A Saint To A Sinner

3.14

Y/N woke up to the sound of Osferth shuffling and stumbling over them as he tried to make his way towards somewhere. Osferth placed his finger to his lips as he walked into the forest as he mouthed to her that he was getting more wood. Y/N nodded, carefully moving Finans head from her chest and Sihtric's arm from her waist so she could get up to follow Osferth, taking her axe with her. Silently, axeing away some wood for the fire. The two of them occasionally looking at one another with a giggle.
"What are you laughing at?" Osferth asked as he threw the split log into a pile.
"I don't know. What are you laughing at?" Y/N said as she collected the log before lifting her head up to the sky, closing her eyes.
"That neither of us can chop up wood." Osferth broke her out of her thoughts with a laugh. "We are useless. God bless us."
"We just have to pretend to be useful for them." Y/N said as she picked up the wood and walked back to their camp to light the fire

Young Uhtred woke up and kneeled beside Y/N to help her light the fire. He took the flint and the stone in his hands carefully, unsure what to do with them.
"Here." Y/N said as she showed him how to create a flame. Young Uhtred took it from her and mimicked her movements until a flame appeared.
"There you go!" Y/N said with a smirk as she blew on the fire to keep it going before throwing some dried out grass onto the top of it. The three of them sat in silence while they waited for the others to wake up. Every so often, Y/N would look at Young Uhtred to see him awkwardly playing with the cross on his neck, as if he wanted to say something.
"Look." Y/N said as she moved to sit next to him, as she watched Osferth start cooking. "We will return to Mercia when they are awake. If you choose to stay with your father, it will make him happy, but he can not force you. You are old enough to make your own descions."
"Why do you stay with my father?" Young Uhtred whispered. It was the first time he looked at her.
"The obvious answer would be that Finan and Sihtric are here." She said as she looked at their sleeping forms. "In truth, it is because of all things Uhtred has done for me all these years. He has saved me many times as I have saved his many times. And at the end of this all, there is still some parts of me that tell me to still follow him. Even as a mother, I am still fated to follow him. But also because your mother told me to follow him."

The three of them looked up to see Uhtred kicking Finan and Sihtric up before approaching them. Osferth handed Uhtred a bowl first. Uhtred looked between them before putting his bowl down.
"What is the plan, then?" Uhtred looked between them as if he was looking for his leader. Looking for someone to guide him.
"Y/N said we head to Mercia." Osferth whispered as Uhtred looked at Y/N, "Mercia?"
"To rest and recover with our family. With Stiorra." Y/N said as she held Uhtreds arms. "And then we come up with a second plan." Uhtred nodded silently, picking up his bowl to eat. Finan and Sihtric approached them silently, looking between them all.
"I will pay my respect to Beocca on the hill before we set off to Mercia." Uhtred said as he got up, "Finan, if you would come with me." Finan looked up at Uhtred with a nod, agreeing to go off with him. YN watched Finan get back up to leave with Uhtred. She knew Uhtred needed to say one last goodbye before they set out on the road to Mercia. Sihtric patted Y/Ns arm gently before placing a kiss on her forehead. Y/N squeezed his hand before she got up to start packing up, ready to head out.
"Let's go." Y/N said as she climbed onto the horse, with Finan following after her, as they headed south with a heavy heart, knowing Uhtred has finally gotten the chance to bury Beocca in his own way. No one could say any words of encouragement to Uhtred. There were too many to say, but also, there were too few things Uhtred would hear.

The further down south, they rode, Y/N felt something was wrong. Sihtric felt it too as he started to tense. His body sat up right as he listened in. Finan did the same as he looked around till he whistled to Uhtred, informing him of the Danes that appeared.
"It is Hæsten." Uhtred noted.
"What a suprise." Y/N whispered to Finan. It seemed to always he a coincidence that they would always meet.
"Where is he going?" Sihtric asked, but he could not see beyond the tree. Y/N noticed them travelling the opposite way, as if they were heading north.
"He's with his kinfolk. He will not want to fight." Finan said. Hæsten and his men were travelling as group not as an army.
"Uhtred Ragnarsson." Hæsten called out. "I thought I could smell something rotten on the air!"
"We should kill him now, Lord, while we have the chance." Sihtric said, causing Finan and Y/N to look at him with a confused expression.
"I've had enough of fighting Danes, even weasels like Hæsten." Uhtred muttered as Hæsten came within their reach, a devious smirk pulled across his face.
"Uhtred and his pretty boy, along with my least favourite woman." Y/N gave a sarcastic smile at Hæsten. "You're looking sad and a far way from home. Why?"
"It's none of your concern. Let us pass, and I will not cut off your head." Hæsten childishly laughed at Uhtreds words tormenting him about riding to save the Lady Æthelflaed.
"Continue if you like, Uhtred. It seems fate has bought us together again. Your men and the whore, look like ragged dogs in need of meat and we have plenty." Finan and Sihtric looked at one another at Hæstens reference. She could feel Finans arm getting tighter sound her waist out of comfort for her and himself.
"We camp here. Tonight! Join us." Hæsten offered.
"You're joking." Y/N whispered to Finan when she saw Uhtred agree by getting off his horse, knowing they where not going to leave anytime soon.