Day 5: Morning 

The party was good, so it was worth annoying Ivar I guess. I'm up early, writing in the pale thread of light that comes through the window while the others are still asleep. 

I don't normally wake up so early, but I had to write this down or I would burst. 

I'm engaged!

The thought keeps coming back into my head, round and round. I keep clinging to it in the darkness. In less than a year he'll be mine and I'll be his. That's pretty special. 

The token he gave me is a necklace, hanging on the chain is a silver coin from my homeland. It's a old one, when I turn it in my fingers I see my father's portrait on the face. 

Here, they won't understand our tradition, they don't know it's significance. Really, Jova should have asked Ivar's permission to marry me. Archaic traditions they keep here. 

He's always laughed at that, "we aren't like them," he has said every time it comes up. 

Last night, he called the coin, "A small token to remind me of him while he's away." 

As if I need a reminder of his kind gaze, or the way his face lights up when he sees me, or the feeling of his arms around me. 

I'll have to stop now, it's almost time to wake the others and I need to prepare for the day ahead. 

Day 5: Evening 

He's gone now, the ship set sail this morning. When we were heading out, Æstrid offered to watch the younger kids and the sheep so I could go wave him off, which was nice of her. 

Ivar wasn't happy with it, but I promised that I'd go up to meet the others as soon as the ship had gone. Even if I hadn't, he couldn't have stopped me, I'm not one of his kids. 

I hate the docks, the press of the people and the harsh smell of fish that permeates every surface. I only go to see him. 

Jova kissed me before he got on the boat. It was short and sweet but it shocked the village nevertheless. We don't mind it, but we've always been outsiders here. 

Despite my promise to the others, I stayed at the harbour until the sails disappeared over the horizon. They won't be back for at least a month now, so I need to hold onto this now. 

Once he was well and truly gone, I joined the others in the hills. The rest of the day was the usual tedium, but Frida and Aleifr tried to cheer me up which worked a little. 

I'm writing this in the feint light of the setting sun which makes its way through our window. Lying here, I know that, when I finally manage to get to sleep, I'll dream of him.