Chapter 82

"Arnheid... I'm sorry. I swear I won't ever leave your nor Hjalti's side again. So please... can you find it within you to forgive me...? I know I'm bringing up painful history but... we can start over. Let's return to how things used to be. All you have to do is free me from these ropes. There must be some way to..."

- Gardar

Bondage (縛（いまし）め) is the 82nd chapter of the Vinland Saga series.

Overview
Arnheid comes to the guests' lodgings to tend to Gardar's wounds. Snake, who's been asked to go see Ketil's wife immediately, denies her request and tells one of the other guests to get Arnheid back to Sverkel's. The guest allows Arnheid to tend to Gardar and keeps watch as the other guests head inside to escape the rain. Gardar apologizes to Arnheid and asks her to set him free, promising he'll never leave her or Hjatli's side again. As the guest approaches Arnheid to tell her her time's up, Gardar launches forward and bites off a part of the guest's throat, killing him. The rest of the guests rush outside as Gardar tells a horrified Arnheid to cut his ropes with the dead guest's knife.

Summary
At night, Arnheid reaches the guests' quarters, intending to tend to Gardar's wounds. Fox tells Snake that Ketil's wife said she needs to see Snake immediately; Snake snaps back that the sun's already set and that he'll go see her tomorrow. He wonders why she suddenly cares about the security of the farm. Fox guesses it might have to do with the bounty reward of 3 horses related to Gardar's capture. Snake sees Arnheid, who asks to tend to her husband's wounds. He denies her; she asks if his wounds were already seen to. Snake confirms they haven't and asks why he should play nurse for the man who killed his subordinate. As he leaves with Fox to go see Ketil's wife, he tells the guests to take Arnheid back to Sverkel's. The guest wonders if he's meant to walk her all the way back, as Snake left with the last horse. He looks at Arnheid and notices she's pretty, thinking to himself that it's no wonder her husband tried to take her back. Arnheid begs the guest to let her see her husband to tend to his wounds and swears she won't set him free. The other guests ask what Ketil's mistress is doing there; the flustered guest she just pleaded with tells them Snake granted her permission to tend to Gardar's wounds. Arnheid holds Gardar's face and notes he's been beaten everywhere. Gardar tells her to cut his ropes and that they'll return home. The guests aren't worried, as Arnheid has no tools to cut the ropes. One of the guests tells Arnheid that her husband came all this way for her and that she should repay him in something more than bandages. She ignores them and asks if his ropes can be loosened a little so she can treat him properly. The guest says that they can't, and tells her she should tend to an unbound part of his body instead. Gardar asks Arnheid to forgive him and swears he'll never leave her side or Hjalti's again. Arnheid starts to cry; Gardar tells her they can start over and return to how things used to be. He asks her to set him free. Arnheid cries more and asks Gardar to forgive her, which confuses Gardar. The guests want to head inside, since the rain started pouring. The one who allowed Arnheid to see Gardar is tasked with staying out and keeping watch. He asks Arnheid if she's done already, thinking to himself that he's too soft on women and that Snake will kill him if he finds out. He says it's all the time he could give her and approaches her. Gardar, still bound, bites off a chunk of the guest's throat when he gets close enough. The guest collapses as he tries to draw his sword. Gardar tells Arnheid to grab the knife on the guest's waist and cut his ropes. One of the guests comes out and realizes their comrade is dead; he yells at the rest of the guests to come out. Gardar tells the horrified Arnheid to hurry and cut his ropes, or they'll kill them both.

Characters in Order of Appearance

 * Arnheid
 * Fox
 * Snake
 * Gardar