Khaana followed behind Ubba's warriors, there wasn't many of the small group he'd sent to fetch her left. Ironside may have been a fool, but he was a fool with well able warriors.
Khaana watched the road ahead with a dull expression, none of the men would utter one word to her. No doubt from the spread of rumors and fear.
Or, Ubba just told them not to speak with his new pet, what he thought was his new pet.
Khaana had however, fully realized that becoming Ubba's pet weapon may be the only way to get him to hear what Uhtred would have to say. She was more than sure word of Old Ragnar's death had to have reached his ears by now.
It was quite possible that the lie mingled along with it had reached him too.
Khaana exhaled, taking in the cool morning air to refresh her lungs.
The silence and the thought of the fiery day reminded her. "Ragnar still doesn't know." She thought, a heavy feeling settled in her chest. She knew well that she'd not forgotten to tell him, deep down she didn't want to.
Ragnar would never forgive himself knowing he was gone whilst his family was burned in their home, it was bad enough he would have missed his sisters wedding party.
Khaana did not want to listen to him blame himself, for had he not been away Old Ragnar's line would be ended. He may not have been always fair or kind to her, but Khaana greatly respected the quality of warrior and leader that ran in Old Ragnar's family line.
It was in him, his father and all his children. It was even in his wife Sigird, though she didn't know it, it was. One couldn't be close to him and not have that wild spirit cast on them as well.
The truth was had Ragnar been there, he would have burned alive at his father side, and Khaana would have taken all of England right with them.
Khaana's gaze shifted over the warriors, they seemed satisfied that she was quiet and complacent at the moment. They did not look over their shoulders at her nervously or murmured amongst themselves about if she would curse them.
They moved about naturally and even talked comfortably with each other.
Now was a good time and would likely be her last chance. Khaana's gaze seemed to look beyond the present world around her as she tried to pluck up a connection with Ragnar, it didn't take long.
"What is happening?" Ragnar asked her quickly. "Many things, but I have ill news, are you at battle?" Khaana asked calmly. "What things? No - no I am not." He said.
"Are you among your men? For this it would be best to be alone." Khaana advised. "I am alone, but if this is news of my father....I already know." He said his tone grave.
"When?" Khaana asked, "last night." He replied. "I'm am sorry Ragnar, I was to tell you sooner and then-"
"Are you alright? Answer me first." Ragnar said firmly. Khaana gave a bitter scoff "I am fine, if nothing else I can will survive." She thought to him.
Ragnar released a stiff sigh "then I have questions..." he said. Khaana's silence told him to speak, "did anyone survive?" He asked.
He must not have heard the false story that was being spread about yet.
"Yes, Osbert and Brida. They were away, courting in the woods when it happened. They are safe, but your bloodkin none of them." Khaana spoke carefully.
Ragnar clenched his fists from were he sat on his cot. "Why did you not stop it?" He questioned her quietly.
"Pardon me?" Khaana thought to him her eyes narrowing into a glare he could not see. "You heard me." He rumbled.
"I was with Uhtred and Brida, they were away with no protection and -"
"But you serve my father, he was the one the gods sent you to, had you been there you could have stopped it." Ragnar thought these thing to Khaana in a slow anger.
"Are you finished? I am of the gods but I am not a god. I am not all knowing, nor all seeing - I get visions, rarely. You know this." Khaana said, a stillness in her that Ragnar could feel blanket him, she felt colder.
"Had I been there I'd be burned alive with them or stole away by Kjartan and Osbert, Brida and yourself would be alone. I am here to protect and serve those left living." Khaana's firm and steady words slowly twisted into a deep hiss.
"But don't take that tone with me as I have been covered in burned flesh from stealing away as many of Earl Ragnar's burning wounds as I could as he fought a flame, I smelled his scorched flesh and ended those that I could in a death filled with fear. I did what I could in the time that I had. I was there. We, were there." She said.
Ragnar sat in silence glowering at the floor. "Have you noting to say? Should I make you feel it?" Khaana asked softly, Ragnar grabbed his nose as a horrifying sent pierced his senses. "No." He said.
"You're sure? You are angry not because I didn't do my duty. But because you blame yourself. Allow me to show you what you were spared." Khaana said, Ragnar's skin tingled with a growing heat as if sitting to close to a fire and the smell grew.
"Khaana, no!" He called to her, and as if blown away by the wind, the smell and the heat fell away from him.
"Sorry, I should not have...that was poorly of me." He said. "I know you hurt, Ragnar. But I won't be your's to take it out on. Come home, and Osbert will face this with you. He needs you, you are his brother and he yours." Khaana thought a warmth brought back into her words.
"I will, not now but as soon as I can manage." Ragnar said.
Khaana found herself pulled from the connection as she was pushed forward. She fell onto a stoney ground.
"Hey! Ubba wants her untarnished! She is no common wench! Do you wish us cursed!" Storri scolded the sword Dane. "Be gone." He added.
Khaana lifted herself off the floor, Storri's hand held out to her. "I am sorry, they do not know what it is they handle." He said nervously. "Relax, Seer, I will not curse you." She said swatting away his hand and getting to her feet alone.
"Whom were you speaking with, you're eyes were looking beyond." He asked. "Ubba says you can communicate through the ears of the mind." Storri stated.
"Thats no concern of yours. Where is Ubba?" Khaana asked sharply. "Away, with Guthrum. Taking vengeance against the Saxons. He should be returning very soon, he was to be here before your arrival, must have encountered a bit of trouble." Storri explained quickly, his voice trembling under Khaana's gaze.
Khaana looked upon him with a glaze of boredom across her dark eyes.
"I, I can get you food and- and drink" he offered uneasily "I've been well fed by what used to be Ironside's men. I need nothing." Khaana said. Her eyes wandering up to a man hanging from a cross by ropes.
He was dress in a simple dirtied robe and from his neck hung a rosary of wooden beads. Khaana walked and stood before the man looked up at him.
"Poor fool..." She murmured quietly, the priest's eyes opened slightly at her words "you're lucky he takes cares of fools, aren't you?" She hummed.
"Seer, go fetch me some water." Khaana demanded. Storri asked no questioned as his feet shuffled off in a hurry.
"He has left us alone?" The priest asked with a rough dry voice. Khaana did not answer and while holding her place she examined the building she was in from where she stood.
"Why does the pagan listen so well to you?" He asked her. Khaana looked up at him and tilted her head "fear, father. I am the dark of the mind and everyone fears the dark in one form or another." Khaana said with a bitter smile.
The priest looked down at her, she spoke of darkness yet in his hazy vision he could make out a kind of halo about her body, like that of a moon or a star.
The door's to the old church flew open and Storri scurried to Khaana, head held low he offered her a cup. "Water" he said.
Khaana took the cup from his shaking hands, grimaced at how pitiful he was before walking back to the priest. Kicking over an empty bucket she maneuvered it with her feet so that she might stand on it.
Higher now she held up the cup.
"What are you doing? Ubba has forbidden to-" Storri stammered.
"You will be quiet." Khaana hissed casting Storri a sharp glance from over her shoulder. "You want my mercy you must first give it. You will say nothing of this to Ubba or I will throw a curse upon you like none you've ever seen, Seer." She warned.
Storri held his breath and stood still with eyes wide in fright.
Khaana aided the. Up to the priest's lips and allowed him to drink from the cup. "Slow, or you'll be ill." She said as he gulped the water down.
The priest obeyed as best he could. Storri looked on in frettful silence when the door to the curb were thrown open.
Turning on his heel he looked upon the man who had a bound woman in tow. "Master Storri? I have a gift from Ubba." A familiar voice called, it flickered off of Khaana's ear drums and she nearly dropped the cup of water.
Turning her head she spotted Uhtred.
"A woman? Why would Ubba send me a woman? I have no use of a woman." Storri grummbled. "I told you all to leave the church and the priest's to me." He scowled.
"She is a witch, Ubba wants her head and a cursed removed." Uhtred said leading a bound and gagged Brida towards the seer.
"A witch? I will remove the curse, she has the face of a shewolf, does she bite?" Storri mocked.
And in a blink Brida broke free from her bindings, spat out her gag, and had a knife to Storri's throat.
"She does, and she will!" Friday threatened in a low voice. Khaana chuckled softly, the priest had finished drinking and she dropped the cup to clap lightly.
"And I was fearful for the two of you, it would seem pups you are no longer." She praised walking to the two of them.
"Khaana," Uhtred said rushing to hug her, he clung to her cloak and leaded his forehead against her shoulder as she gave he head a pat.
"What is your plan?" She asked him. "Take Storri and have Ubba hear us out. Your hear now...it may work better. It was all Brida's plan." Uhtred said to her quietly.
Khaana smirked and cast Brida a proud grin "but of course it was, only Brida has that bright of a mind. She's a cunning girl." Khaana said with a nod to Brida. Brida smiled faintly, and started to haul Storri away.
Khaana watched them go and laughed "is it wise? To leave him in her care, you know how she is..." She said with an amused twinkle in her eye. "Whatever becomes of him I am sure he will have deserved it." Uhtred said.
He looked to Khaana curiously and raised one brow "where did you go?" He asked. Khaana scowled, "I had a plan and I blundered it. Fortunately Ubba was looking for me so getting back was easy." She said with a cat like grin.
"Do you think he will hear me?" Uhtred asked, Khaana exhaled and looked to the stone floor. "In truth?" She asked casting him a quick glance. "No, if Ubba has already sought revenge against Saxons he has been told the lie and believes it. He is angry and Ubba is stupid when angry." She murmured.
Uhtred clenched his jaw, "it will be fine." She added, the firmness of her voice made him believe her words. "You've got Storri, Ubba takes no action without guidance from his Seer." Khaana chuckled she looked to Uhtred "Its as if you frozen him in place." She said.
Uhtred slowly smirked "you're enjoying the thought of this." He said. Khaana let out a cold bout of laughter and her eyes glistened with daggers. "Over groan lion needs a few thorns stuck in his paws." She said.
"You do not care for Ubba." Uhtred stayed. Khaana frowned "no, he is a warrior who should be respected. I will grant him that, but he is a terrible man." Khaana said.
"So now we wait?" Uhtred asked.
Khaana nodded "you find a place to hide. Ubba expects me to be here, seeing me will lower his guard." Khaana said. Uhtred turned to leave the church hall, but his feet stopped and turned him about.
Khaana felt him crash into her back, his arms wrapped around in her shoulders. She couldn't help but laugh "go Osbert, before Ubba gets here." She said. Uhtred released her and slipped out the doors quietly.
The priest looked down at her "so the Danes, fear you and love you but you are no Dane?" He asked.
"Shouldn't you be saving your breath for when Ubba returns." Khaana asked with dry words.
"What are you them? A witch? A den mother?" He asked. Khaana looked up at him. "I am what I need to be, that is all." She said taking a seat on the bucket. "It won't concern you so do not trouble yourself. Pray father, you will need a miracle." She sighed.
It wasn't a long wait before the doors opened again, Khaana looked up to see Ubba and Guthrum entering in. Her eyes narrowed "What are you doing like that? You could not save the ones you were meant to serve from a Saxon boy, what makes you think you can walk about freely." Ubba said his words raucous.
"I won't be made to live like a mutt unless I choose to do so. The Saxon boy, My Saxon-Dane did nothing." Khaana growled getting to her feet.
But Ubba had already grown tired of her, tuning out Khaana's words he turned his attention to the priest. "Why do we let him live?" Guthrum asked.
"He looks...more well than as we left him." Ubba muttered under his breath. He took two steps closer to where the priest hung. "Why do you look well?" He asked him.
The priest said nothing, keeping his eyes trained on Ubba.
"Answer me." Ubba said.
"Let it be, what do you care? What does it matter?" Khaana said in false frustration. "It matters because I asked." Ubba said as if speaking to a child. "I asked and he should know his place is to answer."
"Was it your gods?" Guthrum asked the priest. "No s Guthrum, the Saxons have only one...well...two, er...three but they are the same one." Khaana explained.
"What would you know of it?" Guthrum asked her. "A great deal more than you mortal, mind your place." Khaana said with slow pointed words. Guthrum was not a man who could be made afraid but he understood the chill in her gaze very well.
"He did yes." The priest said finally looking towards Khaana. "You you saw him? What did he look like?" Guthrum asked.
"Wha- he didnt...he doesn't reveal himself in the physical form he. Well...my Lord God sent...we'll her, who had my cup filled and gave me water." The priest stammered.
Ubba scoffed in dismissal "my elf gave you water? And you say that your God sent her? Does that make me your god?" He mocked.
Khaana rolled her eyes.
"Do you wish to see what 'pagan' as you call it gods can do?" Ubba asked. The priest fell silent "Khaana, show him." Ubba said.
Khaana grumbled inwardly but quietly stepped forward. Holding open the palm of her hand she bended the minds of Ubba, Guthrum, the priest and Uhtred who was creeping up silently, so that they saw a cobra resting in her hand.
The priest's eyes grew wider as the snake formed in her palm. It lifted it's head and with a snap from Khaana's other hand it grew another head.
The two snake heads hissed, Khaana tossed the snake up into the air and it turned into a puff of black smoke.
"That was boring...the man waited to at least see fire." Guthrum said dryly.
Khaana sighed holding up her finger, she cast a new illusion and all near saw a single flicker of flame light atop her finger as if it'd been a candle.
"Happy now, Guthrum?" She asked.
"Smart ass....I like you better as a dog." He muttered.
"Take him down," Ubba said, as he heard a few of his men enter the hall. They did as told and lowered the priest to the floor.
"Now do we kill him?" Guthrum asked. "I am talking with him Guthrum... " Ubba said.
"And I need to speak with you. So leave the priest lane for now." Khaana tried to reason. "You will wait your turn." Ubba called to her. She bit her jaw, more than anything she wanted to hit him. But she needed him to listen to Uhtred.
It was evident, this would be a trying process.