Being King Alfred's bastard daughter would put Serene's life in danger if someone found out. Including herself.
On her sixteenth birthday her mother had told her of her father. A week later Danes had attacked their village, making her watch as they...
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Bloodhair's men ran at the village, slashing down anyone they saw, lighting the houses afire, and laughing while doing so. Serene held a torch ready to burn anything in her path, and she did.
A man tried to run away, but she put a sword through his chest. A bad feeling crept up on her, though she was used to it by now.
She didn't like raiding or killing but their was nothing else she could do, Skade had threatened her when they first met. ' if you run you die' So she did not want to chance it.
The screams of the villagers filled the air, a shiver went up her spine as she listened. Anytime they raided Serene would get flashbacks of her village, what the men did to her and her mother.
Staring into flames everything always came back to her, it would repeat inside her head until Sigurd would pull her out of her trance. No one else could. It would sometimes last hours, it depended on when Sigurd would find her. No one else dared to touch her, too afraid of Bloodhair's wrath.
She sat and stared at the flames till the sun went down. Not noticing she had been out of it for so long.
" Serene?" His voice seemed to be the only thing to break the trance, maybe it was that he was the one that helped her before. She looked to her friend. " did it happen again."
She just nodded not trusting her voice. " I told you, you didn't have to come." But she just sent him a sad smile. " I have to get used to it Sig." her voice shaking ever so slightly.
Not wanting to upset her more he placed a hand on her back and guided her to the small church on the hill.
When they enter Skade has a priest hung up above a fire, the other priest were crouched down praying.
" the silver!" Skade demanded causing the man to sob it was a funny sight, well at least it was in the Danes eyes.
" you will answer her." Sigurd demanded while walking forward, Serene leaned on the wall by the door with her arms crossed.
" I have answered her, Lord. There is no wealth here!" Sigurd sighed while Skade rolled her eyes.
Skade looked at Serene, she nodded. She didn't want to but she also knew that if she didn't Skade would be angry and threaten to curse her, it happened everytime Skade got angry.
" put him in the fire." The priest started to beg, that bad feeling filled Serene's chest once again.
" you are only making this worse for yourself, priest." Serene said stepping out beside Sigurd. She could not take his begging anymore or the feeling she was having. " now where is the silver?" She asked standing in front of the priest, but far enough away from the fire.
He just continued to cry. Skade rolled her eyes once again. " can any of you holy men answer for him." They all just shook with fear while still praying.
"God in heaven; help me!" The priest hung up yelled, Serene laughed causing everything to quiet down and Skade to smirk. "Your god won't help you, I worshiped him for sixteen years yet he left me in my time of need." She circled him " so what makes you any different."
His legs then caught fire and he began to scream. Sigurd pulled her back as the priest began to kick the fire everywhere.
As the fire began to creep up the priests body, Sigurd put a spear threw his heart. Serene flinched at the movement and let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.
Skade scoffed " you have no right Lord. He was mine to question and to kill." But Sigurd just cut the mans body down. " you have no right!"
He ignores her and walks to the priests " this is a church and a church holds silver." He flipped his axe from one hand to the other.
" you." He said pointing to one of the priest, he stood up. " what's your name?" The priest stares at him with wide eyes, his eyes never leaving Sigurd's.
" I am called Brother Hubert, Lord." Skade grabbed Serene's arm harshly and dragged her to stand beside Sigurd as he questioned the priest.
The priest looked between the three. " My Lord, I swear, we are a poor church. We have ale and food but no more." He begged
" Brother Hubert you are making this much worse for yourself and your friends." Serene pointed out as Skade eyed the other priests.
It stayed silent for a moment so Sigurd handed the holy man a knife. " if you speak the truth, you'll take your own life." Sigurd looked to Serene who was watching Skade stare down the other priests.
" you will do it now and save your friends." He demanded.
" but lord my soul will be damned." Brother Hubert tried to reason but Bloodhair would not have it any other way.
" Take your life like a warrior! And we'll ask for only food and ale." He yelled stabbing the knife right above the Huberts head, him and the other priests gasp in shock. Serene would have but the tight grip Skade had on her arm reminded her not too.
He took his hand off the knife taking a step back giving the priest a chance, even if it was a small one. Serene knew he was being merciful for her, most likely if she wasn't here all of the priests would be dead.
" lord I swear, there's no silver."
Serene ducked her head with a sigh, why could the priest not see this was the easier way? Bloodhair took another step back.
" there yours to do with as you please." He said before looking to the dark haired girl his expression softening. " Lets go back to camp." He said extending his hand for her to grab but Skade interfered.
" she stays with me."
Sigurd looked back at Serene silently asking if she wanted to. To which she nodded, terrified she'd get cursed if she denied Skade. He nodded back with a small smile, he kissed her forehead before leaving.
Skade looked at the two with pure jealousy she always had, since the moment they met. But what she failed to realize is the two looked to each other as brother and sister not lovers.
When Sigurd left Skade turned to the girl with a smirk. " there will be men coming, we shall give them a show."
" who?"
" Uthred Of Bebbenburg." Skade said with a smirk grabbing the knife making the priests whimper and mumble prayers to their god begging for mercy they most certainly would not get.
{Authors Note}
• uhm so this is kinda boring but I promise the next one will be better!!! Also im not sure if I wanna make Skade and Serene friends or enemies.
• anyways I hope you enjoy and have a great day/night!!!
