The Black Dane : The Fools War

Conceived Bonds

Khaana glanced at him before quietly getting to her feet, "I am sure there is work that needs to be done, the honeymoon is over, and this place is a mess." Khaana said, she plucked free some of the straw from her hair, if only to stall, she had litter desire to walk as an animal again and much less desire to be put to work as one. Leofric  stood as well and looked out of the small window of the barn, "I wouldn't so sure about that, the Arseling and woke up about an hour ago to find his bride in the lake....they've not been seen since." Leofric chuckled.

Khaana smirked, "so it pulled his head out of his ass enough to be civil to the poor girl." Khaana said. "I don't know if what he had in mind for her is quite civil" Leofric snickered. Khaana continued to pull the straw from her hair as she looked out onto the water near the farm. "she's a sweet girl, he could have been paired with worse....I should hope my own pairing will go half as smoothly...whomever they should choose." Khaana muttered.

Leofric remained silent, but his gaze wavered. Neither Aethelwold or Young Odda were good options, and as much as Khaana didn't want it, Leofric found - neither did he.  With a light sigh, he walked to Khaana and started to help her clear her hair of straw, "there is an apple in my sachel, take it - I am off to see if the Arseling is done, he will need to inspect his new land...and try and prepare it to produce a good yield if he ever wants to pay off the debt." Leofric said heading for the door.

Khaana watched him go, before turning her eyes to his satchel. She retrieved the apple and took a large bite from it. while she ate she laid a hand down on her stomach. "What will I do with you...." she whispered. "you cannot stay with me, not through this, not so small." she thought quietly. "and I do not trust whom they have lined up for me with you." she sighed.

Khaana's mind reeled, she could take the child to Ragnar, but that would lead it right into the war all the same. "Infants shouldn't face battle." Khaana thought. More than that, she did not want to bring any added pain to Brida. It was so easy to anger her, "she would think I was bragging if I showed up with a child..." Khaana thought to herself. Khaana let out a long sigh, she missed them, both of them. She's been away from her children for years and yet she fretted less about those who came from her than she did of Brida. She knew her children's strength, they shared the same blood and bone as herself.

But the children who she had been fated to take in, these mortal children now old enough to face the world were fragile even if their spirits, their souls were strong. True Brida was safe with Ragnar, Khaana knew as much, he made a promise to keep her safe and happy. But as any mother knows, it's not the same as being there yourself. "You aren't her mother..." Khaana reminded herself she then chuckled, "you aren't."  she mocked, knowing it was a thought her mind would never except. 

Tossing the apple core to the ground Khaana took the form of a horse and waited for Uhtred or Leofric to return for her. "this will be a long couple of days." she thought to herself.

Mildrith yelped and rushed over to the commotion in the fields, Khaana stamped about rearing as she kicked out her hooves, ears pinned down tight and eyes wild as she looked down at Oswald laid out on the dirt beneath her. "You shouldn't have hit her with that thing, your new lord told you she had wild in her." Leofric called calmly. 

"Calm her down! or she will trample him!" Mildrith cried out, rushing to Oswald, trying her best to help him to his feet. Uhtred stepped outside of his new home and a silly smile came to his face as he laughed. "Khaana!" he called out. Khaana brought her front legs down hard on the ground beside Oswald, and out of fear he stumbled and fell back down. She whinnied and shook her head up and down in amusement. before snorting and dropping the cows tail he had hit her with.

"what did you do?" Uhtred asked calmly as he approached them. "she refused to plow the field any further, so I swatted the mare to get her moving again." Oswald said. Uhtred gave Khaana's neck a pat. "well that was stupid of you, you don't poke a caged bear do you?" he asked, Oswald, shook his head, "no, because should it ever get out it might remember you." Uhtred warned. "Khaana is a dane horse, she isn't broken, isn't tamed, she will help you not serve you." he added.   "remove her tack, and unhitch her from that plow." Uhtred sai to Leofric.