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╚════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*════════╝
an unknown amount of years later
Gene watched with a smile as her husband was teaching their two oldest children how to use a wooden sword. The twins giggled as Sihtric tickled them after he faked a dramatic death scene. Eithne and Erik were inseparable since birth, the twins always shadowed one another. Eithne, named after Gene's mother, had grown to like healing over combat. Erik like his namesake, liked to strategize and learn combat. The twins had just turned seven and Gene grew flustered thinking about how the day she cursed her brother the two children were created inside her.
"Mama!" Gene turned to see their youngest run to her with a wide grin, the five-year-old hugged her tightly and started to speak of Uncle Uhtred and how he let him hold the infamous sword. Gene smiled softly at Fintan and brushed his pale hair to the side. All of their children had taken her hair color and had most of Sihtric's features.
"Hey, sweetheart. Where is Uncle Uhtred now?" She asked and Fintan pointed behind her. Gene turned and watched Uhtred smile at them and she turned to look for her husband.
"Ready yourselves and the horses. We leave before nightfall."
"For where?" Sihtric asked guiding the twins to her.
"For battle."
"And not before time." Sihtric smiled and turned to Gene with excitement. "When you grow big and strong you can join us." Sihtric said and young Erik lit up at the thought of fighting alongside his father. Gisela walked to the couple and motioned for the children to join her and Thyra.
"Be careful, Gene." Gisela hugged her and nodded at Sihtric.
"Are you sure about this? I can stay with them." Gene questioned, though she loved going to war she was a mother now too. But Gisela shook her head and watched Thyra pick up Fintan with a smile.
"Go, they know you are both warriors for Uhtred. The children speak of their warrior father and the Gods favored seer to anyone that listens. You would not be the heroes they adore if you stay." Gene nodded and turned to Sihtric who watched her with kind eyes.
"She's in there, lord. Inside the church. Am I still needed?" A villager asked as Uhtred's company looked at the church.
"Go find your family." Uhtred said. Finan and Sihtric then shove Osferth forward into the clearing, and the two warriors briefly clash their weapons together for luck. Osferth slowly walks deeper into town as she follows Sihtric to the other side, he jumps the fence. Gene trails to the side of the building as she hears a guard laugh at the sight of their baby monk.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"I would like you all to surrender or I will smite you." Osferth says.
"What did he say? Smite? What is smite?" The dane guard asks.
"It's a word, isn't it?" Gene grins at his retort. "A word from the holy book. It means slay it kill, I will kill you." Osferth threatens. She sees Finan and Uhtred smile in amusement.
"You will smite all of us?"
"Yeah, most. Some of you might run away, hopefully. I've got a..." He trails off as the guard moves closer. "I've got a sword. A very sharp sword but I prefer if you surrendered."
"Kill him." Uhtred gives the signal as he and the men fight. Gene stabs any man in her way until the group kills them all, Finan moves to the window to peek inside.
"Hæsten says she is of the devil." Uhtred informs.
"Then it might be an idea to bar the door and burn the place down. Why not?" Finan says with a tinge of fear.
"Hæsten doesn't know a thing about the devil, Uhtred." Gene speaks and moves to Sihtric.
"To Bloodhair, she will be priceless." Uhtred uses his sword to push the door open, as they enter the place is filled with dead priests. The pale witch waits for them and Gene scoffs at the sight.
"You are Skade?" Her last guard unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Uhtred. "You! You will do nothing except go to your lord. You will tell him that Uhtred of Bebbanburg has his witch."
"I knew it was you." She finally speaks. Gene doubted that.
"There will be a ransom to pay."
"No, you will go to my lord and you will tell him that from this moment forth, Uhtred of Bebbanburg is cursed." She holds out the heart, and Finan reaches up to grab his cross. Gene moves next to Uhtred which makes Skade pause for a brief moment, she had not expected Uhtred to already have a seer. The Gods did not tell her this. "The witch holds his heart in her hands and she will squeeze it and break it." She tosses the heart down. Gene watches with boredom as the seer tries to be intimidating. "It is you who are my prisoner now." Skade walks closer but Gene uses the tip of her sword to point at the woman's throat.
"Step any closer and I will gut you." Gene hissed and Skade grinned at her wickedly.
"Seize her. I said seize her. Sihtric, now! Bind her hands." Uhtred demands as Skade glares at the two.
"I have aligned myself with the three spinners of fate and taken hold of your life. You belong to me now."
"And her mouth." Uhtred says a moment later.
"The Gods favor me, not you. His life is tied to mine, witch." Gene said smugly and watched Skade snarl.
"Your path is the path I choose for you, Uhtred Ragnarsson. And your spirit is mine to torment." Sihtric binds her hands as Finan puts a cloth in her mouth and ties it. Skade stares at Uhtred as if she can see into his soul and Gene doubts she could.
"Cover her eyes." Finan placed his bloodstained hand over her eyes. "We'll take her to Aescengum."
