[Intro]
[Tagelharpa states the three-note oath motif before guitars and floor toms enter.]

Snow left our cloaks in silver streams,
The hearth threw sparks against the beams.
Carved wolves watched from timbered height,
Their wooden teeth made red by light.

[Chorus]
Raise the horn and strike the board,
Blood and breath before our lord.
Two fingers cold on bronze and flame,
The Mead Hall Oath shall bind our name.
Oak may split and iron rust,
But brother stands where brother trusts.

[Verse 1]
We crossed the gate through driven snow,
With frozen beards and steps made slow.
Our shields were scarred, our axe heads worn,
Our hands still raw from briar and thorn.
Beneath the boar of faded gold,
We found the warmth denied the cold.
The long board bore the winter feast,
From high-seat lord to youngest guest.

[Pre-Chorus]
The bronze bowl waited by the blaze,
Dark with the touch of older days.
No blade was raised, no boast was heard;
The hall bent close to catch each word.

[Chorus]
Raise the horn and strike the board,
Blood and breath before our lord.
Two fingers cold on bronze and flame,
The Mead Hall Oath shall bind our name.
Oak may split and iron rust,
But brother stands where brother trusts.

[Verse 2]
I touched the rim with fingers two,
Then raised the ale and swore it true.
Eirik stood upon my right,
His broken shield repaired that night.
Across the fire, calm Ketil smiled,
His scar looked pale, his manner mild.
He turned his horn within his hand,
Then swore with us before the band.

[Bridge]
We named the fields where comrades fell,
The river ford, the shattered bell.
A vow is more than breath and sound;
It binds the living to the ground.

[Instrumental Break]
[Twin guitars develop the oath motif while bronze bowl strikes answer every fourth bar.]

[Breakdown]
Horn to horn and hand to hand,
No hidden blade, no private land.
Share the bread, divide the blame.
Judge the hand that shames the name.

[Build-up]
The fists came down, the rafters rang,
A hundred iron cup rims sang.
The boar cloth stirred above the flame;
We made one law resound in flame.

[Final Chorus]
Raise the horn and strike the board,
Blood and breath before our lord.
Two fingers cold on bronze and flame,
The Mead Hall Oath now bears our name.
Oak may split and iron rust,
But brother dies where brother trusts.

[Outro]
[The full band stops on a bronze strike; tagelharpa repeats the motif alone.]

The fire sank, the ale ran deep.
We swore what none believed could break.