The Black Dane : The Fools War

Makings of a Spy

Khaana sat with her knees drawn to her chest and a blanket draped over her shoulders. The cold air sent a calming chill across her skin that was soothing to what remained of her mild fever. Dark eyes fixed on the slowly clouding sky a deep frown curved down her mouth.

She release a slow annoyed sigh. 

Footsteps clunked behind her on the thatched rooftop and Uhtred eased himself to sit next to her. He quietly mimicked how she was sitting, hugging his knees to his chest as well. Though rather than a frown his face carried confusion.

"You should be in bed, not exposed to the cold with that fever." Uhtred muttered, knowing well Khaana would not listen. Being told what to do from her pup would only amuse her, but he couldn't say or ask the questions he wanted to.

"Khaana does not keep secrets from me." Uhtred thought, "So there are reasons." and that's what made him the most unsettled.

When Khaana did not answer him Uhtred to looked towards the sky. He reached out a finger and pointed to a star. "You used to tell me that one there was mine," he said. He remembered it because oftentimes it seemed to flicker a faint red if only for a moment. It wasn't a large star in fact it was tiny and he'd needed to squint to see it before.

Khaana smiled faintly, "are you sure it's that one?" she asked Uhtred.

He gave a nod a grin coming to his face, "I memorized it, spent ages training to spot it in the sky the moment everything went dark. Trying to figure out why that start is mine." Uhtred said. Giving his shoulders a shrug he chuckled "But I suspect that is another answer I will not be getting soon."

Khaana smirked, "One day you will," briefly looking at the small stair to the northeast.

"Maybe, but I know why you're looking at the sky now." He said.

Khaana's smirk fell.

* * *

Across the sea, Ragnar sat among his men, another victory. He returned from the merriment and games and sat down near the fireside. Taking long gulps from his cup of ale he gazed into the dancing flames.

Visions of phantom fire lighting up his battlefields and the memory of howls echoed in his ears. he'd missed the ethereal feel of the field when she fought with him. He missed looking over and seeing her standing at his side. Rushing out into the fray was much less fun without knowing he'd come across her out there in the fight.

Ragnar downed the rest of his drink and wiped clean his beard, "doesn't feel right." He murmured quietly. He couldn't shake the uncanny feeling of the silence Khaana left him in. It was like stumbling backward out a door, only for the door to close shut, and yet swearing you felt a hint of fingertips pushing you out.

He let out a soft growling hum in his frustration. "She does nothing without reason." He thought.

"So why are you doing this to me?" He asked her looking at the stars above him.

Brida pulled her fur-mantled cloak tighter around herself as she watched Ragnar silently. A guilty grimace on her face. She thought this would all feel better than it did. As her eyes watched Ragnar's back silhouetted in the firelight the air around him felt distinctly lonely. Not the calm mischievous sort of jolly it typically did.

"No matter how hard you try, nothing feels like home anymore." Brida thought a painful admission that glittered in her eyes as she fought back the welling water.

Ragnar could feel Brida's presence and he knew he should say something, invite her to join him by the fire. But if only for tonight, He couldn't, so he continued to pretend to be oblivious. That, however, did little to stop the determined girl.