𝐆𝐎𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐒 || ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 - ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅʟʏ.

—— • ° ☽ ★ ☾ ° • ——

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍 –
ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡᴏʀʟᴅʟʏ
ᴀᴄᴛ ᴛᴡᴏ – ɢʟᴏʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴏʀᴇ

—— • ° ☽ ★ ☾ ° • ——

Then

THE GORGE WAS A PLACE
where the trees sprouted high from the soil and stretched well above the earth. Where the branches varied pools of pale light and the ground was covered in a sheet of leaves and pine needles.

The smell of earth was strongest here, the ground partially gathered in wet clumps of dirt from a previous fall of rain. A bridge trailed from one tree to the other, and in the centre, around a slightly bigger tree that towered across a small clearing at the bottom of a hill, was a balcony where Thyra stood, peering down over the ground with a giggle of childish amusement.

"A wolf." She sang in imaginary fear, her eyes widening despite the smile of her lips. Her small pale hands gripped the fence, her vibrant strands of orange hair curtaining her appearance. "Uhtred."

"That's it, a wolf." Uhtred hummed in agreement, slashing the sword around him as he pretended to kill the imaginative wolf that was supposedly prowling around him.

"A boar, watch out."

Brida lifted her head once she pretended to cut through the flesh of whatever creature her mind had conjured up. Her eyes swept the clearing, falling upon Freyja who lazily lounged against the base of a tree. "Freyja, you should play with us. It is fun."

The Dane found no amusement in such childish games but, her mother had wished for her to spend time with the slaves and her sister while Ragnar was out.

So now, she sat upon the wet ground, a single knee bent towards her chest as she snapped in half the twigs she had boredly gathered up. Each snap of a stick echoed across the gorge, wood splintering into her fingers.

She would have, had it been just her and Thyra – but they were slaves and her father and Ravn and even young Ragnar did not wish for her to play with slaves – therefore, she would not.

Freyja shook her head, her eyes drifting upwards towards where Thyra played out her act as a mistress, gazing down below across her warriors.

Brida sighed and reluctantly tore her eyes from the girl and made another slash of her sword. "I saw it, it's sharp teeth and yellow eyes."

Thyra grinned and folded her arms across the fence, her weight leaning against the post. "Don't let the wolves get to me, Uhtred."

"Use the fire to keep them away." Uhtred waved the lengthy stick in his hand, his body swaying along with it.

Freyja held a hand to her mouth, giggling softly in amusement. She did not like the Saxon, but the way he moved about, as if he were dancing with the sword rather than fighting with it, it was clear that he did not know how to use one.

Brida mirrored his way of moving, her arm swaying across the arm like she was using a torch. "I see them. They're as big as Ubba and smell worse."

A crack sounded in the distance, a snap of a twig that echoed from above the hill. The game fell to a still and the two slaves turned towards the noise. "Did you see that?"