Bloody Revenge | Sigyn x Sihtric Kjartansson | The Last Kingdom

True lord of Bebbanburg

The attack on the gates was horrible to watch, to hear the screams of grown men as they were burned alive. She hated sending men to their deaths, but many would gladly go. To serve their King or Lady in life and death. They knew they would die as heroes. Some would even make the pages of the saga of Alfred and Edward.

Sigyn could tell that something was wrong, before the gates could even be breeched there seemed to be no resilience. Only a few men remained on the walls. Edward seemed to notice too.

"Do they flee? Do they abandon their fortress?" Edward glanced over at Sigyn who stood nervously clutching her own blade.

"No. It must be a trap. Constantin would not abandon these lands." Almost as if she was seeing visions of her own, she could sense the danger of more men from Scotia arriving. "He was waiting for reinforcements. All this time. He played us all for fools."

The sound of men advancing on them had everyone thrown headfirst into a battle, the men surrounding them and although they didn't outnumber them. The men were smart. Charging at them and giving them no choice but to be forced towards the cliff edge. She had heard about rocks beneath these cliffs, how no ships could reach this fortress if they weren't invited. The screams of men and women filling the air as they fell to their deaths.

In the distance she could see Stiorra and her men, she watched as they abandoned the fight. She felt betrayed, like a blade had been stabbed into her back and her heart ached. But she also understood it. Stiorra had to witness the man she loved die. She had seen enough death in her lifetime, and she had people to protect. People who looked up to her and would follow her anywhere. And this time she didn't want it to be to their deaths.

Edward, Sigyn and Aethelstan were in the middle of the men. But they felt the cliffs growing closer to them with every movement they made. Sigyn deserved a better death. A warrior's death. She deserved to go down in glory. Not like this. So, she continued to fight. Her sword hitting everything and anyone in front of her. She needed to survive. To see Sihtric again. To feel his touch. They were being forced back, Sigyn watched in horror as people she knew for years – people she had fought beside fell to their deaths. Their screams filling the air. All of a sudden, she locked eyes with her son, he was close to the edge and Sigyn fought her own men to pull him away from the edge.

"Mother! My Gods you're alive." His arms threw around her, the pair sharing a loving embrace through it all. In the midst of battle. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at her sweet boy. He was safe. Even if only for a moment before they were all driven over the cliff by the armies.

"We need to fight. With all of our might. We will not die today. Are you listening?" He seemed distracted by the men and women falling from the cliffs behind them. They would soon be next if they didn't fight back. She grabbed her sons face, rather roughly and rested her forehead against his own. "We will not die today. I promise you this. I promise the Gods." He finally nodded and then she dropped her hands from his face before she shouted to the frightening warriors. "Fight back! Push forward!"

Once Edward repeated her words it seemed to work. All of the warriors pushed forward and seemed to have a little more room between them and certain death. Then all of a sudden there was clashing of swords behind the men they were finally fighting back against. She couldn't see from where she was pinned between the enemy or her own warriors. But then she heard Uhtred shout, she heard Stiorra shout commands to her men and her own heart filled with hope. They would maybe survive this after all.

The arrival of allies drove everyone to fight harder, they were soon far away from the cliff edge. Back into the open field as the battle continued. Sigyn drove her blade deep into her enemies, she was bloodied and there was a long cut on her left thigh, but she would not back down or die today. The promise of her husband being so close kept her fighting. The promise of her family reunited once again; it was all she needed to continue to fight. Her shield knocking down her foes before her blade pierced their skin. Their throats, stomachs – any part of their bodies which she could land her killing blow.

Gunnar fought by her side, not wanting to stray too far from her side. He knew that Sigyn was a fearless warrior, she was probably a better fighter than most men he shared the battlefield with. The only other fighter he had seen to match his mother was of course his father. The two had been cut from the same cloth. Warriors through and through.

The battle continued for what felt like hours, her body ached all over. Blood covered her skin and matted her hair, most of it not her own but she continued to fight. And then a new wave of energy passed through her as she spotted her husband in the distance, he had thrown an enemy over his shoulder like he was nothing. Her feet carrying her quickly across the field, avoiding any incoming blows. She threw herself into the torso of the man who was about to deliver a sneak attack on her husband, headbutting him once they crashed to the ground and then driving her blade deep into his heart.

"Sigyn?" His voice sounded like a harmony filling her ears. Before she could climb to her feet, he had pulled her up from the ground, tears filling both of their eyes as he kissed her. Fire filling her body for the first time in years. He was as handsome as ever, covered in dirt and blood with his arms bare and she felt almost as if she were dreaming. The sounds of screams on the battlefield being dulled out as they shared a quick embrace.

"If you two lovebirds have quite finished, we have a battle to win." His thick Irish accent broke through the moment, Sigyn quickly threw her arms around the burly male. Gods how she had missed him. When they were sharing their hug, she whispered into his ear softly.

"Osferth dying wasn't your fault." She felt him tense in her arms but when she pulled back, she smiled warmly. He didn't even know how to ask how she knew. But there wasn't chance to do anything because the fighting started again. Then the flames started, the walls of Bebbanburg being kissed by flames. "No. This isn't supposed to happen." Sigyn quickly dropped to her knees, her fingers drawing symbols into the bloodied dirt as she whispered to herself, hiding the spell she was attempting to cast. Then the relief hit, the Gods had listened to her, and the skies opened. The rain was heavy, and it helped dull the flames. Smoke filling the skies as the fires were put out.

The battle was won, the surviving enemy rounded up as hostages and then Sigyn had ran to her husband again. Her forehead resting against his own as she just breathed him in. Two long years she had been away from him, her whole pregnancy and then a year of the babes' life. She just hoped that the time apart hadn't changed anything between them. That he still ached for her like she did for him.

"The Gods have been good today." He whispered, pulling back slightly to examine her face. She was still as beautiful as ever, even covered in the blood of others. "I have missed you." The men all started to move into the fortress. Sigyn gently grabbed her husbands' arm before they could go any further. "What is it?"

"When we were parted last, I was with child." She started to speak, and he subconsciously moved his right palm to her flat stomach, as if he was expecting her to speak of the many miscarriages they have had through their marriage. "I want you to meet him."

"Another son?" He sighed softly; this truly was a day of blessings. He was reunited with his love; his family were safe and now he had learned of another child. "What of Astrid? Is she here?"

"No, she remained in Coccham. She is engaged to marry. She is happy and most importantly, she is safe." Sigyn smiled softly, taking a hold of her husband's hands and then they headed inside the walls of Bebbanburg. She knew the child was safe with Eadith and Aelswith she just needed to find them. Before she could find the other women, she looked on in confusion as she watched Lady Aelfwynn kiss Gunnar. "Did I miss something?"

"I'm just as confused as you." He chuckled softly as their son happily returned the kiss. Finan came running over, placing mugs of ale in his friend's hands so they could celebrate and toast to the new Lord of Bebbanburg. The cheers for Uhtred filling the empty town and then out of the corner of her eye Sigyn had spotted Eadith in the distance. She was carrying baby Osferth.

She had disappeared from the celebration. At first, she was eager to just hold her child and introduce him to his father finally, but Eadith had seen the gash in her leg and made her sit while she cleaned and wrapped the wound. All while Sigyn held her child and smiled down at the tiny babe. Once the wound was wrapped, she moved to her feet again. Slowly she approached Finan, Uhtred and Sihtric who had settled down on a nearby table to just relax after the battle. "I want all of you to meet baby Osferth." There was a small silence once she announced the name but then Sihtric moved to take him from his arms. The babe was perfect. Everyone looked at him in awe.