He had brought along his son Inge, whom people called Fluga, after his mother. He was already an old man. The father had offered this son a great deal of help in the world; he had found him a rich match and managed to get Bishop Halvard to take an interest in Inge. Munan had been married to the bishop’s cousin Katrin. Lord Halvard wanted to help Inge become prosperous so that he wouldn’t deplete the inheritance of Fru Katrin’s children. The bishop had been given authority over the county of Hedemark, and he had then made Inge Munanss?n his envoy, so he now owned quite a few properties in Skaun and Ridabu. His mother had also bought a farm in those parts; she was now a most pious and charitable woman who had vowed to live a pure life until her death. “Well, she is neither aged nor infirm,” said Munan crossly when Kristin laughed. He had doubtless wanted to arrange things so that Brynhild would move in with him and manage his household at his estate in Hamar, but she had refused.
He had so little joy in his old age, Sir Munan complained. His children were full of rancor. Those siblings who had the same mother had joined forces against the others, quarreling and squabbling with their half siblings. Worst of all was his youngest daughter; she had been born to one of his paramours while he was a married man, so she could be given no share of the inheritance. For that reason, she was trying to glean from him all that she could while he was still alive. She was a widow and had settled at Skogheim, the estate which was Sir Munan’s only real home. Neither her father nor her siblings could roust her from the place. Munan was deathly afraid of her, but whenever he tried to run off to live with one of his other children, they would torment him with complaints about the greed and dishonest behavior of their other siblings. He felt most comfortable with his youngest, lawfully born daughter, who was a nun at Gims?y. He liked to stay for a time in the convent’s hostel, striving hard to better his soul with penances and prayers under the guidance of his daughter, but he didn’t have the strength to stay there for long. Kristin wasn’t convinced that Brynhild’s sons were any kinder toward their father than his other children, but that was something that Munan Baards?n refused to admit; he loved them more than all his other offspring.
As pitiful as this kinsman of hers now was, it was during the time spent with him that Kristin’s stony grief first began to thaw. Sir Munan talked about Erlend day and night. When he wasn’t lamenting over his own trials, he could talk of nothing else but his dead cousin, boasting of Erlend’s exploits—particularly about his reckless youth. Erlend’s wild boldness as soon as he made his way out into the world, away from his home at Husaby—where Fru Magnhild went about raging over his father while his father raged over his elder son—and away from Hestnes and Sir Baard, his pious, somber foster father. It might have seemed that Sir Munan’s chatter would offer an odd sort of consolation for Erlend’s grieving widow. But in his own way the knight had loved his young kinsman, and all his days he had thought Erlend surpassed every other man in appearance, courage—yes, even in good sense, although he had never wanted to use it, said Munan earnestly. And even though Kristin had to recall that it surely was not in Erlend’s best interest that he had joined the king’s retainers at the age of sixteen, with this cousin as his mentor and guide, nevertheless she had to smile with tender sorrow at Munan Baards?n. He talked so that the spittle flew from his lips and the tears seeped from his old red-rimmed eyes, as he remembered Erlend’s sparkling joy and spirit in those days of his youth, before he became tangled up in misfortune with Eline Ormsdatter and was branded for life.
Jamm?lt Halvardss?n, who was having a serious conversation with Gaute and Naakkve, cast a wondering glance at his sister-in-law. She was sitting on the bench against the wall with that loathsome old man and Ulf Haldorss?n, who Jamm?lt thought looked so sinister, but she was smiling as she talked to them and served them ale. He hadn’t seen her smile before, but it suited her, and her little, low laugh was like that of a young maiden.
Jamm?lt said that it would be impossible for all six brothers to continue living on their mother’s estate. It was not expected that any wealthy man of equal birth would give one of his kinswomen to Nikulaus in marriage if his five brothers settled there with him and perhaps continued to take their food from the manor after they married. And they ought to see about finding a wife for the young man; he was already twenty winters old and seemed to have a hardy disposition. For this reason Jamm?lt wanted to take Ivar and Skule home with him when he returned south; he would find some way to ensure their future. After Erlend Nikulauss?n had lost his life in such an unfortunate manner, it so happened that the great chieftains of the land suddenly remembered that the murdered man had been one of their peers—by birth and blood meant to surpass most of them, charming and magnanimous in many ways, and in battle a daring chieftain and skilled swordsman. But he had not had fortune on his side. Measures of the utmost severity had been levied against those men who had taken part in the murder of the landowner in his own courtyard. And Jamm?lt could report that many had asked him about Erlend’s sons. He had met the men of Sudrheim during Christmas, and they had mentioned that these young boys were their kinsmen. Sir Jon had asked him to bring his greetings and say that he would receive and treat the sons of Erlend Nikulauss?n as his kin if any of them wanted to join his household. Jon Haftorss?n was now about to marry the maiden Elin, who was Erling Vidkunss?n’s youngest daughter, and the young bride had asked whether the sons looked like their father. She remembered that Erlend had visited them in Bj?rgvin when she was a child, and she had thought him to be the handsomest of men. And her brother, Bjarne Erlingss?n, had said that anything he could do for Erlend Nikulauss?n’s sons, he would do with the most heartfelt joy.