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.

22. Chapter Twenty-one

Hi! Remember me?

So, as I'm sure many of you noticed, I discontinued this story (again) sometime last year. It was not because I wasn't enjoying the story or had grown bored with it, but because I had a baby, and I made the decision to discontinue the stories I wasn't convinced I'd be able to finish to lighten the work load. This one, unfortunately, got cut because I just didn't think I'd be able to see it through to the end. I'm sorry for that.

However, after I discontinued it I got so many super kind messages and reviews about this story, and it made me feel so happy and so humbled that I just had to continue it! So here I am, posting for this story again! Thank you to everyone who had stuck with me and this story, and a big, huge, ginormous thank you to everyone who sent me all those awesome reviews and messages! It's literally because of you guys that this story is still going! I hope you enjoy the chapter!

P.S. This chapter and the next have been tough on me, because I've put a lot of pressure on myself to get the wedding ceremony/traditions correct. Obviously I'm not an historian, nor am I a time-travelling Viking with vast knowledge on how they did things back in the day. I've done as much research as I can on the subject and have an idea of what they did, but it still likely won't be perfect or one hundred percent correct. I've done my best, though, so I hope y'all won't be disappointed!

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to Vikings, only the OC's.

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Chapter Twenty-one

Signe stood in the Hedeby marketplace, her lips pursed with uncertainty as she stared at a small display of jewelry. Her interest was on the wedding bands, of which there were only about a handful of them, each varying in size and metal type. She reached for one and picked it up, inspecting it with unsure eyes, before setting it down and reaching for another. With a heave, she put that one down too, feeling a little frustrated.

She was attempting to pick out a wedding ring for Torstein, only the task was proving to be far more difficult than she had anticipated. There were not many rings to choose from to begin with, and of those available, she could not decide which one he might like, nor did she have any idea what size she should get. Signe looked down at her own hand, thinking back to any of the times when Torstein had held it and trying hard to recall how big his hand had been compared to her own. It was useless. She simply couldn't remember.

"Well?" Ingelill asked, raising her brows curiously. She patted baby Gunnhild, who rested securely in a wrap slung around Ingelill's torso, when the infant made a fussy noise. "Do any of these catch your interest?"

Signe looked at her sister-in-law and sighed. "I do not know which one to get," she said with defeat. "I think I vill have to come back with Torstein when he returns and have him choose one instead," she finally decided.

Ingelill nodded. "Very well," she said, before smiling and looping an arm through Signe's. "Shall we go find Valborg, then?"

Signe nodded, and with that they left the wedding bands behind and began to make their way through the market.

It had been a week since Torstein had left to collect his family, and the week had been a busy one. With a wedding to prepare and very little time available to do so, Signe had been completely consumed with planning. There was just so much to take care of – her family had to make sure their house was in order and presentable for a wedding celebration, they had to make sure everyone they wanted present was invited, they needed to make sure there would be enough food and ale for everyone, they had to make sure they had musicians for the festivities. The list seemed to be endless.

Signe would readily admit that she was nervous about the wedding. Becoming someone's wife meant taking on a lot of new responsibilities, which was an intimidating thought in and of itself. But also, with how quickly everything was being thrown together, it was quite the task making sure everything was taken care of in such short notice.

For the most part, everything was coming together smoothly, except for two very important parts. They did not yet have any honey mead, which was the traditional drink of the bride and groom and an important custom to uphold. They also had yet to find someone to perform the ceremony, which, obviously, was most important of all. There was only one Gothar that Signe knew of within a reasonable distance, but seeing as she and Torstein were forgoing some of the more traditional aspects of the ceremony due to the hasty nature of their wedding, he had not been as receptive as they would have hoped when she and her father had gone to speak with him. They had not been able to get him to agree to do the ceremony, but they were still trying.

Needless to say, it had been a hard week. Having her family around to help her get everything ready while Torstein was away helped ease some of those worries, but the stress of it all was certainly beginning to weigh her down. She was certain the whole thing would leave her with a few grey hairs once it was all said and done.

"When do you think Torstein will return?" Ingelill asked conversationally.

"It should not be much longer," Signe answered. "Or rather, let us hope he does not take much longer. After all the planning we have done, it would be a shame for him to miss our wedding," she said with a joking smile.

Ingelill smiled. "He will not miss it," she said confidently. "I saw the way he looked at you, Signe. I think that man would fight the Gods themselves to marry you."

Signe flushed at those words even as a small smile tugged at her lips. She did not personally think that Torstein was quite so adamant, but it was a nice thought. "I think you are exaggerating," she said.

Ingelill gave her a look. "And I think you are underestimating Torstein's affections," she countered.

Signe gave Ingelill a look of her own. "He does not love me, if that is vhat you are implying," she said. "That is not why we are marrying one another, Inge. The Gods have chosen him for me, and I for him. It is what they want, so we are doing as they wish," she explained.

Ingelill didn't look entirely convinced, but did not try to push the issue. "If you say so," she said, before turning her eyes elsewhere.

Signe didn't know what to say to that, so she didn't say anything.

"How are things with Hallsteinn?" Ingelill asked to change the subject, looking to Signe curiously.

Signe sighed at the mention of her brother and frowned.

The wedding wasn't the only thing causing her stress. As great as her family had been and as supportive as they were of her quickly approaching marriage, there was one person who still refused to give their blessing – Hallsteinn. Even after having a week to come to terms with the fact that, yes, she was going to marry Torstein, her hot-headed older brother still disapproved. He had stopped coming to the house, he flat out refused to help with any wedding preparations, and he had not said one word to Signe since the day Torstein had won her hand in marriage. Hallsteinn was clearly unhappy, and he seemed to be doing everything in his power to make sure everyone knew that.

By now, Signe was almost to her breaking point with her fool of a brother. She was frustrated and angry with him for being so childish and stubborn, but she also was rather hurt.

He had always been the most protective out of all of her brothers, but this was taking things a little too far. She hated that he had distanced himself so much, and she hated that he was so determined not to accept Torstein into their family. No, maybe she did not love Torstein, but she was content in her decision to marry him. She wanted her brother to support that decision, and the fact that he wasn't stung more than she had thought it would. Sure, she and Hallsteinn had had their fair share of disagreements over the years, but they had never allowed things to get quite this bad. It was really beginning to take a toll on her.

"The same as they have been since Torstein and I became betrothed. He is determined as ever to continue his campaign of disapproval against me," she replied sourly.

Ingelill gave her a sympathetic frown. "I am sorry to hear it. I had hoped he would have moved past his anger by now."

"As did I," Signe said. "I weary of all this trouble between the two of us."

"You are not the only one," Ingelill said. "Valborg is tired of his behavior, as well. He thinks Hallsteinn is behaving like a child who's favorite toy vas given to someone else," she said, quirking a brow.

Signe shrugged a shoulder and turned her eyes elsewhere. "I do not know what to do about him anymore, Inge," she admitted. "He vill not speak to me, he will not even come anywhere near me." Signe gnawed on her lip for a moment, trying to ignore the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat as she thought about how bad things were between her and her brother. "It is as if he hates me."

Ingelill came to a quick halt and grabbed Signe's arm, forcing her to a halt as well. "That is not true, Signe," she said immediately. Signe just lifted a shoulder, her expression unconvinced. "Signe, Hallsteinn does not hate you," Ingelill insisted. "He could never hate you."

"His actions of late suggest otherwise," Signe responded quietly.

Ingelill shook her head. "He is behaving like a fool, yes, but that hot-headed imbecile loves you. Do not doubt that for even a moment," she persisted.

Signe sighed, then nodded her head. "You are right," she conceded, knowing good and well that her brother did love her, only that he was poor at showing it sometimes.

They finally moved on when a man guiding a wheelbarrow yelled at them to move out of the way. The two of them let the man pass by, shooting rude looks at his back as he went, then linked arms again and continued on.

"If you ask me, I think Hallsteinn is only behaving like this because he is frightened," Ingelill said, returning to their previous conversation.

Signe furrowed her brows unsurely. "Frightened of what?"

Ingelill shrugged a shoulder. "Family is important to him. He takes pride in helping your father look after everyone. He vants to be the protector of the family," she said. "You are his youngest sibling and his only sister. He has alvays taken it upon himself to see to it that you are taken care of. Now you are about to become a wife, which means that the role of your protector vill go to your new husband. I think Hallsteinn simply does not want to be replaced. I think he is afraid of losing you."

Signe blinked at those words, feeling mildly surprised with Ingelill's observations.

Thus far, Signe had just thought that Hallsteinn was being difficult out of stubbornness or some deeply rooted determination to hate Torstein. But Ingelill did make a good point. Maybe it wasn't just stubbornness or his temper – maybe he really was afraid that her being married meant that she would no longer need him. It was a foolish fear, because he was her brother and he would always be important to her, but Hallsteinn wasn't exactly known for rational thinking. He ran off of pure emotion, and she could now see how fear of losing her or being replaced would have driven him to behave the way he had been.

Signe sighed quietly to herself, feeling as though she was finally seeing things clearly. Of course Hallsteinn was afraid – how had she not realized it sooner? "I had not thought of that," she admitted. "Now that you say it, however, it makes perfect sense."

Ingelill smiled. "Do you still feel angry with him?"

Signe thought about it, and realized she didn't. "No. But I do find it silly of him to think that me getting married vould somehow make him less important," she said matter-of-factly. "He is my brother. I vill always love him…even when he is being as temperamental as a woman expecting a child," she added with a huff.

Ingelill laughed at that, which pulled a smile from Signe. "Perhaps you should tell him that," she suggested. "Maybe then he vill finally stop all this nonsense."

Signe nodded in agreement. She had known that she would have to talk to Hallsteinn eventually, only she had been putting it off because she had been more concerned about planning the wedding – that and, well…she had put it off because she didn't know how the talk would go and she had been dreading it. But Torstein would be back soon, and then the wedding would be upon them, which left little time to smooth things over with her brother. Signe decided that it was time to stop delaying the inevitable and just talk to her brother.

"I vill go speak to him," she said with resolution. "I vill make that stubborn fool see reason, even if it means I must string him up and force him to listen to what I have to say."

Ingelill smiled. "If there is anyone who can talk sense into him, it is you, Signe," she said with optimism. When Gunnhild made a cooing noise, Ingelill looked down at the girl and patted her affectionately. "Gunnhild agrees, I believe."

Signe smirked and reached over to gently caress the top of her niece's head, which was only barely visible within the wrap she was nestled in. "On second thought, perhaps we should let Gunnhild speak to him," she suggested jokingly. "Hallsteinn vould not dare disappoint his beloved niece. She vill get him back in order in no time at all."

Ingelill laughed. "That she vould, Signe. That she vould!"

They walked for a little longer, chatting casually as they searched for any sign of Valborg. Truthfully, Signe wasn't in much of a hurry to find him. It was rare that she and Ingelill had moments alone, and it was nice to have some time to spend with the woman she loved like a sister without her brothers hanging around. It was even better, though, to get to see her niece, whom she already loved with every bit of her heart. Signe found herself frequently smiling down at the little babe and reaching out to touch Gunnhild's soft, auburn hair.

After a while, the hall that had once been the home of Earl Sigvard came into view, and Signe's gaze was immediately drawn to it. She had been meaning to stop in and speak with Lagertha, not only to say hello and pay her respects, but also so she could invite her to the wedding. Signe had been so busy, however, that she had not had the time to do so yet. As Ingelill paused to search around for Valborg, Signe stared at the doors of the hall that now belonged to Lagertha, which were opened wide with invitation.

"Where is that man?" Ingelill mused aloud.

"More than likely ensnared in a conversation with someone," Signe guessed. She then looked down at Ingelill, raising her brows questioningly. "Would you mind if I went to speak with our new Earl?" she asked. "I have vanted to do so since arriving back home, but have not yet had the opportunity."

Ingelill looked at the hall, then nodded. "Of course. I am sure she vill be happy to see you," she said.

Signe smiled, but then looked at Gunnhild with mild concern. "Will the two of you be alright on your own?" she asked. As much as she trusted the people of Hedeby, she was unabashedly protective of her new niece – she did not necessarily like the thought of Ingelill and Gunnhild wandering about the marketplace without her there to watch over them in case trouble came along.

"We vill be fine," Ingelill said, before something caught her attention. "Ah! There your brother is!" she said, pointing into the distance.

Signe turned and saw that Valborg was indeed chatting away with some vendor on the far side of the marketplace. Placated that Ingelill and Gunnhild would soon be reunited with her oldest brother, Signe relaxed and smiled. "You should go to him. I vill meet with you again when I have finished speaking with Lagertha," she suggested.

Ingelill nodded, and after they said their goodbyes, the two of them went their separate ways.

Signe turned to face Lagertha's hall, then went striding in that direction. It had been a long while since she had been in the hall, since she had more or less avoided it like the plague when Sigvard had still been in charge. There were servants moving about as they tended to daily chores and a handful of people that Signe recognized, but didn't actually know, loitering here or there. Signe spotted Lagertha herself standing near the very back of the long hall – she seemed to be in a meeting with an advisor and was listening intently to whatever he had to say.

Signe smiled at the sight of the woman she had long considered her hero. She started that way slowly, hoping she would not be interrupting anything important with her presence in the hall. Lagertha finally glanced in her direction, only to take a second look and then smile widely upon realizing Signe had come to visit her. The shieldmaiden nodded to her in acknowledgement and then made a motion that indicated Signe should wait for a moment. Signe nodded and went to stand by the hearth, watching as Lagertha finished listening to whatever her advisor was saying.

"That all sounds reasonable," Lagertha said when the man had ceased talking. "We vill discuss this more at a later time. For now, I have another meeting to see to," she said.

The advisor nodded respectfully, then departed. Once he was gone, Lagertha came walking toward her, another smile stretching across her face.

"Signe Olegdóttir," she said in greeting.

Signe curtseyed the woman, inclining her head respectfully. "Earl Lagertha," she greeted back, the new title feeling a little strange on her tongue.

Lagertha finally reached her, then surprised Signe by pulling her into a warm hug. Signe quickly hugged the shorter woman back, smiling happily once her surprise had worn off. When they parted, Lagertha braced her hands on Signe's shoulders and smiled up at her.

"I am pleased to see you," she said.

"And I am equally pleased to see you, Earl Lagertha," Signe said in return.

Lagertha waved a hand at Signe's continued use of the formal title. "Signe, ve have known each other a long while now. I consider us friends. The time has come for you to just call me Lagertha," she insisted.

Signe blinked in surprise again, then smiled widely. Though she had always known that Lagertha liked her, she hadn't realized that Lagertha considered her a friend. The knowledge that she did left her feeling quite pleased. "Of course, Lagertha," she said.

Lagertha smiled again, then guided Signe over to a small table and ushered her to sit down. There was a pitcher of ale there, and after flagging down a servant for two cups, Lagertha quickly filled them and offered one to Signe.

"Thank you," Signe said as she accepted the drink.

"You are welcome." She then lifted her cup to Signe. "Skål."

Signe tapped Lagertha's cup with her own. "Skål," she echoed.

After they took a drink, Lagertha set her cup down and leaned back in her chair. "I had heard that you and Gunnar had returned," she said conversationally. "I vas relieved to learn that your brother recovered well from his wounds."

Signe nodded. "It vas not an easy road, and he still has quite a bit of recovery ahead of him, but he is much better, yes," she confirmed. "For a time, I was unsure if he vould survive or not. My family and I can only thank the Gods for letting him live," she said.

"I am sure your family thanks you, too," Lagertha pointed out. "It vas you, after all, who brought him back to health."

Signe smiled modestly. "I did vhat I could to help him, that is all."

Lagertha reached over to place a hand on her arm and give it a squeeze. "You have alvays been very humble, Signe, and that is admirable. But you did well. Do not undervalue yourself, nor your skills," she said with a firm look.

The approval lacing Lagertha's words made Signe smile and sit a little straighter – and to know that she had that approval meant more to Signe than she could say. "I vill not anymore," she promised.

Lagertha smiled. "Good." She patted Signe's arm, then released it and took another drink. As she lowered the cup again, she gave Signe a questioning look. "Tell me – how has my son been faring in Kattegat?" she asked to change the subject.

Signe had fully expected Lagertha to inquire about Bjorn, so she was not caught off guard by the question. Thinking about Bjorn, however, made a funny feeling enter her stomach. It was not the same giddiness or affection she had felt in the past, before things had become so strained between them, before she had accepted that they would never be anything more than friends. The feeling was something different, something she couldn't really place.

Signe nodded and forced on a smile. There wasn't a chance she was going to confess to the woman all of the things that had happened between her and Bjorn in Kattegat – that was not something she cared to relive at the moment, especially not with his mother. "He is doing well," Signe answered. "He is happy to be home, and happy to be vith his father and brothers."

Lagertha gave her a slightly sad smile. "Yes, I imagine he is," she said, her fingers idly toying with her cup. "I am glad that he is enjoying his time in Kattegat…though life certainly does not feel the same here vith him gone," she admitted, glancing around the room as if searching for her beloved son. When she looked back to Signe, it was impossible to miss the longing in her eyes. "I miss him."

Signe nodded with sympathy. She missed him, too, even though it hadn't been that long since she had last seen him. Or maybe she just missed the way things used to be between them and disliked how things were now. "As do I," she agreed gently.

Lagertha sighed and offered another sad smile. "Let us hope he decides to visit us soon, then," she said, though Signe had a feeling that they both knew Bjorn wouldn't be returning to Hedeby any time soon.

There was a pause in conversation as they both took a drink of their ale. Signe found herself watching a few people as they bustled around in the depths of the hall, carrying out one task or another. Now that she was inspecting the hall a little closer, she could see some small changes that had been made now that Lagertha was in charge. For one, some of the decorations had been changed – the most noticeable was the blue and black insignia that Lagertha had painted on her shield, which had been transferred onto a banner and now hung proudly in the hall. The other things Signe noticed was that some of the guards she saw wandering about were all female, which was quite a change from the all male guard Sigvard had kept at his disposal.

"What is it like?" Signe asked, looking back to Lagertha. "How does it feel to be Earl?"

Lagertha nodded slowly, her expression turning serious. "Challenging," she admitted. "But I have never been afraid of challenges before, and I shall not start to fear them now," she added with confidence.

Signe smiled. "I have faith that you vill be a great leader, Lagertha," she said. "You are strong and smart, and you certainly garner far more respect than Sigvard ever did. You vill do well by the people of Hedeby. I am sure of it."

Lagertha seemed grateful for the compliments. "Thank you for your kind words."

"You are welcome," Signe said. She glanced around to make sure nobody was within hearing range, then leaned a tad bit closer. "And between us, I am glad Sigvard is gone," she said, speaking a little quieter. "He vas a horrid ruler, and, well…Bjorn told me the two of you had…troubles," she admitted delicately. "I am relieved that you are free of him. You deserve better."

Lagertha seemed mildly surprised at first, then shook her head and smiled wryly. "Of course my son vould tell you of our troubles," she mused aloud.

"He vas worried for you, and very angry at him," Signe offered as explanation for Bjorn confiding in her.

Lagertha's smile softened at those words. "I know," she said. She took another drink, then shrugged a shoulder. "I am glad to be free of Sigvard as well," she admitted. "The truth is that I never did love him. I only married him for convenience and position."

Signe was not surprised to hear it. According to Bjorn, the only man Lagertha had ever really loved was her ex-husband, Ragnar Lothbrok. And even now, after all that had gone wrong between them, that love was still there, an obvious fact considering she had defied her husband and just helped Earl Ragnar reclaim his lands. Signe doubted there had been room in Lagertha's heart for Sigvard, even if she actually had wanted to love him.

"You certainly are in a good position now that he is gone," Signe said, looking around the room pointedly.

Lagertha smirked quite proudly. "Indeed, I am."

Signe smiled, and they both took another drink. As Signe lowered her cup again, she knew the time had come to tell Lagertha about her betrothal to Torstein. She was unsure how the woman would take the news, however, considering she knew Torstein and because it was all so sudden.

"Speaking of marriages," Signe said slowly. "There is something else I have come to speak to you about."

Lagertha looked at her for a moment, her expression quizzical. "And vhat is that?"

Signe decided to just come on out with it. "I am getting married," she revealed.

Lagertha, who had been taking a drink, paused with the ale in her mouth and then audibly swallowed. "Pardon?" she asked, clearly thinking she had misheard her.

Signe smiled at the reaction. "I am getting married," she repeated.

Lagertha still didn't seem to fully comprehend what Signe was telling her. "To who?"

Now Signe blushed a little. "To Torstein."

Lagertha blinked once, twice, three times. "Torstein?" she finally said, her tone verging on incredulous. "As in…Ragnar's friend Torstein?"

Signe nodded in confirmation. "Yes."

Lagertha actually spluttered for a moment. "I assumed the two of you were friends, because he came to see me before he left Hedeby and told me he had escorted you and your brother home," she finally managed out. "But he made no mention of a romance, let alone a wedding."

Signe blushed even more. "He likely made no mention of romance because there is no romance between us," she said, which seemed to only confuse Lagertha even further. "It is the will of the Gods that we be husband and wife. The seeress has seen him in my future, and the seer in Kattegat has seen me in his. Therefor, we are listening to vhat the Gods are telling us and we are getting married."

Lagertha stared at her for a moment, then released a breath. "Well…that is…quite unexpected," she said with honesty. "I alvays liked Torstein, despite the fact that he did attempt to convince Bjorn to stay with Ragnar vhen I left Kattegat," she said. She hesitated for a moment, then gave Signe a careful look. "Though, if I am being honest, he never seemed the marrying type," she admitted. "He vas never really one to commit himself to a woman," she added, almost as if warning her.

Signe could recall the many times that Bjorn had hinted to Torstein being a womanizer, an accusation of which she had seen very little evidence. Sure, he had had his little tryst with Dísa after the battle, but they had hardly known one another then. Ever since they had gotten friendly with one another, the only other woman she had seen him with was Hilda, whom she did not think he had any thoughts of seducing any time soon.

Not that it mattered, she supposed. They were not in love, and, really, Torstein was free to do as he pleased. Even though they were getting married, she wasn't sure she could ask him to be faithful to her when their marriage felt more like a business arrangement than anything else.

"Well, perhaps he has changed his mind about marriage since you knew him," Signe said with a shrug.

Lagertha didn't seem convinced, but nodded anyway. "Perhaps," she agreed. "Your family approves?" she asked next.

Hallsteinn's disapproving face immediately flashed through her mind, and though she tried not to cringe at the thought of him, she didn't succeed. "Mostly," she said. "Hallsteinn is having some difficulty accepting my decision."

Lagertha nodded. "He has alvays been protective of you," she said, which was putting it mildly in Signe's opinion.

"Indeed, he has," Signe agreed with a sigh. "I know it is because he cares about me and wants vhat is best for me, but…he is taking things too far this time."

Lagertha clicked her tongue sympathetically. "I must say – in some ways, I do not envy you having so many overprotective brothers. If I were you, I likely vould have hit one of them by now," she said with a small smile, which made Signe laugh a bit. "Your brother adores you. Everyone can see that," Lagertha said next, her tone more serious. "If you are happy in your decision, then hopefully Hallsteinn vill come around to the idea."

"That is the hope," Signe said, though she wasn't overly confident it would actually happen. "He has another week to make peace with it. If he does not by then…" Signe trailed off and shrugged. "Then I suppose I vill not be seeing him at the wedding."

"You and Torstein are marrying that quickly?" Lagertha asked, to which Signe nodded in confirmation. "That is very fast," she commented.

"Yes, but we have little choice," Signe said. "Winter vill be here before we know it, and once the cold comes, travelling back and forth between Kattegat and Hedeby vill be very difficult. Torstein cannot stay here for too long, however, because he has duties to see to back in Kattegat. We thought it better to marry now so that I could return with him to Kattegat vhile the weather is still favorable," she explained.

Lagertha pursed her lips. "I suppose I understand the reasoning," she said, before tilting her head curiously. "What about Bjorn?" she asked, her expression a little difficult to read. "What does he think about this?"

Signe pressed her lips together and gave her a slightly guilty look. "He…does not know."

Lagertha raised her brows with surprise. "No?"

Signe shook her head. "Torstein and I became betrothed once we arrived here in Hedeby," she explained. "Bjorn vill not know until we return to Kattegat."

"Are you not inviting him to the wedding?" Lagertha inquired.

"There is too little time to get word to anyone in Kattegat about the wedding. Torstein and I thought to hold a separate celebration in Kattegat, one that Bjorn and Earl Ragnar and all of Torstein's friends shall be able to attend," Signe explained.

Lagertha looked at her for a moment, before sighing a little. "Forgive me for saying it, but I fear Bjorn vill have an unfavorable reaction when he does learn of your marriage to Torstein," she warned.

Lagertha had no idea how correct she was in her predictions. She did not want to admit how disapproving Bjorn was of her relationship with Torstein, however, since she knew it would bring about another conversation she did not want to have.

"I fear that may be the way of it as well," Signe admitted. "I do not wish to worry over this now, however. I shall deal vith his wrath once I have returned to Kattegat."

Lagertha was still and silent for a moment, before slowly nodding. "Very well," she said. She took another drink. "So you shall be moving to Kattegat, then," she said to change the subject. "I am not surprised to hear it. Torstein is much too loyal to Ragnar to ever leave him behind."

Signe nodded. "I vill be sad to leave Hedeby behind. This has been my home for so long, it is strange to think I vill not be living here anymore." Signe allowed herself a moment to feel sad about it, then pushed the feeling away and gave Lagertha a smile. "But I enjoyed my time in Kattegat. I think I shall like it there very much."

"I know your family vill be sad to see you go," Lagertha said. Signe ignored the lump that formed in her throat at those words, as well as the slight feeling of guilt that settled in her belly at the thought of leaving her family behind. "If I am being honest, I am a little disappointed myself," Lagertha admitted.

The confession made Signe momentarily forget about her family. "Really?" Lagertha nodded in confirmation. "Why is that?" Signe asked unsurely.

"Now that I am Earl, I need people around me that I can trust," Lagertha said. "I have always liked you, Signe. You are honest, wise, and loyal. And after your display on the battlefield, it is obvious you are a strong fighter." She gave Signe a serious look. "I had rather hoped that once you returned to Hedeby, you vould pledge your loyalty to me and take charge of my personal guard."

Signe's eyes widened. Lagertha had wanted her to be in charge of her personal guard? "Truly?" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Truly," Lagertha confirmed with a nod. "The offer still stands, of course should you have a change of heart and choose to stay here," she added.

Signe gaped for a moment, then turned her eyes to the fire as she mulled the offer over. Lagertha, her own personal hero, was offering her a very esteemed position within her ranks. As the leader of her personal guard, Signe would work closely with Lagertha. Would train with her, learn from her, and likely travel with her wherever she went. It was an opportunity that Signe had only dreamt of, but now that she knew it was a real possibility, it was almost enough to have her rethink her decision to marry Torstein.

It was not too late. She could still stay in Hedeby, could stay with her family and take charge of Lagertha's guard. Torstein would likely understand, and her family – especially Hallsteinn – would be happy if she ended up staying home instead of venturing off to Kattegat. It could work.

But then Signe thought about her visits with the Volva and the things she had been told, and she knew she could not accept the position. That was not what the Gods had planned for her, that much had been made very clear to her. She was not meant to stay in Hedeby or work under Lagertha's command. Kattegat was where they wanted her to go, and though it pained her to turn Lagertha down, she was not going to turn her back on the Gods. She had to trust in the plan they had laid out for her.

Signe finally looked back to Lagertha, who was watching her expectantly, as if she thought Signe would change her mind right then and there. Signe was not looking forward to the disappointment that was sure to come.

"Had you asked me at any other time, I vould have said yes without hesitation," Signe said gently. "But the Gods have a plan for me, and I must see that plan through. My future is vith Torstein in Kattegat. I must follow the path that has been laid before me."

Lagertha looked disappointed, just as Signe knew she would, but there was understanding in her eyes as well. "I understand, Signe. And I admire your faithfulness to the Gods."

Signe smiled, then gave her a serious look. "I cannot swear my loyalty to you, since I vill not be here to fulfill that oath, but I vill swear this – if ever you need help, I shall do my best to give it. You have my word, my lady," she said with a firm nod.

Lagertha looked pleased, and grateful, to hear her say it. "Thank you, Signe."

"You are welcome," Signe said, inclining her head respectfully.

It was in that moment that they noticed a man lingering nearby, waiting patiently to be acknowledged. Lagertha must have been expecting him, because she nodded to him as though silently saying she would be along shortly, before finishing her ale.

"I hate to bring this visit to an end, but there is business for me to tend to," she said regretfully.

Signe nodded immediately. "Of course. I do not wish to intrude."

Lagertha reached over to pat her arm. "You could never intrude," she said firmly, which made Signe smile.

They both stood and handed off their cups to a servant who came to collect them. "I wish you well with your wedding arrangements," Lagertha said. "Planning the ceremony can be quite the headache, from what I can recall," she added with a smirk.

"Thank you," Signe said, before fiddling her fingers together with slight nervousness. "It vould be a great honor if you were there for the ceremony, if you have the time," she invited, hoping Lagertha would say that she would come.

Lagertha nodded and smiled. "And it vould be a great honor to attend. I vill be there," she promised.

Signe smiled with relief. "Wonderful."

Lagertha patted her shoulder and smiled one last time, then turned to leave. Signe also turned to leave, but paused when she remembered one last thing she was supposed to do.

"Oh, and Lagertha?" she said, turning back around. Lagertha paused to shoot her a questioning look. "Earl Ragnar vanted me to tell you he says hello."

Lagertha raised an eyebrow, then smirked. "And when you return to Kattegat, you may tell him I said that I hope he is well. And from one Earl to another, perhaps our paths shall cross again some day."

Signe nodded silently to assure the woman she would do just that. Then, after they gave each other parting smiles, she finally left Earl Lagertha's hall.

---

Hallsteinn had been eighteen years old when he had officially moved out of their childhood home. Always the most independent one of the family, he had proclaimed that he did not need a parent around for supervision anymore and had decided to build his own house about half a mile away, so that he would be close, but not too close. The house, which Hallsteinn had insisted on constructing himself from the ground up, was small and cozy enough for one, perhaps two people to live in. It was not the most well built house anyone had ever seen – the roof was crooked and the doorframes were much too short – but it had been one of Hallsteinn's greatest accomplishments and he was still incredibly proud of it to this day.

Two days after her talk with Lagertha, Signe found herself standing outside the small, modest house, staring at it with a strange feeling in her gut. It was not necessarily out of nervousness of facing Hallsteinn again, though she certainly was nervous about that. No, it was more a sense of sadness that had filled her belly. Once she and Hallsteinn both moved to Kattegat, what would become of this small, slightly imperfect house? Would anyone live in it again? Or would it simply remain abandoned until it someday disappeared back into the earth?

Signe frowned at that thought for a moment, then pushed the feelings away. She had not come to mourn Hallsteinn's soon to be former home. No, she had come to finally hash things out with the home's hard-headed owner and make him see reason before things could get any worse.

Lifting her chin a little, Signe went to the front door. Normally she would have barged in without waiting to be invited, but considering all that had gone wrong between her and her brother, she thought it better to knock this time. Signe knocked twice, waiting patiently for Hallsteinn to answer.

When he did finally open the door a few moments later, he immediately stiffened at the sight of her.

Honestly, she had expected a much worse reaction.

"Signe," he said flatly, his expression perfectly neutral.

"Hallsteinn," she said in return. There was a beat of silence, then she looked pointedly into his home. "May I come inside, or must I stand on your doorstep all day?"

Hallsteinn wordlessly moved aside so that she could pass through the doorway. Signe stepped into the house and immediately noticed that things inside looked very different. Several of Hallsteinn's possessions were gone, leaving the house with a distinctly empty feeling. She then noticed a trunk near the door, which was accompanied by a few travelling packs, which looked as though they were already stuffed to the brim. Clearly, Hallsteinn had done quite a bit of packing in preparation for his move.

"Preparing for Kattegat already?" she asked, looking at him again.

Hallsteinn crossed his arms over his chest. "I vill be leaving soon. Better to start making preparations now so that there vill be no delay when the time comes to leave."

"I see," Signe said. She mimicked Hallsteinn's pose, crossing her arms tightly, and lifted a brow at him. "And vhen do you intend to leave? Will it be before or after my wedding?"

Hallsteinn's jaw tightened, then he turned his eyes away and resolutely stared at the wall. "I have not decided yet," he answered stiffly.

Signe heaved at his response and did her best to hamper down a surge of frustration. She knew from past experience that losing her patience with her brother would do nothing to solve their problems – the only way to get through to Hallsteinn was to stay calm and talk rationally, since it was unlikely that he would do the same thing.

"Hallsteinn, this has gone far enough," she said as patiently as she could. "I am your sister. Please stop this madness and talk to me."

Hallsteinn turned his eyes back to her and lifted a brow. "What is there to talk about?" he asked stubbornly.

Signe gave him a look. "We could begin vith the fact that you have been ignoring me for a full week now," she suggested. "Or perhaps you could tell me the real reason you refuse to accept that I am to be married soon?"

Hallsteinn's eyes narrowed. "You know my reasoning already," he said gruffly. "I do not trust Torstein, and I think you are on the verge of making a very big mistake by marrying him. You met the man hardly two months past, yet you are villing to marry him and leave all that you have known behind because…why?" he asked with raised brows, his expression bordering on condescending. "Because the Gods told you to?"

Signe gave her brother a warning look. "Do not mock me for following the path the Gods have chosen for me," she told him. "Are you not doing the same by moving to Kattegat yourself?"

"We are not speaking of me," Hallsteinn immediately deflected, likely because he knew she was right and didn't want to give her any leverage. "We are speaking about you, and your naïve decision to marry a man who is practically a stranger."

"Torstein is not a stranger," Signe said with a shake of her head. "He is a friend. A friend I have come to care very much about."

"You hardly know him, Signe," Hallsteinn said with exasperation. "Perhaps he has been friendly to you thus far vhile he has been trying to win your affections, but who is to say whether or not he may turn cruel and mistreat you once you are his wife?" he asked. "You do not know vhat he is capable of!"

Signe blinked, then rubbed her face with agitation. "Could you please explain to me once and for all just why you are so determined to hate Torstein?" she demanded, her patience slipping. "From the very first moment you saw him vith me, before you even spoke one word to him, you despised him. Why, Hallsteinn?"

"Because!" he shouted petulantly.

"That is not a reason!" Signe said heatedly, her frustration getting the better of her. "Give me a real reason!"

Hallsteinn stared at her for a moment, then growled and shook his head, before turning away from her to glare at the wall.

"I could tell from the way he looked at you that he vanted you. Right from the start," he said after a few moments. "At first, I hated him no more than I did all the other men I have seen looking at you that way. But then I saw how you looked at him before Garik and I left for Hedeby, and I knew. Something was there."

Signe frowned unsurely at those words. Before Hallsteinn and Garik had left, she had still very much been mooning over Bjorn. The only looks she could remember giving Torstein had been of gratitude for his help or of a friendly nature. What made Hallsteinn think she had been looking at him in another way?

"What do you mean?" she said. "I did not have any feelings for him then."

Hallsteinn snorted. "You and I may not be as close as you and Valborg, dear sister, but I still know you very well. I can see vhen someone has captured your interest, and your…betrothed…had most certainly caught your attention, even if you yourself did not realize it," he said matter-of-factly.

Signe frowned and crossed her arms. "Even if that were true," she started skeptically. "Why vould that give you reason to hate him?"

"Because I saw that he was still interested in you despite having obviously been involved vith Dísa, which led me to believe that he had ill intentions for you," Hallsteinn said. "I asked Bjorn about him, and he revealed that Torstein has alvays been a womanizer. He seemed like nothing but trouble." Hallsteinn looked at her, his face pulled down into an unhappy frown. "You are a smart woman in many ways, Signe, but I fear vhen it comes to men, you are still naïve. You trust far too easily, and you do not alvays see people for what they really are. I did not vant you to place your trust in him, only for you to realize far too late that you should never have done so in the first place."

Hallsteinn sighed and shook his head. "Now you are betrothed to him, and I fear that this decision vill come to haunt you. It pains me, Signe," he admitted. "You are my sister, my blood. I cannot stand the thought of you being hurt in any way. But once you are married to him, vhat can I do to protect you?" Hallsteinn looked pained now. "I fear I vill lose you to him, Signe. But what I fear even more is that you vill lose yourself."

The admission made her frustration with him immediately melt away. It was as Ingelill had said – Hallsteinn was afraid of losing her. But what neither of them had considered was how frightened he was for her, that this marriage would end poorly for her, and that she would come out of it worse in the end.

Signe sighed quietly, then stepped closer to grab his hand. She took it as a good sign that he didn't try to pull away from her. "I know how much you care for me, and I know how dedicated you are to the task of protecting me," she said gently. "But you cannot protect me from everything, brother."

"I have protected you thus far," Hallsteinn reminded.

Signe smiled. "You have, yes. But I am not a child anymore. I am a woman, I am a shieldmaiden. As much as I love you, and Valborg, and the twins, I do not need my big brothers clucking around me like overprotective hens anymore." She squeezed his hand, giving him a serious look. "I do not know what vill become of this marriage. I do not know if we vill be happy, or if we vill end up despising one another. But it was my choice to marry Torstein, and whatever comes of that is for me to handle."

"And if it ends badly?" Hallsteinn asked.

"Then I shall deal vith it," Signe said with a nod.

Hallsteinn looked at her for a long moment, then sighed. The anger and fight had left his eyes, replaced with resignation and, perhaps, a little bit of remorse. "You are a strong woman. I have thought so ever since mother died and you rose to the challenge of taking care of us all," he admitted. "I do not doubt that you possess the strength to meet almost any challenge you might face, but…are you certain this is vhat you want?" he asked, as if he still hoped she might change her mind. "Do not think of the Volva or the Gods for just one moment, and really consider my question. Is Torstein the man you truly want to marry?"

Bjorn's face flashed through her mind, unbidden. Though a part of her heart still longed for him and the future she had once dreamt of, she knew it was not meant to be. He would have a wife someday, but she would not be her. So she thought about Torstein instead, the way he made her laugh, how easy he was to talk to, how generous he was, and how much she was beginning to like the way he kissed her. She did not love him, but she felt something for him, and she was hopeful that they would have a good life together.

"Yes," Signe answered with a nod.

Hallsteinn nodded slowly and pursed his lips. "I alvays knew you would marry," he said. "I suppose I had just hoped it vould be Bjorn that vould become your husband. Him I could trust to take care of you."

Signe sighed at the mention of Bjorn, unsurprised Hallsteinn had brought him up. "Bjorn and I are meant to only be friends. And as far as taking care of me, well…" She paused and raised her brows. "It vas hard for me and Gunnar in Kattegat after you and Garik left. He vas half dead, and I vas working myself into the ground trying to heal him. I found myself exhausted, and alone, and barely able to keep food on the table. I needed help, and Bjorn was not there to give it. Do you know who was?" she asked. "Torstein. He helped us, made sure we had food, made sure I was taken care of so that I, in turn, could care for Gunnar. I could not have done it without Torstein. In fact, I sometimes wonder if Gunnar vould even still be here if he had not helped us."

Hallsteinn's eyebrows raised a little. "He did all of that?" he asked, sounding reluctantly impressed.

Signe nodded. "He is a good man."

"What about the womanizing?" Hallsteinn asked.

Signe merely shrugged. "Whatever he did before we met is no concern of mine," she said. "He has only ever treated me vith respect, and that is all that matters to me."

Hallsteinn slowly nodded, then sighed long and hard. "I know I can be quick to anger, and I know I can be stubborn," he said, which had Signe resisting the urge to snort. That was putting it mildly. "I also know that I can be quick to judge. If vhat you say about Torstein is true, then perhaps you were right. Perhaps I did…misjudge him," he admitted, though he sound physically pained to do so.

Signe felt hope flare in her chest. "It is not too late to get to know him. Who knows? Perhaps the two of you could learn to be friends," she said encouragingly.

Hallsteinn shot her a look. "I vould not go quite that far yet," he warned. "Saying he vill treat you well is one thing. Actually doing so is another. Once he proves that he is being a good husband to you, that he is making you happy, then I vill consider being his friend."

Signe bit back a smile. "That is reasonable."

Hallsteinn looked at her for a moment, then sighed and shook his head. "Forgive me, Signe," he said apologetically. "I have behaved like a child, and I have been a terrible brother. I let my emotions get the better of me."

Hearing the apology was a massive relief, but she could not help but seize the opportunity to tease him a little. "You? Let your emotions get the better of you? Why, that is practically unheard of," she said with feigned shock.

Hallsteinn huffed, but could not quite manage to suppress a smile. "Here I am, trying to make amends, and you mock me," he complained, though she could tell he wasn't truly offended.

Signe laughed. "I could not help myself." She smiled at him for a moment, then squeezed his hand again. "I am not angry vith you…not anymore, anyway," she corrected. "I know this was sudden, for everyone. But I have made my decision, and all I hope now is that you vill accept that and give us your support."

Hallsteinn nodded. "You have my support, Signe," he said, which made her feel as though the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. "You should have had it from the start."

Signe pulled him in for a tight hug, which he immediately reciprocated. "Thank you, Hallsteinn. And let us never argue like this again. It was horrible, not speaking to you this week," she openly admitted.

"It was not enjoyable for me either," he confessed. "I just needed my little sister to talk some sense into me."

Signe squeezed him again, feeling significantly happier than she had all week. Before coming to Hallsteinn's, she had truly feared that they would not be able to resolve their issues, that this fighting would carry over to Kattegat and that they would go months without speaking. But they had been able to talk things through, and as she pulled away from Hallsteinn to share a smile with him, he once again looked like the brother she adored…even if he did make it difficult sometimes.

"So this means you shall be at the wedding, yes?" she asked, just to clarify.

"Yes," Hallsteinn confirmed. "Truly, I was never planning to miss it."

Signe quirked a hesitant brow. "You did not plan to interfere, did you?"

"The thought crossed my mind," Hallsteinn said with a smirk. Then he shrugged. "But no, I vould not have done that. My only plan was to sulk in the shadows and get blindingly drunk."

Signe laughed, feeling relieved. "Well, vhile you no longer have to sulk, you may still get blindingly drunk. I am sure the twins vill have no qualms helping you do it."

Hallsteinn smiled a bit, then reached over to smooth some of her hair down, a slightly sad look entering his dark eyes. "I may still sulk," he warned. "Over the span of a mere few months, you became a shieldmaiden, fought in your first war, lived in a town you did not know to save our brother, and now you vill become a wife." He sighed and shook his head. "Sometimes I still think of you as that runt of a girl who used to whack my shins with sticks until I agreed to help train you to fight," he said with a fond smile. "I find myself wondering where that girl went to."

Signe shrugged. "She is grown up."

Hallsteinn nodded slowly. "Indeed she is."

Signe, sensing his sadness, offered a consoling smile. "Grown up or not, one thing has not changed," she said. "You may be a stubborn, irrational brute from time to time…but I still adore you."

Hallsteinn brightened up a bit. "And I you, dear sister." He patted her shoulder, then went toward the table. "Now come," he encouraged, already reaching for a pitcher of ale and a horn cup to pour a drink. "Sit and tell me about the wedding. We have much catching up to do."

Signe immediately grinned and went to join him, happy to fill him in.

---

Two days before she and Torstein were to be wed, Signe was busier than ever. She felt like a chicken with her head cut off, running here, there, and everywhere to make sure everything was done and ready for the ceremony. Sleep was difficult to come by, as her mind was constantly preoccupied with thoughts of the wedding. The days seemed to have all blended together into one busy, stressful blur.

Almost everything was done now. Enough food for a great feast had been sorted and stored, just waiting to be consumed by attendees. Tankards of mead and ale were ready to be drunk – some had already been finished off, thanks to the enthusiastic twins – and decorations were now starting to be put up all around the lake that she and Torstein would marry by, as well as around her father's property, where the celebrations would continue afterward. It wouldn't be long now, and the knowledge of that was starting to make her incredibly nervous.

Or perhaps, Signe thought to herself as she checked the road for about the hundredth time, her nervousness was due to the fact that her soon-to-be husband still had not returned to Hedeby. Or, maybe it was because the Gothar they had been speaking to had still not actually said whether or not he would be willing to perform the ceremony on such short notice. Or perhaps it was because they still did not have any honey mead for her and Torstein to drink at the wedding, and she had absolutely no idea where, or if, they would be able to find any.

She decided her nervousness was due to many reasons, and found herself seriously contemplating breaking into one of the tankards of ale to calm her nerves.

"How does this look?"

Signe, who had been staring out the window in a daze, glanced behind her at the question. Garik and Ingelill were seated at the table making decorative arrangements from various plants they had gathered from the forest. The arrangement wasn't as perfect as Ingelill's and the ribbon he had tied around it was a little sloppy looking, but it was certainly better than she would have thought him capable of.

"Other than the bow, it looks fine," Ingelill said, nodding in approval. "Allow me to show you how you how to tie the ribbon again."

As Ingelill showed her brother how to tie the bows the proper way, Signe went to grab the basket of arrangements she had finished a short while ago and took them outside. There was a wagon waiting nearby, which was already loaded with several decorations, all of which were going to be taken to the lake the following day to be set up for the ceremony. After the basket had been loaded with the others, she smiled briefly at her father and Gunnar, who were making a few small repairs to the house, then turned her eyes once again to the road. She was hoping to spot Torstein riding up the road with his family in tow, or perhaps to see Valborg and Hallsteinn, who had gone off to speak with the Gothar again, coming back with good news. There was no one on the road though, which made her sigh and deflate.

Signe had just turned back to the house to go back inside when she heard the whinny of a horse in the distance. Turning back around, she saw that two riders had just turned the bend in the road. She would have recognized those horses anywhere – it was Valborg and Hallsteinn.

Signe fidgeted on the spot as she watched her brothers approach. She noticed they were dragging a wagon behind their horses, which they had not had earlier. When they reached the house and dismounted their horses, she went to meet them.

"Well?" she asked, wringing her hands together anxiously. "What news do you bring?"

Valborg and Hallsteinn shared a look over their horses. "We bring good news, better news, and great news," Valborg revealed with a smirk, which had some of the tension in her body disappearing. "Which vould you like to hear first?"

Signe waved an impatient hand. "Do not play games. Tell me everything," she demanded.

Hallsteinn huffed. "So greedy," he teased with a smirk. When she gave him a look that said to stop leaving her in suspense, his expression turned a little more serious. "The good news is that after some…coaxing…the Gothar has agreed to perform the ceremony."

Signe grinned at first, immensely relieved to know that the ceremony would be able to actually take place now that there was someone to perform it. "That is wonderful!" she exclaimed. But then she thought about what Hallsteinn had actually said and frowned. "Wait. What do you mean by coaxing?" she asked, giving her brothers a stern look. "Do not tell me you threatened the Gothar!" she scolded.

Valborg raised his hands in defense. "I vould never do such a thing," he insisted, before shooting a not so subtle look at Hallsteinn.

Hallsteinn, for his part, was wearing an expression that was far too innocent to be believable. "Hallsteinn," Signe said warningly. "You threatened him?" When he did not answer, she frowned with annoyance. "Hallsteinn."

"What?" he asked incredulously. "You said not to tell you, so I am not telling you," he added smartly.

Valborg smothered an amused smirk behind his hand, while Signe merely glared at her brother before pinching the bridge of her nose. "I do not want to even think about vhat you might have done, so we vill leave that be for now," she said, though there was still disapproval in her tone. "Tell me the rest of the good news to brighten my mood again."

"Alright," Valborg agreed, before moving to the wagon they had brought and pulling back a large tarp, revealing several tankards of alcohol. "We have found you honey mead."

The sight of the mead had her smiling again. It was hard to find honey mead, since it was usually brewed specifically for the couple to be wed and it took several months to make. They were bending the rules a little by buying mead instead of making it, but given the hastiness of the wedding, they didn't have much choice in the matter. "Where did you find it?"

"There vas a couple due to wed in the next village over, but as luck vould have it, the husband to be fell ill and passed away, hence the wedding is no longer taking place," Valborg explained. "We were able to purchase the whole supply."

Signe frowned unsurely at his retelling. "I am not sure luck is the appropriate word to use considering a man has died."

"Well, the luck is for us. Not so lucky for them," Valborg corrected.

It seemed ominous, the honey mead for their wedding coming from the canceled ceremony of a woman and her dead lover, but Signe knew the chances of finding the mead anywhere else on such short notice was unlikely. It would just have to do. "Very well. And vhat is the last bit of news?"

Valborg smirked widely now, while Hallsteinn suddenly seemed a little less enthused. "Torstein has returned to Hedeby."

Those words sent a jolt through her belly. "He has?" she asked, her eyes darting back to the road to search for him. "How do you know?"

"We spotted him in the market place with his family as we were returning," Valborg told her. "I suspect he shall be arriving here very soon."

The revelation that her betrothed had returned immediately made her feel anxious, though whether that was due to nervousness or excitement, she couldn't quite say. She was glad that he had returned safely, and she would be happy to see his family – soon to be her family – again. But his return, as well as everything that her brothers had accomplished, made their upcoming wedding suddenly seem so much more real, which made several butterflies start flapping away in her belly.

As Valborg had predicted, it did not take too much longer for more travelers to appear on the road. While her brothers moved the honey mead inside, Signe paced around, her eyes locked on the road. Finally, a horse drawn wagon came into view. A golden haired man on a horse led the way, and she knew even without being able to see him clearly that it was Torstein.

Butterflies erupted in her stomach and she stopped pacing to wring her hands together, smiling nervously as she waited for him and his family to make their way closer. Torstein lifted a hand to wave at her when he saw her, and Signe waved back, then she went to greet him as he and his family finally reached the house.

"Thank the Gods you are here," Signe said. "I vas beginning to grow worried."

Torstein gave her an apologetic look as he dismounted his horse. "Forgive me for the delay. We traveled as quickly as we could." He then stepped up to her and immediately pulled her into a warm embrace. "You are a sight for sore eyes, Signe Olegdóttir," he murmured, hugging her tighter.

She couldn't exactly explain why, but being with Torstein again made all of her stress, fears, and nervousness begin to melt away. Signe leaned into him, smiling to herself as she returned his hug, closing her eyes momentary as she breathed in the scent of horse and the outdoors that clung to him. When he finally pulled back far enough to look at her, Signe smiled up at him.

"I am happy to see you," she told him honestly.

Torstein grinned, one tanned hand lifting to caress her cheek. "And I you."

His lips found hers in a kiss that she did not hesitate to return, but it was kept short when they heard the sounds of his family getting down from their wagon. Signe and Torstein parted and she immediately looked to his family, her smile widening as Tóra came stepping up to her.

"Signe, I am pleased to see you again," the woman said, pulling her in for a hug.

"Likewise," Signe said in return.

"I believe congratulations are in order," Jorund interjected with a large smile as he and Leif joined them. As Tóra released her, Jorund moved in to give her a quick hug. "Welcome to the family," he said warmly as he pulled away.

"Thank you," Signe said, her cheeks turning a little pink.

Tóra smiled gently and placed a hand on her son, Leif's, shoulder. "There is certainly much for us to discuss, but it has been a long journey and we could all use a little freshening up," she said, gesturing to their travel worn clothes.

Signe immediately nodded. "Of course. Allow me to help you get your things, and then I shall show you where you vill be staying so that you may get cleaned up."

"Thank you," Tóra said gratefully.

Signe and Torstein helped the family begin to unpack their wagon and Signe directed Torstein to take their bags to the barn, where she had set up as comfortable as a living space as she could. As they were in the process of getting the family settled, all of Signe's family came to greet the new arrivals. Torstein was hugged by Ingelill and shook hands with most of the men, before he introduced them to his sister and her family. While the two families greeted one another, Signe noticed that Hallsteinn hung back and watched with his arms crossed over his chest.

She frowned a bit, not liking his demeanor at all. He had told her he would give Torstein a chance and that he would stop treating him so harshly, but the look on his face in that moment had her worrying that he might go back on that promise.

A hand on her back made Signe look up at Torstein, who had come to stand by her while his family chatted with hers. "Has everything been alright while I have been away?" he asked quietly.

Signe nodded. "Some of the plans were a little challenging, but everything is taken care of."

"Good," Torstein said. He glanced at Hallsteinn, who was staring back at them. "And your brother?"

Signe glanced at Hallsteinn. "He was being very difficult, but we made amends a few days ago. I cannot say vhat is going through his mind now, though," she explained with a shrug.

No sooner had the words left her lips when Hallsteinn suddenly came walking toward them. Signe and Torstein watched him approach, both of them standing a little straighter as he came to a halt in front of them. Hallsteinn stared at Torstein for a long moment, and Torstein stared right back. The obvious tension had been enough to attract the attention of everyone else now, who were all watching with interest to see what would happen.

Finally, Hallsteinn spoke. "I vill not apologize for being protective of my sister," he started firmly. "She is my family, my blood, and it is my duty to make sure she is kept safe." He paused. "However, I was quick to decide you were untrustworthy vhen you gave me no real reason to believe it so, and I have treated you unfairly. For that, I do apologize."

Signe smiled with relief, glad that her brother had apologized, especially so because she knew it must have been difficult for him – apologizing had never been Hallsteinn's strong suit. As for Torstein, he seemed rather taken aback. "Thank you," he said, sounding quite surprised that Hallsteinn had taken the initiative to settle things between them.

Hallsteinn glanced at Signe, then looked back to Torstein. "Signe has chosen you. I vill confess that I still do not completely understand why, but…if this is vhat she wants, then I vill not stand in the way of that." He hesitated, then extended a hand toward Torstein. "You have my blessing to marry my sister."

Torstein looked at Signe, who was smiling even wider now, before he shook her brother's hand. "Again, thank you," he said, his shoulders relaxing with what seemed like relief. "It pleases me greatly to have your approval, Hallsteinn."

Hallsteinn nodded, then tightened his grip on Torstein's hand and yanked him a little closer so that he could pin him with a very serious look. The move made Torstein's brows shoot up in surprise. "Hurt her in any way, and I vill kill you," Hallsteinn warned. "That is not a threat. That is a promise."

Torstein pressed his lips together and nodded once. "Understood."

Hallsteinn stared him down for one more moment, then released his hand and gave his shoulder a hard whack. Signe noticed that he had hit the shoulder that Torstein had injured during the fight for her hand in marriage, a wound that was obviously still a little tender judging by how Torstein winced at the contact. She had no doubt in her mind that Hallsteinn had done that on purpose and gave her brother an exasperated look, which he dutifully ignored.

"Come inside, everyone," he urged, putting on a charming smile. "There is much to celebrate and plenty of ale to do it with."

He led the way inside, and everyone trailed after him. Signe hung back and gave Torstein a questioning look, her eyes trained on his healing shoulder.

"I am fine," he said, reading her mind. "Better, actually, now that Hallsteinn no longer wishes to kill me."

Signe smirked. "Are you certain of that?"

Torstein scoffed. "No," he said honestly.

Signe laughed, then laced her fingers with his. "Come inside. There is ale to be drunk."

Torstein simply smiled, nodded, then let her lead him inside the house.

---

If she had thought it had been busy before, now that Torstein and his family had arrived, it was even more so.

The house was positively buzzing with activity as everyone worked together to make the final preparations for the wedding. With it now being the day before the ceremony, the men kept themselves busy setting up tables, chairs, and various decorations around the house and property for the post-ceremony celebrations, while Signe, Tóra, and Ingelill spent nearly the entire day in the kitchen preparing all the food for the feast to come. The house was full of conversation and laughter, along with the giggles and enthusiastic chatter from Leif as he bounced back and forth between the men and the women. It was a very festive mood that had settled over the home, and Signe was enjoying every single moment of it.

In the afternoon, Signe, Torstein, Valborg, Jorund, and Leif headed into town to make a few more purchases. Valborg, Jorund, and Leif went off toward the food carts – and to explore the market a little – but Signe and Torstein headed back to the jewelry stand she had been at the week before to pick out wedding bands.

"How about this one?" the merchant asked, showing them a band made of a dark metal.

Torstein grabbed it and inspected it, then nodded. They had looked at a few already, but this was the first that had really caught his interest. "I like it."

"Does it fit?" Signe asked.

He started to put the ring on to test out the sizing, then stopped and handed the ring to her with a smile. "Would you like to do the honors?" he asked. "Think of it as practice for tomorrow."

Signe smiled, her stomach jolting with a sort of nervous excitement, and took the ring from him. She grabbed his right hand and, after sharing a brief look with him, slid it onto his fourth finger. The fit was perhaps a little bit tight, but as Torstein flexed his hand, he nodded in approval.

"It shall do," he said, gently taking the ring back off.

"Well, at least that matter is settled," Signe said. "Now to find one for myself," she added, glancing over the bands again.

"No need," Torstein said with a wave of his hand. "I have taken care of it already."

Signe raised her brows at him. "Have you?" Torstein smirked and nodded. "Very well then," she said, feeling very curious to know what sort of ring he had gotten for her.

They purchased his band and then Signe stowed it in the pocket of her dress for safekeeping. They left the jewelry stand behind and began making their way through the market to meet with Valborg, Jorund, and Leif again, walking closely together as they navigated their way through the crowd.

"I have been meaning to ask," Signe said, glancing up at him. "What vas Tóra's reaction vhen you told her of our betrothal?"

Torstein chuckled. "Very surprised," he told her.

"Do I have any reason to be worried?" Signe asked. They had spent so much time worrying about her family accepting Torstein that she hadn't stopped to think about whether or not Torstein's family would have troubles accepting her.

"No," Torstein said without hesitation. "She likes you, and she approves of the match."

Signe smiled with relief. "Good."

Torstein smiled, then placed a hand on her back and pulled her a little closer to avoid a wagon coming their way. "Are you nervous for tomorrow?" he asked after a moment or two.

Signe sighed and shrugged. "A little," she admitted. "More so because I worry something vill go wrong. Planning everything so quickly was not an easy task."

Torstein nodded in understanding. "I am sorry I vas not here to help."

Signe shook her head. "There is no need for apology. Your family being here is far more important than you helping to make preparations. I vould have sent you away if you had attempted stay."

Torstein smiled and slid the hand on her back up to her shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Well, I am glad you are not angry with me."

Signe smiled reassuringly. "Not even a little."

They fell quiet again as they made their way through the market, and Signe found herself dwelling on his question about whether or not she was nervous for the day ahead of them.

The truth was that she had not been completely honest with him. She was nervous about something else, something she hadn't wanted to talk about in such a public setting.

Getting married in an official ceremony was only the first step to becoming husband and wife. The next step, a very important step, would happen after the ceremony, when they finally went to bed together and consummated their new marriage. The thought of sleeping with Torstein so soon made her feel several things all at once – scared, nervous, curious, and, admittedly, a little excited. It would be the first time she had been with a man in that way, and though she somewhat knew what to expect from things her friends had told her, she was most assuredly treading into unknown territory.

What would it be like? Would Torstein be gentle with her? Would she enjoy it? Signe hoped she would, but all of her more experienced friends had warned her that the first time was painful and rarely enjoyable for the woman. At this point, she didn't have high expectations.

Still, Signe snuck a look up at Torstein, unable to help imagining what it would be like to have him kissing her, and touching her, and to feel the warm weight of his body on top of hers. Heat immediately flashed through her at the vivid images and her cheeks tinged pink. When Torstein suddenly looked down at her, she had to turn her eyes away quickly to avoid being caught staring.

"What is it?" Torstein asked curiously, having noticed the change in her behavior.

"Nothing," Signe answered perhaps a little too quickly.

Torstein slid his hand down her arm, leaving a trail of warmth, and grabbed her hand to pull her to a stop. "No, tell me. What is on your mind?" he pried.

Signe shook her head. "Honestly, it is – "

"Torstein?"

The new voice made them both turn to look at who had just addressed them. Signe felt her stomach sink a little to see Dísa, who was holding a basket full of food and staring back at Torstein in surprise. The pretty shieldmaiden gazed at the Kattegat warrior in shock for a moment, glanced at Signe, then looked back to Torstein.

"I am surprised to see you," she said.

Torstein glanced at Signe, and then nodded to Dísa politely. "Hello, Dísa," he greeted.

"What brings you to Hedeby?" Dísa asked. When her eyes dropped down to look at their hands, it was only then that Signe realized they were still intertwined.

"Well, I am actually getting married," he told her. "To Signe," he added, smiling down at Signe.

Dísa's eyebrows shot up in surprise, then her expression went very flat. "Oh. I see." Dísa looked at Signe again, her eyes giving her a critical once over, as if trying to figure out why exactly Torstein had decided to marry her. Her eyes met Signe's again, then she gave them a cool smile. "Well, congratulations, I suppose," she said, though it sounded insincere. "May the Gods bless you vith a long and happy life together."

Dísa turned to leave after that, disappearing into the crowd just as quickly as she had emerged from it. Signe, feeling awkward, looked up at Torstein, who looked equally uncomfortable.

"Well…that was odd," he joked in an attempt to ease the tension.

"Indeed," Signe agreed.

He glanced in the direction Dísa had gone one last time, then gave her hand a gentle tug. "Come. Let us find the others."

Signe just nodded in agreement and quietly followed him.

The rest of the day passed quickly, and before she knew it, night had fallen. Everyone gathered around the table for a hearty dinner and drank ale late into the night, the excitement over the day to come making it difficult for anyone to feel too sleepy. There was plenty of laughter as the ale continued to flow, and everyone seemed to be in a happy mood.

All except for Signe, anyway.

Try as she might, she couldn't get the encounter with Dísa out of her mind. It was not that she was worried about the shieldmaiden, nor would she say that she was jealous of whatever connection she had shared with Torstein after the battle for Kattegat. No, what troubled her was the fact that seeing Dísa again had vividly reminded her of the fact that Torstein had most certainly been with women before her. And judging by the things she had heard from Lagertha and Bjorn, she thought it safe to assume he had been with lots of women before her.

Her nervousness at being intimate with him had taken on a new form. Instead of worrying about whether or not she would enjoy it or what it might be like, now she was worried that she wouldn't be able to please him the way other women had in the past. Signe was so much more aware of her inexperience now, and she almost cursed herself for it. She knew how making love worked, but she wouldn't really know what to do. What if Torstein was disappointed with her?

It was a troubling thought, that was for sure. She didn't know why it bothered her so much, seeing as she and Torstein were not in love and there would be no real feelings attached to their love making…but he was going to be her husband, and that was going to be a part of their new relationship, and love or no, she didn't want it to be bad. Signe was good at a lot of things – healing injuries, cooking, singing, fighting. But what if she was absolutely terrible at sex? It was probably foolish of her to be dwelling over it, but the thought simply wouldn't leave her be.

When everyone finally decided to call it a night, there were several rounds of hugs and words of excitement, before everyone said their goodbye's. Slowly everyone began to make their way back to their respective beds for the night, until it was only Signe, her father, and Torstein left.

"Goodnight, dear daughter," Oleg said, hugging her tight and kissing her forehead. He pulled back to smile down at her adoringly. "Tomorrow, you vill become a married woman," he said, as if she really needed to be reminded.

Signe smiled. "Indeed I vill be."

Oleg placed a hand on her cheek and sighed quietly. "I love you. Very much."

"And I love you," she readily said back.

Oleg kissed her head one last time, then finally stepped away. "Get some sleep," he said as he walked away. "You vill certainly need it for tomorrow."

"Alright," Signe told him.

Oleg stopped to shake hands with Torstein and share a few words with him, then disappeared into his bedroom. Now alone with Torstein, Signe smiled at him briefly before turning to carry the tankards they had finished over to the table.

"Are you alright?" Torstein asked, making her pause and look back at him.

"Yes, of course," she said, even though that wasn't entirely true. "Why do you ask?"

"You have been quiet since we returned from the market," Torstein said, coming over to join her. He leaned against the table and crossed his long arms over his chest. "Is this about Dísa?" he asked bluntly. "Because if you are worried about her, you need not be. Whatever was between us is over."

Signe sighed and shook her head. "I am not worried about Dísa."

Torstein looked unconvinced. "What are you worried about then?"

Signe pressed her lips together, then moved to lean back against the counter opposite of where Torstein stood. She decided that if they were going to be married, then she might as well be honest with him. "You have been with women before," she stated bluntly. "I do not judge you for it, but I am aware of it nonetheless."

Torstein frowned a little. "Does it bother you?" he asked uneasily.

"No," Signe told him. "But…I do not have the experience that you do. And I find myself fearing that…I vill be a disappointment."

Torstein's expression eased, and he let out a long sigh. "Signe…" he said gently.

She couldn't help but blush and look down at her feet. "Maybe I am foolish for having such fears, but I cannot help them," she said. "The truth is that I may not be able to satisfy you. If I cannot, then I vant you to know now that if you ever do find yourself unsatisfied, then you have my permission to fulfill your needs elsewhere," she told him quickly. "In fact, you should know that I do not expect you to be faithful to me, considering the circumstances of our marriage. If there is ever another woman you desire, or – "

She would have said more, but suddenly Torstein's lips were on hers. He pressed against her tightly, his hands holding either side of her face as his lips and tongue dominated hers with a hunger that caught her off guard. Signe recovered enough to kiss him back, her fingers sliding into his hair and a sigh escaping her as his warm body pressed her into the counter. Finally, he pulled away, leaving her to stare at him with surprised eyes and a heaving chest.

"I do not think it possible for you to dissatisfy me, Signe," he told her, his voice husky and his eyes dark with desire. "And I vill not bed another woman. You are to be my wife, and I vill be loyal to you," he said, leaving no room for doubts or argument on the matter.

Signe gulped, then slowly nodded, unable to find her voice to answer back.

Torstein kissed her again, this time gentler and more leisurely, before slowly pulling away from her. He grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles, his eyes holding hers the entire time, before offering a sweet smile the contradicted the heat she could still spy in his eyes.

"Worry not, and try to get some sleep," he urged. "Tomorrow we become husband and wife."

Signe nodded again. "Alright."

Torstein smiled, kissed her hand one last time, then finally turned to leave so he could join his family in the barn. He paused at the door, sent one last smile at her over his shoulder, and then he was gone.

Signe sighed once she was alone and lifted a hand to her lips, still able to feel the heated kiss he had given her. As she replayed the last few minutes in her head, she couldn't suppress the smile that tugged at her lips. One good kiss and a few words, and Torstein had obliterated all of her worries and doubts. How had he done that so easily?

Signe didn't know, but she did know that it was late and that she needed to rest. She finally retired to her bedroom for the night, not sleeping at first, but rather enjoying this last, quiet night alone in her childhood bedroom. For after tomorrow, she would be married and then everything would be different.

When she did finally fall asleep, it was with a distinct feeling of excitement. Excitement over the events to come, and for the future that awaited her.

---

Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter! See you at the next one!