Runes & Ruin

Chapter 4

Yrsa decided to leave her corner in the lookout post and head back to the group to find a bed, she was growing weary and had drunk slightly too much ale. As she drew closer to the courtyard she heard Ragnar's booming voice. She looked down into the yard to see Uhtred's warriors and a group of Danes stood at opposite ends of a long rope. She was shocked to see that Cian was settled into the line of Danes and was glaring at Finan, she briefly remembered some toss away comment he had made about the rivalry between Irish and Scots.

Ragnar shouted that they could begin, and Yrsa watched as Finan winked at Cian before both groups began straining against the rope. Cian's large muscles flexed and rippled, she had forgotten how large he truly was, however opposite him she watched Finan keep his arms taught as his body was dusted with a light sheen of sweat. Suddenly Raganar's sword swung down and the rope was cut in two. All the men fell on their arses and Yrsa couldn't stop her loud laugh ringing out with the other spectator's, she looked down to see Finan's eyes trained on her. Their gaze connected for a few brief moments before he abruptly shook his head and walked away. Yrsa looked over to see Cian's gaze drift between the two of them before he also decided to stomp off to where Inga was stood at the edges of the crowd.

It was then a sharp bell rang and someone called out that a watchman had returned. Suddenly everyone froze and a tight tension filled the air. Uhtred and Ragnar were talking but Yrsa was looking down from above and was too far out of earshot to hear. Ragnar's voice cut the silence, "spears and arrows to the walls until we know who they are and what they want". Yrsa quickly ran down the steps to join the others in the courtyard. She ran over to Cian before speaking in a hurried tone "What is happening?!", he turned to her and said "There are forty or fifty men headed this way and they are unfamiliar".

Yrsa reached for the handle of her sword, her hand flexing tightly around the familiar leather binding, before she pulled it from its sheath. She watched Uhtred's man Sihtric toss a sword to Finan and a familiar adrenaline rush settled in her blood, her body felt as cold as ice and anxiety coursed through her. Someone sidled up next to her and a familiar Irish drawl rang in her ears ''Be careful with that, you might take someone's eye out". She rounded, finding herself face to face with Finan, again. "Maybe I'll take yours" she spat. He exhaled sharply "Do you even know how to use that thing?" his tone was laced with doubt. She spoke quickly and harshly back "I'm sure i'd figure out well enough how to gut you." before she rounded on her heel and approached some of the men waiting at the gates.

Ragnar and Uhtred stood with Brida and Cnut on the parapet and Yrsa waited with the other men to find out what was happening. Yrsa heard distant speaking but she couldn't hear exactly what was being said. "They are Danes," someone said in the crowd. "open the gate!" Ragnar called out. They were welcoming men into the fort.

Yrsa moved away from everyone and settled at a table in the danish hall, she was sitting there with a drink when Inga and Cian came and sat alongside her. "It is the Earl Sigurd and a Dane Haesten, he has a fort at beamfleot apparently." Inga's voice was tight and laced with wariness. Yrsa responded calmly "this is not out home nor are we involved in any way, we are merely guests of Ragnar and we will wait and see what unfolds." Cians only response was a gruff grunt as Inga nodded her head. Yrsa watched as Dane men filed into the hall and sat, they began eating and drinking and Ragnar called his welcomes to them.

After a short while, Sigurd BloodHair stormed into the Hall and settled in front of Ragnar. They began arguing over Bloodhair's request to fight uhtred before Sigurd stormed off angrily. "There is unrest here Yrsa it makes me nervous. '' Cian's tone was strained and harsh.

Yrsa mulled it over, as it stood they had nowhere to go, she had little wealth and she didn't want to become a bounty hunter or continue being a mercenary. Her only hope was finding someone for her and her party to follow. She bristled at the thought of taking orders from someone else, however she had no other options. "I have overheard talk of war, for now we will wait and listen. It may well be that we find someone to follow until we have enough coins to settle somewhere." her voice was laced with apprehension. Yrsa was keenly aware that the Dane Haesten had been watching her for quite some time. He was a plump ugly man with blonde hair and a scarred face, His scraggly beard braided with trinkets. His gaze was one that made Yrsa's body recoil in disgust, He ogled her across the hall like a piece of meat he would like to eat, Yrsa simply ignored his gaze, grabbed her drink and stood as Inga and Cian started some trivial discussion.