There will be no more
trouble with Heidrek. We have his son, Asbiorn, here with us."
"Give him to me," said Dalfin at once; "give him to me, King Hakon.
I owe him much for a good turn he did me and Malcolm here, and I
cannot see him a captive."
"Malcolm and Bertric have claimed him already," said Hakon, with a
smile. "He is yonder, and has taken service with me, and I think I
must keep him."
"That is all one could want for a man," answered Dalfin. "Now, I
have to ask if you will go ashore and meet my father. He would also
see my two comrades, and, if it may be so, Queen Gerda."
But Thoralf would not hear of the king going ashore, nor would Earl
Osric. Gerda, too, shrank from facing the wild crowd of warriors
and the sights of the field which she needs must see more or less
of. Nor did Dalfin press the matter, for he knew that any little
spark might be enough to rouse the wild Irish against the Norsemen.
It was but a chance that Hakon had played the part of an ally. So
in the end Bertric and I went ashore with Dalfin and the two
hermits, as an embassy, so to speak, to represent Hakon.
We had a good welcome at all events, I suppose because men had
heard the tale of our voyage and wreck, and maybe of how Hakon
saved the hermits at last.
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