"Not so, Prince. I speak what I think; and I counsel thee, if counsel I may, to keep this pearl from the sight of Hungwar and his friends; for surely they would burn this land into gray ash to secure such a treasure." "Methinks our royal sister looks far more gay than she has done for many a day, brother," said the King with a smile. And Edgiva answered steadily, and with never a blush-- "That is true, royal Ethelred, for I have found again my hero." And at that the King laughed again. Then did the Atheling turn to Wulnoth and ask him of his search after the mightiest, and where he would now look, seeing that Regner Lodbrok was dead; and Wulnoth answered that he knew not where to look now, unless he went afar to Rome and sought the Emperor. "Now, Wulnoth," the Atheling said, "let me be thy redesman in this. Thou didst think that Regner Lodbrok was the mightiest warrior?" "Then, by my beard, he was not far out," cried Wahrmund. And the Prince smiled. "So! Yet this Regner is dead, and there is no king but must die in the end." "That is true, Prince," Wulnoth said; and Wahrmund nodded. "Then death is mightier than the mightiest," said Alfred. And Wulnoth looked puzzled. "Does that mean we should follow death, Prince?" he said. "By my word, we soldiers do that all our lives, methinks." "Nay, Wulnoth. 'T is true we follow death, for 't is our call; but there is one mightier than death even." "Mightier than death!" cried Wahrmund. "That is hard saying, Prince; for what, or who, is mightier than death?" And to that the Prince answered-- "Life is mightier than death. Do not thy own sagas tell thee that the heroes live again in Walhalla, and that they perish no more?" "Ay," answered Wahrmund. "Though whether it be true or not, I cannot say." "Wulnoth," the Prince went on, "thou didst see the image of Him Who hung on the cross? He Whom thou didst once call nithing, I hear." "I have seen, Prince," Wulnoth answered. "Then know He is the Lord of Life; and to conquer death He died, and He rose again. Death and He went holmgang, and He conquered. He is the mightiest, and by Him shall we drive out our foes and conquer Thor and his followers." "Do not be too sure of that, Prince," growled Wahrmund, not liking to hear his people spoken of so; but the Prince went on-- "Nay, I mean not to offend you, brave soldier. I only speak what I feel. Have you not told me that you wondered to see how King Edmund braved the worst torture and pain?" "That is so," the Dane answered. And once more the Prince went on-- "And how did he do this? He was strengthened by the Lord; and He Who had suffered succored him in his suffering. Now, it is to Him that you must turn. But now," he added, "the morning draws near, and you two must be back at the camp ere day breaks; so let us bid each other farewell, and perchance we may meet again."