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"We have a message from Mercia." Bloodhair announced and Cnut turned to him. She stands with Sihtric as they watch in silence, her brother seems to be more tense than normal.

"What's this?"

"We have a message from the Dane-slayer." Bloodhair answered and shoved the Saxon forward.

"Uhtred, sent you?" Brida asked in doubt.

"He did, lady." The Saxon man spoke.

"And his message is what?" Cnut questioned as he placed a hand on Brida's shoulder.

"He says he will come for you, lord. For all of you, in the night, as a shadow walker. He says you will die, as Ragnar died. He says he will send you all to Niflheim." The Saxon spoke with fear and she turned to hide her face to avoid laughing at them, Sihtric gave her an unimpressed look.

"I say, let him come." Bloodhair speaks loudly and looks around him.

"Yes."

"Feed his guts to Odin's ravens." Skade snarled as she looked at Bloodhair.

"Always so dramatic." Revna mumbled to Sihtric who failed to shield his grin.

"I'll make a sacrifice of the Saxon bastard." Bloodhair promised the seer.

"You should have done that at Fearnham." Hæsten spoke but not loud enough as he looked away.

"I hear a rat's wheeze." Revan cackled at that attracting the attention of all of them, Bloodhair grinned at her making Skade scowl.

"I said, if you wished to make a sacrifice of Uhtred, you should have done it at Fearnham, but you chose to run." Hæsten snarled as Skade watched smugly.

"Hæsten, no." Cnut ordered.

"Mind how you speak."

"Oh, you fled, did you not run away?" Hæsten taunted.

"Bloodhair, say nothing." Cnut demanded.

"I lost men in battle. You were fool enough to lose men in a fortress." Bloodhair snapped at the blonde.

"Though, I managed to keep hold of my woman." Hæsten spoke smugly.

"Shut your mouth!"

"Shall I show you how I bed her?" Hæsten placed his hands on Skade's shoulders as she just smirked. Revna and Sihtric glance at each other in disgust.

"Shut your mouth!" Hæsten chuckled.

"Come on, come on Bloodhair! I'll be gentle, come to Hæsten. And I will whelp some pups on you." Hæsten taunted purposely humiliating the man.

"We make the square, you and I!" Bloodhair demanded.

"Bloodhair, no! Enough of this!" Cnut shouted.

"Do you want me to hump you in the square, Bloodhair?"

"We fight! We fight now!" She glanced at Sihtric when he acted grabbed Bloodhair.

"If this is what you want, then yes." Dagfinn grabbed Hæsten.

"Fight me!"

"Hæsten, no more!" Cnut shouted as he watched the two men.

"I'll cut your heart from your chest!" Bloodhair threatened.

"Prepare."

"I'm ready! I'm ready!" Bloodhair snarls and cuts the throat of the Saxon man.

"We will make the square, then." Cnut said and he tossed his hands up in defeat and Revna shared a look with Skade that promised death.

"Come on! Come on!" Danes cheer as Hæsten motions for them to urge him on.

"Valhalla awaits one man. Are you ready then? Begin!" Cnut shouts and moves to watch them fight. Everyone watched in confusion when Bloodhair went in for the fatal blow but suddenly froze and groaned, the siblings noticed and looked at Skade. Brida looks over at Cnut and the siblings with a worried glance.

Skade was biting and sucking her fingers seductively as she gazed down at Bloodhair. Hæsten wounded the man with his distraction and she watched as Bloodhair kneeled before the blonde seer. Bloodhair attempted to attack Skade, and Skade jabbed two daggers into his throat. Brida kneels next to Bloodhair as she wraps his hand around his axe, ignoring the grin Skade wore.

"She is poison to all men." Sihtric announced as he linked his pinkie with hers.

"We will bury him, as a warrior. He is feasting in the great halls with our fathers. Bury him." Cnut shouted and looked at his men.

"Follow me, sister." Sihtric whispered as he motioned to the woods.

"What are you up to, Sihtric?" She asked in suspicion but followed anyway.

"You have something to say to me, boy?" Uhtred spoke and she looked at Sihtric like he was crazy.

"I do," She watched as Sihtric unsheathed his sword. "Yield to me." He ordered and she noticed Uhtred dropped his weapon as Sihtric then jabbed his into the soil. The two hug and laugh as the men surrounding them grow confused. Revna felt a pang of betrayal at the display.

"You were playing us. My goodness, they were playing us, Finan! Why?" She looked down and noticed Osferth had been kneeling next to Finan. She refused to look at the Irishman and focused on Sihtric who looked at her with visible guilt.

"If you had not believed it nor would others." Uhtred spoke as he picked up his weapon with a laugh.

"I fooled you." Sihtric said happily to his friends.

"No, I knew." She felt Finan's eyes on her but she refused to make eye contact. This whole thing was a plan? And Sihtric didn't feel the need to tell her.

"No, you did not. Was I good?" Sihtric asked them.

"A little."

"I'm telling you, I knew." The Irishman insisted as he pulled him into a hug. "I just hope it was all worth it." Finan kept glancing at Revna who stayed quiet and Sihtric nudged him over to her.

"I hope so, too." Sihtric said.

"Little bird?" Finan whispered as Uhtred continued talking to Sihtric. He slowly approached her and when she didn't push him away he grabbed one of her hands with his. She finally looked into his warm eyes and felt herself crave his touch and Finan must have sensed it as he pulled her into an embrace. She relaxed into the man's arms and allowed herself this small moment of peace, she knew it wouldn't last long. "Everything I spoke of, it still stands."

"I did not want to leave you, Finan." She whispered and sighed softly when he kissed her neck.

"What do you know? We saw Cnut on the road." Uhtred said gaining their attention.

"Only Hæsten remains at the camp." Sihtric informed.

"What of Bloodhair?"

"Dead. He fought with Hæsten and was killed by Skade." She answered and leaned against Finan's chest.

"Good Jesus." The Irishman mumbled into her ear as he kept guard.

"She's a witch like no other."

"She knows I'm near?" Uhtred interrupted.

"Yes, she knows of your promise to shadow-walk. But there are too many guards." Sihtric told the Dane.

"The tree." Revna said and fought back a smile when Finan wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her close.

"What tree?" Uhtred questioned.

"She is allowed to collect grass and herbs by a tree for her spells. A single tree on the other side of the camp. You cannot miss it." Sihtric teased the Dane.

"Tell her I'm here and take her there tonight."

"And if she refuses? If Hæsten prevents her?" Sihtric questioned.

"She will not refuse and Hæsten will not refuse her." Uhtred said with a chuckle.

"You have never failed me, Sihtric. I will see you at the tree. Let's go. Finan?" Uhtred spoke and patted Sihtric's back before walking away. Finan cradled her face and kissed her to convey everything he felt for her in this one passionate kiss, but they soon pulled away once Sihtric cleared his throat.

"Be careful." Finan mumbled to her as he followed Uhtred, she shot Sihtric a warning look when he went to speak. At nightfall, Skade and the siblings move behind a tent as he unchained the seer's ankles.

"I knew you'd come for me, lord. I am ready." Skade says as she moves closer to Uhtred.

"I am ready."

"I'm ready." She says again and kisses him, Sihtric looks away in disgust while Revna gags at the sight.

"Skade can you hear me!" Hæsten shouts in the distance.

"It is Hæsten. Kill him now. Kill him for me." Skade demanded as Uhtred pulled her away from the tree.

"Not now. Run!" Uhtred orders.

"He is here, lord! Uhtred is here!" Dagfinn shouts in alarm.

"Uhtred, run!" Finan shouts as they run past the camp.

"There are ships on the river."

"To the river! Sihtric, you lead!" She runs next to Sihtric until they reach the docks.

"We are under attack! Hæsten says to ready the ships. Now! Untie them now!" Sihtric orders urgently.

"Come on." Finan says as they run out and kill the men.

"Sihtric, the boat!" They all climb onto a boat as Finan barks out orders. "Make sure it doesn't list, lads!" Uhtred pushes the boat to get some distance and jumps onto it.

"Prepare the oars, ready the oars!"

"And pull!" Uhtred demanded.

"Pull! Pull! Pull and pull!"

"Archers, quickly!" Hæsten shouts as they notch the bows.

"Pull! Pull! Pull like a darn slave! Pull and pull!" Finan shouts as they row away from Hæsten who glares at Uhtred and Skade.