Spend the days dreaming and the nights awake [Stafnsdóttirs]

Recently, Freyja and her sisters had been talking about doing something nice for their mother. Kara’s birthday was coming up in a few days and her daughters wanted to celebrate. It had been a while since the whole family had gone out together and even longer since they’d really felt like celebrating. After Stafn had died, they hadn’t had much reason for it, and even when they did, they simply weren’t in the mood. As the years had gone on, they’d been too busy or too tired. But now, her sisters were young women, and Freyja wasn’t killing herself at her job all day every day, and though it had taken a while, the dark cloud that had hung over their family had finally dissipated.

The five sisters had managed to keep their plans a secret from their mother, though Freyja wasn’t too sure how. It was hard to keep secrets in a family like theirs. And while Kara was at her shop for the afternoon, the five women were all home getting ready. Freyja was even wearing a dress! She was certain she’d be heading home within minutes to change back into something more comfortable, but if everyone else was making an effort, she thought she should as well.

Kara was supposed to meet them at home soon, as her daughters had told her they had a big family dinner planned, but Visna would be intercepting her on her way home while the other four went on ahead to the tavern. She knew her sisters had invited some of their friends and some of Kara’s friends to meet them there to help them celebrate, and Freyja wanted to make sure no one was having too much fun before her mother even arrived. Nothing ruined a party like a drunk, angry viking.

She hadn’t invited any people herself, wanting to be able to enjoy the evening with her family, and also not really certain who her sister’s had decided to invite. She didn’t want the place to be overcrowded because they’d all gotten excited and invited everyone they ran into.

Arriving to the tavern with Sofie, Tóra & Rúna, Freyja went to get herself a drink and find a dim corner to hide in so no one would spot her in this outfit and make her feel any more uncomfortable than she already did. How did other women walk around in these all the time? Had they simply never tried wearing trousers? Because they didn’t know what they were missing.

“Are they here yet?” she asked, assuming at least one of her sisters were spying to see when Visna & Kara would arrive. Freyja just hoped her mother was pleasantly surprised and they all made it through the evening without any incidents. She’d been sorely tempted to pull Sofie aside and ask her to be on her best behavior, but knew that would only provoke her sister and make her more likely to try something, so she’d decided against it. But she wasn’t too worried. They were all planning on having a good time tonight.

Sofie had ben running around like crazy trying to get last minute things ready and going. She had hoped that everyone she had invited out here today was going to come out for their mother. Sofie had been working so hard to help make sure this night was going to be perfect for her mother. They hadn't done anything like this in years, not since their father had died, and Sofie didn't want something to happen that would make them go back to not celebrating. She had been good all week too, she hadn't pulled any pranks on anyone so everyone who had been invited would want to come. Plus her mother was always a little bit happier when she wasn't hearing about Sofie's pranks. So she had done her best for her mother so she would be happy. In a way it was like Sofie's gift, sure she had bought her something. But she knew that her not pranking anyone, an being good for a little bit meant a lot more to her mother then the necklace she had boughten.It had just been so hard for Sofie, and she had many pranks and jokes planed to do first thing in the morning. When everyone was hung over and tired. None of them would see it coming and it would be the best thing in the world for her.

Freyja, Rúna, Tora, and herself had come to the Tavern early. To make sure they got there before everyone else did, including their mother.However some people were already there. Once inside Sofie watched as her sister made a b-line to the drinks and she followed after. This was a party, and one of the small times she was allowed to drink without her family getting on her about it. Grabbing a horn of ale she went over to a table near the front and waited for Visna to bring their mother to the part. As they waited more and more people her and her sisters had invited were slowly coming in. “Are they here yet?” Sofie heard her sister say from somewhere on the left and she looked over and shook her head."No, not yet sister." She said to her as she looked around. It seemed like they were going to have a very good turn out when it came to people being there.She hoped Maurr was going to come, she hadn't seen him yet however. Sofie was going to try and get him drunk and to relax. Help him enjoy himself the best she could like a good friend. Plus she promised him it was her goal to get him to have fun.

Sofie just hoped her mother would be happy with how many people had come. They had made sure to mostly invite people they knew, knew their mother. However there was a viking man near the bar that keeper looking at herself and her sisters that she doesn't remember seeing much. She wasn't sure how he knew her mother, but he wouldn't be here if he didn't right? It was just weirding her out how much he kept looking at them all. If he kept it up for a while she would just go over and see what his deal was, but she would wait until after her mother was enjoying herself and not paying attention. Plus she would wait until the man was drunk, so she could take him down easier if she had to. Getting up and walking around she made sure to remember to keep an eye on the man, but she was also going to enjoy herself too.

Visna was unable to hold back her excitement. Her family had a really rough time trying to start over after Stafn’s death and now they finally had the chance to go ahead with their lives, starting with Kara’s birthday party. When their father died, they completely stopped celebrating anything and getting back to happy and nice habits starting from their mother’s special day was really important to Visna. The girl had spent her whole childhood with her mother that taught her how to sew and make dresses, that’s why celebrating her was really important to her.

The girls got ready at home. Visna basically sewed every single one of the dresses they were wearing, maybe with some help from Kara, but those were her works and she was really proud of herself for being able to make them with her own hands for her sisters to wear in that special occasion. Once she got dressed and styled her hair, she had to intercept Kara who was on her way home and bring her to the tavern instead, where the other girls were already heading. She took the same road they used to take together when they walked to the shop in the morning and from it in the evening. As expected, not much time passed when the girl got to meet Kara. ”Mother!” She called for her, waving her hand while walking faster to get to her sooner. ”There is a change in our plans. The girls are waiting somewhere else.” She said to her mother with a smile, grabbing her arm to start walking towards the tavern. She didn’t tell her where they were heading even if she probably already understood it from the streets they were getting in.

Not much time later, they finally arrived to the tavern where lots of people were waiting for them. Everyone that the sisters and also their mother knew was there. She was glad to everyone who chose to come to the party because each one of them was an important part of their lives and having them reunited together thanks to their mother was really touching.
Visna finally spotted two of her sisters in the crowd. Freyja and Sofie were standing in a corner of the room, pretty far from where people actually were enjoying themselves drinking and laughing together. After leaving Kara with some of the guests, she headed to them with a smile. ”What are you doing in here?” The girl asked them playfully. She hadn’t had the chance to grab a cup of ale yet, but could gladly see that her sisters were already drinking. The girl turned around and quickly grabbed the first cup filled with ale that she could find before slowly and gracefully starting sipping from it.

Suddenly, Visna noticed that Sofie was looking at something right behind her, so she turned around with her eyebrows furrowed. She spotted a man that was looking in their direction and that looked away right when she looked at him. ”Who is that man?” The girl asked to the both of them knowing that he was too far to hear what they were saying. She never really saw him and wasn’t sure Kara knew him, but if he was there, someone had invited him, or at least that was what she hoped.

Tòra, youngest of the Stafnsdottir clan, managed to somehow reach the tavern after her other sisters. She'd gotten slightly lost on the way, because although she'd lived in Skagen her entire life she'd never actually been to the tavern. She'd simply been too young. But now she was finally old enough, and she was glad that her first time here was to celebrate their amazing mother. She's full of nothing but joy and love as she bounces through the door, a veritable ball of energy. She slows slightly, blue eyes widening and pink mouth opening in a small oh of surprise when she sees how many people have turned out to celebrate with them. After a moment of shocked stillness, the smile lights her face again and she scans the crowd happily. Most of them she knew, but there was no place Tòra would rather be right now than with her family.

Her mother was chatting with someone--his back was turned, she couldn't tell who--but she spotted three of her sisters together on the periphery of the crowd. Her smile widens into a grin as she reaches them, and she throws her arms around the two she's managed to squeeze herself between--Sofie and Visna--and turns the full force of her energetic grin to Freyja. She's just in time to hear Visna ask who that man is. Her brow wrinkles as she follows her sister's gaze, and when she sees the man she only shrugs. She drops her arms from her sisters' shoulders, although she's still grinning. "Who cares who he is?" She fondly strokes the wooden handle of a small knife hanging from her belt,a gift from the blacksmith Hakon."We can take care of him, yeah?" She only giggles, too full off excitement to care about much else, and certainly not letting the fact that she could probably get beaten up by a six year old stop her boastful statement.

Tóra was young when their father died, but not so young that she can't remember the way their family was before his death. She remembers the joy and laughter, their father spinning Kara around and her laughing, breathless and eyes shining, as they dance through the house. She remembers when Freyja would come home strapped with swords and shields and grinning, remembers when Freyja was the only one of them that worked. Now they all work except Tóra, and that will soon change. There's less laughter and more bickering. There's less joy but she knows it's not because they don't love each other, its only because they miss their father. But maybe this can mark the beginning of something new for the sisters since their father died: more laughter and less bickering. No less love, but maybe more joy. Tonight more than ever, Tora feels hopeful. It's a feeling she's almost forgotten.

Despite no sign of Visna or her mother when she’d last asked Sofie, Freyja had barely waited a moment before she was tempted to ask again. She just wanted to get this whole thing started, and make sure that they hadn’t misjudged their mother’s potential reaction to it all. All of her sisters had been thrilled at the idea, and Freyja had taken that as proof enough that it had been a good one, but now she was wondering if Kara might’ve suggested something herself if she’d been at all interested in going out and dancing and being surrounded by their friends and neighbors?

Luckily, by the time she was about to ask Sofie if she could see them a second time, the doors had opened and Visna and Kara walked in. Her mother seemed surprised, but pleased, and that was good enough for Freyja. When the other girls joined her and Sofie, Freyja grinned at them. “I’m watching to make sure Mother’s having a good time, and everyone’s behaving themselves, and trying to see if I know anyone here, yet,” she answered Visna, with a smile. She was certain at least a few people she knew would be in and out during the evening, whether it was to wish her mother a happy birthday, or because they wanted a drink in the tavern, Freyja honestly didn’t care.

Sofie had seemed to be staring someone down in the distance, and when Visna asked who some man was, Freyja finally turned to see where they were looking. She didn’t need to search too long before she realized they were looking at some man who Freyja had actually noticed was staring in their direction earlier, but had shrugged it off immediately. They were the ones throwing the party, why shouldn’t he stare at them?

“I’m not sure,” she told her sister, knowing he seemed familiar, but unable to place him or recall his name. When Tóra said they could take him, Freyja laughed out loud. “We’ll let you take the first crack at him, okay?” she said, winking at her sister, a big grin plastered on her face.

“For now, why don’t we just worry about having fun and making sure Mother’s having a good time?” She didn’t plan on spending the whole evening in the corner with her sisters. They could’ve huddled together in a corner at home if that was all they were doing the whole night. “Have any of your friends arrived yet?”

Sofie was still sneaking looks back at the weird strange man when her mother and Visna finally arrived. Sofie was glad they evened up going with having a party for her when she saw the look of happiness on her mothers face. It was good to see her so happy and surprised by something they had planed and done for her. Their mother worked hard for them, as did Freyja. So to see them here and enjoying themselves was a good thing, and it was something that needed to happen more often. They had been so sad with the lose of her father, and sure they still missed him and loved him so much, but they couldn't just stop living, and stop having fun. Sofie watched as her sister Visna made her way over to herself and Freyja. Or well the area that they had been in anyways. "What are you doing in here?" Visna had asked and Sofie just laughed before saying "Hopefully getting drunk" to her sister with a smile and a giggle. She liked to drink her fair share in the right setting. Not going to crazy, but enough to let lose and have a good time.“I’m watching to make sure Mother’s having a good time, and everyone’s behaving themselves, and trying to see if I know anyone here, yet,” was what Freyja said in answer.

Still smiling at her sister she snuck a look back at the man. He was looking at her mother now, and not at herself and her sisters. He must have known her somehow, but Sofie had no idea how or where. Plus who had invited him! She hadn't and it was clear Visna had't as well when she heard ”Who is that man?” coming from her mouth just after Tora had made her way over to them. Pushing between them so she could be closer. "I have no idea." was all she got out before Tora said "Who cares who he is?" followed by "We can take care of him, yeah?" after. Sofie laughed and nodded her head. It was true, they could totally take him out if they needed to, but she still didn't like that he was now talking to her mother. “We’ll let you take the first crack at him, okay?” Freyja said in return to Tora. The idea of it made Sofie giggle once more, before taking a drink from her horn. In reality she wouldn't let Tora anywhere near danger if she could help it. She was the baby and she was to be protected. "Yeah, we will let you kick his ass!" Sofie added with a smile at Tora.

Freyja being the adult like always spoke again “For now, why don’t we just worry about having fun and making sure Mother’s having a good time?” it was true. It didn't matter too much who the man was if he wasn't going to do anything. Even if Sofie didn't like how close to her mother he was standing the last time she peeked at him. “Have any of your friends arrived yet?” Freyja asked next. This made Sofie look around. She could see plenty of people she knew, but she hand't seen Maurr yet. That was the person she was going to make sure had a good time. He more than deserved it. With the shit ass life the gods had given to him. She of course was going to do everything in her power to help him out. To make things better, and maybe even free him. However that would maybe be a little bit harder then she wanted to admit."I see some of them yes, a few aren't here yet though." she said to her sister in answer. Letting out a huff she looked around some more before downing the rest of her drink. Hopefully Maurr got here soon, that way she could start on the fun evening she planed out for him, and then she could also get her mind off the fact the weird ass man touched her mothers arm in a way that a friend should touch."I'll I know is I plan to get wasted..." Sofie said more to herself then her sisters around her.

They were almost there. Visna was walking beside Kara towards the tavern the sisters chose as their location for their mother’s birthday party. The both of them had to take the last few steps and push the door open before entering the tavern and Visna’s heart started beating faster. She didn’t know if she was excited, worried or anxious about her mother’s probable reaction. Maybe she was all of that at once. Kara pushed the door open and her face enlightened once she saw her friends and neighbors reunited together, wishing her a happy birthday right after she took a step into the room.

Relieved, Visna looked around the room and spotted her sisters. After greeting everyone, she left her mother with her friends, so that she could have fun without having her daughter glued to her, and walked towards her sisters. She immediately asked what they were doing since that corner was pretty far from where the party looked to be. "Hopefully getting drunk" The girl heard Sofie’s answer and after a short giggle, she nodded in agreement. ”I like the plan, count me in.” She said winking at her sister.

Meanwhile, her younger sister, Tòra arrived and hugged them. She was always so bright and even though Visna was concerned about the presence of a unknown man that was staring at them, she couldn’t help but smile when her little sister affirmed they were going to take him down. “We’ll let you take the first crack at him, okay?” Freyja said, making Visna’s smile grow wider. "Yeah, we will let you kick his ass!" Sofie said immediately after and Visna couldn’t help but giggle a little. ”You know, you are tougher than me.” She started with a smile. ”I will be cheering for you in the back.” She added jokingly.

“For now, why don’t we just worry about having fun and making sure Mother’s having a good time?” Freyja’s voice interrupted their conversation about kicking some stranger’s ass to be the eldest reasonable sister once again. This time though, Visna couldn’t agree more with her. “Have any of your friends arrived yet?” The girl then added and Visna looked around to see if any of the few people she invited were already there. ”Mmh… I don’t see anybody yet.” She said while still looking for someone she knew, shrugging her shoulders with a little frown on her face. Sofie said some of the people she invited already arrived, but Visna wondered who she was referring to when she said some others weren’t there yet. "I'll I know is I plan to get wasted..." She then said, remembering her that she was down to that plan too, so she stepped a bit up with her drinking game and started sipping from the cup she had in her hands a little bit faster.

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