CHAPTER VII
VICTORY OR VALHALLA!
A minute later I heard a rustle as of branches being moved by peoplethrusting their way through them. A choked voice commanded,
"Take him living or dead."
Armed men appeared about us, four of them, and one cried "Yield!"
I sprang up and drew the Wanderer's sword.
"Who orders the General Michael to yield in his own command?" I asked.
"I do," answered the man. "Yield or die!"
Now, thinking that these were robbers or murderers hired by some enemy,I sprang at him, nor was that battle long, for at my first stroke hefell dead. Then the other three set on me. But I wore mail beneath mydoublet, as Irene had bade me do, and their swords glanced. Moreover,the old northern rage entered into me, and these easterners were nomatch for my skill and strength. First one and then another of themwent down, whereon the third fled away, taking with him a grizzly woundbehind, for I struck him as he fled.
"Now it seems there is an end of that," I gasped to Heliodore, who wascrouched upon the seat. "Come, let me take you to your father and summonmy guards, ere we meet more of these murderers."
As I spoke a cloaked and hooded woman glided from the shelter of thetrees behind and stood before us. She threw back the hood from her headand the moonlight fell upon her face. It was that of the Empress, butoh! so changed by jealous rage that I should scarce have known her. Thelarge eyes seemed to flash fire, the cheeks were white, save where theyhad been touched with paint, the lips trembled. Twice she tried to speakand failed, but at the third effort words came.
"Nay, all is but begun," she said in a voice that was full of hate."Know that I have heard your every word. So, traitor, you would tell mysecrets to this Egyptian slut and then murder my own servants," and shepointed to the dead and wounded men. "Well, you shall pay for it, bothof you, that I swear."
"Is it murder, Augusta," I asked, saluting, "when four assail one man,and, thinking them assassins, he fights for his life and wins the fray?"
"What are four such curs against you? I should have brought a dozen. Yetit was at me you struck. Whate'er they did I ordered them to do."
"Had I known it, Augusta, I would never have drawn sword, who am yourofficer and obedient to the end."
"Nay, you'd stab me with your tongue, not with your sword," she answeredwith something like a sob. "You say you are my obedient officer. Well,now we will see. Smite me that bold-faced baggage dead, or smite _me_dead, I care not which, then fall upon your sword."
"The first I cannot do, Augusta, for it would be murder against one whohas done no wrong, and I will not stain my soul with murder."
"Done no wrong! Has she not mocked me, my years, my widowhood, yes, andeven my hair, in the pride of her--her youth, me, the Empress of theWorld?"
Now Heliodore spoke for the first time.
"And has not the Empress of the World called a poor maid of blood asnoble as her own by shameful names?" she asked.
"For the second," I went on before Irene could answer, "I cannot do thateither, for it would be foul treason as well as murder to lift my swordagainst your anointed Majesty. But as for the third, as is my duty, thatI will do--or rather suffer your servants to do--if it pleases you torepeat the order later when you are calm."
"What!" cried Heliodore, "would you go and leave me here? Then, Olaf,by the gods my forefathers worshipped for ten thousand years, and bythe gods I worship, I'll find a means to follow you within an hour. Oh!Empress of the World, there is another world you do not rule, and therewe'll call you to account."
Now Irene stared at Heliodore, and Heliodore stared back at her, and thesight was very strange.
"At least you have spirit, girl. But think not that shall save you, forthere's no room for both of us on earth."
"If I go it may prove wide enough, Augusta," I broke in.
"Nay, you shall not go, Olaf, at least not yet. My orders are thatyou do _not_ fall upon your sword. As for this Egyptian witch, well,presently my people will be here; then we will see."
Now I drew Heliodore to the trunk of the great tree which stood near byand set myself in front of her.
"What are you about to do?" asked the Empress.
"I am about to fight your eastern curs until I fall, for no northern manwill lift a sword against me, even on your orders, Augusta. When I amdown, this lady must play her own part as God shall guide her."
"Have no fear, Olaf," Heliodore said gently, "I wear a dagger."
Scarcely had she spoken when there was a sound of many feet. The manwhom I had wounded had run shouting towards the palace, rousing thesoldiers, both those on watch and those in their quarters. Now thesebegan to arrive and to gather in the glade before the clump of trees,for some guards who had heard the clash of arms guided them to theplace. They were of all races and sundry regiments, Greeks, Byzantines,Bulgars, Armenians, so-called Romans, and with them a number of Britonsand northern men.
Seeing the Empress and, near by, myself standing with drawn swordagainst the tree sheltering the lady Heliodore, also on the ground thosewhom I had cut down, they halted. One of their officers asked what theymust do.
"Kill me that man who has slain my servants, or stay--take him living,"screamed the Augusta.
Now among those who had gathered was a certain lieutenant of my own, ablue-eyed, flaxen-haired Norwegian giant of the name of Jodd. This manloved me like a brother, I believe because once it had been my fortuneto save his life. Also often I had proved his friend when he was introuble, for in those days Jodd got drunk at times, and when he wasdrunk lost money which he could not pay.
Now, when he saw my case, I noted that this Jodd, who, if sober, was nofool at all, although he seemed so slow and stupid, whispered somethingto a comrade who was with him, whereon the man turned and fled away likean arrow. From the direction in which he went I guessed at once that hewas running to the barracks close at hand, where were stationed quitethree hundred Northmen, all of whom were under my command.
The soldiers prepared to obey the Augusta's orders, as they were boundto do. They drew their swords and a number of them advanced towards meslowly. Then it was that Jodd, with a few Northmen, moved between themand me, and, saluting the Empress, said in his bad Greek,
"Your pardon, Augusta, but why are we asked to kill our own general?"
"Obey my orders, fellow," she answered.
"Your pardon, Augusta," said the stolid Jodd, "but before we kill ourown general, whom you commanded us to obey in all things, we would knowwhy we must kill him. It is a custom of our country that no man shallbe killed until he has been heard. General Olaf," and drawing his shortsword for the first time, he saluted me in form, "be pleased to explainto us why you are to be killed or taken prisoner."
Now a tumult arose, and a eunuch in the background shouted to thesoldiers to obey the Empress's orders, whereon again some of them beganto advance.
"If no answer is given to my question," went on Jodd in his slow,bull-like voice, "I fear that others must be killed besides the GeneralOlaf. Ho! Northmen. To me, Northmen! Ho! Britons, to me, Britons! Ho!Saxons, to me, Saxons! Ho! all who are not accursed Greeks. To me allwho are not accursed Greeks!"
Now at each cry of Jodd's men leapt forward from the gathering crowd,and, to the number of fifty or more in all, marshalled themselves behindhim, those of each nation standing shoulder to shoulder in little groupsbefore me.
"Is my question to be answered?" asked Jodd. "Because, if not, althoughwe be but one against ten, I think that ere the General Olaf is cut downor taken there will be good fighting this night."
Then I spoke, saying,
"Captain Jodd, and comrades, I will answer your question, and if Ispeak wrongly let the Augusta correct me. This is the trouble. The ladyHeliodore here is my affianced wife. We were speaking together in thisgarden as the affianced do. The Empress, who, unseen by us, was hiddenbehind those trees, overheard our talk, which, for reasons best knownto herself, for in it there was naught o
f treason or any matter ofthe State, made her so angry that she set her servants on to kill me.Thinking them murderers or robbers, I defended myself, and there theylie, save one, who fled away wounded. Then the Empress appeared andordered me to kill the lady Heliodore. Comrades, look on her whom theEmpress ordered me to kill, and say whether, were she your affianced,you would kill her even to please the Empress," and, stepping to oneside, I showed them Heliodore in all her loveliness standing against thetree, the drawn dagger in her hand.
Now from those that Jodd had summoned there went up a roar of "_No_,"while even the rest were silent. Irene sprang forward and cried,
"Are my orders to be canvassed and debated? Obey! Cut this man down ortake him living, I care not which, and with him all who cling to him, orto-morrow you hang, every one of you."
Now the soldiers who had gathered also began to form up under theirofficers, for they saw that before them was war and death. By this timethey were many, and as the alarm spread minute by minute more arrived.
"Yield or we attack," said he who had taken command of them.
"I do not think that we yield," answered Jodd; and just then there camea sound of men running in ordered companies from the direction of theNorthmen's barracks were Jodd's messenger had told his tale.
"I am _sure_ that we do not yield," continued Jodd, and suddenly raisedthe wild northern war-cry, "_Valhalla, Valhalla! Victory or Valhalla!_"
Instantly from three hundred throats, above the sound of the runningfeet that drew ever nearer, came the answering shout of "_Valhalla,Valhalla! Victory or Valhalla!_" Then out of the gloom up dashed theNorthmen.
Now other shouts arose of "Olaf! Olaf! Olaf! Where is our General Olaf?Where is Red-Sword?"
"Here, comrades!" roared Jodd, and up they came those fierce, beardedmen, glad with the lust of battle, and ranged themselves by companiesbefore us. Again the great voice of Jodd was heard, calling,
"Empress, do you give us Olaf and his girl and swear by your Christ thatno harm shall come to them? Or must we take them for ourselves?"
"Never!" she cried back. "The only thing I give to you is death. On tothese rebels, soldiers!"
Now, seeing what must come, I strove to speak, but Jodd shouted again,
"Be silent, Olaf. For this hour you are not our general; you are aprisoner whom it pleases us to rescue. Ring him round, Northmen, ringhim round. Bring the Empress, too; she will serve as hostage."
Now some of them drew behind us. Then they began to advance, taking usalong with them, and I, who was skilled in war, saw their purpose. Theywere drawing out into the open glade, where they could see to fight, andwhere their flanks would be protected by a stream of water on the onehand and a dense belt of trees on the other.
In her rage the Empress threw herself upon the ground, but two greatfellows lifted her up by the arms and thrust her along with us. Marchingthus, we reached the point that they had chosen, for the Greeks were inconfusion and not ready to attack. There we halted, just on the crest ofa little rise of ground.
"Augusta," I said, "in the name of God, I pray you to give way. TheseNorthmen hate your Byzantines, and will take this chance to pay offtheir scores. Moreover, they love me, and will die to a man ere they seeme harmed, and then how shall I protect you in the fray?"
She only glared at me and made no answer.
The attack began. By this time fifteen hundred or so of the Imperialtroops had collected, and against them stood, perhaps, four hundredmen in all, so that the odds were great. Still, they had no horsemen orarchers, and our position was very good, also we were Northmen and theywere Grecian scum.
On came the Byzantines, screaming "Irene! Irene!" in a formation ofcompanies ranged one behind the other, for their object was to break inour centre by their weight. Jodd saw, and gave some orders; very goodorders, I thought them. Then he sheathed his short-sword, seized thegreat battle-axe which was his favourite weapon, and placed himself infront of our triple line that waited in dead silence.
Up the slope surged the charge, and on the crest of it the battle met.At first the weight of the Greeks pressed us back, but, oh! they wentdown before the Northmen's steel like corn before the sickle, and soonthat rush was stayed. Breast to breast they hewed and thrust, and sofearful was the fray that Irene, forgetting her rage, clung to me toprotect her.
The fight hung doubtful. As in a dream, I watched the giant Jodd cutdown a gorgeous captain, the axe shearing through his golden armour asthough it were but silk. I watched a comrade of my own fall beneath aspear-thrust. I gazed at the face of Heliodore, who stared wide-eyedat the red scene, and at the white-lipped Irene, who was clinging to myarm. Now we were being pressed back again, we who at this point had atmost two hundred men, some of whom were down, to bear the onslaughtof twice that number, and, do what I would, my fingers strayed to mysword-hilt.
Our triple line bent in like a bow and began to break. The scales ofwar hung on the turn, when, from the dense belt of trees upon our left,suddenly rose the cry of "_Valhalla! Valhalla! Victory or Valhalla!_"for which I, who had overheard Jodd's orders, was waiting. These werehis orders--that half of the Northmen should creep down behind the beltof trees in their dense shadow, and thus outflank the foe.
Forth they sprang by companies of fifty, the moonlight gleaming on theirmail, and there, three hundred yards away, a new battle was begun. Nowthe Greeks in front of us, fearing for their rear, wavered a moment andfell back, perhaps, ten paces. I saw the opportunity and could bear nomore, who before all things was a soldier.
Shouting to some of our wounded to watch the women, I drew my sword andleapt forward.
"I come, Northmen!" I cried, and was greeted with a roar of:
"Olaf Red-Sword! Follow Olaf Red-Sword!" for so the soldiers named me.
"Steady, Northmen! Shoulder to shoulder, Northmen!" I cried back. "Nowat them! Charge! _Valhalla! Victory or Valhalla!_"
Down the slope they went before our rush. In thirty paces they were buta huddled mob, on which our swords played like lightnings. We rolledthem back on to their supports, and those supports, outflanked, beganto flee. We swept through and through them. We slew them by hundreds, wetrod them beneath our victorious feet, and--oh! in that battle a strangething happened to me. I thought I saw my dead brother Ragnar fightingat my side; aye, and I thought I heard him cry to me, in that lost,remembered voice:
"The old blood runs in you yet, you Christian man! Oh! you fight well,you Christian man. We of Valhalla give you greetings, Olaf Red-Sword._Valhalla! Valhalla! Victory or Valhalla!_"
It was done. Some were fled, but more were dead, for, once at grips, theNorthman showed no mercy to the Greek. Back we came, those who were leftof us, for many, perhaps a hundred, were not, and formed a ring roundthe women and the wounded.
"Well done, Olaf," said Heliodore; but Irene only looked at me with akind of wonder in her eyes.
Now the leaders of the Northmen began to talk among themselves, butalthough from time to time they glanced at me, they did not ask me tojoin in their talk. Presently Jodd came forward and said in his slowvoice:
"Olaf Red-Sword, we love you, who have always loved us, your comrades,as we have shown you to-night. You have led us well, Olaf, and,considering our small numbers, we have just won a victory of which weare proud. But our necks are in the noose, as yours is, and we thinkthat in this case our best course is to be bold. Therefore, we name youCaesar. Having defeated the Greeks, we propose now to take the palace andto talk with the regiments without, many of whom are disloyal and shoutfor Constantine, whom after all they hate only a little less than theydo Irene yonder. We know not what will be the end of the matter and donot greatly care, who set our fortunes upon a throw of the dice, butwe think there is a good chance of victory. Do you accept, and will youthrow in your sword with ours?"
"How can I," I answered, "when there stands the Empress, whose bread Ihave eaten and to whom I have sworn fealty?"
"An Empress, it seems, who desires to slay you over some matter thathas to do
with a woman. Olaf, the daggers of her assassins have cut thisthread of fealty. Moreover, as it chances she is in our power, and as wecannot make our crime against her blacker than it is, we propose to ridyou and ourselves of this Empress, who is our enemy, and who for hergreat wickedness well deserves to die. Such is our offer, to take or toleave, as time is short. Should you refuse it, we abandon you to yourfate, and go to make our terms with Constantine, who also hates thisEmpress and even now is plotting her downfall."
As he spoke I saw certain men draw near to Irene for a purpose which Icould guess, and stepped between her and them.
"The Augusta is my mistress," I said, "and although I attacked some ofher troops but now, and she has wronged me much, still I defend her tothe last."
"Little use in that, Olaf, seeing that you are but one and we are many,"answered Jodd. "Come, will you be Caesar, or will you not?"
Now Irene crept up behind me and whispered in my ear.
"Accept," she said. "It pleases me well. Be Caesar as my husband. So youwill save my life and my throne, of which I vow to you an equal share.With the help of your Northmen and the legions I command and who clingto me, we can defeat Constantine and rule the world together. Thispetty fray is nothing. What matters it if some lives have been lost ina palace tumult? The world lies in your grasp; take it, Olaf, and, withit, _me_."
I heard and understood. Now had come the great moment of my life.Something told me that on the one hand were majesty and empire; on theother much pain and sorrow yet with these a certain holy joy and peace.It was the latter that I chose, as doubtless Fate or God had decreedthat I should do.
"I thank you, Augusta," I said, "but, while I can protect her, I willnot seize a throne over the body of one who has been kind to me, norwill I buy it at the price you offer. There stands my predestined wife,and I can marry no other woman."
Now Irene turned to Heliodore, and said in a swift, low voice:
"Do you understand this matter, lady? Let us have done with jealousiesand be plain, for the lives of all of us hang upon threads that, forsome, must break within a day or two, and with them those of a thousand,thousand others. Aye, the destiny of the world is at stake. You say youlove this man, whom I will tell you I love also. Well, if _you_ win him,and he lives, which he scarce can hope to do, he gets your kisses inwhatever corner of the earth will shelter him and you. If _I_ win him,the empire of the earth is his. Moreover, girl," she added with meaning,"empresses are not always jealous; sometimes even they can look theother way. There would be high place for you within our Court, and, whoknows? Your turn might come at length. Also your father's plans would beforwarded to the last pound of gold in our treasury and the last soldierin our service. Within five years, mayhap, he might rule Egypt as ourGovernor. What say you?"
Heliodore looked at the Empress with that strange, slow smile of hers.Then she looked at me, and answered:
"I say what Olaf says. There are two empires in the case. One, whichyou can give, Augusta, is of the world; the other, which I can give himhere, is only a woman's heart, yet, as I think, of another eternal worldthat you do not know. I say what Olaf says. Let Olaf speak, Augusta."
"Empress," I said slowly, "again I thank you, but it may not be. My fatelies here," and I laid my hand upon the heart of Heliodore.
"You are mistaken, Olaf," answered the Empress, in a cold and quietvoice, but seemingly without anger; "your fate lies there," and shepointed to the ground, then added, "Believe me, I am sorry, for you area man of whom any woman might be proud--yes, even an empress. I havealways thought it, and I thought it again just now when I saw you leadthat charge against those curs in armour," and she pointed towards thebodies of the Greeks. "So, it is finished, as perchance I am. If I mustdie, let it be on your sword, Olaf."
"Your answer, Olaf Red-Sword!" called Jodd. "You have talked enough."
"Your answer! Yes, your answer!" the Northmen echoed.
"The Empress has offered to share her crown with me, Jodd, but, friends,it cannot be, because of this lady to whom I am affianced."
"Marry them both," shouted a rude voice, but Jodd replied:
"Then that is soon settled. Out of our path, Olaf, and look the otherway. When you turn your head again there will be no Empress to troubleyou, except one of your own choosing."
On hearing these words, and seeing the swords draw near, Irene clutchedhold of me, for always she feared death above everything.
"You will not see me butchered?" she gasped.
"Not while I live," I answered. "Hearken, friends. I am the generalof the Augusta's guard, and if she dies, for honour's sake I must diefirst. Strike, then, if you will, but through my body."
"Tear her away!" called a voice.
"Comrades," I went on, "be not so mad. To-night we have done that whichhas earned us death, but while the Empress lives you have a hostage inyour hands with whom you can buy pardon. As a lump of clay what worth isshe to you? Hark! The regiments from the city!"
As I spoke, from the direction of the palace came a sound of many voicesand of the tread of five thousand feet.
"True enough," said Jodd, with composure. "They are on us, and now it istoo late to storm the palace. Olaf, like many another man, you have lostyour chance of glory for a woman, or, who knows, perhaps you've won it.Well, comrades, as I take it you are not minded to fly and be hunteddown like rats, only one thing remains--to die in a fashion they willremember in Byzantium. Olaf, you'd best mind the women; I will takecommand. Ring round, comrades, ring round! 'Tis a good place for it. Setthe wounded in the middle. Keep that Empress living for the present, butwhen all is done, kill her. We'll be her escort to the gates of hell,for there she's bound if ever woman was."
Then, without murmur or complaint, almost in silence, indeed, theyformed Odin's Ring, that triple circle of the Northmen doomed to die;the terrible circle that on many a battlefield has been hidden at lastbeneath the heap of fallen foes.
The regiments moved up; there were three of them of full strength. Irenestared about her, seeking some loophole of escape, and finding none.Heliodore and I talked together in low tones, making our tryst beyondthe grave. The regiments halted within fifty paces of us. They liked notthe look of Odin's Ring, and the ground over which they had marchedand the fugitives with whom they had spoken told them that many of themlooked their last upon the moon.
Some mounted generals rode towards us and asked who was in command ofthe Northmen. When they learned that it was Jodd, they invited him to aparley. The end of it was that Jodd and two others stepped twenty pacesfrom our ranks, and met a councillor--it was Stauracius--and two ofthe generals in the open, where no treachery could well be practised,especially as Stauracius was not a man of war. Here they talked togetherfor a long while. Then Jodd and his companions returned, and Jodd said,so that all might hear him:
"Hearken. These are the terms offered: That we return to our barracks inpeace, bearing our weapons. That nothing be laid to our charge underany law, military or civil, by the State or private persons, forthis night's slaying and tumult, and that in guarantee thereof twelvehostages of high rank, upon whose names we have agreed, be given intoour keeping. That we retain our separate stations in the service of theEmpire, or have leave to quit that service within three months, with thegratuity of a quarter's pay, and go where we will unmolested. Butthat, in return for these boons, we surrender the person of the Empressunharmed, and with her that of the General Olaf, to whom a fair trialis promised before a military court. That with her own voice the Augustashall confirm all these undertakings before she leaves our ranks. Suchis the offer, comrades."
"And if we refuse it, what?" asked a voice.
"This: That we shall be ringed round, and either starved out or shotdown by archers. Or, if we try to escape, that we shall be overwhelmedby numbers, and any of us who chance to be taken living shall be hanged,sound and wounded together."
Now the leaders of the Northmen consulted. Irene watched them forawhile, then turned to me and asked,
&
nbsp; "What will they do, Olaf?"
"I cannot say, Augusta," I answered, "but I think that they will offerto surrender you and not myself, since they may doubt them of that fairtrial which is promised to me."
"Which means," she said, "that, whether I live or die, all these bravemen will be sacrificed to you, Olaf, who, after all, must perishwith them, as will this Egyptian. Are you prepared to accept thatblood-offering, Olaf? If so, you must have changed from the man Iloved."
"No, Augusta," I answered, "I am not prepared. Rather would I trustmyself into your power, Augusta."
The conference of the officers had come to an end. Their leader advancedand said,
"We accept the terms, except as to the matter of Olaf Red-Sword. TheEmpress may go free, but Olaf Red-Sword, our general whom we love, wewill not surrender. First will we die."
"Good!" said Jodd. "I looked for such words from you."
Then he marched out, with his companions, and again met Stauracius andthe two generals of the Greeks. After they had talked a little while hereturned and said,
"Those two officers, being men, would have agreed, but Stauracius,the eunuch, who seems in command, will not agree. He says that OlafRed-Sword must be surrendered with the Empress. We answered that in thiscase soon there would be no Empress to surrender except one ready forburial. He replied that was as God might decree; either both must besurrendered or both be held."
"Do you know why the dog said that?" whispered Irene to me. "It wasbecause those Northmen have let slip the offer I made to you but now,and he is jealous of you, and fears you may take his power. Well, if Ilive, one day he shall pay for this who cares so little for my life."
So she spoke, but I made no answer. Instead, I turned to Heliodore,saying,
"You see how matters stand, beloved. Either I must surrender myself,or all these brave men must perish, and we with them. For myself, I amready to die, but I am not willing that you and they should die. Also,if I yield, I can do no worse than die, whereas perchance after allthings will take another turn. Now what say you?"
"I say, follow your heart, Olaf," she replied steadily. "Honour comesfirst of all. The rest is with God. Wherever you go there I soon shallbe."
"I thank you," I answered; "your mind is mine."
Then I stepped forward and said,
"Comrades, it is my turn to throw in this great game. I have heard andconsidered all, and I think it best that I should be surrendered, withthe Augusta, to the Greeks."
"We will not surrender you," they shouted.
"Comrades, I am still your general, and my order is that you surrenderme. Also, I have other orders to give to you. That you guard this ladyHeliodore to the last, and that, while one of you remains alive, sheshall be to you as though she were that man's daughter, or mother, orsister, to help and protect as best he may in every circumstance, seenor unforeseen. Further, that with her you guard her father, the nobleEgyptian Magas. Will you promise this to me?"
"Aye!" they roared in answer.
"You hear them, Heliodore," I said. "Know that henceforth you are oneof a large family, and, however great your enemies, that you will neverlack a friend. Comrades," I went on, "this is my second order, andperchance the last that I shall ever give to you. Unless you hear that Iam evilly treated in the palace yonder, stay quiet. But if that tidingsshould reach you, then all oaths are broken. Do what you can and will."
"Aye!" they roared again.