Their quick travel to Miðgarðr had led them to a muddy pathway. The skies were rainy, but a storm was yet to come, a great contrast to Ásgarðr's skies, which were blue and magnificent. For Önd, a rainy sky was a normal thing in the late afternoon, since the skies were rarely blue. The pair surveyed their surroundings, and sighted the village's gate. The place where had grown Önd was not active, boring, such as Helheimr. However, Önd was very fond of this life of quietness, far from conflict, from troubles (or at least, he thought so), a life that he waived as he retrieved back his soul. The houses of the village were typical houses; an unique big room, a simple but elegant architecture, without vibrant colours and with a roof covered by straw or clay.
And once he finished to admire his village, he cheerfully announced:
- At last— I've returned on Miðgarðr! Freyja, welcome to Skírlífi— my native village—!
- Well— I'm happy for you, casually replied Freyja. The surroundings aren't quite lovely...
- I must to say that you're correct... We should continue— a storm awaits.
- I suppose that we shall eat and sleep at your place for the incoming evening.
- Correct— but my place's far from Sessrúmnir's standards, jested Önd, while he thought to himself if bringing Freyja was a good thing.
- And this is were you lack of knowledge about gods— never heard of my travels through Miðgarð as a vagrant seiðkonna? replied Freyja in an almost sarcastic way.
- Let's just go, answered back Önd, tired of her antics.
- A final word first—! From now on— call me Heiðr, announced Freyja.
- Heiðr? Why is that? questioned Önd.
- "Freyja" is merely a sort of title— and it's a title that attracts many attention. Furthermore, it's in your interest to know my true name— since we travel together, confessed Freyja, now "Heiðr".
- I wasn't aware of that, added Önd. Very well— "Heiðr", let's go!
Önd had now to call his friend differently, but it wasn't the most troubling thing in his mind. Indeed, his meeting with his mother and her sister was near, what was he supposed to say? How much excuses had he to do? Were they even alive, or worst, enslaved? His mind was torturing him, but was resolved to reach the end of his journey. Heiðr and Önd continued their way and soon entered into the village.
Despite the large amount of time he was away from Skírlífi, Önd had realised that practically nothing had changed. They finally reached the public square where was as well the hall. The square was ordinarily a place were they used to sat down and retrieve water from the well.
And finally, after a quick survey of the location, Önd sighted him mother, as his heart began to tighten and rush. He blindly walk towards his mother, paying attention to no other thing than her.
His mother was older than he expected, but was dressed with the usual long chemise covered with another but shorter dress on her. Her hair was greyer and her wrinkles were more numerous. As hearing Önd's mad footsteps, she turned her head and a tremendous surprise invaded her face. As quickly as possible, she hugged her son as Heiðr was the witness of this fond scene. And finally, Önd found the appropriate words:
- I've returned Mother— I promised, haven't I? And forgive me for worrying you that much!
Her mother, still hugging Önd, began to weep and exclaimed:
- By the gods—! It really is you, my dear son—! We've missed you so much! We believed that you were dead—!
- Reassure yourself— I am alive! replied Önd, with an ounce of humour, however too moved to make it obvious.
The tender scene carried on and once that the mother stopped hugging her son, she finally realised Heiðr's presence, whom was yet mute. She rapidly inspected Heiðr and cheerfully asked to Önd:
- Have you finally found yourself a wife—?
Heiðr answered instead of Önd:
- Oh no—! We just happened to travel together.
- You both seem to have travelled a long way, added Önd's mother as fixing her son's hair.
- I almost forgot—! this is Heiðr, continued Önd as if seeking a confirmation from the goddess.
- Pleased to meet you—! My name's Heiðr— I'm a seiðkonna.
- The pleasure is shared—! I'm Auðunn— or as you might know, Önd's mother. Your name's familiar, but I can't quite get why...
- Anyway— Mother, I have to stay here for the night. And Heiðr too would need a place to stay..
- And unfortunately— we'll have to leave tomorrow morning, sadly added Heiðr as Önd finished the previous sentence.
- What, no—! You just arrived— stay a bit longer! complained Auðunn.
- I might explain all the circumstances later— but believe me for now when I say that it's an important matter. I promise you that once everything settled, I'll stay—!
Auðunn sighed in sorrow and resumed:
- Very well—! Head over our home— I shall make a feast for tonight—! And Miskunn will be more than happy to see you—!
Auðunn leaved the pair, for the ingredients for the incoming feast were lacking. The pair then walked towards Önd's home, and meanwhile, he told some childhood memories to the goddess. Suddenly, Önd finally stopped before a house, and recognised it. He knocked on the door, and a young woman with attached blond hair, dressed casually, but wearing a cap, opened it. However, as the girl began to wide open her eyes, Önd could not recognise the person. Without delay, the girl jumped on Önd and hugged him. Önd, confused, said:
- Forgive but I mistook something— and so did you.
The young women laughed and replied:
- Have you reached the age when one can't even recognise his own sister—?
- By the gods—! You've grown and changed so much—!
- But you haven't— you're older and with more muscles and some scars, but the overall is the same, added his sister. And this lady, is she your wife?
- Well no— I'm Heiðr, a seiðkonna. I've helped your brother and we now to travel together, replied Heiðr. You are his sister, right—? Well met!
- The name's Miskunn! she cheerfully answered.
After finishing her introduction, Miskunn invited the pair to enter and the group began to sit before the hearth. Önd's home was similar to the one he left years ago, with the same warm and pleasant aura, the same as old unique room where he lived during his childhood. The house was not big, nor to small, nor quite different of the other ones. And once sat and comfortable, Miskunn asked with haste:
- Now— could you recount your journey while you were away?
- What a journey—! added Önd, as remembering once more his insane adventure.
Heiðr then gave and elbow bump to Önd, as trying to catch his attention, and whispered to him:
- Aren't you a bit afraid of being seen as a madman?
- And do you any other way? I'll frequently be absent— and the truth is yet the most plausible explanation I can find.
- Can't say I've not warned you then, added Heiðr, a bit concerned.
- Well, you seem somehow bothered Heiðr. Are you two really not in a relationship—? taunted Miskunn, as interrupting the pair's quiet dialogue.
Önd ignored his sister, and resumed:
- I shall tell you my journey during our dinner— since Mother's currently away. She would also be pleased to here my adventures— you know.
- By the way— how did you received this sword, and I doubt that you merely bought it, asked Miskunn, whom finally realized the sword that her brother had layed on the carpet.
- Once the dinner set, Miskunn— insisted Önd.
Miskunn complained for few instants and turned towards Heiðr. She then announced:
- Mother lingers! I must leave you to bring her back. Make yourself at home, Heiðr!
Miskunn stood up, and she went outside. Önd then took some time to admire the small room where his family and himself used to eat, warm up, recount stories, sleep... And it was the room where they actually did everything. He sighed for a brief moment, in honour to the past, which seemed to be so far away and so quiet, and Heiðr asked:
- How does it feel?
- Returning home? replied Önd, not sure of her question.
- No— sitting on the floor! she ironically answered. Of course— how does it feel to return home?
- Well— I more than happy. Yet, I doubt that I'm awake— the gods, the realms, my resurrection —all these things that I supposed to be inconceivable— it really is hard to grasp!
- Honestly— none of the gods never believed that such thing would happen before our Twilight, she jested light-heartedly.
- It was easy to retrieve back my soul though, he gleefully added.
- And I wish it would be the same for any soul, she sighed, as her smile was gradually, but rapidly disappearing.
- Oh— I shouldn't have lead our discussion there, since it somehow saddens you, apologized Önd as seeing her grim face.
- You'll eventually learn about it anyway, so why hide it. Never heard of Óðr?
Önd denied and Heiðr resumed:
- Well, he is— or rather was, my husband... If you understood the innuendo, you may guess what kind of business did I have with Hel. And I daily wept a pound of gold for an entire decade —literally— while I begged each day to Hel to merely send Óðr soul to Fólkvangr. But each day, she used to coldly— almost cruelly respond me that "it" was now her property.
- Quite cruel from her, commented Önd, unsure about what else to say.
- Right... she sighed. Now— the war is over, you're back at home, don't allow me to suppress your joy, she replied as forcing a smile, gradually becoming a genuine one. How about a match of Hnefatafl while we wait for your family?
- Indeed! We renounced our last match— and I'm eager to see if I can win against you, added Önd as getting on his feets and then searching for his Hnefatafl board.
And after a moment, Önd finally found the object of his research. He sat down once more and the pair began to play. To his surprise, Heiðr was skilled enough to call the match a draw. At last, Miskunn and Auðunn returned with bags full of food. Miskunn, Önd and their mother then prepared the dinner, while Heiðr was put aside, for she was a guest. Önd had the task of roasting the meat, Miskunn, of preparing bread, and Auðunn, to cook a soup. For Heiðr, she stayed at Miskunn's side, as discussing and trying to help the girl. Time went by, and it began storming.
Once the preparation for the dinner finished, they decided to eat before the hearth. At last, Önd's family was about to know the truth:
- Recount us your journey! ordered Miskunn, eager to learn Önd's adventures.
- Very well—! exclaimed Önd. It all started during our loss in a battle. They made us their slaves and a rich farmer bought me and some of my comrades. Hopefully, I escaped— but misfortune was standing before me.
As hearing Önd's hesitation, Heiðr resumed:
- What he's about to tell is absolutely unbelievable, but he's no fool. Please trust him!
- Well— tell us then! exclaimed Auðunn.
He sighed, and carried on his speech:
- Believe me then, I died—! And I was brought to the Valhöll. But, I couldn't reasoned myself to leave both of you. I hence began my quest to return on Miðgarðr alive! And I met few gods, Freyja— who's Heiðr, Óðinn, Hel... Since I'm here, you can guess that I succeeded in my affair.
The mother and her daughter were speechless, and the mother's first comment was:
- Oh no—! War drove you insane!
- I'll show you then, replied Heiðr as taking some ashes out of her purse.
And the room were they were eating transformed itself into Hel's hall. And a familiar scene was before Önd's eyes; indeed, it was when he retrieved back his soul from Hel. Suddenly, the room was back again, and Miskunn rapidly added:
- I had a discussion with a goddess!
- I've seen seiðr in my life, but none were that astonishing! exclaimed Auðunn.
- There's one last thing that I must tell you— in order to return home, I had to become Óðinn's servitor. He sends me on different errands, such as now. That's the reason of my transitory presence.
- I can only believe you then, replied Auðunn.
- Now— why shan't we resume our dinner? suggested Heiðr, as drinking a cup of mead.
The dinner continued as Auðunn asked more about Önd's absence, and while Miskunn asked more about the gods to Heiðr. Meanwhile, the storm was getting bigger and bigger. Finally the dinner was finished and everybody began to set their couchettes for the night. Auðunn, and then Miskunn went to bed, and soon Heiðr followed them. Önd stood before the hearth, and Heiðr rolled towards Önd in her couchette. She bumped hard into Önd, making his thoughts cease and she quietly told him:
- Your mother and your sister are adorable people!
- And I long for more time with them— I must hurry to finish Óðinn's task, he replied.
- "We" must hurry— I'm your partner, right? she added.
- Indeed, answered Önd as pinching her cheek.
- Stop that! she exclaimed.
- Sorry— I'm to exhausted to verbally annoy you—! he jested.
- Get to bed then! We shall wake up early.
- Considering we're partner, I should get used to you saying that—! he joked. Anyway, you too— sleep. Have a good night!
- Very well— good night!
And after a moment, Önd quietly reached his couchette, wrapped himself in and fell asleep.