Tomorrow was the big day.

Rubbing my eyes as I sat up, I pressed a hand against Aderick's side of the bed. 'Twas still warm, but just slightly enough that I knew he had left a while ago. He must have left early to get a head start on scouting for Marit today.

I groaned and laid back down on the comfortable bed. I wanted to curl up in the furs and never leave, most days I was not like this, but today was going to be hectic and I dreaded it.

Flipping over on my side, I yanked the covers over my shoulders and buried myself deeper into the warmth. I closed my eyes, nearly asleep when the doors suddenly burst open. I jumped and quickly sat up, wide awake.

"Britta! Why are you still in bed? 'Tis nearly midday! Up up up! We have much to do today." Ingrid was at full speed this morning, and I wanted nothing more than throwing a pillow at her to make her be quiet.

"Precisely," I mumbled.

I went to throw the furs over my head, but Ingrid grabbed a hold of them and pulled hard to completely take them off the bed. A dark eyebrow rose at my protests. Ingrid smiled slyly. I scowled at her in return.

"Come, Britta. Enough wasting time in bed. Aderick has already left for his groom preparation for the wedding, now 'tis time for yours. You shall not see him until later tomorrow for the ceremony. But," Ingrid said with an eager clap of her hands, "Now we must make haste and head towards the bathhouse. Some of the women in the village shall accompany you in this ritual - you have met a few them already. The majority of them are those who helped with my wedding preparations, I am sure most if not all are already there waiting for us."

I muttered incoherently a "Fine" before getting out of bed and walking to the table that held a bowl of fresh cold water and a cloth. Splashing my face and washing my hands, I turn towards the trunk that held all of my clothes. I quickly threw on a sturdy day slip and a light gown, after all, I was going to be naked soon in the bath house with roughly six other wedded women.

Finally leaving the room just behind Ingrid, we walked quickly to the bathhouse that was down the hill at the edge of the village. The air was slowly but surely getting cold, even though winter was yet to come in a month. I suddenly wished that I grabbed my cloak or Aderick's cloak before I left my chambers. We talked about the last details of the wedding and the sacrifices that were being prepared as we grew closer to our destination. Once the doors to the bathhouse came into view, I began to grow nervous.

The ritual of a bride-to-be visiting a bathhouse was to cleanse the body and mind, to prepare a maiden in becoming a wife and mother. In a way, it was a form of "washing away" the maiden within to embrace the new life that would transpire tomorrow as a married woman. Not only would I as the bride go through a "cleansing" ceremony, but Aderick would as well for his transition from a single warrior to a married man. Before he performed in the bathhouse ritual, he would have to obtain a sword from an ancestor for the wedding and to pass it on to our future son. Only then could he move forward towards the life of marriage with me.

I had heard about this bridal ritual many times, but it still made me uneasy to undress in front of so many people. Before I knew it, we were in front of the doors to the house. The heat radiated through the door of the house, steam curling its digits under the door where it was met with cool air. My skin already began to warm and I knew if I stayed here long enough I would start sweating without entering. I gulped loudly and continued to stare at the wooden door. I was not going to knock. It felt like I was frozen. I peeked over at Ingrid who stood smiling at me like she understood my nerves.

"Shall we?" She asked before knocking loudly.

I continued to wipe my sweaty palms on my thin red gown as the door swung open to reveal Rita, Alva's mother. She was a sweet and generous woman and one that I immediately grew to like. Little Alva looked nearly identical to her mother with the dark curly locks and dark blue eyes. Rita had two older children but understood that Alva and I had a connection in which we played together almost every day. We walked into the steaming bathhouse and I found Inger, Siv, Unni, and Mona standing together in their shifts, waiting for me to arrive. I relaxed as I knew all of them as they were Ingrid's friends. I could trust them with their advice and not feel judged - these women were some of the most compassionate and welcoming people I had ever met.

All of these women were at diverse maturities, some already had children, Unni was with child and Siv had three grown children herself. Different areas of motherhood and experiences with marriage to advise me for the future.

If Mamma and Astrid were still here in the world of the living, they would be by my side giving helpful tips of being a favorable wife and even better mother. My heart throbbed and my eyes burned but I knew they were with me in spirit. I let out a shaky breath and smiled at all of them.

"Are you ready to become a wife, Britta?" Siv asked with a gentle smile, lines crinkling around her eyes with age.

This was it. By partaking in this ritual, there was no turning back. To do so was defying the gods and goddesses, as every marriage was presented and blessed to the gods for recreation. The possibility of being shunned was great if either party decided to withdraw from this point of the ceremony.

I was ready to become a married woman, I had no intentions of backing out. Not after all that Aderick and I had been through - what we shall go through together in the future - and how strongly I felt for him. I could not do it - I refused to. Like my parents and my siblings, I was to be married until my last breath, whenever that shall be.

"Ja." I finally said at last with a big grin.

All the women smiled and Mona spoke up. "You must be getting hot with all those clothes on. Come, I shall show you your tub to bathe in."

I nodded and followed her to a row of filled wooden tubs, but one in particular, that was slightly in front of the others so it faced the others. Steam curled out in swirls from the tub, numerous colorful flower petals seemed to dance across the surface. The smell radiating was lovely and I knew it was specifically for me.

Hearing splashes of water from nearby tubs, that was my sign to completely undress and submerge in the tub. Quickly doing the prior, I tried not to hiss at the scalding water. I faced the women as they sat in their tubs, and vice versa. It worked well as a council of seasoned women in life sitting before me in a primal and intimate way. All but Siv had submerged in the water. She moved toward me with three bottles of oil in her arms from a shelf against the wall. I self-consciously covered my breasts with crossed arms. I frowned as she stooped down to set them on the floor.

Smiling at my puzzled look, "These oils are to make your skin soft and smell like flowers for a fortnight - something we all know that our husbands cannot resist." Siv said with a coy smirk and a wink.

I blushed and looked down into the fragrant water. The other women snickered and laughed aloud as Siv poured over generous amounts of the oils into my tub, retelling stories of when they were just married and how insatiable their men were.

Once Siv was settled into her tub, silence filled the steam-filled bathhouse. Already my face was perspiring thanks to the bundles of birch branches laid sporadically throughout the room. I wiped a hand across my brow, but it felt futile since I felt more sweat bead on my head.

"So...do you have any queries about the quirks of being married?" Rita began.

"I am not sure," I began slowly. "Mamma and my elder sister told me the basics of being a wife and mother as well as how to manage household duties with thralls. I always helped my siblings with their children growing up, so I understand raising them. But I am not sure how to be a suitable wife to Aderick."

Ingrid looked away and mumbled, "Well I am out of this one, my advice would not be helpful." I bit back a giggle.

"Do you know how our children come to be?" Inger quipped with a raised pale brow. Her gray eyes sparkled with amusement. I felt my eyes grow large and I nearly choked on my own breath.

I nodded faintly, the heat not helping my red cheeks. "Ja, I was enlightened on the basics long before I came here."

Rita suddenly laughed. "You shall find out that your body is your best weapon and ally. 'Tis the simplest way in making your man crumble. One of the easiest ways I have found to control my husband's temper and get him to see things my way is by tempting him."

"What do you mean?" I had an inkling what she meant, but that could not possibly mean...

A satisfied smirk crossed Rita's face. "Seducing him with my body, of course. They cannot resist revealed flesh that they cannot touch. Why the last biggest fight Dag and I got into resulted in our little Alva. Those times are the best," Rita sunk deeper into her tub with a big smile.

My jaw dropped. By the gods, I do not think I could look at Rita and her husband the same.

I lowered my gaze and played with the petals with my fingertips, swirling the water round and round to make the flower blades get sucked into my little whirlpool. Rita's loud laugh brought my attention back to the women who were watching me with mirth in their eyes.

Siv rolled her eyes but had a smile on her face. "'Tis not always the case, Britta, know that. There will be times that you shall wish he would just walk off one of the cliffs or go take a walk and never come back. Your husband will frustrate you and occasionally make you crazy. But never once in my life have I regretted being married to Vidar. We have three beautiful strong children that now have families of their own. Our life together seemed like it went so fast, and yet I cherished every moment that happened along the way. Good and bad.

"Jarl Aderick shall treat you well, Britta, but know if anything bad should happen, you have a group of women ready to stand by your side to create havoc on him. Dagny raised Aderick well, teaching him how he should treasure his future wife before she died so I believe you shall be fine. We were good friends and I know she would be happy to know that you are his bride."

I had a small smile on my face yet I was sad that I could not meet Aderick and Ingrid's mother. But I was glad to find out a little more about this mysterious dead woman that seemed like a forbidden topic. My gaze slid over to Ingrid sitting quietly in the water, with her head down and dark hair all around her. If it would not make it awkward, I would hug her.

But I doubted she'd appreciate it right now when we were naked as the day we were born.

"I wish I could have met her," I murmured, knowing that everyone in the room heard me.

This was a conversation for later. Not in this time of celebration and happiness. There was no possible way I could approach Aderick with this and not make him upset. With the wedding on the morrow, dealing with the clan's protection and finding the man as well as Marit, I did not want to burden him with the topic about his mother. I could wait for now.

Unni cleared her throat, bringing everyone's attention to her. She was only a few seasons older than me, though we looked the same age. With her fiery red hair, bright green eyes, and pale skin, she had a youthful aura. She caressed her stretched skin before looking up at me with a smile.

"My words for you are simple yet crucial. Our men are very stubborn, as you already know, Britta. You probably have the most stubborn of them all," She said with a laugh. "But these men will do everything in their power to keep you safe and happy. It may not seem so in the moment, but their lives revolve to make us happy. We are the ones that bear children and raise them - in turn, we have the upper hand in most cases. We are important in a home and make important decisions when our men are off raiding or traveling. Our husbands know that and respect us for it. They are our equals, best friends, and lovers - I could not imagine any man in my life like Arnt. There shall never one person that shall love you more than your husband, Britta. Remember that."

I nodded in agreement, storing away those words for later use. I could not help but notice that as Unni spoke she lovingly rubbed her swollen belly. I did not know if it was curiosity, envy, or excitement to think that that could be me in six months.

Inger spoke up. "Well, I do believe that Unni and Siv said it all. Though I do have one more thing to add - and that is you should never lose your spark because of your husband. That sense of attitude that we have all heard about? Never let it die. I have heard of the times you made Aderick pay or grovel for your forgiveness - that is good! Make him understand that you shall not be treated less than your title, as a Jarl's bride. Nei, as the brave and strong Haraldsson heir who survived a devastating tragedy. I admire you for your backbone and will to stand up for what you believe in. I think it does our Jarl good to have someone by his side that ensures what he is doing is right and if not, he faces the repercussions. We could use more women like you around here, Britta."

To say I was surprised was an understatement. I did not think that the women, particularly Inger, thought this way. Inger was difficult to judge and interact with, she typically kept to herself and observed everything around her. Once she opened up, though, she was a kind yet a strong woman that tended to say what was on her mind. 'Twas like she was hiding behind this shy exterior to let someone free her mind and mouth.

My head tilted back with a laugh at her opinionated words. Aderick would fly into a rage at the careless words tossed about him. He refused to let his people start rumors or talk about him in a negative way - his mindset was the eliminate the problem or deal with it as soon as possible.

But we women like to gossip and share stories. I think that is how we made sure our lives were not a crazy as we thought.

I noticed that the once scalding water had cooled considerably, enough to say that we were ready to move on to the final step of the ritual. Mona quietly as ever got out of her tub and walked towards the back of the house where the last tub stood by itself.

Mona grabbed her shift and slipped it on before testing the waters, quickly pulling her out and shaking away the frigid cold water. Once I left the tub of warm water, I was to submerge myself in another tub but filled with cold water to cool my body and complete the ritual.

Mona poured more oil from different vials and sprinkled herbs in the water before turning towards me. "These are for stimulating your womb to increase your chances to be with child once you consummate your marriage with Aderick. It also helps bring your urges to copulate with him tenfold, to where 'tis hard to resist once you lay eyes on one another. Come, it is almost ready."

I let out a shaky breath before rising out of the water, not looking around at the other women who did the same. I kept my head high as I walked passed the others, weaving around the tubs and hot stones on the floor.

"She already has the markings of a woman on her skin," Rita's loud whisper did not fail to reach my ears.

My head swiveled automatically towards her, confused by what she meant.

Rita pointed towards my hips, where my skin had stretched when I hit maturity and began my monthly, making silvery jagged lines appear along my sides. To say I was embarrassed and almost ashamed was an understatement. I kept them hidden as much as possible.

"You should be proud of them, Britta, not ashamed. It shows to us, Aderick, and the gods that you are a beautiful mature woman. No longer a child. We are all honored to have them, as they are proof that we are mature to endure life and that we born children." Siv explained.

With her positive words and looking at them now, I could see her perspective on my marks. Aderick had never seen them so I was nervous to see his reaction to them, I was not going to lie. But now I could go into our marriage night with more confidence and be proud of what my body bears. Small steps.

Mona cleared her throat, as she stood up straight from testing the water once more. "The water is ready. No need to distract her anymore." She teased.

The tub was near twice the size of the first, longer than my own body. It was ideal for someone to lay out completely without bending the knees. The melted snow came from the mountains, including the land into the process of the marriage. In a way, it was inserting the strength and nature of Norway to make ensure our marriage was as long lasting as the land.

Standing beside the tub I drew in a deep breath then carefully stepped into the tall cask. I let out a loud shriek when the cold hit my overheated legs. I wanted out. Now. Everyone laughed at my horrified expression. I had to wrap my arms around myself to stop myself from shaking. By the gods, this was cold.

The dressed women surrounded my tub as I mentally prepared myself for this last step. I could do this. It was only for a few moments before I got to come back up and be dressed. If these women could do it, I could too, I chastised myself.

"I remember how cold my tub was," Unni shivered with the memory. "That was the worse part."

Rita snorted. "You are not helping, Unni." She caught my eye. "Just crouch down and then quickly lay on your back. It shall help with the shock. Do not forget to hold your breath."

I shot her an exasperated look before slowly crouching down, my bottom nearly grazing the freezing water.

Just before I went under, I looked up at every single face of the women who had guided me in this process and smiled in gratefulness. I would never forget this moment.

But this moment led me one step closer to the man I loved.

And with that last thought, I let go and the cold water consumed me.

"Did you have any problems finding the sword?" Ragnar asked as he walked up to where I sat against a tree on the edge of the forest.

I glanced over at him from the old sword I held in my hands, my thoughts elsewhere but here. This place was one of the few spots on my territory where I could come and watch my people and not be disturbed. I tended to blend with the shadows of the forest, which is what I desired. I could sit here for hours and think about issues and battle strategies without the distraction of people talking.

My mind was racing with the marriage tomorrow, Britta, tomorrow night, the disappearance of Marit, and finding the man that tried to rape my Britta. I forced the pressing issue of the latter into the back of my mind and focused on the happiness knowing that I was going to be married to the woman of my dreams in less than a day.

I shook my head before saying, "Nei. Nothing I could not handle."

He smiled before collapsing beside and slapping me in the arm. "Good. Are you ready for the marriage life? 'Tis not for the faint hearted." My best friend said with a smirk.