Jorin had his doubts about his presence. He was called Bloodhowl for a reason, after all.
"I'm no envoy," he felt the need to say to Valmar. "I would not wish to give offense to the Onda, but I might do so without meaning to."
"I do not need you as an envoy," his king answered. "I need you, and Vuler and Jara, as my guard. They will be wary if I bring too many, but to bring none would speak of either weakness of arrogance."
Jorin did not need to say that such 'arrogance' would in truth be well-founded; there was likely no weapon in the world that could truly harm Valmar. He did not mention, either, his desire to spend time with Ana and his twin daughters. He had placed loyalty above all else, and he would not change that now.
The others saw him as the king's closest advisor, now. In some ways that was true, but in truth Jorin could barely keep up with Valmar, and that was when the Sky King paced himself. Like Leif and Hicond, and he supposed even the wolves and the drakes, he was a follower. And unlike them, he knew his time at Valmar's side was limited. The Sky King seemed unaging, and Leif and Hicond would be wise elders one day - but his strength was the strength of the hand. Perhaps he would fall in battle before it failed him, and perhaps he would find a place as father and advisor rather than warrior, as some did. But he was already weakening, and if Valmar had truly wanted guards Bulveye would have served him better.
But then, Bulveye would be even worse an envoy than Jorin.
They sailed on a trading vessel, drinking, planning, and listening to the songs of other lands. Valmar would correct the skald when his own deeds were spoken of, and they would all laugh at that. It was like the old days, truly, when Thengir still ruled the Russ and Unaeslan still rose from the waves. They had all changed since then, though. Even Valmar had. It showed when he took a ride atop Arnir to scout the terrain ahead, and it showed in the way he spoke when he got serious, which was less often than in Jorin's youth - if then he had become quiet and uncertain, now he spoke softly but grandly, and firmly too. The years might not have touched him, but all the things he had said and done in those years could not have left him the same.
Valmar stepped onto Arrowisle first, and called for the chief. There was some commotion at that, for it seemed the Onda had taken it as a challenge despite Valmar's words of peace - but quickly enough this was resolved, and Valmar gave his gifts of amulets and a forge hammer. And after that, of course, came the feast, and after that in turn the Onda king, Ekil, took Valmar aside and asked him why he had come.
Unsurprisingly, he did not believe Valmar's explanation.
"I cannot tell what you are offering," he said. "Is it slavery, or is it free land? The first we will not bow to without a fight, and the second... well, I have fought alongside you when I was young, Sky King, and I know you are a generous man; but even you are not so generous as that."
"I am not," Valmar acknowledged. "I do not demand slavery, but I do ask for fealty."
"Ah!" Ekil said. "So that's what it is." But he did not send them away. "Have any tribes taken that offer?"
"The Es and the Tileva." Ekil would know, as well as Jorin, that these had been failing tribes that had gone to Asaheim from desperation. "They are just as much my subjects as the Russ."
Some grumbled at that last part, of course. Men were men, and even many of the Russ women saw themselves as superior. Jorin had even cut the thread of Gerd Treebreaker of the einherjar over this. But the Onda were a different story - they were not much less mighty than the Russ had become.
"Perhaps," Ekil said. "There are many among my people who would live in Asaheim, for a time. And those of the Russ, surely, who would sail the seas again, eh? But I will not surrender my kingship."
Valmar frowned. "You - "
"I am your equal, and I would be recognized as such," Ekil said.
Jara had to suppress a laugh at that. Before the tension could grow, Jorin made himself speak, for he was not sure Valmar would. "You are a great king, without doubt," he said, "but surely you know the Sky King has no equal, not in prowess nor in wisdom."
"So the tales say," Ekil answered. "But we are not among tales. We are among men." He turned to Valmar. "Some taller than others, admittedly."
"A challenge, then," Jorin said before he could stop himself.
"A challenge," Valmar agreed, after a moment's consideration. "A contest of your choice, and the champion will rule both our people. What do you say, Ekil?" A bold stake, of course. But what was life without boldness?
Ekil looked to them. Jorin knew he could not refuse the challenge, but there were still ways out, some even honorable. But Ekil did not take them.
"If you defeat me," he said, "as you likely will, do you swear to treat my people as your own?"
"I do," Valmar said. "Do you swear the same?"
"Of course," Ekil said. "So let us sail around Arrowisle, and whoever rounds this land more quickly shall be acclaimed as the winner. And if even in this you are my better, then the Onda will do better under your rule than mine."
That Valmar would win the race was foretold. His unification of Fenris was only starting, but already, Jorin could imagine Valmar succeeding at the impossible a third time. Only -
What could come next, after that?
Jorin hoped he would live to find out.