1058

In Poul Anderson's The Road Of The Sea Horse (New York, 1980), the pieces continue to fall into place:

there is a nova and an East-West split in Christendom;

the King of France is repulsed by the Duke of Normandy who, we know independently, will soon become the King of England;

Malcolm overthrows Macbeth;

Earl Harold Godwinsson reaves and burns on the Welsh marches (bad), refuses to accept England as a Papal fief (good) and drives back Norse Vikings secretly sent by Hardrada (good);

Edward the Atheling is succeeded by his son, Edgar (some of us might remember from Alice In Wonderland that Edgar Atheling will offer the Conqueror the English crown);

Hardrada, reappearing right at the end of the Chapter to receive his Vikings' report back, says that whoever holds England " '...might well hold the world later on.' " (p. 220)

A new world is being born and is even becoming recognizable.

Chapter XII ends in 1058; Chapter XIII, which also broadens the perspective by presenting an alternative narrative point of view, begins in 1061. Now there are only five years left.