Good morning, Smár Einn!
Thank you to Mel and Jill!
.: Fjórir Tigir ok Sjau :.
The morning after Edvard leaves—taking Josurr and a handful of þrælls with him—Kári's house is once again filled with activity as other families prepare for their own departures.
Though I wish to do so, I don't have time to sit and wallow. There are endless chores to be done in the hall, even as more and more families begin departing.
By the next morning, at least a third of the families are gone.
Just when I feel like the hall might finally learn the sound of silence, a visitor appears from the west. The man is large, nearly as tall and wide as Arni, and as loud as he is imposing.
"Brother!" His voice booms, causing everyone in Kári's hall to turn their attention to him. I look up from where I am entertaining the children, surprised by the sudden appearance of a stranger. I'm even more surprised when I see Egil stand and greet him with a hug.
"Bjorn, it is good to see you, brother."
Bjorn is hairy, with a wild brown beard and equally wild brown curls. His name—which I take to mean bear—suits him exactly.
I watch the brothers reunite from my spot on the floor, my fingers curling around little Hugi in my lap. Though I should be eager to meet Egil's brother, I am privately terrified at the idea. I fear what might happen if he finds me lacking in any way.
"Bella!" Egil says, turning toward me and motioning me over. I let out a breath and pass Hugi to Rúna before I climb to my feet.
The hall is unusually silent as I make my way to the brothers.
Bjorn's dark eyes are assessing me, taking stock of every inch of me. It's impossible to tell what he thinks.
"Bjorn, this is Bella, our sister," Egil says, clapping my shoulder.
I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. "It is good to finally meet you, brother," I say, looking him in the eyes. It's like facing down a wild animal, and though I'm terrified, I fight desperately not to show it.
Bjorn's head tilts to the side and then he lets out a growl that makes me flinch. My fear goes unnoticed though, for as soon as the sound is out of his mouth, he's moving, pulling me into his arms and tossing me around. I have to fight off a shriek as he manhandles me as easily as a child.
"Bella Egildottir!" he shouts, twirling me about before setting me back on my feet. I'm dizzy, and Egil reaches out to steady me. "You honor our father with your beauty," he says, giving me a playful wink.
"Brother, stop bombarding her," Egil admonishes.
Bjorn laughs.
"Don't fear, sister. The good brother has finally arrived. We shall have true fun now."
I can't help my smile. He's absolutely terrifying, but his energy is so light and merry that I am almost immediately at ease. He reminds me a great deal of Arni, and I wonder if they are friends. It seems unlikely they wouldn't be.
Egil brings Bjorn farther into the hall, and slowly people around us resume their work. I go to fetch him and Egil ale, happy to be able to help them with this.
When I return, Bjorn motions for me to sit with them.
"Sister, I hear that you are betrothed to Eðvarð Kárisson," he says, before taking a large swig of ale.
I blush and nod.
"I am."
Bjorn wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and nods. "A bit eager, isn't he?" he asks, shaking his head. "You've not even met everyone."
"Actually," I start before I can stop myself. Egil and Bjorn look at me, and my cheeks flame red. "I uh, I asked him to marry me," I say with a squeak. I don't know if this is something I'm supposed to admit, and for a terrible moment, I'm afraid that this will somehow ruin my engagement to Edvard.
To my immense relief, Bjorn lets out a booming laugh that somehow rattles the heavy table.
"A true daughter of Egil!" he shouts, holding up his ale. "Though you look like a mouse, you are as strong as an ox."
I'm not entirely sure how to take all his words, but I decide they must be compliments. I smile at him, sipping my own cup of ale.
I glance at Egil and feel myself warm over when I see the small, proud smile tucked into the corner of his mouth when he glances at me.
I want to be worthy of my new family, and it brings me joy to know that I've pleased them.
…
I miss Edvard dearly while he's gone, but having Bjorn around brings levity back to my life in a way I hadn't truly experienced since I was a þræll. Though I'd never gotten the chance to get too close with Josurr after Edvard's order that he stay away from me, I'd gotten close with Arni, who carried very much the same spirit as Bjorn. It's nice to reconnect to that energy over the next week.
When I'm not getting to know my new brother, I spend my time with Eydís, following her, watching how she runs the household. She holds keys at her waist that I remember seeing back in the Old Country. Though I understand the practicality of the keys, I soon realize the symbolism of them as well. She holds the keys to the stores, to the weapons, to everything. She is the true master of the household.
It's heady to think that will be my role too.
The two weeks Edvard is gone fly by, much to my relief, and the night before he's set to come home, I am anxious with unspent energy.
I'm scared of what the morning might bring, but also unbelievably excited. I don't know what to do, or how any of it might work, but I am now within hours of becoming Edvard's wife, of claiming him publicly as my own.
It's enough to drive me to sleeplessness, and while everyone tucks in for the night, I toss and turn until I can no longer take it.
Gathering a fur around my shoulders, and making sure I still have the knife Edvard gave me all those months ago, I slip out of the hall and into the twilight world outside.
In the shadows of the fallen sun, the world looks more alien than ever, but I've spent the last two weeks getting to know this place, so I move through it confidently, heading toward the cliff that overlooks the ocean.
When I reach my destination, I settle on the ground and gaze out at the endless sea.
Somewhere out there is a land that will one day be the place I am born. Though it might be impossibly far away, I know that through the water it's still connected.
It'll always be connected.
I feel the parts of me—who I was and who I am becoming—starting to merge together the more I meditate on the water. Though oceans are never the same as they once were, they contain within them all the parts of what they were and all the potential of what they shall be tomorrow.
Staring at the water, I can taste infinity.
The wind whips off the Arctic Coast, rushing up over the mountain and combing through my hair, whispering sweet nothings into my soul.
I close my eyes as the windsong works its lullaby through me.
"Bella, I see you… I've always seen you… I'll always see you…"
My eyes blink open groggily. "Edvard?" I croak, looking around at the rocky landscape.
"No matter how far our souls travel, they will always find each other. We are one."
I frown, sitting up. Am I dreaming?
I need to get back to the house, need to sleep properly. There is a long day ahead of me, and I'll be useless if I don't rest now.
Groaning, I climb to my feet, brushing myself free of dirt and grass.
I pause when I see that I was sitting on a patch of small white flowers. I don't recognize them, and I was fairly sure I hadn't been sitting on them before, but there they are.
Shaking my head, I make my way away from the sea and back to Kári's house.
It's only when I'm crawling back into my bedroll and letting out a heavy, soul-weary sigh that I realize the words I'd been dreaming earlier were not in English.