Ragnar Ragnarson plowed the earth with the help of Khaana who took the form of a horse, one of her four totems. The Hound, Horse, Sparrow and Snake. "Where'd you get the horse?" Kjartan asked a big grin on his face as he patted the large black horses neck.
Ragnar frowned, "she is my fathers you will have to ask him." He said. Kjartan nodded and walked off. Ragnar leaned against Khaana "I think he suspects..." He whispered. "Who wouldn't, when every animal your father owns seems to have the same name." She said with Ragnar's mind.
"You should tell them, Kjartan is your fathers man, he is loyal. You may trust him." said Khaana. "It is not my decision to make." Ragnar sighed, he ruffled Khaana's mane. She followed his lead and halled the contraption to plow the crop, in her mind she had to wonder would this be her life? Doomed to hide with the forms of animals?
"Do not look so glum...it will get better, you were sent to us for a reason I know it. The gods will show us the time to call you forth." Ragnar said. Khaana said nothing. She would tell them that it was not their ods who sent her. But she knew better than to challenge the Dane faith. Her connection with Odin was the only reason they kept her and she feared what they would do having been decieved.
A small setttlement of villagers was ransacked a small group of soldiers tried to hold down the little hamlet but the sword of the Danes was much to sharp. "It is a demon!" The Saxon soldier cried out as Khaana rushed through the woods, a horse skull fitted over her face she snarled and howled.
The people screamed and fled in fear of the large canine "death hounds upon us!" Another man called. Ragnar Ravnson chuckled as he watched Khaana toy with the minds of the people.
The fightened villagers saw a pack of furious hounds when in reality, there was only one. Before long the small hamlet was void and Ragnar Ravnson had 3 prisoners to hold for ransom.
Khaana watched as Ubba dragged a woman by her hair along the ground. She kickedd and cried out, Ubba was a respectable warrior but a terrible womanizer to put it kindly.
Khaana glared at him as he drug the woman along. "Easy Khaana." Ragnar Ravnson lulled standing at her side a deep frown etched across his face. "What are the rules?" He asked her. Khaana huffed and snarled before turning her back and padding away.
She hated those damnable rules and she hated Ubba. Rule one - anything is considered spoils of war, Rule two - know your place, Rule three - never challenge Ubba, ever.
"Whats the point of having the powers of heaven if I cannot use them them beyond shapeshifting and mind binding." Khaana hissed in her mind. "Aana-na!" Ragnar Ragnarson called out with a grin, that grin fell as she stormed past him wiyhout so much as a glance. "Wait? To where do you wander?" He asked, but he was left ignored.
"Where is she going?" Ragnar Ragnarson asked his father. The elder Ragnar gave a long sigh "to clear her head." He said simply. Ragnar Ragnarson watched Khaana vanish into the trees, "what happened? What set her off?" He asked.
"She grows impatient with mortals what else do you expect? But she was sent to serve us and she will bend to our ways." said Ragnar Ravnson. "Maybe she shouldn't have to...we do not need her against us. What if the gods call her back what then?" Ragnar Ragnarson asked turning to head towards the horses the others had taken from the villagers.
Once far from all eyes Khaana took her true form stomping through the trees her bare feet leaving soft dints in the earth her eyes to the sky peeking through the trees. Slowly her feet went faster and faster, we walk turned into a sprint.
Khaana could feel what was left for her wings moving, flexing trying to take flight desperate for the sky, for freedom from this place and the waring people. Khaana ran faster and faster but her feet would not leave the ground.
Tears sprung from her eyes and her feet had lead her towards the cliffs near the sea. Standing at the edge Khaana balled up her fists and screamed towards the horizion. Pain and anger overwhelming her, her fury shook the earth abd changed the direction of the winds, blasting out in a sound wave traveling across the waters.
The surge of raw power the pushed out from her was enough to bring Khaana to the ground. She crumpled to her knees rubbing the tears off her cheek with the bend of her wrist. "Dont leave me to this place!" She cried out towards the heavens in anger. "Aabbe" she whimpered smacking the ground. " I curse this godforsaken soil!" She growled.
Ragnar Ragnarson came bursting through the trees heart racing, sword drawn and raised he let out a loud battle cry. But there was no danger, no army - just the sound of the waves breaking upon the cliffside and squaking sea birds.
Ragnar deflated and lowered his blade, "why in all the nine worlds are you out hear screaming war, blood and death upon us!" Ragnar raged. Lhaana remained quiet her back to him as she tried to manage her embittered weeping.
Ragnar spotted her shoulders shaking beneath her tattered black Kaftan. "Khaana?" He questioned, Khaana sniffled and rolled ger eyes "can I not have a moment on my own." She said lowly. "I-"
"Must I be watched, watched every waking moment, as if some vapid sheep." Khaana grumbled. "You were sent as a servant were you not?" Ragnar asked, his words pointed as his frustration with her tone started to rise.
Khaana chuckled " a servent?" She asked in a deep hum. She looked ovwr her shoulder to Ragnar her gaze piercing with acidic venom "serving creatures who deserve no less than to be begging at my heels! Because I am hobbled!" She raged, her hand gripped a necklace made of dozens of chalcedony and alabster nuggets strung upon a golden string.
"Binding my strength as if the clipping of my wings were not enough to hold me here!" She shouted. "Never have I said it was right, what was done. It was not the Danes who did these crimes to you-"
"But you profit from it!" Khaana shouted. "No! Do you not think I know what a misdeed it is to keep chained a creature of Alfadir? I know well, but my father swears it is fate and I trust his word. I will see you freed one day" said Ragnar as he rushed to Khaana's side. He knelt beside her sticking his blade into the earth " I promise, I will see you freed and this tumultuous indocile thing in your spirit can roam again in Valhalla." Rangnar whispered.
"Why do you care?" Khaana asked. Ragnar held out a hand as if to reach out and touch her hair but his fingers stopped just inches away from her. "I....I dreamt of you not 4 days before we took you from that spineless king you called master." He confessed.
"I dreamed of glorious wings, battles, and-" Ragnar stopped himself, he just wanted to touch her to pet her thick hair and kiss a lock of it. But he could feel a dangerous friction around her.
"I dreamt of what you could become, of what you have lived through. So much pain -" Ragnar whispered, he finally reached out and shifted her hair away from her neck. As the black curtain moved it revealed scars of all sizes lay littered on her skin like leaves on a forest floor.
"I can end it, I can and will protect you from the fearful scorn of others." He said softly. Khaana turned to look him in the eye. "You do not trust me yet, but you will - I'll make you see." Ragnar said with a light smile.
Getting to his feel Ragnar pulled his sword free from the ground and turned to walk away. "Come on, I am surr father is worried. I do not doubt that scream of yours was heard for miles." He added. Khaana took one last glance up towards the sky before getting up to follow Ragnar.
At Ragnar Ravnson's hold laughter could be heard, light little laughter. Thyra's firey red hair flew behind her like a flag abd she road atop the might hound. "Quickly Aana-na! Make haste! The horses are on our heels!" The child called as she played pretend.
"Thyra, play time is over. Khaana has work to do." Ragnar Ravnson called out. Khaana halted and Thyra frowned "aw, but Da...we were just getting to the exciting part." Thyra whimpered. "I am sorry, but this is more important. Go to your mother." said Ragnar Ravnson. Thyra climbed off of Khaana with a long sigh "yes, Da." She said sulking back to the long house.
Khaana padded over to er master "what is it my Lord?" She said to his mind. "You are to leave go to Bebbanburg as a hound. Gain the kings trust and spy out the fort." He said. "My Lord? Are you sure what if-"
"I will not let them keep you. If you are careful tgere is no way they will know of what you are. We need eyes on the inside. I cannot read this man." Ragnar Ravnson said patting her head. "Do not fear, I have spoken with Ubba and Storri. Storri forsees no danger." He said.
Khaana huffed "very well, as you wish it. It shall be done." Khaana said heading off towards the trees.
After many hours, Khaana could see the Bebbanburg fortress just through the trees. She rolled around in the dirt and gnawed at her right hind leg drawing blood. Limping and hardly using said leg Khaana started off towards to gate. She looked towards the wall, four guards stood watch above her.
Khaana hung her head and tried to look as weak and harmless as possible, her tail tucked between her legs. "What is that?" One of the guards asked. "Some mangy mutt, let it rott." Said another. "But it looks like one of the hell hounds the villagers have been whisoering about." Said the first.
"We should catch it and take it to Lord Uhtred. If it can be tamed - it can be used." He added.
Khaana flopped her body to the ground and waited. The two guards scurried out the gate and quickly drug her inside. Khaana peeked one eye open as she allowed the men to drag her along. She suprised to see the fortress was empty. Not but a soldiers, remained. She spoted two women, a priest and a child.
The boy watched her in wonder his blue eyes large as he tugged on the priests robes. "Father Beocca..." She heard him whisper. For a moment she caught his eye and quickly closed her eye again.
Khaanna felt one of the guards gather her into his arms. "Well if it does not survive, it will make a fine coat." He said as he walked through the doors into the castle.
The guard dropped Khaana roughly to the ground. She yelped and sat up. It took everything she had not to tear at his ankles. "What us this? Why have you enterupted our counsel? With this flea bag?" Aelfric said from his Spot at his brother, Lord Uhtred's side. Khaana snarled under her breath "flea bag?" She thought.
Lord Uhtred held up his hand and silenced his brother. "Hold, brother. Is this?" Lord Uhtred asked striding towards Khaana with caution. She looked him in the eyes and stayed her ground. He had a regal air about him, from the way he spoke to the way he moved. He was much more of a king than the so called king, Ragnar Ravnson and his Danes had taken her from.
"She is, lord, she is one of the Danes hounds." Said the guard. "Go, you will be rewarded latter." Lord Uhtred said. The guard bowed and made his exit. Lord Uhtred took a careful step towards Khaana and stooped down to her height. "Are you sure this is wise?" Aelfric asked.
Lord Uhtred glanced back at him. "These dogs are friece, and look at her size. She will be useful too me. If I can ge her but to trust me." said Lord Uhtred. "Look at it, they left her for dead." He added.
As Lord Uhtred reached out his hand, Khaana shied away and let out a strategic whine. "Easy girl, no one here will harm you." Lord Uhtred said speaking in a light easy ton. Khaana crept closer, "good girl." He praised patting her head. "Aelfric fetch Osbert. Have him feed and wash her - I have to go burry my son. Or rather....whats left of him." Lord Uhtred sighed.
Khaana watched him as he stood up and exited the chamber quietly. Khaana's ears drooped. "That was his son?" She thought, remembering the boy whocs head she had torn from his body. "Stay here, mutt." Aelfric sneered while going to do as he was told.
Left alone in the room Khaana reverted back to her human form and looked around. The room was very dark, lacking windows and the few candles gave of little light. The stone floors were cold and there was nothing homey about the place. Khaana had gotten used to her Dane masters, rugs and furs across the floors, bright warm fires, well lit rooms. On every wall there was something to feel like home, hunting trophies, heirlooms and the like.
The large doors creeked and Khaana quickly changed back into the hound. "H-hello there. Im Osbert. I brought you some yummies." A young boy called. It was the boy she had seen before. His brown hair a mess and bright eyes curious. He had eyes like Lord Uhtred, the every same eyes. "Must be his father." Khaana noted.
The boy inched closer to her, in one hand a bowl full of whatever meat scraps he could find and in the other he drug behind him a large bucket of water. Khaana grimaced, though she could tolerated she hated having to subsist on raw meat, just another reason she loathed her animal forms. Nonetheless, Khaana went to the boy while he sat down the bowl and ate.
"You're so big" he gasped while petting Khaana's fur. "I bet you could eat a pig whole" he said with a large grin. Osbert dipped a rag in the bucket and started to clean Khaana's fur. "No wonder you're called a hell hound." He said.
Khaana couldn't help hearself raising her head she turned it to look at the boy. "Do I seem so hellish?" She asked to his mind. Osbert gave a girlish squeak and stumbled backwards. "Who- did you, say that?" He asked her.
"Do you believe I did? Or rather that I can?" Khaana thought to him. "H-how?" He asked crawling over to her. Khaana sat down before the astonished boy. "So you do believe, Osbert." She thought to him with a canine smile.
"Y-yes, I think...what's you're name?" Osbert asked. "Khaana" she said. "Did you live with the Danes?" Osbert's eyes were still very wide, he had so manyvquestions. "I did, but they left me behind." Khaana lied, she felt guiltly lying to the boy as he took all her words at face value.
"But I belonged to a Saxon king first, he compromised with them and I was given as a peace gift." She said. "Did they keep their word to that king?" Osbert asked. Khaana shook her head "no."
Silence fell for a moment and Osbert looked up at Khaana timidly "are you...are you magic?" He asked. Khaana chuckled and lifted her large paw to bop Osbert on the head. "You are an inquisitive one arent you?" She asked back. Osbert giggled "Father Beocca says the same thing." He said.
"Why aren't you at the the burial?" Khaana asked. Osbert bit his lip and looked down at his hands, I'm supposed to be preparing for my Ealdorman ceremony....well its not actually a ceremony." Osbert said standing up. "I must go to Father Beocca now." He added he gave Khaana a few pats on the head. "Oh, Osbert." Khaana called. "Yes?" He said turning to. Look back at her as he left.
"Should anyone ask, you never heard a word out of me. Do not worry...its not a lie. As Im not actually talking." Khaana thought to him with a sly smirk across her maw. Osbert grined and pretended to button his lip before leaving out the room.
Khaana laid down on the floor and closed her eyes. "Nothing left to do now, but to wait." She sighed.
"What. Do. You. Mean. She's. Left." Ragnar Ragnarson growled, his words slow, pointed and angry. "Do not take thst tone with me." Ragnar Ravnson stated calmly as he ate dinner with his wife and children. "Forgive me father if I cannot help myself. But you sent our best weapon out to the enemy. You sent Aana-na alone." Ragnar Ragnarson said a bit calmer.
"Not now we will speak of this later." Ragnar Ravnson said glancing carefully at Sigrid and Thyra. His son fell silent and chomped bitterly at his food, but his anger made it taste sour and he found he had lost his appetite. Getting up Ragnar Ragnarson excused himself and headed out into the night.
He went to Ubba and Storri's lodgings. "Ubba I need to speak with your seer." He called. "Sure my boy, but what ever for?" He asked looking up from the terrified woman he had locked on his lap, feeding him.
Ragnar glanced at her uncomfortably, "ah..about Khaana. You and my father thought it wise to send her off alone to spy. I need to know....is she safe?" Ragnar asked turning his gaze away from Ubba to Storri.
"Well I cannot see in that way. But I can tell you if she will return unharmed." Storri said, taking out some stones he tossed them across the floor and carefully examined how and where they fell. He stood quiet for longer than Ragnar was comfortable with.
"Well....what do you see?" He asked looking at the stones. "Your fathers Elf will return, unharmed." Storri said. Ragnar exhaled and nodded turning to leave "but not unchanged, something in her spirit will have changed. I cannot see what. It may benifit us or it may work against us." Storri added. Ragnar turned to look back at him before running out to relay the information to his father.