Valkyrie Rising : Book Five in the Viking Blood and Blade Saga by Gibbons Peter

Author:Gibbons, Peter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-01-20T00:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

The Seaworm crew left Chippenham two days after King Alfred and Guthrum made peace. They rode from a back gate on a balmy morning under a pale blue sky the colour of Sigrid’s eyes. The crew had spent most of their remaining silver, along with what they had looted from the dead at Ethandun, on fresh horses, and Hundr was glad to be rid of the place and of the defeated army, fearing that Guthrum’s ill luck would spread like a plague. Each day he had remained trapped in Chippenham, Hundr had felt it creeping towards him, a hungry sprawling thing seeking to suck all luck from the surviving army and himself.

“Maybe their god is winning,” said Ragnhild, riding next to Hundr on a roan stallion. “The nailed god has come to the aid of his people at last.”

“Their god is for the weak,” he tutted. “They pray too much, and his priests are greedy little weasels.”

“Guthrum, a great Viking Jarl and leader of an army, will now turn Christian. He turns his back on Odin and the Aesir to follow the nailed god.” Ragnhild shook her head and turned to stare back at Chippenham over the rump of her horse as though hoping it might have been a dream or that the town was a thing of seiðr that would disappear, and the world would right itself.

“What was that awful bloody Saxon name he will take?” asked Bush behind them.

“Aethelstan,” said Hundr.

“What kind of name is that?” Bush despaired, removing his leather helmet liner and scratching at his bald, egg-white scalp.

“It’s a good name,” chimed Finn, his youthful voice as bright as pipe music amongst the sullen faces and bowed heads of the Seaworm crew. “Guthrum will be baptised, become a Christian, and will be a king in England. Not a terrible result, considering he lost the battle. Guthrum bargained well, I think.”

Hundr looked at Finn with a raised eyebrow. “You cut through to the deep cunning of it, lad,” he nodded. “Guthrum lost a battle but gained a kingdom, and all he must do is let Alfred’s priests wash his head and change his name. He could have saved the lives of his warriors and poor Bolver and done it this way weeks ago.”

“That lot’s even more miserable than before,” said Bush, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Gunnr and her Valkyrie.

“They aren’t much help in this thing,” Sigrid added. “Ragnhild led them on the field at Ethandun, and all they do is complain and spit venom. Maybe this Sigdriffa has the right of it. Gungnir might be better off in her hands than theirs. Sorry to say it, Ragnhild.”

Ragnhild grumbled under her breath and stroked her horse’s mane, chewing over that hard truth.

“So, back to the Seaworm?” Bush asked.

“Back to the Seaworm and back to sea. We follow the spear East. It is not over, Ragnhild,” said Hundr. She offered him a wan smile, and he thought better of asking her what troubled her thought cage.

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