20180331.0430

In stories that notice have gained,
The hero’s strength has waxed and waned
With the course of the sun,
But neither was one
Of the two who still fought so acclaimed.

20180330.0430

And under the cover of night,
Some of the Scald did take flight.
Þurn, though, still fought,
And Erdewyn sought
To end him and her own town’s plight.

20180329.0430

Soon enough, night ‘gan to fall,
And of the dead, noone knew all
The names; of the harmed
None could tell; of the charmed,
Hurt not, the number was small.

20180328.0430

On did the two of them strive,
Both hoping to end up alive,
And the folk of the town
Thought to bring the Scald down,
Themselves from that evil to shrive.

20180327.0430

Indeed, Þurn soon regained ground,
Thought to turn the fight around,
Though still all about
Matters were in doubt;
Chaos did them both surround.

20180326.0430

It’s certain she found strength again,
In the pause found a new wind
And pressed her attack,
And so forced Þurn back,
Though that fight was not soon to end.

20180325.0430

Whether she did well to halt,
Or whether she made then a fault,
Is not ours to say
Who saw not that day--
It’s not ours to blame or exalt.

20180324.0430

Erdewyn did what she could
As to allow her the delay would
To catch a clear breath
And so stave off death
A bit longer, to her own good.

20180323.0430

As it happened, her knowing was wrong.
His innards stayed hid from the throng,
Though still the blade bit
Him where it did hit
Him, but he soon came along.

20180322.0430

As he fell, his blade did hit the ground,
And from it did swiftly rebound;
His opponent withdrew,
For she certainly knew
The blade his depths would fully sound.

20180321.0430

In the end, it was the work of chance
That forced the two to halt their dance;
Head hit by a stone
That was randomly thrown,
Þurn fell as he tried to advance.

20180320.0430

Any who fight can well say
That long fights go in but one way:
The fighters will tire;
Their bodies conspire
To beat all who will that game play.

20180319.0430

Faster and faster, Þurn struck
At Erdewyn, who still had luck
Enough to evade
Each swing of the blade,
Though she knew that she’d soon be stuck.

20180318.0430

Erdewyn fled from each blow,
Knew if she didn’t, she’d go
Where her old master
Had gone, but much faster--
Though that he’d gone none did know.

20180317.0430

But Þurn settled not for one blow;
He meant for her to death to go,
So he swung again,
A sharp trail without end
Upon which he would send his foe.

20180316.0430

Þurn first lashed out with his blade,
And his strike did she well evade;
With no edge to hone,
No sword of her own,
She yet knew the game to be played.

20180315.0430

The weary Erdewyn stood tall
To answer the unspoken call
Made by Þurn’s approach,
And without reproach,
They held the attention of all.

20180314.0430

Yet the efforts he spent were for naught,
For still on the townspeople fought,
And though many fell.
Still could they tell
That matters might go as they ought.

20180313.0430

The townfolk, he felled as he came,
Leaving those he met the same
As beasts of the field,
Did they fight or yield;
Each met, he slaughtered as game.

20180312.0430

He approached through the melee
While his forces strove for the day
But were often spurned;
The town the fight turned
Or, at least, held attackers at bay.

20180311.0430

Even so, she ‘gan to tire
As the count of her vict’ry rose higher,
And Þurn saw a chance
To on her advance
And make her prepared for her pyre.

20180310.0430

She dealt with them all as before
She had dealt with many and more.
With a mighty clout,
She laid each one out,
Felling in time several score.

20180309.0430

But, rather than rush with sword drawn
Against her, he sent others on
To wear her strength down
Or bring her to ground--
And for that, he’d gladly wait long.

20180308.0430

Against her, then, he took arms,
Thinking to thus avoid harms
To him, and to her
With his might aver
That greater were his martial charms.

20180307.0430

Þurn knew how his sire had died;
He had that event well espied,
And Erdewyn’s form
To him seemed to conform
To that Oðoæster had plied.

20180306.0430

For in days that were long gone,
Before he had by sword been passed on,
Eranrood had taught
Him whom he begot,
And he his old weapons did don.

20180305.0430

For if Oðoæster her taught,
And Þurn had well seen how she fought,
He had been taught, too,
And he well indeed knew
That he no melee for him sought.

20180304.0430

Þurn saw her come from afar,
His eyes peering over his scar;
He did not her meet
To seek her defeat,
But was hardly eager to spar.

20180303.0430

On balanced feet Erdewyn came,
Resolute, earning no shame
From timid advance
But taking no chance;
Caution in war is no shame.

20180302.0430

So she’d not rush headlong in
Or seek for a fight to begin.
It had long since started,
Pushed by the hard-hearted,
And she meant to end it, to win.

20180301.0430

Yet she’d been well warned against pride
And knew strength was easy to hide;
Her teacher had said
She should keep her head--
A lesson that her’d well betide.