Yrsa approached what could only be described as a cage, following closely behind uhtred she wasn't surprised to see a charm made by a powerful witch. Examining the totem she saw it was a Nithstong. It was there to block skade's power and Ysra fought the urge to smile as she examined the symbols and runes of freyja blessed magic.
Uhtred stepped to the side and Yrsa was forced face to face with her sister. Her hair was the same straw blonde plaited with trinkets, her face tattooed and her eyes smudged with black. Skade's features flashed briefly with surprise before she addressed Yrsa in a cool tone. "Hello sister. I didn't expect to see you again. I thought you had died on your journey to Anglia, it's a shame you haven't". Yrsa felt Cian bristle behind her and made note to speak to him later about his new found protectiveness.
Yrsa had saved Cian after he had been banished and given a death sentence by his former clan in the North Celtic lands. Whilst there, Cian had taught her Scottish gaelic and she had lived with an old irish woman for a few years before meeting Cian, it was there she had learnt the irish language aswell. She had allowed him to follow her through various bounty and mercenary jobs, as she solved disputes in the celtic land she had tried to call home for a brief time.He had grown ever closer to her by the day, and something about that made her anxious. Although she loved Cian she was unsure if she could harbour romantic feelings towards him, she felt his nature was more brother like.
Yrsa returned her attention to Skade before addressing her in a strained tone "Törsten is dead. Leif our brother is now Earl over our homelands. He has sent me your inheritance and has asked me to gift it to you. I think he wants us to repair our relationship and he is also scared to leave the lands for fear of someone trying to challenge his Leadership. He is young and clumsy as we both know but he will be a fair leader."
Skade's features grew tight with apprehension."You would give me this money after everything? Why not keep it for yourself" she spoke.
Yrsa returned "I have no wish to re-live the past, you may take what is rightfully yours as I have. However I refuse to be held responsible for any of your actions. From now on the only thing that connects us is shared blood, I hold no affection for you Skade."
Skade repsonded her eyes lit with fire "Fine, we will become strangers. However I will warn you, I have seen the will of the gods. They are angry that you ignore them and they wish for conflict. You will be drawn into a fight which is not your own, and you will gain great fame from this. However it will come at a cost, the gods demand blood and you must oblige." She chanted out as if it were a curse.
Yrsa snapped back " I refuse to listen to your raving and ranting. I will take no part in it any longer. I will not let you try and control me Skade." She turned to the surly Dane Uhtred who was observing their interaction. She spoke harshly "Uhtred she will bring you luck, bad awell as good. Just beware she taints everything she touches, father was too blind to see it but I am not." With that Yrsa turned to leave.
As she looked to the seemingly empty courtyard she was surprised to see the irishman lurking in a corner observing their exchange. No doubt he heard heard everything between them. His eyes made her feel uneasy, she felt he was watching her with intrigue and wariness, she also felt something about him was off and Yrsa's intuition was never wrong. However, she refused to acknowledge him and headed towards the large danish hall.
Opening the doors she walked along in between the long tables to Ragnar and addressed him with what she hoped was Grace. "My business with Skade is finished but I must ask you to allow me and my party to recuperate here. Our horses need rest and I would prefer a large helping of ale and food. I am happy to offer coin for our stay." Ragnar chimed his response "I will allow you shelter in return I wish to discuss something with you later. Its about the future of all Danes in Anglia. All I ask in return for your stay is your ear." Yrsa nodded her approval thanking Ragnar before sitting herself and her party at a table in the corner.
She was then approached by a Dane woman her hair pulled back at the top of her head and braided in the sides, her eyes looked down on Yrsa with a patronising glare. "I am Brida, Ragnars woman. I heard you are the witches sister, and I am here to say that if you try to free her I will slit your throat. She has caused much pain to Uhtred and he needs her, for now."
Yrsa had grown tired and she had to remind herself that she was trespassing on their hospitality before speaking " I would like to say that I have no affection towards Skade. You will have no argument from me if you wish to inflict pain upon her and I understand she has most likely earned any punishment you wish to deliver". Brida nodded her acknowledgment before speaking "I admire that you do not yield. Please eat and drink your fill, I will not be unhospitable to a fellow Dane"
Yrsa turned her attention to her own party "Inga. Cian. please eat and drink your fill, I am aware this journey has been taxing and I appreciate your patience. I myself am going to sit outside with my ale, if you find me face down in the mud just drag me to bed" Cian chuckled. Just as Inga reached out for a large bone full of meat. Cians tone was jovial as he poked at Inga "You Do Ken that eating like a pig just may be one of the most unattractive things ye have ever done infront of me?". She grinned, her mouth full of meat."and do you 'ken' that I couldn't give a rats arse wether you think I am attractive?" her tone muffled by the sheer amount of food she had in her mouth.
Yrsa picked up her pitcher of ale and wandered out the hall, as she stepped outside she welcomed the cold chill of the nights air into her lungs. She trudged across the courtyard and climbed a set of stairs before settling on a lookout spot of the fort. Her thoughts were interrupted by a thick Irish voice "Dia duit a iompróidh (Hello she-bear)" She turned abruptly. She was suddenly face to face with the alluring irishman, His dark eyes tracing the features of her face with apprehension.
"You know what my name means in danish?" she responded her tone laced with surprise. "Well it's that or 'wild woman' and you remind me of a bear" he spoke with a lyrical lilt. "How so?" She snipped back. "Well for one, you look like you want to rip my face off" He joked.
"You make me uneasy witch, and I want to keep my eye on you. So what's the deal with you and creepy Skade over in that cage? Aren't you supposed to be sisters?" His tone was laced with intrigue.
"Why should I tell you anything Finan? You clearly hold something against me" Yrsa quipped back
He abruptly leaned his face close to hers and spoke in a taunting whisper "Well, I could go to Ragnar and say that I overheard you were plotting to help your sister escape, and pull that wee dagger out of your boot that you are trying so hard to hide infront of him." Yrsa's eyebrows raised in surprise as she noted that Finan was clearly in a constant state of alertness, and that she should be more wary of him. He continued "Or you could reassure me that I have no reason to suspect you of any plot"
She refuted and began talking reluctantly. "Skade was born after my mother died and my father took another woman. Her mother was a cruel woman, she taunted me and beat me often, and our brother was born soon after Skade. It was clear skade also held a gift from a young age, However I was fathers favourite. It was common knowledge Freyja had blessed me since birth. Skade's jealousy was fuelled by her mothers, it was stifling growing up and I am sure it made her slightly crazy."
"Surely that's not the sole reason for your coldness towards her though?" He inquired in his smooth Irish tone.
"No it's not. I had a friend as a child, Her name was Tora. She was as gentle as a summers breeze, she would give her food to the poor and her money to others freely. One day she spoke out against Skade, We must have been only 5 and 10 years at the time. Skade had become so motivated to hurt me that she cursed Tora out of spite. The next day Tora was found at the bottom of a cliff, Her neck broken. The villagers think she was trying to save a sheep who had got caught on a slightly lower ledge. I know Skade consulted with the three fates and cut Tora's lifeline. I will never forgive Skade, Tora was innocent. That's why I cannot stand to be around her " Yrsa's voice tightened as she spoke.
Yrsa continued her voice strained "I tried to kill Skade. I pulled a dagger in front of a gathering of villagers and tried to plunge it through her heart, I didn't even think, my hate was so visceral and strong. Skade's mother spun the story to my father Törsten and claimed I had gone mad in grief and jealousy over skade's growing power and that she was gaining the favour of the gods. My father was forced to exile me, believing his wife over his firstborn, So I travelled here." Finan only stared at her.
"That is why I cannot feel any affection for my so-called sister. I admire her ability to control men and the gods, but it will be her undoing and I will not be there to save her." Yrsa spoke in a sure tone.
"Skade is not family for you, to be sure. Although I may trust you for now, don't expect me to cower before you , because you do not scare me Yrsa" he spoke firmly. "You are touched by something dark just like your sister, I see it hanging around you like a thick fog." He stood abruptly and turned on his heel, his foot steps heavy with annoyance as his silhouette faded into the darkness.