It gets easier

Chapter 19 / The next few days

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In the days to come, Leif got the explanation he wanted so dearly. They told him how comfortable they gradually became with one another and about how Thorfinn eventually felt the need to tell Gudrid about his past and how she'd still accepted him, cared about him afterwards, and even loved him, as it would then quickly seem.

Leif was obviously very amused by it all and very happy for them, even if he still didn't entirely know how to feel about the two of them going traveling, but as Gudrid said quickly after he voiced complaints again, "no take-backs."

So Gudrid and Thorfinn packed, and they bid goodbye to everyone in the village, or well, that was mostly Thorfinn; Gudrid hadn't really made that many friends in the village yet.

The hardest part was the family, though, as they had both known since the beginning.

They'd already told the kids that they would be leaving at some point, and they had been upset, but now they had to tell them that their departure was suddenly only six days away, and although they didn't cry this time, they were unhappy about how soon that was.

"We don't want you to go, uncle Thorfinn!"

"Yeah! Stay here with us!"

"Or take us with you!"

"Yeah!"

"Sorry, sorry! I cant!" Thorfinn panicked as both of his nephews clung to his legs, making him unable to move in the slightest. It was really a bit fun to look at, but incredibly sad when you really looked at their expressions.

"Will you be gone for a long time?..." Drifa asked Gudrid, knowing that her uncle was currently busy with her brothers, oh, and the poor girl had tears in her eyes.

Gudrid remembered what Ylva had told her about Drifa and Thirfinn, of how she was the only sibling who'd basically never been without him. How she helped Thorfinn get used to a more quiet life again, and how, because of that, they had a special bond.

She sank to her knees in front of her niece and held her hands.

"It might feel that way in the beginning, but once we're back, you'll be so happy it'll have felt like only half a day."

"But... how long?"

Gudrid grimaced a little, having hoped that that had been enough to satisfy the girl. To a child, two years could feel like a lifetime after all.

"One to two years..."

"What?!"

"I know, I know it seems like a long time, but it'll be okay." Gudrid panicked a little at the girl's strong reaction.

Thorfinn, who'd finally been freed, put a hand on top of Drifa's head, making her look up at him with those round, pleading, tear-filled eyes.

He crouched in front of her next to Gudrid, smiling gently.

"Uncle Thorfinn, you'll be gone for a really long time." Drifa pointed, and Thirfinn smile turned sad, understanding why Drifa was feeling the way that she did.

"Two years?"

"Yeah..."

"Yeah... two years can feel like a lot when you're counting them down." He nodded. "But it's okay. I'll come back and be so annoying that you wish it'd been five years."

"No, I won't! You're never annoying!"

"When you're older, I'll remind you that you said that." Thorfinn replied, trying to make light of it, and it did help. He really knew his niece and nephews well enough to know how to make them understand things like these.

Gudrid laughed beside him, unable to help herself as she thought for just a second about what a good dad Thorfinn would make if they had any children of their own.

Drifa grumbled a little, but Thorfinn continued to ruffle through her hair.

"I'll miss you though."

"And I'll miss you too; I'll miss this whole family while I'm gone, and missing you all is why I'll return; remember that, Drifa."

Drifa wiped at her eyes before any tears fell, and Thorfinn turned to smile at Gudrid.

So that hurdle was over now, and all that was left to do was wait.

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"Have you even asked Leif where he's heading first?" Gudrid asked, throwing another one of Thorfinn's tunics into a bag.

"Uh," he paused. "I hadn't even thought of asking that actually."

"Geez." Gudrid laughed and shook her head, though she couldn't judge her husband for being too distracted to ask that question. "I'll do it tomorrow. Though I'm willing to guess that it's probably Denmark or Norway or someplace like that."

"Yeah, probably."