Scramasax by Kevin Crossley-Holland Read Free Book Online

was!’ Solveig looked wildly at her father. ‘Edwin! Edwin stopped her.’
    Halfdan took Solveig into his arms, and there and then, in the open concourse, he embraced her. He did not let her go until she had stopped shaking.
    â€˜So, girl,’ said Halfdan, ‘your journey’s over. The first part, anyhow. But … there’s still an open wound?’
    â€˜You know there is,’ Solveig said huskily. ‘You’re going away again.’
    Halfdan nodded. ‘I will come back. I will.’
    â€˜A whole year,’ said Solveig. ‘Two years …’
    â€˜You were right,’ Halfdan said, ‘when you said that the young woman standing in front of me wasn’t the same as the girl I left behind in Norway.’
    â€˜She isn’t but she is,’ Solveig replied.
    â€˜There is much more to say,’ Halfdan replied. ‘What made you heartsick? What was your greatest surprise? Your greatest wonder? Who would you be most glad to meet again? But I won’t ask you now.’
    â€˜My greatest treasure,’ Solveig told him, ‘is what I found inside my own head and heart.’
    â€˜What was that?’
    â€˜Little children believe that their fathers and mothers are gods. They obey their commands. They worship them. They know their parents know everything.’
    Halfdan pursed his chapped lips.
    Solveig took her father’s arm. ‘I found my treasure by asking questions. In Hagia Sophia, at the end of my journey, I questioned myself. I questioned my love for you.’
    Halfdan frowned.
    â€˜And my head and heart answered me. Little children worship their parents blindly. They are born of the same blood, and they cleave to them, but they do not love them. Standing there, in the gallery, gazing at you, Iquestioned why I loved you. Yes, I’m your daughter, I’m born of your blood, but why … why should I love you?’
    Halfdan stared at his daughter, unblinking.
    â€˜Because you’re a man,’ Solveig told him. ‘You’re strong and yet weak. You’re weak but very strong. Not a god but a man. You’ve taken right turnings and wrong turnings. You told King Yaroslav you had one grief you would regret all your life … Leaving me behind.’
    Halfdan swallowed and nodded.
    â€˜But that wrong turning … that only made me love you all the more,’ cried Solveig. And then she leaned into her father, put an arm round his bulky waist and gave a loud sigh.
    For some while the two of them stood in the shadow of a huge column made of three bronze serpents with their bodies twined around each other.
    â€˜Look!’ said Halfdan. ‘Can you see how their heads are splaying in three directions? They’re spewing venom at anyone who attacks Miklagard.’
    Solveig tilted back her head and screwed up her eyes. ‘The light’s so bright here,’ she said.
    â€˜This column’s Greek and it’s more than one thousand years old,’ her father explained. ‘Snorri told me it was shipped here by Constantine.’
    â€˜Who?’
    â€˜Constantine. He founded this city – and he built the palace where your quarters are. Solveig, at least you’ll be safe there. And Maria, she’ll be a good companion.’
    â€˜She’s so unhappy,’ Solveig said.
    â€˜You must thank Harald, you know.’
    â€˜Maria …’ Solveig half-smiled. ‘I think she’s taking aim at him.’
    â€˜Ah!’ Halfdan exclaimed. ‘Here he is! Your almost-brother.’
    â€˜Oh!’ exclaimed Solveig. She swept back her hair and smoothed it. Then she moistened her lips.
    Harald Sigurdsson stalked towards them.
    â€˜I know that look,’ said Halfdan. ‘Beware!’
    â€˜Halfdan!’ bawled Harald. ‘You! Solveig!’
    Solveig and Halfdan stepped towards him.
    Harald Sigurdsson scowled at them. He bared his teeth, then he roared