The King went on quickly. He went down to the King's Landing-Stage, where Storräde's ship was lying. At the harbour the Queen's servants met the King. Their clothes were braided with gold, and they wore silver helmets on their heads.
Storräde stood on her ship looking towards Kungahälla, rejoicing in its power and wealth. She looked at the city as if she already regarded herself as its Queen. But when the King saw Storräde, he thought at once of the gentle woman who, poor and sorrowful, had been turned out of the church.
'What is this?' he thought. 'It seems to me as if she were fairer than Storräde.'
When Storräde greeted him with smiles, he thought of the tears that sparkled in the eyes of the other woman. The face of the strange woman was so clear to King Olaf that he could not help comparing it, feature for feature, with Storräde's. And when he did that all Storräde's beauty vanished. He saw that Storräde's eyes were cruel and her mouth sensual. In each of her features he saw a sin. He could still see she was beautiful, but he no longer took pleasure in her countenance. He began to loathe her as if she were a beautiful poisonous snake.
When the Queen saw the King come a victorious smile passed over her lips.
'I did not expect thee so early, King Olaf,' she said. 'I thought thou wast at Mass.'
The King felt an irresistible inclination to contradict Storräde, and do everything she did not want.
'Mass has not yet begun,' he said. 'I have come to ask thee to go with me to the house of my God.'
When the King said this he saw an angry look in Storräde's eyes, but she continued to smile.
'Rather come to me on my ship,' she said, 'and I will show thee the presents I have brought for thee.'