Hervarar Saga adaptation and a transgender protagonist

I have something on my computer called "Song Of The Shieldmaiden" which is a post-apocalyptic adaptation of the Hervarar saga or The Saga of Hervor and Heidrek which tells a series of stories involving the dwarf-made sword Tyrfing and the people who possess it.

In my adaptation Tyrfing is controlled partly by its wielder's mind and Hervör from the original saga is transgendered and refers to herself as Hjörvard due to identifying as male. She looks like a man, mostly because conventionally-feminine looking biological women are so common (and also because it gets rid of the obligatory "how does a girl pass for a boy?" plot problems). She marries a man and eventually has a son, passing the sword down with the hope of ending the curse.

How would I treat this theme respectfully, without sliding into Unfortunate Implications (I've already done some research on gender dysphoria and other issues) and what are some things I should know?

edited 3rd Nov '13 2:00:17 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

Well you can start by referring to your protagonist as "he".

Well, "she" refers to the figure of Hervör as portrayed in the original Tyrfing tradition in which she was decidedly not transgender. My actual Hjörvard Angantysson character (formerly known as Hervör Angantysdóttir), though will be referred to as he.

On Hjörvard Angantysson, though. How do I reconcile the fact that he lives as a man with the fact that he gets married and pregnant and has two sons? In the Norse era accusing a man of being pregnant was a grave insult.

edited 3rd Nov '13 2:09:14 PM by MorwenEdhelwen

Anyone have any suggestions on this particular saga?