“Dost thou not remember what the seid woman said?” asked Egwina in awe-struck tones:
“‘’Ware, ’ware of the forest, Jarl Hakon,
The dragon steals forth from his lair;
He tears thee and thy people asunder,
And leaves ye as food for the bear.’
“Dost thou suppose, Ethelred, that the vala doth really see what the future holds?”
“I wot not. There are many things that I understand not, but this do I know, that ’tis a heathenish practice, and little use have the good priests for it,” and he crossed himself piously.
“True; but oft have I wondered whence came the power that seemed to belong to them.”
“Think not of it,” answered the youth, hastily. “Whatever of power they may have, ’tis of evil. Concern not thyself with such pagan doings, for unseemly doth it become a Christian. Come, let us to the castle. Bode must be sent to the king to tell him of this victory. Then thou, and I, and others will wend us to the depths of Somerset, where the king’s family abide, and then back to Athelney.”
And Egwina accompanied him to the castle.
[CHAPTER XIV—A PLEASANT SURPRISE]
Somersetshire was the only county that had remained true to Alfred. Throughout all Devonshire the news of the victory of the Saxons at the castle of Kynwith brought great rejoicing. While everywhere the Saxons were open in their manifestations of delight, it was not deemed wise to precipitate matters by letting them know that the king was preparing to issue forth from his hiding place. Somerset alone was considered worthy to be trusted, and here the secret was told, and many left their homes to go to Athelney.
In the heart of Somerset, at the abode of the thegn, Oswald, a trusted and tried retainer of the king, the family of Alfred was hidden. With light heart did Egwina now go on the journey, for it was shared by Saxons true to the king, and hope had made glad their hearts.