𝐏𝐄𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐇𝐎𝐑 <𝐬𝐢𝐡𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐤𝐣𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧>

11. 𝖈𝖔𝖚𝖕𝖑𝖊𝖘 𝖜𝖍𝖔 𝖘𝖕𝖞 𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗, 𝖘𝖙𝖆𝖞 𝖙𝖔𝖌𝖊𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗

Osferth was injured, lying under a tarp with Finan tending to him. Sihtric had fetched Uhtred.

"You dare die, baby monk, and I'll kill you myself." Finan teased.

"Right. I'll try not to then." Osferth winced.

With orders for Osferth to recover at Saltwic, Uhtred moved to leave the tent.
"What of Skade?" Sihtric questioned, his wife beside him as she tried to wipe the blood from her neck with a rag.

"She's been taken by Haesten." Uhtred sounded tired.

"Then nothing has changed. We remain cursed still."

"I am cursed." Uhtred emphasised.

"It touches us all, Lord," Sihtric looked to Osferth, but shifted closer to Lena as she ran her hand over her abdomen, "It continues."

<>

The ride to Saltwic had felt like a strange reversal of fate, this time it was Osferth in the cart and Ghylena watching over him.

Relieved to be back within safe walls again, resting from a hard-fought battle, Ghylena had been unsurprised when Sihtric told her of the plan to spy.

Unwilling to part from him so soon after fighting for their lives together, Lena had insisted on going with him, and after such a fresh reminder of how they fought better together Sihtric hadn't been keen to deny her.

Which was how they had ended up here, pretending at being traitors, breaking Dagfin and his men out of jail. Sihtric had gone into the cells to free them, Lena waiting above ground with the horses, playing at keeping watch.
Seeing her husband running towards her, men in tow, Ghylena mounted Shaeda and held the reins for Sihtric's ride.

"The woman is coming with us?" Dagfin was sceptical, "She shot Haesten."

"She missed," Lena snapped, "Didn't she?"

Sihtric shot her a look, turning to the newly freed men as he spoke, "My woman is of the same mind as I am. She rides with us."
He led the way out of the gates, the full moon casting long shadows of their figures on the grass.

<>

Hunstanton was the typical Danish war camp, with the typical food and fires.
Brida was sat by the fire, joined by Cnut, Bloodhair, Haesten and Skade.

Uhtred's traitors— the tall man with dark hair and a soft voice, and the archer woman who had shot Haesten— had joined them that night, sitting close together and wearing matching expressions of cool composure.

Brida remembered them from Dunholm: Sihtric and his woman Ghylena. The last time she had laid eyes on her, the tattooed woman had been ill, her skin much paler and her eyes lacking the fire they currently held.

"Sihtric, answer me this: does Uhtred wish me dead?" Skade had asked.

Her face remaining stoic, nothing but a small tick in her jaw to show she was listening, Ghylena watched as her husband spoke.
"He is undecided. He does not know if he should hump you or kill you. "

Cnut chuckled before Ghylena spoke, Brida watching the stony-faced woman, "He's afraid of you."

"Because she's poison." Brida nodded, "She has you all by the balls. Believe it."

As she got up to leave, Brida looked back at the gathering, wary of the newest additions to it. They continued to talk...

"You betrayed Uhtred. Why?" Cnut questioned them.

Sihtric had an answer prepared, familiar with the role of spy, "Because he is losing men and losing his mind."

Haesten glowered at Ghylena as he groped Skade, asking "Will he come for my woman?"