Gunnhild, indomitable.
“What truth is that, Oddny?” Signy prompted.
Oddny reached for Gunnhild’s hand. The queen stepped forward and took it, along with Signy’s other hand when it was offered.
And Oddny looked at them and said, echoing her sister’s words from what felt like a lifetime before, “That a woman need not be defined by her men. That she can stand for herself and make her own way.”
Signy began to cry, and freed her hands to wipe her tears with her sleeves. Gunnhild smiled, thin lipped, as though trying to hold her own tears back.
“That was well-spoken,” Ulla said, beaming, and beside her, Runfrid grinned.
Signy shut her eyes and sniffed. When she opened them and looked at Oddny, it was with such great sadness that Oddny knew at once which way her mind had landed. Oddny looked to Halldor—who’d wrapped up his conversation with Eirik and was saying goodbye to Arinbjorn, promising him that rematch—and saw him smile in a way that made her heart light up. And she knew in that moment that whatever her sister’s decision might be, Oddny was going with Halldor no matter what. And if that meant their paths would diverge, then so be it.
She turned back to Signy and said, “You’ve decided, haven’t you?”
“Yes. I’m staying with Gunnhild,” Signy said. “I want to join the hird, like Runfrid. Arinbjorn’s already said he’ll teach me to fight. And I want to learn. I’ve always wanted to, but no one ever believed I could, so I gave up even trying. But that doesn’t matter. I believe I can, and I will.”
“Then you’ll need this,” Halldor said from behind Oddny, proffering Ketil’s sword.
Signy looked at it in surprise. “But I gave it to you.”
“And I’m giving it back.”
“It could be years before I know how to use it properly—”
“And you will. Make your father proud, Signy Ketilsdottir.”
Signy hesitated briefly, took the sword, and then leapt forward to give him a hug, which Halldor returned. When they’d broken apart, Runfrid embraced him next, and he exchanged nods with Gunnhild and Ulla before heading to the ship. Oddny and Gunnhild turned back to Signy, who was taking off her belt to return the sword to its proper place.
“Are you certain about this?” Oddny asked Signy. “You’ve always wanted to go on adventures—”
“I did,” her sister agreed. “Maybe once I can fight, once I know I can defend myself, I’ll wish to explore the world, like you. But for now”—her voice was small, though her eyes blazed—“I only want to feel safe again.”
Oddny understood. Though a future with Eirik and Gunnhild’s retinue surely wouldn’t be without peril, it would grant Signy a security Oddny couldn’t promise her.
“You’re truly going to stay?” Gunnhild looked more startled than pleased, and Oddny swiped a hand across her eyes, already feeling her sister’s loss again like a gaping hole in her chest. But knowing Signy was alive and pursuing the destiny of her choosing would have to be enough. At least she and Gunnhild would have each other; Oddny would make her own future.
She looked to the ship, to Halldor. When he caught Oddny’s eye, he smiled again, and she smiled back.
And what a future it will be.
“Father is already proud of you.” Oddny turned back to Signy and nodded at the sword. “And when you see him in Valhalla a long time from now, he’ll tell you so.”
“Oddny,” Svein called. “Captain says we’ve a fair wind. We should take advantage of it.”
Runfrid moved forward to embrace her. “It was an honor to know you, Oddny Ketilsdottir. You will be so missed.”
“Goodbye, Oddny. I hope we meet again one day.” Ulla followed suit, then beckoned for Runfrid to step back with her. “We’ll give you a moment.”
And then it was Oddny and Signy and Gunnhild.
Signy hugged Oddny first, and Oddny held on tight, unwilling to let go, knowing that she must. Their time grew short.
“This isn’t goodbye, you know,” Signy whispered. “Whenever you two settle down somewhere, send word, and I’ll come bother you if I can.”
“I look forward to that day more than you know.” Oddny released her and turned to Gunnhild. The queen shifted on her feet, mouth twitching. She was trying to put on a show of remaining calm, but Oddny knew her better than that.
“Oddny, I know I’ve said this already, but I’m—，” she began, but she stopped when Oddny threw her arms around her and said, “I know. I’m sorry, too.”
When they parted, Gunnhild’s eyes were alight with mischief as she reached into her bag and pulled out two items, the sight of which made Signy gasp and stifle a sob.
“Oh, you can’t be serious,” Oddny said with an incredulous laugh.
“I have never been more serious.” Gunnhild handed Oddny the blowing horn, its twin in her other hand. “Whenever I decide to blow it, you have until you hit the mouth of the fjord to do the same.”
“Those weren’t the rules,” Signy protested. “It was the other way around.”
“Well, I’m the queen, so I make the rules now,” Gunnhild said, and turned back to Oddny with a wicked grin. “And you’d better be quick if you want to win.”
* * *
—
AS THEY STOOD AT the stern and watched the coast of Hordaland recede into the distance, Halldor came up behind Oddny and put his arms around her. This farewell was bittersweet. She was moving forward, but she was also leaving part of her heart behind—but not for good.
I’ll see them again, someday soon, she hoped. And we’ll have so much to talk about when I do.
“Do you think Steinvor will even want to come with us?” she asked Halldor. “She’s so small, and Birka is the only home she’s ever known.”
“She’s tough. She’ll be running circles around us in no time. Besides, it wouldn’t be a bad thing, growing up on a ship. Just look how Runfrid turned out,” he said. “But where should we go after Birka? Any ideas?”
“We can go anywhere we want. People always need healers,” Oddny replied without tearing her eyes away from the verdant mountain slopes, the cluster of buildings nestled between them, and the people standing on the docks, growing smaller and smaller each moment.
Halldor said softly, “You know, I wouldn’t have blamed you for staying with them.”
“Are you mad?” Oddny whirled on him. “To even have a choice in this matter is more than I ever could have dreamed when I was growing up. I love you, and I love the life we’re going to build together. Every day will be a new adventure.”
“But you never wanted adventure. Your home is—”
She reached up and took his face in her hands. “We’re free, Halldor. And we’re alive, and we’re together. That’s all that matters. I wouldn’t trade it for anything in all the Nine Worlds. My home is right here. With you.”
He hugged her tightly, seeming at a loss for words, and then a horn sounded three times from the docks.
Oddny moved from her husband’s embrace and blew three matching bursts, smiling through her tears. Two for hello, three for goodbye. She looked forward to the day when she would say hello to her sisters again.