𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 ➻ 𝐚𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧

iii. danes

They came in the dead of night, with only so much of them acting quickly. Barging into her chambers the danes took hold of Klara, from all her skills and training she'd only managed to take down two of them before more came charging inside. They took her into the courtyard, where already, she saw Sigtryggr on his knees. There was a woman that led them, and Sigtryggr's brother beside her. They've been betrayed.

"No sign of his wife but I found this one," The dane pushed her beside Sigtryggr, catching her, she realized that they'd cut off his long hair. His show of honor and demonstration of a warrior.

"Who might you be?" The woman's voice, the power and righteousness about her tone, glowing with pride. She'd never seen her, but by the descriptions and stories from Uhtred it told her enough, that woman was Brida. Klara dared to not open her mouth, she glanced at Sigtryggr's brother. Only he and their people knew of her true identity. He'd betrayed them enough.

"That's Uhtred's daughter,"

The glow on Brida's face was so palpable, almost as if she'd found gold. They've never met before but Klara almost felt the hatred emanating from her.

"I was not aware that Gisela had another,"

"She's not my mother," Klara corrected, finally meeting Brida's eyes, "Stiorra and I don't share the same mother,"

"You're still Uhtred's daughter," She laughed, "Stand" Klara did as she commanded then it hit her, a blinding pain, sharp for only a second before her body felt cold. It wasn't until the smooth liquid began coating her hands was when she realized what had happened.

"Sigtryggr, you will take her to Uhtred." Brida commanded, "If any of you wish to see Stiorra again, alive, you will bring him to me."

Klara hadn't even noticed her legs failing her until Sigtryggr had scooped her up into his arms, his hand putting pressure on her stomach. Klara had never been stabbed before, she did not imagine this was what it felt like. Cold and bounding.

"Give me a horse," He demanded. Brida analyzed her thoroughly. "We will not make it to him without a horse!"

•
"Am I-" Klara wheezed, the horse thundered against her lower back, Sigtryggr still held her in his arms tightly, he'd used fabric from his undershirt to bind the wound. "dying."

"You will not die," He grunted, urging the horse to move faster, "Or else your sister and father will kill me," She felt herself going in and out of consciousness. They've been riding for sometime, Klara had forgotten how long the travel was to Cookham, she did not remember. Trees and blue sky filled her sight, deciding to focus on that instead of the searing pain on her left side.

"You must stay awake Klara, we're almost there,"

The more time went past, the harder it became to stay awake. Sigtryggr attempted to make conversation, light conversation that only required her to say simple words- to assure him that she was not drifting towards death. The trees became a wooden gate that they went through, the songs of birds became loud chatter and the beating against her back halted.

"We're here," she heard Sigtryggr whisper, Klara's eyes fluttered and she'd grown used to the binding pain.

"Sigtryggr!" Uhtred's voice, her fathers voice instantly got her alert. Sigtryggr dismounted, Klara still in his arms. She was a small ball, wrapped in his furs. He'd never seen her look so small, weak and frail. Sweat glistened on her forehead and her eyes had sunken in.

"We'd heard Eoforwic had been captured by Brida," Osferth, she could tell his panicked voice growing closer.

"Klara?" Her fathers voice, so close it felt as though he'd whispered her name in her ears. Sigtryggr shifted underneath her, until with her blurred vision she could see them.