Naya, who lay between Thorge's legs, raised his hand and watched the beads of water as they slowly made their way down her arm.

Thorge kissed her shoulder gently.

"We should have done that for a long time!"

She looked at him questioningly.

"What?"

He smiled at her.

"Well, being alone without anyone close by and wanting anything from us. Talk without being disturbed by anyone."

She chuckled softly.

"So far, what we've done has not had much to do with talking!"

Thorge had ridden a long way with her, but after a while she had already seen clouds of steam and looked questioningly at Thorge.

"These are hot springs. The fire mountain heats her up. At least that's what I think. The closer we get to the mountain, the hotter the water gets. It stinks, too. But here you can stand it. "

He had got off his horse and lifted her down.

They had undressed and climbed into the warm water. Thorge had loved her and now they lay lazily in the water.

"Are you hungry?" He asked after a while.

She shook her head. She did not feel like stepping out of the water now. She preferred to lie here with her husband for a while, forgetting everything around her. Unfortunately, Thorge had just lifted the conversation. It would have been her favorite, he would not even think about it. But Thorge seemed to think otherwise.

"I'm sorry, what you had to see yesterday," he began softly.

She leaned against his chest again.

"You do not have to feel sorry. I'm sorry that I reacted that way. But now I understand why you had to do it. It took a long time and unfortunately I was too stubborn to see it! "

He rested his head on her shoulder.

"Do you really understand it? Or are you just saying that because my dad talked to you? "

She sighed.

"The conversation was bound to have something to do with it, Thorge. I was so naive that I thought it would always be quiet. But it does not, I am aware of that now. You acted right. They would probably have attacked again. Herdi is dead, but that would not have stopped her. First it was the honor, then it would have been revenge. They would never have given up. "

He kissed her lightly on the neck.

"Maybe I could have handled it differently."

She certainly shook her head.

"No! Did you see the face of the one man who killed Finn? I only saw hate! Herdi will have infested them with this hate until they did not know anything else. "

Thorge nodded slowly.

"With kindness we would not have come far!"

She looked up at him.

"Sometimes kindness and mercy can move well. The others who had come the day before were glad you did not kill them. And they will not come to us anymore. "

Thorge laughed softly.

"Why should I kill the men who helped us? I admit that I was suspicious, but then I heard them saving the horses from the fire. And instead of fighting, they helped the women. Actually, I should have rewarded them! "

She chuckled softly.

"That we do not say loud!"

He shook his head, laughing.

"No" We really should not do that, especially now that it's known that my wife can be a dragon as well, I think the injured people who go to Ingulf will scare him, how do you expect To demand compensation from Ingulf? "

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh well. He has the boat back and the men are soon ready to fight again. He should really shit in fear and not think he could take revenge for the death of his wife. "

Thorge picked her up and straddled her on his lap.

"I think he'll be happy to let her go. I heard rumors there. She probably blackmailed him. That's the only reason she could go that far. "

She put her arms around his neck.

"Shall I rummage for your secrets, too?" She asked insolently.

He laughed softly.

"You know everything about me, woman!"

She sighed sadly.

"Oh shame. I would like to blackmail you. "

He raised both eyebrows.

"Oh yes? What do you want from me?"

She grimaced.

"First of all, I want a blue dress again."

He started.

"What?"

She nodded.

"I tried to wash the blood out. But the fabric is really sensitive. "She lowered her head." It has a big hole! "

He laughed out loud and kissed her.

"I buy you a blue dress. I'll buy you many new clothes if it makes you happy. And I'm sorry that I spurted the blood so far. So you do not need to blackmail me for that. What more do you want?"

She put a finger to her chin and thought.

"Would it be asking too much if I always want to stay by your side?"

He shook his head.

"I think we can do that. What else?"

She kissed him gently.

"I want us to come here often. At the moment this is difficult because of the children, but as soon as I do not have to feed them myself, we go here as often as possible. And then I want us to discuss everything that bothers us or what needs to be changed. "

Thorge nodded.

"I wanted to suggest that anyway." He lifted her slightly backwards, "Naya, I want you to promise me one thing, if anything bothers you or you do not understand, then talk to me, I know you bad experiences ... "

She put a finger to his mouth.

"I will. And you will do it! "

He nodded and pulled her back to him.

"I promise to you!"

Stijn smiled slightly as he saw them both enter the hall. Today was not eaten here and everyone had already gone to their huts. Those who lived in the nave also had already retired. Only he and his grandson were in the dark. Young Stijn just did not want to fall asleep. In order not to wake his siblings and Liv, he had sat down with the little one in front of the fireplace.

Actually, he missed those moments he had experienced so often. But soon he would have to go back home and who knows when Sjard finally started to look for a wife. He smelled lightly of Stijn's fluff and closed his eyes.

Then he heard his eldest son and his wife come to the nave. He did not move.

Thorge and Naya disappeared into their rooms and they both heard giggles.

"It seems like your parents got along, do you mean, my little troll?"

The young Stijn belched softly, which made his grandfather laugh.

Oh yes, he would miss that. Even Calla did not want to be hugged by him anymore.

He heard a door close.

"They really got along! Do you think it will take a long time to get another brother or sister? "

He felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and he pressed a kiss on the back of his hand.

"I woke up and my husband was gone. Do you know where he is? "

Liv leaned over the young Stijn and kissed his forehead before kissing her husband.

Stijn nodded.

"I talked to the little troll. He was a bit bored. "

Liv laughed and sat down on the chair next to him.

"You've always been a family man, Stijn Gunnarsson." She sighed softly, "But I'll miss it here too, it's different from home and yet the same."

He understood what his wife wanted to say.

Thorge had managed to make little difference to a Nordic village, but the landscape was different. Rougher and wilder. Stijn liked it here.

"If the kids would not wait for us at home, I would stay here," he sighed. "I know for sure that I'll miss my grandchildren when I do not see them anymore, not just the youngest, but also Jules's kids. They still need me, which I can no longer say about our children. "

Liv laughed softly.

"I can see you sitting in front of the fireplace, Stijn. With gray hair and a long beard. And the children sit at your feet and listen to your stories! "

The picture pleased Stijn.

She stroked his cheek.

"And I would still find you incredibly sexy."

He laughed as she used that word from the future.

"I also you. Despite thinning gray hair and stooped posture. "

She raised her finger.

"Do not overdo it, friend!"

He leaned back. The young Stijn was now asleep and his head was on Stijn's shoulder.

"Do you think we will come back here?"

She laughed softly.

"Who wants to stop us? When the kids are all out of the house, we can come back here. And believe me, there are enough kids to cuddle with. "

Stijn secretly hoped.

Thorge was looking for his cousin.

The boat was ready to leave, but there was no trace of Raik. Tjark had sent him to seek his eldest son. Actually, he should have been too bad for such errands, but he knew that his uncle once again wanted to give him the opportunity to talk to Raik. It was actually unnecessary, because Raik and he had got along again. Nevertheless, Thorge had left. Something told him that something was wrong with Raik.

He found him in the barn with Yorrick.

"You have to feel the wood, Yorrick. It talks to you, you just have to listen to it! "

Yorrick gently stroked the wood after Raik finished speaking. Then he laughed.

"The wood wants to become a dragon. A Gunnarsson dragon! "

Raik laughed.

"You listened. Then start. "

Yorrick did not say that twice. He took his tools and started his work.

"Raik Tjarksson! The boat is waiting for you! What is stopping you? "

Raik ruffled Yorrick's hair and kissed his forehead.

"Goodbye, my little one. I'll miss you! "He mumbled.

Thorge clicked his tongue.

"It seems to me you are not in any hurry to come home. Do not you miss your wife? "

Raik shrugged.

"Not really!"

Thorge stopped and turned his back on Yorrick.

"Please what? So I missed Naya, I have not been on the boat for an hour. "

Raik sighed.

"You love your wife too!"

Thorge raised an eyebrow.

"Not you? Why did you marry her? "

Raik sighed.

"You just have to understand me. It has something to do with responsibility. I like her, but that's all. My parents also like Ingrud and she can work. She will give me children and raise her. Everyone is happy."

Thorge stared at his cousin in disbelief.

"But ... what Gunnarsson says about us ... do not you want to wait?"

Raik laughed mockingly.

"You mean that legend? That's just talk, Thorge. I do not believe in it and I did not give Ingrud any amber. She sees it the same way. Maybe later. Over time, a kind of affection will develop. "

He grinned at Thorge.

"And it also has an advantage. I never have to do anything like our fathers or Lasse. Even you had your so-called exams. I'm spared that! "

He patted Thorge lightly on the shoulder.

"You can not have everything, Thorge. Not you too. You may have your wife and you are Jarl, but you'll almost never see your loved ones! I chose a different path. "

He waved to Yorrick again, but he was too absorbed in his work, then he left the barn. Thorge followed him slowly. He knew he could not talk Raik out of anything. Raik was stubborn. Like all of them.

He watched Raik throw Kjell in the air and then whisper something in his ear. Kjell chuckled and Raik dropped him back to the floor. Then he hugged Naya and the twins.

Thorge slowly went to Naya.

As soon as Raik was on board, the boat dropped off and everyone waved to them again.

Naya looked up at him.

"You look thoughtful?"

He nodded and then told her what Raik had told him.

When he finished, she opened her mouth in disbelief and stared after the boat.

At some point she started to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Thorge asked.

She pointed her chin at the boat.

"Raik! Does he really believe he can handle it? I always tell of the gods and I already felt a divine power when I fell out of the boat! He is a descendant of the Gunnarssons. He will fall in love! And at some point he will give away the amber. "

She laughed again and then went back to the longhouse.

"Come on, Thorge! Do not worry about him. Everything will fit, whether he likes it or not! "

Thorge took a deep breath.

He believed that, too. But he had the feeling that he also played a role in it.