I was saved from having to make up an answer by a sound not unlike that of pigs being slaughtered. It seemed to come from up the hill in the direction of the mines. We all three turned as one towards the sound. "Whatever can it be?" wondered Brynach.
The sound increased, and into view came a column of Sea Wolves, marching in a ragged double rank. Between each pair was slung a weighty bundle, similar to that which contained the bishop's bones, only larger, and clearly much heavier. They were struggling down from the mines, dragging their heavy burdens, and they sang as they marched.
"Did you have to listen to that?" Brynach asked.
"Not often."
"Thank God."
"Heya!" cried Harald limping to where we stood. The column halted and the men all but collapsed upon their bundles. "We are ready to leave now," he said, gasping for breath from his exertion, "and we will not be looking back."
Brynach stared at me as I answered in Harald's tongue. "I had no idea there would be so much, or I would not have agreed," I said without enthusiasm. Any hope that we might leave unmolested had deserted me. The chief overseer would certainly not let us go when he saw how much the Sea Wolves intended to take away with them. And, as we could not avoid crossing the yard, there was nothing for it but to brazen the thing through. "If you are ready, then follow me."
Brynach and I took up our bundle and an odd procession fell in line behind us as we made our slow way back down the slope to the yard where the others stood waiting.
The overseer, who had by this time overcome his fear of the caliph's decree, came flying out of his house as we entered the yard. "What is this? What is this?" he cried, waving his arms.
"I have already told you," I replied icily. "We bear away the bones of Bishop Cadoc."
His squint-eyes narrowed to mere slits as he counted all the bundles on the ground. "So many bones?" he whined. "It is not possible."
Faysal, Nadr, Bara, and Musa took up places behind me. The gathered slaves looked on, growing excited once again. "What is he saying?" hissed Brynach anxiously.
By way of reply, I bent down and unknotted the bundle Brynach and I carried. Withdrawing the skull, I stood and thrust it before his face. "Look upon the visage of one who died by your hand," I told him. "Look long, Oppressor, and remember. His blood shall cry witness against you on Judgement Day."
The overseer blenched at this, so I continued my bluff. Putting out a hand to the Sea Wolves' bundles, I declared, "And likewise the blood of all those who suffered under the lash and died at your pleasure-all these shall rise up on the last day and condemn you before Allah, the Righteous Judge."
The slave master made bold to protest, but I stopped him before he could say a word. "Detain us now and you will surely never see Paradise."
"Be gone with you!" he shouted, angry now. Summoning a few of the guards to him, he said, "The sight of them offends me. See that they leave at once!"
I suppose he took on this guise to preserve what little dignity remained him, but he need not have worried that we would overstay our welcome. No man was more impatient to be gone than the one standing before him at that moment.
Replacing the skull, I carefully retied the bundle and gestured for Dugal to come and carry it, and instructed that Ddewi, and some of the others should be mounted on the five horses along with as many of the bundles as they could hold. Then, turning on my heel, I led my bedraggled band of Vikings and monks from the yard like the Prophet Moses escorting the Chosen out of Egypt. Realizing that we were leaving, the watching slaves began to clamour; just as we reached the street leading to the gate, they surged after us, begging-demanding-to be included in our number. All at once the overseer and his guards were fighting to keep from being trampled in the rush.
Making what haste we could, we proceeded down the single narrow street of the settlement to the gate, arriving just ahead of the oncoming mob. Behind us, I could hear the voice of the overseer crying orders for the gate to be closed at once.
"Faysal!" I yelled, shouting above the rising commotion. He raced to my side. "Run ahead and hold the gate. If they close it now we will never get free. Hurry!"
Off he ran, taking two warriors with him; the others remained behind to guard our retreat if they could. I called to Harald and Dugal. "Make for the gate, men! Hurry!"
"We are hurrying as fast as we can," Dugal answered, lumbering past; he all but dragged poor Brynach, who appeared to have scant appreciation for our predicament.
"God help us!" said Brynach, invoking divine aid and intervention on our behalf.
"Save your breath," I snarled. "God is done with us. It is we who must be saving ourselves!"
He broke off, staring at me. I pushed him on. "Go! Go! Do not stand there gawking, man. Run!"
