The last session had ended at the close of the Althing, as three families prepared for the wedding of Thorgerd the Lucky and Arnor Tostisson. Since Thorgerd had neither parents nor siblings, Tosti the Golden hosted the wedding and invited both Brygjafael and Tjaraholt to it.
Tosti had asked the Herdis the Old of Tjaraholt to officiate the ceremony as gydja. Since she was ill, however, Tosti accepted her granddaughter Silksif as a replacement. Silksif is rather young to be acting as a priestess, but she is close with both of the engaged and has a growing reputation. When the wedding parties arrive, Silksif helps guide Thorgerd through the wedding preparations.
The day before the wedding, the Syfjaouholur barrow is opened for Arnor to go in and retrieve a sword of his grandfather. Kjartan observes that he is rather shaken by the experience, perhaps having some sort of vision while he was there.
The next morning is somewhat marred by a missing party. Vagn the Skinflint of Tjaraholt went home on the previous afternoon to watch over dealings on his stead, but had not returned by noon. Silksif sensed a death in the region, and took Kjartan, Poul, and Brom to see what had happened. They found Vagn fallen from his horse off the trail, his neck broken. The tracks made it seem that he was chased at a gallop and went off the trail. There his horse broke a leg, and he was thrown and killed.
Silksif meditated on this, and awoke. She described that Vagn had been attacked by a horseman in black. He had fought but his sword broke parrying a powerful blow from the man. He sheathed the broken hilt of his sword and galloped away but met with the accident as found. Sure enough, when they take out Vagn's sword from its sheath the upper half is broken off.
Silksif and Brom return to the wedding, while Kjartan and Poul take Vagn's body to Tjaraholt. Silksif tells their host Tosti and Vagn's father Ivar, but otherwise keeps the dark event quiet. The wedding ceremony is delayed somewhat waiting for Kjartan and Poul to return, but when they do it goes ahead.
In a grove near Syfjaourholur, Silksif presides over the wedding. The two first exchange swords. Thorgerd gives her new sword to Arnor. Arnor then is handed his grandfather's sword to give to Thorgerd, but turns pale as he does so. Thorgerd shortly understands him as the metal is bitingly cold to the touch as she receives it. However, in her hands the sword soon returns to normal, but the two know of the ill omen it marks. Undeterred, they exchange rings and kiss.
At the feast afterward, Ivar is seen to ask many questions of people about -- especially about where certain people were the previous night. Poul sees him and takes him to be distraught, and tries to reach a comforting hand to the grieving father. Ivar responds angrily, saying that Poul and the thieving skraelings he is in bed with were the cause of Vagn's demise. This is a particularly biting insult to Poul whose dead wife (and father of his son Maushop) was a Mahican.
Enraged but unwilling to hit the old man, Poul throws his drink in Ivar's face. Ivar does not immediately strike Poul (who is younger and stronger), but curses him -- saying that he will never rest easy on account the savages which he has laid down with. Others quickly intercede to prevent a fight. Thorgerd is somewhat mortified at such events at her wedding. Arnor's brothers Finn and Lief then try to lighten the mood, starting up a dance. They each ask to dance with Thorgerd and act somewhat fresh with her to tease their younger brother.
Also during the night, Thorgerd speaks with Katrina about marriage. Katrina lets slip that she is not a virgin in her thrill of giving advice to Thorgerd. Thorgerd is intrigued but doesn't push her to find out with who.
Finally the night ends and the young couple go to their wedding bed. Realizing that they have already pushed Arnor enough, Lief and Finn withhold from the occaisional undressing traditions and leave the two lovers alone.