A Saint To A Sinner

2.8

After some time, Y/N forced herself up. Her body felt rested but uncomfortable. She knew it was because Skade was baracaded in a cell, where she could not touch her and Uhtred. Y/N had heard the whispers of Finan and Sihtric's plan as they tried to convince her to kill the young. She knew that is what she must do, and she realised this. Y/N had to do it alone. She hadn't worked out how she was going to do it, but she knew she had to. With a sigh, she grabbed her sword and cloak, heading to her horse. She would not see Finan or Sihtric along the way as she quietly went to her horse. Ignoring the looks of Ragnar's men.
"Lady. What are you doing." Y/N's face pressed against the horse with a sigh. Osferth had found her, and for some reason, it was always Osferth that caught her.
"Osferth." Y/N turned around, clasping her hands together. "You need to find a new habit that does not involve following me." Osferth almost blushed at the statement.
"Lady. I-I don't mean to make you uncomfortable. It is only that you are my friend. My only friend." Osferth stuttered out, watching her closely.
"Lady, forgive me, but does Lord Finan and Sihtric know what you are up to?" Y/N shook her head, climbing onto the horse awkwardly. Her legs kicked out as she struggled. She wasn't used to getting on a horse alone.
"With me." Y/N clicked her head to the left, telling Osferth to follow.
"Hurry up, before they do find out." Osferth climbed up, waiting for her horse to move.

Her eyes scanned the village before she made the decision to leave. She was checking for her husbands, making sure they would not see her, but she could not find them. Hoping they were in an Alehouse somewhere. Y/N eventually kicked her horse to pick up speed as they headed through the gate into the field of snow. Her eyes scanned the ground as the horse refused to go any faster. She kicked the horse once more and galloped down the hill, heading for the woods with Osferth behind her. Y/N couldn't help but look behind her. Seeing Dunholm Village in the distance, she knew Finan and Sihtric would be worried, but she hoped they would figure it out soon.
"Lady-" Osferth looked back at Dunholm, feeling unsure with their plan.
"Just Y/N. You are a friend Osferth."
"Then. Y/N. What is the plan?" Y/N looked at Osferth wide-eyed. There was no plan. The only plan she had was to find a young animal and kill it.
"You have a plan? Right?" Y/N nodded, kicking the horse to head into the woods.
"Right." She copied as she trotted deeper into the woods.

Y/N stopped when she felt they were deep into the woods. Deciding to ditch the horses as they would make too much noise.
"We find a young, and then I kill it." Osferth held his cross, slightly worried.
"It is the middle of winter. How are we going to find a young animal or any animal. Don't they hibernate?"
"What? Hibernate?" Y/N frowned. She had completely forgotten that animals do not come out in the snow.
"Lady. I mean, Y/N you thought about that, right?" Y/N shook her head, thinking.
"Deers survive winter. Right?" Osferth nodded, slowly. Maybe she should have asked her husbands for help, but it was too late.
"A fox might be easier?" Osferth suggested as they walked through the forest. Both feeling frustrated.
"I need a young fox."
"A kit then."
"What's a kit?"
"A baby fox." Y/N made an 'O' shape as she headed forward.

The two had searched for a longtime in the woods. Neither finding a Kit or a Fawn and the forest had turned dark. Leaving the two confused at where they were. They were completely lost as they started to argue on which way to go. Both were tired and hungry.
"Maybe Finan and Sihtric will find us." Y/N said with hope.
"Are you sure? Y/N we are in the middle of know where and for all we know, we could be at York." Osferth said with a huff.
"York." Y/N stomped. "We are nowhere near York. You fool." Y/N snapped, about to make another remark, when Osferth silenced her. Mouthing at her to turn around. It was a hare with her young. Leveret. There were three of them. Tiny little hares. Y/N put her finger over her mouth as she crawled forward. Telling Osferth to go around, to close them in. Her heart was beating rapidly as she got closer before she grabbed one. She looked at it with a huff. She grabbed the hare. Y/N turned around seeing the leverets run. The two scrambled to catch them. As long as they caught one, it would not matter.
"Got ya." With a huff, Y/N drew her sword, stabbing it straight through the leveret.

The leverets squeals sent her knees to the floor in shame. Her stomach turned at the dead animal, but the freedom felt much bigger. The air in her lungs opened as if they were restricted before. Her mind was less heavy, and the pain in her stomach was gone, but was replaced with emptiness of a child. It was a small price to pay for her freedom, but Y/N still felt like a murderer, even though it was Skade who killed her child. It was Skade who killed the Lady Gisela. It was Skade who was destroying them all. She was destroying them one by one, and Y/N had bargained her freedom, with the death of animal.