Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

FORTY-THREE

☾

"Bring a healer!" Sihtric roared, his arm wrapped around my waist while the other held my hand, supporting me as we walked through the walls of Dunholm.

Eforwic no longer felt safe to us despite Sigtryggr's kindness, so we took our children and our remaining men and returned home. Though, as a token of good faith, I left fifteen men to help Sigtryggr rebuild his home; he needed as much support as he could get.

Uhtred and Finan stayed behind, discussing some private, important information away from the rest of us. Uhtred also wished to calm Sigtryggr to make sure he did not try to fight Edward.

"My Queen!" Torben gasped out, stopping Hrafen from bouncing on his knee and rising up from his chair. "You are hurt."

"She is," Saga quipped, rushing past me, her hand on Leif's back, "and it is not good. Where is the healer?"

"I have summoned her," Olav's voice called out calmly behind us.

I half turned to look at him, smiling weakly, "Olav..."

"Save your breath," Olav sighed heavily, coming into the hall as well, his clothes clean and pressed, "I have sacrificed a rabbit, so at least Eir will be with you."

I winced as my skin burned more painfully, trying to joke, "How dare you... speak to your Queen this way?"

Olav rolled his eyes, turning to Sihtric, "Have her sit down. It pains me to see her suffering."

Sihtric coaxed me forward slowly, letting me lean on him entirely, "Come, My Love."

I dug my nails into the armband on his wrist, glancing towards Hrafen, who watched us with innocent, wide eyes. I took in a few sharp breaths, speaking between clenched teeth, "Get him out of here."

Torben jolted Hrafen, so his face was turned away from me, "My Queen?"

"Get him out!" I snapped, collapsing into a chair Olav pulled out for me, shivering running up and down my skin. I took a few more breaths to steady myself as fever gripped my body, forcing my eyes to stay open.

Sihtric crouched in front of me, his hands covering mine, "Gyda..."

I sniffed harshly, meeting his eyes, "I do not want him to see me this way. I am his mother and his protector. He should not have to see me this way."

Sihtric bent my forehead so he could press his lips to it before he turned to Torben, "Take him to our quarters. The other children are there. We will join them shortly."

Torben bowed, swiftly walking through the room, "Boy," he spoke to Leif, "come. Leave the adults to their talks."

Leif let Saga hug him before he tiredly slunk out of the room as well, heading after the council member just as an older woman stumbled inside, a satchel in her arm.

"Ah, Olea," Olav grinned, standing with his hand on my chair, "come." He glanced down at me then, his face calm, "Olea is a travelling healer."

"Where are our healers?" Sihtric snapped, his grip on my hands tightening, "Where are Signy and Valdis?"

"On the way to Eforwic, My Prince," Olav did not falter, "they thought there would be use for them there. We did not realise our Queen was injured."

"It is fine," I breathed out, leaning to the side to rest against the wooden council table, "so long as she has a way to make this stop, I do not care."

Olea rushed forward, tossing the satchel on the floor beside Sihtric's feet and digging through it with her hand, "Where are you injured, Queen Gyda?"

"She has taken an axe to the waist," Sihtric answered for me, his hand reaching up to wipe the sweat from my skin.