Well now jest the way I liked it out side of Svarberg we camped under the stars. Reached Isberg about half way through a day.Pointed out the trail to Valahna.

"See that way there to the left takes ya to Gunnar and Inga's. Be going there alot, I reckon."

"To the right here is Isberg. See the smoke of in the distance jest over the rise. Be many I suspect. Nomads will be returning with the caribou. Winter here ya know."

Well I could see her and Talor were jest a itching to get off them beast. I too, walked dern near half the way. Got bucked off once, scrubbed off on a low limb twice. Aint right sure but thought I'd seen them two a giggling over something when I was retrieving my horse.

Might funny I reckoned. Well took bit of explaining to thet beast and then we gots along jest fine. Think it feared I be tellin it the truth that horses are a sight fer the stewpot in Isberg.

Well now we meandered through that bunch grass and tundra pine as we reached Isberg. Didnt need none of those fancy welcomings, everyone done knew it was me. Did make me right proud though when they did what they did for Talor and Valahna.

Seems Tundra seen us coming near four miles off and since the nomads were camped they went to celebrating. Them nomad ladies went to getting on the dance clothes,mostly leather uppers and woven skirts that flowed more colorful than that bifrost.

Lutes were played and drums beat out each tribes song,mixed together done made a right catchy tune. Fires were shooting sparks skyward.

I stood there proud with Valahna and Talor. Them little ones came and gave Talor some of their handy work of leather,then drug him off.

Then there come a seer, all gnarled and bent. Through some bone fragments and beads to the ground and went about chanting and stuff. Hissed a bit and danced off wailing like a night dog pup stepping on a thorn bush.

Tundra came and welcomed us too. Right nice to see the man. He be grinning like a bear in a berry patch. Thats when them women folk come up and grabbed my hand and led me away and the other group took Valhana.

Seems them nomads were fixing to hitch us for certain. Their way dont ya know.

She'd just been telling Skald how she wanted to head *in* to Svarberg and stay at an inn, but was that was somewhat waved aside as Tundra ensured that Talor was well taken care of. And the boy was in his element, playing with the others of the camp.

Valahna watched in something akin to horror as the nomaad ladies danced her way and took hold of her arms.

The poor warrioress had no choice but to follow along, amused but nonetheless chargrinned. She cast a helpless look at Skald as he too was dragged off to the other side of the nomaad camp.

Suddenly Valahna found herself stripped naked and then redressed in a dark leather jerkin and a brightly woven skirt. The sleeves of the chemise beneath were slitted to show her arms, and fortunately, the ladies tied a bright bit of cloth around the splint that secured Valahna's injured arm in place to hide the ugly bruises which still plagued her. She was also allowed to wear the copper cuffs she had around her upper arms, but they didn't let her wear her sword as it 'wasn't proper'.

Proper? Proper for what?

They all just grinned at her and then sat her down to braid her hair. It was loosely woven with a bright green felt and fell as a long rope down the center of her back.

When they were finally done with her, she stood up and looked down at herself wishing there was a still lake nearby so that she could see what she looked like.

Then she heard the old seer chanting not too far away, and her eyes opened wide.

"Oh... dear...."

Drug off like that, I feared the worst of what they were up to. Found out my fears were true! Done strip me and the male folk tossed me to a creek, when I gets out, I'm fetched out by them women folk who busy around me.

Dark leather trousers, doeskin boots that dang near pass my knee, fancy flax shirt dyed in berry juice, buttons made from antler. Then I saw it, the cloak of Toski and Isker. Wolf fur collared with spotted mountain cat. Right fancy and right proud of it. Chieftans wore it Toski and Isker, my lineage bore the title and respect. I felt proud when it was lifted on me and surrounded me.

Off there in the firelight, seen them lute players dance about mingled with Sibers and Finns and Sami and all. Northern blood who knew our northern ways.

Was a fretting where they drug Valahna off to. Then they led me to where the fire burned high. Isberg archers stood dressed in their furs on one side and the tribal woman folk lined the other. At the end stood two men wearing them there antlers of the caribou and bear hides. Usually they were the mightest hunters from camp. Seer stood there to jest a hissing and gnarly,behind her were them four strange fellers they say come from the hills near the enchanted lands.

Thats when I saw Valahna dressed like a Isberg Queen.It was custom now. Nomads long served Doom and Sera, but here lineage was still strong. Why I done got emotional I tell ya. She was beautiful. She was a followed by them women folk all carrying snow berries and ash and elm limbs twisted as one.

Saw Tundra standing there with Talor. Rascal must of been plotting this a month of moons. Grinned so big nearly lost his face behind it. Now I wasn't complaining. Been trying to ask her myself,jest couldn't fetch the right words. Before ya knew it there we were standing before that seer woman.

Valahna stood in front of the seer woman and grimaced. This was not her plan - at all. She fiddled with the laces on her jerkin and figited madly, trying to figure out a way to get out of the celebration. The girls behind her fiddled with her hair, impressed on it's length and the way it shon with the glow from the fire. They battered her hands away and Valahna forced herself to keep her fists at her sides.

She cast an annoyed look at Tundra who, when he saw her expression, burst into a fit of laughter. He was still grinning when Skald was pushed beside Valahna to stand before the seer.

Suddenly, upon looking at Skald, Valahna blinked. He was clean and looking regal - much like she was - and looking every bit as bemused as she felt. But... he was also clean, and oh gods! He even smelled good! This would be something she would have to enforce if they ever had a chance of staying together. A bath at least every second day... more if he has done heavy work. A crimson flush swept across her cheeks as she started thinking those renegade thoughts that often invaded her sleep... a dip in a lake... with Skald...

"Oh dear..."

But... she now found, upon reflection (albeit a brief reflection, as the seer's chanting was getting louder and everyone had stilled around them) that she really didn't mind marrying Skald. She loved him and he was a good man, and she was as shy as he was when it came to stating her feelings.

So decisions made (but certainly not by Valahna or Skald - not that either of them minded at all), she bestowed a beaming smile on Skald and then turned to watch the seer...

Hissing and dancing bout she casts her trinkets in the dirt. Now I wasn't one to doubt the seers way, Toski held this one with the same revrance as a Noaidi. That was good nuff fer me. She hissed again and looked to Valahna and me like a critter about to snatch its prey. Fearsome sight I be telling ya.

Then it was deathly quiet. Couldn't be fer sure if it was my gulp or Valahna's I heard. Done found myself looking into those old bloodshot eyes as the seer leaped before me and became face to face. Behind her were them funny looking gnarled people from the hills.

The seer shouted them words to me in a voice that sounded like two old willows rubbing together in a breeze."SKALD!" she went to hissin."Of Isker of Toski of old to the tree of ash you came." Now I was about to go running but feared gripped me there standin like that near Valahna.

"VALAHNA!" She cried in her cracklin voice."Of the Garsigs loins of the elm you came."

She then done fetched up two of them twisted sticks and gave one to each of us. Holding them sticks between us I then saw the four from the hills stand on each side of us. That seer was a wailing out some words calling to the four and about that time, the two twisted sticks Valahna and I was a holding became one. Each twisted of ash and elm.

Them little fellas went to chanting up something one by one. Nordhi shouts out "From the north I bring tracking snow, so your hunts may be plenty." When he done finished another came forward. Austri danced and chanted ,"from the east I send a new days sunglow to light your day." Then that there gnarled one wailed "I am Vestri who pulls the sun to set in the west, so you may always find rest." Jumping before us the last boasted "I be Sudhri of the south. Your caribou and huts in my meadow will be always welcomed."

The sargas were blown like I never heard them. Valahna stood there and me as one. Seer sealed it and the sargas blew the word.

I weren't as nervous then. Could right tell you I didnt even hear the rest bout me and her. Jest saw that Tundra grinning. Thats when he handed me the broach. Carved antler traced in Andvari's gold from which Toski stole.

I then handed it to Valahna. "Through the beyond land this will show that we are one."

Then that Tundra nudged me gain. I bent and kissed her. Thats when we were pulled away again and taken to join the dancers around the fire.

Valahna had stood there throughout the entire ceremony somewhat dumbstruck. When it was finally over, she felt like laughing. She had no idea why. She was married, but that in itself was not funny. She grinned shyly as Skald handed her the broach and said his vows. Her heart leapt to her throat when he bent to kiss her - and she kissed him back quite enthusiastically...

But the little world that was Valahna and Skald at that moment was to be once again disrupted as they were pulled apart and yanked off to the fires where a large feast had been prepared. Tressels of meat and seasonal greens along with large jugs of mead had been waiting.

Valahna caught sight of Talor and grinned, he'd found himself a few friends who were playing with some dogs and they all seemed well looked-after.

Placed at the table beside Skald, Valahna smiled softly at all present, blushing like mad at being the centre of attention, and if she thought that the beginning of the feast was the end of it, Tundra stood up, ruining any hope of that. Taking up a huge goblet of mead, he held it high.

"I bless this union in the name of Thorr and Odin, and Freyja. May you two be blessed with good fortune and a strong marriage, and many, many children!"