Herdis turned at the sound of her name, and despite the differences she had expected, she gasped. It was disconcerting indeed to see her family so aged, but she had no doubt of who the man in front of her was, either. “Godric,” she said, smiling at him, if a bit tearful. She closed the distance between them and hugged him hard. “I was waiting for you, brother. I told everyone you would return as well.”
She pulled back to study his grizzled face. “You look different, but it is still obviously you. Though I won’t know for certain until you laugh.” She was teasing and let it leak into her voice.