bowmansdaughter:

Sigrid tried to breathe, taking comfort from the hand on her back, his strong, steady heart beat. Even now, when she knew how much it hurt him, when she saw that far away gaze in his eyes, when she knew how numb he truly felt, he was there for her. Keeping her safe, sheltering her from the pain as well as he could.

She closed her eyes, taking another deep breath as she tried to calm herself for a moment, wanting to be worthy of his praise. She lifted her head slowly, still holding him tight, eyes red rimmed and still shining with unshed tears. She did not think they would ever disappear. Still, with great effort, she managed a small smile. “I hope so. I’ve only ever wanted to… do as she would have done for this family. To make you proud…”

She curled herself against him once more, no longer able to cry, but feeling like a child once more. “Do you… do you think she is still with us, Da?” She wasn’t sure. 

_{“Aye, I do,” he replied softly after a few moments of heavy silence. He did not wish to say too much. There were certain things Bard could not share with his eldest daughter, nor with anyone, for that matter. He could not share with her the days where he thought he could feel his beloved wife, the sensation so strong it seemed only a matter of reaching out, and he would find her there, by his side once more.}

_{“I see her in your eyes, and Tilda’s laughter, and Bain’s foolhardiness. Your mother was a ray of pure light, darling, and it shines through in every one of you.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, gently wiping away some of the tears on her cheeks with his knuckles, weathered from work on the barge. “She will never leave us entirely, Sigrid. Not truly. She lives on within us. In our hearts is where she will reside, until we meet her again one day, on the distant shores.”}