The Little Wolf || 𝐔𝐡𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐠𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧

001

Chestnut eyes scanned the small village that was built a pasture or two away. Sitting on the back of a black stallion at the edges of the woods. Aodhan was to her right on his own chestnut stallion watching the same view as her.

Word had gotten across the land that the mighty warrior Uhtred Ragnerson, the Dane-slayer, the godless, had been sold into slavery. Sold to the same man that Fiona's older brother was a slave to, Sverri.

Fiona had never heard of this godless dane before till her feet landed on the shores of Northumbria. Her lover on the other hand, who had spent many times traveling back and forth from Ireland to Northumbria, has heard of this dane and his victory's at the battle of Edington. How the man alone had broken through a dane's shield wall.

Fiona would never call herself one to believe or pray to the gods or god often. Since her past she has prayed to both and yet neither side seems to show an interest to be on her side. Yet the moment she heard the story recited to her she knew at that moment, whether it was the gods or the Christian god, they all favored the warrior.

After a week of being on land they had gotten word from one of Aodhan men that watched the area around their camp, that word has been spread of the Young Ragner Ragnerson the older brother of Uhtred and the firstborn of Ragner Ragnerson was traveling with a handful of King Alfred's men of Wessex on a hunt to find his brother and the man they call Sverri.

That night Fiona talked with Aodhan, about the idea of finding and joining Ragner Ragnerson to take on Sverri. Fiona did not believe that it would be a big battle but the group that arrived on the shore was no more than twelve men.

She would rather partner with a dane she never met than mess up probably the only chance they had at saving her brother and now this dane-slayer who was dane himself.

With that discussion the two of them now sat on horseback at the edge of the woods near the small village of Hopchester after a day ride. Where they heard Ragnar the young and the Wessex men had recently stayed. They were both hestent to go to the village since it was a Saxon, Aodhan was dane and Fiona looked dane and was Irish.

Fiona glanced towards her lover and with a nod from him was all she needed to push her stallion forward towards the village quickly picking the paste up. When they got to the village both slowed down their horses but guided the gentle creatures through the small bustling town that was doing their evening routines.

She felt the eyes of every villager on her, she could not blame them though. As much as she was not a dane in blood she has come to love a dane and respect the culture of the dane. She now even looks like a dane compared to the Christian life she was surrounded by since she was a child.

Her eyes scanned the surroundings looking for another dane in the crowds of Saxson. When her chestnut eyes spot the ale house with a few saxon that stand out in the front dressed in armor with extra layers for the growing cold wind.

She directed her horse to the stables next to the ale house, jumping down from her horse. She patted the stallion's neck as a thank you when Aodhan followed her lead in jumping off. A stable boy came over to them and took the reins of the horses to get them some water in return for two pieces of silver when Fiona willingly gave them to the young boy.

Fiona glanced at Aodhan, his presence alone let Fiona's tense muscles relax. She knew she could defend herself in a fight, and knew that Aodhan would protect her at the cost of his life. She would do the same for him but deep in her mind she couldn't help but have the feeling of nervousness and fear.

She was not only in a land where she knew nothing about but she was also a woman. In the eyes of a Saxson women were nothing but obedient servants to their husbands meant to bear pups at any time and the sufferer threw the humping of men that were pigs. Not only was she a woman in a new land but she was an Irish woman that had the appearance of a dane and with her faith weavering on the edge. She was just another heathen in the eyes of the Saxson that now surrounded her in every direction.