Sigurdr watched Hymn retreat, but his focus remained on the enraged stallion before him. His words had struck a nerve, unleashing a torrent of vile pronouncements that only widened Sigurdr's smirk. Threats against his family, however, were not taken lightly. The stallion clearly underestimated the Badlands king's resolve and capacity for petty vengeance. The few years of raiding in Nordurland had hardened Sigurdr, making him no stranger to such displays. His eyes narrowed as the stallion brushed past, muttering toward his child - a transgression that did not go unnoticed.

He pivoted, tracking the stallion's rigid, retreating form, its onyx mane bristling with tension. "Careful," Sigurdr growled, his voice a low rumble as the stallion disappeared into the shadows. "I will not soon forget the threats you have spewed."

Only when the stallion was gone did Sigurdr turn to Hymn and their daughter. Confusion and fear washed over him. Would she even want to introduce him? He swallowed his anxiety, squared his shoulders, and met Hymn's gaze, his heart skipping a beat. "Hymn," he said as he drew closer, "you two are safe, now." He longed to say more, hoped that with time he could express all he felt - how he had missed her, how he needed her, how he needed them both.

Could she forgive him?

He did not know the stallion's intentions, but he could sense that there was something not quite right. Sigurdr's glacial eyes shifted from Hymn to their daughter, and a gentle smile spread across his lips. "It's okay, he's gone," he said, lowering his head to meet the girl's gaze.

He then looked towards Hymn once more. "Do you know who he was?" he asked. Sigurdr had a feeling this wouldn't be the last time he encountered the stallion, and he needed to know who his enemies were.