"IRELAND" "The soft defeats the hard..." "as water hollows stone as the pen defeats the sword." "Remember that!" "They seem to have plenty of silver here on Ireland." "What shall we do with him?" "He's to young to endure the journey." "Kill him." "He's old enough to have seen too much." "Run!" "WHEN THE RAVEN FLIES" "ICELAND 20 YEARS LATER" "Merchants, what news from Norway?" "King Harald hasn't cut his hair yet." "He will, when he has all of Norway." "He will kill you, One by one." "One of his hired men killed Eriks father this winter." "So Harald has all the freedom fighters killed." "The old man should have followed his son Erik to Iceland." "He was with us on Ireland." "The Irish are more carefull now." "Taking slaves was easier 20 years ago, when the foster brothers escaped to Iceland." "They didn't escape, they were looking for new land!" "They wanted to be free men." "Is Thord expecting a guest?" "We've got someone with us from Norway seeking Thord." "That's him with the staff." "What does he want with Thord?" "He doesn't say." "But he wanted to go to Iceland at any cost." "One of Haralds hired men?" "He didn't carry any weapons besides the staff." "We shall soon see if he's armed." "What do you want with Thord?" "A heavy knife." "I asked what you wanted with Thord." "I've been asked to give him this silver." "Who asked you to do that?" "Bjorn!" "He said that Thord lost it and would pay to get it back." "Where did you meet Bjorn?" "That's between me and Thord." "Show me the way." "Who is Bjorn?" "He tricked Thord and Erik during a viking raid." "He dissapered with silver they'd taken on Ireland." "If this is the same silver..." "What do you know about him?" "Nothing, but he has asked alot about Erik and Thord." "What?" "How they live here on Iceland, how they manage." "He seems to know them." "I don't trust someone who answers with a new question." "The knife have to be heavy!" "I want the hides back." "You can see that they are fresh and in good condition." "Sombody's getting a beating." "If we do it now, They will soften and take anything we do to them later on." "Are you looking for this?" "Heavy knife." "Spare us!" "It's a large and barren country." "Now you're on your own." "Why are you helpig us?" "They attacked my father on Ireland." "Then there was no help." "Stay away from the shore!" "Thord." "I said i had some business with you." "Mother!" "Svarten is back all by himself!" "Father!" "Svarten came back alone!" "He came by himself?" "Yes, without a rider." "It is Svarten, I recognize him." "Is that blood on the horse?" "Who are you?" "Show Erik that piece of jewlery, and he will recieve me." "A guest out there." "I was supposed to give you this." "A guest..." "Who are you?" "I come from your father in Norway." "Why has he sent you?" "King HaraId has fallen." "Your father has been appointed jarl." "He wants you back in Norway." "He wants you to take over his business." "I asked why he sent you?" "When someone offers me silver, I won't say no even if the journey is long." "How did you get here?" "With the ones trading with Thord." "Have you met Thord?" "No." "His men lent me the horse so i could ride over here." "Can you prove you're telling the truth?" "Your father said;" ""Erik...always have the other half of the jewlery on him."" "He said you would reward me for this..." "In silver." "Come." "Lets drink beer." "I should be going to Thord." "First I will pay you." "When someone offers me silver, I don't say no." "They have been here, but the merchants have left." "Why didn't we meet them?" "We shouldn't have sent them alone." "Same old story..." "They stopped at Eriks and we rode past them." "And the blood on the horse..." "To Eriks." "You're a man of honour." "Why are you called a fox?" "How do you know that?" "It was said at your fathers." "When Thord and I was on a viking raid, they called me fox." "I am a fox." "What sort of fox?" "A cunning fox..." "Noone can trust me and I trust noone except my foster brother Thord." "No thank you." "You don't want to drink?" "You that recieved good news, you drink." "I have to go and see Thord." "No rush." "Yes, otherwise he won't think i exist." "What do you mean?" "If the message had gotten to you, from a stranger you've never seen would you have believed it?" "A fox like you won't belive until you've seen the man...and the proof." "Before I see the man, he doesn't exist." "I have to touch everything both things and people." "You exist...don't you?" "I have to get on." "Eat something first." "I'll send a man with you." "I got business with Thord myself." "You don't trust me?" "Why should I?" "I wouldn't either, if I was a fox." "Here you go." "That's Thords horse." "I'm certain." "Show Guest the road to Thord." "Don't let him out of your sight." "Do you recognize the knife?" "It's blood on it." "It belongs to one of Thords men." "How do you know that?" "I killed him." "Don't kill me!" "I recognize you." "You spared my life on ireland when I Was a child, so now I spare yours." "In exchange for you riding to Erik and tell him that Thord ambushed and killed me, but you escaped." "Ride to Erik and tell him that, and I will spare you." "He won't believe me!" "Show him the wound, and he'll believe." "Tell him I'm dead, and ride away." "I will kill them all." "I have searched many countries for you." "I have killed Eriks father, and Bjorn in Norway." "They shall all die, for Odin have given me the strength." "If you don't do as I said" "I will follow you like a shadow and cut you to food for the raven." "You heard the news." "Finally we can ride home." "What news?" "King HaraId has fallen." "We can leave this place." "The exodus is over!" "Who said that?" "Guest." "Didn't he tell you?" "Who is Guest?" "The man who came with the merchants." "He brought fathers jewlery." "You must have met him, he just rode over to you." "And he had your fathers jewlery?" "Show it to me!" "Father said, that if he sent me this jewlery, it means that he needs me." "What is that?" "He forgot the silver." "Who?" "Guest...that was so greedy." "Guest brought that?" "No, I was supposed to give it to him." "Where did you get it?" "I've had this silver since the viking raids." "Why do you ask?" "Don't you recognize it?" "It's the same coins that Bjorn dissapeared with!" "We've found the men..." "in the sheepfold!" "Guest..." "Do what I said!" "Why do you come back alone?" "They attacked us..." "Thord and his men ambushed us and killed Guest." "They wounded me." "You lie!" "I don't." "You lie." "Where is Guest?" "Guest is dead." "Tell me where he is, or I will kill you!" "Thord killed him!" "You lie about my foster brother!" "For that you will die!" "What have you done?" "He lied about you." "He said you killed Guest." "That I killed Guest?" "He said you ambushed them and killed Guest." "Why did he say that?" "I don't know!" "I would have liked to ask him." "But he lied about you!" "Weren't you too quick?" "You killed our only witness!" "He can't have made it far." "I will catch him!" "Come!" "He was on his way to you!" "Ejnar, don't go in there." "You can't play here!" "This is your fathers holy place." "Where are you, you joker?" "You're the best mother there is." "Mother, father is comming!" "Have you found the men?" "I'll tell you later." "Now we are alone with the gods." "Now we can talk." "I fought by your side against HaraId and left with you for this grim land." "We have always trusted eachother." "Guest wants us dead therefor we must stay together, or both die." "What do you mean?" "If we stay together, we are invincible." "Guest knows that." "That's why he tries to break us up." "But I don't know if he's one of Haralds men." "He said that HaraId is dead and I believed him when I saw fathers jewlery." "You must believe me!" "Believe me!" "I believe you." "But what will my men think?" "All eyes are on me." "Ride home and get the mens bodies and the silver!" "I will wait here." "Erik's going to get our men and the silver." "You brothers ride after them and watch what they do." "But stay out of sight." "The mens bodies were in Eriks sheepfold?" "Watch out!" "You have to do this very careful." "Guest stole the silver from Bjorn." "He probably followed him all the way to Rome." "Then he goes all the way to Iceland to put it on Eriks table." "Strange man who steals from the poor and gives to the rich." "I would like to meet him." "What says that it was Bjorn who got the silver?" "Wasn't it Erik?" "Find the merchants!" "Ask where Guest is and if Harald has fallen!" "Thord said they had left." "Do as I say!" "Have anyone seen Guest while I was gone?" "I don't know what he looks like." "I havn't seen him." "You have seen him." "I think so." "I didn't look very close." "Don't you understand the danger we're in?" "Three of Thords best men lie dead in our sheepfold!" "Ride!" "We must go, or we are finished!" "The horses are comming!" "A message from Erik." "Where is Erik?" "And the brothers you sent after him?" "You know, I will not betray my foster brother if I go back to Norway" "Our men has been killed in an ambush and the fox, Guest, has planted such mistrust between me and Thord that it will take a long time before the truth will come out." "We can't live on this barren rock any longer!" "Home in Norway..." "Where King Harald is dead and my father is jarl." "I'll share the silver with you" "if you come home with me." "Bring out your weapons!" "Arm yourselves!" "Now we shall se what you got!" "Why are you resorting to violence and who is the enemy?" "The one who killed my men." "Weapons will not heal friendship." "You are a christian!" "That is what's wrong with you." "How many more of us must Erik kill before you understand?" "What?" "What?" "What more are you waiting for?" "Don't you understand?" "His father, who is jarl, sends him the jewlery." "A jarl, under king harald." "Erik got the silver as pay!" "And now Erik plans to escape and join king Harald." "He has betrayed us!" "Ride!" "Any news?" "The merchants are up north." "They said they had a man with them who had business with Thord." "He rode off with the men found dead in the sheepfold." "What news from Norway?" "They said that your father and two of his men was killed by a stranger." "Believed to be one of Haralds men," "So Harald is alive?" "According to them." "Maybe Guest is one of Haralds men." "Don't say a word about this!" "We ride anyway!" "You see." "He's launching his boat." "He's going to escape." "I will attack from the other side." "You wait here for my sign." "Get him!" "Don't kill me!" "Get up, you rat!" "You are too stupid to die!" "Defend yourself, traitor, so you can die with honour!" "I havn't betrayed anyone." "I am innocent, you can take the silver." "You don't believe Guest exist." "That's just what he wants!" "But he do exist and when you find him your time is up as well!" "If you want me dead, foster brother at least be man enough to kill me yourself!" "Carry our men into the house, and put Erik in the temple." "Father, have you been in battle?" "Did you kill many?" "Is Erik dead?" "Get inside." "Save the strength of our weapons for victory." "With your help I saw through Eriks betreyal." "The fallen will go to Valhalla tomorrow." "Bring the wood!" "Erik will rest in the cave above the farm." "In the toomb I made for myself." "His grave shall bear witness that I kept my part of the brotherhood." "I shall honour your memory, even though your wicked mind got hold of you." "What is this?" "A hard to get treasure, nothing for children." "What is it?" "Silver I took from the terrible giants on Ireland." "Why were thy terrible?" "They spewed fire from two heads." "What did you do then?" "Cut them off and took the silver." "Did they die then?" "Are there much silver on Ireland?" "I will tell you another time." "You're going to sleep." "No, now." "Mother, did you know that father killed all the giants on Ireland?" "Take the gifts with you to Valhalla and know that your death makes me sad." "May this grave never be desecrated as long as I live" "Close up the cave!" "Well, brother..." "Now you're even richer and more powerful." "What do we offer the gods?" "What do you suggest?" "Your horse would please Odin." "It's already sanctified to Odin." "That is enough." "Don't you want to ride that horse?" "Yes, but I dare not." "Shall I do it for you?" "Then Thord will kill you." "I am his brother." "That won't help you." "I was there when he sanctified it to Odin and swore to kill anyone riding it without permission." "Thord can not deny me this." "I'll be in charge sooner then you think." "I thought little Ejnar's supposed to take over." "The son of that Irish whore, I'll put a stop to that!" "Never!" "If he could kill his foster brother, he can kill his brother" "He didn't want to sacrifice the horse." "The gods will take revenge." "What is going on here?" "He took the horse." "I told you we shouldn't capture him!" "He's going to revenge Erik." "It was Erik riding the horse." "Get me that horse!" "At any cost!" "Ride on!" "They will never catch you on that horse." "We've looked everywhere!" "It's like the earth swallowed them." "That horse was sanctified to you!" "Demand what sacrifice you want!" "Give me a sign!" "Father, look at all the ravens!" "What do you have there?" "The raven brought it." "Where did you find that?" "The raven brought it." "The raven brought it?" "Yes, it came flying with the hat." "Ejnar, come and eat!" "Is it from you?" "Yes, even my own son." "I wll sacrifice him if You demand it." "But how do I know it is Your will?" "Are you demanding my son?" "Give me a sign!" "I will obey..." "Have you seen anything?" "No." "Just the ravens refusing to leave the cliff." "They are Odins." "Has he sent them?" "Is he angy with me?" "." "I'll sleep in the guard cave tonight and wait for the horse to come home." "Or on a sign from the gods." "What kind of sign?" "They have spoken to me before." "Watch over our son tonight." "Take it easy." "I am your brother." "Don't you remember our trick, with the hat, back on Ireland?" "They killed father and mother and took you away." "Since then I've had only one thought, to find you." "I have searched many countries and now I find you here." "When revenge has been taken we return to Ireland." "Everything will be like before." "I was so scared!" "Don't be." "Everything that's happend is my work." "It will be over soon." "What?" "Revenge on those who killed our parents." "Are you going to kill Thord?" "Yes." "I have a child with Thord." "I can't do anything about that." "We will take him to Ireland." "He will not be like them." "Father used to say;" ""The soft shall defeat the hard."" "So I have lived all these years, and so I have raised the boy." "Like father raised us." "They will take him when he gets older and the he will become like them." "Look at the bloody logs." "I have turned them against the wall." "The will be terrified." "Everyone will fall." "But what if the revenge hurts the boy or me?" "I am never far away." "I see all that goes on here." "Just go out and wave if there is danger, and I will come." "Can I trust that?" "I am your brother." "That is why I am here." "They are getting angry." "They'll turn their backs on us and crush us" "If we don't give them the sacrifice they demand." "My son!" "What are you waiting for?" "Get everything ready!" "We'll carry the gods to the cliff and show the ravens of Odin that I am ready to sacrifice my son to please them." "What are you doing here?" "Odin has not demanded your son." "Stay away." "You are a christian." "Maybe that's the reason they ask for the child I have with you." "The gods haven't turned themselves agains the wall!" "He did it!" "Who?" "Guest." "He came here last night and turned the gods against the wall." "Get down here, quick." "Why didn't you say this before?" "I wasn't expecting you to believe me." "Why would you believe me when you didn't believe Erik, your foster brother?" "Why should I believe you now?" "He will return tonight." "He threatend to kill me if I didn't give him a clear sign." "If I give him the sign, You'll have him caught." "Get him, get him!" "Who are you?" "Guest." "That is no answer!" "I wann't to know who you are." "Then you'll have to ask many questions." "I have the time." "Who are you?" "I was your representative when Bjorn wanted to buy his life with silver." "Answer the question, or you'll die slowly!" "I was king Haralds man when Eriks father was killed, and I took the jewlery." "And who are you now?" "It appears I'm your guest." "Getting the reception of a king." "String him up!" "He can hang there until he listens to reason and tells the truth about himself." "Who are you?" "What was your dispute with Erik?" "Why did you drive me into killing him...innocent?" "Or was he going to escape?" "I've brought the best food." "We shall have a feast." "No rush." "He mustn't die until he tells us who he is!" "HjorIejf!" "Guard him well!" "I trust you!" "Bring this to him." "I had to!" "Thord was going to sacrifice the boy!" "Leave and never come back!" "I won't get far." "Where can I hide?" "Go to Eriks toomb." "They will never look there." "He is gone." "Who?" "Guest is gone!" "HjorIejf!" "HjorIejf!" "His shirt is here!" "Don't tell me." "Guest has escaped." "I must run, or they will kill me." "Have you anything to do with Guests escape if so, tell me before we find him." "I gave you Guest." "Why would I help him escape?" "No...the sacrifice gave me Guest." "The sacrifice made you speak." "If you don't speak now, I'll turn to the gods." "They haven't faild me yet." "Someone once said;" ""the soft shall defeat the hard."" "Hasn't there been enough bloodshed?" "As long as Guest is free the bloodshed will continue." "So it was the work of a man?" "I thought you were angry and demanded my son." "I didn't realize that the sacrifice was a tool you gave me to capture Guest." "Now I must use the same trick again." "We shall smoke him out." "Stop searching!" "We can only find Guest with the gods help." "Take them out and prepare the sacrifice." "What are you doing?" "Pleasing the gods." "Do exactly as I say." "You know what they ask." "It's hard, but you must do it." "We do it together, you lie down where I show you and close your eyes." "Don't open your eyes." "If you can do that, You have shown the gods the curage they demand." "And if I look?" "Then you'll never become a viking." "You can do it!" "Don't pay any attention to your mother if she get's scared!" "I will tell you a story." "What story?" "You shall hear." "Close your eyes now." "Once upon a time there were two invincible giants." "When they were attacked they turned back to back and fought like one man." "One time the lay down to sleep under a cliff." "A small boy, like you, found them there." "He climed up and dropped a stone on one of them." "The giant woke up and said to the other; "Don't kick me."" ""I didn't", said the other one angrily." "And they went back to sleep." "The boy dropped another stone." "The giant rushed up and shook his friend." ""Stop it, or you'll regret it!"" ""Leave me alone", said the other giant." "And they began to fight." "Once they'd started, they couldn't stop, because they were friends." "But up on the cliff sat the boy and rejoiced that the giants were killing eachother." "Guest is in the toomb!" "Look out!" "Now you don't have the advantage of beeing out of range." "Now we are equal." "You with the bow...me with the knife." "I had gladly faced you earlier but you were too many and your knifes are heavy." "This fight is between you and me." "Who are you?" "Tell me!" "He is too young, you said." "But he was old enough to have seen too much, like Bjorn said." "That is why I am here." "You slayed my parents." "You took my sister as a whore." "Therefor you will die!" "Father, father!" "Now I'm taking you back to Ireland." "I am staying!" "These were fathers books." "It's best you have them." "I want you to leave." "I have buried the weapons." "From now on the pen will replace the sword." "The power of spirit shall defeat the power of the hand." "He is old enough to have seen too much!"