Start the song. It's Sloom by Of Monsters and Men.

Jenna must not have gotten much sleep in the kids' room because she remained asleep for a couple hours once she returned to her own bed. Josva and Tyler were bored of sleeping however, so they quietly snuck out of the bed and back into the arm chair by the open window. They still hadn't bothered to dress themselves. The snow covering the walls and windows insulated the longhouse surprisingly well, keeping everything warm and toasty.

At the moment, Josva was focused on cutting Tyler's hair. For the first time since Tyler had left England, he was abandoning his Saxon hairstyle for one that had been deemed savage and unholy in his homeland. It had taken a lot of convincing on Josva's part, but Tyler had found it difficult to say no to someone he loved so much.

From the crown of Tyler's head to the nape of his neck, his hair was being carefully shaved away. The front half of his hair remained, leaving him to appear as if he had a full head of hair when looking at himself straight-on, but the back was gone. Josva had explained to him that it was customary for men to shave their heads when they were entering a new stage in their lives, but that this haircut was more appropriate for winter and for battle because it would keep the top of his head warm without leaving a braid like Josva's that enemies could potentially pull. Tyler didn't point out that he wasn't planning on battling anyone.

"Do Saxons have celebrations in the winter?" Josva asked Tyler curiously as he wiped the blade of his knife off onto a cloth before pressing it to Tyler's scalp again and cutting away his hair carefully.

Tyler smiled slightly. "We do. We have Christmas. It's on the twenty-fifth of December, and it's Christ's birthday," Tyler replied, feeling a bit homesick as he spoke the words. Somehow, the heartache just made it harder to stop talking. "Since my family has nothing, the rich people in the kingdom bring food and money and means of entertainment to my family and others like us as an act of charity and good will. Some villages elect a young boy to run things for the day in defiance of the man, Herrod, who called for all baby boys to be murdered when he learned that Jesus Christ would soon be born. It's a massive celebration that lasts twelve days."

His husband listened without interruption as he rattled off information about the holiday he suddenly felt terrible for missing. Comfort warmed his heart, however, when his husband's strong hand soothed its way across the shaved portion of his head and down his back, erasing all of the tension that had formed there.

"Perhaps we will add a few touches of Christmas to our Winternights festival. I'm sure the gods will not mind. They love any excuse to celebrate," Josva informed Tyler warmly before kissing his shoulder gently. "I do not know what a December is though."

Tyler smiled. "December is a marker of time. It's when the days are shortest in the winter months."

Josva hummed his understanding. "We call these dark days Skammdegí, and they are in the month of Ýlir. The dark days are the time of Winternights. We drink mead, feast with our loved ones and the gods, and make sacrifices so that the sun goddess can escape from the belly of the wolf who swallows her every year. This winter, we will give extra plates of food to our slaves, and I will surrender my throne to a young boy for the day. Will that make you feel more at home?"

When Josva set his knife down on the windowsill, Tyler climbed back up into his husband's lap and kissed him softly. "It really would."

Josva smiled adoringly at Tyler before pressing a kiss to his nose. "Jenna's mother will feel so at home during your Christmas celebrations. I assume she has not seen a Christmas since before her husband brought her to Scandinavia."

Slight anxiety nipped at Tyler then. "Jenna's mom is coming?"

"Of course. Her father and sisters will come as well. My family will come to visit as well. They do not know you are here yet. My sisters will be jealous," Josva said with a slight grin.

Tyler didn't grin back. He was too anxious. "But what if they hate me?"

Josva chuckled easily. "How could they hate the man who made our family complete?"

"They won't mind that I'm not a woman?" Tyler asked nervously, making Josva chuckle.

"I am sure they will be surprised, but they will love you nonetheless," Josva reassured him. "All they must do is look at our eyes to know that we are all in love. The gods have made it so obvious that we were meant for each other. My family is made up of farmers, so we believe firmly in the gods. My family cannot deny the love the gods have placed in our eyes. They would not try to anyways. So long as we further our family line, there is no shame in what we are doing, and we are already trying for a baby with our wife. There is no shame in our home. Just love."

Tyler smiled at that, nuzzling his nose against Josva's. "Just love," he repeated blissfully.

The large man smiled warmly at Tyler, wrapping him up in his arms and kissing his lips softly. "I have so much love for you, my Asbjørn."

It was with complete honestly that Tyler told his husband, "I would die for you."

Josva smiled slightly, nudging his nose against Tyler's lightly. "I would never ask you to do that."

"You wouldn't have to," Tyler replied simply.

His husband kissed him slowly and gently, holding him close to his chest. He released Tyler in favour of holding his cheeks and meeting his eyes. "Should the gods make it necessary, I would kill or die for you without hesitation. However, I would much rather kiss your lips and wake up beside you every morning."

Just as Tyler was about to kiss Josva, there was a rapid pounding at the door. Jenna sat up in bed sleepily, seeming to forget her husbands were naked as she called, "Come in!"

Josva chuckled, covering Tyler's cock with his hand gently when a servant girl who couldn't be any older than Tyler came into the room. Josva made no attempt to cover himself, and the girl's eyes widened when she saw the two naked men. Her eyes immediately shot to Jenna, remaining loyally fixed upon her.

"My lady, a visitor knocked on the front doors of the longhouse moments ago. We feared it might be the giants, but the knock was small. It was weak, like a child had done it. My lady, I have been sent to inform you and your husbands that it is the king's sister, Abigael." Josva sat up slightly.

"Abbie is here?" Josva asked, seeming concerned.

The servant girl nodded, her eyes shifting to fix unmovingly on Josva's face. "My lord, she is not well. The storm has not been kind to her. We have her sitting beside the fire and draped in furs, but she is asking for her brother."

Without hesitation, Josva stood, carrying Tyler over to the bed and setting him down beside Jenna. Tyler watched Josva worriedly, allowing Jenna to help him beneath the covers. The larger man set to work getting dressed. He was shaking. Jenna climbed out of bed carefully, still dressed in her clothes from the previous day.

"My beloved, I will bring her in. Her bones must be frozen," she said softly. She looked to the servant girl. "Have the men heat some water in the bathhouse, and instruct the servants in the kitchen to make her some stew. We must warm her from the inside out."

The servant girl nodded before leaving quickly. Tyler climbed out of the bed, quickly dressing alongside Josva, settling for the same look of a simple pair of pants and nothing else. The three of them hurried to the throne room, where a small figure cloaked in a green hood was being draped in thick blankets by the servants as it trembled by the fire. Josva ran straight to the small figure, pulling down her hood to reveal a mess of fiery braids.

"Syster," he whispered before pulling the figure into a tight hug. "Sinn fingr ert blá. Hón koma til eldr?"

The girl nodded slightly, and it took Tyler a second to realize he hadn't understood a word that left his husband's mouth. Josva nodded, picking the small girl up with ease.

"Koma," he told her softly as he carried her out of the room.

Her glassy hazel eyes met Tyler's as she was carried through the hall. She didn't seem to register him, but something sparked in Tyler's brain. She looked so much like Josva, apart from the tangled red hair atop her head. She was Tyler's age though, or at least somewhere near it. Her lips were blue, and her skin was so pale that even her freckles seemed to be fading. She remained still as Josva carried her into the bathhouse, where the servants had prepared her a hot bath.

Josva and Jenna worked together to undress the limp girl, peeling away layer after layer of icy clothing. Josva was still shaking.

"Blása," Josva kept whispering to her weakly. "Blása, Abbie."

Once all of her clothing was gone, Josva carefully eased her into the warm water. Her fingertips were darkened from prolonged exposure to the cold, and her eyes were barely alive, occasionally meeting Josva's, but otherwise empty. Jenna unraveled her filthy braids for her while Josva tried to rub warmth back into her fingers.

"You're safe now, precious girl. The Jötunn cannot harm you here," Jenna soothed the girl in Danish. "Warm food is being prepared for you, and we will banish all of the cold that has been inflicted upon you."

The girl's teeth were chattering, and there was ice sticking her braids together. Tyler hesitated before lifting one of her blue feet out of the warm water and rubbing the cold out of it. She looked at him then, her eyes still foggy from the cold. A tear escaped her eye, leaving steam on her skin as it fell down her cheek. Josva hushed her gently, taking her other hand in his. Tyler took the cue, switching feet.

A servant girl brought in a horn with steam rising from it. "It is just lamb broth. Is that okay?" The young girl asked.

Josva nodded, distractedly replying in Danish, "Yes. That is perfect. Thank you."

He released Abbie's hand, helping her to part her lips and drink the warm broth. She shivered as it slipped into her mouth, no doubt warming her insides as the water around her slowly made the icicles on her skin melt away. The moment the horn left her lips, she was speaking. Her voice was weak but fearful, and she was crying. Tyler couldn't understand a word she said or a word Josva offered her in return. He looked to Jenna, who seemed to be waiting patiently for something. Tyler didn't know what until Josva looked at them and spoke so they could understand.

"She says our parents tried to marry her off, so she ran. She came here despite the cold outside. She was afraid to stay there," Josva explained as he wiped away her tears for her.

The girl looked to Jenna then, sobbing brokenly. "Were you given a choice in marrying my brother?" She asked weakly, making Tyler's eyes light up.

"You speak English," he breathed out.

She looked to him, not seeming to hear Jenna assuring her that she'd chosen to marry Josva. The small girl sat up slightly, leaning closer to Tyler. She reached a hand out to him, and he took it quickly.

"You are not from here," she whispered. "Where are you from?"

"Mercia. It's an Anglo-Saxon kingdom," he told her quietly.

She smiled, resting her head against his hand. Her forehead was as cold as ice. "I have been there," she whispered. "Josva took me there. I want to go back. I cannot do that if I allow this man to claim me. He will force me to stay on his farm and bear him children. He has already told me that I will be his possession. I could not stand that. I refuse to belong to anyone but myself. I want to raid. I want to be a warrior like my brothers. I want to be free."

Tyler wasn't sure why he was the one she was telling this to. Josva didn't seem to understand her, and Jenna had tears in her eyes as she whispered into their husband's ear. Tyler set the hand not gripped tightly in Abbie's onto her icy back, rubbing it softly. Josva and Jenna were doing the same.

"Do Mor and Far know where you've run off to?" Josva asked her softly.

She shook her head, sobbing once again. "I told Jördh I was going to run, and he said to come here. He said he would meet me here in a few days. He said that even as my brother, he could only do so much. You are not just my brother though. You are a king. You can stop this. Mor and Far are coming for Winternights. You can convince them not to make me become a wife."

Josva sighed, looking to Jenna. "Will you find Abbie some clothes, my love?"

Jenna nodded, kissing him and soothing Abbie's hair off of her forehead before leaving the bathhouse. Abbie lifted her head from Tyler's hand, laughing weakly before looking at Josva.

"And now I am naked and alone with two men. This just keeps getting worse," she told him, her cheeks finally beginning to regain their colour.

Josva chuckled when Tyler blushed as well at the realization that she was touching a naked girl who was not his wife, even if it was not in a sexual or romantic manner. Josva reached out across the tub to run his damp fingers through Tyler's hair.

"You do not need to worry, sister. He belongs to Jenna and me. He is family now," Josva told her, smiling warmly at Tyler, who blushed even darker.

Abbie smiled at Tyler. "Are you a slave?"

Tyler shook his head. "No," he whispered.

Her smile widened. "You are their lover."

He nodded, feeling a bit anxious about what her reaction would be. His own family would be disgusted and ashamed of him if they knew.

"Why would you want to put up with Josva if you do not have to?" She asked with a grin.

Tyler laughed as Josva shot his sister an annoyed look. "I love him. I love him and Jenna more than anything in the world. They are my family," Tyler assured her.

Abbie was still smiling. "Then you are my family as well. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine," Tyler assured her.

Jenna hurried back into the bathhouse with a nightgown and a woven blanket for Abigael to dry herself with. She was trembling as Josva helped her to stand from the warm water, allowing Jenna to wrap her in the blanket as she stepped out onto the stone floor.

"We will arrange for you to have a warm place to sleep," Jenna assured Abbie as she helped her to dry off. "This is just as much your home as it is ours, and there is always space beside our hearth for you. Josva will do what he can to protect you from the man you fear."

Abbie looked hopefully at her brother. "You will?"

Josva nodded easily, drawing Tyler nearer to him while Jenna helped Abbie to dress herself. "Of course. You have always been blessed by the gods with the strength of a shield maiden. They would wish me to preserve that strength whenever possible. I will talk to Mor and Far about letting you stay here with me. I only ask for one thing in return," Josva told her seriously.

"What is it?" Abbie asked nervously.

Josva smiled. "You will teach my husband to fight. He wishes to raid with us as well. Of course, I cannot teach him. The wolf and the dog do not play together."

Abbie smiled despite the confusion Tyler felt. "I accept," she replied.

Now that she was dressed, Josva released Tyler and approached his little sister, picking her up carefully. "You can sleep by the hearth in my room, just as you did when we were children. You will be warmest there. We will wrap you in furs and blankets, and you will be back to normal in no time."

Abbie laughed tiredly. "I love that idea."

Jenna smiled at Tyler, taking his hand gently and leading him down the hall behind Josva. He smiled back at her before pressing a kiss to her lips.

"Josva wasn't speaking Danish when he was talking to Abbie at first. What was he saying," Tyler whispered to her.

His wife chuckled. "I could not tell you. Josva was raised by a karl. His father was deeply imbedded in the old ways. They spoke Norse. Josva had to learn to speak Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish, and Icelandic when he became a king. He always speaks Norse with his family though. His mother and father know very little of any other language, but his sisters and brother know Danish and some English."

"Why the hell has he been saying he isn't smart enough to learn English if he speaks six languages?" Tyler asked exasperatedly.

"You will understand when you meet the rest of his family. His brother, Jördh, and his sister, Embla, are both delights like Abigael, but his parents are very much people who had to harden themselves to survive tough times," Jenna explained quietly. "You will learn to love them, and they will learn to love you."

"Will they be angry that Josva has married me?" Tyler asked nervously.

Even though it was only for a fraction of a second, Jenna's hesitation spoke volumes. "Do not worry about what they think. Josva loves his family, but he loves you just as much. He will not let them push you out."

Tyler nodded, but he felt a bit ill. He trailed behind Jenna as she led him back into their bedroom. Josva had a bed for Abigael atop the bear skin rug that was spread out in front of the fire. He was helping her to comb through her tangled hair with a small wooden comb, but she looked exhausted. Tyler had no sense of time anymore now that there was no sunlight to identify the hours, but he didn't feel like it was night time yet. Maybe that was just because they'd slept for so long though.

Abbie was asleep before her brother had smoothed out all of the tangles in her hair, but he finished anyways before tucking her in. He was just as gentle with his sister as he was with his children, making Tyler slightly more aware that he was just as young as Abbie was. While Josva and Jenna certainly treated him as though he was a bit younger than them, he'd never really felt like their age gap was that wide. That is, until he saw how young and vulnerable Josva considered his sister to be.

When Josva sat down on the bed beside Tyler and Jenna, Tyler couldn't help asking them, "Does it ever bother you how much younger I am than you?"

The Vikings both seemed surprised, as if the thought had never crossed their minds. "No. Does it bother you, my love?"

Tyler thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. "I don't think so. I've never really even thought about it until now."

His Vikings were quiet for a moment before Josva said, "Your age changes very little about how I feel about you. It just makes me more protective of you."

Jenna nodded in agreement. "And me as well."

Tyler smiled, resting his head on Jenna's shoulder. She kissed the top of his head softly as she wrapped her arms around him and shifted so she could lie down with his head on her chest. He did feel safer with his lovers around. They were his shield, and they had never failed him.

"I hope Abbie marries someone who treats her the way you two treat me," Tyler decided.

Josva smiled at him. "And I hope she feels the same love for him that I feel for the two of you."

"And I hope he feels it for her as well," Jenna added. "May Freyja bring Abigael success and overwhelming happiness as both a shield maiden and a wife."

Her husbands both hummed their agreement. Tyler traced the embroidered serpent on Jenna's breast with his fingertips while Josva soothed his fingers through her hair.

"We missed you last night, wife," Josva told her quietly. "The bed was colder, and nothing felt quite as complete."

Jenna smiled, running her palm along Tyler's freshly cut hair. "It was so nice to be able to care for my babies in the night, but I left my two biggest babies all alone. My sweet boys. I will keep you warm."

Tyler smiled, pressing a kiss to Jenna's jaw as his fingertips trailed along her covered stomach. "Do you think Nanna is here yet?"

His wife smiled tenderly at him. "I hope to the gods that she is. How could she not be when my husbands have taken such good care of me?"

"I love all of you," Abbie mumbled sleepily, "but I would rather go back outside than listen to you talk about your sex life."

Josva chuckled. "Go to sleep, you nosy little elf."

Although Abbie was facing toward the fire instead of them, they heard her giggle quietly. "Goodnight, brother."

"Goodnight," Josva replied with a grin. "I am glad you are here."

"Me too," she replied quietly. She paused before asking, "Josva?"

"Ja?" He asked, twirling one of Jenna's braids around his fingers.

"Promise me you'll take me raiding in the spring," she requested.

Tyler looked over at his husband, who was practically beaming. "I would not dream of leaving home without my best shield maiden at my side."

Abbie yawned. "Thank you."

"Of course. Now go to sleep. Your body needs to heal from the Jötunn attacks," Josva told her.

"The Jötunn can kiss my ass," she mumbled sleepily.

Josva grinned. "That's my shield maiden."

Abbie looked over her shoulder at Josva and smiled before snuggling back into her furs and drifting off. Tyler couldn't help watching the way the light of the flames danced across her bright red hair, now empty of ice.

"Ice falls from the sky and forms in the air. It covers the water we drink and grows in the hearts that seek no flame. The ice cracks beneath the little bear's feet, but where else?" Tyler whispered thoughtfully, lifting his head to look at Jenna. "The Seer said that. He was telling us Abbie was coming, wasn't he?"

"Perhaps," Jenna replied. "I feel that something more is coming, however."

They all held their breath for a moment, listening to the winds outside. Why else could the ice crack if not from a frozen girl's skin and hair? What else was coming?

"Only the gods know for sure," Josva replied simply. "We must wait."

Waiting was hard though, especially when Tyler didn't know what he was waiting for.