from this land we shall leave for we have slaves to sell. Priests fetch a high price.
When that was translated I saw that it had struck a nerve. He spoke again and the slave said, "My master says he must speak apart."
"Tell him he has until the sun is at its height and then we let our blades do the talking."
After the words had been spoken I received a black look for my pains. Haaken asked, "What goes on here?"
"I suspect we have a high ranking priest amongst our captives. We may become rich men here without fighting."
"That does not make for a good saga, Jarl."
"No but it makes for rich men and allows to us to raid again this year."
They were away for some time and the discussion was heated. Eventually they returned and it was a red faced and angry Grimoald who spat out his words. The slave was smiling when he spoke them. "The Mayor wishes you gone and his people returned. What will it cost for you to leave and for the captives, all of them, to be returned?"
I tried to work out what we could sell the captives for. He had not mentioned the Holy Books and we would slaughter the animals before we left. "Five thousand Imperial gold coins."
It was an outrageous amount. I expected them to say no but when the offer was made the younger noble next to Grimoald nodded and spoke to the Mayor. He appeared to have more power than the older man. The slave turned with the message. "They agree."
"And we want you as well."
His face showed that he had hoped for that. "But they may say no."
"Then we will fight. You are Norse and we will not leave you here with these Franks."
He nodded and translated. Again there was a discussion and then the younger man took out his sword and slashed the slave down his cheek, taking out his eye in the process. Haaken's hand went to his sword and I said, "Bide your time, Haaken."
The slave put his hand to his face to stop the bleeding. He glared hatred from his one eye at the noble and said, "He agrees but he has marked me so that all the world will know that I was the slave of a Frank."
"Tell him to have the gold here by noon the morrow. If not I will hang his monks one by one." I stared at the younger noble as I did so.
In answer they nodded and rode away. I took out a cloth and held it to the slave's face. "Come we will get you healed. What is your name?"
"Hermund the Unlucky."
"How long have you lived with them?"
"Ten summers."
"Now you are free. We will take you back with us." I turned to Haaken, "Have the men begin to load the Frankish ships with the Holy Books, the wine and the other treasures. They shall have their captives and nothing else."
"Aye Jarl."
I led Hermund to the pen where the priests waited. I noticed that the eldest of them, a priest with a white beard was seated on a log. The rest squatted on the floor. He was the important one. I said to Hermund, "Tell them that I command that they heal you and then tell them what I told the Mayor."
He did so and my suspicions were confirmed when the white bearded priest gave orders. I now knew who the important priest was. I made sure they did a good job on Hermund's eye. I knew how they should heal for Aiden was a great healer. They did a good job. He stood. "What is his name?" I pointed at the bearded priest.
"He is Bishop Thuderic of Julpille."
I nodded. "Come let us get you some better clothes and food." I saw Rollo Thin Skin and Hrolf as I entered our camp. "Hrolf. Here is another countryman. Get him food and clothes. He is one of us now. He is Hermund One Eye."
He looked at me, "One Eye?"
"Well you are no longer unlucky for you are a rich man. You are one of my men and that means you share in my bounty."
The afternoon was filled with the sound of animals being prepared for the voyage; some would be eaten and the smaller ones taken with us. Some carcasses were salted but we soon ran out of salt. We would eat well on the voyage home. The next day the captives were closely
When that was translated I saw that it had struck a nerve. He spoke again and the slave said, "My master says he must speak apart."
"Tell him he has until the sun is at its height and then we let our blades do the talking."
After the words had been spoken I received a black look for my pains. Haaken asked, "What goes on here?"
"I suspect we have a high ranking priest amongst our captives. We may become rich men here without fighting."
"That does not make for a good saga, Jarl."
"No but it makes for rich men and allows to us to raid again this year."
They were away for some time and the discussion was heated. Eventually they returned and it was a red faced and angry Grimoald who spat out his words. The slave was smiling when he spoke them. "The Mayor wishes you gone and his people returned. What will it cost for you to leave and for the captives, all of them, to be returned?"
I tried to work out what we could sell the captives for. He had not mentioned the Holy Books and we would slaughter the animals before we left. "Five thousand Imperial gold coins."
It was an outrageous amount. I expected them to say no but when the offer was made the younger noble next to Grimoald nodded and spoke to the Mayor. He appeared to have more power than the older man. The slave turned with the message. "They agree."
"And we want you as well."
His face showed that he had hoped for that. "But they may say no."
"Then we will fight. You are Norse and we will not leave you here with these Franks."
He nodded and translated. Again there was a discussion and then the younger man took out his sword and slashed the slave down his cheek, taking out his eye in the process. Haaken's hand went to his sword and I said, "Bide your time, Haaken."
The slave put his hand to his face to stop the bleeding. He glared hatred from his one eye at the noble and said, "He agrees but he has marked me so that all the world will know that I was the slave of a Frank."
"Tell him to have the gold here by noon the morrow. If not I will hang his monks one by one." I stared at the younger noble as I did so.
In answer they nodded and rode away. I took out a cloth and held it to the slave's face. "Come we will get you healed. What is your name?"
"Hermund the Unlucky."
"How long have you lived with them?"
"Ten summers."
"Now you are free. We will take you back with us." I turned to Haaken, "Have the men begin to load the Frankish ships with the Holy Books, the wine and the other treasures. They shall have their captives and nothing else."
"Aye Jarl."
I led Hermund to the pen where the priests waited. I noticed that the eldest of them, a priest with a white beard was seated on a log. The rest squatted on the floor. He was the important one. I said to Hermund, "Tell them that I command that they heal you and then tell them what I told the Mayor."
He did so and my suspicions were confirmed when the white bearded priest gave orders. I now knew who the important priest was. I made sure they did a good job on Hermund's eye. I knew how they should heal for Aiden was a great healer. They did a good job. He stood. "What is his name?" I pointed at the bearded priest.
"He is Bishop Thuderic of Julpille."
I nodded. "Come let us get you some better clothes and food." I saw Rollo Thin Skin and Hrolf as I entered our camp. "Hrolf. Here is another countryman. Get him food and clothes. He is one of us now. He is Hermund One Eye."
He looked at me, "One Eye?"
"Well you are no longer unlucky for you are a rich man. You are one of my men and that means you share in my bounty."
The afternoon was filled with the sound of animals being prepared for the voyage; some would be eaten and the smaller ones taken with us. Some carcasses were salted but we soon ran out of salt. We would eat well on the voyage home. The next day the captives were closely
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