It was not hard to guess who the captain or the ship was. Þórsteinn immediately recognised him when he saw his shaven face looking down on everyone in the street. He had never before seen a man so tall – obviously of distant giants’ brood! – and he surely was not happy to see one now after slandering one of his men. On the contrary, even the dishonourable though of flight crossed his mind, and he would have made for it had he not remembered that his name was stained enough as it was. Besides, he was not in the wrong, and he had both the deities and men as witnesses, unless they were ready to lie for their mate.

He decided to lay his hand off the axe and face the man unarmed. He was never the man to run away, but he was also never the man to be foolish. Best case scenario: he gets pardoned, maybe after paying a small fine to the captain and the jarl; worst case scenario: he gets thrown in jail, in which case he would at least have a sure meal once a day, however miserable. 

The crowd went silent and some space around the captain and his men was made clear. However, everyone was still watching, and some wild eyes definitely hoping to see some blood sport. Þórsteinn stepped forward and raised his hand. 
“Hail!” he said.[color=0072bc] “I am Þórsteinn Halvardsson, and I meant no trouble. I was only looking for work. Your man is a somewhat hot-tempered! That is the whole story. You can ask anyone.”[/color] He pointed around at the crowd.

Uffr observed the scene, then laughed and said, [color=FFA500]"Orm you're going to buy us some new ale, yes?"[/color] A chuckle broke form the crowd. Then he looked down at Þórsteinn, a serious look taking his face.
[color=FFA500]"And you, I see you are armed. And I hear you want work, and I have an open bench. Fight Orm Bjórr to prove your self! If you show me a good fight, I'll let you on board. If not . . . you may as well go join a whaling group" [/color]
Uffr smiled at his joke not knowing Þórsteinn's background.

Þórsteinn  smiled at the irony in the last remark, and from his gurgling he saw that the tongueless guard picked it up as well. [color=0072bc]''You must be playing some kind of a trick on me, captain, don't you think?"[/color] he said and looked around for the crowd's support. [color=0072bc]"I am not going to fight a man in such a state. Everyone would say that I won that bench by fighting an incapacitated man." [/color] He looked at Orm and felt that, at heart, he really was a good warrior when he was not drunk. And that fist of his more of a hammer than a hand. [color=0072bc]"That would bring a great shame on me in the eyes of this entire fleet here. And the town. So, you will either have to take a risk and trust me with that oar, or give me someone else to fight, which I wouldn't recommend, because you'll end up with another open bench."[/color]
This display of confidence (or cockiness) was cheered by some of the bystanders.

Uffr stared into Pórsteinn's eyes for a long, long time. Then he smiled, and slapped the man on the back. [color=FFA500]"Well I'm going to take the risk. But, let me down..."[/color] He motioned a quick slice to the neck. [color=FFA500]"Now get your belongings and get on board, I expect to leave at any moment"[/color]
[color=0072bc]"And where exactly are we going?"[/color] Þórsteinn asked.
[color=FFA500]"Why, England, of course!"[/color]

colab. w/ [@Sirkaithethird]