"Yonder lies my grandfather," the lady said presently. "He was a
king in the old days before Harald made himself the one ruler in
the land who should so call himself. But he cared not at all for
the name, so that he held his own place among his own people, and
therefore let it be, for he was a friend of Harald's and helped him
to the one throne. Whereby we have lived in peace till just now,
when the old chief grew feeble. Then came my far cousin, Arnkel,
and would take first place, for my father, the old man's son, was
dead. That my grandfather would not suffer. He would have me rule,
for I should not be the first woman who had done so in his little
realm. One of my ancestresses fought as a shield maiden--as I
thought myself until today--in the great Bravalla fight long ago.
It is her mail which I have on now. Arnkel pretended to agree to
this, being crafty. It pleased the chief, and deceived me--till
yesterday. Then at last I knew that he did but wait for the death
of my grandfather, Thorwald, and then would get rid of me and my
claims. So Thorwald died, and we would set him in his ship and
build a mound over her in all honour. But to do that must sail her
from up the long fjord, where we have our place, to a low shore
which lies open to the sea near its mouth, for with us is no place
where we may find such a spot as we needed.
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