Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

TWENTY-NINE

☾

"I need water!" Sigurd demanded, "I am thirsty!"

"What you need is to shut your mouth before I cut out your tongue," Saga snapped, briefly turning Sunchaser around to glare daggers at the man.

Sigurd had his hands bound and the rope tied to Uhtred's horse; for half the trip, Uhtred had dragged Sigurd through the hills, but now the horses had tired so Sigurd was allowed to walk. "I am thirsty! If I die from thirst, I will not be much of a hostage."

"You are not a hostage," I quipped, turning Helios, who I was able to ride again now, glaring at Sigurd, "you are a potential sacrifice, should we need another one." 

In truth, Sigurd would be a potential bargaining tool if Henrick had no warriors to present. Perhaps Daga would pay some price to regain his soldiers, though I doubted it. So, Sigurd was to live until we had warriors.

Sihtric snorted from beside me, riding his horse close to mine.

Sigurd's face twisted, and he spat towards me, "Witch!"

"Oh!" Finan gasped loudly, the side of his sheathed sword smacking the back of Sigurd's head as he rode past him. "My bad, didn't see you there."

Sigurd fell, but none of us stopped as he scrambled to try to stand up again.

"Riding is hard, Lady," Finan spoke to me cheerfully, come to my right side, "I'm very clumsy, I am."

I smiled, turning Helios around, so I rode in the same direction as him and Sihtric, "I understand completely. It happens to the best of us."

"What will we actually do with him?" Sihtric wondered, sighing as Sigurd swore at us from behind.

I shrugged, speaking calmly, "I have not decided yet. I am angry with him, and I am betrayed; my father respected Sigurd, and he would not have expected this."

"Do not stress yet," Finan sighed, "focus on your warrior as he recovers."

Olav was in a cart bound to Osferth's horse, and the monk rode carefully, checking back every few seconds.

Olav had not woken yet, but his heartbeat was now regular, and we had filled the cart with the soil of the pit to keep him connected to the tree of life.

"He will wake soon," I mumbled, turning away from the cart, " and I will have a lot of explaining to do then."

"He will be grateful," Sihtric assured me, "how could he not be when you have done such an incredible thing for him?"

I schooled my expression as my cheeks flushed, my heart fluttering softly, "I hope so."

Finan coughed loudly, pointing out with his hand, "Is that not—"

Derya barked loudly, followed by Arya, who joined him before they both bolted off ahead.

"They have caught Henrick's scent," Saga cheered, her face lighting up as she took off after the wolves.

"Finally!" I groaned before I could stop myself, relief filling my body as I pushed Helios into a gallop after Sunchaser.

Bishop Auckland was densely populated, with many brick, towering houses, and churches at nearly every turn. This had once been a Christian stronghold many years ago, but now, the churches were dirtied with blood and blessed by Danish runes.

"Where did they go?" I asked as I pulled up beside Sunchaser.

Saga nodded with her head, sliding off her horse, "Down to the market, I could not keep up with them."