Kingdom Come

XIX. Angels on the Moon

Jaehaera stumbled and fell to the ground when Sihtric got to her, and he fell with her. Now on their knees in front of the burning house, Jaehaera did not fight him as he held her. Hearing Beocca's pained shouts for his wife brought her back to the day they thought that they had first lost her along with Aethelflaed. "Breathe, Jaehaera breathe," Sihtric instructed her when she started to hyperventilate in his arms.

She shook her head, barely hearing him as the world crashed down like the burning house in front of her. The world became silent as she felt Sihtric place a gentle kiss on her head. He knelt holding her and crying with her. She began to match his breathing but continued to cry in his arms. "It's how my family died," she whimpered out, "in a fire like this." Sihtric cradled her head with one head and held her to his chest like she was the most delicate and fragile thing in the world to him. As he held her before, when her mother died, this felt the same.

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Until morning light Jaehaera sat with Beocca in front of where his house used to be. The two did not speak, she just held his had. Finan and the others found them in the same spot they had left them not a few hours before. Sihtric began to walk to Jaehaera, but Finan stopped him by his arm and shook his head. Hild sat down next to Beocca next. "Father," She began gently, "she is with God now. You know that." Jaehaera didn't say anything just wiped her eyes with her free hand and sniffled. "And he will welcome her, I'm sure."

Beocca sniffled before speaking. "It's how her family died," he told Hild. "in a fire. You think that would be a comfort? Or would it terrify her further?"

"Father all we know is that she's at peace now," Hild answered him confidently. Jaehaera sighed shakily and looked up at the blue sky above them. "She's at peace," she repeated. Jaehaera closed her eyes while continuing to look up, she could feel it, the peace Hild spoke about. She could feel her aunt around them in the breeze and hear her in the birds singing.

"They two of you need to walk away now," Finan told them gently and Jaehaera opened her eyes to turn and look at him. "A drink of ale, maybe?" then he crouched down to be between them both. "Once the heat has gone," Finan began, "I shall recover her. Rickon and I will wrap her for you to bury."

Father Beocca looked at him with glassy eyes and thankfulness for his offer. "I..No..I will find her," he told Finan. "She is my wife."

Jaehaera placed her other hand on top of the one that held hers. "She is," she told him gently with the same glassy eyes he had. "We'll help you then." Finan rested a hand on Father Beocca's shoulder. As she sat next to Beocca her sadness turned to anger. She thought about the events leading up to her aunt's death, and she knew the man responsible.

"This fire did not just happen," Beocca told them, agreeing with Jaeahera unknowingly. "It did not." Finan nodded at him and looked at Jaehaera who wore a face they had not seen since their last battle. They all shared a look of understanding for what needed to be done.

They once again found the house that they knew to hold Aethelwold and his men. Jaehaera kicked down the door that hadn't been barred, and Beocca rushed in with Finan and Rickon behind him. They found Aethelwold and his merry men around the table. Jaehaera pushed past Rickon and Finan and swung her ax down on the table between the men that had been frozen in fright from her and the other's entry.

Aldhelm held Beocca and Sihtric held Jaehaera back. "There will be no need for swords!" Aldhelm told Aethelred who pointed his sword between Beocca and Jaehaera.

"I am merely introducing Beocca," Jaehaera hissed at the men. "Let him go!" She shouted at Aldhelm.

"Not until there is calm!" Aldhelm answered her.