THE INTERIM KING - Book I

“Renegade am I?” responded Tostig.  “What my bailiffs did to your brother, I will have done to you.  Captain Otto, take this man and string him up from yonder tree!” German mercenaries seized the man and dragged him kicking and screaming toward the great shade tree in the center of the marketplace. “Any of the rest of you who would care to cast dispersions upon my honor will receive the same treatment,” pronounced Tostig to the cowering captives before him.  “I’ve had enough of your insults.” The rest of the captives stared disbelieving as their companion was being manhandled toward the tree.  A rope was produced and tied around the Barrow man’s neck.  “God will curse all of you,” declared the man.  “May the devil take…” The man’s curses and protests were cut short as the rope was pulled tight around his throat.  The other end was tossed up over a high tree limb.  Two Germans took hold of the rope and yanked it hand over hand, pulling the Barrow man up in the air.  The German mercenaries all seemed to take great pleasure at this diversion.  Hanging one of the locals right away always seemed to set the right tone and ensure that the rest of the population would obey them straight away.  Mercenaries began to take bets upon how long it would take the Barrow man to die. As the German executioners had not bothered tying the Barrow man’s hands behind his back, he grabbed wildly at the rope around his neck.  It did no good.  He could not loosen the rope. A woman rushed up to Tostig, falling upon her knees at his feet.  “Please, Earl Tostig!” pleaded the woman.  “Spare my husband.” Tostig shoved her away.  As the noose tightened upon him, the Barrow man kicked desperately all around him.  This motion started him swinging, moving him back and forth a length of about eight feet.  The man grabbed the rope above his head and pulled himself up, hoping to loosen the rope which was strangling him.  Then twisting himself, he changed the direction in which he was swinging and swung out toward the two German mercenaries who were holding the rope that was choking the life out of him.  He kicked out, striking one of the Germans full in the face.  The German man at arms fell backwards into his companion.  Both of them lost their grip upon the rope and the Barrow man dropped to the ground. “Damnation!” swore Tostig.  “Can’t you Germans do anything right?” The Barrow man lay gasping upon the ground.  He didn’t have the strength to pull the noose off his neck and make a break for it.  Townspeople and mercenaries alike were staring in awe of the man who had saved himself from the hangman’s noose. Tostig ordered his housecarle captain, “Halfdan, get three others and take up the rope.  Show these German bastards how a hanging should be done!” Halfdan designated three of his fellow English housecarles to help him.  He cut a short piece off the end of the rope with which the Germans had tried to hang the man, then went over to the Barrow man and tied his hands behind him.  The man was too exhausted to realize what was being done to him.  He continued to lie there, almost surreal.  Halfdan tied the man’s hands tight.  Halfdan and his companions took hold of the free end of the rope which looped over the tree limb with its other end tied around the condemned man’s neck.  They pulled fiercely on the rope and the Barrow man shot upon again, much higher this time.