When the Raven Flies (Hrafninn flýgur)

IRELAND

The soft will conquer the hard.

That's how dripping water eats through a stone,

how the pen overpowers the sword.

Remember that my children.

They seem to have plenty of silver here in Ireland.

What shall we do with him?

He's too young. He won't last the journey.

Kill him.

He's old enough to have seen too much.

Run!

THE RAVEN FLIES

ICELAND 20 years later

What news of Norway, merchants?

King Harald hasn't cut his hair yet -

and says he won't until he controls the whole of Norway.

And keeps on killing you.

I heard that one of his assassins killed Erik's father this winter!

So Harald's had him murdered like the other rebels.

The old man should have come to Iceland with his son Erik.

He was on Viking raids with us in Ireland.

They're more careful now in Ireland.

It was easier to take slaves when the blood-brothers fled to

Iceland nearly twenty years ago.

They didn't flee, they were looking for new land, we wanted to be free.

Is Thord expecting a visitor?

There is a passenger from Norway. He has business with Thord.

That's him, the one with the staff.

What does he want with Thord?

He didn't say, just that he had to get to Iceland no matter what the cost.

One of Harald's assassins?

He's not armed. He just carries that staff.

We'll soon see if he's armed or not.

You have business with Thord?

That's a heavy knife.

I asked if you had business with Thord?

I was asked to give him this bag of silver.

BY Whom?

Bjorn.

He said Thord had lost it and would pay well if it was returned.

Where did you meet Bjorn?

That's between me and Thord. Show me the way.

Who's this Bjorn?

Bjorn cheated Thord and Erik when they were on a Viking raid.

He disappeared with some silver they took in Ireland.

I can't see how the likes of him could have got the silver

if it's the same lot.

What do you know about him?

Nothing, but he was always asking about Erik and Thord.

What did he ask?

How they lived in Iceland and how they were getting on.

He seemed to know them.

I don't trust people who answer a question with a question.

This knife is supposed to be heavy.

I want the furs back that I packed the slaves in.

You can see the goods are unspoiled and in fine condition.

The lads will give one or two some treatment.

If we do that now they'll be as meek as lambs

even if we rip the clothes off their backs.

Is that what you're looking for?

A heavy knife.

Spare us! Spare us!

This is a big country and sparsely settled.

Now you'll have to fend for yourselves.

Why are you doing this for us?

They visited my father in Ireland and then there was no one to help.

Keep away from the shore. Hurry!

I said I had business with you, Thord.

Mother, Mother, the black stallion has come back alone.

Father!

The stallion came back alone.

Did it come home alone?

Yes, all alone no rider.

It is the black stallion, Father. I'd know it anywhere.

Father, is there blood on the horse?

Is that blood on the horse, Father?

Who are you?

Show Erik this brooch and he will see me.

There's a guest. He asked me to give you this.

There's a guest.

Who are you?

I come from your father in Norway.

Why did he send you?

King Harald has fallen.

Your father has accepted the title of earl.

He wants you back in Norway.

He wants you to take over his affairs.

I asked why he sent you?

When there's silver on offer I don't say no

even if there is a long journey involved.

How did you come?

With the merchants that do business with Thord.

And have you spoken to Thord?

No. His men lent me this horse so I could come directly to you.

How can you prove what you say?

Your father said,

"Erik always keeps the other part of this brooch on his person."

He also said you would reward me handsomely when you got it,

in silver.

Come in. We'll have some ale.

I think I'd rather be on my way to Thord.

First I've got to pay you.

When there's silver on offer, I don't say no.

They've been here but the merchants are gone.

Why didn't we meet them on the way?

We shouldn't have sent them on their own. It's the same old story.

They've stopped off at Erik's and we missed them.

And the blood on the horse...

You are an honest man. Why are you then called a fox?

How did you know that? I heard it at your father's house.

That was when Thord and I were on our Viking raids.

Then I was a dubbed fox, because I am a fox.

What kind of fox?

A crafty fox. No one can trust me

And I trust no one except my blood-brother, Thord.

No thank you.

Don't you drink?

You've got a reason for drinking, just had some good news

but I have to press on and see Thord.

No need to hurry.

Yes, otherwise he might think I didn't exist.

What do you mean?

If the news I brought you

had been brought by a stranger you hadn't seen.

Would you have believed it?

A fox like you doesn't believe until he's seen the man and the proof.

Until you've seen a man he doesn't exist.

I must touch everything

both things and people.

You are real enough... aren't you?

Well I've got to hurry.

Have some food first.

I'll send a man with you.

I have an errand with Thord.

You don't trust me?

No, why should I?

I wouldn't either if I were a crafty fox like you.

Help yourself.

It's Thord's horse. That's certain.

Show this Gest to Thord's place and don't let him out of your sight.

Someone dropped his knife here.

Do you recognize it? It's covered in blood.

It belongs to one of Thord's men.

How do you know?

I killed him.

Don't, don't kill me...

I know your face. You saved my life in Ireland when I was a boy.

For that I spare you now

but only on condition that you go directly to Erik

and say that Thord and his men lay in wait for us and killed me

and that you managed to escape alive.

Go to Erik and take him this news then I will not kill you...

He'll never believe me.

Show him the wound I inflicted on you, then he'll believe you.

Tell him I'm dead

then waste no time in leaving Erik and you'll live

for I will kill them all.

I've searched through many lands for you.

I killed Erik's father and slew Bjorn in Norway

and Thord's men who went to the beach

and they'll all die. For Odin has given me strength.

Be assured that if you don't do what I say

I'll follow you like a shadow

and cut you up into carrion for his crows.

You've heard the news?

At long last we can go home.

What news?

King Harald has fallen, and we can leave this place. The exile is over.

Who says so?

Gest, didn't you get the news?

Who is this Gest?

The man who came with the merchants

and brought me the brooch from my father.

You must have met him on the way.

He has just left for your place.

And he brought you the brooch from your father.

Let me see it.

Father told me that if he ever sent me the brooch

it was a sign that he needed me.

What's that?

He's forgotten the money. Who?

Gest. And he seemed so careful and proper.

Did Gest bring this money?

No, it's the money I was going to pay him with.

Where did you get this money?

I've had it since we were on our Viking raids.

Why do you ask like that?

Don't you recognize it?

These coins are identical to the ones Bjorn disappeared with.

The men are found. Their bodies are lying here in the sheep pen.

Gest. This is Gest's doing. We've got to find him. Get the horses!

Do as I told you.

Where is Gest? Why have you come back on your own?

They ambushed us. Who?

Thord and his men lay in wait for us and killed Gest.

They wounded me. But I managed to escape.

Liar!

I'm not.

You are. Where is Gest?

Gest is dead.