Asbiorn was not far off.  Afterwards I found that he had a ladder against the wall, and a man was watching through a high window all that went on, in case we needed help.  Whereby it happened that Arnkel ran into his arms.

Some of Asbiorn’s men came in as soon as that was done, and the courtmen huddled back at the sight of these newcomers, whose swords were out.  Gerda called to them that these were friends, and bade our men sheathe their weapons.

There was quiet then, and Gerda looked round to me.  Phelim had taken charge of my arm at once, and the long blade was out, and a scarf, which some girl who had not lost her senses had handed him, was round the wound.

“Not much harm done,” he said, smiling at Gerda, who thanked him in words and me with a look.

Now the folk crowded round us with great shouts of welcome, and the men came to thrust forward the hilts of their weapons that she should touch them, in token of homage given and accepted.  The women were trying to reach her also, with words of joy and praise.  So I took her through them all to the high place, and set her there in Thorwald’s chair, and Gorm the Steward passed round some word, and came himself with a silver cup full of mead, and set it in her hand, and whispered to her.

Whereon she smiled and rose up, and held the cup high, and cried to her folk: 

“Skoal, friends, and thanks!”

And all down the hall, from her own folk and from Hakon’s, and even from those strangers, Eric’s men, came the answer: 

“Skoal to Gerda the Queen, and welcome!”

And then one lifted his voice and cried: 

“Skoal to Jarl Malcolm!”

Men took that up, and it was good to hear them.

Gerda gave me the cup her lips had just touched, and I drank “skoal” to them in turn, and so Gerda the Queen had come home.

Gerda passed to the bower presently, and left us in the hall.  The men still made merry with shout and song, and Gorm was preparing the guest hall for us.  Asbiorn had come in with the rest of his men, grim and silent, and I asked him if he had Arnkel safe.  He nodded and reached for a horn of ale, and sat down at the end of the high place, for at the time Bertric and I were talking with Eric’s men, and trying to settle matters with them, for we could not let them go back to their master.

One was a jarl from the south, and the others men of less note, and they had looked to gather men to Eric hence.  Now they were fairly thunderstruck to hear of the coming of Hakon, and as it seemed to us not altogether displeased.  There would be nothing but turmoil in the land so long as Eric reigned.

In the end these men passed their word not to try to escape, or to plot here for Eric, until they went back with the ship to Thrandheim, and so we had no more trouble with them.  Thereafter two joined Hakon, as I have heard, and the others were glad to bide quietly and at least not hinder him; so we did well for the young king.