In the latter days of Ketill, King Harald the Fairhaired rose to power, making it impossible for any folkland king or noble to thrive without his approval. When Ketill learned that Harald intended to treat him like other powerful men—demanding he accept unatoned kinsmen and become a hireling—he convened a meeting with his kinsmen. He began by acknowledging their past dealings with King Harald but emphasized the urgent need to address the impending troubles they faced. Ketill conveyed his certainty of Harald's enmity and concluded that they had two options: flee the land or face slaughter. He expressed his willingness to share the same fate as his kinsmen but hesitated to lead them into such peril, knowing their loyalty to him. Bjorn, Ketill's son, quickly declared his intention to follow the example of noble men and flee the land, believing it better to escape than to remain and be subjected to Harald's tyranny or face death at his hands.
Muriel A. C. Press Ordine dei libri (cronologico)
