The oarsmen rested on their oars to await Karl Sverkersson's retainers, who came running down to the shore with crossbows and longbows in hand. They shot their arrows in vain, and King Knut held the holy relic of God over his head in triumph.

   Then they set a course for Forsvik, which lay against the wind. No pursuers in Western Götaland would be able to row against the wind like King Knut's Norwegian kinsmen.

The week after the martyrs Filippus and Jacob were remembered on the first of May, when all the livestock were let out to pasture and the inspection of the fences was complete, the late spring all at once changed to summer. The mild south wind continued for a long time, all the tender greenery appeared at once, and among the oaks on the slopes of Kinnekulle lay a thick white carpet of wood anemones. The cuckoo was heard first in the west.

   This time Arn came riding alone and at a leisurely pace toward Husaby. He seemed to want to draw out the sweet torment now that he knew that Cecilia would be his. He also had much to think about because recent days had been full of tasks in the service of Knut Eriksson. Much had happened, and he wasn't sure whether he understood Knut's intentions behind all of it.

   When they returned to Forsvik after their successful journey to Visingö, they were able to sail right into the harbor, such was the difference in the ice after only one day. Knut immediately dispatched a messenger relay to Arnäs and Magnus Folkesson, who would send word on to Joar Jedvardsson at Eriksberg. First their own kinsmen had to be informed about what had happened, for soon armies would be assembling for war.

   Arn had been prepared to ride with the news, thinking that it would arrive sooner that way. But Knut had said that there were important tasks that required Arn's assistance on behalf of his king; he could ride to Cecilia after everything that had to be done was done.

   First Knut and Arn had to sail across Vättern again with both horses and retainers, and then ride together to Bjälbo and let Birger Brosa know what had happened. There was not a single day to lose, for ignorance could be the same as death; all their kinsmen had to be rallied in time before the enemy attacked. Besides, it was only right that Birger Brosa be informed about what had happened by one of his own who had also been involved in the outlaw's demise on Visingö. Likewise it was important to meet with the next most important man, Archbishop Stéphan in Östra Aros. Knut had to win over both Birger Brosa and the archbishop to his cause, and both these men were close to Arn. Arn had nothing to say against this.

   When they came riding into Bjälbo, Birger Brosa had received them at first as if they were only young men arriving for a visit with kinsmen, and he apologized that he would have to leave the next day because he had important business in Linköping. But when they were left alone at Knut's request and Birger Brosa learned what had transpired, he no longer spoke of taking a business trip. No one from Bjälbo would set foot in Linköping for a long time, since it had been Karl Sverkersson's town and would now become Boleslav's or Kol's.

   Birger Brosa sat in dull silence, pondering, without revealing with the slightest expression what his thoughts might be. Suddenly he sprang up and said that there was only one choice. Now the entire Folkung clan must stand as one man behind Knut Eriksson in his effort to take back his father's crown. It was the only way. They had to stand united against the Sverker clan and their Danish hangers-on. They had to show strength and resolve, just as they had to make the most intelligent use of the advantage they now held in terms of time and knowledge.

   Considering the condition the ice had been in the day before when Karl Sverkersson met his doom out in Lake Vättern, it would take another day before the news spread to the mainland. Birger Brosa took it upon himself to use that information in Eastern Götaland, but he proposed that Knut also had to act swiftly and set off for Östra Aros immediately. He needed to win over Archbishop Stéphan to his side if possible, and then try to rally the Swedes to a ting at Mora Stones in order to elect a new king. All this had to be done quickly, so there was no more time for a visit or a rest. Everything was to be done as Birger Brosa had said.

   Knut Eriksson agreed at once with Birger Brosa's plan, since he knew full well that Birger Brosa was the wisest of men in regard to everything having to do with the struggle for power. But when they were getting ready to depart, Knut made one request that Arn found hard to understand. He wanted them to fetch from the Bjälbo armory Folkung shields, blue mantles, and pennants to fly from the lances, as well as a large group of retainers. Birger Brosa had nodded his assent immediately, as if he understood precisely what Knut Eriksson was thinking with this request. But Arn had also come to realize that the thoughts of men like Knut and Birger often traveled along entirely different paths than his own.

   In Östra Aros, Archbishop Stéphan at first refused to receive Knut Eriksson when he asked for admittance to the archbishop's residence. According to a rumor, the archbishop had been angry and said something to the effect that this man came only for the sake of intrigue.

   But when Archbishop Stéphan learned that Knut was ac companied by Arn Magnusson, he changed his mind and immediately received the two. When they met in the archbishop's dim writing chamber Arn fell at once to his knees and kissed his hand, while Knut at first was hesitant to do the same. To Knut's chagrin the conversation was then conducted in church language so that he was now the least important of the three; several times he was tempted to be vexed at Arn for words that were not Arn's but the archbishop's.

   What Archbishop Stéphan had to say to Knut Eriksson was clear and easy to understand, however, even if it was unpleasant. The church neither could nor would take sides in this dispute that now approached. As archbishop, Stéphan was concerned with God's kingdom, and not with the disputes of earthly contenders for the crown, so there could be no question of supporting either Knut or Karl Sverkersson's brothers, or whoever else might come running from the south. Earthly power was one thing, and God's power was another.

   Knut Eriksson controlled himself well when he understood that there was nothing more to gain in this matter, but he asked Arn to request that they might both receive Holy Communion from the archbishop himself at the next day's mass. Even though Archbishop Stéphan sensed that Knut had other motives beyond receiving communion, he agreed. Perhaps he also perceived this as a good and friendly way to disentangle himself from this dispute with a man who could well become the next king of the realm. Even if the church could not get involved in the struggle for the power of the king, the church at least ought to be on a good footing with earthly authority.

   As soon as they had respectfully taken their leave of the archbishop, however, Knut showed himself full of energy and eagerness. He said that there was yet much to be gained, and when they went back to join their waiting men, still dressed in their traveling attire and without the blue colors, he told them to go into town to spread certain rumors.