Burn Your Village || The Last Kingdom

|| CHAPTER 1 - A Fiery Maw ||

|| CHAPTER 1 – A Fiery Maw ||

(Series 1 – Episode 1-2)

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A dense fog had seized the hills and fields, blurring the sharp edges of anything and everything. Even the huts in the distance looked like their colour was bleeding into the grey sky.

But the dreary day did nothing to dampen everyone's mood.

Thyra was getting married.

She would only be moving across the field, but Signe already knew she would miss her. The chores that came with the wedding however, she would be very glad to see the back of. They had been preparing food for what felt like days and her fingers were red and raw from making and hanging garlands of leaves in the hall. All of which had driven her outside and onto the thatched roof of the goat pen. She had a tendency to climb up there when she wanted to be alone.

Laying on her back and staring up at the sickly pale sky, Signe was just glad for a moment of stillness and was entirely uncaring about the musty aroma of straw tinged with dung that wafted up to meet her.

But as always, her peace was not to go undisturbed for long.

At the sound of approaching footsteps, she rolled over and peeked over the edge, and found Ragnar heading for the stalls with an axe in his hand, Uhtred trailing behind him, chewing on a piece of dried fish.

Evidently it was time for the creatures to be slaughtered for the feast.

She pulled back as they stopped just beneath her and listened intently as Ragnar's voice lowered to a hush. "This is an excuse to talk, that's all.With Thyra to be married, maybe it's time you got together with Brida. There are men, good men, asking about her. So, you have to decide what you are to her, what you are to each other.

Uhtred chuckled playfully. "Brida has her own mind."

"She has...but I see the way she looks at you."

"You are not trying to marry Signe off, and I know plenty of men ask about her."

Signe held a breath, anxious to hear what Ragnar would say. She had threatened severe violence if he tried to marry her off. She would not be a wife; she was a warrior. And she was now finally old enough-- and skilled enough-- to join Young Ragnar in Ireland.

She just had to wait for him to return and then she could go with him the next time he left.

Ragnar let out a long-suffering sigh. "Signe is...different."

"Signe is a lunatic." Uhtred said and she could practically hear the smile on his lips.

Arse.

"The men that ask about Signe are not good men, they are drawn to her fire not because they want its warmth but because they'd enjoy the challenge of smothering the flames. I do not want that for her."

Uhtred grunted, his tone becoming a touch more severe. "Any man who tried would lose his balls."

She chose that moment to sit up and swing her legs around, jumping down the relatively short distance to the ground, landing behind Uhtred. "For once we agree on something."

He spun around to look at her in shock, but Ragnar was entirely unsurprised just watched her, eyes filled with mirth. She had no doubt he'd known that she was up there the entire time. She'd never been able to hide from him. Not since the moment he had called her out from hiding to speak against her brother, before he had taken his eye and then taken her away.