A pair of golden eyes snapped her out of the world of her thoughts. There was nothing but fear in his eyes. With a crash, the door flew shut behind him. Immediately Tyra broke away from her mother and ran to the door of her house. Energetically Tyra banged on it, screaming through the solid wood at her father to finally open that damn door and let her in.
When the door finally opened abruptly, she fell straight into her father's arms. Caught, she smiled up at him and regained her balance in the next moment.
"It's good to see you again, Father," Tyra murmured and quickly breathed a kiss on her father's cheek before pushing past him into the interior of the hut. Searchingly, she looked around her home and was startled to see how little it had changed since she had left. Only the tall figure at the fireplace had she never seen within these walls. Enchanted, she stopped and absorbed the sight of him. Brun stood with his back to them, gazing into the leisurely lambent fire. The flickering flames conjured dancing shadows on his handsome face and gave his golden hair a reddish glow that only the rays of the setting sun could otherwise do. He looked like a young god. His whole body radiated such deep serenity that all tension instantly fell away from Tyra. Leisurely he turned to her and his expression was so attentive and calm that he was able to completely hide his true feelings from her. What had happened to the frightened boy she had detected in his eyes moments ago?
At the edge of her consciousness, Tyra registered Mother closing the door quietly behind her and stepping to Father's side. Gently, she placed her hand on his arm. But Tyra had eyes only for her mysterious saviour. Only the familiar crackle of the blazing flames could be heard and the warmth emanating from the fire drove the chill from her body.
"What is the meaning of all this?" father finally wanted to know and reluctantly Tyra turned her attention to him. Before she had a chance to explain everything to him, the words just gushed out of her father and he overwhelmed her with so many questions that she completely lost track. Most of them revolved around why she had left, how she had been all these months and why she had now returned with a horde of strangers.
A discreet cough interrupted father's flow of words. Dangerously slowly, Father turned to the young man who stood proudly in front of the crackling fire and met the tribal lord's probing gaze calmly.
"Wouldn't it possibly be easier if Tyra told the whole story," Brun suggested, his calm, level-headed voice filtering through to her father. Gratefully, Tyra threw her rescuer a small smile, which went unnoticed by her parents. Slowly, her father sat down at the dining table and silently asked her to follow his example. Brun's confident footsteps echoed off the walls of their hut. Thoughtfully, Mother eyed the young man from head to toe, pursing her lips together as if she didn't like something about him that she couldn't yet put her finger on. But for the life of her, Tyra didn't know what Brun could do to displease anyone.
Lithe as a cat, Britannicus slid into one of the vacant chairs beside Tyra and his proximity made her heart beat faster. Before mother could cross-examine him, Tyra began to tell her parents everything. They listened attentively to her words and did not interrupt her once. When she got to Gunnar's attempt to chain her to him, Mother slapped her hand over her mouth in horror and looked wide-eyed at Father, who jumped up from his chair, which hit the floor with a huge thud. Reassuringly, Brun's warm hand rested on her knee and only now did Tyra register how badly she was shaking all over. Father, meanwhile, began to pace up and down the hut like a caged animal.
"I heard her cry for help and the desperation in her voice drove me to find her," Brun interrupted the tense silence. Immediately, all eyes turned to him. In his calm way, he described how he found her in her predicament and saved her from Gunnar. To her surprise, he did not leave out the unpleasant details to spare her parents' feelings. Just as Brun was about to move on to his promise to bring her home safely, Father interrupted him in confusion, "That's all well and good. But that still doesn't explain who you are, why you're here and what you expect me to do."
Irritated, Brun blinked up at Father and for a heartbeat his face darkened imperceptibly. This moment was so brief that neither father nor mother noticed anything and Tyra wondered if perhaps she had only imagined this change because she wished with all her heart that it did not leave him cold.
"I don't expect anything from you," Brun replied, and there was such a devastating truth in his voice that Tyra thought the heart in her chest would burst.
"I helped your daughter because I could not possibly abandon her," he continued, visibly offended. "I expect neither reward nor return for that. I did what seemed right and if my men and I are not wanted here, we will leave today."
Tyra's insides froze into ice. If she still had a living heart in her chest, it would have shattered at that moment. But her heart was frozen. Dead. Just the thought of Brun leaving tore her apart.
"He didn't know who I really was until just now," Tyra confessed quietly, and full of disbelief her mother looked at her. But she remained silent while Father examined Brun closely. Tyra gathered all her courage and looked over at Brun, but he ignored her completely. The silence grew more unbearable with each heartbeat.
"How long will it take you to return home?" father wanted to know and Tyra would have liked to shout at him that this was no way to treat a guest. Brun had saved her from a life of suffering and sorrow. Why did father only act as if he were the robber and not Gunnar?
The corners of Brun's mouth twitched imperceptibly, as if this question amused him more than it offended him.
"A while," he replied mysteriously, and slowly he turned his head towards her. When their eyes crossed, she found nothing but emptiness in his beautiful eyes. There was no emotion, no thought, only polite interest, as if he had hidden his true self behind an impassable wall.
"You will not leave," Mother's voice stated firmly. At the edge of her consciousness, Tyra registered how her father wanted to contradict and a single look from her mother silenced him. For she only had eyes for Brun, whose gaze captivated her. Brick by brick, his inner wall crumbled, revealing the wonderful man hiding behind it. Relief flitted across his face for a blink, then he gave her a small smile.
"I come from the West myself," Mother continued, unapologetically and at the same time surprisingly gently addressing Brun. "We are very grateful to you for saving our daughter from this unspeakable fate. You did what we were not able to do: You protected her and brought her home safely. Please stay as long as you like.
Immediately Brun turned his head towards Mother and gave her his most beautiful smile. For a heartbeat she blinked at him, overwhelmed, then the full effect of his charm unfolded, to which Mother had nothing to oppose. For a touch her cheeks reddened as her lips twisted into a gracious smile.
"I thank you for this offer," Brun replied kindly. "We have tents with us. If you would show us a place to pitch them, we will be no more of a burden to you than necessary."
Briefly Father eyed Brun from the side, then ordered Tyra to find a suitable place for the many men. Hastily Tyra rose from the table and ran to him, while Brun rose leisurely and thanked her parents for their hospitality. As soon as she reached him, she wanted to grab his hand and pull him with her. But something prevented her from doing so.
Silently they left the hut and as soon as the door closed behind them, Tyra started talking like a waterfall. Completely uninhibited and playfully cheerful, she told him everything about the inhabitants of each hut they passed. Brun did not say a single word, which only made her talk even more. Her heart was beating up to her throat, while dizzying nausea rose in her. Why didn't he say anything? Was he angry because she had lied to him? Why hadn't she told him the truth when they were alone? Just that morning everything had been perfect and now she feared that her future lay in ruins once again. Only this time it was all her fault. What if he really was just the son of a blacksmith? Would he believe her if she told him she considered him worthy of her? Would it change anything if he knew how much he meant to her? All at once his silence became unbearable.
"I forgot something, wait for me here," she said and before he could say anything back, she turned on her heel and ran in the direction they had come from. Only when he could no longer see her did she slow her pace and think about what she should do now. Maybe she should thank her mother for letting Brun stay. Then she wouldn't have lied to him again.
When she reached the door to her family's hut, she couldn't help smiling. At this time of year, the door warped, making it harder to close. Father usually changed the door so they wouldn't freeze in the winter. But the nights were still bearable, even if they were no longer pleasantly warm. Now her parents' voices came through the narrow gap and Tyra paused in mid-motion. She strained her ears and listened to her parents' heated conversation.
"There will be war, Irmina," Father whispered and Tyra's heart skipped a beat in fear. "He has killed him. Sooner or later they will come and demand revenge. We cannot afford another war, that is the only reason I did not agree to the alliance between Tyra and Gunnar."
Furious, Tyra shook her head. Tears of anger rose to her eyes, but she swallowed her feelings. Because before she could trudge around the corner and give her father a piece of her mind, something completely unexpected happened: mother defended her. In surprise, Tyra froze as Mother's hand met Father's cheek, clapping.
"Don't you ever speak of my daughter as if she were a piece of cattle!" she hissed, her voice trembling with anger. "We agreed that Tyra would marry the man she saw as the most suitable for the job! Gunnar was a stupid, incompetent fool in every way! Yes, there will be war. But Brun has men with him. If we join forces, we can avert the worst."
Cautiously, Tyra took a few steps back and just when she thought she hadn't made a sound, she stepped on a thin branch that broke under her weight with a small crack. For a blink of an eye, Tyra weighed up her options. But her parents were so engrossed in their conversation that they still hadn't noticed Tyra. She quickly turned on her heel and hurried back to Brun, who was waiting patiently for her at the spot where she had left him. Calm and expressionless, he looked towards her and she immediately missed his boyish smile with which he had given her such a natural and natural look just a few hours ago. But now everything was different because he knew who she was and his identity was still a great mystery to her.
"Have you found what you were looking for?" he asked, the coldness of his voice boring into her chest like a knife. Unable to speak, Tyra shook her head and stomped past him.
Taking a direct route, Tyra led him to the edge of their settlement. In one fell swoop, his vehement silence no longer bothered her as she distracted herself with her parents' conversation.
As she surveyed the open space in the small hollow between the forest and the village, she was inevitably reminded of how much had changed since she had last been here. As a child, she had often wondered why this area had not yet been built on. The soil was not nutritious enough to bear fruit and the small stream was close enough so that one did not have to walk a long way to fetch water. At the same time, the watercourse was far enough away that this place was not plagued by floods and yet no one had decided to settle here.
"Why didn't you tell me your father was the tribal lord?", Brun wanted to know, finally speaking out what seemed to be on his mind and snapping her out of her thoughts. Tyra would have liked to flee immediately into the adjacent forest and shout out her frustration. But she could not escape this conversation. She owed him so much that she could no longer lie to him.
"Does it matter who I am?" she asked, tilting her head. Brun snorted and ran a frustrated hand through his silky hair.
"Of course it matters," he replied, and her heart grew even heavier. "But I understand why you couldn't tell me the truth. Because it changed everything."
As if that took the matter off the table, he turned his back on her and blew a whistle. Immediately she perceived movement in the forest and his men slowly emerged from between the trees. As if by magic, they began to set up camp. Tyra had seen Brun's men do this many times in the past weeks, but never before had they proceeded in such a structured way. Every move seemed to be rehearsed and precisely planned.
She jerked away from the sight and focused on the leader of these men. Part of her was crying out to go into the forest with him and force him to tell her the truth about himself. But when she grabbed his wrist and pulled him along, he was as immovable as a rock. Frustrated, she gave up her attempt and stepped right under his eyes. Her hand still clutched his wrist.
"Would you have helped me if you had known?" asked Tyra, looking him challengingly in the eye. For the first time since he knew the truth about her, his eyes grew warm and soft.
"How can you ask me such a thing?" he snapped at her softly and before she could say anything back, he broke away from her and slipped into the shelter of his men. Silently, Marbod and Tato stepped past her. Briefly she met Marbod's gaze and again it seemed to her as if he was begging her to let his friend go. Once again he made Tyra feel that she was not good enough for Brun and this knowledge broke her heart in two.
Filled with conflicting feelings she didn't understand, Tyra turned on her heel and hurried back to the familiar village of her childhood. But a part of her vowed to earn his forgiveness. Now he knew the truth about her. Now he had to understand her and realise the possibilities she offered him. Her plan was not yet lost.

She did not enter her family's hut until dusk was falling. Although Tyra had only wanted to return to the safety of her home after her conversation with Brun, the people of her village had prevented her from doing so. For everyone who saw her paused in their activity, hugged her tightly and demanded to know what had happened. Everyone was relieved to see her again and Tyra would have liked to burst into tears with emotion. She had never expected that the people of her village would see her as more than the daughter of the chieftain who occasionally helped the village healer. But even if she did not understand the reasons, because in their eyes she had done nothing special, Tyra possessed the respect and love of her father's subjects. This knowledge numbed the emotional chaos inside her.
Now, when Tyra returned home, completely exhausted, father sat alone at the table, staring into a mug of beer that stood untouched before him on the solid wooden tabletop. Old Tyra would have teased him to see if he could discover at the bottom of his mug the answer he was so desperately searching for. But that line just wouldn't cross her lips today.
Slowly, Tyra undid the brooch of her coat and hung it to dry near the fireplace. Then she took a clean mug from the cupboard and sat down opposite her father. Sluggishly, father raised his head and looked at her as if he didn't quite know what to make of her. Wordlessly, Tyra took the beer mug and poured herself something in her cup.
As soon as the cool drink trickled down her throat, she relaxed. As a child, Tyra had loathed the taste and even today she did not enjoy this drink. But at the same time, this taste was so familiar to her that only now did she really feel she had arrived home. Noisily, she put down her cup and wiped the foam from her mouth. Beer would never become her favourite drink.
"I showed Brun the spot down by the creek. I hope that's what you had in mind," Tyra began as she grew increasingly uncomfortable from her father's intense gaze. Quickly she continued, "I'm sorry I'm only back here now. But news of my return has spread like wildfire and everyone wanted to know how I was doing."
"Do you trust him?" father interrupted her emotionlessly and without hesitation she answered yes. But the more she realised how thoughtlessly and straightforwardly she had spoken, the stronger the need became in her to convince her father of Brun. For she needed father's approval for her plan to succeed. Without it, all was already lost.
"He is a good man, father," she said, reaching for his hand. "The gaze of his golden eyes is so penetrating that he seems to look straight into people's hearts. He knows each of his men by name - even those of his slaves' slaves. His men follow him blindly and unconditionally. Although he cannot be much older than me, they trust him and they would give their lives for him without batting an eyelid. Haven't you noticed how every conversation falls silent when he speaks. Just the sound of his voice changes people and he is able to inspire them. Yet he does not take advantage of them, but stands up for them. I know he's not who he says he is and it pains me that he doesn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. But look at me? Did I have the courage to reveal myself to him? No, I was a coward. Because the very thought that he is, after all, only the son of a simple blacksmith takes my breath away. If the son of a blacksmith is more fit to be a leader than the son of a chieftain, then I would rather live a life in the comfort of an anvil than at the head of a suffering people."
For a long time Father just looked at her silently, holding her hand gently. Lost in thought, his fingers traced small patterns on her skin. Even as a child he had done this to distract her from pain, sorrow or hunger.
"Have you given yourself to him yet?" father wanted to know, and because of her indignation she overheard the tension that resonated in his voice. In one leap, Tyra was on her feet and glaring angrily at her father.
"Who do you think I am?" she cried, stunned. "Do you seriously think I'd give myself to a man so lightly? I dream that one day he will lead this tribe by my side! I'm certainly not going to jeopardise that dream by doing something rashly stupid!"
Appeasingly, father raised his hands, stood up and slowly came to her. Reassuringly, he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her into a tight embrace. Slowly, her anger at his accusation melted and when she had calmed down enough, she returned his embrace. Smiling, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feelings of safety and home that her father's embrace triggered in her.

After a while, Father reluctantly pulled away from her so that he could look deeply into her eyes. Quietly he said in a pleading tone, "I am sorry that I doubted you for a moment. But you are my little girl and for the past few weeks I have been crazy with worry. We must be very careful and consider our next steps wisely. So wait until Brun tells you the truth about himself before you talk to him about a marital alliance. But I promise you, when the time is right and you still want him, I will support your wish."
Happily, Tyra smiled up at her father and fell around his neck one more time. Relief flooded every fibre of her body and so she promised him on the spot to grant his wish. Silently, she vowed to regain Brun's trust to the extent that he would tell her the truth about himself. For whoever he might be, if the gods were kind to them, they would rule together. It didn't matter to her who Brun really was. For her heart told her that it was her destiny to rule with him.
That evening she sat with her father for a long time and talked quietly with him. At some point, her mother joined them, quietly cooking dinner, silent tears of joy running down her cheek as soon as she looked at Tyra.

The next morning Tyra was not woken up by her mother as usual. Rested and still intoxicated by father's understanding, she sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes.
At that moment the door opened and Father entered the hut. As he saw her sitting upright on her bed, he paused in mid-motion and gave her a beaming smile. In a good mood, he wished her a good morning and Tyra quickly got up. Automatically, she ran to the wash bowl and washed her face. Only when she turned to her father and noticed his astonished look did she realise how much Brun's obsession with cleanliness had rubbed off on her in the short time they had known each other. She quickly buried her face in an old towel and ignored her father's confusion.
When she emerged from the rough fabric again, father was already sitting at the table playing with a cup of milk. On the empty seat opposite him was a bowl of porridge. With a growling stomach, Tyra hurried to her breakfast and began to eat in silence.
"I have decided that in honour of your return we will have a great feast with all the members of our tribe," Father announced so suddenly that Tyra choked on her porridge. Coughing, she lifted her head and looked her father in the eye. Quickly he grabbed a fresh cup of milk and thrust it into her hand. Immediately she downed the milk, noticing at the side that it was still pleasantly warm. When her body had calmed down to some extent, Tyra opened her mouth, but Father raised his hand imperiously. Instantly the words caught in her throat.
"I already know what you're going to say," Father said, amused. "I have no intention of sending out messengers. The people were indescribably horrified when you simply disappeared. After we found out that Gunnar was behind it, most people were in favour of moving into Saxon territory and reclaiming you. We have to convince them that you are back here with us and the only way to do that is to go to them and invite them to our feast."
Tyra raised her eyebrow in surprise and asked matter-of-factly, "So you want me to travel around our tribe's territory all by myself and invite everyone to join us?"
Father's smile widened with each word, causing Tyra's astonishment to grow. Finally, Father shook his head and said, "I want Brun to accompany you."
Stunned, Tyra stared at her father, trying to comprehend his words, but their meaning just wasn't getting through to him. Last night he had insinuated without batting an eyelid that she had become Brun's lover in the few weeks and now he was going to send her on a journey with him alone for days through their tribe's territory?
"If you intend for this boy to rule our tribe by your side one day, then you must give him the chance to love your land as you love it," father explained in a surprisingly gentle tone, as if he had read her thoughts. "Show him our land, explain our customs and traditions. Introduce him to our tribe. He must have some idea of what is in store for him if he agrees to marry you."
For a long time Tyra avoided her father's gaze and sank into the world of her thoughts. Silently, she played with the now empty cup of milk in her hands, trying to make a decision.
"What else do you hope to get out of it?" she finally voiced the question around which her thoughts revolved the most. Ponderously, Father bent over the table, grasped her chin with his large, warm hand and forced her to look him in the eye again. Then he answered sincerely, "I need to know how he treats the people of our tribe. It is not enough that he is a good leader for his own men. Our tribe must accept him or he is not worthy of you."
A low, malicious voice in her head whispered to her that Father was wrong. Brun was more than worthy to lead this tribe. But it was Tyra who was not worthy of Brun. Brun was good, smart, caring, responsible and in control. Tyra, on the other hand, was constantly on edge. She couldn't sit still for a second and some days her role as daughter of the tribal lord became too much for her. On such days she would run into the forest and try to escape the eyes of her tribe - a hopeless endeavour. For Tyra was trapped in her world and even if she had the feeling that she would never live up to her role, she knew only too well that there was no way out for her. One day she would have to take responsibility and there was nothing she dreaded more than that day. Brun was so full of self-assurance, as if he knew exactly where his place was in this world and for that she envied and admired him in equal measure.
But her self-doubt got her nowhere. For Brun was her destiny and she would do anything to become worthy of him.
"We ride at dawn," she announced, rising with a jerk and leaving the hut without waiting for her father's permission. Purposefully she scampered into the forest and as if of their own accord her legs carried her to her favourite spot under the large willow that stood in a beautifully peaceful clearing. Breathing heavily, she came to a halt under the old tree and leaned exhausted against the familiar trunk. When it was sub-daily for her in the village, she came here and after a while this clearing helped her to think clearly.

Smiling, she closed her eyes and tried to absorb the peace of this place.
All at once the memories of that morning came back and her heart began to race in her chest. Her whole body was overcome by an uncontrollable trembling. Her breath came in short bursts as she was caught up in her memories of Gunnar and his men. The sounds of the forest fuelled her imagination and her legs suddenly could no longer support her weight. She did not even notice how she slumped powerlessly.

From far away, a voice called her name. His voice. Brun. With a jerk, Tyra's eyes snapped open and there he stood. Only a few steps away from her, he was slipping straight out of his horse's saddle. Not for a moment did he take his eyes off her. His golden eyes held her captive, driving away the shadows of the past.
Her body acted instinctively. In one leap she was on her feet and had bridged the distance between them. Before she knew what she was doing, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her quivering body against his. But it was only when he hesitantly put his arm around her and stroked her back soothingly that he broke down her walls and she burst into tears. Sobbing, she buried her face against his neck and tried to regain control of herself. But she couldn't. His closeness only made her aware of what she desired but did not possess and possibly never would. Hot tears flowed unstoppably down her cheeks and seeped into the coarse fabric of his jacket. Suddenly Brun began to sing softly in his language a song that reminded her of a lullaby. Although she did not understand the meaning of the words, her body relaxed with every word that left his lips. His body was so warm and steady that she felt completely safe in his arms. But it was his familiar scent that finally drove away the dim shadows of her memory and allowed her to find her way back to the present. After a while, her tears dried up and Tyra clung to him for another heartbeat before reluctantly detaching herself from him.
All at once she realised how she must look to him. A tribal daughter, taking refuge in the woods from the watchful eyes of her village and then collapsing in fear. Mother would not be pleased when she learned of this. Distressed, she wiped the traces of her tears from her face and avoided his worried gaze.
"There is a small stream near here," Brun said, surprisingly unmoved. "If you would like to wash your face there, I would be happy to accompany you."
Surprised, Tyra turned her head towards him and examined him closely. His expression was so impenetrable again, as if he had to hide his true feelings from her at all costs. Why was he like that?
Tyra swallowed her questions with difficulty and nodded. She knew exactly which part he meant. Silently she started to move and walked in the direction she assumed Brun meant. Completely silent and yet completely present, Brun walked at her side. Behind him walked his horse and only now Tyra noticed that he did not have to lead it by the halter. The animal followed him as it was. Curious, she looked at the animal more closely, for up to now she had not paid him much attention. Brun's horse was black as night. On its forehead was a white spot that looked like a star. The animal was large and muscular, as if it had been born for war. But although it was so clearly a powerful warhorse, it trotted after Brun like a tame little lamb.

After a short while they had reached the stream in silence and Tyra washed her face thoroughly. Immediately she felt the cool water soothing her skin. Instantly she felt better. Slowly she turned to Brun, who was watching her surroundings intently. Vigilance showed on his handsome face. Behind him stood his horse, not taking his eyes off Tyra for a moment.
"I was present at her birth. Since then, I have spent every spare minute with her. I was the one who got her used to the saddle and today she is one of the best horses in my country. I named her Tenebrae, which means darkness," Brun explained quietly with unmistakable pride in his voice as he followed her gaze. Smiling, he turned to his animal and reached out his hand to him. Immediately, Darkness neighed softly and nudged his nostrils tenderly against his palm. Grinning, Brun complied with the unmistakable request and began to stroke the animal's noble head. Uncertainly, Tyra stepped from one foot to the other. Then Brun turned his head towards her and the power of his smile hit her with full force. Demandingly, he looked back and forth between her and the animal. Immediately Tyra joined them and familiarised herself with his mare. Her coat was silky beyond description.
"My father wants to throw a party to celebrate my return," she blurted out, and immediately his golden eyes bore into hers. Questioningly he raised his eyebrow and quickly she recited Father's request that he accompany her on her journey to the other villages of her tribe.
Brun frowned thoughtfully and stroked his horse's nose. He did not take his eyes off Tyra for a second and for four heartbeats she was sure he would refuse Father's request. But then he sighed deeply and asked when they would leave. With relief, Tyra almost fell around his neck again, but she held back at the last moment. Imitating his cool composure, she replied, "Tomorrow at dawn."
Amused, Brun snorted, but he remained silent. Smiling, he returned her gaze and opened his mouth to speak, but at that moment someone called his name. Immediately all emotion vanished from his face and he uttered a piercing whistle. The shouts died away and shortly afterwards the sound of hooves could be heard. Only a few moments later, two horses broke out of the undergrowth. On their backs sat Marbod and Tato. The two immediately understood the scene that presented itself to them. Caught off guard, Tyra took a step back, but Marbod's piercing, condemning gaze struck her to the core.
Amused, Tato shouted something to Brun in her own language and immediately Tyra felt even more uncomfortable in her own skin. Her inability to understand this language only confirmed to her why she didn't seem good enough for Brun. But it was more than that, because she felt completely left out.
Brun ignored him and concentrated entirely on his other friend. Calmly and quietly, he asked him something and Tyra winced in surprise and shock when she realised that he really was deliberately excluding her from his conversation. Marbod nodded impassively and slid off the back of his horse. Wordlessly, Brun mounted his horse and looked down at her, unmoving.
"Tato and I have some business to attend to. Marbod will escort you back to the village. I'll see you tomorrow at dawn," Brun explained and without waiting for her reply, he gave Finsternis the order to start walking. Immediately the noble animal started to move. Instinctively Tyra jumped back and looked after him in disbelief. She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that his contradictory behaviour had something to do with the fact that she was the daughter of the Suever chieftain.

The next morning, as she left her family's hut before dawn, equipped for the journey, she could see Brun's silhouette already waiting for her at the entrance to the village. Relief flooded her and she quickly hurried to her horse. Flocke neighed joyfully towards her. Tyra had given her this name because her fur looked as white and untouched as the thick snowflakes that fell to earth on the day of her birth.
Shortly afterwards, she brought Flocke to a halt next to Finsternis. For all at once it seemed to her that even the colour of their horses proved how different they were.
"Are you ready?" asked Brun, snapping Tyra out of her thoughts before she sank completely into them. Smiling, she turned her head towards him. At that moment, the first light of the day burst forth, making his golden hair shine. Never before had he seemed closer to her and unreachably distant at the same time. Wordlessly, Tyra spurred her horse and they left the village at dawn, just as she had promised her father.

Tyra enjoyed the beauty of her homeland. By now, the forests were shimmering in the most beautiful autumn shades. The blue ribbon of the Elbe formed the perfect contrast to the colourful foliage and the weather was perfect. Only Brun put a small damper on their mood. Silent and dismissive, he rode beside her and seemed completely blind to the beauty around him.
"Who owns the land on the other side of the river?" he wanted to know so suddenly that Tyra almost steered Flocke against a tree. But the animal knew her too well and, annoyed, dodged the obstacle at the last second.
"It is also part of my tribe's territory," she replied. "But we own very few boats. That's why my uncle manages the territory. At full moon he meets with my father and together they make the most important decisions for the future of our tribe. Why do you ask?"
Brun stopped his horse and looked across to the other side of the river. Tyra steered Flocke next to Finsternis and tried to see the surroundings with his eyes. The slopes on the other side of the river were barren and overgrown. Because of their natural state, they were simply not suitable for farming.
"They just reminded me of the slopes I saw further west," Brun confessed, a dreamy expression entering his eyes. "If I'm right, this would be a wonderful place to grow grapes".
Irritated, Tyra tilted her head and inquired what that was supposed to be. But Brun only put his head back and laughed with complete liberation. Immediately Tyra felt insulted. Why did he have to rub her nose in the fact that he had already seen so much more of the world than she had? When he noticed her change of mood, he instantly became serious.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have laughed," he said seriously. "But it's strange to see how little you know about some things. Wine is a drink that can be made from the grapes of a certain plant."
Embarrassed, Tyra brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. His words had made her curious. Simultaneously, they spurred their horses again and by the time they reached the first village of their journey, Brun told her everything he knew about growing and making wine. If he was indeed only the son of a blacksmith, then this knowledge was surprisingly profound in her eyes.

Every afternoon they reached a different village where they received an exuberant and warm welcome. The villagers were overjoyed to see Tyra again and delighted at the prospect of a feast.

Gradually the landscape changed. The hills lost their softness and seemed to spiral higher and higher into the sky. Now and then the Elbe appeared on their left, but most of the time they rode through the autumnal forest.

Wherever they went, everyone seemed to recognise Brun as the hero he was and the hearts of all the villagers immediately flew to him. The mood between them improved day by day and at some point it was back to the way it was before she arrived at her tribe. She knew then that he had understood and forgiven her secrecy.

A few days later, Brun stopped his horse completely unexpectedly. A rapt expression appeared on his face. Confused, Tyra rode beside him and realised what had taken his breath away. They had reached the mountains by now and when she had first come here, the beauty of this place had completely overwhelmed her.
The Elbe was submerged in a sea of mist, but its constant roar floated up to them. Out of the sea of fog rose the high cliffs carved out by the weather. Completely scattered in a jumble, a few coniferous trees seemed to grow out of the jagged rocks. The sight of the uneven rock formations was breathtakingly beautiful. But she only had eyes for him. The wind made his jacket flutter gently and played with his long hair, which shone in the sunlight. His face was so open and showed his feelings as unfiltered as she had ever seen them. This was the real Brun that he tried so desperately to hide behind his calm politeness. The real Brun was stunning and Tyra couldn't get enough of the sight of him. "The rock is very soft, that's why it's so prone to the vagaries of nature," Tyra explained and Brun sighed dreamily.
"I love this place," he confessed, his voice no more than a little whisper. "If I could, I would never leave."
But as soon as he uttered those words, he seemed to wake up from his dream. The gleam faded from his eyes and regret, sadness and shame flitted across his face before it closed in on her again.
"Why can't you stay?" she asked, and he avoided her gaze. For a long time he stared silently at the rocks with an impenetrable expression.
"My destiny awaits me at home," he said firmly after a while. "I don't belong here and I never will. To stay, therefore, will never be an option. Because my family, my friends, my whole nation - they all have high expectations of me and I cannot escape that responsibility. Ever since I left home, I have been thinking all the time how I will ever be able to cope with my task. But the further I get away from home, the clearer it becomes to me how trapped I am by my destiny. Marbod and Tato, even though the thought would probably never occur to them, can always stay. If they don't return, then it wouldn't be a scandal. But if I don't return home, then people will think I have failed. No, if I live and consciously choose to stay here, then they will recognise this act for what it is: betrayal. If I stay, I betray everything I love. Everything I believe in and everything I have fought for all my life. Do you understand what I mean?"
Tyra sighed deeply. There he was again. The real Brun. The man behind the façade of the blacksmith's son. Of course she understood him, for he spoke like the child of a leader. No, that wasn't quite right. He spoke like the heir of a leader. The burden that lay on his shoulders was enormous. Patiently she eyed him, but he remained silent. Stubbornly, he clenched his jaws as if this was the only way to stop him from continuing to speak. At that moment she understood that he would like nothing better than to tell her the whole truth about himself. But he was afraid to. Infinitely afraid and it broke her heart to see him like this. But how could she take away this fear with words, which could only be fought with deeds? For Tyra knew that she would rather give up her inheritance and her familiar life than be without him for even a single day. Her heart longed for the day when he would ask her to accompany him home.
"The plans of the Norns are inscrutable," Tyra replied softly, giving Brun a mysterious smile. The sadness in his eyes made her heart heavy. One day she would drive that sadness away for good.

Two weeks after their departure, they rode back to their village when the sun was at its highest. Immediately Tyra noticed how many inhabitants of the neighbouring villages had already arrived. Then she remembered that the festival was to take place in two days. Still, the crowd of familiar faces made nausea rise in her. Of course, a small part of her was happy that so many people wanted to celebrate her return. But the harvest usually lasted just until the dawn of summer, when the first fruits ripened. How could they feed so many people? How were they going to put on a decent feast without paying the price in a few months?
Her malaise ensured that she could hardly get a bite down during the big feast. Tyra was seated next to her father and at her side Brun had been allowed to take a seat to acknowledge his special role in her return. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that he, too, barely touched his food. After a while, she asked him out of the corner of her mouth what was bothering him. Without batting an eyelid, Brun took a deep gulp of beer and as soon as he had gulped it down, he whispered back unobtrusively: "On our journey, we travelled through a lot of forests. But I hardly saw any fields. Why? Are the forests sacred?"
Now Tyra couldn't help but smile at him. Cautiously he returned her gaze and slowly a fine smile spread across his face.
"Most forests are not," she explained softly. "That's why I can't tell you why we haven't cleared them and planted fields in those places yet. I suppose no one has come up with the idea yet."
Brun looked as if he wanted to retort something. But at that moment her father called something to him over Tyra's head and Brun turned his attention to him. As Tyra leaned back in her chair, she noticed for the first time the languorous looks Brun was receiving from many of the women and girls present. But he did not seem to notice them.
"It's time," Father suddenly announced and took Tyra's hand. Astonished, Brun raised her eyebrow. But before she could explain to him that it was time to open the dance, Father was already pulling her to her feet and leading her determinedly to the open space. As soon as they had taken their places, the music started and Tyra forgot the world around her. With every fibre of her body she felt the melody, the beats of the drum got her blood pumping and her mind quieted. At the very edge of her consciousness, she noticed more and more people joining them on the dance floor.

After the first song ended, countless young men rushed up to her and begged her to dance with them. Only one she waited for in vain. While she danced with the others, she felt his gaze on her. He did not dance. He did not notice the looks of the other girls. He refused their requests and he, in turn, did not ask anyone to dance. He just stood on the edge of the action, occasionally sipping his beer and following each of their movements attentively with his eyes like a wolf on the prowl watching its prey at length before moving in to attack.
After a while Tyra was completely out of breath and excused herself. With difficulty, she fought her way to the edge of the dance floor and came to a halt beside him, panting. Unprompted, she took his cup from his hand and emptied it in one go. He opened his eyes in disbelief and shook his head. But when he opened his mouth to teasingly protest, Tyra beat him to it and asked him straightforwardly, "Why don't you enjoy yourself like the others and dance?"
Determined, Brun took his empty cup from her and handed it to a slave. Nervously he avoided her gaze. Then, in a lowered voice, he confessed that he could not dance. Before she could stop herself, she burst out laughing. Immediately his wolf eyes bored into hers and the laughter caught in her throat. Still amused, she grabbed his hand and pulled him with her into the throng of bodies. Automatically, the members of her tribe made way for them. They both ignored the jealous looks of the other girls. Happily, she turned to him and stood on her tiptoes.
"Anyone can dance," she whispered teasingly in his ear. "Just close your eyes, take in the music and let it guide you."
As their eyes crossed, his eyes were so mesmerising that Tyra forgot the world around her. Slowly, an uncertain smile spread across his handsome face and he closed his eyes, ending their little stolen moment. Mentally, Tyra counted to ten, then began to move to the rhythm of the music. Their hands were still intertwined. Like a sleepwalker, Brun began to move gradually and as he moved to the beat, he opened his eyes with a jerk and looked at her so detached and free that her heart skipped a beat. Grinning, he tightened his grip on her hand and before she knew what was happening, Brun began to pull her into the vortex of the music with him.
Her heart was on fire. The music pulsed in her body and his nearness intoxicated her like she had never thought possible. Everything else lost its meaning. Instinctively she snuggled up to him and in one stroke his lips were so close Tyra would only have to stand on her tiptoes. At that moment, his eyes darkened a shade and a flood of feelings completely unknown to her coursed through her body. He desired her as much as she desired him. Imperceptibly, he pulled her closer to him. One of his hands gently stroked her back, the other he buried in her hair. Slowly he lowered his head to her and his warm breath stroked her face. Tyra looked up at him expectantly. Every fibre of her body yearned to finally feel his lips on hers and taste him.
A scream destroyed the spell of her moment. Furious, Tyra wheeled around to the voice and the blood froze in her veins. A group of horsemen approached the revelers and came to a halt in front of Father. Some of the men were painfully familiar to her. Saxon.
Their leader looked down coldly at Father and immediately every sound died away. In a clear voice, Saxon proclaimed, "I am Lando and I am here to demand justice on behalf of my treacherously murdered brother! Hand over my brother's wife and no hair will be harmed!"
Tyra's heart was beating up to her throat with fear. Panicked, she looked over the heads of those present directly into her father's eyes. But there she found nothing but a reflection of her own fear. Sure enough, a warm, strong body pushed past her and built itself up protectively in front of her. Full of hope, she looked up at him and when she saw his beautiful face, she knew that everything would be all right. At that moment Tyra realised that she loved this man, who stood protectively in front of her at all times, with all her heart. Losing him was something she would never bear. Once again, fear slammed its sharp claws into Tyra's chest. But this time she did not fear for her life.