Nicko had watched Snorri leave. He hadn't wanted to. It was so hard to let her board the Alfrun, not to beg her to stay, to be with him forever. He had watched her go and he had let her go, to be with her mother. He had wanted to board the boat with her, but he knew he had to let Snorri go. They were close, so close, but apparently not close enough.

She left, and he wanted to sail after her, to beg her to come back, to go with her, but he didn't. He stayed at the Castle, with his family. He went to the boatyard, he sailed, he spent time with Mum. (Mum was very clingy these days, but Nicko supposed it made sense.) He went on little adventures with Septimus and Jenna, and finished his apprenticeship. Nicko did all these things, but he wanted to do them with Snorri.

Years passed, and Nicko was lonely. He started preparing to sail, to go to Snorri. He sent her letters every trading season, but it was not enough. He gathered the salted foods he would need, a watering nome (NOT one of the rude ones), and started saving.

When Nicko was ready, he hadn't slipped away in the night, however much he wanted to. Nicko had wanted to go out onto the sea, no matter how rough it might be, and get to Snorri. But he waited. He said goodbye to Sep, and to Jen, and all the others. He let Mum try to convince him not to go, but Nicko had expected that, and he refused to be swayed. Dad simply gave him a FlickFyre stove, and Nicko left on the next tide.

It would be the furthest Nicko had ever sailed. He was not worried, because he was going to Snorri. She was his motivation, his joy, and he missed her too much to be stopped. Nicko sailed to the Outpost, and he stopped to resupply. He had brought a gift for Snorri's mother, because Simon said that he would have had a much easier time if Mrs. Gringe liked him. (Simon was alright, Nicko supposed.) He wanted something for Snorri. The problem was, it had to be perfect. He had looked in the Port, and in all the shops at the castle. Nothing was right. So Nicko scoured the Outpost. He picked up all the supplies he could carry, for it would be his last resupply before the Lands of the Long Nights.

Finally, Nicko found a stall that sold the perfect item. He had probably overpaid, but it was such a perfect gift that he couldn't bring himself to care. It was beautiful, but not overly extravagant, just like Snorri. Nicko hoped he would find the courage to give it to Snorri when he arrived.

And so Nicko boarded his boat and sailed into the night.