gram had slain.

“For this, I am to give you my help and counsel,” she said.

He nodded. “The Danes are not glad of me. But I want no more from them than what belongs to a king, landholdings, scot, honor, and defense against raiders. I will not often be here, nor will I take Danish levies abroad. My mark is Svithjod, which welters leaderless. I cannot overmaster it unless Denmark stays quiet at my back. Aid me to that, Gro, and you shall be queen also among the Swedes and Geats—your folk.”

“To that end,” she said slowly, “you must bring the great men among the Danes to agreement, jarls, sheriffs, chieftains.”

“Even so.” Svipdag spoke harshly. He would have liked better to overwhelm anybody who gainsaid him.

“It begins with Gram’s close kin, his cousins, his daughters by different women, their fosterers and husbands,” she went on. “You must give them not only surety, but weregild according to how near in blood they are.”

“With you beside me in rede and deed, I hope this may be done.”

“Some will say no. They can be set on and killed, unless they flee the land first. It will bring others to a kindlier mood.”

“Yon Signy could have her throat cut out of hand,” said Svipdag with a grin.