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Rilda Sigericsdottir

Rilda Sigericsdottir (865-) was a Danish girl who lived in Ilkley, West Yorkshire during the late 9th century AD. Runa was the daughter of Sigeric Varsson and Anna, and the sister of Runa, and they lost their mother at a young age, forcing them to live in a small tent at Ilkley. One day in the winter of early 876 AD, Sigeric decided to dive into the waters at the submerged Olikana Tower to retrieve his wife's silver bracelet, which had been lost in the tower's waters, leaving a note at his hovel revealing his intent to swim deeper than before, retrieve the bracelet before dawn, sell it off, and buy some warm clothing for his daughters as a pleasant surprise. However, he drowned during his search, and his daughters were left helpless. Later that day, the warrior Eivor Wolf-Kissed found the two daughters looking for their father, so he dove into the submerged pool, finding Sigeric's body, but then hacking his way through wooden boards to retrieve the bracelet. While he was ultimately able to give the bracelet to Runa, Rilda asked Eivor if he had found their father. Eivor solemnly told him that the water would serve as their father's grave, but said that they would be able to remember him from his last gift. Rilda then said that all of her family was dead, and that she had nowhere to go, but Runa remembered that their father's sister lived in Jorvik (York), so Eivor told them to sell the trinket for food and join their aunt in York.

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