Eric Brighteyes

by H. Rider Haggard

  But Gudruda did not answer.

  "And for this matter of the death of Bjoern at my hands, think, Gudruda:was I to blame in it? Did not Bjoern thrust the cloven shield before myfeet, and thus give me into the hand of Ospakar? Did he not afterwardssmite at me from behind, and would he not have slain me if Skallagrimhad not caught the blow? Was I, then, to blame if I smote back and ifthe sword flew home? Wilt thou let the needful deed rise up against ourlove? Speak, Gudruda!"

  "Talk no more of love to me, Eric," she answered; "the blood of Bjoernhas blotted out our love: it cries to me for vengeance. How may I speakof love with him who slew my brother? Listen!" she went on, looking onhim sidelong, as one who wished to look and yet not seem to see: "herethou must hide an hour, and, since thou wilt not sit in silence, speakno tender words to me, for it is not fitting; but tell me of thosedeeds thou didst in the south lands over sea, before thou wentest to wooSwanhild and camest hither to kill my brother. For till then thou wastmine--till then I loved thee--who now love thee not. Therefore I wouldhear of the deeds of that Eric whom once I loved, before he became asone dead to me."

  "Heavy words, lady," said Eric--"words to make death easy."

  "Speak not so," she said; "it is unmanly thus to work upon my fears.Tell me those tidings of which I ask."

  So Eric told her all his deeds, though he showed small boastfulnessabout them. He told her how he had smitten the war-dragons of Ospakar,how he had boarded the Raven and with Skallagrim slain those who sailedin her. He told her also of his deeds in Ireland, and of how he took theviking ships and came to London town.

  And as he told, Gudruda listened as one who hung upon her lover's dyingwords, and there was but one light in the world for her, the light ofEric's eyes, and there was but one music, the music of his voice. Nowshe looked upon him sidelong no longer, but with open eyes and partedlips she drank in his words, and always, though she knew it not herself,she crept closer to his side.

  Then he told her how he had been greatly honoured of the King ofEngland, and of the battles he had fought in at his side. Lastly, Erictold her how the King would have given him a certain great lady of royalblood in marriage, and how Edmund had been angered because he would notstay in England.

  "Tell me of this lady," said Gudruda, quickly. "Is she fair, and how isshe named?"

  "She is fair, and her name is Elfrida," said Eric.

  "And didst thou have speech with her on this matter?"

  "Somewhat."

  Now Gudruda drew herself away from Eric's side.

  "What was the purport of thy speech?" she said, looking down. "Speaktruly, Eric."

  "It came to little," he answered. "I told her that there was one inIceland to whom I was betrothed, and to Iceland I must go."

  "And what said this Elfrida, then?"

  "She said that I should get little luck at the hands of Gudruda theFair. Moreover, she asked, should my betrothed be faithless to me, orput me from her, if I should come again to England."

  Now Gudruda looked him in the face and spoke. "Say, Eric, is it in thymind to sail for England in the spring, if thou canst escape thy foes solong?"

  Now Eric took counsel with himself, and in his love and doubt grewguileful as he had never been before. For he knew well that Gudruda hadthis weakness--she was a jealous woman.

  "Since thou dost put me from thee, that is in my mind, lady," heanswered.

  Gudruda heard. She thought on the great and beauteous Lady Elfrida, faraway in England, and of Eric walking at her side, and sorrow took holdof her. She said no word, but fixed her dark eyes on Brighteyes' face,and lo! they filled with tears.

  Eric might not bear this sight, for his heart beat within him as thoughit would burst the byrnie over it. Suddenly he stretched out his armsand swept her to his breast. Soft and sweet he kissed her, again and yetagain, and she struggled not, though she wept a little.

  "It is small blame to me," she whispered, "if thou dost hold me on thybreast and kiss me, for thou art more strong than I. Bjoern must knowthis if his dead eyes see aught. Yet for thee, Eric, it is the greatestshame of all thy shames."

  "Talk not, my sweet; talk not," said Eric, "but kiss thou me: for thouknowest well that thou lovest me yet as I love thee."

  Now the end of it was that Gudruda yielded and kissed him whom she hadnot kissed for many years.

  "Loose me, Eric," she said; "I would speak with thee," and he loosedher, though unwillingly.

  "Hearken," she went on, hiding her fair face in her hands: "it is truethat for life and death I love thee now as ever--how much thou mayestnever know. Though Bjoern be dead at thy hands, yet I love thee; but howI may wed thee and not win the greatest shame, that I know not. I amsure of one thing, that we may not bide here in Iceland. Now if, indeed,thou lovest me, listen to my rede. Get thee back to Mosfell, Eric, andsit there in safety through this winter, for they may not come at theeyonder on Mosfell. Then, if thou art willing, in the spring I will makeready a ship, for I have no ship now, and, moreover, it is too late tosail. Then, perchance, leaving all my lands and goods, I will take thyhand, Eric, and we will fare together to England, seeking such fortuneas the Norns may give us. What sayest thou?"

  "I say it is a good rede, and would that the spring were come."

  "Ay, Eric, would that the spring were come. Our lot has been hard, and Idoubt much if things will go well with us at the last. And now thoumust hence, for presently the serving-women will come to seek me.Guard thyself, Eric, as thou lovest me--guard thyself, and beware ofSwanhild!" Then once more they kissed soft and long, and Eric went.

  But Gudruda sat a while behind the screen of reeds, and was very happyfor a space. For it was as though the winter were past and summer shoneupon her heart again.

  XXVII

  HOW GUDRUDA WENT UP TO MOSFELL

  Eric walked warily till he came to the dell where he had left Skallagrimand the horses. It was the same dell in which Groa had brewed thepoison-draught for Asmund the Priest and Unna, Thorod's daughter.

  "What news, lord?" said Skallagrim. "Thou wast gone so long that Ithought of seeking thee. Hast thou seen Gudruda?"

  "Ay," said Eric, "and this is the upshot of it, that in the spring wesail for England and bid farewell to Iceland and our ill luck."

  "Would, then, that it were spring," said Skallagrim, speakingBrighteyes' own words. "Why not sail now and make an end?"

  "Gudruda has no ship and it is late to take the sea. Also I think thatshe would let a time go by because of the blood-feud which she hasagainst me for the death of Bjoern."

  "I would rather risk these things than stay the winter through inIceland," said Skallagrim, "it is long from now to spring, and yonwolf's den is cold-lying in the dark months, as I know well."

  "There is light beyond the darkness," said Eric, and they rode away.Everything went well with them till late at night they came to theslopes of Mosfell. They were half asleep on their horses, being wearywith much riding, and the horses were weary also. Suddenly, Skallagrim,looking up, caught the faint gleam of light from swords hidden behindsome stones.

  "Awake, lord!" he cried, "here are foes ahead."

  Gizur's folk behind the stones heard his voice and came out from theirambush. There were six of them, and they formed in line before the pair.They were watching the mountain, for a rumour had reached them that Ericwas abroad, and, seeing him, they had hidden hastily behind the stones.

  "Now what counsel shall we take?" said Eric, drawing Whitefire.

  "We have often stood against men more than six, and sometimes we haveleft more men than six to mark where we stood," answered Skallagrim. "Itis my counsel that we ride at them!"

  "So be it," said Eric, and he spurred his weary horse with his heels.Now when the six saw Eric and Skallagrim charge on them boldly, theywavered, and the end of it was that they broke and fled to either sidebefore a blow was struck. For it had come to this pass, so great was theterror of the names of Eric Brighteyes and Skallagrim Lambstail, that nosix men dared to stand before t
hem in open fight.

  So the path being clear they rode on up the slope. But when they hadgone a little way, Skallagrim turned his horse, and mocked those who hadlain in ambush, saying:

  "Ye fight well, ye carles of Gizur, Ospakar's son! Ye are heroes,surely! Say now, mighty men, will ye stand there if I come down aloneagainst you?"

  At these words the men grew mad with wrath, and flung their spears.Skallagrim caught one on his shield and it fell to the earth, butanother passed over his head and struck Eric on the left shoulder,near the neck, making a deep wound. Feeling the spear fast in him, Ericgrasped it with his right hand, drew it forth, and turning, hurled it sohard, that the man before it got his death from the blow, for his shielddid not serve to stay it. Then the rest fled.

  Skallagrim bound up Eric's wound as well as he could, and they went onto the cave. But when Eric's folk, watching above, saw the fight theyran down and met him. Now the hurt was bad and Eric bled much; still,within ten days it healed up for the time.

  But a little while after Eric's wound was skinned over, the snows setin on Mosfell, and the days grew short and the nights long. Once Gizur'smen to the number of fifty came half way up the mountain to take it;but, when they saw how strong the place was, they feared, and went back,and after that returned no more, though they always watched the fell.

  It was very dark and lonesome there upon the fell. For a while Eric keptin good heart, but as the days went by he grew troubled. For since hewas wounded this had come upon him, that he feared the dark, and thedeath of Atli at his hand and Atli's words weighed more and more uponhis mind. They had no candles on the fell, yet, rather than stay in theblackness of the cave, Eric would wrap sheepskins about him and sit bythe edge of that gulf down which the head of the Baresark had foretoldhis fall, and look out at the wide plains and fells and ice-mountains,gleaming in the silver shine of the Northern lights or in the whitebeams of the stars.

  It chanced that Eric had bidden the men who stayed with him to build astone hut upon the flat space of rock before the cave, and to roof itwith turves. He had done this that work might keep them in heart, alsothat they might have a place to store such goods as they had gathered.Now there was one stone lying near that no two men of their number couldmove, except Skallagrim and one other. One day, while it was light, Ericwatched these two rolling the stone along to where it must stand, and itwas slow work. Presently they stayed to rest. Then Eric came and puttinghis hands beneath the stone, lifted, and while men wondered, he rolledthe mass alone, to where it should be set as the corner stone of thehut.

  "Ye are all children," he said, and laughed merrily.

  "Ay, when we set our strength against thine, lord," answered Skallagrim;"but look: the blood runs from thy neck--the spear-wound has broken outafresh."

  "So it is, surely," said Eric. Then he washed the wound and bound it up,thinking little of the matter.

  But that night, according to his custom, Eric sat on the edge of thegulf and looked at the winter lights as they played over Hecla's snows.He was sad and heavy at heart, for he thought of Gudruda and wonderedmuch if they should live to wed. Remembering Atli's words, he had littlefaith in his good luck. Now as Eric sat and thought, the bandage on hisneck slipped, so that the hurt bled, and the frost got hold of the woundand froze it, and froze his long hair to it also, in such fashion thatwhen he went to the cave where all men slept, he could not loose hishair from the sore, but lay down with it frozen to him. On the morrowthe hair was caked so fast about his neck that it could only be freed byshearing it. But this Eric would not suffer. None, he said, should shearhis hair, except Gudruda. Thus he had sworn, and when he broke the oathmisfortune had come of it. He would break that vow no more, if it costhim his life. For sorrow and his ill luck had taken so great a hold ofEric's mind that in some ways he was scarcely himself.

  So it came to pass that he fell more and more sick, till at lengthhe could not rise from his bed in the cave, but lay there all day andnight, staring at the little light which pierced the gloom. Still, hewould not suffer that anyone should touch his hair. And when one stoleupon him sleeping, thinking so to cut it before he woke, and come at thewound, suddenly he sat up and dealt the man such a buffet on the headthat he went near to death from it.

  Then Skallagrim spoke.

  "On this matter," he said, "it seems that Brighteyes is mad. He will notsuffer that any touch his hair, except Gudruda, and yet, if his hair isnot shorn, he must die, for the wound will fester under it. Nor may wecut it by strength, for then he will kill himself in struggling. It iscome to this then: either Gudruda must be brought hither or Eric willshortly die."

  "That may not be," they answered. "How can the lady Gudruda come hereacross the snows, even if she will come?"

  "Come she can, if she has the heart," said Skallagrim, "though I putlittle trust in women's hearts. Still, I ride down to Middalhof, andthou, Jon, shalt go with me. For the rest, I charge you watch your lord;for, if I come back and find anything amiss, that shall be the death ofsome, and if I do not come back but perish on the road, yet I will hauntyou."

  Now Jon liked not this task; still, for love of Eric and fear ofSkallagrim, he set out with the Baresark. They had a hard journeythrough the snow-drifts and the dark, but on the third day they came toMiddalhof, knocked upon the door and entered.

  Now it was supper-time, and people, sitting at meat, saw a great blackman, covered with snow and rime, stalk up the hall, and after himanother smaller man, who groaned with the cold, and they wondered atthe sight. Gudruda sat on the high seat and the firelight beat upon herface.

  "Who comes here?" she said.

  "One who would speak with thee, lady," answered Skallagrim.

  "Here is Skallagrim the Baresark," said a man. "He is an outlaw, let uskill him!"

  "Ay, it is Skallagrim," he answered, "and if there is killing to bedone, why here's that which shall do it," and he drew out his axe andsmiled grimly.

  Then all held their peace, for they feared the axe of Skallagrim.

  "Lady," he said, "I do not come for slaying or such child's play, I cometo speak a word in thine ear--but first I ask a cup of mead and a morselof food, for we have spent three days in the snows."

  So they ate and drank. Then Gudruda bade the Baresark draw near and tellher his tale.

  "Lady," said he, "Eric, my lord, lies dying on Mosfell."

  Gudruda turned white as the snow.

  "Dying?--Eric lies dying?" she said. "Why, then, art thou here?"

  "For this cause, lady: I think that thou canst save him, if he is notalready sped." And he told her all the tale.

  Now Gudruda thought a while.

  "This is a hard journey," she said, "and it does not become a maid tovisit outlaws in their caves. Yet I am come to this, that I will diebefore I shrink from anything that may save the life of Eric. When mustwe ride, Skallagrim?"

  "This night," said the Baresark. "This night while the men sleep, fornow night and day are almost the same. The snow is deep and we have notime to lose if we would find Brighteyes living."

  "Then we will ride to-night," answered Gudruda.

  Afterwards, when people slept, Gudruda the Fair summoned her women, andbade them say to all who asked for her that she lay sick in bed. But shecalled three trusty thralls, bidding them bring two pack-horses ladenwith hay, food, drugs, candles made of sheep's fat, and other goods,and ride with her. Then, all being ready, they rode away secretlyup Stonefell, Gudruda on her horse Blackmane, and the others on goodgeldings that had been hay-fed in the yard, and by daylight they passedup Horse-Head Heights. They slept two nights in the snow, and onthe second night almost perished there, for much soft snow fell. Butafterwards came frost and a bitter northerly wind and they passed on.Gudruda was a strong woman and great of heart and will, and so itcame about that on the third day she reached Mosfell, weary but littleharmed, though the fingers of her left hand were frostbitten. Theyclimbed the mountain, and when they came to the dell where the horseswere kept, certain of Eric's men
met them and their faces were sad.

  "How goes it now with Brighteyes?" said Skallagrim, for Gudruda couldscarcely speak because of doubt and cold. "Is he dead, then?"

  "Nay," they answered, "but like to die, for he is beside himself andraves wildly."

  "Push on," quoth Gudruda; "push on, lest it be too late."

  So they climbed the mountain on foot, won the pass and came to thatgiddy point of rock where he must tread who would reach the platformthat is before the cave. Now since she had hung by her hands overGoldfoss gulf, Gudruda had feared to tread upon a height with nothing tohold to. Skallagrim went first, then called to her to follow. Thrice shelooked, and turned away, trembling, for the place was awful and the fallbottomless. Then she spoke aloud to herself:

  "Eric did not fear to risk his life to save me when I hung over GoldenFalls; less, then, should I fear to risk mine to save him," and shestepped boldly down upon the point. But when she stood there, over thegiddy height, shivers ran along her body, and her mind grew dark. Sheclutched at the rock, gave one low cry and began to fall. Indeed shewould have fallen and been lost, had not Skallagrim, lying on his breastin the narrow hole, stretched out his arms, caught her by the cloak andkirtle and dragged her to him. Presently her senses came back.

  "I am safe!" she gasped, "but by a very little. Methinks that herein this place I must live and die, for I can never tread yonder rockagain."

  "Thou shalt pass it safe enough, lady, with a rope round thee," saidSkallagrim, and led the way to the cave.