The Adventures of Helgi the Viking

Helgi and Embla were to set out with Grimnir on their journey north the same day. When they had waved the ship off, they said their farewells to Arnor and returned to the Forge with Grimnir, Malachi, and Gerda to collect their horses. Grimnir had a black horse of his own. Arnor had lent them two of his labourers for the journey: Hauk, a big, strong, rough-looking man with a heavy beard, and Ospak, stocky and bull-necked, with blond, close-cropped hair. They both looked at Helgi with dislike, giving him the impression that they resented having to accompany him on the journey. Helgi did not care much for them either, but he was glad they were there. They looked like the sort of men who could hold their own in a fight.

Helgi had taken Hedin’s warning seriously and packed a number of weapons. Following their encounter with Thorgrim, he had resolved never to use Skeggi’s sword in battle again, so in addition to the weapons he always carried, he placed in Kol’s saddlebag a small axe which he’d taken from the workshop. Grimnir had no weapons at all as far as he could see, but when Helgi offered to lend him a spear, Grimnir said that would not be necessary.

Gerda fussed over Helgi and tried to press an extra bag of food into his hand, but Helgi said they already had more than enough food to carry, as well as cooking gear and warm clothes, and even an oilskin tent cover, though they planned to lodge at farmsteads along the way rather than camp in the open.

Gerda, who could not hold back her tears any longer, embraced Helgi as if she was losing him forever, and sobbed, ‘Off to war, so young! Your father needs you, I know, but I wish you could stay here with me.’ Helgi hugged her tight and, smiling through his own tears, tried to comfort her. ‘We’ll come back for you, Gerda,’ he promised, ‘As soon as we’ve got our home back, we’ll come and get you and Malachi. It’ll come out all right, you’ll see.’ Gerda nodded and pulled herself together. She wiped her eyes and they both laughed. Helgi did his best to be cheerful so as not to distress her any further, but as he turned to leave, he wondered whether he would ever see her dear face again.

Embla climbed into the saddle and hitched up her skirts to get comfortable. She was riding Sokkadis, her silver-dapple mare. ‘Sokkadis can go for miles without getting tired,’ she boasted. ‘She’ll easily keep up with Kol, and she’s done the journey before.’

‘Shall we go the long way round and avoid Thorstead?’ Grimnir asked Helgi, once they had left the Forge. ‘We can be sure your enemies will be watching the path.’

Helgi turned to Embla and asked, ‘Would you prefer to do that?’ She shook her head and uttered a very firm ‘No.’ Helgi was enormously relieved. It would have cost him a terrible loss of face if she’d insisted on taking the safer but much longer route clockwise around Snaefell.

‘No one’s going to say we’re too frightened of the Ericssons to ride past their farm,’ he said, speaking for both of them.

They rode east out of the valley, crossed the wide bank of lava that divided the two headlands, and came down into Eric’s valley, keeping as much distance between Eric’s estate and themselves as possible. Helgi wasn’t sorry to be leaving the district. The farmstead was quiet—suspiciously quiet, he thought—but they passed it without incident. Before long they reached Kamb, the flat marshy plain grown over with rushes, and here they were forced to dismount because the ground was soft and boggy after recent rain.

‘I see movement in the grass up ahead,’ said Grimnir suddenly.

There were men lying in wait in a clump of tall brown rushes and cottongrass, about two dozen yards from the trail. Helgi could see the glint of their weapons in the sun.

‘How many?’

‘Only three, so the odds are in our favour. We’ll attempt to pass. If they have any business with us, they’ll come out and meet us,’ said Grimnir evenly.

Helgi nodded. He was suddenly glad of Grimnir’s presence. His attitude of glacial calm was strangely reassuring.

As they drew nearer, the three men stood up and they saw that they were not Thorgrim and his brothers, but Eric’s brutal henchmen: Mord the Enforcer, Slackjawed Erp, and Bogi Squint-Eye. All three men were armed, but for once they were not outnumbered by their enemies.

‘Thorgrim Ericsson daren’t show his face after that beating you gave him yesterday, Embla,’ said Helgi, grinning at her. ‘He can’t take any more humiliation.’

‘No, this is bigger and more serious,’ replied Embla. ‘These are Eric’s men. Eric must’ve ordered the attack. He knows he can’t get at your father, so he’s going after you instead.’

Arnor’s servant Hauk said, ‘I wasn’t expecting to have to fight, and I certainly don’t want to be killed on his account.’ He jerked his thumb at Helgi. ‘There are strange rumours flying around about him and his horse.’

‘Thorgrim’s accusations are ridiculous and untrue,’ replied Helgi. ‘But whatever people might be saying about me, at least no one could call me a coward.’

Hauk looked furious and retorted, ‘I’ve never run away from a fight in my life! What will you do, Ospak?’

‘I’ll stand by Arnor’s nephew, as it is my master’s wish,’ said Ospak grudgingly, ‘though I think no good will come of it.’

Eric’s men rushed to the attack and Arnor’s men seized their shields and weapons and went forward to meet them. Both sides roared out a battle cry as they lumbered through the grass. Helgi was aware that if he rode after them, Kol might get bogged down, but he was reluctant to follow their example and fight on foot. He knew he wouldn’t stand a chance against Eric’s heavyweights unless he stayed with Kol. He swung himself up into Kol’s saddle and drew the staff from the sling, but hung back, waiting for an opening. He felt much safer on horseback. Grimnir stood beside him, watching with narrowed eyes.

Mord the Enforcer was the first to reach them. He had a fishing spear in his hand. Ospak had his shield up but Mord lunged at him with such force that the spear split his shield in two and went through it. It pierced Ospak’s thigh, and stuck in the boggy ground, pinning him down. Ospak wrenched at the spear but could not free himself.

Embla bit her hand to stifle a scream. Helgi wanted to go to his aid but knew that if he dismounted and thrust himself into the fray he would be wounded, captured, or killed. He looked to Grimnir for direction and asked, ‘Shall we go in?’ but Grimnir was watching the battle so intently that he gave no sign that he had heard him. Then Slackjawed Erp ran up and hacked through Ospak’s shoulder with a timber axe, cutting off his arm. Embla whimpered and covered her eyes. Ospak’s body relaxed, though the spear through his leg prevented him from falling too far.

Hauk hurled a spear at Bogi Squint-Eye, but Bogi ducked and it flew over his head and vanished among the tufty heads of bog-cotton. Then Bogi advanced on Hauk and swung at him with his sword, aiming for his legs. Hauk leapt high over the blade as it scythed through the grass, but skidded as he landed on the wet, slippery ground. Squint-Eye rushed at him, before Hauk could get back on his feet, and struck at his shoulder, but Hauk rolled to one side and the sword missed him and stuck in the ground. Hauk scrambled up and pulled out a long knife. He thrust at Squint-Eye, wounding him in the arm. But Arnor’s servant was outnumbered. As Squint-Eye fell back, Mord the Enforcer and Slackjawed Erp took over, attacking him from two sides.

Embla turned to Grimnir and pleaded, ‘Do something!’ but Grimnir simply ignored her.

Helgi could not bear to stand by and watch any longer. He started forward on Kol, but suddenly felt a cold, hard, restraining grip on his arm.

‘Wait!’ said Grimnir in an imperative voice, his thin, bony arm holding him back with surprising force.

Helgi did as he was told, though he was so anxious to intervene that he could hardly sit still. His tension increased as he watched. Hauk was putting up a fierce defence against the two men, lashing out with his knife, and slamming their axes aside with his shield, but he could not guard his back. Helgi saw Bogi Squint-Eye come up behind him, and gave a loud cry of warning, but Arnor’s servant had no time to react. Bogi swung back his sword, and brought it down on Hauk’s head, splitting his skull. Hauk fell dead among the tall brown marshgrass. Embla burst into tears and buried her face in her hands.

Eric’s men now turned their attention to Helgi and began to move towards him, stepping laboriously through the high grass and emerging onto the trail only a stone’s throw away. Bogi Squint-Eye was cradling his bleeding arm, but the other two were unhurt and grinning at their victory.

‘We’re gonna pay you back for robbing Eric’s farm,’ called Mord the Enforcer. ‘Eric’s promised us big rewards if we capture the Easterner alive. We’re gonna tie him up, put a bag over his head, and deliver him to Eric’s door.’

Slowly Grimnir raised his right hand and pointed his index finger at Mord. There was a muffled crack, like a whip or a branch snapping. Mord jerked spasmodically and clutched his left shoulder. He looked down in horrified disbelief to see blood trickling out between his fingers. Beneath his hand, something had torn through his cloak and embedded itself in his flesh, and a dark stain was soaking through his shirt. Mord’s eyes flashed fury and he started towards Grimnir with a cry of rage. Grimnir took aim with his finger again and punched a small red hole right between Mord’s eyes. Mord staggered backwards, with a look of surprise on his face, and collapsed on the ground.

Then Grimnir fired a volley of invisible darts at Slackjawed Erp and Bogi Squint-Eye. The deadly barrage peppered the ground where they stood, forcing them to dance on the spot. Bits of turf went flying in all directions and the ground was riddled with small holes. The men sprang away in terror and fled up the path, but did not get far before they pitched forward and fell face-first, each brought down by a single shot in the back.

Grimnir blew on the tip of his finger, which was smoking slightly, brushed it with his thumb, and lowered his hand.

Helgi stared at him, white-faced and petrified with shock. He was aware of Embla crying—her jerky, convulsive sobs sounded loud in the silence—but did not look at her. He could not take his eyes off Grimnir.

‘What … what was that?’ he said, once he had regained enough control over himself to say anything.

Grimnir did not answer. His face was cold and impassive, an expressionless mask.

Helgi slid off Kol’s back and went over to examine the bodies of Eric’s men. The seeping red hole in Mord’s forehead and the dark, ragged stains on the others’ backs, the marks in the ground and uprooted tufts of grass, showed where the projectiles had struck. Helgi crouched down, peered closely at the bodies, and fingered the holes they had made in the men’s thick leathers. He felt the ground with his hand. The darts themselves had no substance, or they had melted away like ice.

He rose slowly and stood gazing at the bodies in astonishment. Embla came to stand beside him, holding onto his arm as she looked down at the bodies. She put her hand to her mouth, too shocked to say anything.

‘What did you do to them? What were those … those things you fired?’ Helgi whispered, a tight knot of fear constricting his throat.

‘Gand-arrows.’

Gand-arrows: magic arrows. Glancing up, Helgi thought he detected a strange glint in Grimnir’s eye as he said the words. His eyes were fixed penetratingly on Helgi, and Helgi felt there was some significance in that look. Grimnir was studying him, assessing the impression his words and his act had made. Helgi decided it would not do to appear too awestruck by the magic. He would cut to the chase.

‘Who are you really?’ he asked Grimnir.

But Grimnir refused to be drawn. ‘Come on. Time to go.’

‘But Arnor’s men—we can’t just leave them here!’ cried Embla, gesturing at the grotesque figure of Ospak, who was still standing, dead on his feet, slumped against the spear that skewered his body to the ground.

‘We can hardly take them with us,’ said Grimnir drily.

‘We have to go back!’ she insisted.

‘We’re not going back,’ said Grimnir. ‘If we cross paths with the Ericssons, there will only be more bloodshed.’

‘But we have tell Arnor what’s happened! What will he think when they discover the bodies and find us gone? What will Gerda think? We can’t just go off and leave them to deal with Eric and … and all this mess!’

Angry and defiant, Embla turned her tear-streaked face to appeal to Helgi. Helgi understood how she felt, but was inclined to agree with Grimnir. ‘I think we should get moving, before the Ericssons turn up,’ he said uncomfortably.

‘We should at least cover the bodies!’

Grimnir pointed his index finger at Embla and made an impatient gesture. ‘Get on your horse.’

‘Don’t point your finger at her like that!’ yelled Helgi, pushing in front of Embla and shielding her with his arm.

‘Both of you, on your horses, now,’ said Grimnir, speaking quietly and deliberately, and placing his hand on his hip.

Helgi stood glaring at Grimnir, too furious to obey his order, and afraid that Embla would think him weak if he did. But they had to get away while there was still time. After a count of ten, he lowered his eyes and muttered, ‘We’d better do as he says.’

Grimnir swung himself up into his saddle and wheeled his horse about.

‘What about Arnor’s horses?’ asked Helgi.

‘Leave them.’

‘Where are you taking us?’ Embla demanded.

‘To Jon’s.’

Embla looked as if she did not believe him, but Helgi was already climbing back on his horse so she had no choice but to follow. They resumed their journey, retracing the path that had brought them to the games several months before. Grimnir rode a few paces ahead of them; Embla and Helgi rode side by side. Neither of them spoke. They were both in a state of shock. They passed three horses tethered to a tree further along the trail. When they got to the lava at Budir, Grimnir drew a halt and dismounted. He picked a path through the lava, and Helgi followed his lead, so abstracted that he was barely conscious of anything around him.

Now that his initial fright was passing off, and he was able to think, Helgi felt a growing sense of worry. What kind of man could shoot arrowheads from his finger? A sorcerer? A god? A man with a pocket-sized bow hidden up his sleeve? Of the three, the last explanation seemed somehow the least tenable.

And whose side was Grimnir on? He had saved them from Eric’s men, yet he had threatened Embla with his finger when she tried to stand up to him. He claimed to be taking them to Jon’s house, but that could not be true because …

‘He let Arnor’s men die,’ said Embla suddenly, voicing the idea in his own head, which was more of an uneasy feeling than a spoken thought. ‘He wanted them out of the way.’

Helgi had been too appalled and fascinated by Grimnir and his finger-darts to give much thought to Arnor’s servants, but now he was horribly struck by her words. Grimnir had stood by and watched while their escort was slaughtered. He hadn’t lifted a finger to help! This could only be because he wanted to put them completely in his power. Perhaps he meant to abduct and kill them, and wanted no witnesses.

Their position was desperate.

Helgi was profoundly sorry now that Embla had come with him. He was sorry too for the deaths of Arnor’s men, for which he felt largely responsible. He couldn’t help feeling that he was in such great trouble, it would have been better if he had gone away from everybody. Yet he was glad of Embla’s company, for it would have been terrible to be alone with Grimnir.

Helgi suddenly realized that they had reached Leikskalar Fields. The sight of the little stone enclosures, deserted now, brought a lump to his throat as he recalled the happy, carefree days he had spent at the games in the company of his friends, who were now far, far away. He saw Embla look at the lake as they passed; perhaps she was remembering happier times too. Embla was the one person who had not left him.

He reached out and touched her arm. Embla turned to him and he saw that her eyes were full of tears.

‘He’s going to do something terrible to us—I know it,’ she whispered.

‘I won’t let him hurt you,’ Helgi promised. ‘Not while I’m still alive.’

The strange thing was, he really meant it. He would happily have flung himself into a line of arrow-fire to save her at that moment.

‘What does he want?’ Embla asked, her frightened eyes fixed upon him.

Helgi did not have an answer. All he knew was that he and Embla were in the hands of Gunnhild’s agent and powerless to do anything about it.

They had left the playing fields behind them, and were approaching the gloomy grey slopes of Oxl mountain, when they heard the distant thud of hooves and a solitary rider came into view, descending the lower part of the hill. Helgi saw Embla’s eyes light up at the sight of a potential saviour coming to their rescue, and he quietly congratulated himself for having made the mountain pass safe for travellers the previous autumn, when he fought Skeggi and captured him in the Spirit Sword.

As the rider drew nearer they saw he was a well-built, middle-aged man with greying hair and a green travelling cloak flung over one shoulder. His white horse snorted a greeting as it smelled their own mounts.

Embla, who was riding alongside Helgi, said under her breath, ‘Tell him we need help.’

The rider smiled and murmured a polite greeting as he passed Grimnir. Helgi and Embla, who were several yards behind, watched him approach. Helgi desperately wanted to appeal to him, but knew that if this man tried to prevent their abduction, or galloped off to fetch help, Grimnir would almost certainly shoot him dead. Helgi didn’t care much if Eric’s men came after them and were shot down, but he didn’t want the same fate to befall his uncle when he came riding to their rescue, or indeed this man who was an innocent passer-by.

So when the stranger drew level with them and greeted them with a smile, Helgi mumbled hello and let him pass.

‘Stop!’ Embla cried out suddenly, ‘Please stop!’

The man turned his horse and looked at her in surprise.

‘Please sir, ride as fast as you can to Arnor at Stapi. Tell him we’ve been kidnapped!’

‘What?—no, don’t! We don’t need any help!’ said Helgi, grabbing Embla roughly by the arm in his panic. But Embla continued to plead with him as if her life depended on it.

The stranger gave Helgi a funny look and asked Embla, ‘Is everything all right?’

‘No! That man’s going to murder us!’ cried Embla.

Helgi glanced at Grimnir who had stopped a few yards off and was watching them closely, holding the reins with the knobbly, overdeveloped tip of his arrow-finger slightly raised and extended.

‘We’re fine,’ said Helgi, struggling to restrain Embla while assuring the man in a voice loud and clear enough for Grimnir to hear. ‘You can tell Arnor at Stapi to keep well away. Tell him that Embla and his nephew are safe and sound!’

‘No, tell him to send help—lots of men, and fast!’ cried Embla, who was almost beside herself. She broke from Helgi’s grip, dropped down from her horse, and running to the stranger, took hold of his bridle rein and looked up at him with wide imploring eyes.

‘Are you two taking a rise out of me?’ the man asked sternly.

Grimnir dismounted and walked over to them with deliberate, unhurried steps. Helgi and Embla watched him with scared faces, expecting him to do something terrible. He extended his arm slowly, and Helgi set his teeth and averted his eyes, anticipating the burst of arrow-fire. But when he looked again, Grimnir was shaking the man’s hand.

‘I’m sure they didn’t mean any harm,’ Grimnir said, ‘though I hope we’ve not detained you from some pressing business. You look as if you’ve come a long way …’

‘Only from Helgafell,’ the man replied.

‘Are you going as far as Stapi?’

‘I’m going to Thorstead; my master’s sent me to fetch his cousin home.’

‘Ah, you mean Solveig.’

‘That’s right.’

‘To tell you the truth, I’m not sorry we met,’ said Grimnir. ‘It just so happens that this young lady is a good friend of Solveig’s. It would be of great assistance to us if you could accompany her back to Stapi, and see to it that no harm comes to her. She’s changed her mind about coming with us. I’ll pay you for your trouble.’

‘It’s no trouble,’ the man replied pleasantly. ‘Stapi’s not far out of my way.’

Completely thrown by Grimnir’s unexpected proposal, Helgi swung down from his horse and hastened over to Embla. ‘Do you want to go back?’ he asked.

‘Yes, but what about you?’ Embla asked, adding in a rapid undertone, ‘It would give us a chance to explain what happened, and then we could set out again and go with Solveig at least as far as Helgafell.’

‘I can’t go back. You know what they’d do to me. But there’s nothing to stop you.’ He smiled brightly at Embla. ‘Go with Solveig if it would help patch things up. Her family will lend you an escort for the rest of the journey, and I’ll see you at Jon’s.’

‘I’m not leaving you alone with him,’ Embla muttered, throwing a far from friendly sidelong glance at Grimnir.

‘I’ll be fine,’ Helgi reassured her. The fear that had taken hold of him when he thought they were being abducted was now loosening its grip. But the look on Embla’s face told him that she knew better.

‘Well, Embla?’ Grimnir was demanding a quick decision.

Embla didn’t reply at once or even glance in his direction. She was gazing at the path ahead, sunk in her own thoughts. Then her eyes reverted to Helgi.

‘I’m not leaving without you,’ she declared in a quiet but clear voice.

‘In that case, we won’t delay you any longer,’ Grimnir told the rider.

The man shook his head with a soft chuckle, turned, and rode away.

‘He won’t find it nearly so amusing when he gets to Kamb,’ Embla muttered darkly.

Grimnir turned to Embla with a look in his piercing black eyes that made her shrink away a little, scared and pale but with defiance on her face, daring him to do his worst.

‘Now listen,’ Grimnir said in a tone of quiet authority. ‘My instructions are to escort Helgi to the West Fjords, where he will recover some treasured items, and to convey him from there safely to Norway, and that is what I intend to do. I have sworn to protect him. It is my sacred duty to do everything in my power to assist him, and to eliminate anyone who threatens his life or might prevent the fulfilment of his mission.’

Helgi stared at Grimnir in astonishment. Sacred duty? What on earth was the man talking about?

‘Embla didn’t mean anything …’ he began, but Grimnir interrupted him.

‘It will be better for everyone if we proceed on our way quickly and with the minimum of fuss. Do you understand?’

Embla nodded her head.

‘Back on your horses then. Come on.’

‘That’s the second time he’s threatened me,’ Embla complained, once Grimnir had ridden out of earshot.

‘I don’t think he meant it as a threat,’ Helgi said. ‘It’s just that we’ve got to put some distance between us and the Ericcsons. He hasn’t done anything so far that suggests he means to hurt us. The only time he’s ever used his weapon was to defend us, and only then when he had no choice. And we know he’s not abducting us because he let you choose whether to go or stay.’

‘He was hoping I’d go because he wants me out of the way.’

‘Well, any other girl would have gone. But not you. It means a lot to me that you’re still here, after everything we’ve been through.’

He held out his hand to Embla, who took it, her eyes shining. Grimnir was riding ahead of them and did not see. They rode side by side, ready to drop hands if he looked back, until the path grew steep and rocky and forced them to go in single file.

Find out what happens to Helgi and Embla and their friends
in Book II, Helgi and the Sky Threads.