Poul Anderson - The Broken Sword

She cocked her head, listening. “I hear hoofbeats,” she said low. “I hear hoofs galloping out on the edge of the world. It is Time riding forth, and snow falls from his horse’s mane and lightning crashes from its hoofs, and when Time has ridden by like a wind in the night there are only withered leaves left, blowing in the gale of his passage. He rides nearer, I hear worlds sunder before him-Give me back my death!” she shrieked. “Let me crawl back into my grave and hide from Time!”

She huddled sobbing on the floor. Illrede signed to his guards. “Take her out and kill her,” he ordered. Turning to Grum: “Hang Imric by the thumbs over hot coals until we have conquered Alfheim and can give some thought to his reward.” Rising, he shouted: “Ho, trollsmen, make ready to fare! We sail at once!”

Though the host had awaited a feast in Elfheugh, none who saw the king’s face dared protest, and erelong most of the black ships were sweeping southward out of sight.

“So much the more for us,” laughed Grum. He regarded how pale Valgard was and added: “Methinks you would do well to drink deep tonight.”

“So I will,” answered the berserker, “and ride to battle as soon as I can ready a host.”

Now the troll chiefs gathered the women of the castle and took whom they wanted before turning the rest over to the men. Grum laid his remaining hand on Leea’s waist. “You were wise to submit,” he grinned; “therefore I cannot well let you fall in rank. Earl’s lady shall you still be.”

She followed him meekly, but as she went by Valgard she smiled sidelong at the changeling. The berserker’s gaze could not but follow her. Never had he seen a woman like this; aye, with her he might forget the dark-haired witch who haunted his dreams.

The trolls gorged and guzzled for some days, then Valgard led men against another castle which held out yet, for a number of elves had managed to reach it. Though its size was not great, the walls were high and massive, and the defenders’ arrows kept the trolls a good ways off.

Valgard waited through daylight. Near sunset he sneaked under cover of brush and rocky outcrop until he was almost under the walls without the drowsy light-bedazzled elves seeing him. At dusk the horns blew to battle and the trolls rushed forth. Valgard rose and with a mighty cast sent a grappling hook over a merlon. Up the rope tied to it he swarmed, to the very top, and winded his horn.

The elf sentries charged at him. Despite the iron he wore he had a desperate fight. But the trolls quickly found the rope and followed him. When they had cleared a space, others beneath could set up ladders. Soon the force was large enough to hew its way to the gates and open them for the rest.

There followed a wholesale slaughter of elves. More were taken captive and led in chains back to Elfheugh. Valgard plundered and burned through the countryside around, and returned with a huge booty.

Grum gave him sullen greeting, for he thought Valgard was getting too good a name among the trolls. “You could have stayed with the garrison you left,” he said. “This place has scant room for both of us.”

“Indeed,” murmured Valgard, measuring the earl with his chill pale eyes.

However, Grum could do no less than hold feast for him and place him at the right of the high seat. The elf women served the trolls, and Leea came to Valgard with horn after horn of strong wine.

“To our hero, chief among warriors in lands of men or Faerie,” she drank. The silver light gleamed through her thin silks to her skin, and Valgard’s head spun with more than the drink.

“You can give me better thanks than that,” he cried, and pulled her on to his lap. Fiercely he kissed her, and she responded with the same eagerness.

Grum, who had slumped in his seat and drained his horns without a word, stirred in anger. “Back to your work, faithless bitch!” he snarled, and to Valgard: “Leave my woman be. You have your own.”

“But I like this one better,” said Valgard. “I will give you three others for her.”

“Ha, I can take your three if I like-I, your earl. What I choose is mine. Leave her be.”

“The loot should go to him who can best use it,” taunted Leea, not moving from Valgard’s lap. “And you have only one hand.”

The troll sprang from his seat, blind with rage and clawing after his sword; for trolls ate with weapons on. “Help me!” cried Leea.

Valgard’s axe seemed to leap of itself into his grasp. Ere Grum, awkward with his left hand, could draw blade, the changeling’s weapon sank into his neck. He fell at Valgard’s feet with blood spurting and looked up into the twisted white face. “You are an evil man,” said Grum, “but she is worse.” And he died.

Uproar arose in the hall, metal flashed forth and the trolls surged against the high seat. Some cried for Valgard’s death, others swore they would defend him. For a moment it was about to become a battle.

Then Valgard snatched the blood-smeared coronet, which had been Imric’s, from Grum’s head and set it on his own. He sprang on to the high seat and overrode the din with his shout for silence.

Slowly that stillness came, until naught but heavy breathing was heard. The bared weapons gleamed, the smell of fear was rank, and every eye rested on Valgard where he stood haughty in his strength.

He spoke, with iron in his tones: “This came somewhat sooner than I looked for, but it was bound to come. For what use to Trollheim was a cripple like Grum, unfit for battle, for anything save gobbling and bousing and sleeping with women that might have gone to better men? I, who come of blood as good as any in Trollheim, and who have shown I can win victory, am more fit to be your earl. Furthermore, I am now earl, by the will of my father King Illrede. Good will this be for all trolls, foremost those of England. I promise you victory, riches, high living and glory, if you hail me your earl.”

He pulled the axe out of Grum and lifted it. “Whoever gainsays my right must do it on my body-now,” he told them. “Whoever stands true will be repaid a thousandfold.”

At this, the men who had followed him to the siege let forth a cheer. Others, who wished not to fight, joined them one by one, so it ended with Valgard’s taking the high seat and the feast going on. Grum had not been very well liked, and what few kinfolk he had there were not close and were willing to take weregild.

Later, alone in his bedchamber with Leea, the changeling sat staring darkly at her. “This is the second time a woman has driven me to murder,” he said. “Were I wise, I would chop your body in three.”

“I cannot stop you, lord,” she purred, and laid her white arms about his neck.

“You know I cannot do it,” he said hoarsely. “Tis idle talk. My life is black enough without such peace as I can find in you.”

Still later he asked her: “Were you thus with the elves-with Skafloc?” She lifted her head over his so that the sweet-scented net of her hair covered both. “Let it suffice that I am thus with you, lord,” she whispered, and kissed him.

Now Valgard ruled Elfheugh for some time. Through the early winter he was often afield, breaking down elf strongholds and hunting the fugitives with hounds and men. Few garths remained unburnt, and when elves sought to make a stand he led his troops roaring over them. Some of those men whom he took alive he threw into dungeons or put to slave work, but most he killed, and he divided their women among his trolls. He himself took none, having lust for none but Leea.

Word came from the south that Illrede’s armies were driving the elves there before them. All Faerie parts of Valland and Flanders were held by the trolls. In the north, only the elves of Scania still were free; and they were hemmed in, and were being pawed away as fast as their deep woodlands allowed. Erelong the trolls would be entering the middle lands where the Elfking lay.