Instead this council began in a cold hall where they had to sit with their cloaks wrapped around them, with only a few braziers that had been brought in.

   The big question was the clan's allegiance to Karl Sverkersson. No one considered him a powerful king; no one thought that he could protect the kingdom if the Danes or plunderers from across the Eastern Sea fell upon the country—even less if the Norwegians came, but they were usually fully occupied killing one another. Yet was the time truly ripe for their own clan to enter the fray over the royal crowns?

   Birger Brosa said that while he was convinced the time would come, it was not yet upon them. The clan stood stronger in Eastern Götaland than in Western Götaland, but Eastern Götaland was also the country where King Karl stood strongest and had the most kinsmen, especially in Linköping and the surrounding regions. In order to prevail, the Western Goths would need to turn out to a man to wage a battle over some king's crown, though most of them cared not a whit about it. That would never happen.

   So it was wisest to keep their own counsel for now, to support King Karl and let no one know that their support could cease like a bolt from the blue if the conditions proved right.

   Instead they would patiently continue to reinforce the clan the way they had always done, through wise marriages. And an excellent opportunity now presented itself since Birger Brosa could no longer evade that obligation, no matter how pleasant it might be for him to live as a young lord without the responsibilities that God placed upon all men sooner or later.

   Birger Brosa went on, and now everyone listened attentively with no bellowing, snoring, or loud shouts for ale to disturb their thoughts: Through his brother Magnus, the clan had a bond with the Norwegian king, Magnus Sigurdsen. However, King Magnus had been defeated by Harald Gille, and the king's power would pass to Harald's sons, as things now stood. This was the opinion of everyone who had any understanding of the Norsemen's doings. Although when it came to the Norwegians, one could never be absolutely sure, since everything could change with a single blow of the sword, turning a kinsman of the king into a kinsman in exile.

   Now, however, Birger Brosa volunteered to go on a courting expedition to Norway in order to become betrothed to one of Harald Gille's daughters, either Solveig or Brigida, whichever would be deemed most suitable. That would strengthen the clan's bond with Norway, no matter how long the Norsemen continued killing each other. Birger would then be married into Harald Gille's clan, and his brother Magnus into Magnus Sigurdsen's clan.

   The men turned and twisted the problem in their minds for a while. Another possibility, of course, would be for Birger to marry into Karl Sverkersson's clan. But that might prove foolhardy instead of a lucky stroke, because what use would it be to become a kinsman if one day the king's crown was passed to Karl's son, if he had one. No, reinforcing the bond with Norway would be a safer and with time probably a wiser move. The matter was thus concluded, and no more needed to be said about this marriage.

   Then came the question of whom Magnus ought to court. His period of mourning for Sigrid had expired, and he was a good prospect, with plenty of land and great wealth, which always made things easier. But the question was who would be the wisest choice.

   First Magnus had to tell them his own thoughts on the matter. Not entirely sure of his voice, or of how he should choose his words, he took the floor. If he married into the Pål clan in Husaby, another strong clan in Western Götaland would be bound together with Bjälbo. Besides, it was advantageous that his own land and that of the Pål clan adjoined each other; a marriage would thus mean that a large portion of the shore of Lake Vänern would end up legally bound together. This meant that they would acquire a stronger grip over trade in all of Western Götaland, since Lake Vänern for the greater part of the year was the most important link to Lödöse, as well as to Denmark and Norway. There were two daughters at Husaby, and both were fair but rather young.

   When Magnus sat down he could hear from the muttering and whispering of his kinsmen that they thought he had spoken well, but were not completely convinced. He surmised that someone might have other plans for him, and in that case it was not difficult to reckon who would wax eloquent.

   Quite rightly Birger Brosa demanded the floor, first speaking in words of praise for his older brother, his profits and shrewdness in business, and his willingness to make a good marriage in order to strengthen the clan and please his kinsmen.

   But soon his tone turned curt and harsh as he described how more audacious and more important bonds were needed for the sake of all their kinsmen. The clan of Erik had in no way given up its struggle for the crown, although they had made exacting inquiries. In Norway Erik Jedvardsson's greedy widow was plotting revenge and raising her sons to be future contenders for the throne. The clan of Erik was strong south of Skara and also had offshoots in Svealand. It was a clan that they would be wise to count a friend rather than a foe.

   Erik Jedvardsson's brother Joar was the owner of one of the farms outside Eriksberg, and he had a daughter, his eldest and not very fair, but for whom he would no doubt gladly hold a betrothal ale even for a man less wealthy than Magnus.

   Magnus sighed when he heard his younger brother present this proposal. He already knew how it would turn out. His own blood would be used to bind the clan to a future important enemy or a future important ally. About this matter he could say nothing but that it sounded wise. So be it.

   Eskil, who was having a hard time seeing the logic in choosing kinsmen among those who killed instead of those who had the right sort of wealth, gave his father a distressed look. He knew how it would turn out. He would soon have a new stepmother, about whom he knew nothing except that she was evidently not very fair.

Never had Arn seen Brother Guilbert as happy as the day the new horses arrived. There was a stallion, two mares, and a colt, and they were led in at once to their own pasture so that they wouldn't mix with the Nordic horses. They seemed to be in fine condition. Their journey had not been arduous in such a good season with plenty of grazing and water along the way. They had returned with Father Henri from one of his constant journeys to the general chapter in Cîteaux. Since Father Henri and the brothers who accompanied him had traveled most of the way on foot, as usual, and since the two heavy wagons with traveling goods had been pulled by donkeys, the horses seemed to be thoroughly rested.

   It was always a big event at the monastery when Father Henri returned from the general chapter. All the monks faithfully obeyed and for the most part honestly applied the rule of charity, but they were also eager for everything else he brought: the news, the letters, the new books, the knowledge of what was happening out in the secular world as well as in the ecclesiastical circles, as well as all the kernels, seeds, and cuttings that Brother Lucien cast himself upon with the enthusiasm of a child. Finally the monks were also eager to receive the cheeses and casks of wine that at least the Burgundian brothers had a hard time living without, just as the Provençal cooks had a hard time imagining cloister life without a new supply of certain herbs that Brother Lucien had not managed to grow in the harsh Danish climate.