Beowulf - Curse of the Dreygurs - Chapter 17

Appa Oversteps

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Chapter 17

Beowulf went silent as he thought over his dilemma. As he walked through the group of men, he ignored Leofe. However, her gloating stopped when she caught sight of the blue stone necklace Ecgberht showed his comrades. Stepping next to the warrior, she asked where he got the item. Ecgberht regaled the woman with his fight against the dreygur who lost its head.

“Can I see it?” she asked.

Ecgberht’s eyes narrowed, and he refused, gripping it tightly as he backed away. Leofe gave him a bright smile as she reassured him about his trophy. Still suspicious, Ecgberht turned the amulet over her and the woman handled it reluctantly. She examined the blue stone of sapphire, holding it up to the light at various angles to read the engraved inscriptions. The finely woven interlocking gold threads which formed the necklace confirmed her initial suspicions. When she finished, she ordered him to destroy it.

“I don’t follow a woman,” the old warrior told her curtly. He spat on the ground by her feet, telling her he feared no stone, especially a valuable one.

“What you have is an enchantment stone that carries an evil curse,” Leofe tried to explain. They may believe in the ancient ways, but she knew such warriors were a naturally skeptical group when it came to valuables. “I’ve heard of no counterspell for such a talisman. If you wear it, your body and spirit will no longer be yours to command. This is the witch raises the dead. You must have seen those stones shining. Someone must be putting these amulets upon the corpses that arise from the mounds.”

“So, if we remove these from the dead, they cannot awake to kill the living?” Beowulf asked. “I’m surprised the villagers didn’t tell us this before.”

“I told you that Malo would not consider the ancient ways,” she reminded him. “Those of his flock among him may know about the charms, but they believe his religion is a stronger force than ancient spells. They think just using the cross will stop such evil. But I know only a powerful witch can make such evil magic.”

“Or a saint,” offered Sigibert.

“I will not follow such ways?” Ecgberht countered; unhappy he would lose his trophy. “You’re too young to know of the world. There is no power to lead us to Folkvangr but Freyja. This new religion you speak about is not for warriors, but for the weak.” He spat on the ground again.

“That is not the point,” Beowulf suddenly interjected. He turned to the woman.

“You’re sure that destroying these talismans on the bodies will rid the land of the dreygur?” He asked.

“Yes, I’m sure of this,” she told him with a nod. “Look, you can see the words Boadicea Luigsech Mathghamhain. That is a spell used to control the dead. My mother was a charm speaker for our village who taught me many things.” Leofe gazed at Beowulf, her dark brown eyes softening in remembrance of her family.

“I’m sure of this,” she repeated confidently.

Beowulf turned to Ecgberht.

“You know witches can hex the living, so why not the dead? I say you should destroy that stone. We cannot take the chance.” Beowulf told him with confidence. “Fear not. You can keep the gold necklace, which is worth more. I’ll find you something else valuable to replace your stone. Do you agree?”

Ecgberht looked at the stone again. Reluctantly, he nodded and stepped to a nearby rock to smash the amulet as he pulled out his knife.

“Now we take orders from a cupbearer?” Appa asked aloud with a smirk as he and his brother walked up to witness the destruction of the amulet.

Beowulf immediately grabbed his new sword. However, before he could confront the Angle, Ecgberht sprung up with his dagger in Appa’s face. As he grabbed the front of the Angle’s tunic, Beowulf’s men surrounded King Ida’s sons. Glappa could only pull his sword halfway from the scabbard before he found three blades pointed at his throat.

“Back away, Appa is mine,” Beowulf ordered his men, who grumbled before taking a step back.

Ecgberht slowly released the young warrior, whispering a death threat in his ear. Beowulf stepped forward, moving close enough to Appa that he could smell a slight scent of perfume coming from the Angle. The unusual scent he dismissed, focusing his sharp gaze into the man’s eyes for a long moment before he spoke.

“You have insulted me for the last time, son of Ida,” said Beowulf, his voice a low growling sound. “You only live now because of your father. However, if I hear another word out of your mouth, I will pay the wergild to your king after I cut your tongue out.”

Beowulf’s face held a savage scowl as he waited for the man to say something sarcastic or to pull his sword. Blood duels were common enough in their world, and many combatants ended their life in such a duel.

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