A Saint To A Sinner

5.3

If there was a level of uncertainty before Eadith arrived, they were all on edge now. Know one understood why Eadith was here. It did not make sense. There was no disease in Rumcofa nor a deadly sickness. They knew deep down it was more than just a coincidence, but they knew it would all be revealed when Æthelflaed arrived, with the priest.
"Hey! You alright? You have not slept?" Sihtric asked her as he kissed her neck softly.
"I am worried something bad will happen? I feel it. It is more than just a coincidence." Y/N said, as she watched her children eat their porridge.
"Come on, let's go for a walk. Eir, watch your brothers." Sihtric said, as he grabbed Y/Ns cloak. "The little ones."
"Do not keep telling her off, Sihtric. You will push her away." Y/N chided. Eir had become a lot more fiery as she grew up, and she did not need her fathers interfering. Sihtric nodded with a smirk as he wrapped her cloak around her before bringing her into a kiss.
"Oh there he goes." Sihtric said. The minute they stepped outside, Cynlæf was already greeting Ælfwynn. Y/N scratched her eyebrow awkwardly before calling Uhtred to come down from his lodge to greet the Lady Æthelflaed. Y/N decided to at least make the effort and greet Lady Ælswith.
"Lady Ælswith." Y/N greeted. Ælswith smiled at her and surprisingly grabbed her hand, with her gloved hands, squeezing hers.
"Lady Y/N. It is good to see you again. How is Æthelstan?" Ælswith asked, as she looked for him. Y/N turned around to see him sat on a bench with Eir.
"Æthelstan, come and see the Lady Ælswith!" Y/N called.
"Is that? Is that Eir?" Ælswith asked in shock, "oh my. She has become a beautiful young woman."
"Yes that is Eir. Æthelstan still believes it's his duty to look after her." Y/N said. "I will leave you both to catch up."

Y/N quickly left when she saw Lady Æthelflaed approach. She did not want to risk conflict or any tension.
"Since when do yu hide from the Lady Æthelflaed?" Finan whispered as he pulled her arm, bringing her into a hug. That was true. She never did normally hide from other women, but she got to the stage she hated petty conflict.
"It is not that. I am worried." Y/N said.
"Yu need to stop listening to Ingrith. She will make ya paranoid." Finan grumbled. Ingrith believed she was a seer who saw things, and right now, Finan did not need a paranoid Sihtric, nor a worried wife.
"But she is-" Finan shushed her, placing his finger towards her lips.
"Say nothing. Just forget about it. Nothing will happen." Finan whispered as he bought his lips to hers. His finger brushing the bottom of her chin.
"Come on. Let's enjoy the festival." Finan said as he dragged her off to dance. Spining her around every so often with laughter. Sihtric came to the join them with a content look on his face, but he was not much of a dancer.
"Oh. Hear comes the Christian. To baptise us all." Sihtric said as he turned around to lean against the poll, pulling Y/N towards him.
"I think it's too late now. We've even converted the Christians into being a Pagan." Y/N muttered as they listened to Father Benedict with a confused look on their faces, as the man preached some text not even Y/N had heard of.
"What is he talking about?" Ingrith asked. Completely confused.
"I have no idea." Y/N said, "something about a crown of salvation."

"What's that noise?" Osferths asked, "Is that my son or yours?" Y/N pulled Sihtrics hand off of her as she heard the cries for a father. It sounded like one of her boys. Uhtred seemed to hear it too and stepped forward.
"Stay back!" A villager said.
"Poor man!" Another said.
"Keep the children back." A village woman said. Y/N stepped forward when she realised what had happened. Her hand went straight to her mouth as she saw Young Uhtred approach bare footed with nothing but his sleeping robes, all covered in blood from the waist down.
"Where's the children?" Sihtric asked with alert.
"Brida!" Young Uhtred shouted as he cried into his fathers arms.
"Find her! Find her!" Uhtred shouted.
"Raise the alarm!" Finan said as he looked at Sihtric, "yu and Ingrith get the children inside. Now!" Y/N nodded and ran with Ingrith to look for the children. Fear rising in the bottom of her stomach.
"Errett, Sihtric, Hindr, Isla, we need to get inside now." Ingrith said as she called the children, "Where is your brothers?"
"I will get them, Ingrith. Take them straight inside. Finan and Kåre will be by the chickens." Y/N said as she rounded up the rest of Ingriths children, quickly pushing them inside the house without a fuss as she bribed them with food.
"Come on, you three. Supper is early." Y/N said, quickly grabbing the children to take them inside.
"Mother, what has happened. Æthelstan said to stay inside." Eir ran towards her worriedly. Y/N grabbed her daughter, pulling her into a hug.
"Brida has sent her message. She has finally come for Uhtred." Y/N said as she pulled out a sword from under a desk. "Take this and use it if you need to. I will go with your fathers. Your job is to protect the children with Ingrith, Eir." Eir nodded and took the sword. Y/N rushed outside and followed the shield men down towards the docks. A nervous look on all of their faces.
"BRIDA! WERE READY FOR YOU!"