“You have given me more than I dared hope,” she said, “even the brave hearts and hands that have hailed us here. I can ask no more. Only promise to give me one boon when I need it, and I am happy.”
Then they said, “What you will, and when you will, Goldberga, the queen. There is naught that you will ask amiss.”
Now they showed Havelok to the warriors as crowned king, and I need not tell how he was greeted. And after that we all went back into the hall to speak of the way in which we were to meet Hodulf.
Havelok would have a message sent to him, bidding him give up the land in peace.
“It may be that thus we shall save the sadness of fighting our own people, though, indeed, they love the playground of Hodulf. He is an outlander, and perhaps he may think well to make terms with us.”
Some said that it was of no use, but then Havelok answered that even so it was good to send a challenge to him.
“For the sake of peace we will do this, though I would rather meet him in open fight, for I have my father to avenge.”
Now I rose up and said, “Let me go and speak with him, taking Withelm as my counsellor. For I know all the story, and that will make him sure that he has the right man to fight against. I will speak with him in open hall, and more than he shall learn how he thought to slay Havelok.”
All thought that this was good, and I was to go at once. It was but a few hours’ ride, as has been said, to his town, and the matter was as well done with.
So they gave me a guard of twenty of the jarl’s courtmen, and in half an hour I was riding northward on my errand. And to say the truth I did not know if it was certain that I should come back, for Hodulf was hardly to be trusted.