Styrbiorn the Strong · Chapters

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Chapter companions for Styrbiorn the Strong by E. R. Eddison.

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Chapter 1
Dedication
The author dedicates the book to his brother Colin.
Chapter 2
Styrbiorn the Strong
The chapter recounts the life and deeds of Styrbiorn the Strong, from his early acts of vengeance and exile to his rise as a Jomsviking leader, his dalliance with Queen Sigrid, and his ultimate fall at the Battle of Fyrisfield.
Chapter 3
I: On King Olaf's Howe
Styrbiorn the Strong, son of the late King Olaf, refuses to join the sacrificial feast at Upsala and instead sits on his father's howe, demanding his inheritance from his uncle King Eric. After a tense exchange, Styrbiorn is shamed into attending the feast but soon kills Aki, a member of the king's bodyguard, in a brawl. The next day, Styrbiorn returns to the howe, where he meets Queen Sigrid the Haughty; their conversation is charged with ambition and a strange foreboding as Sigrid senses the presence of the dead.
Chapter 4
II: Thorgnyr the Lawman
King Eric returns from a guesting journey to learn that a Thing was summoned in his absence, where bonders proclaimed Lambi the White king of half Sweden in defiance of Styrbiorn. The King confronts Thorgnyr the Lawman, who admits he could not prevent the uproar and warns that Styrbiorn's stubbornness may undo them all. Despite his anger, King Eric reveals his love for Styrbiorn, while Thorgnyr cautions that the bonders will not endure being spur-ridden.
Chapter 5
III: Queen Sigrid the Haughty
King Eric visits Skogul-Tosti and meets his daughter Sigrid. After a feast, the King proposes marriage, but Sigrid initially refuses, believing he is wooing on behalf of Styrbiorn. When King Eric reveals he seeks her hand for himself, she hesitates, torn between pride and ambition, and the chapter ends with her silent deliberation.

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Dedication

Styrbiorn the Strong

I: On King Olaf's Howe

II: Thorgnyr the Lawman

III: Queen Sigrid the Haughty