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“You must be anxious to get back. Do you have a family waiting for you? A wife?”

“I was always gaeing tae wait for a wife. I suppose it was lucky I did. I would nae want tae curse anyone tae wait for a hopeless cause. Can I ask ye a question? What are relations like between the Highlanders and the Vikings now? When I left, there were still attacks.”

Brenda sighed a little. “I don’t take much interest in these matters because not many people bother with our small little island, but as far as I know, things are mostly well. Erik worked to make peace with many of the Viking clans, although it hasn’t stopped some of them from raiding. I hear stories now and then of Highland villages that get raided along the coast, but thankfully such a fate has not befallen us ever since my father arrived. I hope that one day we can just put all of this behind us. There is no need for all this fighting.”

“Ye are nae yer da’s daughter then,” Douglas said with a twinkle in his eye. “I did nae think any Hoffstad would ever turn away from battle.”

Brenda looked indignant at this. “I never said I would turn away from a fight. I can hold my own against anyone, including you if you dare,” she said.

Douglas held up his hands. “I’m bruised enough already. I would nae want tae suffer anymore at yer hand,” he said.

Brenda laughed. “I just hate the thought of anyone being hurt without any reason. It’s one of the reasons I want to stay here. I want to make sure the people stay safe and protected. I couldn’t bear to leave and then one day return to find it in ashes.”

“Aye,” Douglas said, and the tone of his voice turned somber. “I used to think of that when I was in prison. I was afraid the Vikings were gaeing tae attack home and burn everything tae the ground.”

“My family would never let that happen. They have invested too much in the Highlands. It is as much my ancestral home as Norway itself. The Hoffstad history is linked to the Highlands as much as anywhere else.”

“Ye speak with pride about yer family. It is a good quality.”

“I just wish they felt the same way about me,” Brenda muttered under her breath.

“What dae ye mean?” Douglas asked gently, realizing that this might be a way he could convince her to do his bidding.

“Oh, it’s nothing really. It’s just that my brother wants me to get married. Sometimes I don’t think anyone actually cares what I want from my life. I don’t see why I can’t stay here and protect the villagers. I’m not even sure I need a husband.”

“Then ye should stay. Ye dinnae always hae tae listen tae yer family. I didnae.”

“You didn’t?”

Douglas shook his head. “When I was a wee lad, my da sat me down and told me tae never trust a Viking. He’d lived through the raids, ye see, and haed seen how dangerous Vikings could be up close. Well, he told me that even though they seemed tae be friendly, they shouldn’t be trusted. The Highlands were for the Highlanders, he said, and just because they married our women didn’t mean they were one of us. But I told him he was wrong. His views were in the past.”

“And how did he take that?”

“Nae well,” Douglas said with a dry laugh, “but he needed tae be told the truth. He could nae gae on with such a suspicious mind, and I was nae gaeing tae let his prejudice tar my judgment. I saw for myself what the Vikings were like, how skilled they were with tools and their prowess with a sword. I learned more training with Erik and Egon than I would hae otherwise. Sae I think ye should stand up for what ye believe in, even if yer family finds it hard tae listen tae ye.”

Brenda smiled at him, tilting her head in such a way that he knew he had made an impression on her. He returned the smile. Little did she know that she was playing right into his hands, and she was going to lead him back to Erik.

“In the village, we have meetings. I think we’re going to have one to talk about the Viking situation, and I was hoping that you might come. You might have some wisdom to offer considering you have spent two years in Norway,” she said.

“I would be honored,” he replied, and she beamed. “But I dae need tae return home tae see Erik. I want tae put this dispute behind us sae that my mind can be at rest.”

“You will go as soon as you’re ready,” Brenda said. “Are you sure it would not be easier for me to send a message to him? I’m sure he would have no problem coming here if it’s easier for you.”

“Yer offer is kind, but I would like tae see home for myself. It’s about time I returned. I hae been away for tae long.”

Brenda didn’t press the issue, understanding his desire. Little did she know that he had an ulterior motive for wanting to face Erik directly in his own home. It felt good to be able to live by his own accord again, and once he dealt with Erik, he would finally be free.