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.

16. Chapter Fifteen

Forgive me for the long wait between updates. A few months back I was hit with an extreme case of writer's block for all of my stories, hence my decision to put them all on a hiatus. Eventually I began to feel motivated again, but struggled to put my thoughts into a proper chapter. Thank you for those who have been patient with me, and thank you for your continued support. I hope you're not too angry with me for the wait, and I hope the chapter isn't disappointing!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vikings!

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Chapter Fifteen

The next few days were odd, to say the least.

On the one hand, things between Signe and Gunnar were undeniably tense, and only seemed to get worse the longer time went on. Her brother had gone back to being as irritable and temperamental as he had been when he'd still been in a severe pain from his wounds – he had not been speaking to her much and spent most of his time brooding and sulking to himself. Whenever he did speak to her, he usually said something short or biting in return. All in all, he was not a pleasant person to be around at the moment, and it had made the aura in the temporary residence downright uncomfortable.

It was no secret why he was acting like this, of course – Signe knew good and well that it was because he was homesick and because he was frustrated that she had not yet given him a definitive answer as to when they would leave Kattegat. But though she had been thinking about it a lot ever since he has proposed the idea, and though she knew that they would have to leave Kattegat sooner or later, she still was not convinced that Gunnar was ready for the trip. And until she was convinced, they were going to stay right where they were, no matter how upset her brother was about it. Signe would rather have Gunnar be angry with her here in Kattegat, where they had everything they needed to comfortably live while Gunnar healed, than have him be happy with her on the road, where he could potentially push himself too hard and end up undoing all of the progress he had made.

The situation with Gunnar aside, however, there was another matter that had been bothering Signe more. And that matter revolved around Torstein.

As someone she considered to be a good friend, Torstein had never been someone that Signe had felt nervous or awkward around. Signe always felt comfortable in his presence, felt comfortable in their friendship, and thus far had more or less viewed him in the same way that she viewed every other man she had ever befriended. He was someone she could trust, someone she could talk to, and someone she liked to be around, but whom she had never really seen as anything more than just a friend.

Yet, having said that, ever since they had sparred together, Signe had felt as though something had changed in the way she viewed Torstein. She wasn't sure how or why the change had come about, but there was absolutely no denying that something was different. She was noticing things about him she had never really paid attention to before, like how charming and infectious his smile was, how the color of his eyes reminded her of the color of the sea, and how the frequency of his hunting trips made him always smell faintly of the forest. She also felt different whenever she was around him. She had noticed a small twinge of nervousness in her belly whenever she saw him, not a bad sort of nervous, but more of an excited sort of nervous. She had also noticed that she had taken to blushing a lot more frequently when she was with him, especially if he smiled at her or happened to touch her in some way or another.

If she were to be honest, these were not feelings that she was unfamiliar with. Signe knew what it felt like to be attracted to a man, and considering how she had been reacting to Torstein these last few days, it was only reasonable to believe that, somewhere along the way, she had formed some sort of attraction to him. But to think that she might suddenly have more-than-friendly feelings for Torstein was, well…bewildering.

For one, this was Torstein. Her friend. The man who had saved her life on the battlefield. The man who had helped her and looked out for her and proved that he was a trustworthy person to have as a friend. He was a good man, and Signe thought very highly of him, but had she thought she would ever see him as anything more than a friend or a comrade? No, she hadn't.

What made it even more confusing was the fact that all of this was happening while she still very much had feelings for Bjorn. She had loved Bjorn for a long time, and despite everything, that love was still in her heart, broken and battered as it currently was. When she imagined the future that would make her happiest, it was always him who was by her side, him who was her husband and the father of her children. So how, when she was still in love with Bjorn, could she possibly have any sort of feelings for Torstein? It simply didn't seem like something that could – or should – be possible. Her heart belonged to another, and there was no room in that heart for anyone else. Plain and simple.

Needless to say, Signe had no idea what to make of this shift in her feelings toward Torstein. So she had told herself that it was probably nothing at all. That she was just heartbroken and confused and more than likely feeling this way because he had been so exceedingly kind to her during a difficult time in her life. Whatever she was feeling now would likely disappear once she and Gunnar left Kattegat and she was no longer around Torstein, so it seemed best to just not think about it at all. Besides, she had already ruined one friendship by getting carried away with these silly feelings of hers – she wasn't keen on the idea of ruining another. If she wanted to stay on good terms with Torstein for the remainder of their time together, which she did, then it seemed best to just forget about all of this and carry on as normal.

Of course, not thinking about her new attraction to Torstein was proving to be a little easier said than done. Currently she was at Hilda's house helping the older woman tend to the laundry, and though Hilda was saying something to her, she was only half listening. Signe was more focused on Torstein, who was chopping wood some fifteen feet away. She watched as he leaned over to grab a block of wood, placed it upright on a thick tree stump, then raised his axe and split it in half with one powerful strike. He then leaned over to pick each half up and toss them onto the small woodpile he had made, before grabbing another block and repeating the process.

She watched him for one more second, then turned her eyes down to the shirt she was scrubbing clean in the bucket of soapy water before her. But it wasn't very long before her gaze was drifting back over to Torstein. While her hands continued to scrub at his shirt, her eyes watched as he chopped another block of wood, noticing the way his muscles moved underneath the shirt he wore. His golden hair fell into his face as he bent down to move the wood he'd just split into two, which made him lift a hand to rake it through his hair and push it back out of the way. He then tossed aside the two pieces without much care and grabbed yet another block, only this time he didn't chop it right away. Instead, Torstein paused to grab the hem of his shirt and lift it up toward his face to wipe away the sweat that had accumulated on his skin, giving Signe her first glimpse of the tanned skin and firm muscles of his torso that his clothes concealed.

Signe's hands stopped what they were doing for a moment, her eyes unable to look at anything else but his bare stomach as he continued to wipe at his face.

It was not, by any means, the first time she had seen a man's bare stomach – in fact, she could remember plenty of times where she had seen men far less clothed than Torstein currently was. But while most of those men had never caught her attention, she could not seem to look away from Torstein now, her eyes following the lines of his abdomen, evidence of the well-formed muscles that he possessed due to many years of training and manual labor. He had an appealing physique, one that left her wondering what it would feel like to touch his bronzed skin, to feel those muscles move underneath her hands and learn exactly how strong he was.

Torstein suddenly dropped his shirt and glanced in her direction, as if he had sensed she was watching him. Signe quickly averted her gaze and got back to what she was doing, forcing herself to concentrate on the washing and doing her best to ignore the heat that suddenly invaded her cheeks. She could feel Torstein's gaze on her for another few seconds, and she hoped with everything in her that he couldn't see the embarrassment she was feeling right then at having been caught staring at him. Finally, he turned his gaze away and went back to what he was doing, which made her release the breath she had been holding.

"Have you heard anything I have said to you, dear?" Hilda suddenly asked, making Signe quickly look at her.

"What?" she asked dumbly. Because the truth was that she had been so distracted that she hadn't heard even one word that Hilda had said to her.

Hilda gave her an exasperated look in return. "You have been acting oddly today," she commented. "Are you well?" she then asked, frowning with concern.

Signe pressed her lips together for a moment, then forced a smile. "Yes, I am fine," she fibbed, trying hard not to blush.

Hilda eyed her for a moment, then quirked a brow. "I do not believe you," she said bluntly. "Has something happened with that boy?" Hilda then asked with a knowing tone. "The Earl's son?"

Because they had been spending so much time together and because Signe felt so comfortable with her, she had confided in Hilda about her recent troubles with Bjorn. As kind as it was of Torstein to listen to her and offer advice on her romantic life, she had thought perhaps it would be good to speak to a woman about such things, too. Hilda had been happy to talk with her about Bjorn, and had assured her not only that her heart would heal in due time, but that the Gods also had a plan for her and that she should trust that plan. Though Signe was still struggling to move past what had happened with Bjorn, it had made her feel a little better to hear words of wisdom from an older, smarter woman whom she was beginning to greatly respect.

Signe shook her head in denial. "No, nothing has happened with him," she told the woman.

"So what troubles you, then?" Hilda persisted.

Signe stole a glance at Torstein, then looked back to Hilda. There were things that she knew she could trust Hilda with, and had these feelings of hers been for any other man but Torstein, she would have been happy to discuss it with her. But this newfound attraction toward Torstein was not something she felt comfortable revealing. As kind and wonderful as Hilda was, Signe feared this was a secret that the older woman would not be able to keep. And the last thing she wanted was for Hilda to tell Torstein what Signe had been feeling for him.

"I would rather not discuss it," Signe finally told her, giving her a small, pleading smile, hoping Hilda would understand and not press her any further.

Hilda looked briefly at Torstein, just as Signe had. He was busy chopping wood and not paying any attention to them. Hilda looked back at Signe, but if she had any suspicions, she did not voice them aloud. "Very well," she finally agreed, albeit a bit reluctantly so. "Should you change your mind and wish to talk, however, know that I am happy to listen," Hilda added with a gentle smile.

Signe nodded her understand. "Thank you, Hilda."

Hilda inclined her head, then resumed working on the blanket she was washing. Signe shot another look in Torstein's direction, before redirecting her attention to the shirt she was cleaning. Some minutes later, when she felt she had gotten the fabric as clean as it was going to get, she wrung out the extra moisture and went to hang it on the line to dry with the rest of the clothes. Signe returned to her bucket and fetched another article of clothing from the top of the laundry pile on the ground next to her. She was not overly surprised to discover that she had chosen a shirt that belonged to Torstein, seeing as she had already washed three of his shirts already.

"Do you always tend to Torstein's laundry for him?" Signe asked curiously to end the silence that had passed between her and Hilda.

"More often than not, yes," Hilda answered. "He does his own time and again, but he never does as good a job as me," she explained. "I do not mind doing it for him," she added with a shrug and a smile. "With my husband and daughter departed from this world, I have no one to care for but myself. It is nice to have someone to take care of from time to time."

At the mention of Hilda's husband, Signe raised her brows with interest. She did not know much about the man because Hilda had never spoken of him, but she was certainly curious to hear more about him. "This is the first time I have heard you mention your husband," Signe commented. "Why do you never speak of him, Hilda?"

"The truth?" Hilda paused and sighed, her lips turning downward into a frown. "I do not speak of Eirik because even now, after all these years, I still miss him very much. And it still hurts whenever I think or speak of him."

Signe immediately frowned with sympathy. "How…how did you lose him?" she asked in a cautious tone, hoping she was not overstepping her boundaries.

"There was a battle many, many years ago with a rival Earl who was trying to invade Kattegat. He died on the battlefield," Hilda told her. "I begged him not to fight," she proceeded to reveal, making Signe's brows raise in surprise. "I was struck with this horrible feeling that if I let him go, he would not come back to me alive. I pleaded and pleaded, but it made no difference. Eirik was a warrior through and through, and he said he simply could not stand by while others marched off to war to defend our home." Hilda sighed, then gave her a halfhearted smile. "He kissed me and our daughter goodbye, told us he loved us, and left. It was the last time I saw him alive."

The obvious pain in both Hilda's voice and her expression made Signe's heart ache. If they hadn't both been elbow deep in laundry buckets in that moment, Signe would have hugged her very tightly. "I am so sorry for your loss, Hilda," she told her. "I truly am."

"As am I," Hilda agreed. "He was a good man. A great husband and an even greater father. To lose him was…devastating."

"You must have loved him very much," Signe commented.

"I did. And I still do," Hilda confirmed with a nod. Suddenly, Hilda smiled, her somber expression shifting to one of slight amusement. "Though if I am being entirely honest with you, I did not love him in the beginning," she admitted with a small laugh.

"Really?" Signe asked in surprise.

"No," Hilda answered. "Before I married Eirik, I thought myself to be very much in love with someone else. It has been so long that I cannot for the life of me recall his name now, but I remember that he was a handsome fellow. Tall, strong, fierce on the battlefield. He was very charming as well, but, admittedly, he was about as smart as the dirt we currently stand on," she remarked, which made Signe laugh. "All the girls in the village had eyes for him, myself included. And to the delight of my younger, naïve self, there came a time where it seemed he only had eyes for me in return."

"So what happened then?" Signe asked, eager to hear more.

"Well, to put it simply, this man was interested in only one thing. And it was not marriage," Hilda said pointedly, leaving Signe with little doubt as to what she was referring to. "I was heartbroken, of course, because I had truly believed he loved me in return. At that time, it was the worst heartbreak I had endured. It left me quite sad for quite a while."

"And then Eirik came along?" Signe asked, certain she knew where this story was going.

"Indeed he did," Hilda confirmed. "Well," she added, "he had been there all the while, actually. Only I had been so smitten with the other man that I failed to see Eirik as anything more than just a friend."

Signe didn't know why, but she found her eyes turning toward Torstein for a brief moment. When Hilda started talking again, she quickly redirected her attention back to her. "Eirik came to me one day and told me he had always cared for me, and that he only wanted to see me happy and taken care of. He proposed marriage, and after taking some time both to think about it and to seek advice from the seer, I accepted," Hilda told her. "We were married shortly after."

"How long vas it before you fell in love with him?" Signe asked.

"It took some time," Hilda confessed. "But little by little, I began to see him less as the friend I had known for so long and more as the man I chose to be my husband, who I had chosen to spend the rest of my life with. Then, one day, I just…knew," she said with a smile. It wasn't long before that smile turned a bit sad. "He was a very good man, and he made me very happy. I only wish now that we could have had more time together."

Signe nodded her understanding. "Again, I am sorry for your loss. But you vill be reunited with him again someday," she said encouragingly. "Him and your daughter. And then you shall never have to miss either of them again."

"And that, dear Signe, is a day I greatly look forward to," Hilda readily admitted.

They ceased to discuss Hilda's family after that, and turned their attention back to the laundry. When they both had finished with the items they were washing, they went to the laundry line to hang them to dry. Signe had to help Hilda with the blanket, since it was quite heavy when wet and Hilda was a bit too short to get it on the laundry line herself. Once it was secure, they returned to their laundry station. All the while, a rhythmic THUNK resounded from where Torstein continued to chop wood.

"Where is Gunnar today?" Hilda asked conversationally when they got back to washing. "I had thought he might come with you."

Signe immediately sighed at the mention of her brother. "He is at home. I invited him to come, but he said no." Signe sighed again. "He is angry with me."

"Because he wishes to return home but you are not yet ready to leave?" Hilda asked knowingly. Signe looked at her with slight surprise, because she had not yet told the woman that about their impending plans to return to Hedeby. "Torstein told me," Hilda said, answering the silent question in Signe's eyes.

Signe made a sound of understanding. "Yes. He wants to return home. Yet I am still unsure if that is vhat we should do at this moment in time. I have been thinking on it for days now, and I still do not know what is best for us."

"The answer will come," Hilda said with a nod. Then she stopped what she was doing and came to stand in front of Signe. Hilda grabbed her wet, soapy hands and smiled in a very motherly fashion. "I know you will do what is best for you and your brother. But know that whenever you choose to take your leave of Kattegat, you vill be greatly missed. Both by myself and by…others."

Hilda looked pointedly at Torstein after that, and Signe could not help but look at him too. The truth was that she would miss Hilda and Torstein, too. Would miss them probably more than she wanted to admit to. Hilda was the first motherly figure she'd had in her life since her own mother had died, and Torstein, well…he was something to her, though she wasn't sure she knew what that something was anymore. She did know it would pain her when the time came to say goodbye to him, though. And as much as she did not want to acknowledge it, she felt that time was quickly approaching.

Signe did not voice her thoughts about Torstein aloud, merely smiled sadly at Hilda and squeezed her hands. "I will miss you as well, Hilda. And all of the friends I have made here," she said with a nod.

Hilda smiled, then cleared her throat and patted Signe's hand. She seemed a little emotional all of a sudden, which made Signe's heart twist with guilt. "Well, you are not going anywhere yet," the older woman said. "So let us talk of something else. Something happier, yes?"

Signe just nodded eagerly in agreement.

It took nearly an hour, but eventually they had finished with the washing and had all the laundry lines full of clothes to be dried in the sun. Torstein had finished chopping wood already and was resting under the shade of a nearby tree, leaning casually against the study trunk and drinking periodically from the waterskin he had brought with him from his house. As Hilda announced that she was going to go inside and prepare them something for lunch, Signe started to follow her so that she could help. Hilda shooed her away, though, insisting that she could handle it on her own. So while Hilda stepped inside, Signe decided to join Torstein instead. She walked over to him, trying to ignore the odd feeling that raced through her belly when she noticed the fact that his eyes were trained on her the entire way.

"Do you mind if I sit?" she asked once she was standing in front of him.

Torstein gave her a look, as if he thought it was silly she was even asking. "Of course you can sit," he said, before patting the spot of earth next to him.

Signe smiled and sat down, leaning back against the same tree that he was. Her elbow brushed his as she settled in, which made her flush a bit and made warmth shoot through her arm. She tried to ignore the feeling though and made herself comfortable, crossing her legs at the ankle and sighing as she finally gave her feet a much needed break after standing for so long.

"Water?" Torstein offered, extending his waterskin to her.

Signe nodded. "Thank you."

She grabbed the waterskin and took a long drink, staring at the mountains that lay in the distance. After gulping down a bit more water, she handed the skin back to Torstein. As he took it, her eyes were drawn to the golden arm-ring that rested around his wrist, the one that he had no doubt been given when he had come of age, just as all the men in their culture did. Without thinking about what she was doing, Signe wrapped gentle fingers around his arm to stop him from pulling it away, then leaned over to inspect the arm-ring closer, touching the gold band with the fingers of her free hand. She liked the ornate, twisted design of the ring – what she liked more, though, was the way the band contrasted against Torstein's skin.

"Do you like it?" Torstein asked.

Signe lifted her gaze to his, flushing a bit when she saw the way he was watching her. She realized she had grabbed him and immediately released his arm, though a warm feeling lingered in her fingertips from touching him. "It is nice," she complimented with a nod.

Torstein touched the arm-ring and eyed it for a moment, before flashing her a small smile. "I have worn it for so long, I often forget it is there," he admitted. "I assume your brothers received arm-rings as well when they came of age?" he then asked curiously.

Signe nodded. "They did. And I was incredibly jealous of them for it, too," she admitted with a small laugh. "I wanted one so very badly when I was a girl. I complained of it so much, in fact, that my father finally made one for me himself," she explained, a fond smile forming on her lips as she thought about her father all the way back in Hedeby. "It was nowhere near as finely crafted as yours is, but I was so proud of it. I wore it every single day, until I finally outgrew it."

Torstein smiled at the retelling. "Do you still have it?"

Signe nodded. "It is in my room back home."

Torstein made a sound of understanding, then tilted his head curiously. "Speaking of Hedeby, have you made a decision as to whether or not you and Gunnar will return?"

Signe sighed and gave him a look. "It is not a question of if we will return," she corrected him. "We will go back because that is what we must do. The question is when we will return, and that is a question I still do not have an answer to," Signe told him with a shake of her head.

Torstein nodded slowly. "I see." He paused to drink some water, his expression pensive. When he finally looked at her again, he gave her a small smile. "Your family vill be happy to have the two of you home," he said with a nod. "Though it vill be strange, not having you here in Kattegat," he added with a slight frown. "Who vill be my hunting companion when you have gone?"

Signe smiled and shrugged. "I am certain you vill find someone," she said. "And they vill likely be much better at hunting than I am," she added jokingly.

"I care not how skilled the hunter is," Torstein stated with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I care more about how enjoyable the company is. And as it so happens, I quite enjoy your company, Signe," he stated matter-of-factly.

Signe's eyebrows rose a bit at that, before she smiled and glanced downward, trying hard to fight the urge to blush. "I enjoy yours, as well," she told him honestly. "You have been a good friend to me. I will be sad to say goodbye to you," she admitted.

"As will I," Torstein said in return. They looked at each for a moment, before he finally cleared his throat. "It is not time to say goodbye just yet, however," he then reminded her. "And until it is time to say goodbye, I say we make the most of the remainder of your time here in Kattegat."

Signe cocked a curious brow at him. "How do you propose we do that?"

Torstein just smirked at her and shrugged. "I vill think of something," he said evasively, his tone tinged with just a hint of mischief.

Signe started to ask him just what he had meant by that, but before the words could leave her lips, Torstein seemed to become distracted by something he had seen in the distance, which made Signe glance that way curiously. When she saw what had captured Torstein attention, she immediately sat straighter. There were two people strolling along the dirt path that ran in front of Hilda's house. At first they were a bit too far away to be able to tell who they were, but once they got a little closer, Signe quickly realized who was coming their way.

It was Earl Ragnar and the tall, skinny, odd-mannered Floki.

Signe and Torstein shared a look as the two men approached, before they both climbed to their feet. Though Signe had seen the Earl around the village several times over the course of the past month, she had not actually spoken to him since the day she had gone into his hall to ask for his permission to remain in Kattegat with Gunnar. He had always seemed busy or preoccupied when she had seen him, so she had always thought it better not to bother him and just leave him to his business. As he approached now, though, he lifted a hand in a quick wave, which she was certain was intended for Torstein and not for herself. Torstein waved back, then went out to meet his two friends on the road. As for Signe, she stayed where she was so that she would not impose.

Torstein talked with Earl Ragnar and Floki for a few moments while Signe shifted on her feet. She could only hear snippets of their conversation from where she stood, but was able to deduce that Earl Ragnar and Floki were on their way for a quick hunt. The fact that both men had hunting gear with them only confirmed it further. She watched the Earl, who's long, braided ponytail swung to and fro with his movements as he spoke to Torstein, before she glanced at Floki. Upon realizing that Floki was watching her with an expression she couldn't quite read, she pressed her lips together unsurely and gave him a polite nod of acknowledgement, which he returned.

It wasn't often that she saw Floki, but whenever she did, he always seemed to be looking at her with some strange look on his face, as if she was a mystery that he found both interesting and amusing at the same the time. Signe wouldn't lie – the way Floki looked at her made her more than a little uncomfortable.

"Signe Olegdóttir!" a voice suddenly said, pulling her gaze and her attention away from Floki. Signe looked at Earl Ragnar instead, whom she now realized was motioning her over. She quickly went to join the three men, only stopping again once she was standing before the Earl.

"Earl Ragnar," she said, nodding respectfully and giving him a small curtsey. It might have looked a bit more graceful if she had been wearing a dress instead of the working pants and tunic she had chosen for today's tasks, but it got the point across nonetheless. "I hope you are faring well," she added as she straightened up again.

"I am, thank you," Earl Ragnar said in response. "I hear your brother is improving more and more by the day."

"He is," Signe confirmed. "It seems the Gods have decided that Gunnar's time on this earth is not yet finished. I expect he will make a full recovery," she told him with a smile.

Earl Ragnar smiled a bit. "I know how much your brother means to you. I am happy he is healing quickly," he told her with a nod.

"As am I, Earl Ragnar," Signe said in return.

"I am sure your family would be eager for news on his condition," the Earl then said. "Have you sent word to tell them he still lives?"

Signe shook her head. "No. I considered it, but did not think I would find anyone willing to make the journey. Nor would I be able to afford to pay someone for such an endeavor."

Earl Ragnar nodded in understanding, then took a moment to consider what she had said. "I am certain I could find someone to ride to Hedeby to speak to your family, if you wanted to send them word," he finally offered.

Signe blinked in surprise, but then smile and gently shook her head. "That is very kind, Earl Ragnar, but I do not think that is necessary. I do not expect that Gunnar and I shall remain in Kattegat for much longer. I would hate for someone to go out of their way to speak to my family when we will likely be making the journey to Hedeby ourselves soon enough."

Earl Ragnar seemed surprised to hear that their time in Kattegat might be soon coming to an end. "Leaving so soon?"

Signe nodded. "Gunnar is eager to return home," she confessed. "We are still trying to come to an agreement as to when we should leave."

"I see," Earl Ragnar said, nodding slowly. "I hope Kattegat has been treating the both of you kindly while you have been here."

Signe smiled. "It has. In fact, I have enjoyed my time here in Kattegat very much. If not for my brother, I would stay as long as I could," she admitted. "As it is, however, it will be my duty to see him safely home, which means I have no choice but to leave," she explained with a shrug.

Again, Earl Ragnar nodded in understanding. "I am glad to hear you have been enjoying your stay in our village," he said. The Earl gazed at her for a moment, then smirked a bit. "Perhaps that is why I have not seen you much, then? Because you have been enjoying all Kattegat has to offer?"

Signe frowned with slight confusion. "Forgive me, but I am confused. What do you mean, Earl Ragnar?"

"Well, considering how close you are to my son, I had expected I might see you around my hall a little more frequently," he told her. "But I have not seen you in my hall even once since you came to speak to me with my ex-wife." Earl Ragnar tilted his head. "Why is that?"

Signe flushed, instantly feeling awkward. The truth was that she had stayed away from his hall for two reasons – one, she had not thought she would be allowed to come and go as she pleased in his hall, and two, she had not wanted to even attempt to visit after what had happened with her and Bjorn. Judging by the barely noticeable glint in the Earl's bright blue eyes, Signe had a feeling that he might already have a good idea of why she had not shown her face in his hall, which was not surprising. Bjorn was his son, and no doubt had told him what had happened between them. She wasn't sure why he was asking about her absence when he likely already knew the answer, but Signe knew there wasn't a chance she was going to talk about her troubles with Bjorn aloud in front of Earl Ragnar and Floki.

"I have been very busy taking care of my brother, Earl Ragnar," she told him quickly, which wasn't a lie. "I have also made very good friends here, whom I have found myself spending quite a bit of time with," she added with a quick glance at Torstein. "I hope you do not view my absence from your hall as a sign of disrespect, for that was not at all my intention."

Earl Ragnar waved her words off dismissively. "Of course not, Signe. I am not offended in the slightest. I merely thought I would find you and Bjorn attached at the hip and was curious as to why you have been away," he reassured her. "Now, however, I see it was not a what that was keeping you preoccupied, but rather a who," he added, his gaze turning momentarily in Torstein's direction. "I was unaware that the two of you had become so…friendly," he said, one brow lifting upward. "Though it would certainly explain why I have not seen you as much in recent weeks, either," he concluded, directing his last words toward Torstein.

Torstein began to say something in response, but Floki beat him to the punch. "Did you not know? Torstein is a very friendly man," he said in sing-song voice. "Even more so when it concerns a fair maiden," he added with a nod and an amused smile. "Perhaps if you were a young, beautiful woman, he would feel more inclined to show you the same attention, Ragnar."

Floki concluded his comment by letting out the same, strange giggle she'd heard from him before the battle against Jarl Borg, while Earl Ragnar merely snorted. Signe just flushed, feeling pretty sure that she and Torstein were both the butt of this joke. As for Torstein, he seemed like he couldn't decide if he should feel angry or embarrassed by his friend's words.

"That is enough of that, Floki," he said with a warning glare, which made Floki snicker again and hold up his hands in surrender.

"Easy now," Earl Ragnar with a smirk, reaching out to clap Torstein on the shoulder. "You know how Floki likes to tease." Torstein nodded, but still shot one last scowl at his friend. The Earl continued to smirk for a moment, then turned a questioning look on Signe. "What have you planned for your supper tonight?" he asked to change the subject.

Signe glanced at Torstein. They hadn't had a chance to discuss anything yet, but seeing as they ate dinner together nearly every single night anyway, she had thought it safe to assume he might join her and Gunnar tonight. Signe looked back to the Earl, then shrugged. "I have made no plans as of yet, Earl Ragnar," she answered.

Earl Ragnar nodded once in understanding. "Then you have plans now, Signe Olegdóttir," he said, using a tone that booked no argument. "You vill come to my hall for dinner, and you shall bring your brother with you," he instructed.

Signe blinked in surprise at first, but then quickly nodded in acceptance. As caught off guard as she was, she knew there was no possible way she could turn down an invitation from the Earl. "Of course," she agreed. "It vould be an honor."

"Good," Earl Ragnar said. He then smirked at Torstein and shoved his shoulder a bit. "I suppose you may come as well, old friend," he said with in a joking tone.

Torstein forced on a smile and nodded. "I will be there."

Earl Ragnar nodded in approval, then raised his brows at Floki. "Let us be on our way then, otherwise we will have no food for our table tonight," he said. After Floki nodded, the Earl flashed her and Torstein one last smirk. "Enjoy the rest of your day. I shall see the both of you tonight."

Earl Ragnar turned to continue on after that without another word. Floki lingered to smile at them widely and giggle one last time, before sauntering after Earl Ragnar. Signe and Torstein watched the two go, before finally looking at one another once the men were out of ear shot. For one brief moment, Signe had to wonder if there was any truth to what Floki had said – was there perhaps more to Torstein's reason for spending so much time with her than she had previously thought, or was Floki simply just trying to embarrass Torstein and give him a hard time? She wasn't sure, but she decided not to question Torstein about it. Instead, she just raised her brows at him, which made him sigh and give her a look of apology.

"I apologize for Floki's behavior," he said. "He means no harm with his teasing…for the most part, anyway," he added with a helpless shrug. "He is merely an odd man who takes far too much joy in toying with people."

"Yes, I had gathered that much," Signe said with a gentle smile.

She glanced at the retreating backs of Earl Ragnar and Floki again, then sighed quietly to herself. The thought of dining in Earl Ragnar's hall sounded a bit fun – after all, the Earl was an interesting man, and it wasn't very often that she found herself invited to dine in any Earl's hall. But going to Earl Ragnar's hall meant that she would very likely run into Bjorn, a thought that instantly made her stomach fill with nervous butterflies. It would be the first time they had seen or even spoken to one another since he had rejected her – she had no idea what might happen once they were face to face again, but she was fairly certain that, no matter what, anything that transpired between them would be awkward and uncomfortable.

"Are you thinking of Bjorn?" Torstein asked to make her look at him again. There was a knowing look on his bearded face, one that said he already knew the answer to this own question.

Signe pressed her lips together and nodded, seeing no use in lying about it. "He will be there tonight," she pointed out. "It will be the first time he and I have seen one another since things went badly between us. It…leaves me feeling uneasy, knowing I will be in his company," Signe admitted.

Torstein gave her a smile that seemed a bit sympathetic. "I understand why. But you cannot avoid him forever. There will come a time where you will have to face him again."

"Yes. I know," Signe sighed. "I am merely worried as to how the meeting will go."

Torstein reached out to squeeze her shoulder. "It will be fine," he reassured her. "At the end of the day, Bjorn is still your friend. This vill be a good opportunity to talk with one another and begin to mend your friendship."

Signe thought about that for a moment, not feeling nearly as optimistic as Torstein sounded but hoping he was right regardless. She then looked at him curiously. "You will be there tonight, yes?" she asked, hoping he had meant it when he had told the Earl he would join them in the hall. For some reason, the thought of facing Bjorn again seemed slightly less frightening knowing that Torstein would be there as well.

Torstein smiled and nodded once. "I will," he promised. "So you will not be facing Bjorn alone," he added, as if he could hear the thoughts that had just raced through her mind.

Signe blushed a bit, but smiled gratefully. "Good."

They might have discussed the subject further, but in the next moment, the door to Hilda's house opened and the short, grey-haired woman poked her head outside. "Our meal is ready!" she called. "Both of you wash up and come in to eat!"

Torstein waved to let Hilda know that they had heard her, then looked down at Signe again. He reached out to squeeze her shoulder reassuringly again and give her a small smile, before releasing her and heading toward Hilda's house. Signe watched him go for a moment, before glancing in the direction that Earl Ragnar and Floki had gone. They were no longer in sight, however, so with one last sigh, Signe finally turned and followed Torstein back to Hilda's house.

---

That evening, as the sun was just about to disappear behind the horizon, Signe and Gunnar left their house and began to make the trek toward Earl Ragnar's hall. The nervous butterflies that had invaded Signe's belly earlier were still there and seemed to have multiplied – she was so nervous to see Bjorn again that she wasn't entirely sure she'd even be able to eat supper. She smoothed her hands over the skirt of her green dress to try to get rid of any wrinkles in the fabric, then lifted her hands to her hair to tame any wild curls that might have gotten out of order. Her anxious movements were enough to draw the attention of Gunnar, who lifted a brow at her.

"Would you stop fidgeting?" he said impatiently.

Signe sighed and dropped her hands from her hair, clasping them together behind her back instead so that she would stop fiddling around. She then cast a look at her brother, her expression a bit on the flat side. "I had hoped the prospect of dining in Earl Ragnar's hall would improve your mood, brother," she commented, keeping her tone as neutral as possible. "Exactly how long do you plan to be angry with me?"

Gunnar gazed back at her, then heaved and turned his eyes forward. "I am not angry with you," he said in a way that was not at all convincing. "I am merely homesick and eager to be with our family, and trying very hard to be patient while you decide when it is that we will leave," he explained. "Something which you seem to be content to take your time doing," he added with a small frown.

Signe sighed. "I know how badly you wish to go back to Hedeby, Gunnar, and I am sorry that I have not yet given you an answer. But I am only trying to do what is – "

"Best for me," Gunnar interjected, evidently already knowing what she had been about to say. "So you keep saying," he added, and Signe thought she detected bitterness in his voice again.

Signe lifted a brow. "And you are certain you are not angry with me?" she countered doubtfully, thinking his tone and attitude contradicted his previous statement.

Gunnar just looked at her, then heaved and turned his eyes forward. Signe, able to tell that he was no longer in the mood for discussion, did not try to keep their conversation going.

They soon reached Earl Ragnar's hall, which was already brimming with people. The two of them stopped just inside the hall, glancing around uncertainly at all of the strangers moving around the room, talking and laughing loudly with one another. It didn't look as though dinner had been served yet, but the drinks were already flowing and several men already looked well past inebriation. Signe found herself searching not for Earl Ragnar or for Bjorn, but rather for Torstein. With how much was already going on, however, she could not spot him amongst the Kattegat townsfolk.

Suddenly, Earl Ragnar emerged from the crowd. He smiled widely as he approached them, one hand gripping a horn cup filled with ale. "Signe! Gunnar! You have arrived!" he greeted loudly.

Signe immediately curtseyed once the Earl was in front of them, while Gunnar, looking far less grumpy now that they were in the presence of such a revered man, inclined his head respectfully. "Earl Ragnar," Signe greeted. "It is an honor to be in your hall. Thank you again for your kind invitation."

Earl Ragnar smirked and stepped closer, giving her a slightly playful look. "You are a very respectful woman, which is admirable. But you do not have to be so formal, Signe Olegdóttir," he reassured her. "You are very welcome in my hall, so please, allow yourself to relax and enjoy your time here," he then encouraged.

Signe blushed a bit and nodded. "Of course," she said quickly.

Earl Ragnar smiled, then turned his attention to Gunnar, who was looking at the man with something akin to amazement. Signe remembered that this was the first time he was formally meeting the famous warrior, and considering how much admiration he had for the man, there was no doubt in her mind that he was completely stunned to even be in the man's presence.

"And you are Gunnar," the Earl said, looking Gunnar up and down. As he took in the size of Gunnar, who was both taller and slightly broader than the Earl himself, his brows raised a bit. "My word," he said, smirking again. "Are all the men in Hedeby this large, or are you and your siblings merely the decedents of giants?" he asked, referring to the fact that all of Signe's brothers were quite large.

Gunnar and Signe both laughed. She noticed that her brother stood even taller, looking quite proud of himself. "We are merely lucky, I suppose. We come from a long line of well-built warriors, Earl Ragnar," Gunnar said with a nod. "And we have alvays been well fed, thanks to the efforts of our mother and our sister," he added, shooting a quick smile at Signe. It seemed the presence of Earl Ragnar had made him forget that he was supposed to be upset with her.

"I would say so," Earl Ragnar commented. "Well, I am pleased to see you on your feet, Gunnar," he said with a nod. "Your sister was very worried for you, as was my son, Bjorn," he said with a nod. The brief mention of Bjorn had Signe and Gunnar sharing a quick, discreet look from the corners of their eyes. "But here you are, looking strong and well again." The Earl turned a smile on Signe. "Considering all that you have done, both for your brother and all those wounded in battle, it would appear that you have a gift for healing."

Signe shrugged modestly. "When one spends over a decade tending to five grown warriors, one learns quite a bit in the ways of healing," she told him with a humble smile.

"So it would seem," Earl Ragnar agreed. "Have you ever considered taking on healing as a profession?" he asked curiously. "Talented healers are always in high demand. You could do quite well for yourself."

Signe smiled and blushed a bit. "I never have, actually. I have alvays been more interested in the life of a shieldmaiden," she said.

Earl Ragnar smirked. "Ah, yes. Well, I have no doubt you are very gifted in that regard as well," he said with a nod. "I saw your brothers on the battlefield. If you are even half the warrior that they are, then you must be a fearsome shieldmaiden indeed," he said.

"She is, Earl Ragnar. That I can assure you," Gunnar confirmed.

Signe just flushed from all the kind words, while Earl Ragnar grinned widely. "Most wonderful."

There was suddenly a good deal of movement behind him and a few cheers, which made all three of them turn to look that way. At first she wasn't sure what was going on, but then she was able to see a line of servants filtering into the hall carrying trays of good and tankards of ale in their hands. The rest of the people in the hall quickly began to take seats at the two long tables that had been set up on either side of the hearth, grinning with excitement and sniffing at the food that passed by. Evidently, it was time for dinner to commence.

"Ah," Earl Ragnar said, clapping his hands together. "The food has arrived." He then looked at the two of them before motioning for Signe and Gunnar to follow him. "Come, you vill join me at my table," he said, before turning to walk away.

Signe shared a surprised look with Gunnar, before they both quickly followed Earl Ragnar. The Earl led the way through the hall, patting people on the shoulders and clinking his horn cup against the cups belonging to various friends along the way. Signe could feel eyes on her and Gunnar, but ignored any looks being directed at them. Instead, as they neared the head table, she found her attention focused solely on Bjorn, who had finally popped into view. He was sitting between his younger brothers, Ubbe and Hvitserk, who appeared to be telling him some sort of story. He seemed intent on what they were saying at first, but upon looking over and realizing that Signe and Gunnar were there, he froze and stopped listening to his brothers, his eyes going a bit wider as his gaze met, and held, hers.

"Here we are," Earl Ragnar said once they were at the head table. He led Signe to an empty chair directly across from the chair Bjorn sat in, then, to her slight amazement, he pulled out said chair and motioned for her to sit with a sweep of his hand. "Please sit," he said.

Signe nodded and eased into the chair, her eyes still locked on Bjorn's. Once she was settled, Gunnar sat down in the chair next to hers while Earl Ragnar began making his way to his own seat. Signe finally pulled her gaze away from Bjorn's long enough to look around and see who else was at the table. To Signe's right sat a few warriors she could remember seeing at the battle, but had not formally met. Earl Ragnar sat in the middle on the opposite side of the table, and though she had expected his wife, Princess Aslaug, would be present, the woman was nowhere in sight. Instead, Bjorn's fierce uncle Rollo sat next to Earl Ragnar, while on his right was an attractive woman that Signe did not know the name of, but whom she was pretty sure was Rollo's woman. On Gunnar's left sat a pretty, blonde woman who looked to be a few years older than herself, then the strange Floki. Finally, sitting at the very end of the table, was the man she had been looking for upon first arriving – Torstein.

Signe felt herself relax some as her gaze met Torstein's. He nodded and gave a small smile, which she quickly returned. She wished he had been sitting closer, just so that she would not feel so awkward being seated directly across from Bjorn. As it was, she knew there was no way they could switch chairs to sit next to each other without raising a lot of questions, so she quickly pushed the thought away.

Only moments after they sat down servants began to come around to pile food onto their plates and fill their cups with ale. Once everyone had food, Earl Ragnar rose to say a few words, then they all began to eat. At first, Signe ate quietly as the people around them fell into easy conversation with one another, feeling more than a little out of her comfort zone. She kept shooting glances at Bjorn, who was doing the same thing in return. Eventually he gave her a small smile, but she could tell by the look in his eye and his overall demeanor that he found their current situation just as awkward as she did. Signe returned the smile, then shared a brief look with Gunnar, who was being unnaturally quiet as he ate his own dinner.

"It is good to see you," Bjorn finally said to break the ice, leaning forward a bit so that she could hear him over the chatter of the others. "How…how have you been?" he then asked, sounding careful and cautious.

Signe forced on a smile and nodded. "I have been well, thank you," she answered back. "And you?"

Bjorn shrugged. "Well enough," he answered, but there was a look in his eye and note to his voice that made her believe he wasn't telling the truth. That perhaps he hadn't been well at all. Before she could say anything about it, though, Bjorn shifted his attention to Gunnar. "I am happy to see you as well, my friend," he said to her brother. "You seem in much better health than when I saw you last."

"That is because I am in much better health," Gunnar answered shortly.

Signe cringed when she heard the unmistakable stiffness to his tone. It seemed it didn't matter whether or not Gunnar was angry with her – he was still her protective older brother, and it seemed he had every intention of withholding his friendship from Bjorn for breaking her heart. Bjorn must have realized it, too, because he pressed his lips together after that and did not attempt to speak to Gunnar again, choosing instead to shift in his seat uncomfortably and take a long drink of ale, his eyes anywhere but on Gunnar now.

Signe sighed and gave her brother a discreet look, which he ignored, before reaching for her ale. As she took a sip, her eyes found Earl Ragnar's over the top of her cup. He had been watching the exchange between her, Gunnar, and Bjorn with what seemed like mild interest, but soon looked away upon realizing that the conversation between them had come to an unceremonious halt. Signe just sighed again and took a large gulp of ale, suddenly hoping this dinner would be over with quickly.

It was a bit of an awkward supper, which she had fully expected. Signe and Gunnar found themselves talking primarily to Earl Ragnar, which was surprising to them both. He was curious to know about their family, as well as their lives back in Hedeby, and spent a good portion of the dinner asking them questions, which they were happy to answer. Bjorn kept quiet most of the time, only talking to his brothers here or there or responding to questions that were directed specifically to him. He kept eyeing Signe though, always with a conflicted look on his face, as if he had something he wanted to say to her, only he didn't want to do so while they were in such a public setting. Signe was well aware of the fact that he was watching her, which made her feel nervous and on edge and had her fumbling with her eating utensils more than once.

Eventually the Earl was drawn into retelling a story with his brother, much to the amusement and delight of those around the table. Once she was not in conversation with Early Ragnar anymore, the young Ubbe, who could not have been much more than four, seized the opportunity and pinned her with a curious look.

"Who are you?" he asked, studying her with eyes that were an almost identical color to Earl Ragnar's.

Signe looked at the boy and smiled. "I am Signe," she answered. "And you are Ubbe, yes?"

Ubbe nodded. "Yes." Ubbe glanced at Gunnar, who was talking with the blonde woman on his other side, before focusing his attention on her again. "You live here?"

Signe shook her head. "I do not," she answered. "We are from Hedeby. We came with the warriors who helped your father defeat Jarl Borg."

Ubbe made a face at the name of the man who had invaded his home. "He was mean," the boy said, shaking his head. "He hurt people."

"Yes, he did," Signe said with a small frown. "But we frightened him away, and I do not think he vill be coming back," she assured the boy with a nod. "Kattegat is safe now, especially so now that your father is here."

Ubbe smiled, then looked at his older brother, who had been listening on as the two talked. Signe fought the urge to blush as her eyes met Bjorn's. "This is Bjorn. He is my brother. You know him?"

Signe stared at Bjorn for another moment, then looked at Ubbe. "I do," she said with a small, forced smile.

"Signe and I know each other very well, little brother," Bjorn spoke up, making her eyes jump back to his. "In fact, would you like to know the truth?" Ubbe nodded eagerly, his eyes wide as he stared up at Bjorn. "Signe is my closest friend in the entire world," Bjorn revealed, before giving her a small, almost sad smile.

Signe felt her heart clench a bit at those words. As for Ubbe, he made a sound of surprise. "She is?" he asked, as if that was the most amazing fact he had ever heard.

Bjorn nodded in confirmation. "She is very important to me," he said seriously, his eyes never leaving Signe's. "Just as important as you and Hvitserk and father."

Ubbe looked at Bjorn for another moment, then turned his young eyes back to Signe. Suddenly he smiled. "You be my friend?"

Despite the moment that had just passed between her and Bjorn, Signe couldn't help but laugh a bit at the boy's enthusiasm. "Of course," she said with a nod. "It would be an honor, young Ubbe."

Ubbe grinned, looking pleased with the fact that she had said yes. He then began finishing the last bites of his dinner at Bjorn's instruction, practically bouncing in his seat as he did so. Signe smiled as she watched the boy, before lifting her gaze back to Bjorn's. Because she had known him for so long, and because she had gotten so good at reading him, it was easy for her to decipher what the gleam in his eyes meant. Bjorn had missed her, there was no denying that. And she had missed him, there was no denying that, either. As awkward and uncomfortable as everything had felt since the moment she had sat down, suddenly she wanted nothing more than to go somewhere quiet with Bjorn so that they could talk everything through. She knew she could not have him the way she truly wanted him, but right now, she felt the first tinges of hope that she could at least get her friend back. Having him a friend, she supposed, was better than not having him at all.

"May I pour you some more ale, my lady?" an unfamiliar voice suddenly asked.

Signe blinked, then glanced up at the servant who had just spoken to her. She started to say yes and hand over her cup…but the moment she got a good look at the young woman hovering at her shoulder, she froze. It was the servant girl that she had seen Bjorn flirting with in the marketplace. Signe's muscles tensed, and she pressed her lips together before glancing at Bjorn. He was now stiff as a board as his eyes glanced between her and the servant, as if seeing them next to one another was not something he liked. An odd feeling began to enter Signe's chest, but she did not let it show outwardly.

Signe grabbed her cup and forced on a smile. "Yes, thank you," she said in a perfectly neutral tone.

The servant girl filled her cup, then inclined her head and moved on to the warrior on Signe's right. Signe watched the girl closely, following her movements until she had made her way around to Bjorn. Almost immediately, she noticed a change in the servant's demeanor. It was subtle and perhaps would have been unnoticeable if she hadn't been looking for it, but it was there. The girl seemed a little less composed all of a sudden, her cheeks turning just a tinge pink once she was next to Bjorn. Bjorn looked up at the servant as she refilled his cup, and though he didn't do anything more than nod to her, there was a look exchanged between them that spoke volumes to Signe. It looked to her that something was going on between them, and that something was not just friendly.

Any feeling of hope or encouragement she had been feeling instantly evaporated. Suddenly all she could think about was Bjorn and the servant girl. Had they been together all this time that Bjorn had been keeping his distance? Had they become romantic with one another? Had they perhaps even bedded one another already? Signe quickly raised her drink to her mouth and took three large gulps of ale, a strange combination of bitterness, jealousy, and defeat immediately flaring to life within her. To think that Bjorn might be with this woman made the pain already residing within her heart increase. At the same time, however, it left her fighting the irrational urge to throw her ale directly in Bjorn's face.

Signe wisely set her drink down before she could cause a scene and resumed eating her meal. She could feel Bjorn's eyes on her as the servant girl moved on to serve the rest of the table, but Signe refused to meet his gaze or even acknowledge him now, simply because she was now upset and thought it better not to speak to him so that she would not say anything she might regret.

She spent the rest of the dinner either talking with the warriors on her right or with the young Ubbe, just so that she could keep herself preoccupied and, therefore, not have to speak to Bjorn. After dinner had been consumed and all of the dishes collected by the servants, everyone rose from the table and dispersed to various places around the hall. When Bjorn looked as though he might try to talk to her, Signe, who was no longer feeling in the mood to talk to him, quickly grabbed her and Gunnar's horn cup and went off to refill them. She thought she spied a look of defeat in Bjorn's eyes before she turned her back on him, but she did not acknowledge it.

Before long a music group consisting of three men procured instruments and began to play a song that the Kattegat townsfolk seemed to know very well, which resulted in many people singing along and breaking into dancing. Signe and Gunnar went to sit near the hearth and listen to the music, as well as talk to the people around them. She could not stop herself from glancing at Bjorn every so often, however, watching from afar as he talked with Floki and Rollo on the other side of the room. Once or twice Bjorn's eyes met hers, as if he had been watching her, too, and knew exactly where she would be. Whenever this happened, Signe would just flush and quickly turn her attention elsewhere.

She had not come to Earl Ragnar's hall with the intention of getting drunk, but after finishing her fourth cup of ale, she was beginning to feel well on her way to inebriation. A different, dark-haired servant came around to refill her cup and she took a long drink, her body buzzing pleasantly from the potent alcohol. As she swallowed her gulp, her eyes scanned the room until she located the blonde haired servant girl. She was still walking around with a tankards of ale, refilling any cups that were extended in her direction. Signe looked her up and down, studying her tall, slender frame and her pretty face. She was pretty, and it seemed that several of the males in the room thought so, too, judging by the way they looked her up and down as she passed by. Signe let her eyes follow the servant, unable to help feeling a strong dislike for the young woman, despite not even knowing her.

"Is there a reason you are attempting to kill that servant girl with your eyes?" Gunnar suddenly commented.

Signe looked at Gunnar, who was staring back with a knowing look on his face. "Gunnar, you are my brother and I love you...but do shut up," she said snappily.

Gunnar huffed at her, then rolled his eyes and stood up. He finished his drink before setting it down on the edge of the hearth a bit louder than necessary. "I vill return shortly. I need to relieve my bladder. Try to be less annoying when I return," he said.

Signe heaved as she watched her brother disappear into the crowd, before she shook her head and took another drink of ale. She sat there quietly for a few moments, just watching the flames dance, until someone else decided to sit in Gunnar's abandoned seat. Signe glanced that way, then felt herself relax considerably when she realized it was Torstein.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked with a smile.

Signe shrugged half-heartedly. "I am attempting to," she told him truthfully.

Torstein glanced in Bjorn's direction, then frowned a bit as his eyes met hers again. "I assumed things are not going well with Bjorn, then?"

Signe heaved. "Not as well as I had hoped," she told him, which made Torstein frown. "It is just so…odd…between us. It has never been like this, not even when we first met. It is as if we do not even know each other anymore." Signe glanced at Bjorn again, then sighed and looked back to Torstein. "I can admit that there was a moment where I felt hope that things could be better…but then I saw that servant girl and the way he looked at her…" she said, shaking her head and frowning deeply.

Torstein lifted a brow. "Which servant girl?" he asked.

"The one I saw Bjorn flirting with in the marketplace," she reminded him.

Torstein's eyes lit with recognition now. "Oh, yes. Now I remember," he said with a nod. "Which one was she?" he asked curiously.

Signe searched the room for a moment, until she finally spotted the girl serving ale to a group of men by the door. She nodded her head that way so as to be discreet, then watched as Torstein craned his neck to look at the servant. He gazed at her appraisingly for a moment, before finally turning his attention back to Signe. It was hard to tell by his expression alone what he might have thought of the servant, which bothered Signe a bit. She hoped he did not find her pretty, though realistically speaking, she would not have blamed him if he did.

"Did you see something else transpire between her and Bjorn?" he asked.

Signe pursed her lips. "Nothing of a serious nature," she admitted. "There was a look shared between them, though, one that leads me to believe that there may be something…romantic between them now," she explained, unable to keep the bitterness out of her tone.

Torstein's brows raised uncertainly at that, and for some reason, his reaction made her feel silly. The truth of the matter was that she didn't really know what was going on between Bjorn and the servant girl – she had come to the conclusion that they were together all on her own. They very well could have just been friends, for all she knew. And then Signe realized that even if they were together romantically, it really wasn't her place to remark on it. Bjorn had had a choice, and he had not chosen Signe. He was free to do whatever he pleased with whoever he pleased, and there was nothing that Signe could do about that.

Signe sighed and took another long drink of ale. "Forgive me. My own jealousy and foolishness is getting the better of me tonight, something which is not at all helped by the ale I have drunk," she said to Torstein. "Perhaps you would better enjoy the company of someone else. I fear if you continue to be near me, I vill only ruin your night."

Torstein immediately scoffed. "Your belief that you will ruin my night is the only foolish thing I have heard you say since I sat down," he stated bluntly, which made her glance at him from the corner of her eye. "I completely understand why seeing Bjorn with the servant girl would upset you, and do not think you are foolish for being so," he continued, his tone one of understanding. "It is not pleasant, watching someone you care for bestowing their affections on someone else," he said with a nod.

Signe gave him a curious look, getting he feeling that Torstein had been in a similar situation as herself sometime in the past. "You sound as though you speak from experience," she commented.

"I do," he confirmed. Torstein paused, then spoke again. "It is hard now, but, in time, things will get better," he said reassuringly. "Until then, you must try to keep your chin up," he finished with a firm nod.

Signe looked at him for a moment, then gave him a small smile. "I shall try," she said with a nod. "Thank you for your words of encouragement."

Torstein smiled. "That is what friends are for," he said. He raised his cup to his lips to finish his ale, then set the cup down. "Now," he said, suddenly smirking at her in a mischievous sort of way. "The night is still young, and still full of opportunity for fun. And as it is, I seem to recall saying we needed to make the most of your time here in Kattegat. I think now is the time to do just that."

Torstein then stood to his full height, which made Signe gaze up at him curiously. When he extended a large hand toward her, she peered at his hand with uncertainty, before turning confused eyes back up to his. "What are you doing?" she asked, her words tinged with suspicion.

"The song they are playing is one that I quite enjoy," he said, motioning toward the musicians. He grinned widely then, his brows raising with invitation. "Come and dance with me, Signe."

Signe's eyes went wide with surprise. "Dance?" Torstein nodded. "But I do not – "

"No excuses," Torstein interrupted. "Dance with me," he then repeated.

Signe stared at him for another moment, before she finally came to the conclusion that he was not going to take no for an answer. Gulping a bit, she nodded and finished off her ale, before setting her cup aside. She then slid her hand into Torstein's and allowed him to pull her up from her seat. He gave her one last smile, then, without releasing her hand, he began to lead her toward the area where other people were dancing.

It was a little strange dancing with Torstein at first, simply because the only men Signe ever danced with were Bjorn or her family. As Torstein began to clap and move to the music, Signe blushed and started to sway to the beat, keeping her movements subdued. She had noticed that many of the people around her, Torstein included, were moving in a specific way to the music, a sort of synchronized dance that the Kattegat townsfolk seemed to have choreographed together. Signe tried to follow what Torstein did, looking far more clumsy than she normally would have as she tried to master the unfamiliar moves. It made him chuckle and had his blue eyes lighting with amusement at her attempts to follow the dance.

Signe flushed at first, then smiled back and began to loosen up a bit, his infectious, charming smile soon making her forget to feel embarrassed that she didn't know the dance. Torstein suddenly grabbed her by the hands and pulled her close before spinning her back out, making her hair and skirts fly around her. Signe couldn't help but laugh with delight, grinning widely as he pulled her close again, only to twirl her for a second time. He released her hands this time, but while the women around her launched into the next part of the dance, Signe decided to forgo any attempts to learn the moves and began to dance her own way. She raised her arms above her head and swayed them to the beat, flicking her wrists and twirling her fingers. She let her hips sway back and forth with the music, stomped her feet against the wooden floor of the hall and whipped her hair around. Signe grinned at Torstein, who was watching her dance intently, and sidled her way around him, touching his shoulder briefly as she went.

Once she was in front of him again, Torstein grabbed her hands once more and pulled her close again. For one small moment in time their gazes held, and there was something in Torstein's eyes that made her heart skip a beat. But before she had a chance to determine what that something was, he was spinning her one last time, so that she twirled in synch with those around her, making Signe laugh again.

As the song ended after that, and the hall quickly filled with the sounds of whistles and applause. Signe smiled widely as she clapped along with the other dancers, before turning to look at Torstein. He was smirking at her as he clapped, looking quite pleased with how their dancing had gone. She had to admit that she was actually rather surprised by how good of a dancer Torstein was.

"I must say, you are a very fair dancer," Signe told him with a nod.

"What?" Torstein asked, having evidently been unable to hear her over the excited chatter of the many people around them.

Signe stepped closer and placed a hand on his shoulder, standing on her tiptoes so that she could speak into his ear. "I said you are a fair dancer!" she repeated.

Torstein grinned at her after that. "As are you," he said in return. "The women of Kattegat could learn a thing or two from you, I believe," he added with a smirk.

Signe laughed and shook her head. "I would not go that far," she said modestly, which just made Torstein scoff at her good-naturedly.

The music started up again after that, and when Torstein raised his brows in silent question, Signe quickly nodded, knowing exactly what he was asking. They danced together for few more songs, laughing and smiling as they did so, until the young Ubbe came running over and begged for a dance. Signe obliged and danced with the short, blonde haired boy, twirling him in circles and making him giggle madly. Whether it was due to the alcohol she had drunk or the fun she was now having, Signe eventually forgot about the awkwardness between her and Bjorn and her ill feelings toward the servant girl. She clapped and laughed and danced, alternating between dancing with Torstein and dancing with Ubbe, feeling like this may very well have been the most fun she had had since coming to Kattegat.

After a while, Signe fanned herself, feeling more than a little warm from all the dancing and the body heat of those around her. "I need a drink and I need to rest!" she said to Torstein over the noise.

Torstein nodded and led her out of the thick of the dancing people. Once she was in a less crowded spot and was able to feel the cool breeze filtering in from outside, she instantly felt better. "Sit," Torstein encouraged. "I will fetch us some ale."

After Signe nodded, Torstein turned and headed back into the crowd. Signe watched him go for a second, then went to sit down in the nearest chair. She moved her long hair to hang over one shoulder so that her neck was exposed, sighing with relief when she felt the cool breeze hit the back of her neck. While she sat and took a moment to catch her breath, she realized that it had been some time since she had last seen her brother. Signe began to scan the room, looking for any sign of her tall, golden-haired brother, but could not find him amongst the people crammed into the crowded hall.

Just as she was considering getting up to go and look for him, a voice reached her ears. "He was talking with my father, last I saw," someone said behind her, making her spine instantly stiffen. Signe sat straighter in her chair, then glanced over her shoulder at Bjorn, who had appeared behind her. "You were looking for Gunnar, yes?" he then asked, raising his brows.

Signe nodded. "I was," she confirmed.

Bjorn stared at her for a moment, toying idly with the horn cup he held in his hands. Finally he stepped closer, grabbing an empty chair that sat a few feet away. "May I sit?" he asked, gesturing to the open space next to her.

Signe nodded, then watched as Bjorn placed the chair next to hers and sat down. The joy she had just been feeling from dancing and laughing with Torstein evaporated, replaced by uneasiness now that she was alone with Bjorn. He smelled strongly of ale, which told her must have had a lot to drink. Her suspicions were confirmed when she spotted the tell-tale sheen of inebriation in his eyes. Suddenly she wished she had a bit more ale herself, thinking it might make whatever conversation they were about to have a little easier.

For a few long, awkward moments, they sat in complete silence. Finally, Bjorn raised his cup to his lips and took a drink. "You have not been speaking to me tonight," he stated bluntly, staring straight ahead.

Signe glanced at him, then looked elsewhere. "You have not been speaking to me, either," She reminded him.

"I attempted to at dinner," Bjorn pointed out.

"You did not try very hard," Signe countered without missing a beat.

"You did not exactly make it easy," he rebutted, his tone beginning to verge on impatience.

Signe knew he was right about that, so she didn't say anything in response. Instead, she glanced around the room, looking for Torstein and wondering when he would return. In a way, she very much wanted him to come back and save her from this uncomfortable moment with Bjorn. At the same time, however, she knew it would be better if he didn't. Like Torstein had said earlier, she would have to talk to Bjorn at one point or another. If not now, then when?

Bjorn finally sighed, then turned in his chair to face her, which made Signe look over at him. It was difficult to determine what the gleam in his eyes was. He seemed frustrated, perhaps even a bit annoyed, but he also seemed sad and defeated at the same time. "I do not like this, Signe," he told her with a shake of his head. "I feel as though our friendship has fallen apart since we came to Kattegat, and I hate it," he admitted, sounding a little pained. "I did not want things to be like this."

Signe pressed her lips together tightly, trying to ignore the lump that formed in her throat at those words. "What did you expect, Bjorn?" she countered, the ale in her belly giving her the courage to say exactly what was on her mind. "I told you my true feelings and you rejected me. You broke my heart. Did you think I vould be happy about that? That everything vould just go back to normal?"

Bjorn frowned at her. "It was never my intention to break your heart, Signe. Hurting you is the last thing I vould want to do. You know how much I care for you. How much I love you," he insisted it.

Hearing the word love escape his lips made something immediately burn within. It hit her like a slap to the face, because she knew he did not mean it in the way she wanted him to. "Do not say those words to me!" she hissed back, frowning at him with anger.

"But it is true," Bjorn insisted, refusing to back down. "I do love you. You are more than just my friend – you are my family." Bjorn reached out to place a hand over hers, which made her entire body stiffen. "I do not want to lose you, Signe. I cannot lose you. You are too important to me," he told her seriously.

Signe immediately pulled her hand out from under his and crossed her arms tightly over her chest, so that he could not touch her hand again. "Not important enough, it seems," she shot back darkly before she could stop herself.

Bjorn raised his brows at her. "What do you mean by that?"

"You say you care. You say you do not want to lose me. Yet you have been nowhere to be found for a fortnight now. You have completely disappeared…again," Signe reminded him. "You have not made one attempt to talk to me. Not one attempt to make things right. Not one attempt to save our friendship. You just…went away."

"I only stayed away because I did not think you vould want to see me!" Bjorn said defensively. "After what happened between us, I thought it better to stay away for a while."

Signe snorted. "And by that, you mean you were more interested in spending time with that slave girl, yes?" she asked bitterly.

Bjorn seemed taken aback by her response. He blinked, then frowned deeply. "She has nothing to do with this," he said at once.

Signe laughed humorlessly. "I find that difficult to believe. I see the way you have been looking at her, as well as the way she has been looking at you," she said. "I am no fool, Bjorn. I know you have feelings for her."

Bjorn scowled at her and shook his head, looking at a loss for words for a moment. "Well, vhat about you, Signe?" he finally countered to move the conversation elsewhere. She noticed that he did not deny having feelings for the slave girl, which only stoked the flames of jealousy within her even further. "It certainly seems you have been preoccupied with someone else as well," he said accusingly.

Signe quirked a brow. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, even though she already had a pretty good idea what he might be referring to.

Bjorn chuckled darkly and gave her a knowing look. "Do not pretend that you do not know what I am speaking of," he said. "I have seen you with him. Walking about town. Riding horses together. Hunting, fishing…dancing," he said scornfully.

"So?" she asked.

"So tell me the truth," Bjorn said, leaning closer. "Do you care for Torstein, or are you merely using him?"

Signe immediately shook her head in disbelief. "You truly think me that sort of woman?" she asked, unable to help feeling offended. "I vould not use anyone for anything. I am not a manipulator, Bjorn."

Something flashed through Bjorn's eyes, though she wasn't sure what that something was. "So you do care for him then?" he asked tersely.

Signe heaved and gave him a look. "I have told you before and I will tell you again – Torstein is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less," she said, despite the fact that she had been feeling differently toward the man in question the past few days. "But even if he were more than that, I fail to see how that vould be any of your business," she couldn't help but add bitingly. "Who I spend my time with is not your concern."

"It is my concern!" Bjorn snapped back without missing a beat. "You may not believe me when I say this, but you are my closest friend, Signe. I promised to protect you. To look after you," he said. He paused, then shook his head, still frowning deeply. "I have warned you to be careful with Torstein. I have known him longer than you have, and I know that when it comes to women, he is not the most respectful man. He may seem kind now, but I can assure you that it is only because he is trying to charm you into his bed. And once he has his way with you, he vill toss you aside and that will be the end of it," Bjorn told her matter-of-factly. "I do not want that for you, Signe. I do not want him to hurt you."

Signe shook her head slowly, feeling more and more irritated by the second. She didn't know if what he was saying was true or not, but she did know that Torstein had never mistreated her in any sort of way, nor did she think he had any intentions of doing so in the future. And even if by some chance it was true, and Torstein did have ulterior motives, she could not help feeling insulted that Bjorn thought her stupid enough to let a man use her in such a way. She was smarter than that, and nowhere near as naïve as Bjorn seemed to believe she was.

Yet what frustrated her the most was that even now, after all that had happened and after everything that had gone awry between the two of them, Bjorn's greatest concern still seemed to be her relationship with Torstein, which grated her nerves in the worst way. They could be spending this time trying to fix their friendship, could be spending this time talking about far more important things. But no. He only wanted to continue to lecture her about whom she spent her time with, as if he had some say in what she was, or was not, allowed to do in her personal life.

Signe decided to put an end to this conversation once and for all. "Torstein has been good to me. Kind. Understanding," she said with a nod. "Yet you sit here and say you are trying to save me from being hurt by him." Signe laughed humorlessly. "I find that funny, considering the only man who has hurt me is you," she said, which made Bjorn stiffen and his lips press together tightly. "If you ask me, it is not Torstein I need protecting from. The only one I seem to need protecting from is you, dear friend."

Bjorn didn't seem to know what to say in response to that. He stared at her in silence for a long moment, and Signe stared right back, her expression hard and unyielding. Bjorn finally opened his mouth to speak, but then hesitated and when something behind Signe seemed to catch his attention. Signe looked that way, then saw the blonde-haired slave girl standing only feet away. She was looking back and forth between the two of them, the look on her face quite difficult to read. Finally, Signe turned back to Bjorn and gave him a bitter smile.

"You should go to your woman, before she begins to suspect something between us," she suggested in a dismissive tone.

Bjorn looked back to her, held her gaze for a moment, then let out a growl of frustration. He stood from his chair, drained his cup, then it threw it to the floor with a loud clatter. The noise made those nearest to them jump and turn to look with curiosity, but Signe merely stared back up at Bjorn unblinkingly, unfazed by his outburst. Finally, Bjorn stormed away, pushing a man out of the way as he stepped back into the crowd. Signe watched him go, before turning a look on the slave girl again. The slave girl seemed confused as to what she had just witnessed, but soon turned and walked away, her eyes downcast.

Signe sat quietly in her chair for a moment, unsure she knew how to feel now that she was alone. She felt angry and frustrated, yet sad and remorseful at the same time. Perhaps she should not have been so cold to Bjorn. Perhaps if she had tried harder to be cordial, they could have actually accomplished something better with their conversation, rather than just bicker at one another. But then she felt annoyed with herself for even thinking about feeling remorseful. Bjorn continued to do and say things that hurt her, and because of that, he deserved to be treated coldly. Why should she feel sorry for her actions, when Bjorn did not feel sorry for his?

Signe rubbed her face, then finally shook her head and stood to leave. Whatever fun she had been having was gone, and she was no longer interested in staying in Earl Ragnar's hall. With her mind made up, she headed for the door, weaving her way deftly between drunken people as she went. She was almost to the door when she heard a familiar voice calling her name above the noise of the crowd. Signe turned back and saw Torstein hurrying to catch up to her, holding a cup of ale in either hand.

"Forgive me for taking so long," he said once he reached her. "I found myself pulled into a conversation I could not find my way out of." Torstein paused, then frowned when he seemed to finally notice the expression on her face. "Is something wrong?" he asked, his eyes filling with concern.

Signe, who did not particularly feel like reliving her less than agreeable encounter with Bjorn, shook her head. "I do not wish to speak of it," she told him. "I only wish to leave."

Torstein frowned further, then handed the two ales off to the nearest person. "I will come with you," he said. "It is unsafe for a woman to walk about at night alone."

Signe shook her head, however. "I will be fine, Torstein," she said firmly. When he seemed like he might argue further, she reached out to place a hand on his arm. "I need to be alone right now," she said, allowing him to momentarily see how much she was struggling with herself internally. "I need privacy."

It took a moment, but Torstein finally nodded. "Alright," he said.

Signe smiled and squeezed his arm. "Will you make sure Gunnar returns home safely?" After Torstein nodded, she finally released him. "Goodnight, Torstein."

"Goodnight, Signe," he said in return.

She lingered to hold his gaze for one last moment, then finally turned and left Earl Ragnar's hall, able to feel Torstein's eyes on her back the whole way.

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