Then flashed my axe, and Rorik fell with his helm cleft in twain.
Then roared our crew, cheering me: "Skoal to the axeman! Ahoy!" But I looked at Ingvar, and said: "Short work have I made, Jarl." Whereat he laughed a grim laugh, only answering: "Aye, short enough.

The gods are appeased." Then I went back to my place beside Halfden, and our men patted my back, praising me, roughly and heartily, for it is not a viking's way to blame a man for slaying a comrade in fair fight and for good reason.
Now Ingvar stood before the shrine, and called to the gods to be heedful of the blood spilt to purge whatever dishonour or wrong had been done.

And he hung up the weapons of the slain man in the shrine, and after that closed its doors and barred them; and we marched from the Ve silently and swiftly, leaving the body of Rorik alone for a feast to the birds of Odin before the dying altar fire.
Now was I light hearted, thinking that the worst was past, and so also thought Halfden, so that we went back and sought Osritha, who waited, pale and anxious, to know how things should go with me, and when we found her I saw that she had been weeping.
"Why, my sister," said Halfden, "hardly would you have wept for my danger--or weeping you would be from my sailing to return." But she answered not a word, and turned away, for his saying made her tears come afresh.
"Now am I a blunderer," said Halfden.

"If there is one thing that I fear it is a weeping maiden." And with that he went from the room, leaving me.
Then I took upon me to comfort Osritha, nor was that a hard task.
And again I would have gone through this new danger I had faced, for it had brought the one I loved to my arms.
Not long might we be together, for now the feasting began, and I must go to Halfden and his brothers in the great hall.

And then came remembrance to me.