Bertric laughed
lightly when he met us.
"Hakon," he said, "I told you that there would be no trouble in
this matter. Now, Lady Gerda, and you, comrade, I am going to be
the first to wish you all happiness. And I will say that thus our
voyage ends even as it ought."
"It is not ended yet," said Hakon. "Still it remains for Malcolm to
win her home back for his bride that shall be, though that may be
easy."
Then he, too, spoke words of kindness to us both, and they were
good to hear; until at last he would tell us news which had come
from Thrandheim for himself, and that also was of the best.
The land had risen for him at the first sound of his name. Eric was
far away to the south and east, in the Wick, fighting with men who
would not bow to him, and all went well. The ships would go up to
the ancient town on the morning's tide.
"But now," he said, "I have no one to send with Gerda, for Thoralf
will take his wife and daughter with us. Will she wait here for the
winter, or will she sail, as once before, with you two to serve and
guard her?"
"Let us sail at once, King Hakon," she said, laughing. "It would be
impossible for me to wish for better care than that I have learned
to value most of all."
"Nay, but you shall be better attended at this time," Hakon said,
smiling.
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