Free Banners of the Northmen by Jerry Autieri

Maybe so, but without Gunther's arrival how could he have benefited from it?"
    "By staying alive while you wondered if his tale might be true," Snorri answered the question, frustration coloring his voice. A few men nodded in agreement, but Ulfrik did not care.
    "A good point. But I believe him. I did not at first, but now I've seen the work of Fate here. If any of you are undecided, then let us consult the futhark. I am confident we will have our answer."
    Heads turned to a pinch-faced man with a dark red beard and ruddy cheeks. He wore a headband to contain his bushy hair. The mention of his rune sticks, the futhark, seemed to alarm him. Though long in Ulfrik's service, he only recently discovered Ander read futhark. Ulfrik extended his hand to him.
    "Ander, you have your rune sticks? Cast them now and tell us if we should believe the priest."
    "The futhark is my power, lord. I bear them always." He stood, feeling for a pouch strapped to his belt. Ulfrik pulled the table away from the north wall, where Ander would cast his sticks. Snorri helped, and murmured to him.
    "The futhark, lad? Do you think Ander has the guts to tell you anything more than what you desire?"
    "I cannot read them," he said, then added in a louder voice, "but if the futhark say I should ignore the priest, then I will heed that wisdom. Ander, are you ready?"
    Ander nodded, facing north toward the seat of the gods' power. He held his sack of sticks in both hands and closed his eyes. Men gathered close, always eager to see the working of magic. Ulfrik smiled, confident that he understood the gods' message. He had no need to influence Ander, and so he remained behind the gathering.
    After long moments of silence, Ander flung the sticks from his bag onto the dirt of the floor. Clattering over each other, he knelt to read the runes, seeking those that had landed faceup. Mumbling as he pointed to each rune, he also traced the crisscrossed patterns with his finger. At last he stood, a smile on his face.
    "Lord Ulfrik, the priest is true. The gods show he possesses great treasure. I cannot be clearer, lord."
    "So now we know the truth," Ulfrik said, taking his seat at the table while Ander and several men admired his rune casting.
    "What an amazing surprise," Snorri grumbled, sitting next to Ulfrik and rolling his eyes.
    "The futhark do not lie, lord." Ander glared at Snorri as he returned to his seat. "And I would not dare mislead you."
    Ulfrik waved Ander to his seat, then squinted at Snorri. "Humbert told the truth, and now we have a means to act on that knowledge. Before we could not hope for access to Paris, and now we are called to join an army that will sack it. Humbert must be protected, and kept safe at least long enough to show us his hidden ways into the city and the location of the gold. He asks for vengeance in trade, and so would I were the situation reversed. We will provide it for him. I've no trouble killing his traitorous bishop if it means we claim his gold."
    He paused, finding more appreciative faces. Only Snorri frowned, and Ulfrik lightly punched his shoulder. "Combined with our shares of the plunder, you will all be wealthy men. But here is where I need your solemn oath, from each of you. You'll swear it before the gods. No one beyond our circle may know of this plan, especially Gunther One-Eye and Hrolf the Strider. Were either to know, they would claim the gold for themselves, leaving only a share for us. So everything will require secrecy. I don't like deceit, especially to a worthy lord like Hrolf, but the gods have sent Humbert to us for a purpose. I don't believe the purpose was to put more gold into Hrolf's hands. Do you all agree?"
    Everyone, including Snorri, agreed. Ulfrik rose and unclasped his silver armband, holding the dully gleaming ring over the table. "Everyone place your hands upon this ring." Hands reached in and touched the ring. Ulfrik turned to Toki, who gave a sheepish smile. He had once broken an oath sworn on this