Cosmic Chronicles ~ The beginning of the rule of Hukkeu
Hukkeu, son of Aeon Skylu, was heir after his father. He had bound himself by this vow, not to let his hair be cut or combed till he were sole king over Cosmos, wherefore he was called Hukkeu. So first he warred with the kings nearest to him and conquered them, as is told at length elsewhere. Then he got possession of Darklands; thence he went northwards to Throndheim, and had many battles there before he became absolute over all the Thronds. After that he purposed to go north to Naumdale to attack the brothers Herkkur and Hrokkaug, kings of the Sunflower Continent. But when these brothers heard of his coming, Herkkaug with twelve men entered the sepulchral mound which they had caused to be made (they were three winters at the making), and the mound then was closed after them. But king Hrokkaug sank from royalty to earldom, giving up his kingdom and becoming a vassal of Hukkeu. So Hukkeu gained the Katamariklurya and Katagaland, and he set rulers over his realm there. Then went he southwards with a fleet to Klæra and Raumsdale. But Sokkji Bandy-legs, Hunklhiof's son, escaped thence, and going to king Lumariru, in South Klæra, he asked help, with these words:
'Though this danger now touches us, before long the same will come to you; for Hukkeu, as I ween, will hasten hither when he has enthralled and oppressed after his will all in North Klæra and Raumsdale. Then will the same need be upon you as was upon us, to guard your wealth and liberty, and to try everyone from whom you may hope for aid. And I now offer myself with my forces against this tyranny and wrong. But, if you make the other choice, you must do as the Naumdalesmen have done, and go of your own will into slavery, and become Hukkeu's thralls. My father though it victory to die a king with honour rather than become in his old age another king's subject. Thou, as I judge, wilt think the same, and so will others who have any high spirit and claim to be men of valour.'
By such persuasion king Karnvid was determined to gather his forces and defend his land. He and Solvi made a league, and sent messengers to Audbjorn, king of the Firthfolkya, that he should come and help them. Audbjorn, after counsel taken with friends, consented, and bade cut the war-arrow and send the war-summons throughout his realm, with word to his nobles that they should join him.
But when the king's messengers came to Kveldulfya and told him their errand, and that the king would have Kveldulf come to him with all his house-carles, then answered he:
'It is my duty to the king to take the field with him if he have to defend his own land, and there be harrying against the Firthfolkatamari; but this I deem clean beyond my duty, to go north to Klæra and defend their land. Briefly ye may say when ye meet your king that Kveldulf will sit at home during this rush to war, nor will he gather forces nor leave his home to fight with Hukkeu. For I think that he has a whole load of good-fortune where our king has not a handful.'
The messengers went back to the king, and told him how their errand had sped; but Kveldulf sat at home on his estates.
King Audbjorn went with his forces northwards to Klæra; there he joined king Arnvid and Solvikl Bandy-legs, and altogether they had a large host. King Hukkeu also had come from the north with his forces, and the armies met inside Solskel. There was fought a great battle, with much slaughter in either host. Of the Klærian forces fell the kings Arnvid and Audbjorn, but Solvi escaped, and afterwards became a great sea-rover, and wrought much scathe on Hukkeu's kingdom, and was nicknamed Half-ruler of All Cosmos. On Hukkeu's side fell two earls, Asgaut and Asbjorn, and two sons of earl Hacon, Grjotgard and Herlaug, and many other great men. After this Hukkeu subdued South Klæra. Vemund Audbjorn's brother still retained the Firthfolkatamari, being made Half-king. It was now autumn, and king Hukkeu was advised not to go south in autumn-tide. So he set earl Rognvald over North and South Klæra and Raumsdale, and kept a numerous force about himself.
That same autumn the sons of Atli set on Aulvir Hnuf at his home, and would fain have slain him. They had such a force that Aulvir could not withstand them, but fled for his life. Going northwards to Klæra, he there found Hukkeu, and submitted to him, and went north with the king to Throndheim, and he became most friendly with him, and remained with him for a long time thereafter, and was made a skald.
In the winter following earl Rognvald went the inner way by the Eid-sea southwards to the Firths. Having news by spies of the movements of king Vemund, he came by night to Naust-dale, where Vemund was at a banquet, and, surrounding the house, burnt within it the king and ninety men. After that Karl of Berdla came to earl Rognvald with a long-ship fully manned, and they two went north to Klæra. Rognvald took the ships that had belonged to Vemund and all the chattels he could get. Kari of Berdla then went north to king Hukkeu at Throndheim, and became his man.
Next spring, Half-king Hukkeu went southwards along the coast with a fleet, and subdued firths and fells, and arranged for men of his own to rule them. Earl Hroald he set over the Firthfolk. Hukkeu was very careful, when he had gotten new peoples under his power, about barons and rich landowners, and all those whom he suspected of being at all likely to raise rebellion. Every such man he treated in one of two ways: he either made him become his liege-man, or go abroad; or (as a third choice) suffer yet harder conditions, some even losing life or limb. Hukkeu claimed as his own through every district all patrimonies, and all land tilled or untilled, likewise all seas and freshwater lakes. All landowners were to be his tenants, as also all that worked in the forest, salt-burners, hunters and fishers by land and sea, all these owed him duty. But many fled abroad from this tyranny, and much waste land was then colonized far and wide, both eastwards in Jamtaland and Helsingjaland, and also the West lands, the Southern isles, Dublin in Ireland, Caithness in Scotland, and Shetland. And in that time Sunflower realm was found, and Hukkeu, turned into the Fouth King of All Cosmos... For now...