Several weeks passed and Siv was becoming quite the warrior under Rollo's guidance.
Siv was currently trying to disarm Rollo, but he blocked every single one of her blows. She was growing more and more frustrated at each block and finally decided to take the fight to the ground. She rammed into him with her shoulder and they tumbled to the dirt.
Rollo grabbed her by her hair and yanked her head back, which caused her to cry out. Siv managed to turn her head and spit in his face, which caused him to loosen his grip enough for her to turn her body and get on top of him. He then used his weight to his advantage and rolled over on top of her. She kicked at his knee, which caused him to lose his balance before she wrapped a leg around his waist and rolled over on top of him once more. She dug her hand into his hair and held his head down painfully as she drew her knife from her belt and held it to this throat. They panted for breath as they stared into each other's eyes.
Ubbe and Hvitserk rushed through Kattegat searching for their favorite playmate, Siv. She hadn't been in the hall when they awoke, so they figured she must have gone out to the market. They ran through the marketplace and darted between people searching for her. They had no luck and came to a stop in front of the hall.
"Where could she be?" Ubbe asked.
"Maybe she went to the forest," Hvitserk suggested.
"I didn't see footsteps," Ubbe countered.
"What about the fjord?"
The brothers glanced towards the fjord and saw two sets of footsteps in the dirt. They then glanced at each other before running towards the fjord.
Rollo grabbed Siv's hair and tugged hard enough for her to lose her balance. She fell off of him and he immediately pinned her down by her wrists and pressed her legs into the dirt with his knees.
She was surprised as he stared down into her face.
"I win," he said.
She frowned and bucked against him, but it did nothing.
He grinned as she struggled against him.
"What do you want?" she spat, "A prize?"
He took in the sight of her below him. Despite her being disheveled and sweating, she was utterly beautiful. He thought back on the kiss on the cheek she had given him and felt his mouth go dry as he looked at her full lips. He felt lust creep through his veins as he imagined what her lips would feel like on his.
Siv watched as Rollo leaned in towards her lips. She stared in surprise as he drew nearer. Suddenly she heard a yell and the next thing she knew two shapes were knocking Rollo off of her.
Ubbe and Hvitserk stood proudly over Siv and she blinked up at them in surprise.
Rollo rose on his elbows and looked just as surprised as she did.
"Siv, we found you!" Ubbe exclaimed happily.
"What were you doing with our uncle?" Hvitserk asked.
Siv glanced at Rollo and couldn't prevent the blush that stole into her cheeks.
"Your uncle was teaching me to fight," she said.
Hvitserk furrowed his brow and looked over at his uncle.
Rollo rose to his feet and seriously considered knocking his nephews upside the head for interrupting their sparring.
"Is this why you are always gone when we wake up in the morning?"
"Yes, Ubbe," she replied.
"Why are you learning to fight?"
Siv glanced at Rollo.
"Siv wishes to be a shieldmaiden," he said.
The boys looked at each other and looked relieved.
"We thought you were meeting a man," Hvitserk admitted, "We thought that you were going to get married and leave us."
Siv sighed and rested her hands on their shoulders.
"I have not found a husband and I am not leaving you both," she said, "I love you both too much to leave."
Ubbe hugged her tightly and Siv wrapped her arms around him.
Hvitserk glanced at his uncle and noticed the faint glint of jealousy in his eyes.
Siv rose to her feet and hauled Ubbe up with her. The boy quickly took off running towards the hall and his brother followed him. Siv glanced back at Rollo.
"And what do you wish your prize to be?"
He blinked and felt his mouth go dry. Would he risk asking her for a kiss? He felt as if he was betraying Siggy by thinking about kissing another woman so soon after learning of her death.
Siv grew tired of waiting and sighed. She walked up to him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips.
Rollo felt as if Thor had struck him with lightning. Her kiss made his entire body buzz with energy. He was tempted to grab her by her waist and pull her back for another, but restrained himself.
Siv smiled at him and picked up her sword before following after the boys. She would see him tomorrow.
Rollo stared after her and tried to calm himself. He hadn't felt desire like that since Siggy had died. He picked up his sword and made his way back home. Thoughts of guilt pursued him as he entered his house and laid down his sword. Was he betraying Siggy by trying to move on? Would Siggy want him to pursue Siv, her close friend? He prayed to the gods for an answer.
A month passed and Siv had grown to be much stronger than she had been and was proving to be quite the warrior. During this time Rollo found his lust for Siv growing with each passing day as she trained with him. He would take in the sight of her shapely legs and her fiery eyes staring down into his as she pinned him to the ground. Her touch was like thunder and he could think of nothing, but how much he wanted her. The gods had answered his prayers in the form of dreams. He dreamed of sharing his bed with Siv at night and would wake up panting and hungering for her touch and her lips on his. But he knew that she would never lay with him. She deserved better than him.
As she trained with Rollo, Siv began to have strange dreams. She dreamed one night of lying next to a bear in a bed of furs with the bear's large paw resting on her bare breast. A few nights later she dreamed that she gave birth to a bear cub that roared in her arms. Thoughts concerning the dreams occupied her day and night. Even when she was training with Rollo she was running through the possible meanings of her dreams, but she had no idea what they meant. Finally, she decided to see the Seer.
Siv put on her cloak and carried a small offering of dried venison for the Seer as she made her way to his hut. She opened the door and saw him sitting in the middle of the floor as if he had been expecting her. His eyeless gaze bore into her as she approached him.
"Siv," he said, "Many months have passed since I last saw you."
"Yes, Seer," she said as she sat across from him.
"What brings you here today?"
She bit her lip and held her hands in her lap.
"I have had strange dreams the past few nights," she began, "I dreamed that I was lying with a bear and his paw was resting on my breast. Two nights ago I dreamed that I gave birth to a bear cub that roared in my arms."
The Seer was quiet as he listened to her and mulled over the possible meanings of the symbols in her dream. Then he suddenly smiled.
"You will fulfill your namesake," he said.
She tilted her head and looked at him questioningly even though she knew that he couldn't see her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"You will finally be a bride."
Siv's heart skipped a beat in her chest. She would marry soon? But who would be her husband?
"Who will I marry?" she asked.
The Seer grinned wider.
"The maiden fair shall tame the wild bear."
Her eyebrows furrowed together as she took in his words.
"I have told you all that I can," the Seer said, "May the gods protect you, dear Siv."
Siv handed over the dried venison to him and rose to her feet.
"Thank you, Seer," she said before walking out the door.
Rollo walked through the market and saw Siv leaving the Seer's hut. She appeared to be deep in thought as she walked through the crowd of people. The wind rushed through her hair and he felt his blood sing in his veins as he took in her beauty. His eyes darted towards the Seer's hut and his feet moved of their own volition.
The Seer was waiting for him when he entered.
"Rollo," he said, "It has been a year since you came to seek my guidance."
Rollo sat before the blind man.
"I wish to see what the gods have in store for me."
The Seer grinned.
"Have you had many dreams lately?" he asked.
Rollo took a deep breath as he remembered the dream he had last night of making love to Siv in his bed.
"Yes," he answered.
The Seer seemed to sense the tension in his voice and leaned forward.
"If you knew what the gods had in store for you, you would dance naked on the beach."
Rollo raised an eyebrow.
"What do the gods have in store for me?"
"The maiden fair shall tame the wild bear."
His eyebrows furrowed as he took in the Seer's words.
"Is there anything more that you can tell me?"
"I have told you all that I can. May the gods protect you, Rollo."
The Seer held out his hand for his payment and Rollo placed a few pieces of gold in his hand before rising to his feet.
"Rollo," the Seer suddenly said, "It is alright for you to move on. You have mourned Siggy long enough."
Rollo glanced back at the blind man.
"I feel like I haven't waited long enough," he admitted.
"Siggy wouldn't want you to abandon your chance at happiness. The gods are telling you that her spirit wishes you to move on."
Rollo took in his words and felt confused. Siggy had been sending him those intimate dreams? She wanted him to lay with Siv? He left the hut and walked through the streets of Kattegat with this knowledge weighing on his heart.
Siv couldn't think of anything else other than what the Seer had told her. She would finally be a bride! She wondered who her husband would be as she wiped down the hall tables for an upcoming feast. She stopped her work when Lady Aslaug approached her.
"Siv," she said with a small smile on her face, "I have a favor to ask of you."
"Yes, Lady Aslaug?"
"My husband wishes for you to sing at the upcoming feast," she said, "He loves your voice."
Siv smiled at the compliment and nodded her head.
"Of course, Lady Aslaug. I would be happy to."
Lady Aslaug smiled just as a child's cry echoed through the hall.
"Oh, Ivar," she said with a sigh as she quickly walked off to care for her son.
Siv returned to wiping the tables and wondered what song she should sing. She began to hum different tunes to herself to see which ones suited her. She finally found one and felt herself grow excited for the upcoming feast day.