against any
gathering of English warriors.

We started that night as soon as dark came on, and the queen was
pleased with the guard around her, and that Olaf the king himself
rode at her side. Men cheered him as we passed along the streets,
and the queen deemed that the cries were for her, and drew herself
up proud and disdainful as she sat on her white horse with spearmen
before and behind her, and her maidens on either side. But I doubt
if any man knew who she was in the dusk. And I had sent the pack
horses and servants on before us to wait our coming at a certain
place, so that none should be able to say that we were a party of
fugitives.

Presently the queen waxed silent, and Olaf and I could talk to one
another of what we would do in the time to come if this and that
happened. I told him that I should certainly return to fight at
Eadmund's side, for the queen would not keep me in Rouen. When he
left London it was his wish to seek me there, and so we looked to
see one another again before very long.

"Then it is farewell, my cousin," he said, when at last we came to
Banstead, for he would not leave us sooner. "We have had a good
fight or two together, and may have more, and to more profit, as I
hope, in the days to come."

We halted at the monastery and prayed for shelter there for the
night, or at least what was left of it, and while Elfric spoke with
the superior of the nuns who were there, I took leave thus of Olaf
and of my spearmen. And these prayed me to return soon and lead
them again. That I promised them, and so the darkness closed
between us as they rode away, and I was left sad at heart enough,
for Olaf was as a brother to me, and I knew not when I should meet
with him again.

There was no talk of Danes at this quiet place over which the wave
of war had gone already, leaving it poorer, but in peace; and it
was not until the next afternoon that we rode out again, our party
being that which must see the long road over together.

Twelve of us there were. The queen and her two maidens and the
three nuns, Elfric the abbot and his chaplain, Eadward and Alfred
the athelings, and Alfred's tutor--who was a churchman of Elfric's
own monastery--and myself.

Then there were the servants, ten in all, who rode each leading a
lightly-laden pack horse. It was such a party as an abbot might
well travel with, and that is all that would be said of us if the
Danish riders asked aught of the roadside folk. I and E