Khaana gazed hard upon Ragnarsson as she watched him gather supplies for his upcoming journey. "You want me to what? I will not have myself hanged for teaching a slave to fight and having said slave kill one of us." Ragnarsson chuckled, Khaana's eyes were not as amused as he was.
"The boy, is fond of you and your father - your family. He would do no such thing." She said circling to his side. "Sven is gone, but there will be more, the Dane's grasp on this land ia growing, Ragnar. As he grows they will come for him and he must be ready." She pushed.
Ragnarsson exhaled and closed up the large sack he'd filled. He glanced at her "fine, but-" he said pointing to her with warning "I shall only teach him to defend himself." Ragnarsson added. Khaana smirked a bit and brushed the back of her hand gently down Ragnarsson's cheek as if to reward him.
"B-but, that is only if the wasp's scrawny arms can support a shield." Ragnarsson called after her was Khaana took the form of a hpund and headed for the Ravnsson longhouse.
There in, Uhtred played with Thyra as he had a break in his daily work. "Osbert" Khaana called standing in the doorway. Uhtred ran to her andd grinned "you're needed, Ragnarsson wants to see you soon, out in the wood. I shall await you near the trees." Khaana said, she tried not to laugh as Uhtred's eyes sparkled a bit. "You got him to say yes?" He asked. Thyra giggled as she walked over and pet Khaana's head.
"One day I'm gonna learn to speak houndish too." She said. Khaana licked the girls cheek causing her to giggle more.
"Again." Ragnarsson called in a bored tone. Uhtred labded in tge dirt on his back. "Up Osbert, come on." Khaana called to him gently. Uhtred looked up at the large dog and scowled "but I cant!" He shouted sitting up on his knees "she's are too-" Uhtred's words were drowned out as Ragnarsson stiid up off of the fallen tree where he sat.
"You what?" He asked slowly approaching Uhtred, Ragnarsson took up his own shield and stood next to the kneeling boy. Ragnarsson held the shield infront of him. "An-nana" he called. Khaana lowered her large head and with a running start rammed it into the shield. Ragnarsson staggered only slightly and pushed back against the shield, holding his position.
"Keep your feet, and tighten your core. You do not give." Ragnarsson explained. "But thats no fair! Of course you held - she's not as big as ypu are!" Uhtred shouted. "The size of your foe shouldn't matter." said Ragnarsson, Khanangave an impish smirk and backed up.
"Keep sharp, Ragling!" Khaana called as she ran towards Ragnarsson, head held low. "Ragling?" Ragnarsson questioned quickly taking a defensive stance. Khaana's body crashed upon the shield, her body leaning its full wait, Ragnarsson toppled onto his back. With a roll he flipped from his back to his feet in a crouching stance, shield raised infrobt of him once more as Khaana landed and turned to face him.
"Big or small, with the right spirit you can take anyone." Khaana said with a deep chuckle. Uhtred snickered as he got to his feet "Ragling" Uhtred laughed. "I will forgive it - but that name never leaves these woods - nay this spot!" Ragnarsson ordered.
"I promise" Uhtred giggled. Ragnarsson smiled faintly "now, take up your shield." He told Uhtred. Uhtred picked his small shield off the ground and took a defensive stance. For a moment Khaana's eyes flickered to a small shadow lurking behind a tree. Without a runing start, Khaana ramed her head into Uhtred's shield. He lost balance but did not fall. "Better" Ragnarsson praised.
Khaana lifted her head "Osbert...offer Brida a try." She said. Ragnarsson and Uhtred looked to Khaana and then followed her gaze. "Come on out Brida - Khaana's told mee you're there." Uhtred called with a smile.
A small gasp came from behind the tree and Brida timidly stepped out. Khaana wagged her tail. "I would like to play this game with Khaana." Brida confessed. Uhtred smiled and handed Brida his shield "you stand like this and..." Uhtred explained to Brida all Ragnarsson had told him.
Khaana chuckled as she watched the two children resting on their backs in the dirt. "My arm is tired." Uhtred puffed. Brida giggled "you're such a cryer! I could train forever....j-just not right now, I dont want to embarrass you Uhtred." said Brida.
Ragnarsson stood up off his fallen tree "this has been fun, now I must go and make ready my ship." He said. "See you, Ragnarsson!" Uhtred called out sitting up to wave. "Bye" called Brida. Ragnarsson stroked Khaana's back and ruffled ger fur "you owe me" he murmured. "You loved it, I owe you nothing." She said watching him leave.
Khaana liad down between the children while they rested. "Khaana's strong isn't she Uhtred." Brida said latching her fingers in Khaana's fur. "Yeah I bet she could maul 100 men" Uhtred said with a grin. Brida sat up on her elbow and turned to Uhtred, peering at him from over the large hound. "500 men!" She corrected, causing Khaana to snicker "1000 men, on horse back!" Said Uhtred.
"With spears!" Brida added. Khaana laughed and got to her feet, the two children stood up as she shook out her fur. "Not hardly," Khaana spike to Uhtred. "Come, it is late in the evening and you've still work to do for Jarl Ragnar." Khaana said.
"She wants us to head back now." Uhtred told Brida, she nodded, and climbed onto Khaana's back, Uhtred followed after and the three headed back home.
As Uhtred and Brida worked around the steading of Ravnsson, Khaana was on her usual job of clearing the surrounding land of wolves and bears that had wandered too close.
She tossed a wolf carcass into the pile and licked the blood from her finger tips. A sigh escaped her lips, just a few more hours now and the ships would be leaving.
Kneeling to the ground Khaana took up a small knife and with little effort seperated the skin from the flesh of the animals.
Sticks and leaves crackled faintly between the trees. Khaana looked up and narrowed her dark eyes. "He who abides in the shelter of fear, will find no shelter in the shadows of this land" Khaana spoke her words echoing through the trees, clear and calm.
She waited for an answer but she did not stop what she was doing. "Come to catch me? You dare to try?" She hummed,for a moment her sharp gaze flickered up. "Ready or sword and hold it tight, Kjartan. Seek me and I will take the rubies from your viens." Khaana warned her voice contorting between human and snarls.
Kjartan's eyes grew wide from his hiding place, whispered filled his ears, he looked to every direction, no one was there, anywhere. Shutting his eyes tight he opened then again and blinked. Peering around the tree he looked to were Khaana was once, to find she had gone. Nothing but a pool of animal blood rested where she stood.
Kjartan grimaced as that smakl pool started to expand, it grew larger and larger as if to flood the woodland floor. Before he knew it, the thick pungent liquid had seeped to his feet.
The whispering became louder and the ground started to feel like quick sand. "You will forsake vengeance, you will leave this place and should you return - not Hel, but I will come for you." Khaana's voice called, as if carried by the wind.
Kjartan stumbled back, landing in the blood he backed away, splashing about as he tried to get back to his feet, and fled.
Khaana stood in front of her animal carcasses and smirked, "poor fool" she hummed, pleased with her handy work. "Illusion is a weapon the mind has no defense for." She sighed, looking at the dry and quiet woods before her.
Khaana gathered up her furs and what was left of the animals and placed them in a small cart, taking her hound form she headed back for the steading, cart in tow.
On her arrival, Khaana was greeted by Sigrid who gave Khaana a pat on the back "good girl Khaana! I see we have sent you out and the gods has blessed us with good return for it." She said happily, reaching into the cart and taking out the furs, no doubt to wash and prepare for use
"Khaana, you come with me." Ravnsson called, Khaana, still bitter from the punishment delt her said nothing but stepped free of her harness and followed, she spoted Uhtred trailing behind him quietly and Old Ravn moubting his horse with the help of little Thyra.
Each had a very serious look ipon their face. "What has happened?" Khaana spoke to Uhtred. "Someone sends ransom..." Uhtred whispered to her, "someone?" Khaana asked a heaviness in her tone "my uncle" Uhtred murmured. Khaana could feel her fur bristle, "that man." Khaana growled. Uhtred latched his fingers in Khaana's fur and walked close to her side. "He does not like me Khaana." Uhtred confessed.
Khaana nodded "I have seen Aelfric, the man who let his own brother die. There is no honor in his bones. He is not your uncle." Khaana said she looked to Ravnsson who mounted his own horse. His face was like stone, but his eyes fell on Uhtred and stayed there for a moment. "He is mine, Ragnar Ravansson. No matter who should buy him. Mine." She warned in the deepest places of Ravnsson's mind.
Ravnsson's gaze floated away as he, Ravn and a small pack of Danes made to leave, he road his horse around to Khaana and plucked Uhtred away from her, settting him up on the horse with him. "Come, Khaana." He called.
"Don't let this form fool you, Ravnsson. I am no dog." Khaana grumbled as she followed. "We meet with Jarl Ubba, and Guthrum in the wood." Ravnsson told his men.
Khaana paced, Uhtred stood at Ravnsson's side and watched her, her eyes glued to the trees ahead of them. Ubba chuckled "the war hound is restless, isnt it a sign of a battle to come?" He said amused. "She knows it is a waste of time, lord Aelfric is no king. What price could he have to offer?" Guthrum snickered.
Khaana's ears perked as. The sound of horses reached her ears. She back tracked to Uhtred's side, taking on a wide protective stance as she lowered her head in warning. Uhtred tisted her fur between his fingers nerviously as she watched people aproach dressed in Saxon attire.
"How'd he figure I was out here?" Uhtred whispered to her. Khaana did not move, yet Kjartan's face clearly came to mind.
Ubba, Ravnsson and Guthrum gather closer together, even relaxed they proved to be an intimidating sight. None more so than Ubba, a huge man that would dwarf Ravnsson and Guthrum in height by a head and a half.
"All that matters is that you are safe here." Khaana said gently. Uhtred nodded. The nervousness on his face melted away into disbelief and shock as a kind face and bald head walked through the trees. "F-father Beocca?" Uhtred stammered. Veocca smiled a bit, equally as suprised.
When the angry dane, Kjartan had come to Aelfric,he'd not expecting him to be telling the truth of Uhtred. "Osbert?" Beocca asked. Uhtred took a few steps forward.
"May I have a look at the boy?" Beocca asked, pointing his question to the Danes. Ravnsson nodded, and Uhtred went to Beocca, Khaana followed. "That dog..." Beocca said slowly. "She's my friend. She keeos me safe." Was all Uhtred said.
"Are you alright?" Beocca asked still keeping a bit of distance from Uhtred. "They treat me fair and I am fed." Uhtred said. "Whats that? A pagan symbol?" Beocca asked his eyes landing on the toyem necklace around the boys neck. "O-oh, this they um...they make me wear it." Uhtred stammered.
Beeocca looked back up towards Ravnsson "may I see it?" He asked them. Again Ravnsson nodded and Beocca went to stand in front of Uhtred examining the wooden pendant.
"Listen to me, Osbert. You cannot return home. You're uncle - Aelfric, he will kill you." Beocca spoke hushed and swift with his words. "You have your amber?" Beocca asked. Uhtred nodded.
"That's enough whispering." Ravnsson called.
As if on que with a small host of men, lord Aelfric came through the trees. Khaana's fur bristled at the site of him. She herded a shocked Uhtred back towards the danes, he grasped her fur. "I knew he did not care for me...but to want me dead..." Uhtred murmured.
Khaana looked to Ravnsson, she said nothing and she didnt have too for he seemed to know by looking at Aelfric that he was not to be trusted. Ravnsson moved forward eying the mens horses. Khaana smirked the negotiations hadn't even started but some poor fool was going to leave without his horse.
As the Dane leaders sat with Aelfric to barter, Khaana stood by Uhtred, her eyes stuck to Aelfric. Aelfric wouldn't remove his eyes from the familiar hound, " that dog there...." Aelfric said "you've seen her before. She is Earl Ragnars" Guthrum said. Aelfric paled a bit.
"I will pay 300 pieces of Silver for the boy." Aelfric said after clearing his throat. "The boys an alderman," Ubba cut in. "No,I am the alderman, he is my brothers son." Aelfric added. "And I will pay 300 silvers" he said.
"1000 silver and your horse." Guthrum said in a lazy manner. Khaana started to laugh "the price goes higher the more he fights" she told Uhtred. "Be reasonable - ok fine 300 silver my horse and -" Aelfric fell silent as Ravnsson stepped forward and whispered into Ravn's ear, and then to Ubba's.
Ubba smiled slowly with great amusement as he looked at Aelfric. "Negotiations are over, the boy is sold to Earl Ragnar." Ubba said. He stood up as if to leave, Storri his seer scurrying behind him. "What?" Aelfric asked. Guthrum walked tto Aelfric's horse, he pet it's neck and then gathered the reigns. "Wh-what are you doing?" Aelfric stammered. "This horse is now mine," he said leading it away.
Khaana let out a bark and wagged her tail happily. Uhtred stood still as his uncle sent him a glare. He hugged Khaana's neck. "Its alright" she spoke to him. An angry Aelfric lead his men away, "am I bnot to be ransomed?" Uhtred asked as Ravnsson picked him up and placed him on his horse with him. "I bought you boy. You're mine now." He answered.
Uhtred's eyes grew wide "how much?" Uhtred asked. "Too much." Ravnsson grumbled. Khaana followed behind the horse, more pleased thannshe had been in a while. "How much?" Uhtred asked again. "My swords weight in silver." Ravnsson sighed as they crossed small bridge over a pond.
"Does this mean Im a dane?" Uhtred asked. Ravnsson smirked and ruffled tge boys hair "it means, you're like a son to me now." He said, a slight chuckle in his words as he pushed Uhtred from the horse and into the water.
Uhtred grined as he swam to the surface, Khaana jumped in after him she chuckled and let him cling to her as she pulled him to shore. "I told you, you are safe here." She said. Uhtred giggled as he rode Khaana alongside Ravnsson and his horse. He tried to sit up a little taller, after all he was a dane now.