Chapter 26

Disclaimer: Any factual research is not mine. All rights go to original owners, no copyright intended.

Hey guys here is chapter 26! Thanks once again for all the great reviews! I've been dealing with a lack of motivation (again) and I appreciate your patience. Please review and let me know what you think! I'd really appreciate it. :)

-Vegter999

Freyja's POV:

Tomorrow. My wedding was tomorrow. I nervously tapped my fingers on the bench, then began wandering about the room. The jitteriness I felt coursing through my veins simply refused to leave me alone. I flexed my fingers, picked up the broom and began sweeping a floor that wasn't even dirty to begin with.

"Ugh, nothing is working!" I exclaimed.

I irritably set the broom down and sat once again on the bench, resting my head in my hand and sighing.

"I got it! I. Got. It!" Helga exclaimed, stepping into the room, holding the dress up so I could see it. Her hair was slightly frazzled and her eyes portrayed almost a wild glee, like a child who'd just accomplished a large feat and now was showing the result off to her parents. It was significantly shorter than it had been, Helga had spent nearly two weeks refitting the dress and pinning it up, resulting in me having to stand in it for goodness knows how long, until at last my legs got sore, and I could stand no longer.

A door knock thankfully distracted Helga from exhausting me any further with her unending excitement.

Agnarr stood there, a hopeful expression on his face.

"Helga, is Freyja here?"

"Yes she most certainly is" I replied for her, walking up to stand beside her.

Agnarr gave me a grin and an almost imperceptible wink before asking "Wanna come on a walk with me?"

"Yes!" I replied, probably a bit too enthusiastically. Agnarr simply raised his eyebrows and I gave him a look that said Just go with it. I'll explain later. He shrugged as I retrieved my shawl and followed him outside. Finally, I had another good excuse to get away from Helga.

Kai bounded outside after us.

"Sorry. I hope you don't mind if Kai tags along with us."

Agnarr shrugged.

"It seems he's already decided for us. He follows you around like a shadow."

"He just misses Magni. Probably wants to be sure I don't abandon him too."

Kai growled at Agnarr, his ears going back and his hackles slightly rising.

"Now let's get one thing straight right now." Agnarr held up a finger, glaring right back at him and refusing to be intimidated.

"I am the man, you are the dog. I am the chieftain, you are the dog. I..." Agnarr glanced over to see me trying to hold in laughter.

"...am not having this conversation with a dog." Agnarr then turned around with all the dignity he could muster and held his arm for me to take. I did and we began our stroll down the street.

When we were far enough down the street and out of site of most of the townspeople Agnarr put his arm around my shoulders and whispered in my ear "What was that about back at the house?"

"Ugh, you have no idea how glad I am to get out of that house" I replied.

"Why?"

"Helga's been driving me insane with all her energy and talk about our wedding."

"Is our wedding not exciting for you?" Agnarr asked, looking slightly offended.

"No, no, nothing like that. Of course I'm excited, I just fear Helga's going a little overboard, that's all."

"Ah, I see" his face cleared and we continued walking after our slight pause in the road.

"How are you feeling about tomorrow?" I suddenly asked.

"Excited same as you. How could I not be?"

"You don't feel nervous? Perhaps even a little terrified?"

Agnarr stopped and gazed at me for a moment before tugging me off the road into a grassy field.

He gestured for me to sit down as he too did the same. Kai ambled over and set his head in my lap as if to say, you may be her future husband but I'm still her protector until I say otherwise. Kai emitted a low growl at Agnarr before I told him gently to stop. After that he seemed to gain a begrudging acceptance of Agnarr's presence and settled down.

"What's troubling you?"

I suddenly felt very embarassed.

"Nothing. It's nothing. I..."

"Freyja" Agnarr said firmly, giving me a look and raising his eyebrows.

I sighed, knowing it was useless to try to hide it from him now.

"It's just...this will all be very new to me. My position, you...us...living together."

"We'll do it together."

"Really?"

"Really. Sound like a plan?"

A gave a soft smile and nodded, his words having abated my fears somewhat.

###

When I got back to Helga's the autumn sun was quickly setting beneath the horizon, casting it's glow and flickering shadows across the landscape. Agnarr saw me to the door.

"Until tomorrow then" I whispered, before he have me his signature lopsided grin and kissed me, pulling me into his strong arms and making me never want to leave his embrace. After we released each other I grinned at him before pulling my shawl tighter around me and making my way towards the door.

"I can hardly wait" Agnarr grinned.

Kai nudged me at the doorway and whined.

"Yes, I know Kai. I'm coming" I soothed him gently. With one last slightly shy smile, I softly shut the wooden door behind me.

###

Helga shook me awake and I opened my eyes to to see her sunny expression staring back at me.

"Good morning, Jarl's bride. Up and adam. We have to get ready for the ceremony."

My eyes shot open and I sat bolt upright, remembering what day it was. My wedding day. I struggled to keep the contents of last night's dinner in my stomach as I arose and followed Helga to the small pot over a fire.

"Here. Eat and I'll do you hair." She handed me a bowl of leftover stew with a spoon and a piece of bread to lap up the dregs. I sat on a stool while Helga parted my long dark hair. She then began forming a bun in the back and then braiding some of my hair, winding the braid around the bun, while letting most of the rest hang down. She curled two of the long strands of hair hanging in the front, allowing them to frame my face.

"How are feeling?" Helga asked.

"Nervous beyond belief."

"Good, that means your ready."

Agnarr's POV:

I adjusted the belt around my freshly washed white tunic, fiddling with it for what seemed like the millionth time in the past two minutes. Among our people there was no official costume for a wedding, so I figured this ought to do. In the year I'd known her, I'd come to realize that Freyja was not one to take to extravagance, but rather to simplicity. Something more elaborate probably wouldn't be her ideal for a groom on her wedding day.

When I glanced over at Loki he gestured to me, failing to hide a grin.

You're nervous aren't you?

"You'd probably be nervous if you were the one getting married" I replied, indignantly.

So you admit you're nervous?

"I said nothing of the sort."

"Daddy!" Bryn whined, coming into the room, holding up a shirt that was a much smaller version of the shirt I was wearing.

"I ripped it!" he exclaimed, showing me a large size hole in the fabric.

"We'll get Gyda to mend it later. Loki fetch him another shirt." Loki silently obeyed and returned a few moments later with an extra shirt and handed it to Bryn, who rushed off to change.

Freyja's POV:

"Helga! Where is the wreath of flowers you made?!" We had finished my hair and I had now changed into my dress, which, thankfully, fit perfectly after Helga's strenuous ministrations. Now the only thing left was to put on the wreath of flowers which were flowers braided into a circle that would be placed on the head of a Northmen bride on her wedding day, and it could be removed only by the groom on the wedding night.

"What was that?" she called from the back of the house, voice slightly muffled.

"The flower wreath Helga, where is it?!"

"I've got it! Be there in a second!"

As I waited for Helga, I stared back at my reflection in the mirror. I had to admit I looked stunning.

I wonder if Agnarr will think so too.

I shook my head as Helga came back into the room.

"Here we are" she said, allowing me to look at the wreath. It was made of pure white flowers, with delicate petals, reminding me of Snowflake's coat.

"It's beautiful" I breathed, taking it into my own hands.

A knock came at the door. Helga answered it while I continued to examine the intricacy of the wreath.

"It's time" I heard the voice of Rurik say. Helga nodded and came back to me.

"Ready?" she asked, grinning as bright as the sun.

"Yes" I managed to squeak out as my stomach coiled into a tight knot. Helga gave me an understanding smile, before taking the wreath and placing it on the top of my head.

"Remember to just breathe" she reassured, squeezing my hand. I nodded and gave her what I hoped was a convincing smile before she handed me a sword to give to Agnarr. During the wedding ceremonies of the Northmen the bride would gift her groom with a sword of her ancestors, symbolizing the responsibility of protecting her passing over from her family to her husband. In this case, Helga had given me one belonging to her ancestors since Magni was banished and his sword taken by Hakon. I'd felt honored by that, seeing as swords were expensive to obtain.

We made our way out the door together, my nervousness growing along with my resolve with each passing step. I pushed those feelings of nervousness to the side, and focused on taking one step at a time.

When we got to the place where the townspeople gathered, they parted for us, allowing me to see Agnarr for the first time. He was dressed plainly in a white tunic and dark trousers, his blond hair braided back in it's usual style, along with a dark belt running around his waist, from which hung a sword. That was typical of Northmen grooms, to wear a weapon at their wedding. It would be a sword retrieved from the grave of a long dead ancestor. It was symbolic of the fact that the groom went into the grave as a boy, died, and was reborn again as a man, and after retrieving the sword, he would bathe to wash away his unmarried status.

"Freyja, start walking" Helga murmured out of the corner of her mouth and I realized I'd been staring. I quickly composed myself and began walking down the path the villagers had cleared for me, towards the altar where Agnarr stood, along with a Gothi, or Priest.

Don't trip. Don't trip. Don't trip.

I repeated this over and over to myself until I reached the altar, a small wooden table with a bowl, and a bundle of fir twigs, and flashed Agnarr a reticent smile, before becoming serious, as I knew that was what was expected. We stood facing each other, about an arms length apart, in front of the altar. The crowd, which had before been murmuring and whispering among themselves, quieted down as the Gothi raised his hands for silence.

"Great gods and goddesses, I call you today to witness the union of this man and this woman." He began muttering certain incantations, probably a hymn of some sort, further calling forth the attention of their gods.

"In exchange for your favor, Thor, god of lightening, we sacrifice to you an animal. May this please you." One of the Gothi's attendants brought forth a goat, which was the usual animal sacrificed to their god Thor. If it was to Freyja it would be a sow, and if to Freyr it would a boar or even a horse. I wanted to raise objections, wanting no living thing being sacrificed simply so I could married, but I knew that if I did so it would certainly reveal my direly kept secret. I felt frustration rise up in me yet again as I was forced to do nothing. I tried to keep my eyes trained on Agnarr's face as the goat was brought to the table, writhing in protest. I felt tears prickle my eyes at how scared the poor innocent creature must be, it was almost as if he were begging me to help him. Yet, I could do nothing. The goat was held down on the table and it's throat was slit, crimson blood oozing from it's neck. It reminded me of the story of how the rivers had become red with blood in Egypt or how it had dripped down from the Lord on the cross. The Gothi held the bowl beneath the stream, until it was filled to the brim, and the carcass was carelessly tossed aside, probably to be disposed of later.

I desire mercy, not sacrifice.

God's words rang in my head.

How could these people be so callous towards a beautiful creature of God? Now it had died because of me, just like Jesus had on the cross. A sacrifice that had not been his to make, yet he did anyway.

The Gothi placed the bundle of fir twigs into the bowl and used it to sprinkle the goats blood over us, symbolizing the blessing of their gods. I tried to cringe as red droplets were splashed over me.

"Now exchange your swords" the Gothi instructed, placing the bowl back on the table.

Agnarr handed me his ancestral sword, which I, as the bride, would keep until our eldest son came of age and then pass it down. A ring lay on the hilt of the sword, which remained there as I passed Helga's sword to Agnarr, with a ring draped upon the hilt of hers in similar fashion. We then removed each other rings from the swords, and slipped them onto each other's fingers, after which we joined hands upon the sword Agnarr had taken from the grave, ready to say our vows.

"Do you Agnarr Bjornsson, wish to take this woman as your wife? Will you faithfully protect her and perform the duties of a husband, for the honor of yourself, your family, and your people?"

"Yes."

"Do you Freyja Magnisdottir wish to take this man as your husband? Will you faithfully advise him to the best of your abilities, and perform the duties of a wife, for the honor of yourself, your family, and your people?"

MY people. If only that were true.

I took a deep breath, pushing away those thoughts.

"Yes."

"Then by the power given to me by the gods, I now declare that you are man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Agnarr grinned at me and I couldn't help doing so myself, as his lips met mine, and jeers and shouts of joy erupted from the crowd.

"Are you happy my wife?" Agnarr murmured, his lips still close to mine.

I smiled back.

"How could I not be, my husband?"

Hey guys, I had so much fun researching for and writing this chapter. Please review :)