A Saint To A Sinner

2.3

"Sihtric!"
"Sihtric!" Y/N and Finan came to wake Sihtric, who held his sword in his sleep as he lent against the wall. Sihtrics face still holding a frown. The two looked at each other in jealousy, as neither of them had gotten any sleep.
"How is he still asleep." Osferth asked, appreoachingthe two. Y/N frowned, feeling even more tired as she watched Sihtric. Finan moved quietly, taking his sword from his cradled arm, before looking at Osferth. Finan and Y/N quietly chuckled as they put Sihtrics arm around Osferth, who tightened his arm against Osferth, thinking it was Y/N.
"He will kill you." Uhtred walked past laughing at the pair.
"Uh. Lord?" Osferth said slightly worried, causing Sihtric to wake. Sihtric shoved Osferth harshly, looking at the two in fits of laughter, as Sihtric glared at them.
"Here." Y/N gave Sihtric some bread and a cup of water. Finan quickly gave Y/N a kiss on the forehead before following Uhtred.

Sihtric ate the bread in silence, not speaking a word to the two of them.
"Osferth. See if Father Beocca needs help." Y/N politely asked, wanting to talk to Sihtric. Osferth scurried off, still unsure of the Dane.
"Are you well?" Sihtric asked, pushing himself from the wall. He was avoiding her question before she had already asked it.
"I'm tired. That is all. Finan is as well." Sihtric reached for her face, holding it gently.
"Uhtred should not have let her out. You would not have been so tired." Y/N shook her head, looking over the wall with a frown. There was a group of warriors heading towards them. Danes.
"What is it?"
"Sihtric." Y/N turned to face him. Her eyes widened in fear. Bloodhair had arrived to the Burrow and with hostages.
"Lord." Sihtric shouted, warning Uhtred. "It is Bloodhair. He has hostages." Sihtric looked back frantically at Bloodhair and his hostages, before back to his wife.
"Where is your sword." Sihtric shouted at her. An aggressive tone hit his voice, causing her to jump. "Find one. Now!" Y/N shook her head, running down the stairs to grab her sword.

Y/N nearly tripped up the stairs as she reached Sihtric, looking over. A sickening feeling rose across her, as Bloodhair slit the throat of a woman. An innocent. She could hear the women beg and cry. She hated the sound. It defended her ears. Reminding her, to well of what it was like to be a hostage. Y/N snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Skade confirm Uhtred was cursed. A curse that could run deep to all of them.
"You have until sunset to free the hostages. Otherwise, each man will take their turn." Uhtred shouted before dragging Skade back in.
"What now?" Y/N asked Shitric, his body becoming tense.
"We wait." Y/N watched Sihtric walk away from her, her heart dropping, she did not know what to say or how to make it right. She knew she needed to pray to God for guidance.

There was a feeling of discomfort when Y/N entered the small church. It almost felt like she did not belong with God anymore. She felt a strong sense of detachment to him.
"Lord. Forgive me, for I have not shared a moment with you." Y/N asked for forgiveness and guidance, as she clutched the small cross around her neck. She prayed God would give her a sign on how to help Sihtric or how to free Uhtred from the curse. She would take any guidance. A small fraction if it was offered to her.
"There you are, woman." Finan called out before making a cross, unaware that she was in prayer.
"Sorry." Finan whispered, sitting next to her.
"It is fine. Did you need something?" Finan sighed, holding her small hands in his.
"Lord Uhtred has asked me to ride to Mercia. To stop Æthlered's army and to bring them here." Finan explained that Uhtred and Alfred finally agreed on a plan to take down Bloodhair.
"When do you go?" Y/N wiped the dirt from his face, looking at him confused.
"Now." He said, looking back at the cross nailed to the wall.
"Finan." She begged. "Don't leave me with Siht. I-I don't know." She stumbled. Trying to find the right words, but it was already to late. Sihtric had already heard her.
"You know what he is like." Finan kissed her cheek, edging closer to her ear. "Comfort him. That's all he needs."
"Then be safe." Finan chuckled, pulling her into one last kiss, watching him leave before telling Sihtric to look after her.

Being away from Finan was a different kind of pain compared to Sihtric leaving. Finan was smart but sometimes impulsive, which caused Y/N to worry. She worried that one day he would get himself caught and be taken from her. A part of her was glad Finan wasn't sent as a spy like Sihtric. She did worry for Sihtric, but he always made sure to come back in one piece. In a way, she was used to Sihtric leaving and coming back. A part of her felt bad for what she said, but she had not meant it. What she meant was how she were to comfort Sihtric when he feared being cursed. That Father Beocca warned her of Thyra's visions of the seer, but she became too worried to tell Sihtric that she ended up avoiding his presence for too long.

In the end, Y/N decided to go and find him in hopes of explaining. Although, Sihtric was hard to find when he did not want to be found, but luckily for her, he was sat inside the Burrow with Osferth and Steapa. She walked up behind him, smiling at the two as she placed her hands on Sihtrics shoulder, kissing his temple.
"Lady. Do you believe ale is better than wine?" Osferth asked, smiling at her. Y/N laughed, playing with Sihtrics hair.
"Wine, but Finan will say ale. It makes you happy, faster." Steapa laughed at her comment. "That sounds like Finan."
"Though." Y/N sighed, looking up, as she slapped Sihtric shoulders, as if she was thinking. "Ale does not cost a lot."Osferth sighed, looking at the cup in his hands, as if he was unsure whether to drink it.
"Do not force yourself to drink it." Y/N said, feeling bad for the Monk who thought he would have to drink.
"It's fine, Lady. I am just not used to drinking it." Y/N laughed at Osferth trying to stomach the ale. She remembered her first time drinking ale. It was disgusting, but she forced herself to accept it then.

Y/N leaned over to Sihtrics ear, asking him to talk. Sihtric got up and followed her out quietly. She noticed how he frowned, avoiding her gaze, and she hated it.
"Sihtric." Y/N turned around, touching the scar on his face that sat just above his eyes. "Please don't be angry with me. I did not mean the words that came out. I worry about you." Y/N said, placing her head against his before continuing. "I worry that the curse burdens you and I do not wish to burden you more with questions. I wish to be a good wife to you and Finan, but I don't know how to help. I do not know how to comfort you." Sihtric watched her, touching her cheek as he listened to every word she said.
"You do not need to worry Y/N, you comfort me without knowing. Tell me what you are hiding from me. I have seen you speak to Father Beocca in secret. And I know Finan has noticed it too." Y/N laughed awkwardly. She knew they watched her movements. They paid attention to her when she did not realise it.
"Thyra has seen something, and it worries Father Beocca." Y/N grabbed Sihtric to stop him from walking off. "Sihtric, please. I know Father Beocca should not put these burdens on me, but I am a friend and a good one."
"Y/N" Sihtric asked again.
"Thyra sees the Lady Gisela's death." Sihtric glared at her, "And?"
"That." She looked away from him at Uhtred sat by the fire. "That we will all be cursed."
"I knew it." Y/N grabbed him as he called Uhtred before stepping in front of him with a playful grin.
"Uhtred, let me borrow your man for a few moments." Uhtred looked up and smirked while Sihtric tried to reject her statement.
"My wife-"
"Yes your wife has needs. I don't need to know anymore." Y/N thanked Uhtred, pulling Sihtric away to somewhere quieter.

Sihtric glared at the small room, filled with crosses and Christian imagery. He was used to sitting quietly with her in a church, but this time, it felt different.
"God will not save you." Y/N laughed at his tone. A hint of annoyance in his words.
"Maybe not. But, I do have faith in you." Sihtric sat down, watching her in front of him, pulling at her arm.
"You still bleed?" Y/N grunted at his words before realising a small stain had appeared between her legs.
"Maybe God is punishing me." Sihtric's hands gently went to her hips, rubbing them up and down as he looked at her, with a grin.
"Sihtric no. It is messy." Sihtric tilted his head, smirking at her.
"I told you, I will give you a child. I will not stop until your belly is swollen."
"Siht. What about Uhtred and Gisela? The curse." Sihtric stood up, grabbing her chin.
"Enough about the curse, or I'll bind your mouth shut, woman." Shitric used Finans nickname against her, making her legs go weak, as he pushed her gently against the wall.