Thorge did not insist on a podium on which he and his family sat. He preferred to sit with the men. Nor had he made an artistically carved chair as others would do in his position. He was the jarl, but he did not see himself as something better. His men and women had been through the same thing as he had. He was responsible for her, but he certainly would not be above her.

When the women were led into the hall of the longhouse, he would have liked to escape.

The oldest, an old woman with snow-white hair, threw herself on the floor in front of him and tried to touch his boots. Thorge picked her up and forced her to sit on the bench. it was really uncomfortable for him.

"Stop it, woman! I am not a god. I'm a normal man! "

The woman gave him a toothless smile.

"And yet you only hear good from the man!"

Naya came up to her and handed her a cup of water.

"I'm sorry that I can only offer you water. We have no bees to produce mead! But I could offer you some more wine. "

The woman smiled at Naya and patted her cheek.

"Water is enough for me, girl."

Thorge grinned at his wife while one of the other women toasted the old woman.

"That's the Jarl's wife!" She whispered and the old woman blanched.

Naya stroked her shoulder.

"I'm not angry with you. Neither me nor my husband insists on honoring. Drink first and get your breath. "

The other women got a cup and they drank greedily. Obviously, they had been traveling a long time.

The old woman emptied the cup, then looked up at Thorge.

"My name is Oda! Me and the women here come from a farm that belonged to Kjartan. "

Thorge nodded. He had heard of Kjartan. He had been one of the first to settle in the north. He had not been rich, but he had a small yard and lived there with his sons and his wives and children. He was not subordinate to a Jarl.

"I was the first wife of Kjartan."

Thorge raised an eyebrow.

"Was it?"

She nodded.

"We were attacked. They were bad warriors who burned down our farm. But they were not from here because I've never seen them before. Kjartan and his sons killed her and ravished the women. "

Thorge straightened up and looked at his men.

"Where did the men come from? Did you say something? "He asked softly.

Oda shrugged helplessly.

"I've never really seen her before. But they asked for you! They wanted to know where your good is and how to get there. "

Thorge raised his hand as the men hissed and cursed.

"You have told them!"

Oda lowered her head in shame.

"Only when they killed all our men. They threatened to kill the children. My life is almost over, but the kids should not die. "

Thorge patted her shoulder.

"Do not worry. I get it. And you came to warn us! "

Oda raised her head again.

"We also wanted to ask if you would pick us up. That's why we packed everything together, what they left us. As I said, they burned down our farm. We do not know where else to go! "

Thorge stood up.

"You can stay as long as you like it!"

Again Oda tried to kiss his hand, but Thorge stopped her by taking her arm and helping her up.

"You will first be housed in the nave until we find a solution. Your livestock will continue to belong to you, but can stand with ours. "

He looked at Naya.

"Can we let the kids sleep together in a room? Can Leya take care of her? "

Naya laughed softly.

"Of course, spouse. Leya will be pleased if she has more children around her. "

Before Oda and the others left, Thorge stopped her again.

"Was there a woman? With the men? "

Oda looked at him seriously.

"No! But they spoke of a mistress. I think they mentioned their name. Herdi. "

Thorge snorted.

"The woman actually made it here."

Oda smiled wickedly.

"Do not worry, Jarl. The mountain spat fire! The gods punish them! "

Thorge was not so sure. As he knew this witch, she had survived that as well. The hatred in her was probably so great that she had made it here and not even a fire mountain would stop her.

"Do we really have something like a battle plan?"

Thure leaned toward Havar, who was sitting in front of him at the oars.

Durik, who was sitting next to Havar, gritted his teeth.

"Shut up. Or you're the next one to land in the sea with his throat cut. "

Thure was very sure.

"We're rowing to certain death!" Durik remarked. "Why did I swear allegiance to her?"

Thure laughed badly.

"Because you were scared. Like all of us! You saw it for yourself, how she killed Wiar. I do not trust her men either. "

Everyone had seen it.

Not many men from Wiar were on the boat. That had been a mistake.

The men Herdi had gathered around were devoted to her. In addition, she had gradually sorted out Wiars men, so that only three were left.

"I heard they talked about tattooed dragons!" Durik remarked after a while.

Thure cursed softly.

"You know what that means!"

Havar nodded.

"Gunnarsson!" He whispered.

Thure nodded and Durik shivered slightly.

"I said we're going to safe death."

They ducked as one of Herdi's men ran past them, pretending to be asleep.

"We are almost there, mistress. How should we proceed?"

Thure pricked his ears. So Herdi was very close.

"We will build a camp and wait until the other morning breaks. We will attack before sunrise. You will not expect it. "

Before sunrise!

In Thure a plan matured.

He would warn the young North Man and save the other two men. They were good men and had only followed orders. But what Herdi demanded of them was madness! He could not let that happen! He had to do something.

"The boats are gone. We found another small bay and stowed three boats in it. Even if they torch off the rest of the boat, it's still Herdi's! "

Thorge could not help laughing.

Herdi would throw up her hair if she noticed her mistake.

No one had stepped on the boat since their arrival and it had increasingly fallen victim to winter. The oars and the tiller had already found their way into the chimney. It had not been a very good boat and Thorge was glad that it had not sunk on the way. It had simply not been done for the long haul and it had looked more on looks than durability. He could already imagine who had arranged it.

He nodded to Jülf.

"Very well. She should not know that my family is still here. "

Jülf grinned.

"They will not realize that until they reach the fence. I talked to Raik. I have to say, I like his idea. Our warriors face the fight in front of the entrance. Your family will mix with our men. But not so many, so they do not suspect. The others wait in the woods and circle them. "

Thorge had wondered why Raik had gone into the woods with the spade again and again. Sometimes Sjard and Lasse had accompanied him. If he wanted, they'd always given him a different job, until he'd yelled after them that he was the damn jarl. Only then did they dedicate him.

Raik had dug trenches in the forest, which was not fenced. There, the men could hide until Herdi's men had come close enough to the fence.

It was a good idea that Herdi certainly did not expect.

Thorge turned and looked at the estate he had built. He saw the children running around and the women doing their jobs.

"Nobody will take that away from me!"

He gritted his teeth.

Jülf shook his head.

"No! We prevent that. "

Herdi heard the men talking.

She had heard every damned word and she would have liked to kill those last three as well. But then you missed men!

She snorted.

She had sailed off with over a hundred men and now she had only forty remaining to her. That and a damn boat. It was a shame. But even those would take revenge on those who had simply abandoned them. And also the families of those who spoke against them.

She giggled softly to herself, which gave her strange looks of her men.

Yes, they all thought she was crazy. But she just insisted on her right. And the Nordmann had insulted her.

The men did not drank tonight.

They prepared for the battle.

Also the three who were left by Wiars tribe. They offered the gods small offerings and prayed with zest.

Herdi snorted.

The gods did not give a damn about them all. Not even the Gunnarssons.

She lay down in her tent, which was the first of the men to build. The murmurs of the men did not settle until they roared, they should all finally shut up. Then there was silence and she curled up in her furs.

Tomorrow she would win. She knew that.

She would have her head cut off by the Northerner and throw Ingulf at her feet when she returned home. A slight smile came over her at the thought.

Ingulf, too, would feel her anger.

And their men, who lived on the estate of the young Northerner. For her, Herdi had come up with a special punishment.

They would not serve her anymore.

But Herdi would keep them as slaves until they looked as old as the people she had banished behind the longhouse. They would have to feed on the dirt of the others and the blacksmith had to create chains so they could not escape.

Only when she had enough of them, Herdi would sell them.

Blessed she fell asleep.

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow everything would turn out well.

Thure woke the others as they all slept. Durik and Havar squinted at him but did not ask questions as he dragged them along. They ran into the forest and did not stop until they saw the big fence.

"Come! We almost made it! "Thure shouted as he was grabbed by the foot and fell to the ground.

"Is that an attack? Three men? Does the woman want to mock us? "

Thure felt the blade of a sword at his throat.

"We ... we ... no attack. We want to warn! "

He swallowed hard as he saw the tattooed dragon on his opponent's forearm. It was indeed true. The Gunnarssons were on the estate.

"You wanted to warn us? Oh yes?"

Durik whined quietly to himself. By now, ten men had set up in front of them.

Havar stood straight, just like Thure.

"I know it sounds unbelievable. But if you want to chase us away, then you can kill us right now. Because that's what awaits us when we go back. "

The men laughed, but it did not sound happy.

"We will not send you back to warn everyone."

Thure shook his head.

"We do not want to go back. She has gone crazy. The three of us are the only ones left by Wiars people. Herdi killed Wiar and swore allegiance. Nevertheless, she cut one throat after another and threw herself into the sea. "

The men stared at him in disbelief.

"How many are still with her?"

Thure laughed mockingly.

"No more than forty men."

He heard the whispers of the men.

"That's almost insulting!"

The guy holding the sword to his throat loosened his grip.

"What is your name?"

Thure felt him remove the sword.

"I am called Thure. I come from the Hebrides. What is your name?"

The guy laughed and suddenly you saw how young he was.

"I am Sjard. I'm from the Nordlands. So why are you here if you do not want to spy on us? "

Thure bowed her head.

"We wanted to warn you. We did not lie. Tomorrow, before sunrise, they want to attack you. "

Sjard looked at another man. He also wore a dragon on his forearm.

"What do you think, Raik?"

The person addressed shrugged.

"Apart from the fact that one of them pissed with fear, I would believe them. He does not look as if he's lying. Take their weapons off and bring them to Thorge! "

Thure swallowed hard.

He had not considered that he should see the young Jarl. He had thought the Jarl's men would drive them away, but now he was supposed to be brought to him.

Thure closed her eyes for a moment.

How would he react?

After all, they had been there at the beginning when they wanted to attack his estate.

"Please! Just chase us away. We are weak and will just look for a boat to take us home. I want to go to my family! "

He barely had his bladder under control. The men did not look as if they were weak. So Herdi had lied too! They were neither old men nor were they weak.

Sjard grinned.

"Oh no! Thorge will want to see you. You do not even believe that you can come here with news and then disappear again. How stupid do you think we are? "

He pushed Thure lightly in the back.

"Here we go! Get it over with! If you're lucky, Thorge has a good day and you'll cut your throat tomorrow! "

The men laughed while Raik and Sjard took their weapons and then drove them into the estate.

Although it was night, there was still a bustle. Women filled barrels with water and men supported the fence. Others laid weapons on the lookout gate of the fence.

"You seem to have expected the attack," Thure remarked softly.

Sjard shrugged. But Raik laughed softly.

"We sent scouts. Since your last raid, no Jarl wants to know you anymore. The Icelanders have fast horses. Tough little things! We knew you were storing before you knew it! And now shut up! Thorge will decide on your further destiny! "

Despite the bustle and tension people laughed here. Everyone was ready to fight and die for their homeland. It even seemed as if some would look forward to the fight.

Thure did not know that. In his native country one obeyed the Jarl, or Chief, as they called him. They had taken that from the peoples who had lived there for a long time. In his homeland, something like cheerfulness reigned only in one's own walls. Before Wiar they had all pulled the tail. And when he had commanded that they would go against Thorge, all who he had named obeyed.

Thure saw people still building here, though there were already some huts and even smaller stone and wood houses.

They walked on past small fields and a pen where the cattle had been housed. Even the animals had more comfortable huts than he.

Thure realized that the Northmen were being ruled differently here.

"Your chief seems to be very ... good-natured and popular."

Sjard laughed loudly.

"My brother had the epithet of butcher! As good-natured I would not call him straight. "

The longhouse appeared before them and Thure realized that he was now running towards his death.

Even he had heard of the butcher. The worst of all Gunnarssons. That's what he called it.

Raik poked him in the back again.

"Let's go! Thorge does not like to wait! "