Stijn could not sleep.

They were all together with Thorvald to say goodbye to his two eldest children. Thorvald had insisted on holding a grand party in the evening.

Earlier, Stijn would have been drunk and would have been scolded by Liv the other day for snoring all night.

But today he had avoided the Met. Instead, he had gone early to the little hut and laid himself down on the bed. When Liv came, he had made himself asleep. He did not want to talk. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts.

Memories came up in him.

"High in the air, Da! Even higher!"

Jule screamed in his ear, but that did not bother him. He threw Jule up in the air again until she shrieked.

Thorge stood next to him and wrestled with his hands, because he also wanted to be thrown into the air by him. But he would never have asked him to finally let his sister down so he finally got himself thrown in the air. Thorge was not like that. He was a quiet, dear boy, who wanted to please everyone.

Once again he threw Jule in the air.

"Now it's your brother's turn!", He said afterwards determined.

Jule sulked, but left Thorge to him.

Before he could throw Thorge, he put his little arms around his neck and whispered in his ear.

"Only three times, dad! Otherwise Jule scolds and I do not want her to be angry with me! "

Stijn looked at his son in astonishment. Then he kissed his cheek.

"Alright, my son. But for that we go riding tomorrow morning. Only you and me, all alone. "

Thorge snuggled against his neck.

"That would be great, dad!"

Stijn had always been proud of his trolls.

Jule had conquered his heart from the beginning with her brisk way. Thorge, on the other hand, had always been calm. But Stijn had always had a special relationship with his elders. Thorge was the compensation Stijn needed. Of course he had also raged with Thorge, but the two had also spent hours in the forest in front of a tree and Stijn had told his son stories of gods, heroes and monsters. Most of the time Thorge had fallen asleep in his arms and he had carried him home.

Of course, when Stijn had gone on raids, Jule had always wanted him with him. She too wanted to fight. Thorge, on the other hand, was clinging to his legs.

"Do not leave me alone!" He had always sobbed.

The words had usually broken Stijn's heart.

But tonight he had seen his son grow into a man. Of course Thorge had been growing up for a long time, but only now Stijn on how much. The storyteller sat next to Thorge and Stijn had seen the looks the two had thrown. He had seen him holding little Kjell in his arms and treating him as lovingly as he had with him.

Stijn smiled.

Thorge, like himself, had unexpectedly become a father, though he was not sure yet.

But he would leave the little one and his mother.

Stijn sighed.

He had seen the amber on the neck of Naya.

Thorge loved this woman, Stijn was sure. Otherwise he would not have given her the amber.

He got up quietly so he would not wake Liv and went out.

At last peace had returned to the estate.

Slowly he strolled to the fjord.

The boats were ready for the trip.

Stijn looked at her from afar. They were magnificent boats that every man would have liked to call his own. occasionally you could hear a cackle or a goat bleating, because the animals had already been housed.

There was a guard in front of each boat.

Actually, Stijn had expected his son to sleep on the boat himself, but Thorge had preferred to spend one last night with his family. Stijn had discovered him among his younger siblings. Again it had broken his heart when he had seen this great strong man with his youngest children. Thorge was no longer his little troll, he was a man. Stijn had to realize that slowly!

He sighed softly and wanted to return, but then he noticed a movement behind the bushes.

Slowly he moved closer, but then he stopped and started to grin.

The narrator had put the baby in a baby sling again in front of her breasts and carried a small bundle with her. It was clear what she was up to. She wanted to sneak onto the Thorge boat. But now she looked desperate and stomped angrily with her foot. She had obviously not expected the boats to be guarded.

Silently Stijn laughed.

The wife would not give up his son so easily. He admired that. And he wanted to help her. Thorge might be angry with him about that, but if the boy did not see what he saw he gladly accepted it.

"Hey there, sentry! For a word! "He shouted.

The young guy flinched. He seemed to have dozed off for a moment.

Stijn went to the boats and engaged the others in conversation. When he was sure that they were distracted, he gave Naya a hand signal. At first Naya stopped, then grinned and sneaked onto Thorge's boat.

He spoke until she was safely in the boat.

"I'll take a look at the boat again," he told the guy, and he was glad that he would get rid of Stijn because he nodded, almost relieved.

Stijn looked over the boat, but he did not find Naya. Then he heard a soft blubber from the little one. He passed the oars and stood in front of the little tent where the animals were housed.

"I wish you a good journey, my future daughter. Take good care of my son! "He whispered into it.

He heard her answer softly.

"I will! And thank you ... father! "

He saw fingers stretched out to him and he squeezed them carefully. She pulled his hand into the tent and felt her cheek against the back of her hand before releasing it.

Then he left the ship.

Whistling, he returned to the hut, took off his tunic and lay down with his wife.

Liv looked drowsily at him.

"Where have you been? Is everything ok?"

He nodded, smiling, and took her in his arms.

"Oh yeah! Now everything is in order!"

She rested her head on his chest and rubbed her eyes.

"Did she make it? I mean Naya. "

Stijn suppressed a booming laugh. Liv always had a feeling for something like that.

"Did she tell you?" He whispered.

She shook her head.

"I saw the amber around her neck. I was hoping she would. Our son is so stubborn sometimes. "

Stijn kissed her on the forehead.

"I can not tell you why I'm calmer now, but it's true."

She raised her head and looked at him lovingly.

"He is not alone anymore. Jule has Lasse and the kids. If you are honest, you have not worried about her. Jule has always fought well. But Thorge ... you know how the boy can be. He always closes himself above all and prefers to stay alone because he is afraid someone might get hurt. He always takes responsibility for everyone and builds a wall around himself. He does not let anyone in and that worries you. But now there is someone who could tear down his wall. That makes you happy. "

He nodded.

"Do you think we'll see her sometime?"

She sighed and laid her head down on his chest.

"The Gunnarssons ... loved by the gods. I guess so."

Stijn also felt that he would see his son again. Sometime. And he hoped Thorge would be happy then.

The wind was fine with them. The boats of Heftan and Roar had already reached the open sea from the fjord. Lasse's boat followed.

Thorge followed them last. He stood at the tiller, but his eyes kept returning to the shore. His family was still standing there, watching as the boats slowly disappeared from view.

He had delayed it as long as possible because he had been waiting for Naya.

Although she had already said goodbye to him in the evening, there had been hope in her that she would change her mind. But she did not have that.

"I will not stand on the shore and look after my future husband, whom I probably will not see for a long time. Blow that out of your head! "

He understood her yes. He would not have wanted that either. Nevertheless, he had searched for her.

He sighed softly.

What Naya had left him was a trim she had given him yesterday. She now graced his right wrist. And a kiss. Just a damn kiss!

He could have taken her in the hut. She was ready for it, but he had refused. He was so unspeakably stupid. He had stayed with his siblings at night instead of hugging Naya, slowly penetrating her. He would have loved her all night. But his damned sense of honor had intervened. They were not married and she was not supposed to receive a child from him if he could not even tell when he would come back.

Although Naya had promised that she would wait for him, Thorge did not believe it. She was beautiful and smart. Every man would want her. If in a few years he was finally ready to offer her something, she was definitely married and out of reach. Still, he would return to see if she was free.

And he would probably return unhappily.

"Hey there! Helmsman! How long do you want to keep the men rowing? Do you want to reach the ice country tomorrow? "

Loah was with him on the boat. Naya had insisted he go with him.

Thorge wanted to throw the little man overboard, but she was right. Already at the planning he had been there and his experience would help him. He had most of the young men with him, who had already been in a raid, but had little experience otherwise.

He ordered the men to take the helm and the men did the usual work.

They made good progress and soon they had reached the open sea.

Once again he looked back, but he saw no one standing on the shore.

Sighing, he looked forward.

A weeks-long journey was now before him and he prayed to all the gods, that they expected no thunderstorms.

So far, they had not been discovered, which really surprised Naya.

But Kjell was calm and slept a lot, as if he knew what was at stake. Otherwise, he chewed on the wooden figures that Yorrick had given him.

Now they were at sea for two days.

Loah had been divided for the care of the animals. So he could always bring her something to eat. Kjell still drank the goat's milk, but also sucked on the hard bread. Sometimes he even ate an apple, which she bit into very small pieces.

Whenever she heard Thorge near her, she stopped breathing. But she was well hidden. Once he even put his head in the makeshift tent, but he had not discovered it.

Now it was too late.

He would not be able to return.

Nevertheless, she remained calm.

The later he discovered her, the better it was for her.

Thorge was so stubborn. She was sure that he would stop at the nearest port and put her there on another boat that would bring her back to his parents. She wanted to avoid that. The longer she was at sea, the less he could send her back.

She smiled at Kjell, who stood in front of her, clinging to her and grinning with pleasure. Again and again he had his knees bent and shrieked with joy.

She always held a finger to her mouth, but she laughed with him.

Outside, she heard Loah talking aloud to the men so they would not hear Kjell.

"We have to be quiet, Kjell. You do not want him to hear us? "

Kjell grinned at her, but he raised his head as he heard Thorge's voice.

"To the oars, men. The wind slows down. We do not want to lose sight of the others! "

Naya took a quick look outside, which gave her a wicked look of goat.

"Let me! Be glad you did not stay home. Raik would have killed you! ", She hissed.

The goat complained insulted, as if she understood Naya.

Naya had made a small cut in the tarp so she could occasionally look outside without being spotted.

Lasse's boat was not as far away as it seemed. The others were nearby. Why Thorge put the men to the helm was a mystery to her.

At that moment, the tarp went up and Loah came in. He got dried meat, bread and a drinking hose from his tunic.

"He is a miserable grinder. But I have never seen such a disciplined team. Everyone wants to make him right. "

Naya took a piece of dried meat and chewed on it.

"They appreciate him. He is the born leader. You can always rely on him. "

Loah grimaced annoyed.

"Unfortunately you are right. I would not know anyone that I would rather have at my side right now. I still can not stand it! And my voice is already hoarse because I always have to shout like that because of the little one! "

Kjell patted him on the thigh as if to tell him that Loah should not do that. Loah sighed and patted Kjell's head. He took the eggs from the cages and took the bucket with the goat's milk. Naya had already milked her today and grabbed a bowl for Kjell.

Loah drank straight from the bucket, which earned him a snort from Naya.

"You're as bad as he is, if I may say so. We are at sea. Should I get another cup? "

She grinned.

"Not that one. But you kindly share with the others. You are not as weak as you were a few months ago. "

He grimaced and then bowed mockingly in front of her.

"As the mistress orders!"

He went outside again and left her alone.

"What took so long?" She heard Thorge.

Kjell heard him as well and he began to scream with joy again. He crawled toward the exit and Naya just managed to grab him. But Kjell did not like that. He started to cry.

"What was that?"

By all the gods!

She tried to calm Kjell, but he turned in her arms and crawled to the exit of the tent, as if he wanted to go to Thorge.

"That was a kid!"

The canvas was torn open and a very furious Thorge stood in front of her! He stared at her.

"That can not be true!"

Thorge admired his self-control.

Really.

He looked very calm on the outside. At least he hoped that.

He only knew what it looked like inside him. He wanted to put Naya over his knee.

This stubborn woman.

She sat between the animals and boxes. It stank of cattle, although it was clean. Now he could imagine why Loah had hardly any crap under his fingernails. Naya had probably always mucked out.

He would have thought that she would somehow try to follow him. Still, he had hoped that she was so sensible and did not. But what had she done? She had even taken the boy who was just nestling against his legs and Thorge stretched his arms out. Thorge sighed and took Kjell in his arms before sitting down.

At least Naya had enough decency that she did not look at him but lowered her head in shame.

Thorge took a deep breath.

"I do not know how many times I've told you I do not want you to follow me. I explained to you that it is dangerous. But you do not seem to me to have been listening. "

She swallowed hard.

"I can not wait years, Thorge Stijnsson. You give me the amber and at the same time demand from me that I should wait for you. You kiss me, say I'm the perfect woman for you, but then you go without looking back! "

He snorted.

"I was looking for you. I was waiting for you, but you did not come! "

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I was here!"

Anger grew up in him.

"Yes, you were here. The whole time! Damn, how did you get past the guards? "

She grimaced.

"Your father helped me!"

He gasped.

"My ... my dad? He helped you on the boat? "

She nodded uncertainly and Thorge wiped his face. His father! That could not be true!

"Who knew also about it?"

Naya stared back down at the floor and muttered softly to herself.

But Thorge understood exactly what she said.

"Loah ... I could have imagined that! But my sister? Bloody hell!"

He was silent after the outbreak.

What should he say to that? Everyone had conspired against him. He really did not know if he should put Naya over the knee or kiss. Such a stubborn woman!

Kjell looked at him with wide eyes. Thorge smiled for a moment.

The boy was so small and the journey was so uncertain.

"Are you sending me back?" Naya asked softly.

For a moment, that had really occurred to him.

His thoughts whirled in the head. He wanted to protect her! He loved her! She had resisted him, but that was why he was not angry with her. He could not be angry with her. He was just angry because she had not obeyed him. The men outside obeyed him, but his wife did not think about it.

He opened his eyes for a moment.

His wife?

As far as they were not.

He stood up.

"I will not send you back!" He raised a finger as he saw her beaming face, "If you once again oppose my wishes, then we really get into trouble with each other!" I am responsible for a lot of men, they ought to obey me especially with you, it seems that I have no one under control, I can not tolerate that! "

She nodded.

"I will not resist you anymore, Thorge. Never again!"

He snorted and turned to the tent exit.

"I'll believe that only when I see it!", He murmured and went outside.

He did not realize that he still held Kjell in his arms when the boy yelped in joy. Frantically he pointed to the sea and the other boats.

Thorge smiled at him.

"Look at that. You really like it at sea! "

As if for confirmation, Kjell grabbed his beard and pulled Thorge's face in one direction. You saw huge fish that came to the surface and swam alongside the boats.

Thorge chuckled and dropped Kjell off at a box. Loah was hiding behind Einar.

"You're going to pay for that, you bastard!" He growled, and Loah dug his neck.

Kjell grabbed the leg of one of his men, who immediately started talking to the kid. Thorge whistled loudly until everyone saw him.

"As you can see, we have unexpected passengers. Nobody touches the woman! She belongs to me!"

Ingvar grinned.

"We know this! I can hardly wait for the first party in our new home! "

Thorge was still angry with her.

Naya had expected that.

For days he had not spoken to her, but on the first night he had taken her from the tent into his sleeping bag. Kjell lay between them. Thorge had already got up the next morning and Naya had awakened when she heard him shout orders.

This went on every day.

She got up, washed Kjell, and gave him food. Then she made herself useful, caring for the animals and also the men, who were increasingly having problems with the skin. Due to the lack of cleansing and salt water they all got eczema and the sun burned the skin, but by Loah she was prepared for it. Liv had given them ointment and Naya provided all of it.

Everyone had a nice word for them and the men also played with Kjell whenever their time allowed.

Only Thorge said nothing.

She saw that he often watched her.

If he did not hold her in his arms every night, she would have sworn he no longer wanted her.

But she was glad that he did not send her back and that she could now move freely. At the moment she sat with Kjell at the bow and watched the waves with the boy.

The sun did not shine that day, but she wanted to stay in the fresh air with Kjell as long as possible. It was nice and warm between the goats and the chickens, but it stank horribly. Amira would have clapped her hands over her head. But Naya often used the soapwort that she got from Liv. As if Liv had guessed that Naya would follow her son.

She sighed softly. Almost one could have thought that Thorges family had threaded everything. Or someone else...

It was not long before the first drops fell.

"Come, my little one. We go to the animals. "

She picked him up and propped him on the hip. She walked past the men who were fixing a tarp so they would not get wet either.

A glance at Lasse's boat, which was close by, showed Naya that preparations had been made there as well.

Kjell scolded quietly because he had to stay on her arm. Things got really bad when he saw Thorge. He struggled like crazy and let out an indignant scream as she entered the tent.

"Thorge does not have time for you, Kjell! Be a dear boy and get into the tent now. "

But Kjell did not think about it.

He kicked harder and extended his arms to Thorge.

"DA!" He shouted.

Naya looked at him in amazement.

Kjell's first word.

She had not even said Da when it came to Thorge.

"Da! Da! Da! ", Kjell shouted almost desperately.

Thorge heard him and handed the tiller to Loah.

With quick steps he came to her.

Kjell had tears in his eyes and he calmed down only when Thorge took him in his arms.

"Da!" He whispered and snuggled up to Thorge.

He looked at Naya in astonishment.

"Has he just ..."

She nodded.

"Yes! His first word. "

Thorge laughed aloud and threw it gently into the air.

"That's my boy. The first word! Your Da is so proud of you. "

Naya stared at him.

"He has that from you?"

Thorge grinned.

"That is possible!"

Kjell snuggled up to him again and then sobbed heartbrokenly.

"What's going on, Kjell? Why are you crying?"

By now it was raining harder.

"I want to go to the tent with him. He is already very wet. But he wanted to see you! "

Thorge sighed.

Loah and Ingvar laughed.

"Go with them, Thorge. We can do it alone. Before you put him in the tent, he will not rest! He is as stubborn as all the descendants of the Gunnarsson! "

Naya snorted, but Thorge chuckled and brought Kjell into the tent.

Naya followed. Thorge had put Kjell on a fur and took off his wet coat.

"You have to listen to Mama, little berserker. If she says you have to go to the tent, she will have thought of something! "

He cursed suddenly.

"By all the gods! What is that stench? "

Naya laughed.

"That's a full diaper! Go to the page. I'll change it quickly! "

But Thorge did not think so.

"Oh no. That's what we men do to us, is not it, Kjell? We are finally Northmen! "

Naya sat down on a box and watched Thorge turn pale.

"Bad, right? Since he also eats something other than just the milk, it really stinks. "

She heard Thorge gag and grin.

"Are you sure I should not do it?"

She handed him a clean towel and he wiped Kjell's butt off. In between he choked again and again.

"How often ... uh ... how often do you do that a day?"

She smiled sweetly at him.

"A few times. But no fear. He does not always have the horror in the diaper. "

She handed him a bucket and Thorge threw the full diaper and the cloth inside.

"I now know why my father avoided the kids when they smelled less good."

Naya laughed and handed him a new cloth to tie Kjell around his ass. Then he straightened him and put on a dry smock.

That was fast from the hand.

"I'm surprised that you have never done this with your siblings!"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"I always pushed myself against it. Mostly it stuck to Jule! Some things really should only be done by women! "

She laughed out loud.

"Why did not you leave it to me then?"

He shrugged again.

"At least once I wanted to try it. And since he spoke the first word today ... "

Kjell sat tired on the fur.

Naya took a small cup that she had made by a potter. He was shaped like a pot and so she could now give the milk to Kjell without the cloth.

She sat behind him and helped Kjell drink while Thorge made himself comfortable.

"Do not you have to go outside again?"

He shook his head.

"No! You can fix the tarp without me. "

She concentrated on not letting Kjell spill too much.

"It only surprises me. You sulked all week! "

He made an indignant face.

"I do not sulk!"

She laughed.

"Oh but. You sulked like a little girl. "

"I have not!"

Kjell drank, but leaned wearily against Naya.

"You have not spoken to me. I'd say that's called pouting. "

He made an arrogant face.

"But you could sleep in my sleeping bag with me!"

She snorted.

"Oh, and that makes up for it, that you're not talking to me? Do not think too much about it, Thorge Stijnsson. "

Kjell's head fell back slowly and she saw that he could barely keep his eyes open.

Carefully, she put him in a box that she had lined with furs and hummed something until he fell asleep.

When she turned around, she was already expecting that Thorge had left the tent. But he was still there. He gently drove over Kjells head before he turned to her.

"Stay here tonight. The tarpaulin makes it quite tight. Here's more room. "

She nodded and looked him in the eyes, as he told her.

Carefully, he took her face in both of his hands and kissed her gently.

"I was just sulking something. But you made me angry. "

She laughed softly.

"Will you therefore always sulking?"

He shrugged before kissing her again. His tongue gently entered her mouth and played with hers. Naya snuggled up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Quietly, she let out a moan.

"Thorge! Come out! Something is brewing! "

He swore softly, then let her go.

"I come to you tonight, woman! You will not have enough space! "

She grinned at him.

"I'll stand it!"