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hunting.  Our farmers and fishermen were too busy to be able to forage for wild food for us. Our smiths and miners were equally busy. I left Arturus and the Ulfheonar while I went with Aiden to my ship and to see the headman of Úlfarrston, Pasgen. Kara insisted that I take the small ship down to the end of the Water.  She was mindful of the allure of the sword. As Aiden and I strode through the forest the sword felt like a heavy weight in my baldric.
    I walked in silence as I was trying to plan for the future. Haaken and Cnut were both correct; my plan would only delay the arrival of other seekers of the sword. I could not sail the seas of the world until the end of time.
    Aiden frightened me sometimes.  He suddenly said, very quietly, "This will pass, Jarl Dragon Heart. There will always be those who seek the sword.  There have been before.  Think how many warriors have challenged you to single combat. Wiglaf is the problem for he is feeding the fire of warrior's envy and desire."
    "You have entered my mind again."
    He laughed, "Let us say that I know your moods and I have spoken with Kara.  She knows your heart and your mind as well as any for she speaks with the spirits. This is good, Jarl, this is wyrd ."
    Erik Short Toe had been the ship's boy on the " Heart of the Dragon ."  He had been trained to be captain by old Josephus, the Greek slave we had rescued. The old Byzantine had done a good job for, despite his youth, Erik was the best captain I had. He was consulting with Bolli as Bolli's men scraped away the weed from the hull of my drekar.  Thanks to the concoction Aiden had made and we had smeared over the hull there was less than one might expect. When the weed had been cleared the hull would be treated again.  It was what made my drekar the fastest afloat. She and her consort, "Josephus" could out sail any ship that we met.
    Erik looked eager to sail.  He hated the inactivity of winter.  He was born to the sea. He seemed to understand what the wind would do before it changed or swirled. He rubbed his hands as he came to greet me.  "Jarl Dragon Heart! We sail soon?"
    "We sail soon, Erik.  Have you your ship's boys?"
    He nodded and then looked at me apprehensively.  "They are not from our people, jarl.  They come from Úlfarrston."
    I laughed, "Erik, you forget I am not from our people as you say.  I am not Norse.  Half of my blood comes from the same people as Pasgen.  So long as they are good workers I care not where they come from." I pointed to Aiden.  "Aiden here is from Hibernia; does that make him not of our people?"
    He smiled, "I am sorry! And Josephus was Greek! You are right.  When do we sail?"
    I cocked my head on one side.  "You are the captain and Bolli is the shipwright.  You tell me!"
    "Then three days from now."
    "Good! The hunters will be back then and we can salt the meat.  I will see Pasgen.  Come Aiden."
    I told Pasgen of the attacks on our land and explained that I was raiding for slaves. "If you have ships you wish me to escort to Lundenwic then I can do so."
    He shook his head. "Trygg and Siggi went with our boats as soon as the weather became clement." He frowned, "Are we in danger when you are gone?"
    "I hope not but we have put plans in place to have Thorkell and Windar have promised to protect my land."
    We did not have three days.  Had we not been preparing for war we might have been caught unawares.  If we had been out hunting or working on the Water then disaster might have struck us but we were preparing for war and we had two boat crews inside our walls. The twenty raiders slew the two guards at the open gates with arrows and slipped silently into the heart of my home. I was trying on my armour.  Bjorn the smith had made some improvements to make it lighter and he was in my hall with me as we adjusted it.
    Padraigh my slave rushed in clutching a bleeding arm. "Jarl, there are raiders!"
    I drew my sword and picked up my shield. Bjorn picked up the hammer he