A Saint To A Sinner

2.7

Finan spent the journey, not talking to anyone, unless he was giving orders. He had even sent Skade further down the line with her mouth bound. Occasionally, he would look behind him to see his wife asleep on Sihtric's horse, her head fallen back onto Sihtrics shoulder. Y/N and Uhtred would occasionally make noises when they were in pain, but they were mostly quiet.
"Finan, we need to stop." Finan looked at Sihtric, concern flashing across his face. "I need to piss." Sihtric grumbled, trying to push his wife slightly off his bladder, but she became heavy.
"We will stop at the dip." Sihtric nodded as they started to speed up. The men were becoming restless, and they needed to stop.

Finan climbed off his horse with a thud, walking over to take Y/N in his arms. He carried her to sit up by a tree, watching her before ordering the men to set up camp.
"Y/N." He whispered. "Yu will be okay. Yu hear me woman. Nothing will happen to yu." Finan placed a kill on her forehead, then to her bloodied lips. His heart ripped into two.
"I'm okay." Finan jumped at the slight sound of her voice. She had finally spoken in three days. "Just hungry."
"Osferth, do we have any bread." Osferth handed Finan some bread, watching him rip it into small pieces, pushing it slowly into her mouth. Finan sighed in relief as he watched her chew it, looking at Sihtric, who relaxed.
"That is a good sign. For now." Finan looked back at Skade before looking at Sihtric, a question arising.
"Do yu think it's the same bloody curse?" Sihtric crouched lowly. Whispering to Finan. "I don't know. They both collapsed and fell ill at the same time.
"She keeps squeezing the life out of me." Y/N whispered. "It burns, and then it pops."
"What are yu talking about, woman?" Both of them looked at each other, concerned.
"The child. The only child. Skade will kill them all."
"Yu stop talking like that and just rest." Finan patted her head, returning to help set up Uhtreds tent.

Finan carried him over, placing him on a pile of fur, as he built a tent around him, while Shitric attended to Y/N.
"Go to your wife." Uhtred croaked out. "She needs you."
"Lord. I will" Finan said as he placed another lump of fur over him before heading towards her.
"Osferth. Can yu watch him." Osferth nodded as Finan made a pile of fur for Y/N before looking back at her. Her body was hunched over, slightly leaning on Sihtric for support. His body ached to see a smile on her face, even if it was a fake one.
"She needs to rest Sihtric." Finan said. "Sleep will help."
"No, Finan. She is up and eating." Finan grumbled before getting up to get some wood.

He felt useless in the situation. He couldn't attend to his wife properly. Finans' anger rose every time he saw Skade, wanting to kill her. He wanted to slit her throat in their sleep so she wouldn't torment Y/N anymore, but part of him questioned if the curse was real, what would happen to Y/N if he killed Skade.
"Has he drunk any ale?" Finan returned to the fire to see Osferth cooking.
"A little." Osferth muttered.
"A little is of little use." Finan took Uhtreds cup of ale and bought it to him.
"Do yu have the strength to lift the cup, Lord?" Finan gently bought it to Uhtreds lips. "Even if it is to wet your lips." Finan looked at him, the state of Uhtred reminded him of when they were in Iceland together.
"I'd wager you feel like you're back on the slave ship. You got past that nightmare. You can get past this." Finan grabbed Uhtreds hand to reassure him.
"It's her Finan. She's ripping my insides out." Finan looked back at Skade, who was muttering.
"Let me kill her. I'll do it for you."
"No." Uhted said. Finans stomach tightened, his eyes watering as he knew he had to tell Uhtred the truth.
"Uhtred." He croaked. "I have a wife. I fear she is dying, like yu and I don't want to choose. But if I have to." Finan winced, trying not to cry. "If I have to. I have to save her. I'm sorry." Finan took his cloak off, placing it over Uhtred, who was asleep.

Finan wiped his eyes before heading back to Y/N, pulling her into his arms, burying his head into her shoulder.
"Sihtric. We need to find Ragnar and his men." Sihtric looked up from the fire.
"I will not leave her."
"Sihtric. I will keep our wife safe." Sihtric nodded, kissing her on the forehead before fleeing away, leaving Y/N in Finans arms.
"Your wife is not dying." Finan jumped at the sight of Brida's voice. Covering Y/N from the woman.
"She is cursed, but she will live."
"How do you know?" Sihtric looked at Brida for an answer.
"I had the same curse." Brida crouched down lightly, showing she did not mean anything by her actions. "To break it, she needs to kill  a new life."
"A what?" Finan asked, not liking the sound of what Brida suggested.
"An animal. A fawn. A foal. It doesn't matter, but she has to end a new life."
"She will not agree." Finan said. Y/N wasn't ready to kill an animal. It would destroy her.
"It is better than killing an infant." Sihtric stated as he rounded their belongings up, ready to head to Dunholm.

The journey to Dunholm was tiring for Y/N. Finan rode beside her, as she lay in the cart, Brida lent them. Sihtric watched her anxiously, knowing she was getting sicker as Skade burned holes into her. Sihtric tried to shield her, but every time he moved the horse closer to her, she clenched her stomach.
"Why have half the men fallen sick?" Ragnar approached, looking in the two carts.
"Lord. We don't mean to be rude, but they need their rest." Finan said with a grumble.
"It's the witch." Brida informed. "They will need a room. Your wife can go in the guest room on the right. We will look after Uhtred." Finan thanked Brida before lifting Y/N up, to carry her into the room. Sihtric shook some of the fur, helping Finan lay her down.

Finan shook her slightly to keep her awake.
"We have a plan. To rid yu of this curse." Finan's hand nudged her faze as her eyes looked around, finding Sihtrics for reassurance.
"What plan?"
"You will not like the plan, but you have to do it." Sihtric said slowly. "You have to kill a young animal." They watched her face change as she tried to comprehend what they were saying.
"No."
"Y/N." Finan sighed, "hear me out."
"No, I will not." Y/N's voice was harsh. "I would rather you just kill me. It will not work."
"You will not kill yourself." Sihtric stated. "It will work." Y/N shook her head faster, repeatedly saying no.
"We're not having a child. Not. Ever"
"No child. Fine, but you need to read yourself of the curse." Sihtric begged, hating the way she avoided him.
"No. You will kill me and find another woman." Sihtric winced at her, a glare formed on his face as Finan tried to calm her down, knowing it was the curse talking.
"You want me to kill you and find another woman?"
"I'm sure you'd have no problem in obtaining a woman." Sihtric got up and slammed the door, leaving Finan to calm her.

Finan stroked her head, telling her to listen to him.
"Yu will not talk of such things, woman. Yu hear me." Finan's face inching closer to hers. "I will help yu. I will make the killing easier. I know yur scared and yur hurting but it's the only way to save yu."
"I can't." Finan pinched his nose. Nodding.
"Yu want me to speak harshly I will. I can not live without yu Y/N. If yu die I will go into the next battle without my sword and die. Yu go I go woman." Finans heart broke. His voice shook with despair. She was dying, and she wasn't listening to him.
"Think about it." Finan gave her a wet kiss on her forehead. Tucking her in before he headed to the door.
"I'll be right outside if yu need me."