Thanks again to all of you who have added this story to your alert/favorite list, and a big, huge thank you to those who review! I know we're all eager for Signe and Torstein to meet – trust me, I'm so ready to get to that part because my mind is literally exploding with ideas for those two – but it'll be a little longer yet before they do. Be strong! We can all make it together!
Anywho, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vikings.
P.S. Long chapter is long.
Chapter Three
To say that the strange incident involving the seeress left Signe's mind reeling would have been a serious understatement.
At first she had thought she might have imagined the whole thing. She had been tired, stressed, and not exactly in the best state of mind at the time – maybe the entire thing had merely been a strange dream. A very realistic dream, but a dream nonetheless. But after thinking about what had happened a little longer, Signe grew certain that she had not dreamt anything at all. She had been awake when the seeress reached out to her, that she was absolutely certain of – she could practically still feel the eerie tension that had encompassed the room, could still hear the seeress' voice on the wind and in her ears. What had happened in her room had not been a dream or a hallucination – it had been real. A message from the seeress, maybe even from the Gods.
Signe could not deny that the Völva had come to her. But why she had done so, was still a mystery.
It might have been seven years since she had last spoken to the seeress, but to this day Signe could still recall every word of their one and only conversation with perfect clarity. Signe had mulled over the conversation more times than she could count since that fateful day, weighing and rolling the woman's prophetic words around in her head, searching for hidden clues that she hadn't picked up on at the time – all the while biding her time as she waited for the path to be revealed to her.
She would be lying if she said she didn't have some suspicions regarding who this 'son' was that the Völva kept referring to – of all the men she knew, Bjorn was the only one who fit the mold of the seeress' predictions. She had said Signe would fall in love and marry a great warrior. Well, Signe was fairly confident that it was love she was starting to feel for Bjorn and there was no doubt in her mind that he would someday grow to be as renowned a fighter as his father, Ragnar Lothbrok. It was also impossible for her to ignore the fact that Bjorn lived away from his father, whom she knew he missed even if he didn't always act like it. Though he may not have outright told her he planned to return to Kattegat someday, secretly she had always suspected it was something he wanted to do.
Taking all of that into account, it was really only logical to assume Bjorn was the one. But if that was indeed the case, why was the seeress reaching out to her now, four years after they had met and become friends? What did it mean that the Völva had purposefully come to her in the middle of the night just to repeat those same cryptic words from so many years ago? Was it some sort of sign? Did it mean something was about to happen? Something that would send Signe down the path the Völva had told her about?
The only way to know for sure and get the answers she sought, Signe finally concluded, was to pay the Völva another visit. But another visit to the seeress was exactly what she had been avoiding these past seven years. The first time she had spoken to her had left her unsatisfied and with a head full of unanswered questions. The thought of meeting with the enigmatic woman only to get the same ending result left her feeling more than a little hesitant to go through with it – she was confused enough as it was without the Völva puzzling her even further.
"Have you listened to a word I have said?"
The exasperated question broke through the onslaught of thoughts swirling around in her head, startling her back to reality. She had gotten so wrapped up in her troubled musing about the Völva that she had completely forgotten the world around her – she had forgotten that she had been sharpening weapons with Bjorn behind the house while her brothers trained in the field some twenty yards away. Their father had gone into town, so they had all decided to take advantage of his absence and had abandoned their chores for more entertaining activities.
"Forgive me," Signe apologized, shaking her head to clear it. "I was a million miles away."
Bjorn snorted in response. "Yes, I noticed," he shot at her with a hint of sarcasm. "Is something wrong?" He asked, nudging her with his elbow.
Signe sighed and gave him a sideways glance, unsure how to answer him. Though she trusted Bjorn wholeheartedly, she did not feel comfortable telling him about her experiences with the Völva, nor what had been said. After all, she couldn't very well just come out and say, "I visited the Völva when I was a girl and am fairly certain everything she told me about my future revolves around you", now could she?Until she knew with complete and utter certainty that Bjorn was indeed the man the Völva had seen in her future, Signe wouldn't breathe a word of it. In the off chance her suspicions turned out to be wrong, she did not want to confuse things even more by needlessly dragging him into it.
"Signe?" Bjorn prodded tentatively when she took too long to answer, eyebrows now furrowed together in concern. "Talk to me."
Signe sucked in a deep breath, then released it as a heavy sigh. Firmly pushing thoughts of the Völva to the back of her mind, she decided the time had come to tell Bjorn about something else that had been weighing on her mind the past few days. "I have…something to tell you," she said slowly, scrunching her nose up a bit as she looked at him again.
Bjorn waited for her to continue, then waved an impatient hand when she did not. "What is it?"
Signe knew she couldn't stall any longer. "A few days ago, Valborg told me that he was not going to raid this summer," she started, nervously picking at the handle of her axe with a thumbnail as she spoke. "He wants to stay home with Inge and help her when the baby is born." Signe paused as Bjorn nodded his understanding, then sucked in another deep breath. "He's asked father to let me go in his stead," she finally blurted out, cringing as she waited for Bjorn's reaction.
His eyebrows shot up some in surprise his expression mildly dumbfounded as he let that news sink in. "Has your father given permission?" Bjorn finally asked when he had recovered from his surprise some.
Signe shrugged and shook her head. "I have been waiting for his answer," she said, sighing again, "but father is taking his time giving it."
Bjorn nodded, then turned his gaze elsewhere, looking deep in thought. For the most part, he seemed caught off guard by this newfound information, as she had expected he might be. But Signe knew Bjorn well – she recognized the disappointment lurking in his eyes, the same disappointment he was trying (and failing) to hide from her as he realized she would be going on the raids without him. It was exactly what Signe had hoped she wouldn't see, but had known deep down would be there the moment he heard the news.
"It is not decided yet," she found herself saying quickly, keeping her voice hushed so their conversation wouldn't be overheard. "Father might not even allow me to go. He might not think me ready for the raids yet," Signe said, though she wasn't sure what she was trying to do more – keep Bjorn from getting too discouraged, or keep herself from getting too encouraged in case her father did say no.
"Signe, you are a good fighter," Bjorn countered with a quirked brow. "I know it, your brothers know it – your father knows it. Just as we all know it has been your dream to follow in your mother's footsteps and experience life outside of Hedeby." He paused and nodded to himself. "Oleg will agree," he stated matter-of-factly, "I am sure he will."
Well, at least Bjorn sounded confident. Signe wished she could say the same for herself.
They held each other's gaze for a moment before Signe sighed and looked down at the axe in her hand, picking at the handle with her thumbnail again. "Are you upset?" She asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
"In a way…yes," Bjorn admitted after a moment's hesitation, making her heart plummet to her stomach. "But at the same time, no," he continued, offering a ghost of a smile. "I knew you vould go someday," he said slowly, shrugging a shoulder, as though this was a fact he'd resigned to a long time ago. As Bjorn then sighed heavily to himself, the small smile on his face disappeared. "I just alvays thought I would be going with you," he admitted, looking discouraged again. "I wish I could be there to experience it with you."
Signe frowned and nodded her head. "As do I, friend," she said, smiling forlornly. Bjorn returned the gesture half-heartedly. "But," Signe continued after a moment, wiping the sadness off her face, "father has not decided yet. I will not know for sure whether I am going or not until he gives me an answer."
Bjorn response was to send her a look, silently telling her with his eyes that she was foolish for thinking Oleg would say no.
Bjorn quietly watched as Garik and Gunnar sparred in the distance for a few seconds, then reached over to drop a hand on her far shoulder. He squeezed it for a moment before pulling her into his side for a hug, arm wrapping securely around her shoulders. Signe felt her cheeks flush a bit, but leaned into him as she gladly accepted the gesture. Bjorn was not an overly affectionate person, so on the rare occasion that he did bestow attention like this on her, she relished in it.
"I am glad for you, Signe," he said, putting on a happy smile for her.
Signe smiled widely in return and was just opening her mouth to tell him thank you when another voice beat her to the punch.
"And just vhat – " Signe and Bjorn looked up to see Hallsteinn approaching, axe in hand and one eyebrow quirked upward suspiciously, " – is going on here?" He finished, motioning to the arm Bjorn had around her with his axe.
Hallsteinn used to wear his golden hair rather long but recently had changed the style, shaving the sides bald but leaving a long middle section from hairline to nape to be worn in multiple intricate braids that hung down to his shoulder blades – a style, Signe suspected, to be inspired by descriptions he'd heard of Ragnar Lothbrok. He also had a neatly trimmed beard, a straight nose, and dark, ever-scrutinizing eyes. He was the strongest and probably the best looking of her brothers. Hallsteinn was also, however, the most frightening of her brothers. There was no denying that he had been born to be a warrior – the way that he carried himself oozed complete self-assurance and plainly stated to everyone that he was not only not afraid of a fight, but ready to take on any enemy, anytime, anywhere. He had a short temper that had gotten him in plenty of fights in the past, a temper which, amazingly enough, seemed to get even shorter when it came to men getting too friendly with Signe. Needless to say, he had gained himself a bit of a reputation in town over the years. Unless you were looking to have your face smashed in, Hallsteinn was no man to be trifled with.
Bjorn tensed when he saw the tell-tale glint in Hallsteinn's eye and slowly removed his arm from around Signe's shoulders. It didn't seem to matter that he was practically brothers with the man – he still knew better than to do anything that might put him on Hallsteinn's bad side. "I meant nothing by it," he said, holding his hands up in surrender.
"Hallsteinn," Signe said through clenched teeth when he just 'hmph'ed in response and quirked his brow higher, looking thoroughly unconvinced. He was undeniably the most protective of her brothers. Normally she didn't mind, but when it was Bjorn he was hassling, it irritated her greatly. "Bjorn is my friend. What you are doing is unnecessary," Signe chastised, warning him with her eyes that he had better stop his charade.
Hallsteinn idly twirled his axe around in his hands, staring at Signe for a long moment before sliding his gaze back to Bjorn. Signe could feel the tension rolling off of Bjorn as the older, stronger man glared at him through narrowed eyes, staring at him so intently one might think he was trying to look into his very soul. But finally, just as Signe was about to tell Hallsteinn to stop being an idiot and go away, a wide grin spread across his handsome, bearded face.
"You should have seen the look on your face," he snorted at Bjorn, pointing at him with his axe. Bjorn leaned back an inch or two, eyes trained warily on the sharp blade of Hallsteinn's weapon. He seemed unsure whether or not to believe that Hallsteinn was actually joking with him. "You might vant to check that you did not piss yourself," he added smugly, pointing the axe at Bjorn's crotch.
And with that Hallsteinn turned to walk away, looking mighty pleased with himself as he went and twirling his axe around as though it were a baton.
Bjorn released a breath and raised his brows at Signe, who, feeling rather mortified, instantly looked to him in apology. "Sometimes I think Hallsteinn really likes me," Bjorn said slowly, looking a bit stumped. "Other times…I really think he vants to kill me."
Signe couldn't help but smirk, a bit amused by his words. "He likes you, I promise," she reassured him firmly. "He just…likes to frighten the piss out of you, too," she added, making Bjorn huff to himself.
"So I have noticed," he said pointedly, turning his eyes back to Hallsteinn's retreating back. Just as he was about to reach Garik and Gunnar he suddenly darted forward, charging the sparring twins. There was a brief skirmish between the three, but within moments Garik and Gunnar were rolling on the ground and Hallsteinn, the victor, was the last man standing. "Just remind me never to get on his bad side," Bjorn said, some wariness creeping back into his tone. "Hallsteinn is not someone I vant as my enemy."
The sound of approaching horses suddenly sounded in the air, catching their attention and bringing their conversation to a halt. Signe and Bjorn looked to each other before getting to their feet and moving from their spot behind the house so they could see who had arrived. When her eyes landed on the riders coming down the path that led to the house, she instantly felt her shoulders relax. She recognized those horses – the tan one belonged to her father; the white and grey one belonged to Valborg.
"Who is it?" Hallsteinn asked as he crossed the field, having also heard the horses. Behind him, Garik and Gunnar were pulling themselves to their feet again so they could follow after their brother.
"It is father. He has returned from town," Signe called back. "He has Valborg with him."
Hallsteinn came to a halt next to her and crossed his arms over his chest, eyes trained on the two familiar horses as they slowly trotted forward. "I did not think Valborg was coming here today," he commented, eyes filling with intrigue as he watched them approach.
"Perhaps they went to town together," Gunnar offered as he and Garik finally reached them. "Or maybe Valborg saw father on his vay home and just felt like joining him," he added, before wincing and pressing a hand to his side.
But even as Gunnar said this, Signe could see that Oleg and Valborg's faces were set in very serious expressions. It made her frown with uncertainty for a moment, before she was suddenly filled with the nagging suspicion that this was not just another regular visit on Valborg's part. Expressions like that meant one thing – business.
Signe turned a look on Bjorn for a moment, who peered back at her curiously, before starting toward her father and brother. Only seconds later, the others followed her.
They reached Oleg and Valborg just as the two were dismounting their horses. Before anything could even be said, both men immediately looked at Signe before sharing a meaningful look with each other. Signe faltered and felt her stomach twist with anxiety, her suspicions being confirmed with the one, single look. She was right, this was about business – that look, Valborg's sudden appearance, the seriousness surrounding the two…Oleg had come to a decision about Signe's involvement in the raids and he was ready to deliver his verdict.
"Father, Valborg," Hallsteinn greeted slowly, eyes sliding back and forth between the two. "Is something the matter?" He asked, never one to beat around the bush.
"As a matter of fact," Oleg said, taking a moment to look at each of them with his one good eye, "there is something that all of us must discuss." He paused when his gaze suddenly landed on Bjorn. Despite the tension now lingering in the air because of his vague answer, Oleg smiled kindly at Bjorn in greeting, not looking overly surprised to see him there. "Hello, young Bjorn," he said, moving to shake Bjorn's hand. "Never a surprise to see you amongst my children."
"Oleg," Bjorn said, nodding his head respectfully as they shook hands.
"I would invite you inside and tell you to stay for supper and ale," Oleg said in a polite tone, "but I am afraid I have a very serious matter to discuss with my children. Perhaps now is not the best time for visitors," he suggested gently, trying his best to send Bjorn on his way without offending him.
Oleg's words only continued to confuse Garik, Gunnar, and Hallsteinn. The three looked to each other in silent question, obviously at a loss as to what this 'serious discussion' was going to be about. Signe knew, though. She knew exactly what her father wanted to talk about. And, quite suddenly, she had never felt so nervous in her whole life. Her heart felt as though it had gotten stuck in her throat, her palms felt sweaty, and her stomach had filled with butterflies that flapped so wildly she thought she might be sick.
Bjorn immediately nodded his head, having received Oleg's message loud and clear. "Of course," he said, glancing down at Signe. Their gazes locked for only a split second, but she knew from the look in Bjorn's eyes that he too knew what Oleg wanted to discuss with his children. "I will see you soon?" He asked.
Signe nodded in silent confirmation, then watched as Bjorn said his goodbyes and started down the road that would lead him home. He shot one last glance at Signe over his shoulder as he left, but then turned forward again and quickened his pace so he could leave the family to their privacy.
"Valborg," Oleg said, drawing Signe's attention back to him. He was handing his horses reins to Valborg, who took them without question and then went to secure the horses in the stables with the others. "Come," Oleg then said to Signe and the rest of the brothers, beckoning them to follow him as he headed for the door, "let us go inside."
Signe shared a look with her brothers before they all obediently followed him inside.
Oleg went to start a fire in the nearby hearth while Signe and her brothers waited patiently in their seats at the kitchen table. Garik and Gunnar had claimed two seats on one side of the table while Signe and Hallsteinn claimed the two on the opposite side, leaving the chairs at the ends open for Oleg and Valborg. The door opened a minute later and Valborg joined them inside. While Garik, Gunnar, and Hallsteinn proceeded to have a silent, confused conversation with their eyes, Signe looked to her eldest brother expectantly, hoping he would give her some kind of hint as to what awaited her. All Valborg did was offer a small smile and squeeze her shoulder as he walked past, then continued on without a word before sitting down at the end of the table.
As soon as a fire was crackling away, Oleg claimed the chair at the other end of the table and made himself comfortable. All eyes immediately turned to him in expectation as a heavy silence fell over the room, but nobody dared to speak, instead waiting respectfully for him to speak first.
"I wished to speak with all of you because there are important things to discuss regarding the summer raids," he finally started after a few moments. Signe felt the back of her neck heat up when his gaze found her and lingered for several seconds. "As I am sure you are all aware of, Earl Sigvard is having the ships prepared as we speak. They vill be ready to depart in a few weeks' time and then the raids vill be underway."
"Did Earl Sigvard say where we vill be going?" Hallsteinn interjected curiously, eyes filling with hope.
Signe knew what he wanted to hear – he wanted to hear that they would be going west, not to the same tired lands they had raided in the east so many times. Word had reached Hedeby the day before that week that Ragnar Lothbrok, King Horik – the king of Denmark – and several of their men had departed for England for the first time in four years nearly a month ago. When Hallsteinn had heard, he'd expressed hope that the news would prod Earl Sigvard, who seemed to feel he was in some sort of competition with Earl Ragnar, into attempting a similar journey.
Unfortunately, that was not going to be the case. "The ships will be going east, just as they always do." Oleg's answer made Hallsteinn curse under his breath in disappointment and shift agitatedly in his chair, but he otherwise refrained from further expressing his disapproval.
"As we all know," Oleg continued, getting back to business, "I am no longer capable of handling all the duties on the farm alone, nor are there many able-bodied men available to hire for help once the raids have commenced. Which means I will be needing one of you to stay and help on the farm. However," Oleg said firmly, eyes turning to Valborg, "before anyone begins making suggestions as to who that should be, I believe Valborg has something to say about this matter."
Oleg then waved a hand at Valborg, motioning for him to take over the conversation. As all eyes slid to Valborg, he straightened up in his seat.
"None of you are unaware of the struggles Inge and I have faced in trying to have children," he started, earning himself a few nods of confirmation in return. "We have tried and tried, only to be disappointed time and again." He paused to sigh to himself. "I do feel that the Gods will finally reward us with a child with this pregnancy…" he admitted with a glance toward Signe, making her think back to their last conversation. Despite the multitude of feelings rushing through her at the moment, she managed to offer him an encouraging smile. "…but I vould be lying if I said I did not worry for Inge and the baby."
"We all worry for Inge and the baby, Valborg," Garik spoke up. "It was not only the two of you who felt the pain of the other losses – " he gestured toward everyone else at the table with a sweep of his hand. " – we all felt that pain as well."
Garik's words pulled murmurs of agreement from everyone else at the table. Valborg inclined his head in understanding, looking solemn but also appreciative of the support he was receiving from his family.
"Then I hope you vill understand when I say that I do not think it fair of me to abandon my wife when the baby is so close to being born." Valborg hesitated for a moment, then finally came out with it. "That is why I have decided not to go on the raids this year," he revealed, much to the surprise of Garik, Gunnar, and Hallsteinn. "After all we have been through, I feel it is my duty to be here to take care of Inge and the baby. I even spoke to the Völva on this matter – she too thinks it the will of the Gods that I stay behind to help Inge during the birth."
"Of course, brother," Gunnar said with a firm nod once he had recovered from his momentary shock. "If you feel you must take care of your family, then take care of your family. We would never old such a thing against you," he said sincerely, making Garik nod his agreement.
"And you know already that I support your decision, Valborg," Signe said in addition to her brother's reassuring words. "You must do vhatever you feel is right."
Valborg seemed relieved with their responses and visibly relaxed. His eyes then flickered over to Hallsteinn in expectation, curious to know what their brother had to say, but Hallsteinn was now being very quiet. Though the expression on his face made it difficult to tell what he was thinking, it was still pretty clear from his lack of response that he was not taking the news well. Signe was not surprised – she had known Hallsteinn would not like hearing that his long-time raiding partner planned to stay behind, no matter the reason.
Valborg stared at Hallsteinn for a second longer, as did the rest of the family, before he sighed in resignation and continued on. "Since I will be staying behind," Valborg continued on, "I will be perfectly capable of helping father on the farm. Which brings us to our next order of business – Signe," he announced, turning a look on her.
Signe felt her heart lurch as everyone else looked to her too. Gunnar and Garik, who seemed to know where this conversation was headed, were already starting to smirk at her from across the table. Knowing the twins and how mischievous they could be from time to time, though, it was difficult to decide whether she should take that as a good sign or not. Hallsteinn seemed to have forgotten his mood long enough to peer at her, curious in spite of himself about what Valborg might be suggesting. Oleg, however, merely listened on stoically, giving absolutely no hint as to what he might be thinking.
"I, for one, believe our sister is ready to see the world outside of Hedeby," Valborg continued. "She has trained in combat for a long while now and has grown into a strong fighter," he added, looking pointedly at his brothers and father, silently telling them with his eyes that they all knew he was speaking the truth. "I have no doubt she is more than capable of handling the raids and think she should be allowed to go this year."
Signe felt a strong rush of gratitude for her eldest brother and his vote of confidence. Feeling a bit less nervous and a smidge more encouraged, she smiled at Valborg gratefully before looking around at her other brothers with hopeful eyes – Signe hoped they too would share the same outlook as Valborg.
Oleg finally spoke up from his place at the head of the table. "What say you, Garik?" He asked, eyebrows stitched together in a look of concentration now. "Do you agree with Valborg?"
Garik glanced at Oleg then smirked at Signe again. "I suppose if she is good enough to beat me," he said cockily, making her own lips twitch into a smile, "then she shall have no problem fighting foreigners." Garik's eyes turned back to Oleg and he gave a firm nod. "I agree with Valborg. Signe is ready."
Signe nodded to him in appreciation, his approval making more of the tension ease from her shoulders. Everyone then turned their attention to Gunnar in expectation, waiting to hear his say on the matter now.
The smirk Gunnar sent her was identical to the one she'd received from his twin, leaving her to hope that his opinion would be identical as well. "I agree with my brothers," he said resolutely. "Signe has waited quite long enough. It is time for her to go on the raids and become the shieldmaiden we all know she vill be," he added, shooting her a lopsided smile.
While their father nodded his understanding Signe smiled at Gunnar, feeling yet again as though another small weight had been lifted off of her. When Valborg had told her that he wanted her to go on the raids in his place, she had been reluctant to let herself believe it could actually happen, afraid to get her hopes up too high should their father decide she wasn't ready after all. But now, after hearing her brothers' positive reactions, she finally began to let herself hope that maybe, just maybe, it might be possible after all. If all of her brothers approved, then certainly her father would too, right?
"And you, Hallsteinn?" Oleg asked after a moment's pause, his one eye fixed on his second eldest now.
Everyone immediately looked to Hallsteinn, who glanced around at them before fixing his gaze on Signe. She couldn't help it when her hope faltered for one second, afraid that Hallsteinn's disappointment over Valborg might affect how he felt about Signe going in his place. But, to her relief, when Hallsteinn looked over at her he managed a half-smile that was barely visible through his beard and slowly nodded his head. He was still disappointed that Valborg was staying behind, she could see it in his eyes, but it was also clear that he liked the idea of her finally getting a chance to raid.
"It vould be an honor and a privilege to fight and raid with my sister by my side," he stated firmly.
With that, the attention quickly shifted back to Oleg. With his elbow leaning against the table, he raised his hand up to his chin and rubbed it pensively, gaze now focused on his only daughter. A palpable silence fell over the room for the next few seconds while Oleg considered the words of his sons. Signe's nervousness returned with a vengeance, making her heart beat harder with each silent second that went by. She had to remind herself to breathe as she waited as patiently as she could for her father to say something – anything.
"And what about you, Signe?" Oleg finally asked, catching her a bit by surprise.
For some reason, it had never occurred to her that her father would want to know if she thought herself ready. She had claimed that she was ready more than once over the past few years, but now, with the very real possibility of actually going just barely out of her reach, she had to take a moment to really consider the question.
Was she ready to go on the raids? Was she as confident in her own skills as her brothers seemed to be? More importantly, was she ready for the fight that would undoubtedly greet them the moment they reached their destination? Signe had heard enough stories from her brothers to know that there was always fighting involved on the raids. And while it was one thing to train against her brothers, whom she knew would never intentionally harm her, fighting against an enemy who very much wanted to kill her was something entirely different. She had been training for this since the day she was strong enough to wield an axe and a shield – was she ready to finally put her skills to the test?
Signe thought about it a beat longer, then straightened up in her seat and turned determined eyes on her father. "I am ready, father," she said resolutely, staring at him unblinkingly so that he would see the truth in her eyes.
Oleg met and held her gaze, then slowly nodded his head. "Then it is decided," he stated, a note of finality in his tone. "Signe will go on the raids."
In light of Oleg's decision to let Signe raid with Garik, Gunnar, and Hallsteinn, her brothers decided that the night called for celebration. As soon as their meeting was adjourned, Gunnar and Garik wasted no time breaking into the ale and shoving horn-cups into everyone's hand, Signe included. Though Oleg usually had something disapproving to say if Signe drank too much, he said nothing in protest as afternoon turned into evening and her brothers continued to refill her cup. In fact, Oleg himself was indulging just as much ale as much as his children were, though Signe suspected by the look on his face that he was drinking for an entirely different reason.
Sometime after sundown, while Hallsteinn and Valborg were in the corner engrossed in a private, serious-looking conversation – probably discussing Valborg's decision man to man – Signe had let the twins rope her into a drinking game they'd made up. About halfway through the game, however, Oleg suddenly stood from his chair by the hearth and came to place a hand on her shoulder.
The laughter that had been on her lips immediately died off as she looked up to her father curiously. "Come vith me," he said, before heading in the direction of his bedroom.
Signe felt herself instantly sober up as she watched her father walk away. "Uh oh," Garik said once Oleg was out of earshot, smirking at Signe in a way that made her instantly feel uneasy. "Perhaps he has changed his mind," he teased before taking another drink of ale.
Signe knew that was not the case – her father had given his blessing and he was not the sort of man to go back on something like that – but Garik's words still left her with a bit of doubt. "He would not do that…would he?" She asked with uncertainty.
The twins shrugged in unison. "Better go find out before he does do so," Gunnar suggested, motioning toward their father's bedroom with his cup.
Signe nodded and quickly stood from the table. Leaving her drink behind, Signe smoothed out the skirt of her dress before hurrying in the direction her father had gone, ignoring the teasing remarks that Gunnar and Garik sent toward her back as she went.
When she walked into her father's bedroom Oleg was again lighting a fire, this time in the small hearth near the bed. He glanced at her over his shoulder when she walked in, then turned back to what he was doing. "Close the door," he instructed, firelight beginning to dance around the room as the flames in the hearth grew.
Signe obediently shut the door then took a few steps closer, clasping her hands together in front of her. "You vanted to speak with me?" She asked, trying to keep the nervousness she felt out of her voice, hoping and praying that he did not regret his decision and was not about to revoke his blessing.
Oleg was silent for a moment, continuing to poke and prod the fire until the flames were flickering big and bright. Just as Signe was starting to fear the worst, he spoke. "For an entire week before you were born," he said without facing her, slowly setting the poker down before staring into the flames, "you stopped kicking in your mother's belly. Then, when it came time for you to be born," he continued, "your mother was in labor with you for nearly three whole days. Your mother tried and tried, pushed and she pushed, but you did not want to come out and meet us. By the third morning, given how still you had been and how difficult the delivery was, we began to fear that we had lost you."
Oleg finally turned to face her. "But then, finally, you came into the world. You were a bit small, a little off color, and weak from the strain of the delivery, but you were alive." He paused, a faraway look entering his eye as he reflected on the memory of that day. "The midwife had concerns about your health, but said if you made it through the night that you vould live," he continued. "So while your mother recovered from the delivery, I stayed up with you all night long. I sat in a chair right here in front of this hearth, holding your small little body in my arms and praying to the Gods to let you live."
Signe had to press her lips together to hold back the emotion welling up within her as she listened to her father's story. Oleg also looked like he was starting to get a bit choked up, but he was not finished speaking yet. "It was a very long night," he admitted. "You hardly cried and hardly moved – you just laid in the crook of my arm and fought through the night. And when the sun rose the next morning and you were still breathing…" Oleg paused to smile at her. "I was so happy that all I could do was cry and thank the Gods over and over."
Oleg finally stepped toward her and placed his hand on her shoulder, his expression solemn and serious now. "I knew it then and I still know it now, Signe – you are a fighter, just as your mother was." He frowned for a moment, letting her see his worry. "I will fear for you because you are my daughter and I love you," Oleg admitted, "but I have no doubt that you vill do well on the raids and go on to do even greater things afterward." He then smiled sadly and moved his hand to gently smooth her hair. "It seems only yesterday that I held you in the crook of my elbow – now you have grown into a beautiful young woman and vill soon be a shieldmaiden." He paused to sigh to himself. "I am proud of you, beloved daughter," Oleg told her seriously. "And I know your mother would be proud, too."
Signe's throat was so tight with emotion that she couldn't bring herself to speak. So, instead, she simply wrapped her arms around her father's broad torso and hugged him as tightly as she could, silently trying to convey to him how much his words had meant to her. Oleg wrapped his arm around her shoulders and returned her hug, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before resting his chin there and releasing another heavy sigh.
"I have something for you," he said a few moments later, gently pulling away from her hug.
Signe released him and wiped at a few stray tears that had gone trekking down her cheeks while Oleg moved toward a large armoire on the other side of the room. A zing of awareness immediately shot down her spine when he pulled open the doors and she forgot about the emotional moment they had just shared. Signe and her brothers all knew exactly what he kept stored in that armoire…
His and their mother's old battle gear.
She found herself unconsciously moving closer, staring at her mother's old weaponry with awe once it was revealed. It had been a long time since she had last looked upon the shield and the deadly axe that her mother had once wielded in battle, so long that she had almost forgotten how much she admired the craftsmanship that had gone into them. The shield was made of strong wood and bordered in silver metal, built to withstand both the strongest of enemies and the test of time. The axe, Signe knew from experience, was heavy – it too was made of the same strong wood, with the handle growing thicker toward the battle-worn blade. Part of the handle came to a point about three inches down from the back of the blade, ideal for breaking bones of opponents according to her mother.
Signe could not resist running a captivated fingertip over the shield, eyes eager and hopeful as she turned her gaze up to her father in silent question. Oleg smiled and nodded, understanding what she was asking him. "Your mother would want you to have them," he told her. "They are yours now."
Signe smiled up at him happily and then reached into the armoire to retrieve the shield and axe. With the heavy shield on her left arm and the axe in the grasp of her right hand, she had never felt so empowered in her entire life. It suddenly felt as though all of her mother's strength and spirit had flowed out of her old weapons and into Signe's very veins, making her feel like she could take on any opponent – maybe even the entire world.
"Now you truly look the part of a shieldmaiden," Oleg commented proudly.
"Thank you, father," she said sincerely.
Oleg just smiled, leaned down to kiss her on the forehead, then nodded toward the door. "Go and return to your celebration," he instructed, his voice sounding a bit gruff with emotion again. "Your nosy brothers vill be wondering vhat we have been talking about, no doubt," he added, forcing on a smile.
Signe raised her eyebrows questioningly. "You will not join us?"
Oleg shook his head slowly. "No. I could use the solitude to…sort through my thoughts," he said gently.
Signe nodded, understanding that her father wanted to be alone, then turned to leave. When she reached the door, however, she paused and looked at her father over her shoulder. "I love you, father," she told him with a smile.
Oleg couldn't help returning the gesture. "I love you too, Signe."
And with one last smile, Signe pushed the door open and left the room, leaving her father to the solitude he sought.
Their little celebration lasted for a few more hours, ending when Valborg decided it was time to return home and when the twins had drunk so much that they were on the verge of passing out. With the help of her eldest brothers Signe managed to get the two intoxicated fools into their beds, where they promptly fell asleep and began snoring loud enough to wake the dead.
With the twins taken care of Valborg and Hallsteinn decided to take their leave, but not before promising Signe that the next few weeks would be spent training with them and preparing for the raids – she could tell already just by the look in their eyes that this training was going to be much more difficult than anything they'd put her through in the past. All she could do was hope that they wouldn't go too rough on her and that she wouldn't be too battered up when it came time to leave.
Now that the house was quiet and the hour had grown late, Signe had retreated into her room. Once again she was having difficulty falling asleep, only this time it was because she was simply too excited by the day's events to settle down. Instead, she sat in bed and absentmindedly combed the tangles out of her long, auburn hair, humming a tune under her breath and smiling serenely to herself as she stared at the shield and axe propped against the wall opposite of her bed. She could already imagine the battles she would fight wielding that shield and striking with that axe, knowing that each time she touched them it would feel as though she had a little piece of her mother with her – as though her mother was watching over her and protecting her.
A sudden tap on the shutters covering her window broke the silence of the room and startled her. For a split second she was reminded of what had happened two nights ago and felt her heart lurch, thinking it was the seeress coming to visit her again. But when another tap sounded, this time accompanied by a familiar voice hissing her name, she knew that was not the case.
Instantly letting out a heavy sigh of relief, Signe scrambled out of bed and went to the window. When she pulled open the shutters, she was immediately met with the sight of Bjorn standing there, illuminated only by the moonlight overhead and the candlelight filtering through her window. "What are you doing here?" Signe hissed, glancing around uncertainly. "Do you know how late it is?"
Bjorn frowned, his expression apologetic but his body language plainly stating that he was upset. "I am sorry for the late visit, but…" he trailed off and shook his head. "I could not stay in that man's house tonight," he spat out after a moment, eyes flashing with anger. Signe knew in an instant that something had happened between Bjorn and Earl Sigvard. "I had to get away," Bjorn continued, shaking his head, "and this was the only place I could think of to go."
Signe stared at him for a moment, then sighed and nodded. She didn't know what had happened, but obviously it had been bad if it had been enough to have Bjorn knocking on her window this late in the evening. "Go to the door, I will let you in and then we vill talk," she instructed.
Bjorn nodded and then started for the front of the house. Signe watched him go for a quick moment before closing the shutters and leaving her bedroom to go meet him – she grabbed a cloak on the way out and pulled it around her shoulders, mindful of the fact that she was only wearing a shift.
She tiptoed to the front door as quietly as a mouse would, knowing how bad it might look if her father or brothers woke only to find her scantily dressed and in the company of a man who was not of the family this late in the night. Taking comfort in the snores she heard emanating from their rooms, she crept to the door and opened it. Bjorn, who had been patiently waiting for her, stepped inside as Signe waved him in.
"Come and sit," she said quietly after she had shut the door, motioning him to follow her to the hearth.
The fire had died considerably by now, but a few pokes made a small flame come back to life. As Bjorn sat in one of the chairs that they'd pulled over from the table, Signe grabbed the abandoned jug of ale and poured some into a cup for him. He nodded gratefully when she offered it and gladly accepted, knocking back some of it instantly. When he lowered the cup and swallowed his gulp, she could see the anger creeping back into his blue eyes.
"What happened?" She asked carefully, wrapping her cloak tighter around herself for warmth. "What did he do?"
Bjorn scowled and shook his head, eyes turned angrily to the fire in front of them. "He humiliated me tonight," he growled, hand tightening around his horn cup. "I finally asked to go to the mountains and, of course, he refused. But that is not the worst of it by far," Bjorn said harshly, looking to Signe again with hate in his eyes. "That bastard has been hitting my mother!" He whispered furiously.
Signe sat straighter at hearing that and felt her jaw drop in surprise. Earl Sigvard hitting Lagertha? "What?" She asked, dumfounded. "For how long?"
"I do not know," Bjorn huffed with a shake of his head. "But when I was returning home this afternoon, I saw him strike her with my own two eyes. And I get the feeling it vas not the first time."
Now Signe would not claim to be friends with Bjorn's mother, but after four years of friendship with Bjorn, she knew her well enough by now to find it surprising that the famous shieldmaiden would tolerate such treatment. Lagertha was a warrior, she had fought in battles, she had sailed west – she was the former wife of the great Ragnar Lothbrok. She simply did not come off as the sort of woman that would allow a man to beat her and still live to tell the tale.
"Will she do something to stop it?" Signe asked, eyebrows furrowing together with concern.
Bjorn sighed and shrugged. "She said she vould not let it happen again, but…" He shook his head as he trailed off. "I do not know if she will be able to stop him alone."
Signe thought about that for a moment, then pressed her lips together tightly as a thought struck her. "If she cannot stop it, will you?" She asked bluntly, knowing Bjorn well and knowing what the glint in his eyes meant. She'd seen that same look in her brothers' eyes before, whenever men pushed their boundaries with Signe and they took it upon themselves to make sure said men knew such behavior would only wind up getting them seriously injured.
Bjorn's gaze was a bit challenging as it met hers again. "Yes, I will," he confirmed boldly, not backing down an inch. "I have already told her – if he ever does it again, I will kill him."
That was exactly what she didn't want to hear. Bjorn was fiercely protective of his mother, so Signe did not doubt that he would be capable of killing any man who harmed her, regardless if it was the Earl or not. "And vhat would your father have to say about that?" Signe countered, raising her eyebrows.
Bjorn smirked. "Nothing," he answered matter-of-factly. "He would be too busy holding the bastard down while I slammed my axe into his gut."
Signe started to argue against his statement, but hesitated when she realized he was probably right. Bjorn's parents might not be together anymore, but Bjorn had told her once before that he believed they still loved each other in a way. If Ragnar were to hear how Earl Sigvard had been treating his ex-wife and son, he probably would have killed the man himself.
Signe sighed and ran a hand through her long hair, her good mood dampening some in light of their troubling conversation. "Bjorn, I understand this upsets you, but just…promise me you will not anything rash," she begged, pleading him with her eyes to think rationally. "Lagertha is a strong woman and can take care of herself – she will handle the Earl in her own way. Besides, I do not think she would want his blood on your hands."
Bjorn smiled sardonically in return. "Which is why I am here tonight and not there," he told her. "So his blood will remain in his body." Signe sighed and nodded her understanding, knowing that was probably the best she would get from Bjorn tonight as far as him promising not to do anything to Earl Sigvard went.
They fell into a lapse of silence for a few seconds, both staring at the small fire crackling away in the hearth. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Bjorn lift the horn cup up to his mouth for another drink before he cleared his throat. "I am sorry to come here and ruin your mood," he apologized, sounding less hostile now. Signe glanced over at him and saw that his eyes were apologetic again. "I saw you celebrating with your brothers earlier. It must have been a good night until I came along," he said, smiling ruefully.
Signe's eyebrows came together. "Exactly how long have you been outside?" She asked incredulously.
Bjorn looked a bit sheepish now. "A few hours," he admitted, making her eyes widen. "I did not want to bother you with my troubles while you were with your brothers," he explained himself quickly. "You all looked happy and I did not vant to ruin it. I waited until I vas sure everyone else was asleep before coming to you."
Signe clicked her tongue and shook her head. She felt bad that Bjorn had sat by himself in the dark for so long, feeling angry and upset and having no one to talk to, all the while having to listen to them laugh and carry on inside as they celebrated. "You could have come inside," she told him with a sigh, "nobody would have minded."
Bjorn shrugged as if saying there was nothing to be done about it now, then raised a brow at her. "So…" he said slowly, a hint of wariness entering his gaze, "what vas the celebration for?"
Signe sighed and pressed her lips together for a moment, tensing with the question. "I think you already know," she said quietly, meeting his gaze head on.
Bjorn did not seem surprised in the slightest. "You are going on the raids," he stated neutrally. When she nodded in confirmation, he sucked in a deep breath and released it heavily. "I am happy for you," he said, managing a half-hearted smile. "No doubt you vill have great success."
"Thank you," Signe said, even though she could tell that Bjorn was anything but happy at the moment. He looked more disheartened than she'd even seen before, his already bad day probably only getting worse now that he knew she would for sure be leaving. "Things will get better, Bjorn," she said reassuringly.
Bjorn laughed bitterly. "My mother is getting beat on by her bastard of a husband, my step -father is determined to make my life miserable, and now you vill be leaving me behind," he said slowly, his tone sounding more and more discouraged with each word. "I appreciate your words, but I do not see things getting better any time soon."
"Earl Sigvard will get what is coming to him – the Gods will see to that," Signe told him, hoping it would make him feel better. "And I will not be gone long," she then reminded him, before smiling jokingly. "In fact, I will be back so fast you will hardly notice I was gone in the first place," Signe said with a flippant wave of her hand. "You will not even miss me."
Bjorn stared at her for a second, his expression never losing its seriousness. "I will notice," he said firmly, leaving no room for argument. "And I will miss you. More than you know."
The intensity in his gaze and in his tone caught her off guard, rendering her speechless. She could only stare back at him in stunned silence, unable to turn her eyes away as his gaze continued to bore into hers. Bjorn had that expression on his face again, the one that made her heart beat harder and her nerves jump to life – the one that made her think Valborg was wrong, and that there might be hope for more than just friendship between her and Bjorn after all.
Suddenly Bjorn's face was much closer to hers, though whether it was because she had leaned in, Bjorn had, or they both had, Signe wasn't entirely sure. All she knew as Bjorn's eyes flickered down to her lips was that it felt like she was being drawn to him by some invisible force, powerless to resist it and eager to see what might come of it.
The fire crackling loudly suddenly startled them, making them both jump in surprise. It was only a small interference, but it was enough to make Bjorn blink and move back away from her again, looking a little bit red around the ears. Just like that, the spell that had fallen over them was broken.
"I have kept you up long enough," Bjorn said, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "You should get some sleep," he suggested gently.
Signe hesitated, then nodded and slowly stood to her feet, disappointed but trying valiantly to hide it. She quickly turned her back on him so her expression wouldn't betray anything she was feeling, then went to a little cupboard on the other side of the room to grab a few blankets for him to sleep on. Once she had reign in her disappointment and felt confident enough to face him again, she went to hand the blankets to Bjorn.
"Sleep in here tonight," she said, offering the items to him. "There is plenty of room."
Bjorn hesitated, then reached out to take the blankets. With an uncertain glance toward Oleg's door, he quirked a brow and asked, "You vill not get in trouble?"
"So long as you sleep out here and not in my room, it vill be fine," Signe reassured him with a smile.
It was enough to convince Bjorn, because he nodded and then stood from his chair so he could start making his bed for the night right there next to the hearth. Signe watched him for a moment, heart still beating faster than usual, then turned to head for her bedroom. "Goodnight, Bjorn," she said as she left. "I vill see you in the morning."
"Goodnight," he said in response. She could feel his eyes on her back as she crossed the room, but didn't look back. "Signe?" He said just as she reached her door, making her pause.
Holding her breath, Signe turned to face him and raised her eyebrows. "Yes?"
He paused for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you. For listening, for allowing me to stay here – for everything," he said sincerely, looking genuinely grateful. "And I know it may not seem that way, but I truly am happy for you," he added.
In spite of her melancholy over what had just not happened between them, Signe returned his smile. "I know…and you are welcome. I am always here for you, Bjorn," she reassured him firmly. "No matter what."
Bjorn nodded at her. "I know," he echoed, eyes filled with appreciation.
They stared at each other for one more moment, before Signe finally turned and headed into her bedroom. She hesitated for a second once inside and turned to wave a hand, silently telling him goodnight one more time. After Bjorn returned the gesture, Signe finally shut the door.
Thoughts?