A Saint To A Sinner

2.15

In a days time, Hæsten arrived at Wincelcumb, alarming the Abbess and the rest of the Nuns inside. Alerting them of the horrors she had witnessed. Y/N knew Hæsten was here for the Lady Æthelflaed, and it would only be a short time for Hæsten to barge his way over and retrieve her.
"There are two other hostages." The Abbess stressed as Uhtred told them all to stand their ground.
"Abbess, you will go to them and talk to them." Uhtred reassured the frightened woman that she would be safe. Y/N felt bad for the Abbess. She was riddled with fear, and she did not want to face the Danes.
"What are you doing?" Sihtric questioned as Y/N moved from beside him, heading towards the window.

Carefully, she climbed up, peeking through, to see Hæsten and his men.
"Uhtred. There are no more than forty men." Y/N spoke.
"Are you sure?" Uhtred asked, as he stood near the Lady Æthelflaed. Y/N recounted, making sure she was correct before turning back to Uhtred.
"Forty is what I can see." Y/N confirmed, peering out the window, watching the Abbess show herself to the Danes.
"Well." Y/N said, as she watched Hæsten. "At least you're his favourite, Lady."
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Y/N shrugged at Æthelflaeds question, her eyes still watching the men.
"Lord." Uhtred looked at Y/N waiting for her to comment again. "There's no more hostages."
"Ahhh." Y/N gasped, causing Finan and Sihtric to turn around quickly.
"Y/N." Finan whispered, causing her to look at him.
"The Abbess is gone." She said plainly, watching the Lady Æthelflaed gasp.
"Lord. Now?" Sihtric asked. They were all beginning to become frustrated in the Nunnery.
"Æthelflaed." Haesten called out. "Enough men and women have died to save your bony arse at Beamfleot and now here. Did my Lord Erik not give his life for you?"
"Lady, do nothing. He is taunting you." Y/N stated as she climbed down from the
she saw Hæsten advance forward towards them.

Y/N kept her stance by the table, holding her sword as she heard the mens footsteps. Neither moving forward nor backwards. Once they entered the room, she stayed in her position, watching them fight. For some reason, the woman froze, and she did not know why. It was only when she saw the Lady Æthelflaed get attacked that she unsheathed her sword, slicing the man in front of her. Y/N turned around and grabbed the Danes wrist, slamming it against the wall, before stabbing him in the side, still keeping an eye on the Lady Æthelflaed.
"We are trapped." Æthelflaed stated the obvious.
"And we are alive. And they are twelve or thirteen men less." Y/N said as she placed her foot on the wall to re-tie her lace on her boot that had become slightly undone. While she ignored Æthelflaed's comment about giving herself up.
"Finan scout the area." Finan grunted as he was just about to approach Y/N to see if she was alright. Y/N gave him a quick smile that she was alright and moved slightly to tighten the other boot.
"Are you alright?" Sihtric asked, noticing the way he avoided his concerned face.
"I am fine."
"You are a terrible liar."
"And you are not Sihtric?" Y/N walked past him, ignoring his confused face.

Finan returned with news that all the doors were blocked. Y/N sighed and climbed back to her table to look out the window.
"We should fight, Lord. We should open the doors and fight." Sihtric insisted.
"And die?" Osferth spoke up, looking at Y/N, who shrugged.
"I like near death experiences." Y/N grumbled. Feeling completely fed up with fighting.
"Osferth. You'll open the door on my word and retreat. Then, we form a shield wall and negotiate." Uhtred said, turning to look at Finan, who nodded.
"Negotiate?" Sihtric disagreed, but Uhtred seemed as though he had a plan. Y/N followed Finan and Sihtric towards the door, keeping the Lady Æthelflaed near her.
"Uh. I count more than thirty of the bastards." Finan said, looking back at Uhtred.
"Fight Hæsten and you will lose men." Uhtred shouted over the shield wall. Y/Ns hand grabbed the Lady Æthelflaed, almost reassuring herself than the young woman.
"I have many men." Hæsten retorted.
"But you have just the one life! And I plan to take it!" Finan spat at Hæsten.

Y/N dragged the Lady Æthelflaed to the window. Keeping her safe as she climbed back to the window, watching them argue with each other.
"One woman in place of another." Y/Ns ears perked up at Uhtreds' suggestion. Her hands went to her cross, hoping he would hand over Skade. "Skade. The seer." Y/N almost cheered on the table. If Hæsten were to accept, then they were free of the seer.
"Will he take her?" Æthelflaed asked, watching the woman's face.
"I hope so." Y/N said. "Then we'd be rid of the damn bitch." Y/N watched in anxiety as she watched the Seer approach Hæsten.
"He actually took her." Y/N said, as she watched her ride off with Hæsten. Her eyes never left in case she returned.

"Are yu getting off that table?" Finan asked, watching her with a small smile on his face. Y/N leapt off the table with a thud and approached Finan with a kiss. Finan held her gently, almost swaying her.
"What is the matter with you?" Y/N noticed Sihtrics unhappy face.
"Just because Skade is gone. Does not mean we are free of the curse." Sihtric said bitterly.
"Sihtric." Finan warned.
"Finan. None of us are free of the damn curse." Y/N frowned at the way Sihtric spat the words. Almost feeling like he was speaking the words at her.
"She is gone for now. We will worry about the curse later." Y/N tried to reassure, but her voice was strained. Part of her wanted to ask him why he believed she was not free of the curse, but it couldn't come out. The words did not reach her.
"Are you listening to me? Our life is in her hands." Sihtric glared at her. His eyes darkened in anger and fear.
"Why are you so obsessed with Skade and the curse." Y/N shouted. An anger she had found.
"Enough. Both of yu." Finan tried to ease the situation, knowing their were eyes watching them.
"You don't know what it can do to a man?" Sihtric said lowly.
"Do I not, Sihtric?" Y/N spat, walking towards him. "Do I not know what it can do. Do i not know its pain or release."
"You are still cursed." Sihtric said, causing her to step forward. Her eyes watered, and her hands shook in anger, causing her to shove him, harder than she intended. Finan grabbed, trying to hold her in place as she thrashed and shouted.
"Or are you too much of a TRAITOR and a COWARD to see it." Y/N thrashed again before she stomped on Finan, "GET OFF ME."