Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.02.1995, Blaðsíða 5

By Ragnhildur Guttormsson
Edited by Kirsten Wolf
Indriðastaðr was situated in a valley
called Skorradalr; a low range of
mountains was between it and
Whalefirth on the south. Ever since
Indriði brought her there as a bride thir-
teen years before, Þorbjörg had loved it.
The manor stood at the southem end of a
long lake in the bottom of the valley.
Þorbjörg never tired of looking at the
gracefully sloping hillsides, which swept
down from the shoulders of the moun-
tains like the folds of an enormous green
robe of which the lalce formed the silver
edging.
It was an evening in early June. Soft
rose and golden clouds in the west made
a striking background for the rugged
range of mountains which shut off the
sunlight from the westem half of the val-
ley, while the eastem was still bathed in
the golden rays of the sunset.
By the brook, which idled past the
south side of the house, was the bleach-
ing green. Þorbjörg was there with her
maids, sprinkling and tuming the linen
webs on the green. Nearby played the
children, the oldest being Grímkell, now
twelve years old.
Þorbjörg’s eyes were ever straying to
the bridle path from the west for Indriði
was expected home tonight. He had rid-
den two days ago to see Illugi the Red, to
whom he had promised support in a law-
suit he had coming up at Keelness Þing.
He was also to invite Illugi and Þuríðr to
Indriðastaðr to meet Hörðr and Helga
later in the summer. It was now two years
since she and Indriði had been at Broad
Acres. Helga and Hörðr had to postpone
their visit for a year because of the birth of
their second son, Bjöm, in the early sum-
mer.
But they were coming this summer,
and her preparations for the visit were
almost complete. Her home was not as
lavish as Helga’s, and she had no silver
treasures to give away. Her wall hangings
were homespun, but her homemade
linens were bleached pure white. Her
mead was as good as anybody’s, and her
hams and smoked mutton inferior to
none. Besides, she knew that her brother
and his wife did not set great store by
such things.
Yet, she had a treasure she had been
keeping for this meeting to give to her sis-
ter-in-law; a swift, milk-white colt, now
two years old, another Skinfaxi from the
breed of her father’s good horse. She was
fond of her dark-haired sister-in-law witli
the gentle. voice. It had been easy to see
while she was there how she curbed
Hörðr’s often rash impetuosity with her
very gentleness. And Indriði had gleefully
shown Þorbjörg a game of chess made
from the tooth of a walrus and inlaid with
gold, which he intended giving to Hörðr.
“It wiil not look out of place,” he com-
mented.
Þorbjörg often thought she could
detect a slight tinge of envy in Indriði’s
voice when he spoke of Hörðr, and it
both hurt and annoyed her.
Grímkell, her son, came running,
“Mother!” he shouted, “I see three horse-
men coming from the east, and they ride
fast.”
“Be careful where you step, son,” she
admonished.
The linen webs had all been duly
sprinkled and turned. Tomorrow some
would be ready for use; she still had to
The eighteenth installment ofan unpublished novel
by Ragnhildur Guttormsson, discovered and
edited byKirsten Wolf, Chair, Dept. of Icelandic, University of Manitoba.
The story so far:
A hríef interlude ofpeace and happiness
comes to an end for GrímkelTs children,
as their past returns to haunt them.
(CiHAiPiím ipjfp a
TPLh®
make some table covers before Helga
came.
“Call the men, Grímkell, and let’s
show those men who ride so fast that
we’re ready for visitors.”
“There’s Indriði and his men. He’ll get
here first,” Þorbjöig said to her maids.
It was always his custom when he
reached the bend in the road to set spurs
to his horse and ride at top speed till he
reached home. Indriði rode into the court-
yard just before the strange riders while
his men came straggling behind. Þorbjörg
and Indriði stood side by side as the
strangers rode up. It was Helgi, the son of
Sigmundr, and two of Hörðr’s men. Their
horses showed signs of hard riding.
“Hörðr sent his greetings,” sáid Helgi,
as Indriði led him and his followers into
the manor.
Tables were set forth at once for the
hungry travellers. Þorbjörg looked after
the serving of the food, and not much was
said for a while.
After the meal Þorbjörg came and sat
beside Indriði, saying, “Now, tell us your
news, Helgi, for news there must be, since
you have riddén so hard.”
“Helgi has told me the news,” said
Indriði darkly. “Trouble has broken out
between Hörðr and Torfi.”
“I guess I’ve been expecting that all
along. Tliings have been too good to last.”
“It’s all because of Auðunn. He’s been
insolent and quarrelsome ever since
Hörðr came there. Hörðr has been so veiy
anxious to keep the peace and has taken
more abuse from him than he’s ever taken
from anybody.” Helgi spoke fast, stum-
bling over the words.
“Tell us all, Helgi,” Þorbjörg said quiet-
iy-
“Auðunn’s mares would always follow
Hörðr’s White Falcon and the stud. No
matter where we took them for grazing,
these mares followed. Two days ago
Sigurðr, Auðunn’s son, came to get his
horses. He was having trouble, so Hörðr
told me to go and help him separate the
horses. I was tired and didn’t want to go,
but Hörðr would listen to no excuses.
When I reached the stud, Hörðr’s White
Falcon came hobbling to meet me, blood
gushing Irom a gaping wound in his front
leg. Beautiful Falcon, who seemed to have
eight legs when running instead of four,
was now limping on three ...” Helgi’s
voice trailed off.
“Dastardly act, indeed,” commcnted
Þorbjörg.
“What then?” prompted Indriði.
“I asked Sigurðr if he had wounded
vVnite Falcon. He said he had, and wouid
do more than that the next time. Then I
lost my temper, and my axe came too
close to his skull.”
“Well?”
“He’ll never maim Hörðr’s horses
again.”
“You ldlled him?”
“Yes. I’d say it was his due.”
“What did Hörðr do?” asked Þorbjöig
sadly.
“I brought White Falcon home and
told Hörðr all that had happened. He
was veiy angiy and really hauled me over
the coals. Then before sundown we went
to Auðunn’s, and Hörðr told him to
name his own terms and he would pay
him the wergild in silver at once.”
“That was manfully and generously
done, and like Hörðr,” said Indriði.
“Surely Auðunn realized it was an honor
to be offered such terms by a man like
Hörðr.”
“Not Auðunn. He had bigger fish to
fry. He had already been to Torfi, and
with witnesses he had given him the right
to take up the suit at the Alþingi this
summer.”
“You’d almost think he had been
waiting for this chance to stir up trouble
between Hörðr and Torfi.”
“I charged him with that and he
owned up to it; said Torfi had long since
promised him a generous purse of silver
to pick a quarrel with Hörðr. ‘Is this true,
Auðunn?’ Hörðr asked. I could see his
anger rising. Auðunn didn’t speak at first,
but held up a heavy purse of silver, jin-
gling it almost in Hörðr’s face. Then he
hissed like a snake, “Yea, there’s more
than one way to skin a rat. Maybe you
and your Earl-wife won’t hold your
heads quite so high when Torfi is
through with you. I’d like to see the day.’
‘But you’ll never see it,’ said Hörðr. He
was as angry now as I’ve ever seen him.”
“What happened, Helgi?” Þorbjörg
asked firmly.
“Hörðr killed Auðunn with one
stroke. He then set fire to the house. ‘I’ll
clear out Torfi’s nest of spies,’ he said.
Two old women were bumed in it. They
refused to come out with the rest. They
had plenty of chances. They just
wouldn’t come out.”
Þorbjörg covered her face with her
hands.
“Viking methods,” commented
Indriði coldly.
“But he was sorely tried,” said Þorb-
jörg. “Ypu’ll stand by him, Indriði.”
“Yes, if he'll do things my way. You
give Hörðr this message and get it
straight; tell him to come at once to
Indriðastaðr with his wife and children.
Tlien we’ll decide together what’s best to
do.”
“But I’ve not yet given you Hörðr’s
message,” Helgi broke in. His voice was
offensively arrogant. “Torfi sneaked up to
Breiðabólstaðr, when he knew Hörðr
was absent, and served summons on
Hörðr and myself to meet at the Alþingi
this summer to answer charges. Now,
Hörðr asks you to go to the Alþingi in
his stead to offer and pay damages such
as will be agreed upon by the Court of
Laws. He will, of course, repay you. But
he vows he’ll have no dealings with
Torfi.”
“Viking pride!” taunted Indriði. “But
I’ve promised Illugi the Red my support
in a lawsuit which comes up at Keelness
Thing just before the Alþingi.”
“Seems to me Hörðr’s case is more
important, you white-livered craven!”
Helgi’s face was contorted with anger.
Indriði’s hand went to his sword, as
he answered angrily, “You’re Hörðr’s
messenger apd my guest or you’d not
live after those words. Now I’m certain
I’ll not ride to the Alþingi, but my home
is open to Hörðr, his wife, and children.”
Helgi sprang up, his face flushed with
anger. “Come men! We waste our time
here.” He walked from the hall. Þorbjörg
stood up and followed him. She spoke
to Helgi in a disdainful tone. “Little rea-
son do you have to bluster, being the
sole cause of this disaster. But don’t for-
get to give Hörðr Indriði’s message, just
as he gave it to you.” She sighed deeply,
as she added, “Everything seems to work
against my brother; his choice of a go-
between was rather unhappy.”
“Hörðr always counts first with me,”
boasted Helgi.
“And I fear you’ll be his burden till
the end, as you’ve been through the
years,” was Þorbjörg’s haughty answer.
She ordered the house-carls to bring
fresh horses for Helgi and his men and
wept as she sent greetings to Hörðr and
Helga. Indriði was still sitting in the high
seat when Þorbjörg entered the hall. She
did not go near him but busied herself
with helping the maids straightening out
the hall áfter the meal. After a while
Indriði spoke, “Don’t you have enough
maids that you have to do their work?”
“Yes, Indriði. But now I’d rather
work than think.” Still she came and sat
down beside him.
“I suppose you feel I should go to the
Alþingi and defend a miserable knave
that calls me a white-livered craven?”
“I’m only thinking of Hörðr.”
“The two lawsuits are linked. I’d have
to intercede also for the beggar’s son
who insults me. Have you ever come up
against such putrid filth, that you hated
to touch it, lest the odor cling to you for-
ever?”
“I have and cleaned it too.”
“And now you think I should clean
up Hörðr’s mess, since he is too proud
to touch it himself.”
“I only know that Hörðr has never
been more in need of a friend than he’s
now.”
“He’s welcome here. I’ve offered him
the protection of my home.”
“That means abandoning his own to
Torfi and becoming an dependent
again.”
“He’ll never last at Broad Acres now
that Torfi has got his talons into him,
thanks to Helgi.”
“Seems that has ever been Hörðr’s
lot, hate and indifference of his kin,”
said Þorbjörg sadly.
“Don’t forget, you are also Grímkell’s
ldn, and we have a son, whom I don’t wish
to sacrifice on Torfi’s altar of hate. Illugi and
I have always steered dear of him”
“Then maybe Helgi was righL” Þorbjörg
stood up and walked quicldy awaý. Indriði
watched her go vath a íace red with anger.
(Continued next week)