𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 ↦ Sihtric Kjartansson

vii. slavers

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Days turned into weeks and still Uhtred had not returned, leaving Sihtric and Yrsa to go about their day to day business as quietly as possible, so the king nor abbot would be onto them. The pair stayed in Yrsa's temporary home, keeping quiet, watching and listening for news of what was to come.

"Sihtric, food," Yrsa called, The older teenager appeared, sitting opposite her as they began to chew on the stew, which was one of the little things that they were able to make with the food that they had. Yrsa didn't care though, it was hot food and with the weather growing colder, that was the best she could do. "Any news?"

"None," He shook his head, sighing as he took another bite out of the stew. Sihtric never complained about the food, though Yrsa knew at the start, her cooking was terrible, and she liked that. It made her feel better. "It seems like we'll stay here for the winter, especially after Guthred's disastrous meeting with the brothers and Uhtred's uncle."

The only good thing that had come from Uhtred's imprisonment was Guthred losing all of his allies at once. It had brought Yrsa a small amount of joy in such a miserable time as she had happily cackled to herself when Sihtric told her.

A knock sounded at the door, causing Yrsa and Sihtric to pause, grabbing their weapons. Sihtric shot the younger teenager a nod, before Yrsa opened the door slowly.

"Lady, I come from Lady Giesla," The maid whispered, as the two Danes relaxed. "She asks that you prepare two horses so that we are able to leave."

"Why are you leaving?" Yrsa asked slowly, as the maid looked around once more, before leaning closer.

"Guthred plans to marry her off to Uhtred's uncle. We must leave, now,"

"We'll prepare the horses then," Sihtric cut in, nodding at the maid before he and Yrsa took off from their home, their dinner growing cold on the table. They reached the stable and quickly began to prepare two of the horses to leave.

"Yrsa, leave them here," Sihtric called, leading one of the horses out and tying it in a blind spot of the palace.

"What do we tell Hild? Or Uhtred?" Yrsa asked, following the taller Dane up to the back entrance of the palace where Giesla was to leave from. She tugged at a loose hair, trying to thread it back into her braid.

"The truth. That she left," He replied with a shrug.

"The horses are ready?" The pair looked up as Giesla swept towards them, her face pale in the light.

"They are, Lady," Sihtric replied, nodding at her.

"I choose you two because you are loyal to Lord Uhtred," Giesla glanced between the pair, who were nodding in understanding.

"Always, Lady," Yrsa murmured, checking over the woman's shoulder for guards.

"You will give this note to Hild when she returns," Giesla pressed a piece of paper into Sihtric's hand and Yrsa would have read it, but she did not know how to read. "She will return."

"How long will you be gone, Lady?" Sihtric asked, as Giesla turned to watch them with a small smile.

"All I know, is that I cannot stay," With that, Giesla left the townstead, as Sihtric and Yrsa slunk back to their own home and out of the prying eyes of others.

"When do you believe Hild will come?"  Sihtric turned towards the small girl next to him, who was twisting her arm bands once more, her nerves starting to get to her.

"She will come. I know she will come."

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"Hild is here," Sihtric called, his eyes wide. Yrsa sprung up from her seat, peering over Sihtric's shoulder and grinning at the sight of the woman.

"Let us go." Yrsa and Sihtric left the house swiftly, jogging through the shadows until they reached the market square. Sure enough, Hild was riding in, along with another Dane on horse back.

"That is Ragnar," Yrsa told Sihtric, leaning back to whisper to him. "I heard of him from my father. His father was Ragnar the Fearless."

"The one my father burned in his home," Sihtric nodded, chewing on his lip as he flipped the paper around in his hand. "How are we going to get the paper to her?"

"I'll find a child, you find a way?" Yrsa proposed, before both of them took off, Sihtric to find something and Yrsa to locate a small child to bribe. "I will give you a silver coin if you help me out?"

"Alright, Lady," The little girl giggled, grasping Yrsa's hand as she led the small child towards where Sihtric stood, an apple in his hand. The man looked up, before crouching down in front of the girl.

"Can you give this to the blonde lady on the horse? The one wearing armour?" The child nodded again, as Sihtric pressed the apple into her hand and Yrsa handed her a coin. "Thank you."

The girl giggled again at the strange Danes, before wandering off to go and hand the apple to Hild. Yrsa and Sihtric watched on to make sure that the elder woman got it. The little girl tugged on Hild's leg, pressing the apple into her hand before running off with her silver coin, as Hild caught eyes with Sihtric and Yrsa.

The nun breathed a sigh of relief at the fact they were both alive and well, nodding her head as the pair quickly walked off to avoid being seen. They'd done their job.

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Hiya,

Yrsa and Sihtric are roommates, and poor Sihtric has to deal with Yrsa's terrible cooking. They're just a lot of fun, to be perfectly honest, and I'm super excited to write more of them.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx