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The path was not easy, finding Uhtred would not be an easy task. It took days to get to Cumberland while traveling with a large group. The only person that the young woman had bothered to talk to was Hild, a woman of her God. It pained Signe to say it, but she did enjoy the woman's company. Signe would leave her to her prayers every so often, not wanting to impose on a conversation between the woman and her 'true God'. She even found herself no longer rolling her eyes when any of the other Saxon's that she and her brother traveled with would make comments about their Christian religion.

Arriving in Cumberland reminded Signe of entering into an abandoned village. The people looked starved and exhausted as they watched the newcomers approach a large building in the center. "Sister Hild," A man spoke from the balcony of the structure. Signe frowned her eyebrows at the man, her eyes narrowing in a gaze. She knew a priest when she saw one, but she had never known them to speak in a King's absence. "And company. What business brings you here?" The man questioned, his eyes lingering on the two Dane's amongst the group of Saxons.

"We are here on the orders of King Alfred." Ragnar spoke, sending the man a sarcastic smile. "I wish to speak to King Guthred."

         The man observed Ragnar for a second longer, before the only thing he could let out was; "You are a Dane." Signe had to suppress the scoff, but she could not help herself from rolling her eyes. There was no denying that herself and her brother stood out from the others like a sore thumb.

        "I am." Ragnar replied, this time his smile was genuine. Signe grunted as her horse shifted from under her. They had been on the road all morning until they had reached Cumberland, and she imagined they would not be resting within the village tonight either. The conversation between the others held no interest to her, instead she found solitude in picking at the skin around her fingers.

        "Uhtred is lost." Signe's ears perked up at the sound of her brother's name. Her eyes landing on a new man before them, he looked weak; like a gust of wind would knock him over.

          "Lost by your hand." Signe spoke, many around them turning to face the woman who had been silent. "You are the one who sold him, no?"

           "I am truly sorry, Uhtred is lost. I need to gather my thoughts." If granted, Signe would have gotten off her horse at that very moment and gone after this King herself. If they did not find Uhtred, he would be long gone; or worse off dead. If Uhtred was dead, then no one would get their freedom back. Signe ignored the small girl that weaved in and out of the horses, handing Hild an apple, as the king disappeared into the building once more.

           "If you are truly sorry you will give me the name of the slaver!" Ragnar called, but it was no use. The only men who remained were the priests.

           "Uhtred is indeed lost." One of the priests said, before they too disappeared into the building once more. Everyone looked between each other, it was Ragnar who would decide their next move. Signe could see her brother struggling to come to terms with what they had been told, her eyes drifting to Steepa who was stationed behind her.

          "We leave Cumberland. We will set up camp away from here, it would not be wise to stay the night." Signe spoke, Steepa nodding before calling for the rest of the group to make haste. There was not a moment spared as the group left the walls of the pathetic kingdom, making camp half a day away.

            "Thank you, for stepping in when I could not." Ragnar spoke, lowering himself down onto the log Signe had claimed. The woman said nothing, but nodded in response as she stared into the crackling embers of the fire in front of them.

           "I was afraid of what I might do if I stayed the night within those walls." Signe muttered, her eyes falling to her brother beside her. "Besides, I would like to enjoy every moment outside of a cell incase we do not find Uhtred."

         "Do not say that Signe, we will find Uhtred. We will bring him back to the King and we will finally take back our homeland." Ragnar told the woman.

          Signe sighed, looking from her brother to the star painted skies above them. The warmth of the fire was welcoming in the late hours of the night, most of the men now sleeping peacefully around them. "The day of overthrowing Kjartan is close." The two shared a look, a small smile tugging at the corners of Signe's lips. "We will show no mercy when we avenge our family."

      "Not an ounce."

         At first light the group had packed up their camp and made way for the slavers that would know more about Uhtred's whereabouts. The whereabouts of the slavers were known by many, but no one dared to go close to their camps for fear of imprisonment themselves. The thought of such a place sent shivers through Signe, how cruel does one have to be in order to sell another man away like a farm animal?

         When the camp was in sight, Ragnar looked over his shoulder to his sister. "You will stay close to me at all times, do you understand?"

         "I am more than capable of fighting off a few pathetic men." Signe uttered, but nodded her head when Ragnar did not so much as chuckle at her words. They rode into the camp, Ragnar requesting water for the men and horses which was granted happily to them.

           Ragnar nodded his head to Signe, signaling the girl to follow him as he approached the man and boy in front of them. "You are Jonis?" Ragnar questioned as Signe placed her hand over the hilt of her sword as she stared him down.

            "I am." The man quickly replied, his eyes flickering between the pair. Signe had come across many men like him in her lifetime. They were weak, using their men's lives at their own disposal in order to be the ones who live. He carried a sword but Signe had a feeling he would wield it no better than the child that stood beside him.

            "We've been told that you took a man, a warrior, from Guthred of Eoferwic." Signe spoke, her eyes narrowing as she spoke. Joins gulped under her stare, Ragnar nodding at the man as encouragement to answer the question. "You sold him as a slave, correct?" Signe pushed, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her sword tighter. All she needed was one reason to kill the man where he stood, only one reason to free the slaves huddled together under the shade of a tattered tent.

          "I see the faces of so many creatures." Jonis spoke, his eyes now on Ragnar alone. Creatures? This man was brave enough to look Ragnar in the eye and call these people as creatures, they're own brother.

          "I'm not here to open your belly, Jonis." Ragnar told the man he was always the more calm one when it came to speaking to others. Signe liked to talk with her weapons, getting information was much quicker that way and she was growing bored of the talk.

         "Not yet." Steepa spoke, approaching the siblings and the man.

         "I would yield to the tree, before he starts using his fists." Signe hissed, her green eyes not breaking from their glare.

        "I'll pay you." Ragnar offered, making Signe roll her eyes. Nothing in this world would come for free, but paying a man like him is never wise.

       "You will not feed the slaves!" Jonis yelled, making everyone look to Hild who stood under the tent handing out bread to anyone she could.

       "And you will not bark like a great fat hound!" Hild yelled back, making Signe snicker to herself. Signe was happy that Hild was so strong willed, she was truly a woman that could hold her own.

      "You said you would pay?" Jonis questioned Ragnar.

      "You think my brother tells you lies?" Signe asked, stepping forward only to be dragged back by Ragnar. The blonde Dane dug into the coin pouch he had, tossing a piece of silver to the boy who stood beside Jonis.

       "The warrior slave, called himself Osbert." Signe's eyes widened at the name. She had not heard the name Osbert in many many years. The name dead to the man who once possessed it. Ragnar glanced between Hild and Signe before tossing the boy another coin. "There was another man, smaller, Saxon." Signe glanced to Hild, hearing her breath catch in her throat. They were never informed of another man being taken alongside Uhtred, but by Hild's reaction he was quite the important Christian man. "A sea trader named Sverri took them both."

       "Where is Sverri now?" Hild asked.

        "Wherever the sea and the promise of silver takes him." Jonis told them. "Life at the oar is hard and short." Signe shivered at the thought. Spending days and nights on open waters, rowing until your body would eventually give into exhaustion. "Sverri will return, I'm sure. To refresh his crew."

        "When will he be back?" Signe asked, looking up to Ragnar as she feared the answer they would get.

         "Autumn and winter will pass, but come spring, the first full moon after Sigr Blot, we will gather for business at the beach." Jonis informed them. Summer was hardly at an end now, by the time spring came that would be in almost eight months time; if not longer depending on how the Gods favored them. "Sverri will be there, I swear."

        "And between that time he sails where?" Ragnar asked, his eyes narrowed in an attempt to block out the sun.

        "His ships plough the roughest sea, he could be any place." Jonis confessed.

         "You tell us nothing." Hild said in defeat, throwing her arms down to her sides in disbelief.

          "I tell you what I know to be true." Jonis defended. "All you can do is watch the beaches and wait." Ragnar nodded at that, everyone making their way to collect their horses to leave for Winchester. Signe lingered behind, stepping closer to Jonis and grabbing the collar of his tunic.

       "I promise Jonis, come spring I will have your head."