CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR ─── bloodhair

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"Yrsa, Yrsa, wake up." Sihtric was nudging the woman, waking his wife up quickly, before looking over the parapet. "Lord, it is Bloodhair! He has the hostages."

Yrsa opened her eyes blearily, before accepting Sihtric's hand as he pulled her up.

"What is going on?"

"Bloodhair has come for the witch." Yrsa huffed, staring down at the scene ahead of him. Bloodhair had appeared, holding onto women as he dragged them forward. Yrsa's eyes narrowed, staring at Sihtric, as Uhtred joined them.

He huffed, before rushing away again as Yrsa turned back around. 

A hand on her back had her stepping to the side, as Alfred made an appearance, Edward on his heels. The younger prince turned to look at Yrsa, cocking an eyebrow, as she hummed.

"Uhtred Ragnarsson!"

"What depravity is this?"

"Men." Yrsa muttered beneath her breath, as Sihtric shook his head.

"Alfred of Wessex, you have my woman." Bloodhair stared at them. "Return her now or your people will die."

He slit the first woman's throat, and it was enough to make Yrsa's nose scrunch in distaste. The senseless killing of woman and children was something she despised above all else.

"If it your woman that you want, then let us negotiate!" Beocca called, as Yrsa tilted her head. "We don't wish to see the death of another innocent!"

"They will not." Yrsa shook her head.

"I've said all I will say." Bloodhair yelled, going along the row and slitting each woman's throat, as Yrsa reached for her bow that was not on her back.

"Lord Sigurd! Kill one more hostage and I will let every man see her nakedness and then I shall spill her guts. Just one more!" Uhtred was beneath them , bargaining with the witch by his side.

"Do it, Lord. I'll see you in the next life." Skade was grinning. "Kill them all. Attack!"

Yrsa huffed in annoyance as the woman continued to shout.

"We should take her tongue." Yrsa turned, as if to make her way down and to the witch, but Sihtric stopped her once more. 

"What is your answer?" Uhtred shouted, as Yrsa continued to huff and glare. "I have a mind to kill her regardless, she tires me."

"He cannot do it. He's cursed." Skade shouted back, as Yrsa clutched onto Thor's hammer and muttered a word of prayer, her nerves tingling and standing on end. "Kill them all."

"You will not harm her again!"

"The price has risen." Yrsa knew that Uhtred was grinning. "You will not only spare the hostages, you will free them all and send them across to the burh."

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

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

"Until sunset!"

"You'd like that wouldn't you. Be the first woman to dare go near you." Yrsa hissed, slamming the small, weasely prince into the barricade and chuckling darkly as he groaned. "Negotiations are over."

"What will he do?" Edward was on her heels in an instant. "Will he attack?"

"I do not believe so. She is of great value to him." Yrsa told the young prince, who was listening to it all. "They will start to plan a battle, that I am sure. You will be expected to attend."

"A battle?"

"Yes, we will choose the location I believe." Yrsa huffed, before shaking her head. "This will be bloody."

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Yrsa had been right, there was to be a battle. 

She turned Beastie swiftly, the horse pawing at the ground, ready to be free of the confines of the camp.

"We go and we do not stop. They cannot overtake us!" Uhtred called as Yrsa turned to catch Sihtric's mismatched eyes. He smiled briefly. "They must not overtake us! For the freedom of Wessex!"

There was cheering at that, before they began to canter out of the camp. It took a moment, before they were sure that they were being followed. From there, the canter was swift and the ride was steady. Yrsa and Sihtric were either side of the witch, keeping her in line, though neither liked it.

"Lord, the cart is stuck!"

"Release the horse from it's harness and ride. Sihtric, your axe." Her husband turned, handing his axe over as Uhtred destroyed the wheels, ensuring they could not use it to be followed. He winced at the sight of his axe being used to destroy the wood, knowing that it would be chipped at that. Yrsa chuckled slightly, before continuing on until they reached their destination.

"Is this the place, Lord?" Osferth turned. "Is this Fearnham?"

"It is." Uhtred nodded, as Yrsa admired the hill, the advantage that it would give them would be good, yet there was no sight of the useless blond king, or Finan.

"Perhaps Finan did not make the journey?" Sihtric turned, cocking an eyebrow.

"Do we wait for the Danes to catch us?" Osferth questioned, as Yrsa shook her head.

"Alfred is behind us still." Yrsa pointed out, as she twisted. "We can fight and win still."

"Your man is here, I know it." Skade spoke, and it began to grate on Yrsa's nerves, both her and Sihtric reaching for Thor's hammer. A loud neigh broke their brooding as Yrsa looked at the hill, knowing the horse.

"It is Finan, and the Mercians." The army was large, filling the hillside as Yrsa thanked her gods for their blessing. "We are an army! Glory shall be ours!"

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There was much cheering when they returned to Winchester, for as predicted, glory was theirs. They had the advantage, and the numbers, it was clear as day that they would win.

"I still do not like bringing that with us." Sihtric muttered, glaring at the witch behind him, who was scowling.

"We should have burned her bodies when we did the others." Yrsa replied, shaking her head. "Burnt the curse too."

"That would not have rid you of it." Skade called.

"Was I talking to you?" Yrsa shouted back, as she huffed. Edward chuckled ahead of her, as Yrsa shook her head at the young prince. Sihtric caught on, before turning to Yrsa.

"Are you replacing me with a child?"

"Maybe your curse is to lose me to a child, and mine is to marry a child." Yrsa rolled her eyes snarkily as she jumped down from Beastie.

"Do not even joke, Yrsa." Sihtric hissed, as she winked and patted his leg. "Yrsa. Yrsa!"

"What?" She huffed, shrugging her shoulders. "You are well aware that I am teasing you, Sihtric, he is too young for me."

"No, it is not that." Sihtric nodded ahead of him, and Yrsa twisted, watching as Uhtred went still and was pulled into a hug by Hild. 

"Where is Lady Giesla?" Yrsa mumbled, her head hilting. "She is not with him. Where is she?"

Skade chuckled darkly, and Yrsa turned. She knew that look, knew what it meant and all form of control went out the window as she lunged upwards to drag the seer off of her horse. Arms caught her, Finan tugging her away from the Seer. 

"That is what she wants, Yrsa. You kill her, the curse will not die with her."

"I do not care." Yrsa growled. "I do not care! She harmed Giesla! She harmed her, I will slit her fucking throat!"

"Yrsa!" Finan dragged her out of the way, as the Dane was thrown to the side. Finan blocked the younger woman from getting to the seer, as Yrsa took a deep breath and stepped away once more. "There is nothing to be done. She died in childbirth."

Tears welled up in Yrsa's eyes, as she backed away and shook her head.

"There was nothing to be done." Finan explained, as Yrsa shook her head.

"It was her. Her and her stupid curse." Yrsa whistled for her horse, leading the large shire towards the stable and away from all of them, needing her own time. Lady Giesla had taken Yrsa in when she was only ten and seven, looked after and protected her, championed for her and Sihtric and helped Yrsa prepare for marriage. But now, she was not here?

Yrsa's stomach twisted, her gut warning her. This was not to be the last person she lost.

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Hiya,

It's been a while, but yes, Yrsa isn't too happy about anything and she just hates everything at this point in time, which I think is fair. There's no battle scene, because I did not want to write one but oh well,

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx