“I don't like fighting with you either” Bragi said, “I don't like fighting.” His eyes were still closed, but he wasn't asleep. His mind and his eyes were fighting right then. This was the compromise. He just wouldn't go to sleep. “I used to hear it all the time. Through the cracks in the floorboards and the door. It killed all the other sounds when it came, and I used to think 'This doesn't sound like music. It's too harsh. Too short. Too sharp. Too flat. You can't do anything with it. It can only be noise.'” The smile turned sad. “My mother has such a beautiful voice.” Idun had never heard it. He hoped she would someday. That would be so sad if Idun never ever heard it.
Every millisecond the 'No's' in the back of his head got fainter. He barely felt her shaking his shoulder. The white was moving away, or Bragi was moving closer to it. He couldn't tell. But he felt the arm he had on her rise. He heard the gasp, and the crackling and shifting of the snow under them as she moved. Bragi forced his eyes open, and how hard it was to open them versus how easy it had been to close them reminded him how dangerous this was. It was dangerous here. They needed to go.
Bragi blinked, and forced himself to nod. If they went, Idun would have to get up. They'd have to move the wolf skin blankets off of her, and she'd stand up in the cold that had taken her away when a shade could pass by at any moment. This idea was so much more terrifying than Bragi closing his eyes. Idun had no idea how terrifying this idea was. But then his eyelids drooped again. If they stayed much longer, they'd stay forever. Bragi didn't want to slip away. He didn't want Idun to slip away again after him. They wouldn't be happy with these shades. Idun was not built for cold. If they were to get out of this mess, Idun would have to get up eventually.
He looked at her. Idun had made it up on her elbow. She wouldn't come back just to go away again. Bragi breathed in and the cold bit his lungs. He let go of her and pushed himself up until he was sitting. Then he got up on his knees, then his feet, and took Idun's hands. He'd taken off one glove earlier to feel her before he'd joined her, when it hadn't mattered. Now he could barely feel that hand. “Don't look at anything” Bragi said, “Just look at me.” Gradually, he stood and helped Idun up at the same time. He picked up one of the skins and wrapped it around her shoulders. He tried to cover her as much as possible, then Bragi wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed the side of her mouth.
“You came back even though you couldn't,” Bragi said. He pressed his head against her shoulder briefly. But only briefly. He had to keep eye contact. He had to make sure she didn't look anywhere else. “That doesn't make you a good wife. That makes you a legendary one."