The Abduction of the Northmen

Epilogue

"Tóra?" she heard through the door.

"Já?" She sighed happily as she stared watched her image through the window.

Briseida opened the door, only to coo.

"You look so beautiful, my daughter."

Tóra flashed her mother a grin.

She casually glided to her mother, entering a honey embrace.

"Mjög fallegur Brúdur, pinn Brúdgummin er blessud Brúdgummin."

"Nei Mottir, fyrir I am einn sem er blessud."

"Come. They are waiting." Her mother grinned.

She led Tóra to the stables, where her beloved creature awaited for her arrival

"You are a beautiful creature, my Prista." She said as she mounted the stallion.

The wind brushed against her cheeks as she trotted through the clearing.

As she exited the clearing, she found herself at an emerald highland. At that moment, her eyes found their way to the dazzling eyes she adored so.

He mounted off of his horse and cradled her body in his arms. Their lips tenderly embraced.

He then carried her to a ring of blossoming vines.

As he laid her down, her eyes circled around the ring. She gleamed as all of her loved ones stood outside the ring, happily grinning.

She watched as an ancient figure entered the ring. She knew the snow white figure.

"Byrnhilda." she glowed.

Byrnhilda grinned as she pecked the young woman's cheeks.

"May the Gods bless you." She breathed.

The woman than stood in front of the couple. Behind her stood the hedge of stone. Upon it were two daggers.

"My people, we have assembled, with the Gods as our witnesses, to make our beloved Tóra with the one she desires to be with for as long as they shall both live." She then took Tóra's hands into hers.

"Tóra my child, you now stand where your mother stood on the day of her marriage, where your Amma stood the day of her marriage and where many of the women from past generations once stood on the day of their marriages. It is an honorable tradition for a young woman to wed in the same circle of unity as those who came before her." She grinned as she turned to face the hedge.

As she turned, the two swords rested in her grasp.

"Jordanes, you must take this sword, for the Gods have blessed this sword, and your body shall be sheltered."

Jordanes gently took the sword into his grasp. Around the tip, a tiny aurelian circlet lay.

"Tóra, you must take this sword into your hands, to protect your womb, to protect your offspring yet to come." Tóra took the sword, keeping her eyes on her lover.

"Now, the bride must offer her sword to the groom, and the groom must give his dagger to his bride." Jordanes gazed lovingly at her as her gave her the sword. Her hands slightly trembled at the ghosting touch of his hands.

Byrnhilda strolled to the groom, grasping his visage.

"Jordanes, do you, a German, swear that you want to mate with this girl?" Byrnhilda demanded.

"I swear, to your Gods, and my Gods that I want to mate with her, until our hearts shall beat no more." Tóra's eyes watered.

Byrnhilda then took Tóra's angelic visage into her palms.

"Tóra, do you swear to the Gods that you want to mate with this boy?"

"Yes. I do. I will." She smiled. Her fair visage pinked at the sight of her love.

"The bride and groom may now lower their swords, and on their fingers shall be rings. The rings represent our cycle. They shall represent the beginning of the cycle of their lives together."

They lowered the rings and slid the rings onto their fingers.

"I am honored to say, with the Gods as my witnesses, that these two are now mated."

Tóra cried happily. Jordanes gently grasped her tiny body close to his as they kissed in harmony.

For they once believed their journey was long gone, they now knew that there was another journey that awaited them. And this was the journey that had awaited them.