The Black Dane : The Fools War

The Runts

He was one of the few who showed Khaana the respect entitled to her.

"I will think on it. For now - he is my prisoner. You may buy him from me if you wish." Ravn said. Khaana was less than pleased to hear this, she wasnt allowed enough free roam to make silver. She was barely permitted to walk around in her true form. Even if she could enter cities far off or work for Danes from other clans, it would hard to get paid or do any job as an animal.

"Leave us, I want to talk to the boy and I am sure young Ragnar wants your attention." Ravn said with a hidden chuckle. Khaana paused and looked towards Uhtred "dont let the old goat scare you runt." She said to him before decending down the steps.

"Cut me some chicken, put it on the plate." Ravn said. Uhtred paused and got a ggood look at Ravn's eyes. He carefully placed the chicken on the plate "Khaana says he is kind." Uhtred told himself slidding the plate acrosss the small table. "Your chicken is just there." He called. Ravn reached out and took the chicken from the plate stuffing a bit into his mouth.

Uhtred could feel his belly burning, he had not eaten since early that morning and now the stars were out.

"Have you always been blind?" Uhtred asked Ravn, it was loud in the mead hall with wails and screams, he wanted something to drown them out. From the corner of his eye he could Khaana. Sitting at a young Dane's side while he held a unenthusiastic conversation with an older dark haired Dane. who outsized him sideways.

"Please excuse me Guthrum, but I must see that the hound gets walked, she is only half tamed after all." Ragnarson said with a dry tone. Khaana gave a canine grin and went to lead the way out of the mead hall. "Are you her master? Or is she yours?" Guthrum mocked. Ragnarson rolled his eyes and chose not to answer.

The two walked far into the night, into the trees to higher hills until they reached the cliffs of the shore. Khaana took to her true form and looked out over the waves. "Are you fairing well?" Ragnarson asked after letting the silence linger aa bit.

"You don't like death...this was why you were cast down right? You displeased your masters. A war elf not built for war?" He questioned. Yes, that was the story she had fed him a year prior. Surely the truth he and his kin would have rejected.

One thing was true, while perfectly built for war - death was not her field.

"You misunderstand my silence. I am merely doing what I must to gain back my freedom and hunt down the bloodline of the man who took my wings from me." Khaana spoke out into the direction of the sea.

"I promised you and I mean it, we will find him-them." Ragnarson assured her. He took off his fur cloak and dropped it over her shoulders. "We will take England and then the gods will grant you back your full power and your wings - the ones that spineless king took from you." He added.

Khaana chuckled, Ragnarson had a way of talking that made her easily believe hia intentions were true. But she knew the actual task to be impossible. A pantheon she didnt serve couldn't help her. She was born fallen and would remain so, the one thing that could lift her near her true home , cut from her back. All the hope she had now was in vengence.

As khaana stood quietly, Ragnarson reached out and strokedd her hair. He shifted it to the side and nuzzled his nose to her cheek. Khaana hadn't realized he had walked so close to her. She smirked "you're such a child." She murmured as he cuddled her, hidding his face down in her neck as he held her.

"You've got my furs and I am cold. You're warm and this is comfortable." He said with a goofy smile. "And the runt thinks you a great big mean Dane." Khaana teased. "Is he wrong?" Ragnarson questioned.