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"I think she may have got herself inside his head. He should kill her and be done with it." Finan said to them when Skade rode past them.
"That will not kill the curse." Sihtric answered and kept a close watch on Revna as she sat silently on her horse. The siblings were practically forced apart by Uhtred so they could leave and since then they remained glued to one another's side or horse in this case.
"There is no curse." Osferth replies watching Revna with poorly concealed fear, she must admit being drenched in blood didn't make her very approachable.
"And if I say there is no Christian God, does it make it so?" Sihtric asked making her laugh. Sihtric reached out to wrap his pinkie finger around her own and she couldn't help but feel nostalgic at the action.
"There is no curse, Sihtric."
"I have seen women throw a curse and the next day a man is dead." Revna nodded in agreement with her brother and watched the Irishman pale at the thought.
"Right, that is enough talking. To speak of it makes it stronger." Finan said leaning over to look at both men pointedly.
"Whether you believe or not, I do not fear the curse or death, I embrace it." She says watching the monk frown at her.
"If you are death, I would gladly die by your hand." Finan said turning to look at her with a flirty smile.
Revna ignores the comment with indifference.
"She is my sister."
"She is no less beautiful, even if she is related to you." Finan says as Sihtric scowls at him.
"I can still hear you." Revna informed and tightened her pinkie finger around Sihtric's to placate him like she did when they were young.
"It is no secret, m'lady." They rode in silence the rest of the way after that. When they arrived she and Sihtric drifted away from the group to talk.
"Where have you been?" Sihtric asked gently pushing her hair, which had fallen from the braid, behind her ear.
"Frankia." She whispered and watched him closely as he frowned and moved his hand to her cheek.
"Did they harm you? Did they..." He trailed off with a pained expression, she moved her hand to hold his and leaned into it. Revna hesitated before nodding slowly, she couldn't lie to him. Even if she knew it would hurt him. She was startled when Sihtric choked out a sob and pulled her into a hug.
"Sihtric, please. What I have endured was nothing less than agony, but I would undergo it all again to find you." She said and cradled his face in her hands, she leaned down to catch his eyes with her own. His beautiful mismatched eyes held so much pain and sadness for her and she couldn't stomach it. "We are together now, baby brother. That is all that matters at this moment." Revna kissed his forehead and pulled away with a smile only reserved for him.
"Uhtred, we're discussing strategy and I have decided we shall remain here within the burh, and wait." Revna sat next to Finan watching the weak-willed king talk to Uhtred.
"For what?"
"For Bloodhair to attack."
"What makes you believe he will attack?" Uhtred asks.
"Is that not what Danes do, Uhtred? They cannot help themselves." Edward says and looks over at her with a frown.
"Why should he not attack? I am here."
"You are here and so too is your guard. Why throw men against the walls of a burh when Winchester's riches are unprotected?" Uhtred stated plainly.
Revna propped her elbows on her knees as she leaned over, Finan slouched next to her against the wooden beam. His arm brushed against hers when he moved slightly, she didn't know why he sat so close when there was plenty of space to sit.
"Would he do that?" Edward asked.
"He doesn't have a large army to hold Winchester." The priest states.
"What if Hæsten were to join him?" Uhtred said and turned to them.
"You're saying we should have stayed home?" Aethelwold questions.
"You should have stayed home and locked yourselves away like the noble cowards you are." Revna spoke bluntly as she watched the king look at her.
"And you are?" He said rudely.
"Who I am, is of no concern." She said with visible bitterness.
"If you believe the burhs advantage dismissed, you must have an alternative?" A young man says making Uhtred turn to him.
"I don't know you." Uhtred turns to look at him.
"I am Sigebriht, son of Sigelf. It is my village that the heathen burn, my father built these walls."
"And he built them well, Sigebriht. Which is why Bloodhair will not attack, he will not want to lose men." Uhtred informs them.
"Not even to kill a king?" Alfred asks. Revna sighed leaning back to cover her face with her hands, she wanted to kill him.
"I doubt it, take it from someone who has killed kings. It does not offer much satisfaction." She declared and smirked when the king glared at her.
"You have brought a king-slayer here?" Uhtred shoots her a look to be silent before rubbing his eyes in stress.
"I did not know, lord." He speaks tiredly. "Bloodhair will wait for us to starve or he will pass, lord. He will not attack but we must, that is still my advice." Uhtred says gaining the king's attention.
"If Winchester is vulnerable lord—" Beocca is cut off by the king.
"This woman that you have taken, why is she here?" Alfred asks.
"She has value."
"And Sigurd will want her back? I refuse to call him Bloodhair." Alfred said with a blank look.
"He will." She answers.
"She is what to him? A wife? A lover?" Aethelwold questions looking at them and moves farther away when she glared at him. Finan smirks at the boy and pats her arm mockingly but quickly jerks it back when she attempts to bite him with a vicious snarl.
"She's a seer, sorceress." Uhtred answers hesitantly and looks away from Finan and Revna, if his Irishman loses a finger he would not be witness to it.
"Hmm. The simple mind of a dane believes in signs, Edward. If a bird flew from their camp to ours they see it as a sign and follow. They would march into battle all because a seer caught sight of a bird." Uhtred sat next to her and Finan with a cup of ale, she still didn't understand why people feared him.
"Yes, lord. It can happen that way."
"Then it follows that without his seer, there can be no signs. Sigurd is blind, there can be no battle." Alfred says looking at Uhtred.
"You are both right and wrong."
"We wait, Uhtred. Now..." He trails off as he and his men stand. "I wish to look at her. Skade." Uhtred turns to Revna and Finan with a look of doubt before grabbing a torch and leading the king to the witch. Finan and Revna soon join Sihtric and Osferth by the fire, Sihtric nudged her arm gently when she glared at the king.
"What are they doing?"
"Alfred said he'd like to hump the witch. No word of a lie." Finan says with a chuckle.
"Is he always like this?" She asks Sihtric motioning toward Finan.
"Of course, m'lady. You will learn to love me." Finan says with an impish smirk.
