It gets easier

Chapter 20 / Thank you

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"You must've done this just to piss me off." Leif growled, looking at Gudrid.

"Shut up! This has nothing to do with you actually; I cut it because I wanted to and because it's easier to manage."

"But it—it just grew out again!"

Gudrid had cut her hair short again, just to her shoulders, which was still a bit longer than it was the first time Gudrid and Thorfinn had met each other. She really liked it this way, and Thorfinn had told her it suited her. He hadn't protested her decision at all, like she knew he wouldn't.

"Thorfinn!" Leif turned and pointed at Thorfinn, who was putting his and Gudrid's stuff down in the ship. They were after all just about to leave. "You are truly okay with this?!"

Thorfinn looked up, having not really listened to their conversation, but after a moment he quickly realized what it had to be about.

"I really don't see a problem with it, Leif. It suits her, and besides, she doesn't need my permission to do what she wants with her own hair." Thorfinn shrugged with a smile as he looked at his wife, happy as could be.

"B-but..."

"Leif, Thorfinn's the one who cut my hair." Gudrid told him as she crossed her arms over her chest smugly.

She hadn't even tried herself first. It turned out fine the last time she did it, but it was so uneven, so she let Thorfinn try to do it for her in hopes that it would be better.

"You what?!"

"Well, it was just easier if I did it, but I really didn't do a good job, so we had to ask Ylva to tidy it up a bit." Thorfinn explsined, throwing his arms up in front of him in defense.

Leif just groaned and looked towards Thorfinn's family that had already gathered at the end of the pier to see them off, and there they all stood, seeming completely unbothered by it all. Dragging a hand down his face, he looked back at Gudrid and had to fight to suppress a smile. He supposed it was good that Gudrid had become a part of this family. Very good.

"Well, fine then." He groaned and waved it off, looking up back at Gudrid. "Welcome aboard then, you troublemaker."

She grinned, sitting on the railing. "Thorfinn!" She called out, and he turned back to her, "This is the first time I'm aboard Leif's ship without having to worry about being kicked off."

"We might still kick you off if you get too annoying. Then you'll have to swim to the nearest shore!" Bug eyes teased.

"If this crew threw people off for being too annoying, I don't think you'd be here, Bug Eyes. I'm not worried." Gudrid teased right back, and Thorfinn smirked at her at that.

"Meanie."

"Hey," she laughed, leaning forward towards Thorfinn. "It's just payback, besides, he can take it."

"No, actually, it really hurt my feelings." Bug eyes feigned sadness and wiped away a nonexistent tear, making Gudrid roll her eyes.

"Alright crew! We leave in ten, so get ready!" Leif stood at the end of the ship to get everyone's attention, cupping one hand at the side of his mouth, then he looked at Thorfinn and Gudrid and didn't speak as loudly. "That's your cue to say goodbye to your family."

Thorfinn nodded slowly and looked in the direction of where his family was waiting. Gudrid also stood and was the first one off the ship, but Thorfinn followed right after her.

Gudrid walked towards them with quick steps, and Thorfinn followed at a bit slower pace, a sad smile on his face.

The winds blew so close to the ocean, and Gudrid's hair breezed around her face, kept at bay only by a bandana.

When she reached then, Ylva grinned, "Don't let Leif tell you anything; that hair does suit you." She said she must've heard Leif's cries all the way here. Nobody should really be surprised by this. Ylva was a woman who often wanted everything to be perfect, hence why she'd also arranged this marriage, but she was also a woman who didn't want men to tell her what to do.

"Right, and thank you for your help." Gudrid nodded, her hand finding the cut edges of her hair.

Ylva gave a small nod. "Just don't let Thorfinn do it again."

"Hey, I thought it was alright." Thorfinn finally made it to them, scratching at his nose at what Ylva was saying.

"It looked like she'd been attacked by a blunt axe."

"Oh..."

Ylva's gaze softened, then he stepped forward and placed a hand on top of his head before ruffling his hair like he was still a little kid.

"S-stop!" He cried, but by the time Ylva stopped, his hair was a mess, and he gave Ylva a very bemused look. At least it had made the children burst out laughing.

Thorfinn sighed as he reached up to pat his hair back down.

Helga stepped forward, helping Thorfinn a bit, and the whole atmosphere turned a bit more solemn.

"Take care." Helga spoke softly and then turned to Gudrid, who was fighting back tears at this point. "And you as well." Helga also told Gudrid, taking her hands into hers.

"Thank you. I will. "Thank you for everything; truly, I'm so thankful for everything."

"There there." Helga laughed softly as she patted Gudrid's hands. She couldn't truly take credit for what had happened between her son and Gudrid; all she had done was reassure Gudrid and encourage Thorfinn, answering their questions when they desperately needed an outside perspective, but yes, of course in the end she had been the one to push for this idea.

As tears began to fall, Thorfinn stepped closer and slowly stroked Gudrid's back, showing her comfort and smiling at her. He knew she hadn't expected to cry.

"I really will miss you all."

Ylva smiled a genuine smile, and without saying it out loud, everyone knew that Ylva would miss Gudrid and Thorfinn too.

"Me too." Thorfinn chimed in, still rubbing his wife's back.

"Well, you'd better!"

"What a different reaction..." Thorfinn sighed.

"Yeah, well, it's because you're my little brother; it's different. It's okay if I'm mean to you."

Thorfinn smiled at that. For so long it annoyed him that she was like that, but that was the reason he and Gudrid were here today, wasn't it? Here next to each other, loving each other so deeply. It was because Ylva had teased and bullied him about getting married and then taken it into her own hands.

"Thank you."

Ylva raised a brow and got a confused look on her face. "For what?"

"Everything." He shrugged and then looked over at his mother. "Mother, thank you. I promise I will return safely."

"I know you will." Helga nodded, her eyes glistening, and in that moment she looked young again, like the day Thorfinn had first left her.

The next couple of minutes went with saying just as emotional goodbyes to the rest, that being Ari, Soren, and the youngest children, and just as Thorfinn put Drifa down on the ground after having taken her into his arms, Leif called.

Leif stood at the end of the pier, next to the ship, and he took a single step forward, his eyes meeting Helga's. There was a determination and a promise in his eyes, and just as Helga had for all those years Thorfinn was gone, she trusted him.

"Two years." Ylva reminded them one last time, and Thorfinn nodded, already turning halfway, giving a lost nod to her, and smiling at his family.

"Okay, we'll see you." Gudrid slowly stepped away, waving and following her husband.

"Have a safe trip!"

"Don't forget to bring back presents!"

"And stories!"

"We love you!"

The children shouted after them, no doubt waving their arms around over their heads as they bid their aunt and uncle goodbye for now.

It didn't sting though, but it filled both Gudrid's and Thorfinn's hearts to the brim, and Gudrid began to slow.

She walked halfway down the pier, and then she stopped, and when Thorfinn didn't hear her steps behind him anymore, he turned to look at her.

She was looking back, at the small village, at the mountains, seeing hers and Thorfinn's small annex in the distance, and the stable Thorfinn had been sleeping in on their wedding night.

When she had first arrived here, she had stood just like this, albeit while getting scolded by Leif, looking at the place she would have to call home, not knowing that this place, living here, getting this bewildered family, and marrying Thorfinn would be the best thing that would ever happen to her.

"Gudrid?"

Gudrid turned back to Thorfinn, a grin on her face and a skip in her step as she ran reckless across the slippery pier to take his hand, and Thorfinn squeezed hers in return.

"I'm really happy." Gudrid grinned, her cheeks a little more red than usual and her eyes sparkling in the way Thorfinn adored.

"Me too."

"C'mon, you love birds! It's time to go!" A shout came from the ship, and Gudrid nodded before she pulled at Thorfinn's arm to make them go towards the ship.

"Right, we're coming!"

As they stepped onto the ship, they both wondered how things would have turned out if they never met, if they never got married, or even if they had met under different circumstances. They also wondered what was about to happen and what their new future would look like.

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The end!

Or is it??? I might write a sequel one day, but we'll see.