The wedding procession needed an extra wagon to carry the young Dalen and Homme children all the way to Brunkeberg stavechurch. Little Anne and two-year-old Torjus of Homme rode along with Såmund Knutsson Dalen, at five already tall for his age, and his two little sisters. Cousin Egeleiv walked behind the wagon, keeping an eye on her grandchildren. The parents of Halvor and Tarald, visiting from their farm above Lake Bandak, strode along beside her.

"Farfar! Mormor!" little Torjus babbled.

"Nei, that's not mormor," Little Anne corrected. "It's farmor. Remember? I'm named for our mormor who died before I was born."

"Morfar?" Torjus said.

"There's morfar." Little Anne pointed to Steinar who walked with Liv a few paces back.

"Mor, Mor! Hungry!" Torjus cried out to his mother.

Little Anne gave up and turned to call out to the decorated cart ahead. "Are you still going to live with us, Siri? You and Uncle Tarald can set up house in the stabbur loft!"

"Nei, sweet one." The bride's face glowed with excitement. "We're going to live with Farfar and Farmor at Uddedalen. But we'll come see you as often as we may."

The fiddler from Høydalsmo joined the procession when they came down into Morgedal. Halvor and Liv danced the telespringar where the path was wide enough. Tarald tried to get Egeleiv to partner him, but she waved him off. "To tell the truth, I may need to join the children in the cart. I've got quite a pain in my side. I'm fifty-nine years old, remember!"

The children's wagon soon grew crowded. Jon from Byggland joined the troupe, and nestled his two boys in the hay. His wife carried their newborn daughter Tone.

"Hand her to me, if you'd like," Egeleiv said as she rode with the young ones. "I've got two arms, after all." She already cradled Knut's baby against one shoulder.

As Tone got hoisted over the cart's side, Torjus tumbled out, but Jon caught him by one leg. "Where are you going, little man?" Jon asked as he dangled the boy upside-down.

"Mor! Mor! Hungry!" Torjus waved his arms and kicked his free leg.

Liv ran up laughing and rescued her son. "Very well, I have a snack in my bag for you." She sighed in contentment as she walked along with Torjus on her hip. The boy happily munched a hunk of flatbread. A glorious day, indeed!

But she reined in her delight, remembering the last time she had felt so full, so complete, so immersed in love – and the pit of despair that followed at the sudden loss of her beloved. If she kept her guard up, perhaps disaster would not have the chance to sneak up again and lay waste to her life.

A rogue cloud darkened the sun, and Liv glanced up at the sky. The breeze stiffened for a gust or two, snapping at her skirts and kerchief.

A thundering of hooves broke into the light-hearted clamor of folk in the procession. A black-clad horseman appeared around a bend in the path, tearing along at a gallop. He lashed his lathered horse down the middle of the trail, scowling at folk dodging aside.

Halvor pulled Liv onto the grassy bank. Torjus dropped his crust and hid his face on her shoulder as the dark figure pounded past. Hoofsteps echoed up the dale behind them, then fell silent. "Who was that?" Liv asked as other folk began muttering about the disturbance.

"Knut from Brekke, I think," Halvor said. "They call him Hard Knut. I've heard about his temper. Let's hope that's the last we see of him during our joyous day in Morgedal!"

BEHIND THE SCENES

There's a precedence for the nickname of "Hard Knut." "Hardecanute" was an eleventh-century king of Denmark. He also ruled over England (1040-1042 AD) during the last few years of his reign.

My apologies to Knut Olavsson Brekke (born in 1747, the same year as Aslak, Egeleiv's youngest). Life is hard, and makes some people bitter. I could not honestly portray all my ancestors as shining in honor and virtue, since that is not realistic. To Knut Brekke falls the lot of the bad apple in this tale, though there is next to nothing in the records to indicate he had a dishonorable character.

If this were a full-length novel, it would show flaws and weaknesses in the character of Liv and the other "good guys," as well as strengths and good traits in the antagonists.