They were four, sturdy carles whose legs dangled down close to the fetlocks of their shaggy little horses. Hadding knew them by name. They stood awkwardly before him in his high seat. “What brings you here?” he asked.

“Well, lord,” said the leader, “they at the garth sent us to ask if you’d come visit for a bit, if you’ll do them the honor. They told me you’d told them you would if you could, nowabouts. That’s the word we was to bring you, by your leave.”

“Did they say why they want this?”

“Well, I understand it’s for family’s sake, like. They’d rather you come with only us, if that’s not beneath you. But it’s not for me to know, lord.”

Hadding gazed at the honest red face and murmured, “No, Olaf, you and your fellows can hardly know. Maybe I myself don’t. But I did promise. Yes, I’ll go, No man may flee his weird.”

The men shivered. Housecarles who overheard looked askance at the king. He smiled a tight-lipped smile. “I’ve a few things to take care of first,” he said. “We should be able to set forth the day after tomorrow. Then we’ll get there the day after that, as short as the days have become. Meanwhile rest yourselves here, goodfolk.”

“May one of us head straight back and tell them, lord? The lady Ulfhild said as how she wanted to have everything ready, fit for you.”

“He may as well,” said Hadding.

A youth rode off at once. The others saw little more of the king until they left with him. They thought that was best, as lost in thought as he seemed. They could drink, gab, and be cheerful with the workers, around the hall and with such guardsmen as cared to join in.

The next day Hadding drew the new chief of his house-caries aside outdoors. They spoke long and earnestly. Afterward the chief sent off a score of men. He gave out that he had heard there might be a robber denning in the midisland woods, and wanted to learn whether the tale was true and, if so, track the man down.

As for Hadding, he went into his treasure hoard. From it he took a splendid battle horn, made from the horn of an aurochs, banded with silver in which the smith had hammered Valkyries bearing fallen heroes to the gods.

At sunrise he rode from his hall. None followed him but the three men from the garth to which he was bound. They fared silent, for so the king did.