Guthredd Sleeve-Heart's Tale Pt. 03

Within the cliff face was a vast cavern lit with the soft glow of phosphorous weeds pulled from the ocean deep.

And to the shrill whistling of the sea-people did Guthredd Sleeve-heart take her seat on the soap-stone throne of the sea-people, her shame-spear in her hand and 'fail-sword' in her belt.

Then, in the soft glow of the phosphorous weeds pulled from the ocean deep was Guthredd Sleeve-heart bid stand and was stripped of her tunic and belt until she stood naked upon the dais except for the gold ring upon her upper arm and the tooth that dangled from her left ear.

Guthredd Sleeve-heart stood before the outlaw-kin and the sea-people and two of the sea-people worked coral rings about her ankles and her wrists. A coral belt they fixed about her naked waist and water was poured upon her naked breasts that her nipples might harden. Then were delicate coral rings placed upon her hardened nipples and a coral crown upon her head.

Striding to the front of the dais, did Guthredd raise both her arms in honor of her followers and with the rising of her arms did the shrill whistling of the sea-people swell and swirl about the cavern. And now Guthredd's body, naked but for the coral and armband, began to sway as if controlled by the sea-people's whistling crescendo. Arinbiorn and the outlaw-kin did cover there ears to dampen the pain but Guthredd now danced a slow and sensual dance, moving with the rhythms of the dark sea.

Now did Guthredd use the boon from eternity granted to her in the endless passageway that she have mastery of the time of small things that she might accelerate or slow their time at will.

Guthredd took the time of the coral that adorned her flesh and moved the coral many seasons forward that it did grow and coil about her flesh. And the whistling of the sea-people sang to the coral and told it how it might grow around the beautiful body of Guthredd Sleeve-heart as she danced to the rhythms of the dark sea.

But of the runes still scored upon the flesh of Guthredd Sleeve-heart would the coral not cover but otherwise did Guthredd stand with her limbs covered in armour of filigree coral. Of a deep red hue did the filigree coral armour grow so that the pale flesh of Guthredd's body was seen in great contrast through the beautifully coral swirls.

Now did polyps inhabit the coral armour with tiny snapping mouths, surrounded by circlets of tentacles until the whistling of the sea-people stopped a-sudden, the armour of Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart now wrought about her naked limbs.

Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart gave great honor to the sea-people and then bid them prepare for battle and leading the outlaw-kin from the cavern made to unleash great fury upon the Kings men who ruled the assembly upon the middle islet of the Sound.

~~~~~~~~~

Now came the time of the Spring Assembly for all the islets of the Sound and all the landowners of the islets traveled to the law rock to hear the cases being put forward.

Each landowner assembled his booth that he and his band may take shelter for the duration of the Assembly and all paid homage to King Ketil with great gifting to the King's men.

For three days the Assembly heard and made rulings on the strife between man and neighbor until came the lottery for the 'whore-fee'.

The women of the islet stood within the whore-pen, their breasts bared in the presence of the King's men that that they did acknowledge they were but whores and for the use of the King's men.

And now was the cauldron containing a rune for each woman brought forward with great cheering and clashing of shields and the women cowed and were afraid.

Nine names were drawn and nine women made to walk from the whore-pen towards the law rock where the 'whore-fee' was to be collected by the hewing of the women's left breast with a whore-axe.

But shocked were the King's men to espy a figure wielding the 'whore-axe' about her head, and the royal fee-taker beheaded at her feet. From a distance the figure appeared dripping with blood and the King's men grew afeard less a fetch now stood over them. But drawing near they espied the deep red filigree coral about the pale flesh of Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart and pulling their swords singing from their scabbards made to rush the Queen.

Queen Guthredd threw her shame-spear, sending it through shield and eye socket and so was the first of the King's men given his death wound.

And now the battle grew fierce, the outlaw-kin appearing a sudden from behind the law rock and Queen Guthredd a screaming with the berserk as she leapt from the law rock, driving 'fail-sword' through helm and skull of a King's man.

Arinbiorn, made strong by the presence of Guthredd this past year, fought bravely and with great renown, giving seven of the King's men their death wounds that day.

And did all the outlaw-kin fight with great spirit and bravery in the name of Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart, but of that battle, people most tell of that terrible scream of Queen Guthredd and the berserk frenzy that followed.

For Queen Guthredd did not fight for vengeance only, but for womanhood itself, and Queen Guthredd did not fight with sword alone, but with the harvest of the withered dreams of the people inside her.

Her berserk was the berserk of every woman scorned or slain, hurt or tainted and she came down upon the King's men as a devil possessed.

Her eyes alone, flashing fierce behind coral armour, made the King's men afeard and when their swords could not bite the filigree coral armour that adorned her naked flesh, they saw that they were but meat by which 'fail-sword' would hack its bloody message.

But it was the manner of the slayings that were of greatest renown, for Queen Guthredd killed not a man ere the whore-axe had severed seed sack and phallus, and this in the heat of battle, that men might no what it was like to pay an equal whore-tax.

And when the Kings men lay all slain did Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart take needle and thread and made a gift for King Ketil that he might know Guthredd Sleeve-heart had returned.

~~~~~~~~~

King Ketil had spent the years since his ascension to the throne gaining mickle strength in the arts and so had rarely left the stronghold or had time to listen to rumors.

The rumor out of the far Southlands of a traveling theater troupe who told a different tale and yet the same tale as 'The tale of Guthredd the whore', did he dismiss as codswallop when his men chased only their tales for this rumor.

But now, sitting upon his throne, his hands white with mickle wrath at the gift his peepers now rested upon, he knew the traveling theater troupe to be the work of Guthredd Sleeve-heart.

Lying on the stone floor, where King Ketil had cast it in revulsion, was the calf-skin bag and inside the bag; the effigy of the King, carefully stitched and made from seed sacks and phalli.

Not lost on the King was the challenge expressed there-in, nor the message regarding the whore-tax, nor the signing towards the greater battle between matriarch and patriarch that would now follow.

The nights following did the dream-woman that prophesies ill visit Ketil and show his face transformed into the effigy gifted to Ketil by Guthredd Sleeve-heart so that Ketil would awake, his heart a flutter, touching his nose in surety that it be not changed to dangly phallus.

And King Ketil amassed a great fleet of sea-going boats and put to sea for the middle islet of the sound, saying "for where else would the upstart whore await her death."

~~~~~~~~~

King Ketil's fleet had a fair voyage across the dark sea and nothing is reported until they lay three hundred fathoms out from the Sound.

The sea-farers began to report strange surges in the water for fathoms around the fleet and all aboard watched for portentous signs.

Then of a sudden did the water surge strange, fathoms out from the fleet, but at once in all directions and a great wall grew huge and dark about the fleet, putting all in shadow, was the wall so high.

And now was there callings of "shallow water" for fear the boats would run aground and yet they sailed a full three hundred fathoms out.

In a while were the boats lying on firm rock, the sea water drained through holes in the floor a mighty rock basin, thousands of fathoms across sent from the ocean depths.

In the dripping shadow of the walls of the gigantic basin did the sea-farers cower amidst kelp and grounded keel, as to flies in the bottom of a goblet but suddenly quaffed by a guzzle-guts.

The King's men wandered about the rock floor, where ocean had been but moments ago until one did cry out, his death wound delivered by an arrow.

Now of a sudden did the sea-people appear in droves, silhouetted on the top of those high walls, or appearing through portholes within the slimy kelp that dripped from those same walls.

And a great volley of arrows flew through the sky and gave many of the King's men their death wounds and others cowered for cover beside keel or bow, their limbs shot with arrow.

Nowise could the King's men hide for the arrows were shot from all sides and a great slaughtering of the king's men was done by the sea-people that day so that the rocky floor of the giant sea-trap was reddened with the slaying of the Kings men.

King Ketil seeing that his army was defeated gave thunder to his voice so that the rocky walls of the sea-trap echoed with his words;

"I challenge Guthredd Sleeve-heart to a duel on the middle islet of the Sound."

And so was King Ketil given safe passage by row boat to the haven on the middle islet, but of his men their slain were they taken by the sea-people and cast into strange pods and pulled through holes in the sea-trap to the depths of the dark sea.

~~~~~~~~~

Now were poles laid out to mark the duelling ground and these were placed in the old home-field of the farmstead settled by Antler as King Ketil climbed alone, the winding path in the cliffs in his armour.

No mind did he pay the gathered outlaw-kin and landowners, but did brush rudely past them until he espied Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart awaiting him within the cordoned home-field.

"Ah! 'tis the upstart whore Guthredd but come to entertain the people by being broken by their King!" And King Ketil hurled his spear at Guthredd.

Guthredd caught the spear and threw it back, but Ketil dodged the spear with ease.

Now Guthredd cast the shame-spear high so that it arced upon the air to come down upon Ketil but Ketil sang to the spirits so that an eagle flew away with the shame-spear.

Of a sudden Guthredd gave her berserk scream and 'fail-sword' came singing from its scabbard and she ran swift and straight towards Ketil.

Ketil barely had time to draw his own sword ere his sight was filled with raging eye behind deep red filigree coral.

And people said that Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart looked to be dancing as much as fighting, so much lithe grace did she display in combat.

Poised and seeking death to deal death, Guthredd took on the berserk.

But Ketil parried well and sang to the spirits to strengthen his enchanted weapon so that it hewed through the coral armour and drew blood.

And so the battle was fought, Ketil wielding his enchanted sword and ever singing for greater strength and Guthredd singing that the coral might grow faster and ever did they strive for the upper hand.

"'tis fitting armour for a whore, seeing as your slop-hole is all but exposed!"

Ketil would sneer as their swords locked, or again;

"Those nipples I spy will I feed you before this day is done!"

But Guthredd made no reply to Ketil's taunting, but ever kept her blazing peepers on the watch that she might deliver Ketil his death wound.

Now did Ketil and Guthredd show mickle strength that day for did the duel last from midday to suppertime with ne'er a halt so that the two stood sweating and panting, neither having the opportunity to better the other.

So it was that then, unable to defeat Guthredd, that Ketil sought the curse placed upon Guthredd by the evil eye of Fox.

For Guthredd had chosen the very place where Fox had been given his death wound for this duel and so made it but childs-play for Ketil to summon the fetch of Fox.

It came jerkily into the cordoned home-field, its severed head under one arm, still smiling its wormy smile.

And at Ketil's behest Fox raised his severed head aloft, and removing the patch let roam his evil eye. Of a sudden did the people gathered see Guthredd stumble and fall as though taken with sickness.

Choking and boggle-eyed; Guthredd fell to her knees, having her coral armour shrink back to bracelet, anklet, and girdle, so that her sweating limbs might not so feverishly burn.

Drawing on every last drop of the withered dreams in her dream-sacs, Guthredd fought the sickness brought on by the evil eye, but in the end she sank limp to the floor, her naked flesh glistening with fever.

Ketil placed the toe of his boot at Guthredd's lips and said;

"Kiss my toe, upstart whore that you know your betters, and if not for that then in begging that your death wound comes before your mutilation!"

But as Ketil set his peepers on Guthredd's pallid, limp body panting and sweating in fever, it did seem to Ketil that the tattooed face upon her naked upper arm did loom from her arm flesh toward Ketil, making him a stagger backward.

Now did the shape from the tattoo grow, turning from black to shining silver until all saw a tall man of princely port, and crowned, shimmering in the home-field.

And the tall man of princely port walked over to the fetch of the wily Fox and bid him cover his evil eye, and once done, the tall man of princely port did guide the humbled fetch of Fox away from the home-field and into a cliff face.

The evil eye no longer cursing Guthredd with the sickness, Ketil saw that her strength would return and made to deal Guthredd her death blow.

He ran of a sudden over to where Guthredd lay and brought his sword down that it might sever her head from her body.

But Guthredd blocked that blow with 'fail-sword' so that Ketil now bore down upon her, driving his weight upon his own sword and forcing 'fail-sword down upon Guthredd's neck that she choke and die.

Now, as Guthredd stared up at Ketil, her eyes ablaze with the berserk, did she put all her strength into pushing the iron blade from her throat, but could do no more than delay the death wound.

Then it is said that people became aware of a great mournful song, deep and haunting coming from out the Sound. And the song grew louder and louder until the air trembled with a melancholic deep wailing and people say that all around the middle islet of the Sound, as far as eye could see, great whales could be seen, none swimming, but all surfaced and still, that there song be joined as one.

And that song was the song of Guthredd, in honor of Guthredd's tear for the plight of the whale pup ere the pup reddened the dark sea with her blood and the song filled the air around the world for there was not one whale that did not join the song for Guthredd Sleeve-heart.

Never has song been known to equal that serenading of the spirits, and the spirits gifted their powers to Guthredd Sleeve-heart, lying choking upon the home-field.

With ease did Guthredd now cast Ketil from her so that he stumbled back and watched aghast the naked form of Guthredd Sleeve-heart walk away from him to the edge of the cordoned home-field.

Her white limbs, lithe and naked but wearing the bracelets, anklets and girdle of coral and the gold ring upon her upper arm and the tooth that dangled from her left ear, Guthredd stood still upon the home-field, calmed and full of grace.

When the whale song faded, did people wander at the silence so deafeningly ringing in their ears and Guthredd took 'fail-sword' in both hands and held it glistening above her head.

And then did she begin spinning full rounds towards Ketil, spinning again and again, spinning once more as the maple samaras spins in autumn, and sent the severed head of King Ketil flying into the home-field.

~~~~~~~~~

Afterwards did the killing of King Ketil by Queen Guthredd sleeve-heart become a deed of great renown and it was told of her spinning like a maple samaras spins in autumn, that she had seemed but to glide across the home-field, so graceful was she in all her naked glory.

People also say that upon the beheading of King Ketil did Guthredd stop spinning and stood naked and trembling and with crazed peepers blazing, so that those gathered saw the terrible power within Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart until gradually receding, her peepers glared no more and she spoke this stave:

"I pluck out 'fail-sword' from its scabbard

And spin the ice-cold sword in vengeance

That 'upstart whore' be known for Queen

To heal the land of Ketil's wounds and

restore her health to wholeness.

Deeds I shall not shrink from and 'fail-sword'

Sing from its scabbard ere a man rule the land.

As I take the head of Ketil to feed the ravens

I take the head of state and

restore her health to wholeness.

I take the honor for all women

And 'whore-tax' dies with Ketil

I make Queen and land one and

restore her health to wholeness."

~~~~~~~~~

For thirteen full rounds of the seasons did Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart rule the land, taking Arinbiorn for husband and giving birth to her daughter; Thora.

And for all her days upon the throne did Guthredd mourn the withered dreams of the people of the land that she had born inside her a full year and this was a great burden.

The deeds of great renown that Guthredd did whilst upon the throne and her other great deeds are told in 'The Deeds of Guthredd Sleeve-heart' and so are not told of in this tale.

Now when Guthredd became aware she was with child, did she sing to the spirits that Thora be spared the pain of listening to her heart for had Guthredd's heart caused three years of pain across the land.

So it was that Thora was born unable to hear her heart because of her mother's enchantment and Guthredd took Thora's beating heart and put it in a small chest that mermaids might guard it at the deepest bottom of the dark sea.

For the full turning of twelve seasons did Guthredd cherish her daughter Thora, pouring all her love and care upon her, teaching her not only how to fight, but how to reason and to know good rede. And Guthredd was mickle proud of her daughter Thora and would put aside cares and caution when they were together, the better to love Thora.

But the child, unable to hear her heart, new not if she loved her mother, but took a liking for the throne.

One day, mother and daughter were walking upon the cliff top of the middle islet of the Sound.

"Mother, am I old enough to sit upon the throne?" Thora asked.

"Yes, my sweet linnet, but you need not worry about affairs of state for a while yet."

"What must I do to gain the throne?"

"Nothing my sweet linnet, I will protect you from the cares of state for as long as I live, and the throne shall come to you at my passing."

Guthredd said, and Thora, pondering a while, pushed her mother over the cliff edge so that she fell to her death on the beach of the haven on the middle islet of the Sound.

It is said that Arinbiorn wept over the body of Queen Guthredd Sleeve-heart and made a ship burial for Guthredd Ship saying that;

"The dead must cross water to prevent the evil eye."

But it is said that the fragranced courtiers are the ears of the King's castle and the fragranced courtiers tell of Arinbiorn hacking open the chest of Guthredd and finding behind her ribs a still living heart.

And more; do they tell of a face upon that dark heart, glistening and black with sudden white eyes and twisted lips that rasped their love for Arinbiorn and it was to hide this deed that Arinbiorn had the body of Guthredd buried at sea.