Steel White ring - Steel

Whitewood: the wind blows the ancient pines and spruces. The hooting of an owl can be heard in the forest. A campfire crackles. The buckles of the maiden's oval dress glisten in the fire's glow. She closes her eyes and waits. Suddenly, out of the darkness, there is a quick crackling sound. The maiden opens her eyes. She flicks her torch for a wild animal, and points it at the edge of the forest: "Who's there?" she cries. The crackles come closer and closer. Then a man steps into the circle of light of the campfire. She immediately recognises the cloak, the braided moustache and the shoes laced by a local leather worker. She lets the torch fall from her hand and runs into his arms: "You're back!" Later in the evening, when he has told her all about Harald Sinihampa's frontier waters, the angry winds of the sea and the riches of the conquered monasteries, she asks him to close his eyes and turns behind him. He moves the long curls away from her neck and opens his fists. A piece of jewellery is released from his fists. He wraps it around her neck. The silver of the jewel has warmed in the man's hand, and feels pleasant against his skin. The man says: "Accept this jewel, in memory of the fallen and as a union of those who were chosen for us. When you wear it, you carry with you courage, truth, honour, loyalty, discipline, hospitality, self-sufficiency, productivity and survival." The woman turns around, and sees a similar piece of jewellery on her husband's chest. And they sit by the fire until dawn, until the fire glows red, the owl's hooting stops, and the sun rising from the sky drives the stars out of the sky.