His head dipped, his dark hair falling forward to hide his expression from her. She leaned forward, taking his big hand in hers.
‘I need to see them...before I make a decision.’
Brown eyes lifted, filled with a hope that broke her heart.
Turning her hand in his, Runar kissed her palm gently. ‘I understand. You need to see what you will be giving up.’
She nodded, and he placed her hand down on the table. Lifting his horn of mead, he said, ‘I wish you a long and happy life, Embla. Skol!’
‘As do I. Skol.’ She raised her own cup in an unenthusiastic toast.
‘No matter what you decide,’ he added, before taking a long sip.
She drank deeply, the relief and alcohol relaxing her. She felt better for confessing the truth, even though she knew it wasn’t what he wanted to hear.
After their meal, they sat outside with the brazier, wrapped in furs and with full, content bellies. The Northern Lights had blessed them again, and they watched the sky burn with flames of green and blue, while sipping warmed mead.
‘I have something for you,’ Runar said. ‘I heard it is a tradition for Old Man Winter to leave gifts, but I do not think he knows where I live. So, I made you something...’ He handed her a small parcel wrapped in colourfully embroidered Sami cloth, which he had hidden among the basket of logs.
Embla gave a cry of delight and jumped to her feet. ‘We had the same thought! I have something for you too. But I need to go inside to get it.’
‘Open your gift first,’ he said pushing the gift towards her, until she took it.
She shook her head with a smile. ‘No, we have to open them together.’ She placed her gift carefully on the seat of her chair. ‘I hid it beneath the bed.’ She rushed inside and came back quickly with a neat pile of cloth.
Runar gave her a nervous smile and took the bundle from her. ‘Thank you.’
‘Do you like them?’ Embla asked, before he had even unfolded them.
He stared at the two tunics she had lovingly made and decorated around the neck. The colours and thread were Sami, but the embroidery was distinctly Norse in style, and uniquely Embla. There was even mistletoe included in the design.
‘They are beautiful!’
‘I hope you don’t mind. I used the fabric and thread from your chest...the one in the barn?’ She bit her bottom lip. ‘It seemed such a waste for them to sit there unused...and your clothing is so worn out. I wanted to make you some tunics out of them, as a thank-you for looking after me.’
He stood and threw off his bearskin and cloak.
‘What are you doing? Runar, it’s freezing...’ Her voice trailed off as she watched him strip down to his bare chest. He gave her a knowing smile when he caught her staring.
‘Hurry before you catch a chill,’ she grumbled, avoiding his eyes as she pretended to poke the fire with a stick.
Chuckling, he put on both tunics for warmth, and took a moment to admire them. ‘They fit perfectly! How did you make them without measuring me first?’
Embla stood and hopped up and down to wrap his discarded woollen cloak back around his shoulders and refastened it with bad-tempered tugs.
‘You will die of cold, wearing so little, and of course, I can make a tunic for you without measuring. I know your body well.’
Their eyes met, and her face flushed with embarrassment. She dipped to grab his bearskin, and gave a little huff as she tried to drag up the weighty fur from the ground.
‘How do you manage to wear this every day?’
He helped her position it over his shoulders, and then grabbed her hips, tugging her close.
‘I needed it to keep me warm during the long, dark nights...’ He leaned down and kissed her slowly, teasing her mouth open with his lips and tasting her with his tongue. ‘But you are here now, so maybe I no longer need it?’
Swatting at him playfully, she giggled but allowed him to press kisses against her neck with a sigh of pleasure. Dropping down into his chair, Runar pulled her onto his lap, wrapping the bearskin around them both.
‘How will I open my present?’ she asked innocently. ‘I cannot reach it!’
