Chapter Two - Outlawed
Doing his best to stifle his emotions, Yngvar beckons Thorfinn urgently to one side; out of the corner of his eye Thorfinn can see the carls, two of whom bare bloodied strappings, that accompanied Yngvar up from the town below rebarring the gate.
"Thorfinn" whispered Yngvar, "I bring the gravest of woes, Solmund Silken Tongue, Rig-Jarl of Birka, son of Vandrad Shortshanks . . . . . . Thorfinn, your father, he has been slain, slaughtered before his very own hearth stone"
In stunned silence Thorfinn listened as Yngvar told of the supposed attempt by Thorfinn to murder Ottar, son of Egil, reigning King of Sweden & guest within the household of Solmund on this eve of summer, worse still Thorfinn listens aghast as Yngvar describes the woeful rumour perpetrated by Ottar that Thorfinn slew his own father who was attempting to deflect the wrath of Thorfinn against his King. Further, Yngvar tells that Ottar has declared Thorfinn outlaw, kinless, beyond judgement of his piers & bereft of weregeld.
Ottar had also pronounced curfew upon Birka & that any who offered aid to Thorfinn Kinslayer within the borders of Sweden would suffer the same fate or worse.
Knowing that Kingsmen would not be far behind Yngvar, Thorfinn returns to his friends & throws himself on their mercy, knowing full well that Thorfinn had been with them since midday their loyalty is given without question.
Questioning Yngvar further it would seem that Yngvar, knowing that Thorfinn must flee this night, had put his own life, & those of the accompanying carls, at risk & left the Ottar's side to warn Thorfinn of what was to follow, unfortunately their leave was noted & blood was spilt on route to the summer lodge, two carls loyal to Yngvar had been lost but fortunately Ottar's men had, for the moment, been given the slip.
Yngvar's men had brought food & beer enough for several days as well as several waterproof skins, as however Thorfinn & his companions threw their belongings together raised voices could be heard from outside, buckling his belt Thorfinn ran to join the others.
Peering through the slats of the barred gate the companions can see at least eight well-armed carls bearing insignia of the royal household, Thorfinn, joining Yngvar's men recognises the one who leads the patrol as Vigfus Amundsson, a petulant schemer & fauner loyal to Ottar.
Yngvar, nodding to Thorfinn addresses Vigfus, demanding to know what business he has at this place at this ungodly hour, as Vigfus rises to the bait, Yngvar's men draw weapons & stand at the ready, Thorfinn, no coward but no fool, shakes his head & gestures to his friends towards the roof of the pigsty against the palisade at the rear of the enclosure.
As the gates begin to sway inward under the efforts of Vigfus's men, Ragnar shins onto the roof & over the palisade, droping to the ground below he freezes as an archer stands some fifty yards away, arrow knocked but with his gaze locked on the happenings at the gate. Skipping under cover of the surrounding trees Ragnar hears a shout behind, presumably from the archer.
As Ragnar disappeared around the corner Grimhild crouches on the roof of the empty sty & draws back her bowstring letting fly an arrow at the gesticulating archer, cursing her aim Grimhild fires & fires again, smiling as her following shots sink into flesh, looking down, an arrow is firmly embedded in the post inches from her head. Dropping to the top of the earthworks below the wall Grimhild knocks another arrow & waits for the others to join her.
Within the cover of the trees Ragnar begins to work his way around the clearing towards the gate, Anora, unsure what to do, drops down beside Grimhild & takes cover around the corner of the earthworks before waiting the command of her Lord.
As Thorfinn drops over the wall the clash of steel from the gate tells its own storey, stricken with grief he half turns to flee, but honour will not allow him to leave Yngvar to his death & so with a nod to Grimhild & Anora, Thorfinn turns & jogs along the outer perimeter of the wall towards the gate. Seeing how the wind blows Ragnar leaves the cover of trees & makes to join Thorfinn & Anora. Grimhild however sprints toward the downed, but not yet dead, archer. Cutting his throat, Grimhild goes to circle around to the front to provide support, however spying a second archer in front of the gates Grimhild concentrates allowing the spirit of Ullr flow through his body, raising the bow, Grimhild releases the arrow which flies true to its target dropping the unwary guard.
Running through the gates passed the second bloodied archer, Thorfinn takes in the scene in an instant, Yngvar's men have accounted themselves well, yet of the four who accompanied him only two remain, of Vigfus's accomplices only three remain on foot, of Yngvar there is no sign, without hesitation Thorfinn bares down upon Vigfus whilst Ragnar & Anora aid the hard-pressed Eyolf & Drott.
Lost in grief Thorfinn miss times his cut, Vigfus, grinning, wipes his blade upon dead Aud's tunic & trades blows with Thorfinn, as Eyolf & Drott aided by Ragnar & Anora press back the now outnumbered Kingsmen.
Suddenly Vigfus lowers his blade, steps back & raises his left hand towards Thorfinn, unsure of his intentions, Thorfinn hesitates & pulls back his own cut, Vigfus however smiles & pushes his hand towards Thorfinn's chest, instantly pain erupts around Thorfinn's heart leaving him gasping for air, as Thorfinn reels back, Ragnar, sword bloodied, steps forward unsure what assails the new & rightful Jarl of Birka, as Ragnar raises his blade to strike, Vigfus's body seems to shimmer as if in two places at once.
Breathing deeply Thorfinn hefts his sword to strike Vigfus down however a glance toward the lodge causes him to momentarily hold his blow, slumped in the shadows is the prone form of Yngvar. Anger welling inside him, Thorfinn lowers Tyrfrost to his side, breathes deep & snarl's into Vigfus's face, tendrils of icy air curl around Vigfus before he is enveloped in a snarling cloud of frigid air, his scream ends abruptly as the cold streaming from Thorfinn's mouth washes over him.
A few seconds later Ragnar, Anora, Eyolf & Drott stand open mouthed & staring at the half shattered corpse before them, Vigfus's legs & lower torso are unmarked however his arms, head & upper body are rimed with ice as if breathed upon by one of the mighty Hrimthurs.
Ignoring their stunned looks Thorfinn barks out a string of orders in preparation for their departure. Vigfus's remains are searched & his icy armour stripped from him before his body is rolled into the well. Grimhild, with a few adjustments, knocks the ice from scale mail, & worms his way into its icy clutches before slitting the throats of the downed but not dead kingsmen. Ragnar, casting aside his own leather breaches & tunic works his way into a set of the ring mail so recently worn by one of Vigfus's henchmen.
Anora, having recovered her blade from where she cast it aside, collects what coins the dead have no need for as well as a few other trinkets & hands then to Ragnar.
Kneeling by Yngvar's side, Thorfinn apologises for his death & slips the now unneeded silver broach pin from his cloak,
"I'm sorry it has come to this old friend, but go now, find my father & stand proudly by his side as you have done so loyally for so many years"
Eyolf & Drott, both wounded, look around themselves, only hours ago they were in preparation for the feast of summer in honour of Ottar's visit, now they are outlaw by the word of that very same man, Drott, the more seriously wounded of the two, shakes his head & declines to accompany Thorfinn further,
"I will only slow you further my Lord, I have family not far from here where I can shelter & heal, if though my Lord in time to come you call, be sure I will answer"
Eyolf, less seriously wounded than his friend, nods in acknowledgement & makes ready to depart with Thorfinn & his companions.
Thanking both of them, Thorfinn, & then Ragnar, lay hands over Drott's wounds, slowly the healing arts taught them flow into the festering gashes staunching the flow of blood & reducing the pain such that he can at least walk.
Packs gathered, the five companions watched by Drott slip into the trees hoping to be away before the chase commences.