We stood facing each other on the beach for the first time in over twenty years and my heart sang.

"Hello Draughnir" I said
"Hello Kjarten" she replied.

"I heard that your Brothers sold you as wife to the Eosterling shortly after I left with Thorgir"

“Yes” she hissed “not that I wanted him. I looked for you when my brothers took the bride money, but you had abandoned me and gone a Viking".
“Nay Draughnir” I replied “I did not abandon you. I sent word, more than once, but had no word back. I believed that you were done with me, that you would not defy your brothers to stand in troth with me. I was still recovering from the brain fever and so I left with Earl Thorgir".

“oh” said Draughnir “so, you did not think that others may take your word and I be unaware of its sending. you did not think to come to the hall to see me? You thought I was so faint hearted and fickle as to just be done with you?”

“No to my shame and I should have known” I replied “I thought you were done with me, so did not come to the hall. I was heart smitten when I left and; last year, having finally heard the story I returned, I am ashamed and wish my actions had been other and I that I had come to the hall.”

“Really” she said with obvious sarcasm “I wish I had known that at the time
At the time when my brothers were holding me down naked, so the Eosterling could fill my belly with his seed enough times to get me with child and force the marriage. YES HAD I KNOWN IT THEN, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT COMFORT TO ME!”.

She shrieked the last sentence at me and accompanied it with a large pebble thrown with strength that bounced off my shield, barely raised in time, level with my eyes.

“IDIOT!!! had you come Kjarten, all you said you wanted would have been yours
You should have know Kjarten, you should have known I would never have not replied to your word, you should have known that Silence meant peril and you should have known to come for me"

“I heard what had happened only last year and so I have come back for you now”

“Are you mad? She hissed “your twenty years too late, I’m married, I hear your married and I have a family. Anyway go marry Earl Thorgir as you already choose him over me!”

“You know it was always you I wanted, always and I made you promises……”
“Oh” she cut in “You all made me Promises, you made me promises, my brothers made me promises and the Eosterling, yes he definitely made me promises. They all kept them as well, except for you – Kjarten of the empty oath, why should I believe or trust you or any word you say?

That stung harder than any stone. “I am going to come to the Eosterlings hall, he is not going to keep you and I will avenge the treachery of your brothers. I have come to fulfil my oath, I am no oath breaker”

Draughnir looked straight at me “The Eosterling has many men and they will kill you”

“I cannot think of any better way to die”

“ Oh, so now you are ready to die for me?”

“I always was, but I would rather live with you if I could”

She laughed harshly “Really? Why?

“because I love you Draughnir, I always have and always will, life is meaningless if it is life without you. I have always felt that way, but carried on as I believed you had done with me. Now I know you had not and that your Nithing brothers tricked me, so I am returned to clean up the mess I made but left. I am shamed by my stupidity and can only offer you a choice Draughnir, be either my wife or his widow”

“Sorry Kjarten, but you are far, far too late and, even though I still love you, I will never be your wife. The Eosterling will never just let me go and even if you kill him and my brothers, he has powerful friends that would never allow you to live, unless under full outlawry. We would never be able to be together.”

“Then I will finish him, your brothers and as many of those of his kin that could be a danger to you, as I can, before they stop me. Then you will finally be free of all of us that have failed or betrayed you. All of his will become yours. Once you have it, make sure nobody else can take it from you…..”

She moved towards me and we stood staring into each others eyes. For a moment I saw the old warmth in them blaze, break through the mask of cold. Gently, she caressed my face and I hers. “Come in three days” she said “as they will all be there”

Then she turned and was gone and the darkness and the fury descended on my soul once more…… the fury passed and the darkness grew into an unbearable weight. Then my knees collapsed, my head and shoulders bowed, great sobs wracked through my body and unchecked tears flowed from my cheeks onto the stones and sand beneath me.
Finally I mastered myself, let the fury return and went to prepare for my final battle.

More narrative and instruments used etc by following the info link on each track.

Cover image - untitled and uncredited