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"YOU MUST EAT," Revna said, holding the tray of food out to Thyra

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"YOU MUST EAT," Revna said, holding the tray of food out to Thyra. "I know you do not want to, but you must." Thyra eyed the food with displeasure, before her gaze moved to Revna's face. She reached a hand up, tracing the new cut marring Revna's face with gentle fingers. Revna softly lowered Thyra's hand, sighing. "I am fine, Thyra. It is just a cut, it will heal." Setting the plate of food down on the bed, Revna reached into her pocket and pulled out a chunk of dried meat, ripping it into smaller pieces and tossing them to the dogs, who ate it quickly.

"You risk too much to feed them." Thyra said, watching the dogs eat. "There will be no more for you to eat tonight." She said knowingly, sounding as displeased as she always did. Turning towards the bed, Thyra grabbed the roll of bread from her plate and held it out to her friend. "You eat, and I shall eat." She said, her voice letting Revna know that there was no room for argument. Revna eyed the bread for a moment, before taking it with a sigh.

"You eat, and I shall eat." Revna repeated, pulling off a piece of the bread and shoving it into her mouth. "I am being placed on the ramparts in the morning, but I will be around to bring you your dinner tomorrow evening." She informed the other woman, eating another piece of the bread. Thyra frowned, but said nothing as she picked at the meat remaining on her plate. It wasn't very good, but it was better than going hungry. "I must go," Revna said, finishing off the rest of her bread. Thyra did not comment about how quickly she ate it. "I will return tomorrow evening." She said, leaving the cell and locking it behind her, unable to match Thyra's gaze as she did so.

"Still no word?" Thyra called out before Revna could walk too far away. She paused, swallowing down against the sudden nausea she felt.

"Still no word." She confirmed, and then proceeded on her way out of the jail made just for Thyra. She did not want to talk about it, and she did not want to think about how the only comfort she had was that her brothers head was not presented to them on a pike all those months ago.

-•-

Sven was standing outside of Thyra's cell when Revna came to deliver her dinner. To Thyra's credit, she did not waver under his gaze, matching his stare evenly. Revna scowled, stepping around him and pulling the key from where she kept it securely around her neck, and slipping it into the lock. She did not turn it yet, turning to glare at Sven.

"It is time for her to eat." She said simply, but the warning was still clear to Sven, who moved the smallest bit away from his bastard sister. Revna was no fool - she knew that Sven feared her, and for good reason, since she nearly blinded him completely years ago. "If you wish to bother her then come back in the morning. Or not at all." She snapped, her glare only darkening when he did not move. Instead, he straightened his back and squared his shoulders, trying to appear more intimidating. It did not work.

"Watch your tone with me, bastard. I would hate for my father to hear word that you need to be reminded of your place once again." He hissed, though his venom did nothing to make Revna back down.

"Leave," Thyra called from inside her cell, voice sharp and dangerous. The hounds gathered around her growled, snarling at Sven. His eyes darted from Revna to the hounds, before he quickly turned and headed for the stairs, one hand on the hilt of his sword. Once Sven was gone from the room, Revna turned the key, pushing the door open.

"I can handle him." Revna said, handing the plate of food to Thyra, who made no fuss about taking it this time. She held the bread out to Revna without saying anything. She took the bread, immediately biting into it. She was hungry, and she was tired, but she would never say it out loud.

"He fears you, but he fears me more. I can handle him, too." Thyra said simply. She grabbed for the pitcher of water at the table in the corner, handing it over to Revna, who drank without question. She could hide many things from everyone else, but not from Thyra, never Thyra. "Still no word?"

"Still no word." Revna forced the words out like they pained her. In a way, they did. She did not tell Thyra what Sihtric had left to do, who he went to find, just that she didn't know if or when her brother would be returning. Nearly six months and there was still no sign of her brother, and she hoped that meant he had found the man he was searching for.

-•-

Months went by of the same thing. No word from Sihtric, Thyra spoke less and hardly ate, and Kjartan seemed to grow more angry towards Revna as time went on. The new scar running from just behind her left ear and down her neck was proof of his fury. As time went on, Revna was beginning to believe that she would never see her brother again. That she would die in Dunholm, sooner rather than later. She explained as much to Thyra, who was hidden away in the closed off part of her cell, so no one could see her. Footsteps coming down the stairs made her pause, turning to watch Sven, who slowly pushed open the cell door.

"Thyra?" He called, taking several steps inside. All of the dogs began growling at the sight of him, and Revna held back a smug smile.

"I told you to stay out." Thyra said, walking out from the closed area of her cell. Sven took a step back, hand gripping the cell door.

"Your brother Ragnar is here, in Northumbria." Revna stood quickly at his words, fists clenched at her sides. "He will attack. My father demands that you let the hounds go hungry." He said, looking anywhere but at Thyra, who was looking more distressed the longer he spoke.

"I have no brother." She said, locking her eyes on Sven. The dogs began to bark and snarl as she continued to step closer to him. "I have no brother!" Thyra said again, now angry. "Get out." She said lowly. The dogs were barking louder, feeding off of Thyra's anger. "Get out!" She yelled, moving quickly towards Sven, who scrambled out of the cell, slamming the door shut. He ran for the stairs, fleeing without another word.

"Thyra," Revna said softly, moving towards her. Her family was always an area that Revna avoided speaking about, knowing it would always be an open would for her. But now, her brother was close, he was coming, and she would be free.

"I would like to be alone." Thyra said, not even glancing at Revna as she made her way to the bed. Revna nodded, making her way out of the cell quickly. She didn't bother to lock it.

Later, when she stood on the ramparts, she imagined seeing a Dane army approaching on the horizon. She imagined freedom being within her grasp. And, for the first time in her life, she dared to allow herself to have hope.

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⏰ Last updated: May 16, 2023 ⏰

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