Release My Heart

by Carrot Top

-IN PROGRESS AGAIN- The seeress told Signe she was destined for great things. She would raid and see the world. She would fall in love with a warrior and have many children. When she fell in love with Bjorn Ragnarsson, she was certain he was the one she was meant to experience these things with. But then she went to Kattegat, where she met Torstein. And soon everything changed.

14. Chapter Thirteen

As always, I want to thank everyone who is following this story for both your continued support and your patience! I know I take a while to update, but I take my time writing chapters so as not to (hopefully) disappoint you! And, of course, thank you to anyone who takes the time to review! I'm happy to know that you guys are enjoying the dynamic between Signe and Torstein!

A few people have asked if I'm going to bump the rating of this story up from T to M, and, after taking some time to think about it and consider the path this story is on, I think I will end up changing the rating. That is still a little ways off, though, so for now it'll stay at T!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Disclaimer:I own nothing related to Vikings!

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Chapter Thirteen

A massive storm blew through Kattegat, and for the next two days, it rained almost nonstop. The dark, angry clouds came rolling the morning after Signe's hunt with Torstein and stopped directly over town. Then, when the rain came, it proceeded to do its best to drown the village, making the waves of the sea crash angrily to and fro and leaving the streets as nothing but a muddy mess.

For Signe, the unfavorable weather seemed rather fitting, given the mood she was currently in.

Ever since the talk with Bjorn two days previous, she just felt…unlike herself. She passed through the days in a haze, hardly talking, hardly eating anything at meal times, hardly conscious of anything she did around the house. Gunnar, who knew by now exactly what had transpired between Signe and Bjorn, had tried to talk to her, had even tried to joke with her in an attempt to pull her out of her funk. But his attempts always fell short. Signe felt as if she had forgotten how to smile, as if she no longer knew how to laugh. There was no happiness in her world right now, no joy, no love. It was as if somebody had stolen her sunlight and cast her into a world of perpetual darkness and sadness.

There were some, perhaps, who might think she was ridiculous for the way she had been behaving. After all, it wasn't as if someone had died. She had merely been rejected by the man she desired to be with. Being rejected was certainly not the worst thing that could happen to a person, and it was something that everyone likely experienced at least once in their lifetime. In fact, Signe herself could remember times in the past when she had seen girls back in Hedeby crying over men that had jilted them and thinking them foolish for it – in a world where it was so easy to lose loved ones to war and disease and hunger, it seemed silly to her to cry over something as trivial as rejected love or a failed courtship.

Back then, when Signe had turned her nose up at heartbroken women and thought she was above all of that nonsense, she had never known what it felt like to experience rejection of that kind. It had been easy to see women acting that way and judge them for it.

But things were different now. Now Signe was the one to have her heart broken, the one who had put her heart on the line, only to have stomped on by the one she had hoped would take the greatest care of it. And now that it had happened to her, she was realizing just how damaging it could truly be. She had hoped, someday, that she and Bjorn would have a life together. That they would marry and have children and be happy. If she could not be with the man she loved, how would she ever truly be happy again? Would she ever be able to love anyone else? And if she did, would she be able to love them as much as she loved Bjorn?

There was more to this heartbreak, though, a wound that ran even deeper. Bjorn was her best friend in the whole world. They had been inseparable for the past four years, had grown so close that she no longer knew what it felt like to lead a life that did not involve him. He was an integral part of her world, a steadfast presence that she had come to cherish, as well as rely on. What if now, after what had happened, their friendship never recovered? What if things never went back to how they had been?

She feared that she had no only lost the man she loved, but also lost her best friend in the process.

"Vhat do think, Signe?" Gunnar asked to break the heavy silence that had been hanging over the house.

Signe, who had been sitting by the fire while she mended the tears in the shirt that Gunnar had worn during battle and listening absent-mindedly to the pitter patter of rain hitting the roof, paused in what she was doing to look at her brother. He was rubbing a hand over his stubbly chin, his expression contemplative.

"About what?" she asked dully.

Gunnar rubbed his chin again, then raised his brows at her. "Should I grow a beard?"

Signe lifted a brow and gave him a knowing look. Gunnar had attempted to grow a beard a number of times over the past few years, as had his twin, Garik. But unlike Valborg and Hallsteinn, who both sported pretty handsome beards themselves, the twins had never had much success when it came to growing decent facial hair. Every attempt at a beard turned out spotty and uneven, which always led to the twins becoming disgruntled and giving up altogether. Had she been in a better mood, she would have seized the opportunity to tease him for his lack of ability to grow anything more than patchy stubble…but as it was, she was not in a better mood. And she was not feeling up to conversation.

"Do whatever pleases you, brother," she told him with a shrug.

With that, she turned her attention back to the shirt in her hands and resumed sewing, her brows furrowing together with concentration. Only a moment or two of silence passed, however, before Gunnar spoke again.

"That is it," he suddenly said, his tone loud and full of frustration. Signe looked up again and saw that he was glaring at her with disapproval. "I am tired of seeing you like this, Signe," he announced irritably.

"What?" she asked, caught off guard by the change in his demeanor.

"You have been doing nothing but sulk for two days now. I can stand it no longer. I want my sister back. My real sister," he told her firmly.

Signe frowned and lowered the shirt she was sewing to her lap. "Well, pardon me if my behavior has been an inconvenience to you," she said snippily, unable to help the surge of annoyance that had just passed through her. "The next time my heart gets broken, I will be sure not to let it ruin your day!"

Signe, again, resumed sewing his shirt after that, only it was much more difficult now because her hands were trembling with emotion. She kept her eyes focused on what she was doing, though, refusing to look at her brother. After a moment, Gunnar let out a massive heave before climbing out of bed, hissing a bit as he did so. Moving slowly and carefully, Gunnar came over to her and plopped down in the seat next to hers by the fire. When Signe finally gave him a glance, he was no longer wearing an expression of frustration. Instead, he was looking at her with apology.

"Signe, dear sister, please forgive me," he said, placing a hand on her forearm. "It was not my intention to make you feel as if you have been a burden to me, because you have not been. I am merely concerned about you," he admitted, his eyes pleading with her to understand. "You are not just my sister, you are also my friend. You are very important to me. And to see you like this…" Gunnar sighed. "It pains me to know that you are so sad, and pains me even more to know that there is nothing I can do about it."

Signe sighed heavily, feeling bad for having snapped at him. "No, I am sorry," she said with remorse. "It seems lately I have been taking all my anger out on you, and that is not fair of me. I am just…" Signe trailed off for a moment, sighed, then tried again. "This has not been easy for me."

Gunnar nodded understandingly. "Believe me when I say that I know. I remember the first time my own heart was broken. It was not easy for me either," he told her. "But, in time, your heart will heal. It may not seem like it now, but this feeling will pass," he said with certainty. "Odin knows I have been rejected and humiliated plenty more times since I first had my heart stamped on, yet here I am," he said, patting his chest. "Still breathing and carrying on with life."

As much as Signe appreciated his optimism, she couldn't return the sentiment. "But this is different. Bjorn is not some passing fancy, or some man I have loved from afar. He is my best friend," she reminded her brother with a deep frown. "To think that I have lost the man I love, as well as my best friend in the whole world…" She paused and shook her head, the pain in her heart growing at the thought. "It is unbearable."

"I do not think this is the end of your friendship with Bjorn," Gunnar told her reassuringly. "Things may be…strange…for a time, but they will eventually go back to normal."

"I struggle to see how it will," Signe admitted. "We will not be here in Kattegat for much longer, Gunnar, and I simply do not see Bjorn and I overcoming this before we are due to leave." Signe heaved and shook her head. "We will go back to Hedeby, Bjorn will remain here in Kattegat, and he vill be happy to forget about his silly, old friend who made the mistake of falling in love with him," she said morosely, admitting her fears aloud for the first time.

"Now you are just speaking nonsense, Signe," Gunnar countered at once. "Bjorn cares for you too much to let this be the end," he told her with a confident nod. "You are too important to him."

Signe couldn't help but scoff with a tinge of bitterness. "Not important enough, evidently."

Gunnar sighed, his expression verging on defeat. Clearly he was not happy that his attempts to encourage her were not working. After a moment, he finally raised his brows at her, as if he had just gotten another idea. "Would it make you feel better if I broke his nose?" he offered bluntly.

Signe's lips twitched with a smile at the thought, but she quickly shook her head. "You would never hurt Bjorn," she pointed out. "He is like family to you."

"True," Gunnar conceded. "But he is family by choice, not by blood. You, on the other hand, are of my same blood, which means that you vill always be more important than him, no matter the circumstance," he stated firmly. Gunnar then puffed his chest out and held his chin higher. "I am willing to put my friendship with Bjorn aside and inflict pain upon his being, if that is what you wish," he professed, his eyes serious and full of determination. "You need only say the word."

For a brief moment, Signe seriously contemplated accepting her brother's offer. But, eventually, she shook her head in declination. Had it been anyone else, she would have said yes...but this was Bjorn they were talking about here. As upset as she was with the way things had turned out, he was still her best friend and she still loved him. He did not deserve to suffer physical pain simply because he did not reciprocate her feelings.

"No, I do not want him injured," she finally said. "But thank you for offering," she added, patting Gunnar's arm.

Gunnar smirked at her. "You are welcome. But should you change your mind, know that I am willing to see my offer through at any moment."

Signe couldn't help the short laugh that escaped her. "Noted." She then grabbed his hand and squeezed it gratefully. "Thank you for talking with me," she said sincerely. "I actually do feel somewhat better now."

Gunnar seemed relieved to hear it. "Of course. I am alvays here for you, Signe," he told her seriously.

Signe smiled, feeling the pain that had been in her heart subside and be replaced with affection for her brother. As annoying as Gunnar and her brothers could be, as overwhelming as it was to be surrounded by them at times, they were still her brothers. They were good men who cared for her and protected her. And no matter what, she would always love the insufferable fools.

"I feel blessed by the Gods to have such good men for brothers," she told Gunnar. "What vould I ever do without you?"

"My guess is that you could be very, very bored," Gunnar stated matter-of-factly. Signe laughed at that, which made Gunnar join in. "Now," he said once he'd sobered up from his momentary amusement, "there is still half a tankard of ale sitting on that table," he said, pointing toward the table a few feet away from them. He looked at the ale, then raised his brows at Signe. "I say we finish it off."

Signe eyed the ale, then nodded in agreement. "I agree, dear brother," she said, before getting out of her seat and setting her sewing off to the side. "Sit and enjoy the fire, I will fetch our drinks."

Gunnar just nodded and settled further into his chair, happy to enjoy the warmth of the flames flickering in the hearth.

They spent the rest of the night drinking and talking, often times finding themselves reliving fond memories from their childhood. Though Bjorn was never far from her thoughts, between the conversation with her brother and several cups of ale, she was able to forget her sadness for a time and actually enjoy Gunnar's company. Finally, when the hour was late and the effect of the ale was too great to ignore, Signe went to her bed and quickly fell into the first good night of sleep she'd had since her talk with Bjorn.

It finally stopped raining the next morning, and the moment Signe and Gunnar saw the sun spilling in through the windows, they both decided that they desperately needed to get out of the house and agreed to go walk around for a bit.

Much like they had done when they went to the market together, Signe and Gunnar walked arm in arm and strolled at a leisurely pace, so that Gunnar would not be strained. They had no particular destination in mind, merely ambled around aimlessly as they enjoyed the warmth of the sun on their skin. Eventually their walk led them toward the stables where they had been paying for their horses to be looked after, and they went inside without hesitation to pay the large animals a visit. Both were happy to see the horses they had brought from Hedeby, and the horses seemed equally happy to see them. That much was obvious by the way they continuously nipped at Signe and Gunnar's clothing and how they never strayed more than a few feet away from their owners.

Signe and Gunnar stayed with the horses for a long while, but eventually Gunnar told her he was feeling tired from all the activity and suggested they return home. They left the horses after giving them some treats and affectionate pets, then, together, they returned to the house. Signe didn't linger for long once they were there, however. With how abruptly she and Torstein had parted ways after their hunt, she had not been had the chance to give him the bow and the quiver of arrows he had loaned her, nor had she been able to hand over the smaller game they had killed so he could take them to Hilda. With the weather now on her side, she packed up any of the meat from the hunt that she and Gunnar had not yet consumed, collected the bow and the quiver of arrows that she had borrowed, then bid Gunnar goodbye and left to seek out Torstein.

It took asking more than a few people, but eventually she learned that Torstein lived just a little ways outside the heart of Kattegat. Signe walked through the market, past the Great Hall that Earl Ragnar and his family resided in, and headed toward the opposite side of town. Once outside the borders of the village, she followed a path that went past a few ponds and through some hills, passing various small homes along the way. She kept an eye out for Torstein as she went, unsure exactly how far outside of town he lived and not wanting to accidentally pass his home. None of the houses she walked past seemed to be his, though, seeing as most of them appeared to be occupied by families working together to carry out their daily chores.

After walking for another ten minutes or so, Signe finally decided to ask for directions again and veered off the road when she spied a woman working in what appeared to be a vegetable garden in front of a small home. The woman, who looked to be quite a bit older than herself, glanced up when she heard Signe approaching and straightened up, raising one dirt covered hand to shield her eyes from the sun. Signe flashed a friendly smile and waved, so that the woman would know she came with good intentions.

"Hello," Signe greeted, coming to a halt a few feet away from the woman. "I am sorry to disturb you, but I vas hoping you could help me."

"Help you with what, exactly?" the woman asked, still peering up at Signe.

"I am looking for a man named Torstein," Signe said. "I vas told he lives near here, only I am unsure where exactly his home is. Might you know where he lives?"

"Torstein you say?" the woman asked, before giving Signe a long, scrutinizing once over. Signe, unsure why the woman was looking at her the way she was, pressed her lips together uncertainly. Suddenly, the woman's face lit with recognition and she pointed at Signe with a smile. "You would not happen to be named Signe, would you?"

Signe blinked in surprise, unsure how this stranger knew who she was. "Yes, actually, I am," she answered, dumbfounded. But then, just as she was about to ask the old woman how she knew who she was, realization came to her swiftly. "Are you Hilda?" she asked, her brows shooting upward as she realized that this woman fit the description that Torstein had given her when talking about his friendly neighbor.

The woman smiled and nodded. "That I am," she confirmed.

Signe grinned broadly, delighted with this turn of events. When Hilda began to get up, moving slowly and wincing as her joints protested the movements, Signe shifted the items in her hands and quickly moved to help her, grasping her firmly by the arm so that the older woman could use her for leverage. It was much easier for Hilda to get up then, and she was on her feet in no time. She was a short, plump woman, whose grey head barely came up to Signe's collarbone once they stood before one another. Hilda had kind eyes, though, and a warm, motherly, inviting aura that automatically made Signe feel at ease.

"Thank you, child," Hilda said gratefully. "These old bones put up such a fuss these days," she added, rubbing one of her hips.

"You are welcome," Signe said, inclining her head respectfully. "I am happy our paths have crossed. I have very much been looking forward to meeting you."

"And after all Torstein has told me about you, I have been looking forward to meeting you as well," Hilda said in return. She paused to give Signe another once over, taking in her tall frame and long, auburn hair. "My, my," Hilda said, her brows raising and a smile tugging at her lips. "I see he was not exaggerating when he spoke of your beauty. You are a beautiful one indeed."

Signe's cheeks flushed bright pink at the unexpected compliment. But she was surprised more than anything by what Hilda had said – Torstein had told Hilda that she was beautiful?

"Thank you for your kind words," she said, smiling bashfully. "And thank you so very much for the kindness you showed my brother and me," she added when she got over her surprise and remembered her manners. "The food and supplies you so graciously gave to us helped more than you know. There are no words to properly express my gratitude."

Hilda smiled widely. "Beautiful and polite," she said observantly, nodding her head in what might have been approval. Signe smiled modestly. "It was my pleasure to help you," Hilda told her, continuing on with the conversation. "When Torstein came to me and told me of your situation, I simply had to help. Especially so when I saw how determined he was to see you and your brother taken care of."

Signe felt a wave of appreciation for Torstein at those words. "Torstein has been a very good friend to us while we have been here in Kattegat. I will forever feel indebted to him for all that he has done for us."

Hilda's expression turned to one of great fondness. "He has been a good friend to me over the years, as well. He is a good man," she said with a nod.

"Yes, he is," Signe readily agreed.

Hilda glanced back at her house, then looked up at Signe. "Why are you looking for him now?"

"I am sure you know that we went hunting a few days past?" Signe said. After Hilda nodded in confirmation, Signe motioned to the bow and quiver hanging from her shoulder. "I have not yet had the chance to return the items I borrowed from him. And seeing as this bow once belonged to a good friend of his, I thought he would be wanting it back," she explained.

"Ah, yes, I see," Hilda said with a nod. "Well, if you travel just a little further down this path, you vill find Torstein's house located just there," Hilda said, pointing toward something in the distance. From where Signe stood, she could see a home no more than a few minutes' walk away, which she could only assume was Torstein's. "However," Hilda continued, drawing Signe's attention back to her. "You will not find him there. For as of this moment, he is on top of my home, repairing a hole in my roof," she explained, now pointing to the top of her own house.

Signe squinted against the sun and looked up at Hilda's house, smiling a bit when she realized that she could indeed hear the THUD THUD THUD of something being hammered into place overhead. It seemed Torstein made it a habit of helping multiple people in need, not just herself and Gunnar. "Is he now?" she asked, impressed by the fact that Torstein was so willing to help others.

"Indeed. A little bribe of ale, and he vill do just about anything I ask," Hilda told her with a wink.

Signe laughed at that, then watched as Hilda turned toward her house and cupped a hand around her mouth. "Torstein!" she called loudly. "Torstein, we have a visitor!"

The hammering stopped, and, after a few seconds, a tall figure came into view as he stepped to the edge of the roof. Torstein stood there wearing a dirty pair of trousers and a billowy work shirt with the sleeves rolled up the elbows. For the first time since she'd met him, his golden hair was tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck so that it would not fall into his face while he worked. His expression was curious at first, but when he realized Signe was there, his curiosity melted into surprised, before eventually his features pulled into a smile.

"Oh, hello, Signe," he called down.

"Good morning. Or rather, good afternoon," she corrected herself after glancing up at the sun, which was too high up into the sky for it to still be morning.

Torstein wiped his forehead, then motioned for her to stay where she was. "Wait there, I shall be right down."

With that, Torstein disappeared from view again. Signe, feeling eyes on her, glanced over at Hilda. The older woman was giving her another one of those scrutinizing looks, as if there was some sort of mystery to Signe that she was trying to figure out. Signe just flashed a quick smile, which Hilda returned politely. There was still interest in her eyes, though, an inquisitive gleam that led Signe to believe that the older woman was trying to determine what to make of Signe.

A few moments later, Torstein, having climbed down from the roof, came walking around the side of the house and strode toward them. He came to a halt next to Hilda when he reached them – the height different between the very tall Torstein and his much shorter neighbor was so drastic it was almost comical.

"Well, I see you have finally met Hilda," he said with a smirk, his blue eyes glancing back and forth between the two women. "I am happy the two of you have finally been acquainted."

"As am I," Signe said, sharing another smile with Hilda.

"I admit I am surprised to see you, though," Torstein continued, his brows raising. "What brings you here?"

"I came to see you," Signe told him, which made his expression turn to one of slight surprise. "I have the bow and quiver you leant me for the hunt. I came to return them to you," she said, sliding the items off her shoulder and taking them in hand.

"Oh," he said, eyeing the bow and quiver. "You did not have to come all this way just for that," he told her. "In fact," he added, lifting a brow, "you did not have to return them at all. I had every intention of allowing you to keep them," he revealed.

Signe shook her head at once. "Absolutely not," she denied. Torstein had already been so generous to her – there was no way she was going to let him give up the weapon that had once belonged to one of his closest friends. "This was your friend's bow, and if you have kept it in your possession for all this time, then obviously it must be of importance to you. I will not keep it," she said firmly. "It would not feel right."

Torstein glanced at Hilda, then looked back at Signe, his brows furrowed with concentration. "Well, how about this? Keep the bow and quiver while you are here in Kattegat, then return them to me before you and Gunnar leave for Hedeby," he suggested. "You are going to need them, should you decided to keep hunting while you are here."

For a moment, Signe contemplated saying no and demanding that he take the items back. But if there was anything she'd learned about Torstein since meeting him, it was that when he made up his mind about something, there was little to be done to sway his decision. Sighing, Signe decided to give in.

"Very well," she said, slinging the bow and quiver back onto her shoulder. "But you will have these back before I leave," she added firmly.

Torstein smiled and nodded. "Deal."

He went quiet for a moment, then tilted his head. A curious gleam had entered his eyes, leaving Signe to wonder if perhaps he was thinking about the last time they had seen one another, when Bjorn had finally showed up and their enjoyable day together had come to a quick end. Torstein knew that Signe and Bjorn had not been on the best terms, but he didn't know what had happened between them two days ago. Signe hoped he wouldn't ask. She didn't particularly want to talk about it.

"How is everything? Has anything happened since last we met?" he asked. The questions were vague, but the knowing look on his face left her with little doubt as to what he was actually asking about.

"Everything is…fine," Signe said, forcing on a small smile. "I am well. Gunnar is well. All is well," she said, even thought that wasn't really the truth.

Torstein nodded, but Signe wasn't sure he was convinced. He didn't pry any further, though, because in that moment he seemed to remember that Hilda was still there, silently listening on as they talked and glancing back and forth between them observantly. When they both looked down at her, Hilda smiled innocently and held up her hands.

"Do not mind me. If you wish to speak privately, I can go elsewhere," she said, already taking a step backward.

Signe, who felt bad for excluding the woman from conversation and did not want to see her go, quickly shook her head. "No, stay," she said quickly. "I brought something for you, as well," she added, changing the subject.

"Did you now?" Hilda asked with interest.

Signe nodded and grabbed for the small pack hanging from her shoulder. "Torstein left so quickly after our hunt, we did not have the opportunity to divide the smaller game we killed…or rather, he killed," she corrected herself lightheartedly, shooting a quick smile at Torstein. "I have brought you your portion of the kill," she said, shifting her attention back to Hilda again. "Please forgive me for the delay. If not for the storm, I would have brought it much sooner."

Hilda immediately shook her head and clicked her tongue. "That is kind, my dear, but not necessary," she said with a gentle smile. "You keep it. You and your brother need it more than I do. Besides," she added reassuringly, "I have plenty of meat thanks to the deer you and Torstein killed. Trust when I say I am very well off."

Signe pursed her lips with uncertainty. When she had left the house, she had been determined to give Torstein his possessions and deliver Hilda the rest of the meat from their hunt. Now, however, both the people in question where making her task quite impossible to accomplish. She had expected to return home empty handed, but it was looking like that would not be the case if Torstein and Hilda had anything to say about it.

"I feel guilty keeping it all for Gunnar and myself," she told Hilda with a small frown. "The whole purpose of us hunting was to get food for you to repay you for your kindness."

"And repay me you have," Hilda assured her with a firm nod. "I will not accept any more food from you. And that is final."

Signe glanced helplessly at Torstein, who seemed to be doing his best to hide a smirk of amusement, then looked back to Hilda, who was looking every bit of authoritative. "Forgive me, but I just do not feel as though I have done enough," Signe admitted with a shrug. "You showed kindness to strangers when you were not obligated to do so. There must be something more I can do to return the favor."

Hilda looked up at Torstein, who just raised his brows and shrugged a broad shoulder. The woman then looked back to Signe. After a few moments of silent contemplation, she nodded and spoke again. "Very well," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "If you truly insist you have not done enough, then I know what you may do to repay this debt you feel you still owe me."

"I am listening," Signe said with an eager nod.

Hilda eyed her friend a moment, before smiling warmly. "Come back tonight and join me for dinner," she commanded. "I hardly ever have company these days, save for Torstein here," she said with a quick nod in the man's direction. "I would greatly enjoy having you over for a nice, home-cooked meal and an evening of good conversation. You will bring your brother, too, of course," she added.

Signe didn't even have to think about her answer. She immediately nodded in agreement. "Of course," she said with a large smile. "And if you do not mind, I vill do the cooking as well," she insisted. "My way of treating you."

"Lovely," Hilda said approvingly. After that, she cast another look up at Torstein. "Will you be joining us, Torstein?"

He seemed surprised, then raised his brows questioning at Signe. "Only if Signe does not mind my presence. I would hate to intrude…"

Signe immediately gave him a look. After all he had done for her, after the time they had spent together, he actually believed she would think he was intruding if he came to dinner? What a ludicrous idea. "You are not intruding," she assured. "In fact, I will be very disappointed with you if you do not join us."

Torstein flashed a smile and nodded. "Well, I would not wish to disappoint you," he said. "I will join you for supper," he finally agreed, nodding firmly.

"Good," Signe said with a smile.

She and Torstein stared at each other for another moment, before Signe finally turned her gaze to Hilda. Once again, the older woman was glancing back and forth between Signe and Torstein, her eyes inquisitive and her expression quite pensive. She stopped though, when she noticed Signe was looking at her again. Signe was not too sure what was going on in Hilda's mind, but did not question her out of politeness.

"Well, I should be returning home then," Signe said, motioning toward the general direction of town. "Gunnar will need quite a bit of tidying up before he can be deemed presentable enough to be your guest tonight, and the same can be said for myself," she said with a smile, very aware of the fact that she smelled like a horse after being in the stables for most of the day. "When should we return?"

"Sundown would be good," Hilda said.

"Perfect. I will see you then. Both of you," she added with a look at Torstein.

"Yes, you shall," Torstein confirmed with a nod. "And I vill bring your portion of the deer meat, too. I have been meaning to bring it by, but have not had the chance."

Signe nodded. "Wonderful. Thank you," she said.

With that, Signe said her goodbyes and turned to leave, heading off down the path that would lead her back to Kattegat. She glanced back just before she was about to walk around a bend in the road and saw that both Torstein and Hilda were watching her go. Signe also noticed that Hilda was grinning up at Torstein and saying something that was making him give his neighbor a look that Signe couldn't quite decipher from this distance – she still got the feeling, however, that perhaps Hilda was teasing Torstein about something. Curiosity filled her, but Signe did not go back to question them. Instead, she merely raised a hand to wave goodbye, which they both did in return, before turning forward and continuing on back toward town.

---

When Signe returned home, she informed Gunnar that they would be going to Hilda's for dinner and then promptly began the process of getting him presentable for civilized interaction again. She took him to the bathhouse so that he could take a much needed bath, then, once he was the cleanest he had been in quite some time, she took him back home and promptly sat him down for a much needed shave. He tried to fend her off at first, since he was still toying around with the idea that he might want to grow a beard, but when she reminded him that facial hair was near impossible for him to grow and told him he'd look ridiculous if he tried, he finally, begrudgingly, allowed her to shave his face. When she finished and his face was smooth again, she asked if he wanted a haircut too, since his normally short hair was beginning to grow long again after being neglected for several weeks. He declined though, claiming that if he could not grow facial hair, then he was going to try to grow his hair out instead.

With Gunnar looking handsome and presentable again, Signe then took the time to clean herself up. She washed her face and her hands, cleaned her teeth, then combed through her long hair and braided the top half of it into a simple, yet pretty style. She changed out of the tunic and trousers she'd been wearing throughout the day and opted to wear the green dress she had brought in case of special occasions, since the everyday dress she had been wearing the past few days was a little bit too dirty for dinner.

By the time Signe was finished getting ready, the sun was beginning to go down, signaling that it was time to head to Hilda's. She grabbed a jug of ale that she had purchased in the market earlier, then, together, she and Gunnar set off toward Hilda's, walking arm in arm as usual and moving slow so that Gunnar would not exert himself too much. They took the same path Signe had earlier, going through the market, past East Ragnar's hall – which was full of laughing, talking people who had congregated there for supper – and out of the borders of Kattegat. They finally reached Hilda's just as the sky was turning purple with the swift approach of night. They knocked on the door, then only had to wait a moment or two before being greeted by their host.

"Signe! Gunnar! Come in, come in!" Hilda urged enthusiastically when she answered the door, a wide smiling gracing her features.

"Hilda, it is wonderful to see you again," Signe greeted as she helped Gunnar into the house. "Allow me to introduce my brother, Gunnar," she quickly introduced, smiling at her brother.

Gunnar, despite being a bit tired and a bit off color from the trip across town, nodded to the older woman respectfully. "Hello, Hilda. It is a pleasure to meet you," he said, giving her a handsome smile.

"It is a pleasure to meet you as well," Hilda said kindly. "It is also very good to see you on your feet," she added pointedly. "It would seem your sister has been doing a fine job of seeing you back to health," she said with a quick smile at Signe.

"That she has," Gunnar confirmed with a nod. "I am lucky to have had her by my side," he then said, smiling fondly down at Signe and patting her back.

Signe smiled modestly in response, then shifted her attention to the hearth when she realized someone was standing by it. She saw then that Torstein had already arrived and was quietly watching them interact with Hilda. He too had cleaned himself up for dinner – his skin and hair looked freshly washed and he had changed into much nicer clothing for their supper. When he saw that he had her attention, he gave her a friendly smile and inclined his head to her, which she mimicked in return. And it was then, in that moment, as Torstein smiled at her and as the flames from the hearth made his golden hair glow, that Signe realized something about him, something that had escaped her attention until now.

Torstein was actually quite...handsome.

She stared at him for a second or two, almost surprised by the little revelation she had just had, but was quickly pulled back to the present when Gunnar spoke up. "Ah, Torstein," he said, having also noticed the man's presence. He eyed the man with a quirked brow, then pursed his lips a bit. "I vould say I am surprised to see you, but that would be a lie," he said, not really sounding displeased that Torstein was there, but not exactly sounding thrilled about it either.

"Good to see you as well, Gunnar," Torstein said with a smirk, having evidently grown used to this sort of half-hearted greeting by now.

Signe, who remembered that her overprotective brother liked Torstein a lot more when he had alcohol in him, decided the time had come to get some ale flowing. "Here, you sit down and rest," she urged, guiding him over to a chair near the hearth. Once Gunnar was settled, she turned to Hilda and held up the jug of ale she had brought. "Shall we drink?"

Hilda immediately nodded. "Yes, we shall! Follow me this way," she said, motioning to Signe with a wave.

Signe nodded, but turned a quick look on her brother first. "Be nice," she said warningly. They were here to share a pleasant meal with Hilda and Torstein – the last thing she wanted was for the evening to get ruined because Gunnar decided to be overbearing.

Gunnar held his hands up in surrender. "Alright, alright," he said with resignation.

Signe smirked, patted her brother on the head like he was a small child, then turned to follow Hilda, but not without shooting a smile in Torstein's direction first.

Soon enough, they all had a cup of ale in hand and an easy, lighthearted conversation began to flow. Signe and Hilda, who insisted she help despite Signe's protests, quickly got started on dinner while the men relaxed by the hearth. Just as she had hoped, once Gunnar had some drink in him he loosened up and became the friendly, welcoming version of himself that she knew and loved. He and Torstein quickly began talking about weaponry and warfare, telling each other stories of past raids they had participated in and debating the advantages and disadvantages of different battle weapons. Signe chimed in with their conversation once or twice, but, for the most part, she stuck to her own, friendly conversation with Hilda.

When Signe and Hilda finished cooking a little while later, they all got settled at the table not far from the hearth. It was a relatively small table, just big enough to comfortably seat four people – Hilda and Torstein sat opposite of each other, while Signe and Gunnar did the same. As she got settled in her chair, Signe's knee brushed against Torstein's, which made them look at each other for a quick moment. She blushed a bit and gave a small smile, then moved her leg so that it was no longer touching his.

"Ah, what a lovely dinner this is," Hilda said, looking down at her full plate first, then at those around each other. "A toast," she said, raising her cup and smiling broadly. "To new friends."

"To new friends," Signe, Gunnar, and Torstein echoed.

"Skål!" Hilda said next.

"Skål!" they then said in response.

They all took a moment to clink their cups together, then took hearty gulps of their ale. After that, they dug into their meals, eating in silence for a moment or two. Signe soon glanced back and forth between Torstein and Hilda, though, her eyes full of curiosity.

"So tell me," she said to break the silence, "how long have the two of you known one another?"

"Oh, a very long time now," Hilda said, smiling fondly at Torstein from across the table. "I have known Torstein since he and his family came to Kattegat."

"The home I live in now belonged to my uncle, the one my family came here to live with after my father and brother passed on," Torstein said, drawing Signe's attention to him. "Seeing as we lived so close by, it was not long before our families became quite friendly with one another," he finished explaining, before taking a drink of ale.

"I saw him grow from a boy into a man. A very fine man," Hilda continued, reaching across the table to pat his hand. Torstein waved her compliment off, by the smile on his face told Signe that he was appreciative of her praise. "Now that I think about it, we have seen each other through quite a lot over the years, have we not?" she asked, her expression going a bit pensive.

"That we have," Torstein agreed with a nod. "Both the good times and the bad ones."

"More good than bad, though, thank the Gods," Hilda said, which made him nod and raise his glass to her for a quick moment. She paused to take a sip of ale, then continued speaking. "I truly do not know what I would do without Torstein," Hilda said, looking at Signe now. "Seeing as I am getting quite old and live here by myself, I find myself unable to carry out certain tasks, such as making repairs to the house or tending to the fields. But Torstein, being the kind man he is, takes pity on this old woman and helps me with the things I cannot take care of myself."

Signe smiled at Torstein, feeling rather impressed with him. "That is very generous of you."

"Hilda is a wonderful woman," he said with a shrug. "Helping her is never a burden in my eyes." Hilda pressed a hand over her heart in response, obviously touched by what he had said. "But make no mistake," Torstein continued, raising his brows. "She does just as much to help me. She cooks me meals, helps me fix my clothing, takes care of my livestock while I am away raiding. We take care of each other," he explained.

"That we do," Hilda agreed with a nod.

Signe glanced back and forth between the two. "If you ask me, the two of you seem like more than just mere friends," she said. "You seem more like family."

Torstein and Hilda shared a smile, which led Signe to believe that they viewed their relationship the same way. "That is how I have always seen it," Hilda said with a nod. "I have viewed Torstein as the son I never had for a long while now," she admitted, smiling at Torstein with affection.

"Do you have any children, Hilda?" Gunnar asked curiously, having finally paused in devouring his food so he could join the conversation.

Hilda's smiled turned a bit sad. "I had a child, yes. A daughter," she revealed. "But she died from a plague that swept through Kattegat some years back." Hilda sighed. "She would have been a little older than yourself, had she still be living today," she added, looking at Gunnar.

Signe frowned with sympathy. "I am sorry to hear that," she said consolingly. "That is actually how Gunnar and I lost our mother," she added, sharing a look with her brother. "Plague came to Hedeby when we were children. Our mother and oldest brother fell ill, but our brother recovered. Our mother, however, did not."

Hilda sighed and shook her head. "Such a terrible loss," she said, her tone somber.

Signe just nodded and shared a sad smile with her brother, before glancing over at Torstein. He said nothing, but he didn't need to – his sympathetic expression said it all.

"Enough talk of death," Hilda said suddenly, waving her hands as if trying to wave away the cloud of sadness that had settled over them. "This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let us speak of something else." Hilda drank some ale before glancing back and forth between Signe and Gunnar. "How long will you two be here in Kattegat for?"

Signe, who was more than happy to talk about something other than the loss of loved ones, shrugged. "We do not know," she answered. "Gunnar is doing much better, but the journey home is a long one. I do not think he is quite ready for it."

"I can assure you I am not ready for it," Gunnar chimed in with raised brows. "The mere thought of riding horseback for a week makes my body hurt already," he said with a slight shudder. He paused to drink his ale, then sighed a bit. "Though I must admit that I do miss home," he added. Signe nodded in agreement.

"Is there a wife waiting for you in Hedeby, Gunnar?" Hilda asked with curiosity.

Gunnar snorted and shook his head. "No, no wife for me."

Hilda looked shocked. "What? No wife? But you are so charming!" she said, her eyes full of incredulousness. "And you are so handsome!"

"I know! I do not understand it either!" Gunnar agreed jokingly, pulling a quick laugh from Signe and Torstein.

"He could very well have a wife if he wanted one," Signe assured Hilda when she stopped laughing. "He merely enjoys his freedom too much to settle into marriage."

"Perhaps," Gunnar agreed with a shrug. "Or," he continued pointedly, "perhaps I am merely too busy helping our brothers fight off your suitors to find a woman of my own," he shot at her.

Signe rolled her eyes, while Hilda raised her brows at that and turned her attention over to Signe. "You mean to tell me you are not married either?" she asked.

"No husband for me, I am afraid," Signe confirmed.

Hilda looked between Signe and Gunnar, then at Torstein. "Are the people in Hedeby mad?" Hilda asked, sounding outraged.

Torstein merely shrugged in response, while Gunnar snorted. "Some of them, yes," he confirmed. "But do not let Signe lead you astray. The reason she is not married is because she chooses not to be," he continued matter-of-factly. "I cannot count the number of men who have come around our house asking for her hand in marriage, there have been so many," he said.

Signe blushed and pushed the food on her plate around with her fork. "There have not been that many," she said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

Gunnar scoffed at her before raising his eyebrows at Hilda. "She is just being modest. Trust when I say there have been plenty of marriage proposals since she came of age."

"I do not doubt that for one moment," Hilda said with a nod. She then turned a curious look on Signe. "Why have you not married, if you do not mind me asking?"

Signe pressed her lips together, immediately thinking of Bjorn. At first she had rejected any marriage proposals because she had been young and far more interested in training to be a shieldmaiden than being someone's wife. But once she had fallen in love with Bjorn, she had rejected other men purely out of the hope that he would someday propose marriage to her. After what had transpired between them a few days previous, however, Signe now knew that would never happen.

"It is a simple reason, really," she finally said, trying to push thoughts of Bjorn out of her head. "I have always hoped that whenever I married, I would marry for love. And I did not love any of the men who have proposed marriage to me."

She took a long drink of ale after that, her eyes meeting her brother's over the rim of her cup. Gunnar was looking at her with a hint of sympathy now, as if knew that she was thinking of Bjorn and how the love she desired would not be hers to have. Signe lowered her cup to give him a small smile and a quick, reassuring nod, silently telling him that she was alright in spite of the slight throb of pain in her heart at the thought of her best friend.

"Well, I think that is a very admirable reason. Why marry if not for love?" Hilda said, drawing Signe's attention back to her. "What say you, Torstein?"

Signe shifted her gaze to Torstein. Their eyes met for a brief moment and she got the distinct impression he had been watching her, but he quickly moved his gaze to Hilda the moment he realized he had Signe's attention. "Marriage is not something to be taken lightly," he said with a nod. "If one is to marry, it should be for the right reasons. And to the right person."

Signe and Hilda both nodded and smiled in response to that, but Gunnar cocked a scrutinizing brow. "Is that why you have not taken a wife? Because you have not yet found the right one?" he pried, his tone just the tiniest bit mocking.

Torstein, who seemed unaffected by the slight jibe, just shrugged. "I have known many women, but none of whom I could see myself sharing a life with," he answered honestly.

"Much to the dismay of the women of Kattegat," Hilda commented with a smirk.

Gunnar glanced at Hilda, then turned a look on Torstein. "Have a few admirers, do you?" he asked with sarcasm.

Torstein began to speak, but Hilda beat him to the punch. "More than just a few," she corrected. "I have watched the girls chase after Torstein since he was just a boy," she added with an amused smile.

"You exaggerate, Hilda," Torstein said with a smirk.

Hilda laughed and shot him a look. "Now who is the one who is being modest?" she rebutted knowingly.

Torstein shook his head and rolled his eyes, looking both amused and, perhaps, a tiny bit embarrassed at the same time. Signe, who could sense that he was not necessarily thrilled with the way the conversation was going, raised her brows at him and smiled.

"I think you are right not to marry unless it is someone you truly wish to be with," she said in Torstein's defense. "And I also think that whoever ends up being your wife will be a very lucky woman indeed," she added.

Torstein looked at her in surprise at those words, having evidently not been expecting her to say anything like that. Signe just smiled, then glanced at Hilda when the woman spoke again. "Hear, hear. I could not have said it better myself," she said, smiling at Signe first, then at Torstein. "I have always told Torstein he vill make a fine husband, whenever he decides to finally settle down," she said.

"That you have," Torstein confirmed, finally pulling his gaze away from Signe so he could peer at his neighbor.

"And though we have only known each other a short while," Hilda continued, looking to Signe now. "I know already that you, Signe, will make for a very fine wife."

Signe blushed and smiled, feeling humbled by the compliment. "Thank you, for your kind words," she said politely.

"Of course," Hilda said.

"What about me?" Gunnar asked with raised hands, clearly feeling left out. "Will I not make a good husband, as well?"

Hilda turned a calculating look on him, eyeing him as though trying to decipher a difficult riddle. Then, after a second or two, shrugged. "You will do well enough, I suppose," she said jokingly.

Gunnar immediately put on an expression of mock outrage, which made everyone laugh. But Gunnar, who knew Hilda was just teasing him, couldn't keep up the charade for long and quickly joined in on their amusement.

When they finally stopped laughing, Hilda focused her attention on Gunnar and began asking him questions about Hedeby and about his and Signe's family. Signe listened to the two talk as she ate, then, when she noticed that everyone ale was beginning to get a little low, she stood from the table and went to collect the tankard of ale. She went around refilling everyone's cups, starting with Hilda, then moving on to Gunnar, before finishing with Torstein. As she poured ale into his cup, he glanced up at her and their eyes met. Signe gave him a smile, which he returned, then walked around his chair so she could return to her seat. Without really thinking about it, she absentmindedly patted him on the shoulder as she went. He was looking at her with the tiniest hint of surprise as she sat down and refilled her own cup, but she merely smiled at him again before setting the tankard off to the side and returning to her meal.

They talked and laughed through the rest of their meal, their conversation flowing easily and bouncing around between a variety of different topics. They talked about Hilda's family, about Torstein's life growing up, and then, of course, about Signe and Gunnar's family back in Hedeby. By the time they were finally finished eating, the sun had long since gone down and it was well into the evening, but none of them seemed in a hurry to call it a night just yet.

"You three go and relax by the hearth," Signe instructed as she stood from her chair and began collecting plates. "I will begin cleaning up."

Hilda started like she was going to protest and demand to help, but, surprisingly, Torstein beat her to the punch. "I will help," he offered, grabbing hold of both his and Gunnar's plates before Signe could grab them herself.

"You do not have to," Signe said with a frown.

"I know I do not have to," Torstein countered. "I want to," he added pointedly. When she still frowned at him with uncertainty, he just gave her a look. "I am going to help whether you like it or not, so just accept it and be done with it."

Signe glanced at Hilda, who seemed to be suppressing a smile, then finally sighed in defeat. "Very well, then," she finally conceded, knowing she wouldn't be able to turn him away now. "You two go and enjoy your ale. Torstein and I will be along shortly," she instructed Gunnar and Hilda.

The two nodded, before Hilda grabbed hold of Gunnar and led him over to the hearth, where they settled in for more ale and conversation. Once they were alone, Signe quirked a brow and turned a look on Torstein. "You are an incredibly stubborn man," she stated bluntly. "Has anyone ever told you that?"

Torstein smirked. "Nearly every day," he rebutted, which made her smile with amusement. "Now let us hurry and clean, before they finish off the ale," he urged, before taking the dishes in his hands and taking them back into the kitchen area.

Signe just nodded, finished collecting the dishes off the table, and followed him.

---

As he and Signe worked together to clean and dry the dishes from their supper, Torstein couldn't stop himself from glancing over at Signe every few seconds. He watched from the corner of his eye as Signe dunked another dish into the bucket of water and gave it a good scrub, her eyes trained intently on the task she was carrying out. He pulled his gaze from hers to finish drying the utensils she had just cleaned, then set them off to the side…but only a few seconds later, his eyes slowly moved back to her, as if they were magnetized.

After that conversation with Floki the week before, where his friend had warned him that continuing to involve himself with Signe might possibly cause problems, Torstein had told himself he would stay away from her, that he would forget this attraction he felt for her and carry on with life as normal. If Floki was right and Ragnar did think something was going on between Signe and Bjorn, Torstein did not want to anger his friend by pursuing anything with the woman that Ragnar believed was his son's. Torstein had decided that he would keep his distance until Signe left Kattegat and that would be that. They would forget each other in time and that would be the end of it.

It had been easy at first, keeping away from her. He'd had duties to see to now that he was home again, and any spare time had been spent in the company of Dísa, Signe's comrade from Hedeby. He had met Dísa at the post-battle feast, and though she wasn't anywhere near as pretty as Signe, she had been the exact distraction he had been looking for. He'd ended up spending quite a bit of time with her while the Hedeby warriors had been in Kattegat, despite the fact that he wasn't nearly as interested in Dísa as Dísa had been in him – she had been entertaining enough though, and, if nothing else, he hadn't been thinking about Signe when he had been with her.

He had been doing pretty well in his mission to keep away from Signe. There had even been a day or two there where he had been so busy that he had managed to forget about her entirely. It had almost been as if everything had gone back to normal…but then circumstances had changed.

Signe had not returned home with her comrades like he had expected she would. She had chosen to stay behind, to stay here, in Kattegat. He had understood her reason for wanting to stay behind, but he had still be a little surprised that she had not gone back home with her brothers and her comrades. At the same time, though, it would be a lie if he said there wasn't a part of him that had been a little bit thrilled to know she was staying behind. But he had still chosen to keep his distance in the days following the departure of the rest of the Hedeby warriors. Signe was here to take care of her injured brother, which meant that him coming around to see her would probably only be a burden to her. Besides, if she wanted company, he was fairly confident that it was Bjorn's company she desired, not his.

It wasn't until he'd seen her in the market, looking filthy and exhausted and like she would fall apart at any moment, that his resolve to stay away from her finally shattered. He simply couldn't stand to see her looking so broken, so helpless. It didn't matter that he barely knew her, that they were hardly even acquainted – everything within him had screamed to do something to help her, to make sure she was taken care of, especially so once he learned that Bjorn was doing nothing to help her in a time of great need. So that was what Torstein had done. As soon as they had gone their separate ways after bumping into each other at the marker, he had gone straight to Hilda's to get clean clothing and food for Signe, vowing he would not rest until Signe was clean, had fresh clothes on her back, and a full belly. And he had sworn he would not take no for answer, either – he would drag her to the bathhouse kicking and screaming, if need be.

Thankfully, it hadn't come to that. Signe had accepted his help that night, and accepted it again when she'd agreed to go hunting with him a few days later. And Torstein had to admit that while it made him feel good to see her back to her more normal self, it also made him feel good to know that he had a part in that. He had come to her aid. He had helped her get back on her feet. He had put the smile back on her face. Not Bjorn or some other man – him.

He snapped out of his thoughts for a quick moment when Signe pulled the plate she'd been washing out of the bucket and passed it to him. Their eyes met as he grabbed the plate and she flashed a smile, which he quickly returned. Signe then reached from the next plate to wash that one, leaving him to dry the dish she had just handed him.

By the Gods, she was beautiful.

This was something he had noticed from the very first moment they met, of course, but he would swear to every God he knew of that she got more and more beautiful every time he saw her. He glanced at her again, admiring the braids she had woven into her hair, the way the firelight danced across her pretty features, the way her green dress clung to her tall, toned frame. It wasn't just her outwardly beauty that he liked, though. She was smart, she made him laugh, she was caring, she was selfless, and she was easy to talk to. Signe was just as beautiful on the inside as she was on the out, a fact that was becoming more and more apparent the more he got to know her.

He had tried to forget his attraction to her, had tried to push it away. But now, after spending more time with her, he couldn't do so any longer. There was no denying the desire he felt for her, not anymore. And his desire wasn't just physical either. He liked Signe. He liked her a lot. More than he had liked any woman in quite a long time.

But Signe's heart belonged to another, Torstein had to remind himself. She loved Bjorn. And if Bjorn had even half a brain in his head, he would love her in return. Yet as he thought about the things she had told him, as he remembered the brief glimpses of sadness he had seen in her eyes today, he had to wonder if perhaps that wasn't the case. He had no idea what had happened between them after he had last seen her, but something about the way Signe had been carrying herself was leading him to believe that whatever had happened, it hadn't been good. Her smiles did not reach her eyes. She seemed more reserved than usual. She was acting the way she had when she had not been sure whether Gunnar would survive his wounds or not – sad, scared, and completely beat down.

"Thank you for helping me clean up," Signe said to break the silence.

Torstein looked over at her, and though she was smiling at him, he noticed, yet again, that the smile didn't reach her eyes completely. "It was the least I could do after you and Hilda made us such a delicious meal," he said with a nod.

Signe passed him another plate to dry, then glanced back at Gunnar and Hilda when they broke into loud laughter. She watched the two interact for a moment, then grabbed for another dish to begin cleaning it. "Hilda is wonderful," she said with sincerity. "I can see now why you are so fond of her."

Torstein glanced back at Hilda and nodded. "She has been a good friend to me for many years now. There is no one in this world who could ever replace my mother, but if there was anyone who came close to filling the void that her death left, Hilda is her," he told Signe honestly.

Signe nodded in understanding. "I feel lucky to have met her, then," she said, passing him another plate when he finished drying the one that had just been in his hands. "I am glad I could get Gunnar out of the house, too. He needed a night like tonight."

Torstein eyed her for a moment, then shrugged. "If you ask me, I think you both needed a night like tonight," he stated bluntly.

She looked at him with surprise for a brief second, then sighed and looked back down at the utensils she had begun washing. "You are not wrong," she admitted quietly, frowning a bit now.

Silence fell over them as Torstein finished drying the plate she'd given him last and set it off to the side with all the others. He paused and toyed with the rag in his hands, wondering whether or not he should asked her what had happened after they had parted ways last. Finally, after another beat or two, he had decided he had to know. "Are you going to tell me what happened with Bjorn?" he asked quietly, so that Hilda and Gunnar wouldn't overhear.

Signe went quiet for a second, but then turned a look on him that was impossible to mistake. Suddenly Torstein didn't need her to tell him what had happened, because he knew already – the sadness in her eyes told him everything he needed to know.

"I think you may already know," Signe said just as quietly, giving him a meaningful look.

Torstein held her gaze, then sighed and shook his head in disbelief. For as smart as he seemed to be in every other aspect of life, when it came to Signe, Bjorn was a damned fool. How could he not see what he had right in front of him? How was he so blind?

"Signe – " he started to say.

He did not get to finish what he had been about to say, however, because Hilda suddenly appeared behind them, her brows raised high as she glanced back and forth between the two of them. "And what are you two whispering about over here?" she asked, her eyes gleaming with interest.

Torstein and Signe shared a look, before Signe smiled gently and shook her head. "Nothing important," she said evasively.

Hilda didn't seem convinced, but nodded anyway. "I see," she said. "Torstein," she continued, turning a look on him, "go and keep Gunnar company. I vill take over here."

Torstein, who would much prefer to keep Signe company, raised his brows at the much shorter Hilda. "You are sure?"

"Yes, yes," she said, before waving him away. "Now go. Shoo!"

Torstein finally conceded and left the women to finish with the cleaning up. He retrieved his horn cup and the tankard of ale, then went to join Gunnar, easing into the chair Hilda had just vacated. He filled his cup and then took a long drink of ale, his eyes trained on Signe as Hilda said something that pulled a quick, albeit halfhearted, laugh from her. But when Torstein suddenly got the distinct feeling that he was being watched, he tore his gaze from Signe and looked at Gunnar. Sure enough, the younger man was indeed staring at him through narrowed, scrutinizing eyes.

Torstein, who had a feeling he knew why Gunnar was looking at him the way he was, casually reached for the tankard of ale and then wiggled it invitingly.

"Do you require a refill?" he asked, just to break the tense silence that had settled over them.

"Sure," Gunnar said.

Torstein filled his cup, then set the tankard back down. He started to take another drink, but hesitated when Gunnar spoke again. "Do not think I have not noticed the way you look at my sister," he said bluntly, keeping his tone low so that Signe and Hilda wouldn't be able to hear him.

Torstein blinked in surprise, a little taken aback by Gunnar's directness. When he saw the sheen of inebriation in the man's eyes, though, he figured his blunt words were due in large part to the ale he had consumed. "Come again?"

Gunnar quirked a brow. "You like Signe, and not just as a friend," he said matter-of-factly, his tone clearly stating that be was already convinced and would not be told otherwise. Torstein opened and closed his mouth, struggling with how to respond, but before he could get even a word out, Gunnar spoke again. "Do not bother trying to deny it," he said with a huff. "I may not be the smartest man who ever lived, but I can tell when a man desires a woman. And you, Torstein, desire my sister."

Torstein pursed his lips, unable to help feeling a little uncomfortable. He had not admitted his feelings for Signe to anyone, save for Floki, and that had only been because the man had already figured it out for himself. Hilda suspected that he felt something for Signe, of course, because…well, she was Hilda, and she knew him probably better than just about anyone. Regardless, Torstein had not confirmed to Hilda that her suspicions were right, nor had he been in a hurry to tell anyone else about it either. He simply did not like to put his private business out into the world like that – and if for some reason he decided he did want to discuss it, then the last person he would want to have that conversation with would be her brother. He did not even know what Gunnar was trying to accomplish by bringing this matter up in the first place.

"Is there a reason you are speaking of this?" Torstein finally asked, keeping his tone perfectly neutral.

"Yes," Gunnar said, before taking a drink of ale. He swallowed his gulp, then turned a serious look on Torstein. "I love my sister," he stated firmly. "She is a truly incredible woman who deserves nothing but the best this world has to offer. I would do anything for her. I would kill for her, if I was required to," he stated seriously. Gunnar paused, then heaved a bit. "Despite appearances, I actually do consider you a decent fellow," he admitted, though it sounded like it pained him to do so. "You seem trustworthy, and you have done a lot to help Signe and me, which I am grateful for. And I have noticed in recent days that Signe seems to have grown…fond of you."

Torstein could not help the small flicker of hope that came to life at hearing those words. Before he could ask Gunnar to elaborate, though, the man spoke again. "But I feel I need to say this right now. If you are considering attempting to pursue a romantic relationship with her, then I must warn you against it."

"Why is that?" Torstein asked curiously.

"A simple reason, really," Gunnar said, before frowning at his sister's back. "Signe is heartbroken. It has been a long time since I have seen her this sad, this…defeated," he said with a shake of his head. Gunnar gazed at Signe for another moment, then looked back to him. "What she needs in this moment, more than anything, is a friend. Not a man who wants something from her that she may not be able to give…or may not be willing to give, for that matter," he added pointedly.

Torstein nodded his understanding, his eyes turning to Signe. She said something to Hilda, then glanced back at him and Gunnar, as if checking to make sure they were getting along. Her eyebrows came together for a moment as she gazed at them, but then, as their eyes met, she flashed him a brief, small smile before turning back to what she was doing. As much as he hated to hear that she was suffering from a broken heart, he had to admit that, deep down, he was a little happy to know that Bjorn may no longer be the competition. He had to wonder if maybe, when Signe's heart healed again, if there might be a chance that she would let him into her heart in Bjorn's place.

"I understand your need to protect her," Torstein finally said. "I have a sister myself, and there is nothing I would not do to make sure she was happy and safe." He finally pulled his gaze from Signe to give Gunnar a firm look. "If it is a friend that Signe needs, then a friend I shall be," he assured Gunnar. "I have only good intentions for her, and would never do anything to cause her stress or pain."

Gunnar stared at him for a second, as if trying to determine if Torstein was telling him the truth. Finally he nodded in satisfaction, evidently having decided that he was indeed being honest. "Good," Gunnar said. "Because if your intentions for her are anything but good, make no mistake, Torstein – I will string you up by your ankles and drag you all the way to Hedeby, where I, with the help of my brothers, will ensure that you die a very slow, very painful death."

Now, if one were to ask, then Torstein would not say he was a man that was easily intimidated. He had raided dozens of times, fought in numerous battles, and defeated a countless number of enemies over the years. He was a warrior, and feared very little.

But having said that, he could not help the slight chill that went down his spine at Gunnar's words. Because he knew, without a shadow of doubt, that Gunnar was being completely serious with his threat. The gleam in his eye and the tone of his voice told Torstein that Gunnar absolutely would make good on his threat if he stepped out of line where Signe was concerned. He would likely take great pleasure in doing so, too. And considering the way Garik and Hallsteinn had treated him before they had left Kattegat, he didn't think they would have any problem with torturing and killing him, either.

"Understood," Torstein finally said, nodding once and trying not to imagine the many terrible things that Signe's brothers might be capable of doing.

Gunnar just nodded once in response, then took a long drink of ale.

They did not discuss the subject any further after that, and when Signe and Hilda finally came to join them a short while later, Gunnar put on a big smile and launched into enthusiastic conversation with them, acting perfectly normal now and as if he hadn't just threatened to kill Torstein in cold blood. As Signe claimed the chair next to him and quickly pulled him into conversation, Torstein also tried to act as normal as possible, so as not to give the women any hints as to what he and Gunnar had just been discussing. He couldn't help but notice that Gunnar was watching him interact with Signe, though, and always with a slight hint of warning, effectively ensuring that Torstein did not forget his threat.

Eventually the hour started to grow late, and Gunnar, who had had perhaps a bit too much to drink, reached the point where he was hardly able to keep his eyes open anymore and started to fall asleep in his chair. When Signe noticed this, she sighed, finished the contents of her cup, then stood from her chair.

"I am sorry to say it, but it seems the time has come to see my brother home," she announced, smiling regretfully at Torstein first, then at Hilda.

Hilda was out of her chair and on her feet at once. "You are certain?" she asked, grabbing for Signe's hand. "You and Gunnar could always stay here for the night. I have plenty of room to accommodate you both," she then offered.

Signe, however, just shook her head politely. "That is kind of you, Hilda, but I must decline."

Hilda pursed her lips, but finally nodded in acceptance. "Very well, then," she said, before patting Signe's hand and releasing her. "If you vill not stay, then allow me to pack some food for you to take back with you."

Signe started to protest, but Hilda was already walking away before she could get even word out. Sighing with defeat, Signe just looked at him instead and shrugged helplessly. "Is there any stopping her?" she asked, though she sounded as if she knew the answer already.

"No," Torstein confirmed with a shake of his head and an amused smirk.

"I thought as much," Signe said with a sigh. While Hilda moved about the kitchen, collecting bread and cheese and any leftover meat from dinner, Signe went to her brother and gently shook his shoulder. "Gunnar? Gunnar, wake up," she said, trying to rouse him from his sleep.

Gunnar stirred a bit and woke long enough to peer up at Signe through glazed, inebriated eyes. But he didn't wake fully – he merely mumbled something incoherent under his breath and then let his eye slide closed again, his head lolling as he fell back asleep. Signe pursed her lips uncertainly and placed her hands on her hips as she looked down at her brother, clearly trying to decide how she was going to get him home. Torstein frowned, knowing that Signe would struggle to get her brother anywhere in his current state. He decided he wasn't comfortable with the thought of her trying to drag Gunnar home in the dark, nor did he want to think what might happen if they ran into someone unfavorable along the way and had nobody there to protect her but her drunk, weakened, half-asleep brother.

"I will help you take him home," Torstein said as he stood from his chair, his tone leaving no room for her to argue with him on the matter. When Signe turned her attention to him and looked as though she might put up a protest, Torstein held a hand up to silence her. "It vill take you far too long to get him home in this state," he said, motioning toward Gunnar, who looked dangerously close to falling out of his chair now. "I will help you, and that is that," Torstein finished with finality.

Signe stared at him for a moment, then finally nodded in acceptance. "Very well. If you insist," she said with a shrug.

"I do," Torstein stated.

Signe smiled then, and nodded. "Thank you."

Torstein just nodded, then went to Gunnar to pull the heavy, intoxicated man from his seat while Signe said her goodbye's to Hilda. As Torstein draped one of Gunnar's arms around his shoulder and locked an arm firmly around the man's waist to support him, Signe and Hilda exchanged a few words, thanking each other for their company and insisting that they have dinner together again soon, before taking a long moment to hug.

"This is the extra food from supper," Hilda said, passing one small pack over. "And this is your portion of the deer meat that Torstein brought for you," she added, handing over another, slightly larger pack.

Signe nodded as she took the packs and draped them around her shoulder. She then rejoined him and Gunnar, taking hold over her brother's other arm and placing it around her own shoulders, so that he was supported between the two of them. As she too slipped an arm around Gunnar's waist to hold him more securely, Torstein couldn't help but notice that her arm pressed against his own.

"Ready?" she asked, peering at him around her brother's lolling head.

"Ready," Torstein confirmed, before turning a look on Hilda. "As always, thank you for dinner. I am going to make sure these two return home safely now. I will see you tomorrow?"

Hilda flashed a look that only he, who knew her so well, could decipher. She was not the least bit surprised to see that he was going to take Signe and Gunnar home. In fact, she seemed to have expected that he would do so. Torstein gave her a look of his own, silently telling her that if she had something she was thinking about saying on the matter, then it would be better if she kept it to herself. Hilda seemed to receive the message loud and clear, because she smirked in response.

"Yes, I will see you tomorrow," she said to answer his question, nodding her head. "We have fields to plow before winter comes." Hilda then came over to pat Torstein on the cheek and smile warmly, before she shifted her attention to Gunnar. "Goodbye, Gunnar!" she said loudly so that he would hear her. "I hope you sleep well tonight!"

Gunnar cracked his eyes open and mumble something that none of them could understand, before his head lolled again. Hilda laughed, but Signe shook her head, looking embarrassed. "You vill have to forgive him. He does not always know his limits when it comes to ale," she said, shooting a disapproving look at her brother.

"It is fine," Hilda said, waving Signe's apology away. "Now go, and get this one in bed. We will see each other again soon."

Signe nodded, then after one more round of goodbyes, the three of them departed.

---

Kattegat was fairly quiet as they made their way through town, heading in the direction of the home that Signe and Gunnar were currently occupying. As they slowly walked along, half carrying, half dragging Gunnar between them, Signe couldn't help but shoot a few looks in Torstein's direction. It seemed like there was something on his mind, though she couldn't be sure what that something was. It had not escaped her notice, however, that Torstein had had a very serious looking conversation with Gunnar earlier that night while she and Hilda had been finishing with the dishes from dinner. She had to wonder if maybe that was what he was thinking of now.

Signe debated whether she should ask him about it or not, but, eventually, she decided that it might be impolite to pry and opted not to. "Thank you again, for helping me get Gunnar home," she said instead, wanting to break the silence that had fallen between them. "He would have been difficult to handle alone," she added with a look toward her brother, who was dragging his feet and doing nothing to help them as they moved along.

Torstein looked over at her and smile. "It was no trouble at all," he assured her. "I would have been worried, had you set off on your own," he added, his eyes turning to survey their surroundings. There were still a few people moving about here or there, but for the most part, it looked as though most of the townsfolk had turned in for the night. "Most of the people who live here are friendly and peaceful…but I believe we both know how people can change when they get a bit of drink in them," he said, raising his brows at Signe now. "Better not to risk it."

Signe nodded her agreement, thinking of all the times she had seen perfectly respectable men turn into complete pigs after having one too many ales. "Agreed."

Silence fell between them again, and they continued on. In what seemed like no time at all, they reached the home that she and Gunnar were currently occupying and went inside, heading straight for the bed on the far side of the room and quickly depositing Gunnar there. He snorted a bit as the jolt of getting placed on the bed roused him the tiniest bit, but he soon rolled onto his side and fell back into his slumber, snoring loudly in his drunken stupor.

Signe sighed as she eyed her brother, then turned to face Torstein with an amused smirk. "I vould say that I hope he does not feel the aftereffects of his drinking in the morning, but maybe if he hurts badly enough, it will teach him to pace himself when he is drinking," she joked.

Torstein chuckled and shrugged a shoulder. "Something tells me that if he has not learned by now, he may not learn at all," he joked back.

Signe pursed her lips. "You are probably right, unfortunately," she conceded.

Silence fell between them again after that. For a moment or two they simply stood there staring at one another, neither of them seeming to know what to do or say next. When Gunnar let out a particularly loud snore, Torstein seemed to finally snap out of it and flashed a small smile, before motioning toward the door with a wave of his hand.

"I should be going. It has been a long, tiring day. I need to get home soon, otherwise I may fall asleep in the middle of the street," he said lightheartedly.

Signe smiled and nodded her understanding. She hadn't expected he would stay long, anyway. "Is there anything you need before you go? Anything that I can do for you?" she offered regardless.

Torstein shook his head. "No. I am fine," he declined politely.

Signe just nodded again in response.

In the next moment, Torstein turned and started toward the door. Signe, wanting to see him out, followed after him. As he reached the door, however, he paused with his hand on the knob and made no move to actually open, making Signe frown in confusion. What was he doing? Was something wrong? Before she had the chance to ask, Torstein released the door handle and turned back to her, his expression one that was a bit difficult to read.

"I did not have the chance to say it earlier, but…I am sorry. About Bjorn," he told her sincerely, catching her a bit by surprise. "I know you were hoping things would turn out differently between the two of you. I am sorry they did not."

Signe got over her moment of surprise and pressed her lips together, a pang of sadness invading her heart. She looked down at her feet and wrung her hands together, not wanting to look silly or weak in front of Torstein, but unable to help the emotion welling up within her at the mention of Bjorn. The pain was simply still too fresh, the wound still too tender.

"You do not need to apologize," Signe managed out, finally raising her gaze up to Torstein's again. "It was his decision to reject me, not yours."

"I know that," Torstein said, his eyes never once turning away from hers. "But I consider you a friend, Signe. And I do not like to see my friends suffering."

Signe mustered up a smile at his kind words. "I will be alright, Torstein," she told him reassuringly. "It may take some time, but…someday, this hurt will pass," she added with a nod, hoping her words would be enough to convince both him and herself of that.

Torstein nodded, but still did not turn to leave. He stood in silence for a beat, his expression contemplative, as if he had something else he wanted to say, only he wasn't sure if he should or not. Finally, he spoke. "Forgive me if what I am about to say is too forward," he started, his tone careful, "but if Bjorn is too blind to see what he has in front of him, then he is a fool. If you ask me, he does not deserve you, nor does he deserve your love."

Signe's brows rose in surprise again, his words catching her so off guard that she was actually rendered speechless. When she could not seem to get her voice to work, she nodded once, unable to think of anything else to do in response. Torstein inclined his head to her in return, then finally turned to the door to leave. Signe watched as he opened the door and stepped outside, her eyes trained on his broad, strong back.

Suddenly, a feeling she couldn't quite understand overtook her. She didn't know what it was exactly, but it was strong, and not something that could be ignored. And whatever it was, it was telling her that she needed to make sure that she and Torstein continued to spend time around each other.

"Torstein," she said quickly, making him pause just outside the door and turn back with a questioning look. Signe stepped closer, feeling inexplicably nervous now. "I was…thinking it would be good to take mine and Gunnar's horses for a ride tomorrow," she told him. "They have been confined to the stables since we arrived in Kattegat, and they seem in need of a good run to stretch their legs." She paused, then smiled a bit. "I know you have plans to help Hilda tomorrow, but…when you are finished, would you perhaps like to join me?"

Torstein seemed a little caught off guard by the offer, but, after a moment, he nodded. "I would like that," he agreed. "I vill come by after I have finished helping Hilda, then we may go."

Signe's smile turned into a grin, and she nodded. "Perfect."

Torstein returned her smile. "I will see you tomorrow, then."

"I will see you tomorrow," Signe echoed in response. "Goodnight, Torstein."

He inclined his head respectfully again. "Goodnight, Signe."

Torstein finally turned to leave after that, and for a long few seconds, Signe stood in the doorway and watched him go. Finally, she closed the door. Then, smiling to herself, she went to bed.

---

Thoughts? Did we like seeing more Torstein POV?