Harry Sidebottom - The Amber Road

In front of the new trophy, much more war gear from the victory of Norvasund was heaped up down by the waterline. Isangrim picked up a rock the size of his fist from those laid out ready. The cyning himself cast the first stone. It bounced off a shield. Oslac and the others made their throw. The hail of stones rattling and pinging off the weaponry disturbed a raven perched on a nearby trophy. The large black bird took to the air and flapped out across the lake away from Gudme.

The ritual stoning complete, the cyning and his court watched as warriors went down to the lakeside to break up the offerings. Shields with fine metal fittings were hacked apart with axes. Yew longbows were snapped in half, arrows of ash and pine broken. Chapes and mouths of ivory and gold were wrenched from scabbards. Long days of skilled craftsmanship were negated as pattern-welded blades were snapped on an anvil.

Oslac watched Kadlin out of the corner of his eye. Had she looked over at Dernhelm? He had caught her gazing at him at Heoroweard’s funeral. Oslac felt the familiar lurch of his jealousy as he remembered finding them together in the darkness outside the feast before Dernhelm left for Norvasund. She had given him no reason for doubt since then. As far as he knew, she had not been alone with his half-brother. Indeed, over the last days she had been particularly affectionate, and in their marital bed she had been unusually demonstrative. Was it just designed to reassure him, or was it all to allay his justified suspicions?

Dernhelm was not looking at her. He seemed distracted. As Oslac watched, he twice glanced back down the road they had taken from Gudme. Since his return from Abalos, apart from this morning, Dernhelm had only come to their father’s hall the once to announce the death of Unferth. The rest of the time he had remained with the closest of his hearth-troop, almost all of them foreigners, in the household of eorl Eadwine at Gudmestrand.

The weaponry ruined beyond repair, the warriors began to toss the remains out into the lake. The whole was a strange ceremony. The procession and the trophy might well have been borrowed from a Roman triumph, but the rest — the stoning, breaking and deposit in the lake — had their roots deep in the north. Perhaps that was how it went, Oslac thought. The imperium could not be ignored. Peoples took things from the great power in the south, but adapted them to their own usages.

As the last broken weapons splashed into the water, there was an awkwardness. Everyone knew it was time for the sacrifices, when warriors from the defeated would be hung in the oak trees like the Allfather was hung from Yggdrasill. Unlike the Lord of the Gallows, the warriors would not survive. Given the circumstances, that could not happen. Hygelac of the Geats, Yrmenlaf of the Wylfings, Eudosius of the Dauciones, and Brecca, newly appointed ruler of the Brondings and brother of the king murdered by Unferth, had all returned to their allegiance and stood with the Himlings.

The bloodied silver mask of Unferth and his great battle-standard, Fenris in silver on black, were hauled high into the branches. Those assembled, the sometime rebels as much as any, hoomed their approval. Oslac searched his memory of the Aeneid for suitable sentiments on reconciliation. None came to mind.

No man expressed his pleasure more evidently than Morcar. Oslac regarded his brother with mistrust. Morcar had spoken many smooth words to those who had served Unferth. Their actions were enforced, and thus there should be no recriminations or reprisals. All was forgiven and forgotten. Oslac doubted the sincerity of those statements. The former rebels would be wise to do the same. Morcar had always been vengeful, ever since they were children; vengeful and cruel. His cruelty had been apparent yet again when insisting on the drowning of those Angles deemed cowards. The suspicion remained that Morcar had delayed the intervention of the fleet at Norvasund to ensure his own greater glory, so that like a deity he had turned imminent disaster into victory. Certainly, try though he had, Morcar had been unable to hide his fury when Dernhelm had returned with the evidence of the killing of Unferth.

There were more personal reasons for Oslac’s misgivings. In Himling’s tomb, Morcar had quoted the curse of the wicce . Somehow, Morcar had spied on his own brother, spied on the one member of the family who had always supported him, always defended him from the contempt of Froda, from the laughter of Eadwulf and Dernhelm, had always spoken out in the hall when men accused him of being overbearing. And there was the feast. It was Morcar who had told Oslac that Kadlin was outside with Dernhelm. In the face of his bitter accusations, Kadlin had said it was Glaum, son of Wulfmaer, who had suggested she leave the hall to see why the serving women had been slow bringing things from the kitchen. Glaum was ever by Morcar’s side.

Tables had been spread further along the shore of the lake. Isangrim led the way. Oslac was seated between Kadlin and Yrmenlaf of the Wylfings of Hindafell, and opposite young Mord. Oslac and the Wylfing toasted each other, the beer drunk from Roman vessels designed for wine. The food was brought round, great platters of roast meat.

A sudden silence spread along the boards. Dernhelm was standing. He pointed to a group approaching on foot down the road. Eorl Eadwine and his son Eadric flanked a tall, hooded and bound man. Four of Dernhelm’s men followed after: the daemon -haunted little Roman, the Hibernian with the end of his nose missing, the ill-favoured Vandal and the warrior from the distant Caucasus — a villainous crew.

‘Take off the hood,’ Dernhelm said.

The prisoner swayed as it was done. His face was swollen and mottled from old beatings, his long hair matted with dried blood. A murmur of recognition ran along the benches: Swerting Snake-Tongue.

‘What is the meaning of this?’ Morcar was on his feet, pale with anger.

‘Retribution,’ Dernhelm said. ‘Snake-Tongue, tell the cyning .’

‘No,’ Swerting said.

Eorl Eadwine walked to face Isangrim, but raised his voice so all could hear. ‘Snake-Tongue has spoken before witnesses, myself and my son among them.’

‘I warn you to stop this. If you value your life, Eadwine, you will stop,’ Morcar said.

‘No, let Eadwine continue,’ Isangrim said. The old man’s face was set.

Glaum, son of Wulfmaer, went to stand behind Morcar. And, although he looked bewildered, so did Mord.

‘Snake-Tongue has confessed to arranging the betrayal of the atheling Arkil and the Angles with him in Gaul. He acted on the orders of Morcar.’

‘That is a lie!’ Morcar said. ‘A lie.’

‘There is worse,’ Eadwine continued. ‘Snake-Tongue perjured himself when he gave evidence against Eadwulf. It was not the exile who murdered Froda. It was Morcar.’

‘Lies!’ Morcar shouted. ‘Evil-Child killed Froda, no one else. Swerting has been tortured. A man will say anything under torture.’ Morcar turned to his father, tried to rein in his fury. ‘You cannot believe this.’

Everyone looked at Isangrim. The old cyning sat motionless.

Morcar spun around. ‘You, Eadwine, how did Swerting come into your hands?’

The eorl gave back stare for stare. ‘Dernhelm put him in my custody. Eadwulf captured Snake-Tongue off the Frisian coast. Snake-Tongue was on his way back to Gaul.’

Morcar swung back to his father. ‘Dernhelm, Evil-Child: both exiles, worthless; both hate me. I am not the traitor. Dernhelm is the traitor. The little Greek Zeno told me Dernhelm carries secret instructions from Gallienus — there on his belt — instructions to overthrow the cyning , kill his father, take his place on the throne.’