Blood Enemy by Martin Lake

Author:Martin Lake [Lake, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-04-29T16:00:00+00:00

Spring came at last, just when people had begun to think they would live out the rest of their days in winter.

It was a fitful thing, one day warm and dry, the next seeming to hearken back to the days of snow and ice. But little by little the earth warmed and then, one day, catkins appeared on twigs and the fields were studded with snowdrops.

And something else appeared. A fresh band of Vikings descended upon the settlement. Hæstenn thought to refuse them entry but they bought him treasure and offered to join with him in despoiling the land. He cut the slaves rations still further and feasted his new friends.

Ulf’s heart sank when he saw them. They were the band of Norsemen who had attacked his village. And they were led by Hrólfr.

He tried to keep out of sight as much as possible but this proved a vain strategy. On the third day he was spotted by Grimar, one of Hrólfr’s chief men. He seized Ulf by the arm and dragged him to his chief.

Hæstenn and Hrólfr were at the feast table, drinking ale and planning which of the nearby villages to attack on the morrow. Hæstenn looked surly at this interruption but Hrólfr grinned with pleasure.

‘What do we have here, friend Hæstenn?’ he said. ‘Where did you find this man?’

‘He was captured ten miles north of here,’ Hæstenn said. ‘He was with a large party of priests. He held a bridge against my warriors and the priests were able to escape with all their goods.’

He paused in the story and looked at Hrólfr suspiciously. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Because I have met this man three times before today. He is one of Alfred of Wessex’s thegns.’

Hæstenn stared at Ulf in surprise. Ulf had said that Alfred was his lord but had not told him that he was one of his warriors. Such a captive might prove of value. It would be unprofitable to work him to death.

‘Do you think Alfred would ransom him?’ he asked.

He tried to make his question seem casual but without success.

‘I doubt it,’ Hrólfr answered swiftly. ‘Alfred has plenty of such fighters and besides this one is young and inexperienced.’

Hæstenn was disappointed but dismissed the idea from his mind. Hrólfr, however, continued to stare at Ulf, his mind a whirl of calculation.

‘I might want to buy him off you, though,’ he said, in the most casual of tones.

Hæstenn was immediately all suspicion.

‘You think to buy him cheap from me and then sell him back to Alfred at a higher price?’

‘No. I mean to keep him as my slave.’

Hæstenn did not answer for a moment. His mind raced to understand the reason for Hrólfr’s offer. He suspected that he was in danger of being cheated in some way but could not work out how.

‘Why would you do this, Hrólfr?’ he asked with a sudden grin. The thought had come to him that perhaps his new friend had a liking for boys rather than women. In which case he should be able to extract a high price for the slave.

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