"If a man or a woman spends their whole life pleasing others, then they're not living at all." "It must be very liberating to think like that." "She is Beowulf's." "We don't choose who we love." "But we can choose who we make our way through this world with." "They can't take it away from you now, Rheda." "With this marriage, you are Jarl." "Remember, before man came to the Shieldlands, the only living things here were the Mudborn." "All with black blood, all born from this land's dark dirt." "I hear the Warig are causing your father some concern." "He fears they may be rising again." "There's a prophet moving through the icelands, stirring them up." "The days of peace are over." "This ends here!" " Yah!" " There!" "On the left!" "Two of them!" " Yah!" " Get them!" "We've lost them." "See if you can pick up their tracks." "Good boy." "Scout upstream." "I've never seen them this close to Herot." "Warig!" "Help!" "Behind you!" "_" "_" " Help!" "Please!" " Come on." "Gil, wait." " Maybe we can question it." " All right." "Your friend... he gave his life for me." "They attacked you?" "I've been their captive for weeks." "You'd better come back with us to Herot." "Under our protection." " Where have you been?" " Washing." "You should try it sometime." "I'll have you know I have a bath every other summer." "I believe you." "For that you're gonna have to go back in the lake." "Put me down or I will cause you pain!" "You would too." "There's no taming you, is there?" " No." " Then I'll take you as you are." "You, my friend, don't know who I am." "I will." "Put it over there, will you?" "Set it down." "Up." "I'll be back before dark." "Tell Vishka I'll come see her." "All right?" "I'm not an expert on fortification, but I imagine you'll need gates as well as a wall?" "I told her not to go alone." "She can take care of herself." "The men are out patrolling the forest for a reason." "Kela." "Sorry." "I didn't mean to intrude." "Leave us." "This is your chamber." "You should sleep here." "Your virtue will be quite safe, I promise." "Are they looking after you?" "I rise and I'm dressed, I sit and I'm fed," "I'm thirsty and I'm brought water or wine." "Then I sit, I sew, I'm fed again, I'm dressed and put back to bed." "I feel like a doll." "I could ask Varr to find some entertainment for you." "No." "His idea of entertainment is a lecture." "On the economics of the iron trade." "He gave me the same one." "You promised me you'd take a Huskarla." " Are you telling me off?" " No, I..." "Not really." "I..." "You said you were going to a homestead." "Where are you going?" "What's this for?" "The beast you wounded at the giant ruins." "You're feeding it?" "It tried to kill you." " It's a Mudborn!" " It's never harmed me." "You've been here before?" "All living things, human or otherwise, are tied together, connected." " Who told you that?" " My father." " Then he was wrong." " That's what they told him." "Right before they hanged him from an oak tree." "Elvina!" "Wait!" "Elvina!" "Elvina!" "_" "_" "Why bring us to Hock?" "What do they want?" "To toy with us." "Before they kill us." "Your father." "What happened to him?" "He was a healer." "Taught me everything I know." "He thought everyone deserved help, even Mudborn." "The Banning found out he'd been tending to some sick Warig." "They hanged him for helping them." "I'm sorry." "If you'd been there that day, would you have been sorry?" "Or would you have placed the noose around his neck?" "I had a wife." "A son." "Some slaves escaped from a neighbouring village close to where we lived." "They needed men to hunt them down so I joined them." "But a few got away from us." "Circled back." "All that was left was ashes." "The Banning were wrong to hang your father." "But he was wrong to ever think we could live at peace with the Mudborn." "Those slaves were Warig." "What are they bringing that thing here for?" "Take our fallen brother to be prepared for his last journey." "Keep an eye on the Warig." "Give it some justice!" "Smash his head in!" " Send it back!" " Get it out of here!" "Get back!" "_" "The black blood that flows through their veins binds all the Mudborn." "Get up." "Get up!" "Where did you find it?" "With two others in the woods to the east." "They killed one of our men." " You." "Do you have a name?" " Razzak." "The most well-known of all spice traders in the Gulf of Aseeia." "Is Aseeia known for its spices?" "No." "Not really, no." "I think I'm the only one." "The Warig held him captive." "For ten days, maybe more." "Have you ever tried to have an intelligent conversation with a Warig?" "You speak their language." "Well, I study quickly when my life's on the line." "Did they talk of a prophet called Redtongue?" "What have you heard of him?" "This is my hall." "You won't mind if I ask the questions," "Razzak, the only spice trader of Aseeia?" "They did speak of a prophet, yes." "A monster among monsters." "They said he drinks red blood from humans." "They also told of a Skinshifter here in Herot." "You will help question this Warig?" "Anything I can do to be of service." "Perhaps, then, you can tell me more of your time as their captive." "That would be my great pleasure, Rheda..." "Thane of Herot." "Watch him!" "Talk, scum!" "I have to find Beowulf." "Give the blood money to your mother." "That money was paid in exchange for your life, Breca." "Give it to me yourself." "He knows what he did was wrong." "Where's Beowulf?" "Should have let me out this morning." "Might not be pleased to see you." "What?" "He might kill me?" "Might." "Why take the risk?" "I just returned from Bregan." "Abrecan plans to overthrow Rheda." "If Beowulf's not here, I'll have to tell her myself." "So you're gonna tell Rheda that her little brother has betrayed her?" "Good luck with that." "You know, Gerd, the more I know you, the more I understand why your wife beats you with that copper pot." "What do you think you're doing?" "Just going to talk to Rheda." "Perhaps you'd like me to have someone bring you something to drink" " while you chat?" " Some wine?" "Thank you." "Guards." "You're a murderer and a thief." "What are you even doing in Herot?" "I have important news." "What is important news in Breca's world?" "Are they giving away free mead at the tavern?" "Or have you found another widow to steal from?" "Perhaps you intend to try your luck with Rheda herself." "Enlighten me, what is this important news?" "I tell her myself or not at all." "Not at all, then." "Talk, Warig." "We can go all day." "_" "_" "What did it say?" "That you seem a little angry." " It will tell you nothing." " Right." "Well, I am angry." "You killed one of my best men!" "Dirt-licking Mudborn scum!" "_" "Where's the spice trader?" "I thought he was going to help us question him." "This is the Huskarla killed by the Warig?" "It's a tradition that the Huskarla commander prepare the bodies of his dead men." "So he never forgets the cost." "May I help?" "Your help would be welcome." "Yah!" "Yah!" "At the gathering I told you I'd have no part of these laws that you intend to force upon the tribes." "Then your people arrive at Banning." "Uninvited, without warning, and erect a giant log outside of my hall, Rheda!" "Covered in the same wretched laws that I quite clearly..." "Lagathorn." "Breathe." "You're going red." "Well, go on." "I take it you haven't finished." "A log, accompanied by a message from you, insisting that I publicly declare that these laws will be upheld by the Banning." "And?" "Why, Rheda?" "Please tell me." "What is the point in these laws?" "I'll do better." "I'll show you." " Where's Razzak?" " He's gone." "Slipped away while we were busy here." "These rags." "These are the Haji warband." "They live in the woods near Banning." "What are you doing here, you ugly runt?" "Huh?" "Why aren't you scared?" "Did you learn anything from it?" "Only that it has no fear." "Kill it." "If you want a fight, let me out of here!" "_" "Leave him." "No more." "You!" "Get us out of here!" "Where did these people come from?" "Who are they?" "_" "You know the Warig tongue?" "_" "Lower her cage." "Who are you?" "If you harm her, I will hunt you down!" "Why have you been feeding the beast?" "You put yourself in more danger by your silence." "Here." "Which do you care for most?" "The Red Blood or the beast?" "Take the blade." "Put it out of its misery." "And I'll let you and the one go." "Do it, Elvina." "Kill it!" "Why are you doing this?" "To know who you are." "Run!" " Beowulf, forgive me!" " Elvina!" "Let her go." "_" "You're a Skinshifter." "The prophet leading the Warig uprising." "And you, you are Beowulf." "Burner of Warig burial grounds." "It is good that you love death because you will have the time to savour your own." "So the Warig are on the warpath." "What does that have to do with the laws that set out the price of iron or give you the right to tax my people?" "Before there was a law setting the price of iron the miners were threatening to sell their ore elsewhere." "And with the taxes raised, we can build bridges, roads, easing trade and our defence." "These laws bind us together." "They make us stronger." "We owe this to our people." "Our cloaks are red for the blood we would spill to protect Herot as our brother here did." " Remember him." " We remember." "Who will take up our brother's spear?" "I will." "Who will take up our brother's blade?" "I will." "I will." "What's the problem between you and Gil?" "Gil?" "I think he's wrong." "We, as Huskarla, should be training the people to bear arms, to use real swords." "If you want your brothers to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with you on the battlefield, you must stand with them off it." "Your duty is to do as he asks." "Gil, come here." "I give you an order to train the people." "Brinni, go with him." "Lila." "You speak for the people on this matter of the Huskarla training?" " I do." " When do we start?" " We don't." " Why?" "You fight with your axes and knives." "Not swords." "None of you can stand against the likes of us in battle." " Even with training." " Your father's ancestors weren't born Huskarla." "They earned the right to wear the red cloak and sit at the high table by their bravery." "We're done." "Then we will refuse to forge your swords." " Really?" " I have to prioritise the work." "Fine." "Then we'll fix them ourselves." "I ever tell you I worked in a tavern?" "Lila..." "None of us could stand against the likes of you in battle?" "Give me five good barmaids, I could take an army of Huskarla." "Well?" "Are you the kind that gets bitter or the kind that gets on?" "Bring your people to the arena tomorrow." "We'll see what they're made of." "The more barmaids the better, hm?" "_" "The Defiler." "For you, Kragen." "_" "I'd welcome your help to drive the Red Bloods from these lands." "_" "I have seen Herot." "It is weak." "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "He wants to know if you have anything to say." "Only that if he breathes on me any longer, he won't have any use for that spear." "He understands." "Yeah, I got that." "_" "Argh!" "He says you'll burn, as you burned their dead priest and robbed this ground of all meaning as a holy place." "_" "_" "Say for a moment I buy what you're selling." "This risk of a Warig uprising..." "The Varni are banished, the Mere are ghost people and the rest are farmers." "I have to know I can rely on your support." "Should Herot come under threat we need your archers." "Your woodmen." "You have my word." "I'll send my warriors should Herot need them." "See, I still have the capacity to surprise you don't I, Rheda?" "Always." "Now you're waiting for the sting in the tail." "And you won't disappoint me." "I have your word?" "If..." "If I don't have to take the laws." "Take down your banner." "The Banning many have their own laws." "I'll drink to that." "I can always have another one made." "When the time is right." "_" "_" "No!" "No!" "No!" "No!" "Beowulf!" "Run!" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "_" "I am Razzak, son of Kathal, last of my line." "I am your saviour." "_" "See what the Defiler has done." "Beowulf has murdered your leader." "Kragen must be avenged." "We need to save this land." "Save it from the humans... who butchered your fathers and mothers." "And they will butcher their children." "That's why we'll defeat them!" "I am your prophet and together, we the Mudborn, will drive them from our lands!" "And take back what is ours!" "We are not ashamed of this dark earth that gave us life." "For the honour of those who came before us." "For the future of those who follow!" "What are you?" "Never come back to Herot." "You're dead to them." "You're dead to me." "Stay here." "You saw this Warig prophet?" "This Skinshifter?" "Razzak." "I was as close to him as I am to you." "He was here." "Why?" "To know our weaknesses before he tries to force us from these lands." "Was Elvina with you?" "Where is she?" "Elvina's dead." "How?" "Warig." "The people are scared enough." "We tell no-one of this." "Yet." "Breca..." "Just a precaution." "I don't want you killing me for coming back." "Put it down or I will." "I've had a bad day." "It's going to get worse." "Abrecan is going to attack Herot." "Abrecan would never betray me." "I heard him call for his people to attack Herot." "Prepare to fight our real enemy." "You are all here to learn to fight like Huskarla." "Rheda, you're riding straight into the arms of your enemy." "I've been hearing things." "About you." " Rumours." " Run." "It's killed a human." "We have to hunt it down." "Let's take it back." "Beowulf!" "He's going to kill it!"