Guthredd Sleeve-Heart's Tale Pt. 03

This is part 3 of a 3 part story and is not meant as a stand-alone tale.

~~~~~~~~~

Guthredd Sleeve-heart's tale (or the Circle of Hearts): Part 3

Across the dark sea and over mainland and islet traveled the tale of Guthredd Sleeve-heart's death and so hope was lost amongst the outlaw-kin.

And it was at this time that Ketil ascended the throne, for his father was found poisoned. It was whispered amongst the fragranced courtiers that this was fratricide, for was it well known that Ketil blamed Onund for giving the wily Fox full leash and so gave the whore Guthredd her path of vengeance.

Mickle strong in the arts did King Ketil now become and sent bristling creatures hunting the hidden passageways of the outlaw-kin. And because there were no longer enchantments that might hide the passageways many of the outlaw-kin were slain.

Any captured outlaw-kin were set rotting in gibbets at their farmsteads that the people of the sound would see the boon of those who defied King Ketil.

And theater troupes enchanted with truth-weaving traveled the land, acting out 'The tale of Guthredd the whore', and the tale was this:

There once was a whore called Thorarna who begat a whore called Guthredd Sleeve-heart and Guthredd Sleeve-heart was a murderer and thief to boot. Not only that, but the whore Guthredd enchanted others to thieving and murdering and so did Guthredd become like a plague upon the land.

But one night Guthredd the whore was a rut-craving and was caught all a guzzle-guts on seed sack and phallus so the good King Ketil did end the plague of Guthredd the whore.

But Guthredd the whore had infected the people of the sound so that the good King Ketil saw that he must protect his loyal supplicants and so gave the new laws as boon to his people:

First; that no woman shall have land rights or chattel rights, but will serve men, that she be always reminded of the whore within.

Second; that it is legal and just for a man to punish a woman, for she is his chattel, but if a woman raise her hand to a man, shall she be put to death.

Third; that women shall bare their breasts in the presence of a King's man, that they acknowledge they are but whores and for the use of the King's men.

Fourth; that each assembly shall gather the 'whore-fee' of nine left breasts cut from women of the sound, that the name Guthredd Sleeve-heart be hated by women for causing the disfigurement of her whore-sisters.

For three years did the people of the sound witness the spectacle of 'The tale of Guthredd the whore' and the truth-weaving worked upon their minds so that they believed the new laws were just.

Now were the assemblies ruled by the King's men, and women and men alike came to accept the new laws so that the 'whore-fee' became a great public showing whereby the women chosen by lottery did have their left breast hacked clean off to great cheering and clashing of spears.

And for the turning of the seasons three times were the people of the sound under the new laws, and in this time was there but two flies spoiling Ketil's ointment:

Firstly, the slaughtering of his men and pillaging of supplies by the last of the outlaw-kin, and these led by Arinbiorn, so that Ketil was mickle wrath that Arinbiorn was of his making.

And second, the tale told by a young boy from the middle islet of the Sound:

Around one moon-change after the death of Guthredd, the boy had been watching some of the King's men eating calf meat around a fire. So desperate with hunger had the boy been, that he ran betwixt the king's men and snatching the meat, ran off into the woods and hid in the bole of a tree.

Now the tree lay at the edge of the haven of the middle islet of the Sound and as the boy ate the meat he looked out and espied a body lying on the sand.

As he walked towards the body, it seemed to the boy that it was covered by a dark cloak, but as he drew nearer, did the cloak seem to shrink and vanish so that it was now but a tattoo on the arm of a naked woman.

The boy went to get help, not knowing if the woman breathed, but came back to the beach, to see four pairs of webbed footprints leading through the sand and the body gone.

~~~~~~~~~

Through those three years of the new laws and the theatrics of 'The tale of Guthredd the whore' would no farmstead harbor the outlaw-kin for they fought in the name of the whore Guthredd.

So Arinbiorn led the outlaw-kin from the middle islet of the Sound to the great forests of the mainland and there they hid and waylaid the King's men that traveled the forest roads.

And ever was Arinbiorn in the heat of battle and ever was he waving the banner of Guthredd Sleeve-heart and filling the outlaw-kin with blood-lust so that they wandered amazed at how Arinbiorn stayed mickle strong in his mind and for the cause.

For Arinbiorn would return battle-worn each day and seem older and strained in the light of the evening campfire, but ere each morning came was Arinbiorn renewed and leading his men into battle once again.

Each night was Arinbiorn visited by the dream-woman that is kind and gives good advice and was shown a vision of a passageway without end that circles the world under land and dark sea.

Along the walls of the passageway were great runes telling of secret knowledge but nowise could Arinbiorn read those walls.

And wandering naked along the passageway was Guthredd Sleeve-heart, that Arinbiorn's heart would ache that the vision might be true and perchance she be returned to him one day.

For three years Arinbiorn was shown this vision by the dream-woman that gives good advice and each night it seemed to Arinbiorn that Guthredd wandered that passageway, sometimes learning the secret knowledge of the runes and sometimes failing.

And Arinbiorn saw that the runes on the walls matched the markings of the sea-worms on the naked flesh of Guthredd and that when Guthredd learnt the secret knowledge then would that rune no longer mark her flesh, but when Guthredd failed to learn the secret knowledge then would her flesh remain marked with that rune.

And it was shown to Arinbiorn that the runes on the walls of the passageway were for Guthredd alone and by the markings on her body had her learning been pre-ordained.

So Arinbiorn came to long for sleep and his precious visions of Guthredd wandering under the world, each circle taking a year in the endless passageway.

Each time Guthredd lay down to sleep would the tattoo on her arm shimmer and slide over her flesh until she seemed cloaked from cold. And each morning would Guthredd wake, the tattoo shrinking back to its place on her upper arm, to find watery and webbed footprints beside platters of sea dishes and things to aid her learning.

And by these things provided to Guthredd might Arinbiorn guess the nature of her learning such as when beside the fish dinner was a soap-stone shaped as to a phallus and carven with the nadiis running to the main chakras of the subtle body.

Arinbiorn would awake, his own phallus erect at visions of Guthredd Sleeve-heart impaling herself on the soap-stone phallus, her naked body writhing sensually upon the stone floor and her moans of pleasure echoing down the endless passageway.

Arinbiorn would see Guthredd mastering the 'subtle body' for surely was her sensuality greater after the teachings of the runes so that her pleasure from the soap-stone grew and likewise did the movements in her naked torso and limb become imbued with sensuality not there before.

And of the things left for Guthredd, were there two that remained with her always; the soap-stone phallus and a conch shell that could be played as a flute.

After three years of the dream-woman showing Arinbiorn such visions, was he shown a final vision of Guthredd wandering always along the endless passageway. Only now was Guthredd struggling under the burden of her knowledge that made her reach to the walls that she stumble onward.

The dream-woman made it that Arinbiorn might feel the inner struggle of Guthredd Sleeve-heart, so that he felt full to bursting with the secret knowledge but also did he feel the love that Guthredd bore in her heart for Arinbiorn.

Arinbion felt too the sorrow in Guthredd's awareness that any being bound in time cannot know all things for the passageway of knowledge was eternal.

But of one boon from eternity was Guthredd given and that was the mastery of time over small things that she might accelerate or slow their time at will; and so it seemed to Arinbiorn that Guthredd Sleeve-heart tasted eternity whilst being bound in time.

And then the dream-woman visited Arinbiorn no more and his sleep became as empty as his days under the tyranny of King Ketil and the outlaw-kin felt a waning in their leader.

~~~~~~~~~

Although Arinbiorn would never give up the cause of Guthredd Sleeve-heart, the king's men drove the outlaw-kin hard that they could find no sanctuary and so their raids became fewer and harder won.

Then out of the far Southlands came a rumor, twittering like a linnet on the lips of fishwives and house-curls, of a traveling theater troupe who told a different tale and yet the same tale as 'The tale of Guthredd the whore'.

And it was said that this troupe gathered a great cavalcade of farmers and fishermen behind it and their dreams, forgotten under the tyranny of King Ketil, were awoken.

The outlaw-kin took council and many voted that this strange troupe come out of the far Southlands be approached, for perchance allies lay there-in. But Arinbiorn saw only the dancing and silliness of illusion until a spy told of the king's men deigning to destroy the traveling cavalcade.

"Any enemy of the King is a friend of ours" Said the outlaw-kin and rede was taken to defend the troupe.

Arinbiorn led the outlaw-kin south for four days, riding hard from the deep forest to the great marshlands of the open plain and there from a cliff top did they espy the tiny troupe and its cavalcade camped amidst the marsh.

That evening, wrapped in a cloak that he be not caste out as outlaw-kin, Arinbiorn sat amongst the gathering before the cart-stage and was made all razzle-dazzle by the tale there unfolded.

For did the tale pattern-welded love and sorrow, bravery and betrayal, villainy and nobility in such a manner that the tale glistened like a jewel.

And the tale was the tale carven by Guthredd Sleeve-heart upon the shame-pole planted seasons ago at the burning of the farmstead of Antler on the middle islet of the sound.

At the final fall of the curtain and as the gift-bowl was being passed amongst the gathering, did it seem to Arinbiorn that his dreams of happiness with Guthredd and of times of peace being restored were rekindled, but that other dreams of his, destroyed under Ketil's tyranny was he asked to offer as boon.

Arinbiorn gave those dreams to the spirit voice that asked and they moved from his heart to a new dwelling.

Now as the gathering went back to their campfires did Arinbiorn approach the booth of the theater troupe to offer the protection of the outlaw-kin, but whilst still

twenty ells from the cloth opening was his sword taken and an iron point jabbed in his great back.

Arinbiorn made like to stumble on the uneven grassland and came up unsheathing a dagger from his boot. Even as he stood had his peepers found where the two hooded assailants walked and was his rede taken concerning the manner of their death wounds.

The first he stabbed without turning, but with backward arc of his great arm from the shoulder did Arinbiorn deliver a death wound. Then turning did he swing his fist at the second for it to be blocked not by arm and hand but by arm and claw, as like to a lobster.

From under the hood Arinbiorn now espied a beak where mouth should be and gills in place of ears and a claw was upon his gullet.

The stench of the deep sea filled Arinbiorn's nostrils and amazed was Arinbiorn at being lifted so easily by his throat, as though his giant body be but a leaf in the wind.

And dangling like a puppet, Arinbiorn was taken to the theater troupe's tent and cast upon the ground, so that Arinbiorn saw that these sea-men were not of King Ketil's design but came with the traveling tent.

~~~~~~~~~

Then from the shadowed recesses of the tent a voice spoke to Arinbiorn saying "Join me" and it was the same voice that had asked him for his dreams.

Arinbiorn espied the naked thigh and calf of a woman amidst the bed of rushes in the shadows of the tent and his phallus did swell with lust.

Removing belt and tunic, Arinbiorn bared his great torso of muscle and strength and strode to the bed naked and with much arousal, his peepers upon the pale thighs that parted in readiness for the taking of his phallus.

Arinbiorn knelt betwixt those white and smooth thighs and made love to her with his tongue and it was only after tasting her climax that Arinbiorn, moving to enter her with his hardened phallus, did espy the gold ring upon her upper arm and the tooth dangling from her left ear.

Their hearts sang together in their love-making for Guthredd's heart loved Arinbiorn and Arinbiorn's heart loved Guthredd, or else was filled with the weirding thoughts placed upon him by King Ketil in the hold of the boat.

And was their love-making bourn by the three years of absence and longing and of the dream-woman's visions made boon to Arinbiorn.

Guthredd's fingers holding fast to Arinbiorn's giant shoulders told of her longing for Arinbiorn awhile she wandered the endless passageway and her hips, moving in sweet syncopation with his lustful thrusts told of the pleasure of their unloved parts being loved once again.

They climaxed together, both straining that their 'subtle bodies' inside might touch a moment longer, ere they fell limp and spent in each others arms.

~~~~~~~~~

Overtime did Guthredd share many things with Arinbiorn besides their love-making so that he came to know that Guthredd would spend one turning of the seasons traveling the land that Ketil's truth-weaving be undone. And that this was also done that Guthredd might gather the dreams of the people for great power could Guthredd now harvest from dreams.

But also that Guthredd was much changed by the wanderings in the endless passageway for that learning was gained in the echoes of her own moans in that silent passage.

And from her time wandering the endless passageway had Guthredd brought with her the soap-stone phallus and the conch shell that could be played like a flute.

Grown against the underside of her skin now hung dream-sacs; tiny pockets where Guthredd now gave home to the peoples dreams. But Guthredd took great care that she only invited dreams that withered under Ketil's tyranny.

And so for the full turning of the seasons did Arinbiorn and Guthredd share a bed, always traveling with the performing troupe with the dream-sacs swelling ever fuller inside Guthredd.

This was also a time of peace for Guthredd and Arinbiorn for Guthredd did weave a mist for the King's men that they but ever chased a rumor that could not be caught.

One night toward the end of this time of being together, Arinbiorn awoke with Guthredd's body lying asleep beside him.

"I swell within like the moon when 'tis full or the deep sea when it sings to the moon." A rasping voice spoke in the night.

Arinbiorn looked to Guthredd's lips to see if she spoke these words, but her mouth lay agape in slumber.

"And this swelling is at the touch of Arinbiorn; my love and singer of my song."

Then did Arinbiorn know that the words were spoken from within Guthredd and came from out her mouth, and yet the rasping voice was not hers.

And Arinbiorn was muggy-brained with wonder at seeing the tattooed face upon the upper arm of Guthredd move and sliding upon flesh, make reply:

"No need to wax lyrical on my account, dear heart. I have my own reasons for giving rede she take heed of you."

The land of nod was lost to Arinbiorn that night as he lay afeard of what lay inside Guthredd Sleeve-heart and her heart that talked from inside her ribs with a rasping voice was not Guthredd's.

And of the identity of the tattoo did he ponder, afeard also of its own reasons and what they might be and afeard that his murdering of Jofrid perhaps be known.

Guthredd found Arinbiorn awake and wild-eyed when she awoke and stretched amidst the rushes. He asked of the tattoo that talked and of the rasping voice that spoke from within her ribs and Guthredd spoke this stave:

"Because she heard, but lost,

barnacles guard the heart

I do not hear, but it is mine.

And so I am long searching,

from end to this beginning.

Thorarna harkens not her heart

Although she hears; and it is hers.

And so I am long searching,

And make the endless circle.

Guthredd harkens to her heart

And well she hears; and it is hers.

And so I am long searching

Because she heard, but lost."

And the words were strange sounding to Arinbiorn and nor could he devise of their meaning but stranger still; his lips sang the stave even as Guthredd kissed the hairs of his great chest. But Arinbiorn pushed Guthredd back, asking of the meaning of the stave.

"I do not know its meaning; only that it flows through mine kinfolk's lives as a stream through field. It was told to my mother Thorarna, ere I was born, and it came to be that,

Thorarna harkens not her heart

Although she hears; and it is hers.

And as to the meaning of;

Guthredd harkens to her heart

And well she hears; and it is hers.

Your eves-dropping of this past night doth show. But of who sings this stave and the cause of her long searching I cannot answer."

So Arinbiorn lay watching as Guthredd washed her naked body and Arinbiorn loved the secret of her arm-pit, revealed as she pinned up her tresses and gazed in admiration on beautiful breast and her movements of sensual grace. And as his peepers swam happily in the great beauty of Guthredd Sleeve-heart was Arinbiorn also afeard of what lay within; dream-sacs now pregnant with withered dreams and the heart that spoke with rasping voice from within her ribs. But most of all did he ponder the stave spoken to Guthredd's mother and how it ran through their lives as a stream through a field and how it hinted at things pre-ordained.

~~~~~~~~~

And so the seasons turned until Guthredd, returning from the theater show one evening, did look upon Arinbiorn with eyes so fierce and wild that he felt the creeping willies upon him.

"The dream-sacs bulge heavy within me for now is the time of vengeance and of the setting of womanhood upon the throne."

"I kept this for you." Arinbiorn said, handing her his sword that lay wrapped in calf-skin this past year. "It lay betwixt rock and water that night in the haven hidden from the view of the King's men." And he handed Guthredd 'fail-sword'.

Guthredd bid the outlaw-kin ride with her to the two boats yet hidden from the King's men and then put to sea and laid to at the haven in the middle islet of the Sound.

Climbing the winding cliff path Guthredd made for the charred ruins of Antler's farms and there fashioned a spear from the shame-pole planted in the ground.

And the outlaw-kin saw great purpose moving Guthredd Sleeve-heart in all that she now undertook.

Back to the haven they followed Guthredd and marveled as she opened the cliff face with the playing of a conch shell as though it was a flute. From out the cavern came legions of the hooded sea-men with beaks where mouths should be and gills in place of ears. They formed two lines as hedgerows mark a lane and began a shrill whistling sound and Guthredd Sleeve-heart walked betwixt the sea-men and into the cliff face.