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"I think she may have got herself inside his head. He should kill her and be done with it." The man she learned to be Finan spoke, she watched her sister carefully as she passed by. She hasn't known these men for more than a day and she already felt guilty about what might happen to them.

"That will not kill the curse." Sihtric answered looking at Sigyn curiously.

"There is no curse." Osferth replies watching Sigyn pet her horse with a childlike glee, he smiles at the sight.

"And if I say there is no Christian God, does it make it so?" Sihtric asked.

"There is no curse, Sihtric."

"Curses are real, Osferth. I would know." She spoke catching their attention, she touched her wrist where Skade had curved a rune into it to bind them together. "And I hope you manage to end Uhtred's curse soon."

"I have seen women throw a curse and the next day a man is dead." Sihtric looked over at her in worry, he glanced at her wrist noticing she was picking at it so much it began to bleed.

"Right, that is enough talking. To speak of it makes it stronger." Finan said leaning over to look at both men and Sigyn pointedly. They rode in silence the rest of the way, they entered the hall with Alfred to discuss where to go from that moment. Sigyn was surprised when Uhtred did not order her to be caged with her sister, she wasn't sure how to react to the kindness.

"Here." She startled briefly and looked at Sihtric who reached for the wrist she was cradling, she held it out to him and watched as he dressed it with a clean cloth. "It will grow infected if you keep touching it, Lady Sigyn." He said with a kind smile.

"Thank you, Sihtric." She whispered as Uhtred guided her into the burh hall with him and Finan.

"Uhtred, we're discussing strategy and I have decided we shall remain here within the burh, and wait." Sigyn looked around the place and didn't like some of the looks the Saxons gave her.

"For what?"

"For Bloodhair to attack." She frowned at the name, Bloodhair was just as cruel as he was ignorant.

"What makes you believe he will attack?" Uhtred asks, he turns to Sigyn who grows more uncomfortable the longer she stays.

"Is that not what Danes do, Uhtred? They cannot help themselves." Edward questions.

"Why should he not attack? I am here."

"He's not after you, lord. At least not right now." She speaks up and fights the urge to curl into herself when they all look at her. "My sister's value to him is great."

"And what of you?" Alfred asks her making Sigyn frown.

"As I said, he wants her. This will end with me dead no matter what side I stand on, lord. It would be in everyone's favor to kill me." She says and notices Uhtred moving in close to her almost protectively.

"You are here and so too is your guard. Why throw men against the walls of a burh when Winchester's riches are unprotected?" Uhtred stated.

"Would he do that?" Edward asked the two men.

"He doesn't have a large army to hold Winchester." Beocca states.

"What if Hæsten were to join him?"

"You're saying we should have stayed home?" Aethelwold questions as he looks at Uhtred.

"If you believe the burhs advantage dismissed, you must have an alternative?" A young man says.

"I don't know you." Uhtred turns to look at him.

"I am Sigebriht, son of Sigelf. It is my village that the heathen burn, my father built these walls."

"And he built them well, Sigebriht. Which is why Bloodhair will not attack, he will not want to lose men." Uhtred informs.

"Not even to kill a king?" Alfred asks.

"No, lord." She says and Alfred nods at her.

"He will wait for us to starve or he will pass, lord. He will not attack but we must, that is still my advice." Uhtred speaks gaining the king's attention.

"If Winchester is vulnerable lord—" Beocca is cut off by the king.

"These women that you have taken, why are they here?" Alfred asks looking at her curiously, she too would like to know.

"They have value."

"That is not true. I am of no value." She informs Uhtred with an awkward smile, and Finan snorts in return.

"And Sigurd will want them back? I refuse to call him Bloodhair." Alfred said with a blank look.

"He will."

"They are what to him? A wife? A lover?" Aethelwold questions looking around and ending on her.

"Skade is a seer, sorceress. Sigyn is..." Uhtred answers hesitantly and trails off looking at Sigyn who zoned out in thought.

"Oh! I am no seer, lord. I am just....me." She says slowly and nervously, she sees Uhtred nod slowly, most likely confused.

"Hmm. The simple mind of a dane believes in signs, Edward. If a bird flew from their camp to ours they see it as a sign and follow. They would march into battle all because a seer caught sight of a bird." Sigyn frowns.

"Yes, lord. It can happen that way." She says and looks at Uhtred in panic when Alfred gives her a small smile. Uhtred pats her head as if she were a child and looks at the king.

"Then it follows that without his seer, there can be no signs. Sigurd is blind, there can be no battle." Alfred spoke looking at Uhtred.

"You are both right and wrong."

"We wait, Uhtred. Now..." He trails off as he and his men stand. "I wish to look at her, Skade." Uhtred turns to Sigyn and Finan before grabbing a torch and leading the king to the seer. Finan leads Sigyn to Sihtric and Osferth who stand by the fire, Sihtric smiles at her when she gives a small wave. She moved to stand next to Osferth who doesn't hesitate to put his cloak around her.

"Won't you be cold?" She asked the monk and she smiled when she noticed he couldn't make eye contact with her.

"It would be impolite to let a lady freeze." He says instead and focuses on the dirt.

"What are they doing?"

"Alfred said he'd like to hump the witch. No word of a lie." Sigyn cleared her throat and watched the Irishman wave her off with a playful smile.

"Bloodhair! Come for me, avenge me, free me! I demand it! Bloodhair!" Skade shouts from where she is stationed and chained to. Uhtred thought perhaps Bloodhair would come to them if she summoned the Dane.

"When can we bind her mouth shut?" Sihtric asked as Skade continued to wail, Sigyn placed her hands over her ears in hopes of drowning her out. It didn't work.

"Die for me! Desire me!" Skade shouts in the distance.

"Let her sing." Uhtred says.

"That is not singing." Osferth said with a smile and crossed his arms and quickly looked to Sigyn who had smiled too.

"Lord Uhtred, you are allowing that woman to wail all night long?" Sigebriht asked annoyed.

"For a little while longer, yes." Aethelwold walked up to them while Sihtric was checking her wound.

"Here is a bit of loose talk for you. Sigebriht here, son of whoever would like to rip the innards from young Edwards's belly. Would you like to know why?" Aethelwold asks.

"Um...no." Uhtred said, Sigyn giggled quietly as Uhtred sent her a teasing grin.

"I'll tell you. Edward the non-bastard son of Alfred," He says pointing at Osferth. "Has whelped twins on the girl whom Sigebriht did love." Sigyn looks at the monk who suddenly looks ashamed and hurt.

"I do not know you, Aethelwold and you make take my opinion with a grain of salt. But Osferth, he is already a better man than you could ever try to be." She defended and placed a hand on Osferth's arm gently as she glared at the noble. Uhtred and Sihtric traded amused glances at one another.

"And does Sigebriht still love this girl?" Osferth questioned and touched her hand with his own in thanks. Aethelwold walks to the fire and warms his hands as Sihtric rubs his eyes tiredly.

"Can someone not just cut her throat?" Aethelwold asks speaking of Skade. "Both of them." He started sending her a glare.

"Why are you telling me this? It's of no concern to me." Uhtred sighs ignoring his request.

"They will make it your concern, Uhtred. They will find a way and Edward shall become your charge. You're a kingmaker, my friend. And Alfred knows it." She watched the noble leave and she turned to Osferth.

"We do not like him?" She questions quietly.

"No, we do not." He says with a smile. Once they depart Sigyn goes to Uhtred and Sihtric who both look dead on their feet.

"Why did you not lock me away, Lord Uhtred?" She questions and grows even more confused when he shrugs.

"I have heard many things about the two of you, you are always painted as the angelic one. The light that leads the evil away, the kind and caring one. I suppose I did not see why I should lock the light away with the darkness." Uhtred pats her shoulder and walks away leaving her with more questions than answers.

"You are all so nice, why?" She asked Sihtric and the man just gave her a warm smile.

"He sees the best in people, Lady Sigyn. But as for me, I am kind to you because you remind me of my mother." He says quietly and touches the hammer pendant that hangs from her neck. "And we do not seek to harm women, Skade is the exception."

"Lord, it is Bloodhair! He has hostages!" Sihtric shouts the following morning as she and Uhtred walk around the burh.

"Every man to the walls, every sword and spear must be ready!" Uhtred orders as he alerts everyone. "Osferth, prepare to open the gates. Finan, with me." The two nod.

"Uhtred, what is it?" Beocca asks as he and Alfred's group walk to them.

"Who is it?"

"Bloodhair, with hostages." Uhtred informs.

"He wishes to negotiate?" Alfred asks.

"Possibly!" Uhtred shouts as he retrieves Skade from her cage and grabs Sigyn by the arm.

"Osferth, the gates. Steapa, be ready!" Finan rushes out before Uhtred.

"They are killing women, lord."

"The gates! Earl Sigurd kill one more hostage and I shall let every man here see Skade's nakedness and then I shall spill her guts. Just one more!" Uhtred demands as he holds Skade roughly, Finan loosely has a hand on Sigyn's arm.

"Do it, lord! I'll see you in the next life." Skade shouted to him. "Kill them all! Attack!" Uhtred punches Skade in the stomach, Sigyn looks away when her sister groans in pain. "Bloodhair, kill them now! Attack now!"

"What's your answer? I have a mind to kill her. She tires me."

"He cannot do it, lord. He's cursed!" Skade screams out. Uhtred shoves Skade to the ground and kicks her.

"You will not harm her again!" Bloodhair shouts in anger.

"The price has risen. You will not only spare the hostages, you will free them and send them across to the burh." Uhtred demands with an air of superiority.

"What I'll do is feed you your cock. Release her."

"You have until sunset to free the hostages, or each man in this fortress will take his turn." Uhtred threatens.

"You will not see Valhalla Uhtred Ragnarsson! I swear it!" Bloodhair screams out.