Even though both men were essentially awaiting their execution, they were relatively calm around Sigyn. They knew they would be safe until Uhtred arrived and even then, they knew their deaths wouldn't be so anticlimactic. But Sigyn was ruled by anger and vengeance. She wouldn't back down so easily. Sihtric was making them all breakfast on the fire, Finan already drinking and Sigyn was pacing. She was fed up with waiting now. The days passing far too slowly for her liking. She couldn't risk being around Sihtric any longer, their nights spent talking and she was learning to understand him. As she paced around the camp, she was just watching the roads in the hopes that Uhtred would arrive early.
The men watched her and sure they could have made a run for it but they knew she would track them down and risk her wrath again.
"What of your woman?" Finan whispered over his tankard, he had noticed the way Sihtric had been acting around Sigyn. He seemed to genuinely enjoy being her prisoner because it gave them time together.
His shoulders instantly shrugged, breaking his eyes from Sigyn to focus on the meats he was cooking. "Do you think Uhtred would let me marry her?" His head nodded towards Sigyn. But her back was to them both, but she was still in earshot of their words.
Sigyn had tensed hearing the words, he still wanted his woman. And now, he wanted to marry her. Did their talks mean so little? But then again she had made it clear she would still kill him.
"You think she will marry you? She wants to.." Before Finan could finish his sentence, they watched as Sigyn had crossed through their camp and headed to the river. They could still see her in the distance and both men were a little confused by her sudden urge to bathe and to leave them unguarded.
They were trying to gather their weapons, ready to abandon her and test their luck by running but both were caught in a trance as she removed her clothes. All they saw was her back and bare ass, but it had them both glued to the spot. Until Sihtric had reached over to punch Finan's arm to make him stop looking at her.
"I want her." Sihtric finally admitted as he continued to watch the golden-haired beauty in the river. She was dangerous, deadly but he knew there was another layer to her. A vulnerable one. One he had witnessed before.
"I think you've had too many hits to the head boy." Finan warned, finishing his cup of ale before eating his breakfast. Sihtric finally turning his back to her, eating too. And when she finally returned her food was cold but she seemed genuinely surprised both men were still there as she sat opposite them. Her fingers brushing through her wet locks as the heat from the fire and the sun helped dry her hair.
"I've decided, if Uhtred accepts my terms to make the square and fight me one on one. I will let you both live." She stabbed at the meat on her plate, not feeling particularly hungry in that moment and she could feel them staring at her. "Unless you'd rather die?"
"And deprive all of the women of my charms? I wouldn't be horrible to them." Finan smiled but she refused to even look at him. Finally, she placed the food back down, untouched and climbed to her feet.
"You're free to go. Bring him to me when he returns or I will come and find you." She warned, leaning against one of the trees and Finan had already taken off running, hoping to find women and more ale.
"What changed?" Sihtric asked as he slowly packed his bag, desperate to spend a little more time with her before she threw herself into this battle she couldn't possibly win.
"You weren't the one to kill her. Yes, you are to blame. But it wasn't your hands that robbed her of her life. Plus, I heard you wanted to marry your woman. Who am I to stand in front of true love?" The words felt bitter leaving her tongue, but she didn't realise at the time it was her own jealousy talking.
He seemed confused, but then chuckled a little as he realised how wrong she had got it all. "So, you throw yourself into a fight you wont win?"
"You doubt me?" Her eyes glared at him now and he was quick to shake his head. He climbed to his feet, pulling his satchel over his shoulder before he dared to step a little closer to her.
"You're strong and stubborn. But I believe that will get you killed one day." His right hand lifted, his fingers lightly tracing across her scarred cheek before he sighed softly. "What a waste of such beauty." And then he left, leaving Sigyn more confused than ever over his actions.
It was two days before Uhtred had arrived back to Winchester with Osferth. Sigyn heard ramblings from the townsfolk that he had returned and she quickly dressed for the occasion. Wearing her battle armour, tight leathers and pulling her blonde hair into tight braids so her hair was out of her face and wouldn't disrupt her view during their fight.
"So, you're the one who wants my head?" He had managed to reach her camp before she had even heard his footsteps, he was stealthier than she had imagined. She turned to face him for the second time she had ever met the man, already a fire raging on in her body.
"You killed my kin. It's a fair trade." Her eyes observed Finan, Osferth and Sihtric who had all followed him out here. "Make the square. No outside interference." The men went to gather the things they'd need from the woods to set up the square. Leaving Sigyn and Uhtred alone.
"I didn't know she had family. I didn't want to kill her." He admitted, sitting down on one of the tree trunks as he waited. "She wouldn't want you to die trying to avenge her."
"Don't pretend like you knew my sister. You knew the power obsessed Skade. You didn't know the Skade who cried when our father killed his first deer. The Skade who was pushed into this because of the ambitions of men and turned into someone different. She was kind, beautiful and she was mine." Sigyn felt the wounds of her heart reopen as she spoke about her little sister. And how she had failed to protect her from the evil in the world. The evil of men.
"No. I did not. I knew the Skade who wouldn't let her hold on me go, she was so determined to be Queen. She let madness rule her heart." He sighed a little, he didn't want to have to kill another. But Sigyn had threatened the lives of his men, of his family. He had no choice.
When the men returned and started to set out the shape of the square her gaze briefly met Sihtric. He hadn't so much as looked at her. Maybe he was already married, like he wished.
Sigyn moved to her feet, moving to stand in the middle of the square as she drew out her sword and waited for Uhtred to enter too. The clash of steel echoed around the open field as he easily countered every one of her attacks. But she wasn't really trying yet either, she just wanted to get a feel for his attacks. Her eyes studying his footwork and how he often repeated the same parry, she found her opening. But she could tell he was holding back from her too.
"Who does everyone fear the great Uhtred? When he couldn't even protect his wife." Her words were enough to anger him and his strikes now used his full power.
Between strikes, the pair traded blows with fists and elbows. Sigyn had managed to split Uhtred's lip and catch his right cheek with her blade to land a tiny cut. But her face was bloodied, her nose no longer in position but she quickly wiped the blood on the back of her hand and carried on fighting.
No one ever expected a woman to be so talented in swordplay and often underestimated her, but Uhtred seemed to understand the threat she posed. After a few minutes they both had several cuts to their bodies but nothing life threatening. Always quick to counteract the attack and protect themselves from further harm.
"Join me and my men. We need a fighter like you." Uhtred spoke, his words ragged from his uneven breath from the constant attacks he was trying to fight off.
"Never." This offer seemed to annoy her more, her anger driven to a new high but that was her first mistake. Her anger took over her logic. Trying to repeatedly drive her sword into him, not backing down or giving herself chance to change her tactics so her sword was soon knocked from her grasp. His legs swiping at her own and managing to kick them out from under her. Her back hitting the dirt and knocking out all of the air from her lungs as she gasped.
She had barely made it onto her knees, her hands searching the dirt for her sword before she felt the coldness of the steel against her neck which made her pause. She just smiled and waited for the final blow.
"Stop!" It was Sihtric's voice, she didn't even need to open her eyes to know. He rushed over to Uhtred, whispering something into his ear but she didn't hear what he said. But she felt Uhtred hesitate.
"What are you waiting for? Send me to Valhalla!" She shouted, leaning forward into the blade until the tip pierced her skin and the crimson liquid dripped down her neck. Uhtred quickly pulled back his sword before he drove the pummel of his sword into her head. Her body hitting the ground with a thud as she fell into unconsciousness.
When her body finally willed her eyes to open again she could see passing trees, she reached for her head with a groan and attempted to sit up but heard a voice. Taking her a while to notice that it was Osferth speaking.
"Take it easy, your head will be painful for a few hours." He helped her to sit up and then she noticed they were in a cart. Her eyes spotting the three horses around them. Finan, Sihtric and Uhtred. The bile in her stomach threatening to rise as she realised she failed.
"Where are you taking me?" They couldn't of gone too far, surely she hadn't been unconscious for long.
"Back to Winchester. You will stay with Sihtric and me while Finan and Lord Uhtred have business with the King." He delicately cleaned some of the blood from her face and she hissed at the contact. "Sorry. I'm trying to be gentle."
"It's not that. Just the initial contact." She whispered, letting him know that he wasn't the one hurting her. "Why am I not dead?"
"Well, you can thank Sihtric for that. Whatever he seemed to say to Lord Uhtred convinced him to spare you." When the cart came to an abrupt stop he managed to stop her head from hitting the wood. There was some arguing but they were all soon allowed back into the town. Two of the horses split off and the cart was brought through the town back to the chapel where she knew Sihtric's house was.
She had to be helped from the cart, but she would only accept help from Osferth. He was the only one who hadn't wronged her in some way. And for some reason her whole body ached. It wasn't until she was standing that she saw all the bloodied cuts to her body, most of her skin covered in black bruises. Once she was inside, she finally saw the woman she had heard so much about. She was beautiful, she supposed. The woman had picked her a dress out and would take over cleaning her up.
"Oh, so the gods have a sense of humour. That's great." She groaned, holding her ribs as she was finally left to stand alone. Her eyes briefly met Sihtric, and he swallowed nervously. He clearly didn't want the women to ever meet. When the brunette kissed Sihtric it set another fire in Sigyn's body.
"I am Ealhswith. I'm here to help bathe you." The fact this woman would be touching her body made her tense, Sigyn's eyes looked at Sihtric in a pleading manner. Letting him know that this was too far but he was taken away by Osferth to give the women some privacy.
"You do not need to do this. I will only be staying until I can find a horse." She made her plan known, she would not stay here. She would not watch the man she hated thrive. Or the man she had grown some feelings for be with someone else.
"Nonsense. I want to help. It's not very often I meet a woman as fearless as you." Her compliments were working as a distraction, Ealhswith slowly removing the belt from Sigyn's waist and slowly peeling her blood-stained armour from her body. "It would make me happier knowing there was someone else around to keep Sihtric alive. He can be reckless."
A small chuckle left Sigyn's lips. She didn't know. Of course, she didn't. But she wouldn't be the one to break her heart. "I think they are all reckless." Soon she stood bare in front of the other woman, and she didn't miss the trail of her eyes. But the moment was over quickly, the brunette helping Sigyn into a tub of warm water which felt blissful in that moment. Even as the water kissed her countless cuts.
"How did you learn to fight? From what I heard, you managed to last longer than most men who have ever challenged Uhtred." Ealhswith asked curiously while she took a rag and helped clear the dirt and blood away from Sigyn's otherwise flawed skin.
"My husband taught me some, but it wasn't enough to protect us. So, I learned from every single Dane who was willing to teach me." Her fingers slowly rubbed at her legs beneath the water, clearing what she could herself.
"I'm sorry." The woman whispered, clearly understanding what she had meant. Her hands now undoing the complicated braids to release the bloodied curls. "What was it like to be married?"
"If you marry the right person, it is perfect." Her head tilted lightly to look at the other. "You're not married? I believe it will come soon." She smiled warmly at the other. She wasn't angry with her. She had shown her nothing but kindness in this short time.
There was a little bit of silence now, as they worked together to wash her long hair. The dirt and grime that left her curls was slightly embarrassing. But this was the life of a warrior. Soon the scent of vanilla filled the air.
"Perfect." The brunette smiled at her, moving to her feet to hold out her towel and when Sigyn finally found her strength she climbed from the tub and into the warm towel. It felt strange, having someone look after her like this. Especially knowing she had kissed this woman's love not even a month ago.
"Thank you." She whispered out, feeling slightly vulnerable when the female helped to dry her body. She was left alone though to finish changing, her fingers trailing over the red silk dress laid out for her. It was beautiful. Too beautiful for her but all her other clothes were ruined. She pulled the dress on over her body, the fabric hugging every inch of her and she pinned her hair up into one loose braid.
"The food is ready." Osferth called from the other side of the home and after taking a deep breath she let her feet carry her to his voice.