Good Morning, Smár Einn!
Thank you to Mel and Jill!
.: Fjórir Tigir ok Átta :.
It is almost excruciating to wait the entire day for Edvard to arrive. I'm desperate to see him, to make sure with my own eyes that he is well and that I have not somehow imagined him. Though I'm certain of his existence, it sometimes feels too good to be true to know a man such as him.
I cannot wait to be married to him.
The day is filled with chores, as usual, though today there is much more cooking to be done. People are gathering for the wedding, and the feast I'm told will last days.
As long as it doesn't take me away from Edvard, I don't care.
I sense the change in the air when Edvard steps onto the farmstead. I don't know if it's the people around, happy to see the groom, or if I'm really that in tune with Edvard, but as soon as he's near enough, I feel him. The tunic I'm repairing flutters to the ground, my entire being focused on the entrance to the hall.
I want to run outside and rush to him, to throw my arms around him, but I cannot. So I wait. I wait an agonizingly long time, picking up my hemming in the meantime to pretend to work on it. I wait, and when I see his tall frame enter the house, my heart stutters in my chest.
Oh, how I love him.
His eyes immediately find mine, and though it is dim in the room, his gaze is a fire that sets me ablaze.
He doesn't make a move in my direction, but it doesn't matter. Just seeing him again is more comfort than anything else could ever be.
I try to force myself to resume my work, to keep conversation up with the women around me, but I'm useless. I watch Edvard out of the corner of my eye, and when I see him speak to Egil, my heart beats extra fast.
Egil nods to Edvard, and then my brother is turning to find me across the room. Our eyes meet, and I set my hemming down, my attention fully on them.
Egil motions for me to come to him, and I nod, tucking away my work before standing slowly. If I move any faster, I fear I'll fall with how eager I am.
I cross the room, my eyes flickering between Egil and Edvard. What could this be about?
Before I can meet them, Edvard turns to Egil and claps him on the shoulder. Egil nods to him as Edvard turns to leave again. My heart plummets as I reach Egil's side.
"Is all well?" I ask, unable to hide my fear.
Egil looks at me in surprise.
"Yes, of course." He offers me a warm smile. "Come walk with me, sister."
I nod and follow him from the hall.
Outside, twilight has descended upon the world, leaving the sky a deep purple bruise.
"Tomorrow you wed Edvard Kárisson," Egil says as we begin walking toward the sea. It's the same path I took the night before.
"Yes," I agree, too anxious about where this is going to say more.
Egil smiles and turns to me on the path, halting our progress.
"I'll be right here," he says, giving my arm a gentle squeeze.
At first I don't understand, but then Edvard steps onto the path ahead, and my heart leaps into my throat. I look at Egil, who gives me a small indulgent smile and motions me forward.
I don't hesitate again.
I run up the path, and when I'm within a few feet of Edvard, I fling myself into his arms. He pulls me close to his chest, and it's like every wrong in the world has been righted. I'm whole, and nothing else matters.
"Oh, my Smár Einn." He groans into my hair. "How I've missed you."
I can't even speak yet; I just bury my face into his tunic, reacclimating to his wonderful scent.
"Come, my love, let us walk."
I pull back from him enough to look at him in surprise. Thus far, it has been highly discouraged to let us be alone for any measure of time. If we must be, we're always in view of at least three people. When Egil brought me here, I thought it was to be supervised from where he stands a polite distance away.
Edvard smiles, glancing over my shoulder to Egil. I turn to see my brother very purposefully looking away from us, silently giving us a chance to slip away. I look back at Edvard and grin, taking his hand and letting him tug me down the path.
"How is your farm?" I ask, wanting to keep him talking so I can listen to his strong voice.
"It prospers," he says, and I love the pride in his voice. "When I left last summer, I entrusted my farm to a very trusted þræll and I am pleased to say it is doing well."
I'm only a little surprised to hear this. From what I've gathered, Edvard and his family have been in between Ísland and the Old Country for a few years now. It doesn't feel like too far of a stretch to hear that he has a farm already so well-established here.
"I can't wait to see it," I tell him.
Edvard glances at me, and the fire in his eyes warms me.
"You are still certain then," he asks, one heavy eyebrow lifting slightly. "That you wish to marry me."
I let his hand go as I turn to face him. I reach up as if to shove him, but my hands fist his tunic instead.
"I will always want you," I tell him.
He smiles, and though I can sense he wants to wrap his arms around me, he does not.
"Smár Einn, I have something for you."
I blink in surprise, loosening my hold on his tunic and stepping back as he reaches for a pouch at his belt. He pulls out a small folded animal skin, and I look up at him curiously.
"For our wedding," he tells me, offering me the pouch.
I take the leather into my palms, gently unwrapping whatever it is.
When the skin falls away, my heart bursts in my chest with a sudden and achinging awareness.
It's my mother's necklace, the necklace that brought me here.
I remember.
My hands are shaking as I gaze down at the stone that is now white and not ruby red. How is that possible? How could it change from red to white? Why would it change?
"I found it—the day you came to me," he says quietly. "I think perhaps it was always meant for you."
My palms are sweating as I reach out, my fingers brushing over the warm metal. To my relief, I'm not whisked away, but a strange sense of belonging comes over me.
This is my necklace; I'm just not sure how.
I look up at Edvard, tears in my eyes as I bring the necklace closer to my heart. "Thank you," I whisper, my voice thick with my tears. "This…" I swallow hard. "It belonged to my mother."
Edvard takes a careful breath. I've never spoken about my family with him before. I look down at the necklace again, the tears slipping past my lashes. "You have no idea what it means to me to have it once again."
Edvard reaches out, brushing the tears from my cheeks. "After tomorrow," he says quietly. "There will be nothing in this world you will want for. When we are married, I will give you whatever your heart desires."
I give him a weak, watery smile, clutching the necklace with one hand and reaching out to him with the other.
"I have everything I need when I have you."
Edvard's head dips down, his forehead pressing against mine, and in my palm against my chest, I feel the necklace's warmth, like a heart beating back to life.