Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

FORTY-ONE

☾

"Rúna, do not lean to the side," Sihtric called out to her, riding Kari beside me, "You will fall from your horse."

Rúna glanced back at us, decked out in war paint and runes she had done herself, her armour light and new, "I am excited, Papa."

"I know, Lille Venn, but you must remain alert and ready for anything," Sihtric sighed, urging Kari ahead so she rode beside Vali. He reached out and pulled Rúna back onto her saddle properly.

"I do not want to be called Little Darling anymore," Rúna wrinkled her nose, "I want you to call me by name."

Sihtric glanced back at me, his eyes twinkling, "Why?"

Rúna huffed, drawing Vali a little away from her father's horse, "I am a woman now and a warrior."

A few soldiers around us chuckled fondly, and Sihtric smiled with them, reaching out to stroke Rúna's hair fondly.

"Ma!" Rúna groaned, turning to me, "They mock me!"

"We would not dare, Princess," a warrior called out from the line cheerfully.

"Ma!" Rúna whined again as our laughter circled her.

I urged Helios forward, riding at her left side, "How about Rúna the Fearless?"

Rúna pulled a face, "I have not fought in battle yet, so I do not know if I am fearless."

"No one is fearless in battle," Sihtric mused, slipping his finger around a braid she had in her hair, twirling it, "fearlessness is when you are terrified and still face the battle." 

Rúna frowned, her mind racing with thoughts.

"I think Rúna the little runt works better," Emil called from the front of the line, Leif cackling beside him.

Rúna flushed, her eyes widening, "I will put worms in your bed!"

"And I will put them into your dinner plate!" Emil shot back, his laugh dying as Saga struck him and Leif over the heads. 

"Halt!"

Sihtric's arm shot out, grabbing Vali's bridle, and the young horse froze between us.

I looked to Emil, but Saga had pushed him behind her with Leif, her axe drawn.

"Name yourself!" Saga demanded, "This is Northumbrian land, and we are the protectors of it!"

"Protectors of— My Queen! Queen Gyda!"

My heart stuttered, and I released my foot from the stirrup, sliding down from Helios and going around him.

"Are we to follow?" Rúna asked Sihtric quietly, and he shook his head at her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders.

I scanned the small group of men that sat between the trees, seeking out the one that had cried out for me so desperately. "Jarl Sigtryggr..."

Sigtryggr had had his hair sheered off, his face beaten and blacked by filth. He looked half the man I knew him to be, and for that, I was sorry.

Sigtryggr collapsed to one knee, bending his head, "My Queen, I am grateful to you."

I stepped towards him, motioning for my warriors to lower their weapons, "Eforwic is Northumbria. While you are Jarl of it, you will never fight alone."

Sigtryggr raised his head, scrambling to his feet, "My wife, Lady—"

"She has not been found," I reassured him, reaching to take his bloodied hands in mine, "and we will get to her before Brida does."