Aryanna, Ruth and Susan had just finished with lunch and were sitting sipping tea as the servants cleared the table when Aryanna jumped to her feet. "Niohoggr is coming! Ana is with him!" She ran from the table and out of the back door followed by her daughters. They stood together in the yard shading their eyes with their hands looking into the sky. They watched as the dragon circled and descended. Brieanna jumped from the dragon's back before it landed and ran to her mother.
"MOM!" she shouted. Reaching her mother she embraced her both in tears.
"Ana!" Aryanna whispered her voice barely a croak. Brieanna then turned to her sisters and hugged them. They simply hugged as tears of joy flooded their eyes. "I knew you were still alive, I knew you would return!" Aryanna sobbed.
"Mom, I want you to meet three people that came with me." By then the dragon had landed and Sam was holding Aednat as he and Gwen were standing quietly next to the dragon. Brieanna walked to Sam and took Aednat into her arms. "This is my daughter Aednat."
"She is beautiful Ana."
"Aednat, this is you grand-momma and your aunts Ruth and Susan." Aednat simply stared clinging to Brieanna. "Her name is Irish and it means 'little fire'".
"Her red hair fits her name," Susan said. Aryanna held out her arms and Aednat allowed her to take her in her arms.
"This is my sister Gwen, I adopted her."
"Welcome to the family Gwen," Aryanna said.
"So, I'm no longer the youngest sister, nor the only redhead in the family," Susan said ruffling Aednat's hair and laughing and hugging Gwen.
"This is Sam, my husband." Aryanna turned to him.
"I know you, your Sam Edwardson." Sam nodded looking surprised. Aryanna then hugged him. Please all of you come inside. Niohoggr, thank you." She hugged her dragon as her tears renewed. "Thank you!" then turning to Brieanna and her companions said, "We were taking some tea, join us." Then still carrying Aednat she led them inside. The servants looked startled as they walked in followed by a huge dog but said nothing. "Tell me about your outfit."
Brieanna laughed and motioned to Gwen and they turned around modeling. "It's our shield-woman dress Mom, we're the Valkyrie sisters. You like?"
"You both will get a lot of looks dressed like that Ana. Is that how women dressed?"
"Just us, we'll dress in our regular dresses for dinner."
"I see you're carrying swords too."
"I have quite a tale to tell. Everyone now calls me Brie or Brieanna, but I'm still Ana to you Mom."
Aryanna passed out tea cakes to everyone and filled the tea cups that her servants had supplied. Aednat happily accepted a tea cake and a second one in rapid succession. Aednat did not like the tea until Susan added milk and sugar and gave her a third cake. "How long have you been married?"
"About eight months. We adopted Aednat."
"And Gwen too I see."
"Gwen turns sixteen tomorrow."
"Well, we'll just have to throw a party, one tomorrow, we have two birthdays to celebrate after all. It will be with just us and one more party next week to welcome you all back home with the entire family."
"You really don't need too, Brie's mom," Gwen started.
"Call me mom, and I just can't turn down a chance to party and show you all off."
"Are you going to wear your Valkyrie outfits?" Susan teased. Brieanna and Gwen laughed.
"Not this time. We'll wear more traditional dresses," Brieanna said. "No need to shock the rest of the family showing so much skin..."
"Sam, you're so quiet," Aryanna said. "Tell me how you both met."
"I met her almost three years ago when I first came to the Faroe Islands. I was in love with her since then." Brieanna began telling her family about her adventure with Sam filling in details. Her family sat spellbound by her tale. She told that she had no memory of her past life until recently and told how the dragon had saved both her and Gwen then taken her home.
"That is quite a tale Ana. Let me show you to your rooms. We have several hours until dinner. Your grandparents will be here. You have time for a bath if you wish."
"Can I have my old room?" Brieanna asked.
"I don't see why not. Gwen you can have Greg's old room and Aednat the guest room. Your dog, not sure where to put your dog."
"Mah-Doo sleeps with her, Mom."
"That's fine, Susan slept with her dog too when she was little."
"I really missed you so much Ana," Susan said. "You and Greg just disappeared. I couldn't sleep, I was so scared."
"I'm sorry Sue."
"Do you remember how I always slipped into your bed at night?"
"No, but now that you mentioned it, yes. Your feet were always freezing cold."
"I would get scared, after you left Mom let me sleep with Barkey."
"I remember Barkey, is she still here?"
"No, she passed two years age. She was a very old dog."
"You must be the same age as Gwen," Brieanna said surprised by a new flood of memories.
"My birthday is tomorrow too, so Gwen that makes us twins." Susan had her arm around Gwen as she walked her to her room.
Brieanna undressed and put on a long thick robe and grabbed a towel for her and Aednat as Sam walked them to the baths. "We have heated baths here in the house, you'll have to bathe with me," Brieanna teased. They were met by Gwen, Susan and Ruth. Susan and Gwen were both smiling with mischief when they walked to Sam, taking his arms.
"Are you bathing with your sisters Sammy?" Susan said winking at Brieanna. Sam stopped dead. His face went white then red leaving him speechless.
"N-no," he finally stammered. That had all of the girls laughing.
"You shouldn't tease Sam," Brieanna said.
"I like to tease Ruth's husband too, but Sam blushes so much easier."
"You didn't mention you were an old married lady," Brieanna teased.
"Been married three months. Bill will be hear for dinner. You've been married much longer. So that makes you the old married lady Brie."
Sam left them as they walked down an enclosed walkway to the bath house. "I remember this as much bigger," Brieanna said.
"It is the same, you were just a bit smaller," Ruth said, "not much smaller," she added.
"Hey I might be small but I'm mighty." They disrobed and entered the warm pool.
"Momma watch!" Aednat shouted and jumped into the water.
"That was a great jump, Nit. This is so nice!" Brieanna said.
"Did you have baths where you came from?" Ruth asked.
"We had saunas," Gwen replied. "We used steam then a cold dip."
"Let's see who can make the biggest splash!" Brieanna said leaving the pool.
"That will be me!" Ruth said laughing.
Brieanna decided to wear her yellow underdress and dark green surcoat to the dinner. Gwen wearing her blue underdress and borrowing Brieanna's red dragon pinafore. They both had hoop earrings and multiple necklaces. They had their hair down and a gold glit circlet on their head. Sam escorting them to the dining room. Brieanna's grandfather hugged her as she entered, "Ana, I'm so happy your home."
"Some things never change," her grandmother said with a laugh, "none of you girls wear shoes. Aria I blame you for that!" she teased. Brieanna made the introductions. Her grandfather glaring at Sam, "I know your parents and your brother Lemuel."
"Grandpa, Sam is not his brother, I love him."
"Then I will hold my judgment." He held out his hand and Sam took it and nodded. "Your daughter is beautiful Ana."
"Thank you Grandpa. This is my adopted sister Gwen. She is a Danish princess."
They sat for dinner as Brieanna retold her story to her grandparents. Bill sat next to Sam, and Sam was surprised that Bill had a farm and raised sheep. "I was thinking of farming," Sam said.
"What about the perfume business?" George (Brieanna's grandfather) asked.
"I had a farm on the Faroes." Sam said. "I've never had any talent with perfume making."
"We had baby sheep and baby cows," Aednat said, "I love baby animals."
"What else?" George asked appearing interested.
"We raised oats and barley and root crops," Sam answered.
"We had piggies and horses too," Aednat added, "and bees."
"I made cheese and sausages," Brieanna added. "Aednat helped."
"Well if you want to settle close buy, I know of some land for sale," George said.
"We would love to be close," Brieanna said excitedly. "We have quite a bit of gold with us."
"What will your parents say Sam?" George asked. "Will they approve of your plans, or your choice of a wife?"
"I'm sure they will. I'm sure they'll love Brie and Aednat as much as I do."
"If they don't?"
"I love Brie, and she loves me. That is all I care about," Sam replied.
Late that night as Sam and Brieanna lay in bed together Sam spoke softly, "I'm grateful that when you told your story you never mentioned Loki was Lemuel."
"Telling that part of our story is up to you."
"I was surprised you mom remembered me."
"She told me she was a regular patron of your parents shop. She has an excellent memory for names."
"I don't. I need you to whisper everyone name in my ear." Brieanna laughed at his statement.
"You're not that bad."
"Your grandfather looked ready to punch me."
"He did, but we passed that hurdle and now he wants to help us find land for our farm."
"What will happen when they learn about Lemuel? He murdered your dad, and was planning to kill all of you. I would simply die if I caused your family to disown you because of my brother."
"I told my family you were not your brother. I love you Sam. I will spend my life time loving you. We need not tell anyone about Lemuel. He is dead now. He can no longer hurt anyone."
"I love you so much Brie."
"When are you going to present me to your family?"
"Let's hold off a bit. I want you to enjoy your family first and let's buy our farm. Then we can visit my parents. I will send a letter letting them know I'm back and married."
"Sam?"
"Yes Sweetheart?"
"Aren't you going to kiss me?"
"If you're trying to distract me, it's working," Sam whispered as he held her then kissing her lips. Brieanna laughed and returned the kiss.
************************************
Aryanna flew with Niohoggr that night. They soared over the golden domes and spires of Avalon, then out over the sea. The dragon gave a full account of what had happened and his role in the death of Greg. "You should have known I would forgive you Niohoggr. It was not your fault."
"I could not forgive myself Aria, so I could not expect others to. I am grateful to have had a second chance."
"It's not over, Ana is still in danger. It's just a feeling I have in my heart."
"I will not fail her or you."
"I have no idea where the next threat will come from, I just know it's not over. I also know I can rely on you my old friend."