"Get that sail rigged!" "Hurry it up!" "And so, by the storm's fury he lost all he loved most in this world:" "His ship and his shipmates." "But he was washed ashore, alone." "The only survivor." "Monks found him and took him to their monastery where they tenderly nursed him, never asking his name or his country." "And gradually he grew stronger." "As he slowly recovered, he saw that the holy men collected tiny colored stones." "And, with great patience and loving skill made pictures from them to decorate their chapel." "And the pictures told a story." "A story of a mighty bell made of solid gold." "For days without number the holy men labored to make this mighty bell." "They made ready a great cauldron, and under it a fire burned day and night." "Then came the gold." "Gold from the ends of the earth." "Gold offerings of the crusaders." "Gold urns from the lands of Islam." "Gleaming, liquid gold." "A kingdom of gold." "Gold idols." "Golden rings taken from the harems." "From wives." "From princesses." "From courtesans." "Gold money." "Gold from ships, mines and caravans." "From mosques, palaces and sacred cities." "Gold stolen by robbers from the tombs of Pharaohs." "Golden cups." "Golden plate." "Treasure won by conquering armies." "And from its hiding place came the fabulous chain of Nimrud-Dag of the 1 0,000 golden links." "At last, the huge cauldron was so filled with molten gold that no more could be added." "Then it was poured into a gigantic clay mould." "For days it stood cooling until the hour struck when the clay was torn away." "And so the great golden bell came shining into the world." "They smoothed it." "They polished it." "Then they called on it to speak." "And they ran back in terror and in awe." "And covered their ears." "For this was the Mother of Voices." "Thank you, my friends, for listening to my story." "A romance, you think?" "A legend?" "No, my friends." "May Allah strike me dead if all I have told you is not true." "Somewhere lost, stolen, perhaps hidden away hangs that great golden bell." "Where?" "What happened to the bell?" "There are those who know." "Do you?" "Perhaps." "Tell us!" "What became of the bell?" "Now wait." "Wait, my friends." "First I must have encouragement." "My friend, thank you." "Thank you." "Please." "Please?" "Please, my friend." "How can we believe a man with eyes as pale as yours?" "I am a Circassian." "I have the eyes of the north." "Please." "You have the cold look of a liar." "I come from Byzantium, my friend." "That is how I know about the bell." "And you?" "Take him." "You must not make this journey, my lord." "I must." "We are not sailors." "The ocean is not like the desert." "It was not meant to be crossed by us." "I have searched from the mountains to the sea." "Now I must know what lies beyond the horizon." "Understand?" "That is what I must do." "Then take me with you." "Your duties are here." "My duties are with my husband." "I can no longer sit and wish away the days as the other women do while you chase a legend, a fairy tale that has already cost us dearly in lives and gold." "I am your wife, my lord." "Without your affection, I wither and die." "How long am I to be denied your attentions?" "How long must I endure your abstinence from pleasure?" "Until Allah's divine guidance leads me to the treasures of Islam." "That bell is made of pure gold." "Stolen by the Christian armies when they plundered their way across our cities to the dishonor and humiliation of our ancestors." "It was no fairy tale." "Then neither is your appetite for power." "Do not say that again, Aminah." "The bell does exist." "Somewhere in this world, it rests in a Christian land." "So do the pyramids." "And the Gardens of Babylon exist." "Where will you stop, my husband?" "When I have found it." "We have a stranger from the market." "He was talking of the Mother of Voices." "Take him to the tower." "I'm afraid that-- l'm afraid there's some grave error, sir." "I am informed that you know the whereabouts of a golden bell the one people call the Mother of Voices." "I see." "Then, that must be the mistake." "No." "No, no, I only know the legend." "So do l. l want to know the truth." "But there is no truth." "I was trying to earn enough for food and shelter." "No more than that, I swear." "But you know there are always dreamers who will believe anything." "I am no dreamer, Circassian." "As you shall see." "The bell, Circassian." "Please, let me explain, my lord." "I am not a Circassian." "I'm from the north." "A Norseman." "I'm a Viking." "I was shipwrecked. I'm simply trying to get back to my homeland." "You're lying." "No, my lord, I'm not ly" "What's that?" "The bell, Circassian." "I know nothing about the bell." "Out in the market I was lying, believe me." "l do not believe you." "l know nothing but stories and legends." "I picked them up in Sicily, Castile, everywhere." "l don't believe that the bell eXists" "Stop lying!" "This always happens!" "I tell the truth, nobody believes me." "l lie, everybody believes me." "Raschid?" "What are you gonna--?" "Now, wait." "Now, wait a minute!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Wait a minute!" "All right!" "All right, my lord." "I'll tell you what I know." "Everything I know." "Thank you." "Well...." "You see...." "We were on our way south, on a raiding voyage." "It'd been a hard month, it'd been blowing for days on end." "And when we did find calm water it was only along with fog, my lord." "A thick, dense fog." "And...." "And then...." "And then?" "And then" "He knew, Raschid." "Did he tell you his name?" "No, my lord." "He was nothing." "A sailor, a dreamer." "A Norseman!" "A Viking." "Stroke!" "Stroke!" "Stroke!" "A waste of good timber and pitch." "I never thought we'd build a fighting ship for old Slyguts to burn on." "At least our village won't be so poor for a while." "Father, she's beautiful!" "Like she's alive!" "Less enthusiasm, or he'll raise the price." "Krok, is she strong enough to sail a dead king?" "My people have never built a better ship, my liege." "Never in all our history of shipbuilding." "She could sail to the end of the world." "It is a pity that she will never fight but is only to be burned." "For my funeral?" "I know what you really think...." "You wish I was already laid out on it." "My funeral sail aflame drifting my soul to Valhalla." "And drifting me out of your sight." "Sire, nothing could be further from my mind!" "You will surely outlive me." "l'll see to that, Krok." "Faster!" "Stroke!" "Stroke!" "They'll never be able to stop." "Now comes the true test." "Now!" "Well, my lord Harald?" "Did you ever see a finer ship?" "My men were handling her, don't forget." "But the ship is good." "I have spent everything I had building her." "On the question of payment...." "Not so fast." "First, I must get my shipmaster's report." "How is she, Sven?" "The best I've handled." "l'd trade my place in Valhalla to sail her." "Don't be so eager for Valhalla." "Prepare for sailing home." "Sire." "I, Harald, king of Norseland, take this ship!" "They play like children." "In my day, they were real Vikings." "The days of the long ships and the tall men." "Now they are merely potbellied swillers of ale!" "No!" "That's right, my liege, times have changed." "More ale, wench." "There's no more ale!" "What will we do?" "There isn't any more!" "They're screaming for ale!" "Rhykka!" "Rhykka!" "Go back to your cooking fires." "There's no more ale." "We're finished." "Speak for yourself." "They haven't made the bargain yet." "Well, go and get the reserve barrels!" "There is no more ale!" "Get out!" "Stop it!" "Get out!" "You seem to be running out of ale." "More ale, my girl!" "Quickly." "Orm, my boy, see what's holding up the ale." "That's enough!" "Get out!" "Vahlin, we need more ale." "No more credit." "We must have more." "Money." "We'll pay, I swear." "No money, no ale." "You miserable goat!" "What is this?" "Get some more ale in there." "Go on, tell him." "A man has to look to his own." "No payment, no ale." "You dare stand there before your lawful thane and...." "How much?" "Twelve gold pieces." "l don't want to do this, but" "My badge." "It's worth 1 00 times your miserable 1 2 pieces." "Take it." "Until the king pays me." "I don't want to" "Come on, get these barrels open." "All is well, my liege, plenty of ale." "Would you like some more, sire?" "No, thank you, Orm." "Your youngest is nearly a man." "Time for him to leave the women and children and join his brother wherever he may be." "Rolfe, my son." "Why, he's plundering the towns and villages along the coasts of Barbary." "He's a true Viking." "They'll be singing sagas about him for ages to come." "Enough of him." "Now to the business of my funeral ship." "And the matter of payment." "A trifling matter." "Silence!" "Silence!" "Ale!" "Ale for everyone." "Let your drinking horns be filled, my friends." "Let us drain them to His Majesty King Harald, and his new long ship his funeral ship when the day arrives." "And may that day be far in the future." "Thank you, friend Krok." "Even if you weren't completely sincere." "Sven?" "Two gold pieces." "The difference between the ship's price and the two years' tribute you owe me." "But, my lord, I told you." "You agreed to wait for the tribute." "The ship is another matter." "lt was another matter." "The matter is now closed." "We sail the day after tomorrow." "Where are you going?" "To get some air..." "...not filled with a stink of treachery." "Let me come." "Not now, Ylva. I'm not fit company for anyone right now." "Why, Odin?" "What did we do that you turn your rage against us and ruin my father?" "I have no rage against you." "Let's go in the smokehouse, it's warm in there." "I'll make you forget Odin's rage." "And even the king's daughter." "Leave me alone!" "Orm, don't go any further." "Come back!" "There are trolls and devils from the sea!" "Then go back!" "Before these devils grab you and pull you down to the bottom of the sea." "Orm, come back." "This is where Ragnath was taken by the sea trolls and" "It's a devil, all right!" "I told you!" "It's a trick. lt's a devil's trick." "Don't touch him, Orm." "Please don't!" "Give me a hand, woman." "Come on, give me a hand." "Take his arm." "We've got to get the seawater out of him." "You must learn the Northern Sea is for sailing on, not for drinking." "Now heave ho." "Up and out with it." "That's it." "Get some sacks, rub some warmth into him." "The poor devil's half frozen." "Rolfe!" "By all the gods of Valhalla!" "My brother Rolfe." "Hello." "I've swallowed the ocean." "I got half the fjord in my guts." "What happened?" "Where did you come from?" "The last I remember I was in the water." "The Irish pounding at me with their oars." "And your ship?" "What happened to your ship?" "Your ship, Rolfe." "My throat's caked with salt." "Get me some ale." "Get him some ale." "Lots of ale." "Bring some warm clothes and something to eat." "Tell no one, eh?" "Then this must be the old smokehouse." "Now I know I'm home." "There's nothing broken but my hide." "That'll soon mend." "Rolfe, where's the ship?" "l left it some distance away." "How have you managed these past two years?" "Father gave you a ship to bring back gold." "What happened to it?" "It's good to be home again." "How's the fishing been?" "Can't you ever give a straight answer?" "Rolfe, where is the ship?" "Where all good ships go, dear brother." "You lost her." "Ships sink." "What can you do about it?" "Get another ship." "What happened to the crew?" "Well, that's quite a long story." "I'll have to tell you about that later." "That ship cost Father the tribute money he owed the king." "You've ruined him." "You know I'm beginning to think no one's very happy I came home again." "You good-for-nothing salmon louse!" "Father!" "Father, control yourself, will you?" "Hell-spawn!" "Now, control your" "Father, the gods have sent me home to you!" "I should have you spitted to a herring trap." "Between high water and low!" "You've ruined me!" "Father!" "Oh, my head!" "Orm, my son, see if those thirsty rats have left a drop of ale." "My mouth feels as if a she-cat had littered in it." "Please, listen to me." "I want to eXplain-- l'm not going to listen to you!" "I'm a ruined man." "An old, broken, ruined man." "Because of you." "Now, Father." "Ship, crew and the loot of Barbary lost at the bottom of the sea." "Yet you manage to return." "l had to return." "Why?" "To disgrace me?" "To shame me in front of Harald?" "I had to come back." "Why?" "Because I need another ship." "What?" "Another ship?" "!" "Another ship and another crew." "By the gods!" "Hear me out." "l've heard enough!" "Listen for one moment." "Remember when Orm and I were boys?" "We'd creep in to listen to the storytellers." "What's that to do with it?" "There was a girl." "A dark-skinned girl who used to sing for you, remember?" "Yeah, I remember." "Yeah." "A girl from Egypt." "That's right." "We brought her back with us after a winter expedition." "Yasmin." "Yasmin." "Skin like honey." "She used to tell one story we especially loved." "The story of the bell." "Right, the Mother of Voices." "l remember." "The great golden bell." "Cast long ago by the monks of Byzantium." "A treasure lost for centuries." "The richest prize in all the world, Father." "That's why I've returned for a new ship." "What?" "!" "I've found the bell." "You found it?" "Yes, Father." "l don't believe you." "l found it." "Nothing else would've brought me back after losing my ship." "You're lying!" "l'm not!" "The girl was just repeating some old legend." "I tell you I've found it." "I've heard it. I've seen it." "You've seen it?" "Yes." "Where?" "What?" "Where have you seen it?" "Many leagues to the south." "In Moorish Barbary." "You see, we'd been running before a storm when we ran into fog." "And then through the mist, we heard it." "Booming away like a god's hammer on a mountain of ice." "The bell of Byzantium." "How did you know it was the bell?" "How could you be sure?" "lt had to be. lt could be nothing else." "l don't believe you." "Wait." "He might be telling the truth." "No, he's a liar!" "Always has been a liar, always will be a liar!" "That's the way it goes." "The truth, nobody ever believes me." "But this time, Father..." "..." "I think you'll have to believe me." "Why?" "A thane whose entire fortune consists of two gold pieces must believe in the offer of a bell of solid gold." "Solid gold?" "Solid gold." "As tall as three tall men." "Three tall men?" "Yes." "I swear to you by all the gods, I'm telling the truth." "Don't swear by the gods." "They have deserted me." "But I know the bell exists." "I can get it for you." "All I need is a ship." "But how can a thane with only two gold pieces find or even equip another ship?" "I can arrange all that." "Because of you, I have nothing left." "Yes, you do." "You do have something." "You have the finest ship in the North." "Not that ship!" "That's the king's ship!" "It's your ship." "It was built by your men." "lt's King Harald's ship!" "He practically stole it!" "But he paid for it." "Harald cheated you." "It's still your ship." "He speaks the truth." "But what about a crew?" "Getting a crew will be no problem." "One whisper of a golden bell and you could fill 1 00 ships." "Right." "They may not be as credulous as I am." "Now, you just leave the crew to us." "And the king?" "And leave him to us." "He'll hang me." "He won't hang you." "He'll hang no one." "He'll harm no one." "We'll take a hostage...." "The forward stay is slack." "Tighten it." "Check those barrels." "Good evening, shipmaster." "What do you want?" "King Harald ordered us to bring you ale." "King Harald?" "Just to whet your whistles before you sail." "All right." "Right, bring them aboard." "You all right?" "l wish it were anyone but Gerda." "No one else will do." "Go ahead." "Rolfe?" "You're telling the truth about the bell and not just trying to get another ship?" "You have my word." "That's what worries me." "Good luck." "Right, girls, down to the kitchen before it gets cold." "All ready to go?" "We sail at first light." "Not before?" "Everything's ready." "That's all I wanted to know." "Fire!" "There he is!" "Stop him!" "Get him!" "The haystacks are on fire!" "Fire!" "Shove off!" "Shove off, you split-bellies!" "Strike!" "Get to the boats!" "Hurry!" "After them!" "They've broken the oars!" "Get Sven!" "They've taken him, sire." "Then follow in the other ships!" "But they've smashed the oars." "They've stolen my ship!" "Your sons!" "I know, my lord. lt was at my command." "Where did they go?" "Where?" "!" "Answer me!" "I'll scour the seas until I find them." "Then I'll hang them." "This I swear by Odin!" "And I pray that Odin will protect them." "Pray for yourself, old man." "Guards, take him." "Hang him from the tower." "You won't hang me, my lord." "My sons have taken your daughter as a hostage, my lord." "Gather all my long ships." "Make ready to sail!" "Let's see you work, you wilted buttercups." "You've been ashore too long." "You're as weak as old men." "Strike, ho." "Strike, ho." "Strike, ho." "Vikings!" "Subjects of King Harald!" "I order you to turn back." "This man has tricked you." "You're all traitors!" "Row, you devils!" "I command you to turn back." "Or you'll be hanged in the king's name." "I said, row!" "Sven's right." "You're all traitors!" "Now row." "And you." "A black sail!" "We're all doomed!" "Steady." "Steady!" "Listen to me." "You're behaving like hysterical old women." "We're going to die!" "For doomed men, you all look remarkably healthy." "So the black sail makes it the king's funeral ship." "What of it?" "Yesterday you greedy devils begged to sail with me." "To find the bell." "Half the gold in all the world in one piece." "And not one man will live to see it." "This is a funeral ship." "A death ship." "No one sails in her but ghosts." "If you want to see your wives and children again, turn back." "Turn back now." "The black sail means the ship is cursed." "And every man aboard her." "Stories for old women." "Legends to frighten children into nightmares." "As true as your dream of a golden bell." "So you really think the ship is cursed, Sven?" "But we sailors are practical men, aren't we?" "Then you tell us, Sven." "You tell us how to lift the curse." "There's only one way." "And what is that one way?" "To sacrifice a maiden." "A maiden must die." "A maiden must die!" "So be it." "No, Rolfe!" "Rolfe, stop!" "Sweet dreams." "Almighty Odin, almighty Thor accept this maiden whom we are about to sacrifice." "Give us fair winds and a prosperous voyage in return for her young life." "Lift thy curse." "To Odin!" "Stay back!" "The gods deny your eyes." "The curse is lifted." "You satisfied?" "Who was that girl?" "Just a poor wench." "You satisfied, or would you prefer a long swim to shore?" "No. I'll stay." "lt's a pity to waste a good seaman." "l could do with your skill." "What about these?" "I'll have those off. ln return for your word that you'll not try anything again." "And Olla?" "All I need is his word." "You have it." "Fine." "And you have mine too." "But I warn you, I'll live for the day I see you hanged." "Well, now, that seems a fair bargain." "Erik, release them." "Wait, don't leave me here rowing alone." "Why?" "Look at my hands, they're raw." "I'm not used to this life." "You should have stayed at home." "l wish I had done." "And so will many of us, friend Vahlin, before this voyage is over." "You don't feel so well?" "l'm finished with you, Rolfe." "Come here." "What for?" "Come on." "Go ahead." "Go on." "Gerda!" "She's alive!" "Seems to be." "My father will hang you for this" "Now bite on that before those bearded doves hear you." "You didn't kill her." "I killed a sheep." "My foot under the royal rump and she was below hatches in a twinkle." "But if they find out she's still alive, that'll be the end of us." "And you." "So stay out of sight and be quiet." "Get her something to eat." "Okay." "Rolfe." "Thanks." "My pleasure." "I'm used to our cold Northern Seas, but this warm fog clings to my flesh." "lt's nothing to worry about." "l can't see anything." "No wind." "Why did the wind die down all of a sudden?" "Blister your hides, row!" "Keep them at it, Rhykka." "Back to your places!" "The edge of the world!" "We're doomed!" "We're all gonna die!" "We're doomed!" "Orm?" "Gerda!" "l'm frightened, Orm." "The girl!" "The sacrifice, back from the dead!" "Kill him and the woman before he drags us to our doom." "Not the girl, she's King Harald's daughter." "But kill him." "Rolfe, the bell!" "The bell." "Where is it?" "There!" "I see it!" "There!" "We found it!" "Hear me!" "Hear me, my brothers!" "You see, we're alive." "Even though the woman is still aboard." "We've found the bell!" "And tomorrow, by the hammer of Thor we take it!" "Hard over." "Hard over!" "Get to your oars!" "Come on, move!" "Well, there's an end to the golden bell." "And we were so close." "Where are we, anyway?" "Somewhere on the Moorish coast." "See if you can get them moving." "We have a lot of work to do." "Come on, up." "We've got a ship to repair, come on." "Move." "Move, come on." "Move." "Come on, get up." "Get up there." "Come on, everybody up." "Someday, somehow, I'm gonna make up for all this misery I've caused you." "It's all right, Orm, at least we're still alive." "Well." "You seem to be both in good condition." "You all right?" "We need your help." "And, princess, I think you'd better" "You brought us to this." "May the trolls and sea devils drag you down to hell." "First you offered King Harald's daughter as a sacrifice to lift the curse." "Then you invoked the sea gods and tricked us." "You can't lie to the gods." "They sent the maelstrom." "It was there." "It had nothing to do with any gods." "We should've cut his throat when we had the chance." "You have the chance now, you fat-gutted rat." "Why don't you take it?" "Down, everybody down!" "Two lines!" "Form two lines!" "Hurry!" "All right, down low!" "Hold it." "Wait." "Now!" "Now!" "Set the steel!" "Set the steel!" "Pull up!" "Set the steel!" "Hurry it up!" "Hold it." "Save your cheering, get back to work." "Were they the Moorish?" "That they were." "And they don't like giving up." "Neither do we." "We didn't." "Move the wounded back to the ship." "You all right?" "Yes." "You're hurt." "lt's nothing." "What is it?" "l don't know." "Gather up your weapons." "Look." "They're back." "Get ready!" "Form a line!" "Keep low." "No defense." "What do you mean, no defense?" "No defense!" "l thought you said we didn't give up." "There are too many of them." "I said no defense." "Move!" "Move!" "Move!" "Oh, no." "Welcome again, Norseman." "You'd wonder how they go to sea in that." "They don't go in a real sea." "She'll founder in a light breeze." "Well where are we?" "Civilization." "You wouldn't understand that." "Take him to the tower." "That one." "Seventy of them." "Only one woman between them." "We're 20 wives and only one husband." "lt's not fair." "Why did you come back, Viking?" "I missed you." "You came back for the bell." "I did?" "Where is it?" "l don't know." "You're lying!" "Well, now, that's for you to decide, isn't it?" "Forgive the intrusion." "How good it is, Norseman, to have you once again as my guest." "I wish I could say the same, my lord." "I have made some small changes to the room." "I hope you approve." "Yes, they do make a difference, don't they?" "Now let us discuss the bell." "First, I'd like to know what you're going to do with my people." "Well, since you are the only one of importance to me they, of course, will be sold as slaves which is what we customarily do with our prisoners." "The bell." "You seem to have me at a disadvantage again, my lord." "Even so, I am afraid it will do you no good." "I have no more patience with you, savage." "Now speak up." "I can tell you nothing." "Please, please, my lord." "We sailed in violent storms, blown many leagues off our course." "I have no idea how to find your bell." "Perhaps a hundred lashes will give you an idea." "Even if I knew the course, you'd never get there." "Why not?" "I have a ship." "Your ship?" "Forgive me, my lord." "I don't mean to be critical, but you Moors don't make very good sailors." "For the last time, Norseman where is the bell?" "I don't know." "Enough." "Come with me." "Girls." "About that Viking girl...." "You mean the savage who calls herself a princess?" "l ordered her not to be sold." "Why?" "I want to know what she knows about the bell." "Prepare her to come to me tonight." "That dirty animal?" "She's a barbarian fit only to tend pigs." "Jealousy becomes you." "Jealous, my lord?" "How can you think that?" "This means you have learned nothing from the Viking." "He is stronger than you thought." "Perhaps not." "So you have failed with him again." "You were unable to make a single Viking talk." "So you choose to conquer a savage girl." "With fire in your cheeks you are lovely but watch your tongue before you find yourself a slave, whipped and sold." "That may be better than the loneliness of weeks and months without love or affection." "It will be better soon and when this is behind us, you shall have everything." "You shall be the most envied woman in all Islam." "I promise." "I only want to share my life with you again." "Like when we were children." "A little laughter, a tender word or two." "An imaginary trip to Damascus on a magic carpet." "Remember, my lord?" "We never found the carpet that could fly did we?" "Be patient, Aminah and we shall share the greatest prize on earth." "Let me deal with the girl, my lord." "I will get from her whatever she knows." "Let me help you." "No." "I shall attend to it myself." "Now go and prepare her." "Don't be afraid." "Look, the Viking girl." "She's beautiful." "Fair skin." "Attention." "There'll be freedom the best of food and wine women...." "All this to the man who tells where the bell is to be found." "Speak up." "A helmet full of gold from my lord Aly Mansuh." "We" " We heard something" "Take him away." "No, leave me alone." "I don't know anything." "No, no, I tell you, I don't!" "Bite through these." "Where's Rolfe?" "Gone to make a bargain." "Not Rolfe." "You saw how they beat him." "He said nothing." "He's had time to think." "He'll get out, and we should too." "You'll never get beyond the palace." "Look" "We have two choices." "To get out or stay here and rot." "l say we should wait for Rolfe." "l say we should see what he's doing." "What are you looking for?" "You wouldn't have your husband hidden here, would you?" "We are quite alone." "We are?" "Well, that's good." "Well what can I do for you, my lady?" "l would like to do something for you." "You would?" "And what would that be?" "I can offer you and your comrades the chance to live and to sail from these shores as rich men." "What do you say?" "Just name your price." "Who spoke of a price?" "Who gives anything without one?" "I only want the bell." "You too." "No, I'm afraid I can't help you, my lady." "You disappoint me." "Why?" "You don't think I would speak without full knowledge, do you?" "The bell, Viking." "The bell which lies near the Pillars of Hercules." "From the description, it can be no other place." "What description?" "The man Vahlin talked." "Oh, did he?" "Did he, now?" "Well, I don't know anything about the Pillars of Hercules, you call it?" "But if you know where this bell is why don't you and your husband get it?" "Because my husband needs your skill, your Viking seamanship." "We are invincible in this desert." "On the high seas we are as children." "You are seafarers." "We are landsmen." "It is as simple as that." "I see." "So what are you offering me?" "A ship and your own men to man it." "A Moorish ship?" "What else?" "I'd as soon go to sea in a fish basket." "To get through the maelstrom that guards the" "And you didn't know about the bell?" "All right." "Anyway, you need a real ship." "A Moorish galley would never make it." "You must try." "No, it's impossible, absolutely" "Well, I have an idea." "My own ship lies beached down there on the coast." "She got through rough waters once." "Let me repair her and she'll do it again." "How long would you take?" "Not long." "Just a few days, given the timber and my crew." "I'd like to ask you something, my lady." "In whose name are you making this offer?" "Your husband, or yourself?" "I speak for both, my husband and myself." "I see." "And why should he leave such a delicate problem to you?" "Because tonight he is occupied." "They told me you tried to scratch your cheeks with your nails." "That would have been a crime." "You are beautiful, and they have prepared you well." "I can see now that you possibly are the daughter of a king." "Touch me and my father will burn your city to the ground." "You are trembling." "Are you afraid?" "Where are we?" "By the smell, it must be the harem." "We won't find Sven in there." "No, but we might find Gerda." "Quiet!" "Where's that Northern girl?" "Tell me or I'll cut your head off." "She's with my lord." "Where?" "The door at the end of the passage." "Vikings!" "I shall hang every man of them from the city walls and leave them for the kites and jackals!" "Where is the Lady Aminah?" "Orgy!" "Orgy!" "Where is he?" "Who, my lord?" "The barbarian was with you." "l had him brought to me." "On whose authority?" "You weary me with such questions." "While you were busy with your snow princess I arranged for the barbarian to lead us to the bell." "What are those arrangements?" "All in good time, my lord." "I must see your master." "Where is Aly Mansuh?" "Where is Aly Mansuh?" "I must speak to him!" "I shall wait upon you later, my lady." "If ever we had children, my lady what princely liars they would be." "You must go now." "All right." "No, this way." "Thief!" "Thief!" "Barbarian!" "Aminah." "You shall pay for this insult to me." "You shall ride the Mare of Steel." "Well, Viking, you take it bravely." "Well, I have little choice." "You have not seen it at work before?" "Fortunately, no." "Had you done so, I promise that you would not be prepared to die so calmly." "My lord I assure you, I am anything but calm." "I shall arrange a demonstration." "My lord." "Please." "Not one of my men." "Never fear. I need them." "They have work to do." "I will show you how a Moor can die." "You Vikings are eternally boasting of your courage." "I shall give you an example of real courage that comes from authority." "My authority." "Aminah, select me a man." "One of my guards." "He must ride the Mare of Steel before the Viking." "Aminah?" "You believe in Allah?" "Go, then." "Your turn, Viking." "My lord!" "I hope you realize this revenge of yours will lose you the bell." "You need more than just a Viking ship and crew!" "You need a navigator!" "You need me!" "But I have a Viking navigator." "A man in every way as skilled as yourself." "The sailing master to King Harald of Norseland." "He will lead your crew." "The Vikings don't go without Rolfe." "Aye!" "Then you shall be next." "We go together." "To the ship or to the Mare of Steel." "That's right." "No, Orm!" "Either you live or we die together." "Then the bell will be gone forever." "Then we shall take the Viking girl." "And if you play me false in any way she shall be the first to feel the kiss of steel." "Come on!" "Make him move!" "All right." "Now, let's see you work." "Come on, get your backs into it." "Get those ropes stowed away." "Come on, move." "I said, move!" "Go ahead." "But then who would find your precious bell?" "On whose side do you fight?" "l obey orders." "Then let the work continue." "We sail tomorrow." "And may Allah send us a fair wind and a calm sea." "And may Thor do the same, my lord." "All right!" "Back to work!" "All of you!" "You seem to have divided loyalties, Sven." "My loyalties are to the king, his daughter and his ship." "That sounds very honorable but how does that fit in with your arrangements with Mansuh?" "As long as he looks for the bell, the ship and girl are safe." "I see." "And what are your plans for me?" "King Harald must decide." "So until he finds us, we fight the same battle?" "We do." "That is, of course, if he ever does find us." "He will." "What are they doing?" "We're nearing the maelstrom." "Steady." "Steady." "Steady." "Get ready." "Hold her firm." "Now!" "There!" "There it is!" "Both of you go forward." "Steady as she goes." "Steady." "Stand by the ship oars." "A great, golden bell." "It's the dome." "The whole dome is the bell!" "Orm!" "Now tie that on." "Right." "Steady there on the chains." "Stretch it out, back that way." "Ready?" "All right, heave." "Heave!" "More!" "Now hold it." "Now move it to the right." "Gently." "Ease it up!" "Just make sure the bell gets down safely." "Move it to the right." "Watch it!" "Well, that was the quick way to get it down." "Tie off that far line." "Orm, see that all lines are secure." "What is it?" "Mansuh has ordered me to be ready to sail within the hour." "Then Harald's ships never sailed." "They must have sailed." "Then where are they?" "Well, there's nothing we can do but return to the city." "And we can't try anything on the way back or we'll lose everything." "including ourselves." "And what happens when we return to the city and Mansuh no longer needs us?" "I don't know." "Civilization again." "You can keep it." "Give me the hills and fjords of Scandia." "You won't see them again." "Why not?" "We're bringing back Aly Mansuh and the bell safely." "The only reward we're ever likely to get is a ride on a Mare of Steel." "lt's so quiet." "l know." "And there's something missing." "What?" "Their weapons." "Now?" "No." "Wait." "My lord, the long ships!" "Beware of the long ships!" "Beware of the long ships!" "My lord, the long ships came in the night." "We could do nothing to warn you." "Aminah." "I would like to say...." "Cut the bonds!" "Allah!" "Vikings!" "Gerda!" "The king's orders." "You're too old to fight!" "Too old?" "Get out of my way!" "Vahlin!" "I owe you some money." "lt's nothing, sir." "Always pay your debts." "Makes you sleep better." "Thank you." "A wonderful rule, sir." "Naturally, I expect my friends to pay their debts too." "Come on!" "l've got it here, sir." "If you only knew what I've been through, sir. 1 2 gold pieces, remember?" "Well, Viking my vow has been accomplished." "We have found the bell." "Welcome, Father." "Rolfe, my son." "You see?" "I wasn't lying." "I sailed in my long ships to find you, Rolfe, and to hang you." "Yes, sire." "However, as my daughter is safe and my ship is still afloat...." "And as we have found the greatest prize in all the world in which you, of course, will share, my sire." "Then...." "Then?" "Then come here." "Sire, I'd like to ask you something." "Yes?" "Have you ever heard of the three crowns of the saxon kings?" "No." "It seems that one of the crowns was adorned with a great jewel." "A diamond as big as a gull's egg." "The three crowns have been lost for many years but I feel, sire, that if we organized a proper expedition it would be quite possible to find them."