War and Fire

- Chapter Fourteen -

Grief. Numbness. Denial. Loneliness. Pain.

It had been only two days since Odetta had buried her sister, and she was already drowning in numerous amounts of pain and numbness.

The loss of Gisela had changed Odetta.

She no longer smiled.

No longer laughed.

She was broken, withering away without her sister, but remained strong for Uhtred, Storria, and little baby Osbert.
——
The wails of a newborn fill the air, alongside the soft shh's given by Odetta as she tries to calm Osbert.

She rocks him against her chest, her cheek resting softly upon his head. As she held him to her, she tries to push the heartbreak she was feeling towards the back of her. Just thinking of this sweet boy, never knowing the love of his mother—her laughter and her joy—and just knowing Gisela will never see her children grow up, brings tears to Odetta's eyes.

The gods are cruel

"Oh, sweet boy." Odetta says, "Shh, it is okay. Aunty Ottie has you; please do not cry."

"Aunty Ottie?" A small voice is heard from the doorway. She turns to meet the gazes of Uhtred and Stiorra, tears in their eyes

"Oh, my loves," she says softly as they rush towards her and cling to her.

"We want mama to come back; we miss her."

"Oh, I know, my loves; I miss your mama too." She says in a soft tone, "I wish she would come back to us, but right now she is in the heavens."

"In the heavens?" Storria says

"That's right, my darling girl."

"Your mama is looking down at us from the heavens, protecting us."

"Now come on, do you want to sleep in my bed tonight?"

"Can we?"

"Always, sweet ones."

——
The days were often grey, dark, and dull.

Four days had passed since her sister was laid to rest. Four days she has spent by her sister's side. These days were always spent in silence. No flowers bloomed in the depths of the winter months. No flowers to warm her sister's grave—just the blankness of the soil and frost.

Odetta would often visit multiple times within one day, and the children would too. Many worried for the young woman, but Thyra and Hild understood that grief came differently for each person and personally saw that it had helped Odetta process her grief to be near Gisela. It had made her feel less alone while Osferth was away—but she needed him, and everyone could see she was barely hanging on as is.

"Gods, why did you have to take her?" She yells into the air, looking up to the sky. "You could have anyone, why her?...Gods, why did you have to take my sister?"

——
Osferth pov.

The sky was grey and sombre when we rode through the gates of Winchester.

The sound of the town's people cheering filled the air, greeting us.

The men were all tired and in desperate need of a bath, but my first thought was of Odetta and why she was not outside waiting for our arrival.

Something felt off.

The more we rode into the town square, we slowed our pace, and my gaze came across Hild—a worried look plastered on her face, both her hands interlaced, fidgeting, and what Osferth could assume was a midwife holding a newborn baby.