Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

FORTY-TWO

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I let Uhtred fight Brida while I faced her men. Sihtric and I fought back to back, his arm manoeuvring me away every time a warrior got too close.

Sigtryggr and Stiorra fought the same way, a few paces away from us, their reunion short and bittersweet as they now fought to stay alive again.

Finan and Osferth rushed to open the gate, Wolland and Saga protecting them from Brida's warriors.

"Gyda," Sihtric stepped around me sharply, his sword burying into the guts of a warriors heading for us. "You should join Uhtred against Brida. You feud with her as much as he does."

I buried my dagger into the side of a warriors neck, stumbling a little as his weight collapsed against me before I shoved him off me. "I can not leave you!"

Sihtric spun around, his hand cupping my cheek briefly, a small smile on his face, "I will go fight beside Osferth."

He was right in thinking my blood feud with Brida was now stronger than ever. Had I killed her fifteen years ago, this would never have happened.

"Okay," I nodded curtly, rushing through the men with him at my side before we split, and I went to aid Uhtred.

"Gyda!" Uhtred looked around him, his eyes wide, "She has escaped me. Do you see her?!"

I surveyed the courtyard, listening out for the whispers of the Gods as they grew strangely loud from where I stood. My eyes found a large tree, covered in blessed cloth, runes, and charms; a sacred tree for the Gods.

"A seer..." Freyja whispered in my ears, "there is another seer..."

Uhtred cut down a man that rushed towards me, his hand grabbing my arm and pulling me slightly.

I walked hesitantly, my eyebrows furrowing as I looked around.

And then, I spotted her.

She was little about Emil's age but shorter than him and very out of place in the middle of the battlefield. She held a feather in her hand, staring up at the sacred tree.

I was not proud to admit that the child sparked anger inside me; Brida did not deserve any blessings, much less a child of high power.

As if on cue, Brida shot out to grab her child, pulling her away from the fight, unaware of my gaze on them. She dragged the child away to the side, talking to her lowly before she joined the battle again.

"Uhtred," I called out to the warrior, turning to face him, "Brida is— Ah!" I stumbled as an axe struck my side, my armour preventing it from slicing me fully, but the gash was deep still.

"My Queen!" Sigtryggr roared, he and Stiorra running over to me. He stabbed his blade through my attacker's neck, pulling it out just as quickly and pushing him away from me.

Stiorra wrapped my arm around her neck, holding me up as I leaned to my right heavily, "My Queen, you have saved us."

I grit my teeth together from the pain, my eyes watering as my side burned, blood dripping down my leg. "My pleasure."

"Gyda!" Uhtred ran up to me, his hand falling to my shoulder, his eyes widening as he took in my injury, "Are you—"

"Brida!" I grit out, motioning with my head to the direction of the woman, "She is by the wall of the fortress,"