"And that's the thing about illicit affairs
And clandestine meetings and longing stares
It's born from just one single glance
But it dies, and it dies, and it dies
A million little times"
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"Brida, Astrid. Be careful not to spill the water. You'll turn the floor to mud." Their mother warned the two "Uhtred, wood needs to be chopped. Brida, you can do the goats." Sigrid told the two, "Mother, will there be time for Uhtred to play?" Thyra asked hopefully "Only when the work is done" Sigrid walked off.
"Sven!" Astrid shouted running up to the boy "Astrid" the boy smiled his cheeks flushing red "Mother won't let us play with the slave boy" she huffed "you don't need him, you have me" Sven grumbled walking away from her.
"What was that?" Her father approached. "I haven't got a clue." Astrid narrowed her eyes on the boy walking away from her "Astrid we can play now!" Thyra shouted running towards her sister "see you father" Astrid smiled, running to her sister.
"A wolf! that's it." Uhtred yelled "I saw it... it had sharp teeth and yellow eyes." He continued "Don't let the wolves get me, Uhtred!" Thyra yelled "Use the fire to keep them away." Astrid suggested "I see them. They're as big as ubba and smell worse." Uhtred jokes.
"did you see that?" Astrid questioned "Stay up there, thyra. It's Sven." Uhtred yelled as Sven began running at them.
"Thyra!" Astrid yelled running to her sister as Uhtred and Brida ran the other way.
"Astrid!" Thyra cried as Sven approached them, separating the two and backing Astrid into a tree "what do you think you're doing?!" Astrid shouted while Sven ripped her dress "how dare you" she hissed pushing him away from her, right as Uhtred came and tackled him to the ground.
"What's this? You been fighting again?" Ragnar Ragnarson asked Uhtred "yes." Uhtred replied "With Sven? Kjartan's son?" He asked, knowing the answer "yes" the boy replied once again. "Uhtred he's much bigger than you" Ragnar sighed "you started the fight?" her father questioned "I started the fight, after Sven attacked me. Uhtred was defending me" Astrid stood angrily "what?" Her father turned to her "he cornered me and ripped my dress, Uhtred fought him." She explained, defending the boy she was growing rather fond of.
As the years passed, that fondness only grew.
"Astrid look" Thyra smiled showing her sister her necklace "it's beautiful Thyra" Astrid also smiled "you will be married soon also" Thyra encouraged her sister "I do not wish to be married just yet" Astrid said her eyes finding Uhtred's.
Thyra then asked Uhtred about her wedding necklace to which he responded with "i do, it's very pretty" her grandfather laughed "he knows nothing about necklaces"
"uhtred with me. You can help me slaughter the goats" Her father said while walking by "I've only just washed." Uhtred mumbled, tearing his eyes away from Astrid "the goats will be pleased" Ragnar chuckled.
"This is an excuse to talk, that's all. With thyra to be married, maybe it's time you got together with Astrid. There are men... good men... asking about her. So you have to decide what you are to her. What you are to each other." Ragnar told him "Astrid... she has a mind of her own" Uhtred shook his head "She's my daughter of course she does, but i see the way she looks at you and i want what's best for my daughter" Ragnar smiled before walking off.
Uhtred then felt something hit him, he turned to find astrid standing there smirking "oh you find that funny" Uhtred questioned stalking towards her "quite" Astrid nodded "let's see how funny you find this" and with that Uhtred lunged forward, grabbing her by the waist and holding her over his shoulder.
"put me down" Astrid laughed "I think not" Uhtred smiled at the sound of her laughter, "i'm sorry alright now put me down" Astrid mumbled "ah that's better" Uhtred said placing her down softly.
Later in the night Astrid was asleep next to her sister Thyra.
"Fire!" someone shouted it was her father "Astrid! Thyra! wake up!" he screamed Astrid woke to the sound "Thyra! wake up, quickly now." Astrid shook her sister awake.
Everyone was screaming.
"Come quickly" Astrid grabbed her sisters hand running to the door "the door is blocked" Astrid yelled.
"this one's open" someone shouted, pulling on Thyra's arm Astrid began to run to the door "out go" Astrid ushered her sister out.
watching in horror as men were slaughtered.
"Close the doors, we have Astrid and her sister. let the rest burn." Kjartan watched as Astrid fought in a man's grip to get to her sister.
"no!" Astrid shouted desperately trying to get out of the man's hold. "Father!" Astrid cried watching her father burst through the doors, burning.
"no! no!" She cried desperately trying to get to her father but her father was defeated.
"You thought I'd let you marry someone else? But do you know what I will do with this body? This mouth? I will do all I dreamt of and more. And who will call a halt? Earl Ragnar the fearless is gone. And with him, Uhtred... his Saxon pet... a pile of ashes." Sven mumbled cupping Astrid's face.
Astrid simply stared blankly at the boy.
"Anything" Sven said, squeezing her breast and with that he was gone.
"Astrid" Thyra whispered looking at her sister who's eyes were glassy with tears "I won't let them hurt you, I promise" Astrid turned her head towards her sister. "Astrid" Thyra gasped at her sister, her once lively ocean blue eyes were almost black. "i'll protect you." Astrid nodded to her sister before turning away once again.
"Let's go" The man holding the rope around Astrid's neck tugged her "I am" she spat, clasping her sister's hand in hers.
Giving one last longing look to what used to be her home, Astrid walked farther and farther away.
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