‘No.’ Brandt’s voice hardened. ‘There won’t be anyone else for me. All I want now is justice for Ingrid.’
They were silent for a few moments before Brandt lowered his head again. ‘If we’re leaving in the morning, then I suppose I should pack.’
‘We?’
‘Skíð is on the way to Katanes. It’s probably time I spoke to my mother and I wouldn’t miss meeting this wife of yours for the world.’ He laughed. ‘Sandulf was right; no one from Maerr would ever believe it. Danr Sigurdsson, in love.’
* * *
‘There you are.’ Hilda came bustling across the hall, a green tunic draped over one arm. ‘This will suit you perfectly.’
‘What is it for?’ Sissa looked up from her sewing, taking the garment and holding it out at arm’s length in confusion. It was undeniably beautiful, with a neckline and cuffs trimmed with intricately woven green and yellow braid which had obviously taken many hours to make, but it was far too fine for living in a forest. Impractical, too. She’d wrench the sleeves off within a day.
‘For you to wear, of course. And we’d better start braiding your hair properly now that you’re a married woman.’ Hilda smiled benevolently. ‘You want Danr to be pleased when he sees you.’
‘He knows what I look like.’ Sissa lifted an eyebrow, surprised by the other woman’s enthusiasm. ‘You really don’t hate him any more, do you?’
‘No.’ Hilda sat down on a stool by her side. ‘I’m tired of all that. I was tired of it a long time ago, but I didn’t know how to let go of it. Now I want to think of the future and the village we’re going to build.’
‘Village?’ She dropped the gown into her lap abruptly.
‘Didn’t Danr tell you?’ Hilda gave a secretive smile. ‘I suppose it was all such a rush before he left. Joarr wants us to build a new hall somewhere close by on the island.’
‘No, he didn’t mention anything.’ She searched her memory, but he hadn’t said a word about building a hall, at least not since that night when they’d camped on the other side of the island and that had only been a passing thought, surely? ‘You mean Danr discussed it with you?’
‘Only briefly, but he thought it was a good idea.’
‘I didn’t think you and he would want to live in the same village.’
Hilda made a dismissive sound. ‘I admit the idea seemed unlikely to me, too, at first, but as long as he proves a good husband to you, Danr will be a part of my family from now on. Which makes you my daughter. Truth be told, I always wanted one of those. And I hope you and Danr will have many more for me to enjoy.’
‘Many more what?’
‘Daughters, of course!’ Hilda laughed. ‘And sons, too. It’ll be good to have children around again.’
‘Oh.’ Sissa balled her fists into the tunic on her lap. She hadn’t planned that far ahead. She hadn’t planned at all beyond Danr’s return. She’d only just accepted the idea of sharing her life with him. She definitely hadn’t considered children!
‘But there’s plenty of time for all that...’ Hilda continued, ‘though I don’t suppose Danr will want to waste any time getting started.’
‘You mean with mating?’
‘I...’ Hilda’s expression froze with an expression of shock. ‘Ye-es, I suppose so... Ah.’ She stood up hastily. ‘I see Alva wants me. We’ll talk more later.’
Sissa watched her go, squeezing her brows together and chewing the insides of her cheek anxiously. The tunic in her lap felt heavy. No doubt Hilda wanted her to try it on, but she didn’t want to. All she wanted was to get out into the open air, away from the bustle and noise of the hall where the very walls felt as though they were closing in and stifling her senses. A village? Danr had said they’d make decisions together. He definitely hadn’t said anything about a village, but according to Hilda, they’d already agreed and her future was as good as decided. They were going to build a new village, a new home where she and Danr could live and have babies... Babies!
She rubbed her palms together as they started to sweat. Her head was swimming, although it didn’t feel quite like her head either. She felt as if she were outside her own body and looking at someone with neatly combed hair, a clean woollen gown and a freshly scrubbed face. At this rate, Danr might not even recognise her when he came back. If he came back.
She stood up, trying to shake off the sense of rising panic. What if he never came back? She’d tried not to think about the possibility after his longboat had left, but he’d already been gone for twelve days—surely enough time for him to reach Eireann and come back again? What if something had happened to him? What if he’d changed his mind about being married to her? What if Hilda had been right about him all along?
She started up out of her seat, the tunic sliding from her fingers to the floor. How long was she supposed to wait? Surely two weeks was as long as Danr could have expected? It wasn’t as if she was really in any danger on her own. She’d survived for three years without any help. Besides, if she left now he wouldn’t know anything about it until he came back and if he was angry with her then, well, what would it matter at that point? According to Hilda, he was planning to break his word about where they would live, so why shouldn’t she break hers? She’d done the favour he’d asked for as long as she could bear it, but she didn’t have to stay for ever. If that was the kind of wife he wanted, then he ought to have chosen one of his other women.
The thought of them steeled her resolve. She’d made a mistake in agreeing to his favour. In agreeing to marry him at all, perhaps. She wasn’t suited to life in a hall, around people. She was suited to being on her own and taking care of herself.
The forest was her home, the place where she belonged. That was where she would go.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Skíð