The Forbidden Saga G×G

Chapter 9: Ride Along

-"Hail, day! | Hail, sons of day! And night and her daughter now! Look on us here | with loving eyes, That waiting we victory win.-SIGRDRIFUMOL

Chapter 9: Ride along

Sigurd stared from ahead of her she knew raising her voice would cause the girl to react as she did but because of what happened to Ivarr it was difficult to ignore her hatred but not towards this wild fire. She led Angelique's horse until she stood on the animals left side baffled Angelique stood still. She could feel Sigurd's hands touch her slightly alas she did not jump in fear as she should have to the this sudden affection no she much rather relaxed into the strangers arms. To Sigurd herself it was a peculiar moment she thought the girl would react in a different way after all she is a Dane and one who took a life before this girls very eyes. Yet Angelique seems to have forgotten that, her hand slid down to the girls boot after lifting her to her horses saddle she neatly placed the tip inside the stabile and so did the same to the other side. Angelique herself remained silent for this her mind began to set its path to the clouds. Aye she kept her gaze fixed upon this Dane with too many question's to count within her mind yet she could not form the necessary words on her lips. Sigurd tightened a strap upon Vili's saddle she did not pay much attention to what Angelique's reaction was for it was a force of habit for her to help a woman in a dress mount her horse without falling from the saddle yet when she settled herself upon her own horse. She could see that her English friend was not all there.
"Should I worry about you dear Angelique?" Sigurd asked teasingly. Angelique's then shook her head returning to the present world where her mind truthfully belongs.

"Oh forgive me Sigurd. My mind is with  many places."

"So much I can gather perhaps this ride of yours was a good idea but where shall we go?"

"There are some old Roman ruins not far from here."

"Will we be alone?" Angelique found this question a little unnerving. She did not mind the company of the Dan but has Sigurd grown cold to her that she was planning on ended this young lasses life so soon. Or perhaps. She wished to be alone perhaps to remove that hood Angelique so desperately wanted to get rid of. She knew very well why the Dane wore it but she much preferred to speak to the Sigurd face to face and not face to hood.

"As much as I can gather yes. But I am not of knowledge that there might be a few tourists and a market place."

"People cell their goods on the holy grounds of others?" Sigurd asked. Aye it was true the poor celled their goods where the tax prices had not gone up quite yet but what Sigurd spoke of was the pure truth in the past men and woman a like used those grounds to pray to their God's to make offerings. For good harvest and yet the question arose what happened to them once Christianity arose from those of the old Pagan beliefs.
"I am afraid so warrior."

"You call me that as if you are in need of one."

"I supposed so. Come." Angelique gave her mount a slight nudge in his flank urging the animal to start walking, without any need for Sigurd to do the same Vili followed after her like a moth to a flame. Shortly after they reached the gates Angelique's glanced back towards Sigurd who in turn kept her head low and her eyes even lower she had no means to be seen by the guards if they knew she was not and English Dane but much rather one from Norway. Angelique greeting them nodded her head as Sigurd followed as  they stood aside to let them be. Once clear of the gates Angelique urged her mount into a canter so Vili followed his new leader without second guessing that this horse was his leader or not. It did not take much out of their day when the cobble stone road they followed began to narrow a cleat sign that they where nearing their final destination as most of this old road joining the forgotten past with that of a more recent occurrence. Angelique took a left her horse tired long before the narrowing took part a sign to Sigurd that the girl spend more time washing floors and listening to the bidding of others than that of her own free time. Vili on the other hand did nit tire before he came to Sigurd as a companion this mount was a work horse plowing wheats and all kinds of things a for his sixth winter when Sigurd took him in. He was well on his path to becoming an old retired horse as so his master prayed that we would die in battle this would reassure her that his seat at the All-fathers table was well preserved and ready for him by the time his days has long since past. On their way Sigurd found herself staring at vast farmlands, lands that belonged to others she crossed in order to reach the monastery. Most farmers did not have much a few chickens running a muck if they where lucky some farmers kept other livestock such as cows and sheep those of a richer part of the community who can afford to keep such animals well fed. The road was as aerie quiet there was little people upon it and those who followed the old stone path made way for the two travelers. Perhaps some did recognise Sigurd after all. Before the sun was at it highest Angelique found the old ruins well in view knowing her Dane friend might not lift her head to see this magnificent architecture she kept her mouth to a close as it was during the long ride as well. Her heart shattered seeing men and woman sometimes children beg for scraps did not sit well with her. She knew very well how this part of life felt after all before her mother became the lady of the monetary. They where here begging for the smallest piece of bread one could find.
"You have grown sad." Sigurd needlessly stated the obvious to her alas the woman behind her studied the girl, Angelique's actions to everything was observed by Sigurd who eagerly wished to know what saddened the girl and what did not.
"Yes. It breaks my heart to see these people like this."

"In my clan there is no poverty." Sigurd said. She had the means to make the girl feel joy once again but her comment only made Angelique smile just a little.

"Then you and your clan is most lucky." Angelique's words. Though it was a whisper in the wind it was also as blunt as a butter knife she meant well but the sight before her was torture to her. She dismounted her horse leaving Sigurd to take a firm hold over the animals reigns before he decides to wander off seeking for a pasture to feed upon. Angelique did not take mind of this she approached a small boy he was roughly the age she was when she was vending for her life. Scared and as little as he was the underfed child crawled backwards from her, yet as she knelt he gathered the courage to come to the girl she broke a piece off of the bread she purchased hours ago. Once the young lad had it he made haste and ran off Sigurd almost setting after him when Angelique took hold over the Dane's wrist shaking her head she knew within herself her mother will not fancy a piece of bread being gone with the wind but she will make up for it. That much is for sure.

"You share your food with him?"

"There is much you have yet to learn Dane. Not all people are bad."

"Only those who have been tainted then I supposed?"

"By means?"

"By means the blood of the innocent." This was a baffling comment by Sigurd. Did she mean the blood of Brother Oswald she spilled only hours before or the monasteries they burnt to the ground as they had welcomed themselves to the English shores.

-Note that Sleipnirs name have changed to Vili-