And every law had its exceptions. The senior jotunn in Durthing was Brual, unofficial mayor. He was aging now, but he was Nordland-born, and he kept the disorder within some limits with the aid of his five sons, of whom Gathmor was the youngest. Ogi was fairly sure that Brual must have a few swords tucked away somewhere.
Never enough! Not if Kani had truly seen what he had claimed. Not if that second boat had borne an orca emblem on its sail.
An orca was a killer whale, but it meant more than that in Nordland. It meant a thane’s ship-raiders.
Gasping and sweating, Ogi came reeling up the bank and recklessly pushed his way through the line of blond, bare-chested sailors standing in ghostly silence, watching what was happening in the moot-stow.
The wide space was almost empty, except for the fire and Brual himself, flanked by the only two of his sons who were in port at the moment, Rathkrun and Gathmor. Brual had an ax and his sons bore swords. Their shadows stretched long on the ground behind them.
Three strangers were striding up from the sea jotnar, of course, recognizable by their pale skin. They wore metal helmets and leather breeches and boots. They seemed to be unarmed.
But far behind them, an unfamiliar longship glimmered in the darkness on the placid waters of the bay, and men were wading ashore and lining up along the beach. Seeing no glint of weapons, Ogi decided that they also were unarmed. They must be, because their round shields still hung along the low side of that sinister boat. They wore helmets, though.
One group of waders was carrying a hogshead, and another had already been set on the sand. The ship had anchored, not beached; that was ominous. Yet the barrels suggested gifts, and might be a hopeful sign.
The entire male population of Durthing was there. It seemed to be holding its breath.
The three strangers stopped at a safe distance, and the night silence grew deeper and heavier, as if even the sea and the crickets had stopped to listen. Fear drifted though the trees like an invisible fog.
“What ship?” That was Brual, loud and harsh.
The stranger in the middle stepped forward one pace from his companions. He was tall and young and muscular. He was cleanshaven, while they were heavily bearded.
“Blood Wave. And I am her master, Salthan, son of Ridkrol. ”
“What is your business, Captain?” Brual’s voice was strong, but curiously flat.
“Who asks?” Salthan was quieter, and he seemed completely at ease, although he was much closer to the ax and the swords than he was to his own crew.
“I am Brual, son of Gathrun. These are my sons.”
Salthan put his fists on his hips and the gesture blazed with arrogance. ”We came in peace, Brual, son of Gathrun, but your manner is beginning to irk me. We brought some beer to share with you, to exchange, perhaps, for some traditional jotunnish hospitality?”
Silence fell again. Nobody moved. Perhaps Brual was thinking. Perhaps he was already admitting disaster.
Then a man broke out of the crowd around the edges and ran a few steps forward and stopped, ill lit by the blaze of the bonfire. Almost alone in the whole crowd, he was dark-haired.
“He lies! “ the newcomer shouted. “His name is not Salthan! He is Kalkor, the thane of Gark.”
The entire male population of Durthing seemed to draw breath in the same instant. Ogi heard a low moan, and realized that it came from himself.
When the faun picked a quarrel, he picked a good one.
The stranger let the tension grow until Ogi wanted to scream. Then he said the inevitable: “Who calls me a liar?”
It was Gathmor who answered, without turning his head to look.
“He is a thrall. If you would answer the charge, then answer it to me, who owns hire.”
“That’s not true!” Rap yelled shrilly. “You freed me!” And he went stalking forward defiantly until he stood at Gathmor’s side.
Kalkor—for Ogi had no doubts at all that the faun had spoken the truth, however he knew it, and this was the most notorious raider on the four oceans—Kalkor seemed more amused than ever.
“Is this a three-way dispute, then? Both of you call me a liar, but he also calls you one, Son-of-Brual? Do we settle it in some sort of order, or in one big free-for-all?”
“You answer it to me.” Gathmor had not taken his eyes off Kalkor. He was ignoring the crazy faun beside him, but Rap leaned close to his ear, as if whispering something important.
Ogi tore his attention from the main action and looked seaward. About fifty of the half-naked giants had come ashore now and were standing, watching. Firelight gleamed on their beards and flashed from their helmets. They were shifting, though, gradually edging in around the two hogsheads, and Ogi was suddenly frantic to know what really was in those barrels. Rap would know, and that must have been what he had just whispered to Gathmor, but Gathmor might already have guessed what Ogi was starting to fear.
He thought of Uala and the children and realized that he had never been more terrified in his life. Women and children could not run fast enough.
“I will take the thrall and consider the debt paid,” Kalkor said. Even at that distance, Ogi somehow sensed the arrogant smile on the killer’s face.
Trust me?
“What brings you to Durthing, Thane?” Gathmor demanded. His father seemed to be leaving it to him.
Kalkor cocked his head. “You repeat the challenge? I come for many reasons. My business is varied. I am mostly anxious to see how the summer sailors fare.”
A low noise like a groan swept through the watching crowd. The jotnar of Nordland despised those who dwelt in the gentle southern lands. Their jotunn blood would bring them no better treatment from a Nordland raider than an imp could expect, or a faun, or anybody. The bloodlust might even burn hotter against them, fanned by contempt.
Ogi started praying—for a squadron of the Imperial navy, or a couple of cohorts from the XXIIIrd Legion.
“You have seen. Now go in peace.” Gathmor’s voice held none of the bottled anger that Ogi had heard many times in the past, just before some errant sailor was beaten bloody. Something was keeping it in check. Gathmor had a wife and children, also.
“But I came for that faun. And I will also enlist a pilot who knows the Nogids, as my course lies westward.”
Again the watchers seemed to breathe in unison, and this time the sound was certainly a sigh. The thane was offering terms. “He won’t dare sail tonight, “ whispered a voice near to Ogi’s shoulder. He glanced around and recognized one of Petrel’s crew.
“Why not?” asked another whisper.
“There’s a mother-and-father of a blow brewing out there, or I’m no sailor.”
Ogi wiped his ribs where the sweat ran; now he recognized the urgent, muggy feel in the air. He should have noticed sooner. But if Kalkor dared not leave, then equally he could linger without worry that there might be Imperial ships out hunting for any reported orca.
Brual reached out a hand to stay his son, and Gathmor struck it away.
“I know the Nogids as well as any man.”
A very long silence this time—Kalkor certainly had a sense of drama. Then he gestured toward his ship.
Gathmor rammed his sword into the ground and released it. He said something to the faun beside him and the two of them began to walk. Brual and Rathkrun stood where they were.
A strange whimper rose from the watchers, a most unjotunnish sound. They were ashamed. Their leaders had given up without a fight. And they were afraid! Hundreds of jotnar, every one of them a terror, men who would kill in a blind mad rage, or hurl themselves at fighters twice their size, men who would brave the worst the sea could throw at them without hesitation—they were all chilled to stony terror by that arrogant young thane. In the face of certain death they were no better than imps, Ogi thought bitterly. But they knew what raiders did to men, to children, to women, and they had no weapons. Kalkor did.
Gathmor and Rap reached the waiting raiders, and the line opened to let them through. They waded out into the water, heading for Blood Wave. Kalkor said nothing, and did not move. Nor did anyone. The whole island might have been frozen, except for the two men wading out into the warm waters of the bay. Then they reached the ship, caught handholds, and simultaneously swung themselves up and over the side.
Faintly over the water came the sound of two hard blows, and a grunt.
Kalkor bowed ironically and turned. He and his two companions began to walk seaward.