Waiting for the Longships

A gradual recognition of the new order soon became widely known, but it wasn't spoken of. The women knew they should honour their husbands whether they were alive or not, and it was not right to have relationships that would not, and could not, bring forth children; but there were no men, at least not of the age or fitness to be good fathers, and the survival of the village needed the women to pool together their resources. And if there was pleasure to be gained in the companionship of other women, was this not fair compensation for the loss of the men who normally fulfilled this need?

As the days became longer and spring gave way to summer, Astrid was sure that the village was actually a better run and more prosperous place than it was when the men spent their time drinking or hunting. In fact, some women even took on themselves the task of hunting boar or deer, and were no less successful in their efforts than the men. On the whole, she was happy in her life of passion and love with Gudrun, though she sometimes missed Thorvald. After all, Matilda might be a child with no father, but didn't Hromund deserve better?

It was more than a year since the longships' departure and the sun now refused to set, when news at last came back of the fortune of the men's expedition. Astrid hastened with all the other women, Hromund and Gudrun in tow, when word spread that one of the menfolk had returned. The worry that gripped Astrid as she ran to the village square was that only one man was there. Where were the others? And where, above all, was Thorvald?

The sole survivor was Sigfast who sat in the middle of a circle of concerned wives who clamoured for good news. But alas it was not to be! Sigfast was but a shadow of the warrior he once was. He was lame in his right leg and there was a cavernous emptiness where once his left eye shone. He leaned on his staff that had accompanied him for many leagues along the Norse shores and recounted the news the wives had feared so much.

"We were sailing back from Hibernia," he said. "We had gold and meat aplenty. We were full of good spirits and had imbibed heavily of ale. Thor had been generous to us, we thought. He had brought us victory in battle and the spoils of our valour were great. But as our ships steered north of the land of stone circles, we were cursed by the demons of the sea who brought upon us a vicious storm.

"Our seamanship was tested to the utmost, but the winds from the icy North were unkind. They tore our ships apart and one by one they were smashed against rocks at sea. I saw the ship in which sailed valiant Leiknir, brave Thorvald and the chief break into splinters on the guano-painted rocks. Our ship fared better and we prayed to Odin and Thor that we should be spared. Unfortunately not! The waves crashed high, the wind blew strong, and the rain lashed hard. We were pulled and thrown from side to side, water coming in over the bows. And then, struggle as we did against the oars, we too met our fate on the rocks."

The women moaned in misery, Astrid amongst them. Thorvald dead, not as she might have hoped as a hero in battle, now to be feasting in Valhalla, but the more wretched death of a sailor. His soul was lost and he would not serve the honour and distinction of fighting with the gods in the last great battle of Ragnarok.

"I was carried by the waves to the Orcadian shore: the last of our company. I thought I would die, but the gods spared me. The sea claimed only my eye and the strength of my leg. Fortunately, there are many blond-haired Norse settlers in the land of the stone circles who tended me and kept me alive through the long days of winter, but months much less cold than here. The snow settles but lightly and the midday sun remains above the horizon even during the midwinter solstice festival. And soon a passing longship took me back to Norse shores many leagues to the south from whence I have come."

So it was to be only Ingulfrid, Sigfast's wife, for whom this homecoming brought good tidings. For all the other wives and those who had hoped to be wives on the longships' return, it was the news they had dreaded most throughout the long Winter night.

Gudrun comforted Astrid as best she could. Their bodies glistened with the perspiration of their conjoined passion, compromised as it was by the knowledge that Thorvald, nor any other village man, would satisfy them again.

The two lay together on their backs: Astrid weeping once more with Gudrun's arms around her shoulder. Her lover smiled at her.

"Perhaps this is how the gods meant it to be, Astrid," said Gudrun softly. "Our love was meant to be. It is truly blessed by Freya."

Astrid nodded sadly. But she wasn't sure how much her tears were for the grief she felt for Thorvald or how much was secretly relieved that she and Gudrun could remain together. The ways of the gods were mysterious, but she was sure Gudrun was right. As sure as summer would become winter once more, theirs was a love that was meant to last.