Sigrun's Secret (33 page)

The speaker turned to Halfgrim. ‘You say that Sigrun’s father deprived you of your father’s wealth?’

‘Of course,’ growled Halfgrim.

‘But you weren’t aboard the ship bound for Iceland with him?’

‘Obviously not,’ said Halfgrim angrily. ‘I’ve only just come here to settle. I grew up in Norway. In poverty, thanks to
her
father’s actions.’ As he spoke, Halfgrim stabbed an angry finger in my direction.

‘This is something we don’t understand,’ said the speaker. ‘Your father wasn’t taking you with him to his new life. You appear to have had no expectation or right to share or inherit any of his possessions.’

Halfgrim leapt to his feet, his face darkening in rage. I saw his hand go automatically to his side, reaching for a sword, but it wasn’t there. It lay safely outside the circle. ‘He thought it would be too dangerous for me. I was only five! He promised he’d come back for me and my mother,’ Halfgrim shouted. ‘And he would have done if
her
slave-father hadn’t unlawfully killed him!’ He pointed at me, his face contorted with fury and hate.

The speaker turned to me. ‘Were there other women and children aboard that settlement ship?’ he asked. I thought of Asgerd and her daughter Astrid who was just ten winters old when she sailed to Iceland.

‘Yes, there were,’ I said. ‘Several women and one child I know of.’

‘Thank you, both of you. You’ve been very helpful,’ said the speaker. ‘We’ll call you back when we’ve reached a decision.’

He nodded dismissal to us, and I left as quickly as I could to avoid any confrontation with Halfgrim.

The afternoon dragged into evening. The sun was low over the mountains in the north-west and the air had turned cold before we were called back to the men with whom we had entrusted our fate.

They were standing as we approached, solemnly awaiting us. I could feel how seriously they were taking this meeting and the decision they’d made. I felt comforted even though I shook with dread. This was it. I was going to hear their ruling, and we had both sworn to abide by it.

Halfgrim stepped into the circle and the speaker stood up on the rock to announce the verdict.

‘We’ve heard the facts, insofar as they can be known, given that the original men in this dispute are dead,’ he said. ‘We’ve discussed the matter carefully and taken our decision: we see no reason to doubt that the real chieftain Bjorn Svanson was the father of Halfgrim. But we doubt Svanson’s intention to share his life or goods with his son. It strikes us all as very unusual to leave a son behind when emigrating. We therefore judge that Halfgrim has no claim on his father’s possessions. However, he is entitled to vengeance for his father’s killing.’

The speaker paused and I clenched my hands into fists, trying to stay level-headed enough to take in what he was saying. Was it good or bad for me and my family? Breathe, I told myself. Stay calm.

‘Halfgrim, you agreed to be satisfied if the imposter Bjorn would go into exile from Iceland for three years. But you didn’t keep your word. We therefore rule that you should have no further claim on his family or goods, and no right to any further settlement.’

Halfgrim had been looking steadily more thunderous, and at this he let out an angry bellow, but the speaker went on.

‘Sigrun, you demand the return of the horses that were stolen and your father’s sword. This is agreed.

‘The last point is your intention to make peace between the two families. We find this a good and just aim, and feel it would be better served by the fostering of Halfgrim’s son than by your marriage. We trust you to bring him up as a valued member of your family and always to speak respectfully of his real father in his hearing. Do you agree?’

I tried to speak and failed. I nodded, then had to sit down and duck my head between my knees, weak and sick with relief. All I could think about was that I didn’t have to marry Halfgrim.

‘Halfgrim will bring his son and the goods here to hand over,’ said the speaker, ‘and then I declare this meeting at an end.’

‘You are unjust!’ shouted Halfgrim. ‘You give her everything and me nothing! How is that fair?’

‘You agreed to abide by our ruling,’ the speaker reminded him. ‘You won’t find yourself welcome here if you go back on your word at any time.’

I got shakily to my feet. I didn’t want Halfgrim left humiliated and angry. That would be storing up trouble for the future.

‘I offered you compensation for the theft of your father’s goods,’ I said, my voice faint. ‘I will voluntarily give you a payment still.’

My voice was faint, but the speaker repeated my offer for everyone to hear. I could both sense and see Halfgrim’s pride battling with his greed. He wanted to make a grand gesture and fling it all in my face, but he also wanted the riches.

‘It’s my right to be paid,’ he muttered at last.

I nodded and left the circle, climbing the hill on shaking legs to decide how much of the treasure to give to my enemy. Although, of course, I shouldn’t any longer think of him as such.

In the end I selected most of the wealth I’d brought with me, knowing a generous gift would reflect well on my family. Several of Arnor’s men carried the valuables down to the assembly circle. I could see Halfgrim waiting for me there, his son beside him. Before I reached them, the ground began to shake. The tremors resolved into the thundering of hooves as a group of horsemen rode at breakneck speed towards us.

‘Stop!’ shouted a voice. I recognized my brother’s voice at once, and my heart sank. Just as everything was about to be concluded. I noticed with a jolt of surprise that he was leading a spare horse with Maria mounted on it. She looked pale and weary and sent me an apologetic look.

Asgrim flung himself from his horse, grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me; his rage was clear for everyone to see.

‘How
dare
you, sister, steal
my
possessions and … and betray your own family like this?’ he demanded, almost incoherent with fury.

‘I’m trying to
save
our family,’ I answered. Asgrim shook me again so that my sight blurred and my teeth rattled together.

‘Let her be!’ said another familiar voice, and I looked up to see Ingvar dismounting and hurrying towards us. My heart lurched with relief and happiness at the sight of him.

‘You’re supposed to be on
my
side!’ Asgrim shouted at Ingvar.

‘Don’t fight with your friends,’ said Maria’s soft voice, and she stepped forward to tug at Asgrim’s arm. He paused a moment, the furious fire in his eyes fading a little.

‘I’m on your family’s side and what’s best for all of them,’ said Ingvar firmly. ‘I see there’s been a hearing here. Shouldn’t we know what decision has been reached before we object?’

I looked gratefully up at him. To my relief, Asgrim released me. Ingvar stepped forward and took my hand, looking questioningly at me. I could see Maria was still gently restraining Asgrim.

‘Come and join us, Asgrim Bjornsson,’ Arnor said. ‘And hear what your sister, Sigrun Peacemaker, has brought about.’

It took several hours to convince Asgrim that he should abide by the agreement that had been reached. At first he shouted and argued, and refused to accept it.

‘Halfgrim should be outlawed!’ he demanded. ‘Not given my wealth!’

Between them, Ingvar, Arnor, and the speaker persuaded him to back down. They convinced him the settlement was honourable and fair. He wasn’t happy, but eventually he was resigned. Maria came into the circle once everything was over and spoke to him. To my surprise, I saw him listening and nodding. She seemed to know how to soothe him.

‘He make me come with him,’ she whispered to me as she hugged me. ‘And I hope stop him fighting if I come.’

‘You seem to have a way with him,’ I said. ‘Thank you.’

Maria smiled to herself, and I could feel how she cared for Asgrim. It seemed to me that there was a softness in his eyes too, when they rested on her, that I hadn’t seen in him for a long time. I couldn’t sense how he felt about her, but perhaps he didn’t know himself yet. I thought how good Maria would be for him, how much such a marriage would benefit her too.

The goods were exchanged and the meeting ended. Asgrim and I both stepped forward to take the sword, Foe Biter, but I got there first.

‘Sigrun, that sword belongs to me now,’ said Asgrim, holding out his hand.

I buckled Foe Biter to my belt, dwelling for a moment on the memory of my father that it evoked. ‘No, it doesn’t,’ I said. ‘Father gave it to me when he died. You weren’t there, remember?’

Asgrim stepped back looking confused and ashamed and didn’t argue.

Halfgrim left with his saddle-bags brimming with valuables, and the other men dispersed slowly in twos and threes to return to their farms. Arnor, my brother, and Maria waited for us a short way off. I looked down at little Bjorn standing forlornly in the middle of the circle.

‘Hello, Bjorn,’ I said gently, holding out my hand. ‘You’re going to come and live with us.’

‘I don’t want to,’ said Bjorn. His lower lip puckered and he looked as though he might cry at any moment. Fostering of children was commonplace, but looking at the young boy, I thought how hard it must be for the child at first. I could sense his confusion and unhappiness.

Ingvar spoke from my side. ‘We have the best horses in Iceland in our bay,’ he said. ‘Just wait till you see our herd. If you like, you can choose a horse of your own.’

I felt a rush of love and gratitude to him for his kindness to the child.

‘Really?’ asked little Bjorn, in a wobbly voice, mastering his impulse to cry with an effort. I watched as he took Ingvar’s hand instead of mine, and followed him bravely back up to our horses.

Ingvar swung the lad onto his own horse. ‘For today, you can ride with me,’ he said. ‘But first I just have to speak to this lady.’

Ingvar walked over to me, took my hand and spoke quietly so that only I could hear his words. ‘I’m in awe of you now, Sigrun Peacemaker,’ he said with a slight smile. ‘And with that sword at your side too!’

‘Don’t be foolish,’ I said, laughing a little to cover my embarrassment. Was all well between us now, or had my words to him all those days ago spoiled everything?

‘Shall we agree to forget what was said?’ he asked, almost as if he could read my thoughts. ‘We know the reasons for our misunderstanding, don’t we?’

There were tears of relief pricking at my eyes. I brushed a hand quickly over them, tried to speak, and failed, and ended up nodding wordlessly, unable to meet his eyes.

‘Sigrun?’ he asked softly. When I still didn’t look up, he put his fingers under my chin and gently lifted it until our eyes met. ‘My love for you is stronger than ever,’ he said. ‘Do you still care for me?’

‘Of course I do,’ I whispered. ‘I only thought of protecting you.’

‘I’m really very capable of looking after myself, you know,’ said Ingvar, a hint of sternness in his voice.

I looked at him reproachfully. ‘You wanted to make war on Halfgrim and get people killed,’ I said.

‘I was supporting your brother and what he wanted. But I’m sorry I took his side against you. I’ll never do so again. Do you forgive me?’

I nodded, fighting the tears that wanted to come. The relief was almost overwhelming. I’d been so afraid I’d lost Ingvar for ever. But now he was drawing me into his arms, caressing my face, and looking down at me so lovingly that it took my breath away and brought the colour rushing to my face.

‘I’m in admiration of the way you outsmarted Asgrim,’ Ingvar said.

‘Was he furious?’ I asked.

‘You can’t imagine how furious,’ Ingvar said. ‘He was intolerable. I couldn’t stand to hear the things he said about you.’ Ingvar drew me close, bent his head and kissed me. I’d almost forgotten how soft his lips were against mine, how good his kisses made me feel. I closed my eyes and threaded my fingers into his long hair, forgetting all about the people and horses all around me. Only Ingvar existed for me.

When we remembered that we had companions and horses waiting for us, we broke apart. I drew a deep breath and tried to gather my thoughts and my dignity, and mount my horse.

‘I thought you said you were going to
talk
to the lady,’ I heard little Bjorn saying in a disgusted voice as Ingvar took his horse’s reins in his hand.

‘That’s the very best way to speak to ladies,’ said Ingvar with a grin. ‘When you’re about to marry them.’

Little Bjorn made sick noises. ‘Just so long as you don’t ever expect
me
to talk to one like that,’ he said.

Ingvar looked across at me and we exchanged a smile. The kind of smile that you can only share with someone you love and understand. Then Ingvar ruffled the boy’s hair. ‘Wait until you’re older, lad,’ he said.