"I gave my word we would return to Wessex. Kjartan must wait, and Thyra must wait." Ragnar knew his words were about the start a war. "And Gisela?" Hild spoke seeing that Valdis was ready to explode. "She waits for you at the nunnery at Epchester." It was clear where they would go but Sihtric felt the anger radiating off of Valdis and chose the wiser option to slide away from her to avoid her wrath.

"Thyra must wait. Have you lost your mind? Our sister could be suffering. God knows where and you want me to wait?" Valdis tried to remain calm with a narrowed look. "Valdis...." Ragnar began carefully as he realized just how bad this would be. Finan who sat in between Sihtric and Uhtred leaned over to Sihtric.

"How bad is this about to be?" Finan asked quietly. "Bad enough to take a step back." Sihtric answered as Finan headed the warning and carefully slid further away from her. "If it were me, would you wait? Force me to endure whatever she has?" Ragnar froze at the question as he knew he could not do that. Not to her.

"Valdis you know I wouldn't." Ragnar tried to speak calmly as not to anger her further. "Then what makes Thyra any different?!" She snapped as she stood to her feet with Ragnar on his feet as well. "Because you are more important Valdis! You were born and raised a warrior. You were trained to carry a sword the day you walked. I did that! I taught you that! I was there when father and mother favored Thyra over you! I was there!" Ragnar snapped at her as she glared at him before once again storming off the second night in the row. 

"Sihtric do not follow her." Uhtred spoke as he glanced over at Finan. "You are the least likely to die to her sword at the moment." Sihtric narrowed his eyes slightly. Finan wanted to ask why but did not argue as he followed after the woman. "Valdis." He spoke as he sat beside her on the sand. 

"My entire life was war. It was kill or be killed. I was to never marry. To mother children. Only to fight for our legacy. Ragnar was his first choice. But if Ragnar were to die. I was next to take his earldom." Valdis spoke softly as she played with the small knife in her hand. "But your free." Finan spoke as he could clearly see she didn't feel trapped.

She smiled softly. "I am free. But I am also a goddess of death. Which many fear." Finan scoffed slightly. "You are a warrior las. The reason they fear you is cause you are a woman. Who is capable to make her own decisions." Finan answered. He spent his whole life watching women around him be put down. 

"Finan where do you come from?" Valdis asked look next to her staring at him. "Long story." Finan sighed as Valdis got more comfortable. "Well I got time." She smiled softly as Finan returned the smile. Sihtric watched from afar with a narrowed look.

"Sihtric, remember when I ask you if she were to leave you for someone else?" Ragnar spoke up as he noticed Sihtric staring. "I want her to be happy. Even if it's not me." Sihtric spoke with a frown. It was the beginning of the end for them. He could feel it. "She asked me a few weeks back if I would ever marry her. Have children." Sihtric spoke without taking his eyes from her.

"I told her yes. She seemed happy with my answer." Sihtric was trying to wrap his head around it. Uhtred finally spoke up. "Sihtric, do not fear. She is merely making friends. Sometimes she needs to walk away from everything to clear her head. Talking to him gives her a break from us." Uhtred sent Sihtric and encouraging not. Sihtric was silent. Remained silent the rest of the night.

}--------------------------------------{

Uhtred stormed into the church where the priests had Gisela held. "She is married now. She belongs to Aelfric." Valdis held her sword tightly in her hand. "A man does not own a woman." She spat fiercely. "You dare bring this devil into a holy place?" The priest who she remembered as the man who stood beside Guthred. Eadred. 

"Aye she is no devil." Finan defended as he stood next to Valdis. "Where is Aelfric? If he's not here, then he cannot be married." Uhtred pointed out as Valdis swung her sword in her hand for a fews times as she slowly walked to the side of the Eadred. Watching him carefully. "By proxy, you fool! This man stood beside her in place of Aelfric." 

Eadred motioned towards a priest behind him. A small nod from Uhtred was all it took before she swung her sword on the young priest's neck. Cutting his head clean off. "Now he is dead. therefore, not married." Valdis smirked with blood on her face as they released Gisela. "You dare murder a holy man in a holy place?" Eadred glared at Valdis as she smirked walking towards Sihtric as he gently grabbed his hand.

"You pagan whore will die for this!" That stopped them in their tracks to leave as Valdis held Sihtric back. But there was no one stopping Uhtred. "Call my sister a pagan whore one more time, and I swear the devil will take you." Uhtred gestured towards Valdis. "She is nothing but the devil himself and a pagan whore to be used and sold like a lamb!" 

Before he could continue Uhtred threw him towards Valdis sword as she whispered to him as her sword plunged into his chest. "How's that for a pagan whore, priest?" She scoffed as they made their exit and headed to Wessex.

She was stood caring for her horse after a much few days' rest. But Ragnar's face had her concerned. "Uhtred has once again sworn loyalty to Alfred." Valdis scoffed at the thought as she continued cleaning her horse. "What will you do sister? Fight in battle with me? Or follow Uhtred?" Valdis looked at her older brother. She feared this. Being forced to choose between her brothers.

So, she chose the next best thing. "I will ride with Uhtred, when you need me. I will fight with you." Ragnar could see the tough position he has put her in but just nodded in response. He couldn't really expect her to choose between them. As he walked away, he passed Sihtric on the way with a small nod.

Sihtric came up behind her with soft kisses on her neck as she turned to look at him. She turned around with a small smile at him. From the distance, neither noticed of Finan watching them. Ragnar had noticed and moved to stand beside him. "She is Sihtric's. Stop looking at her otherwise."

Ragnar could see that Sihtric made her happy. He didn't like the thought of a Saxon Irishman taking her away. "She is not to be owned Ragnar. She does not belong to anyone. If anything, he belongs to her." Finan spoke with his accent thick as he turned to look at Ragnar. "You make her curious. She can read people easily but not you. You confuse her. If you truly believe that Sihtric is no good for her. Do it smartly. Without hurting her."

Ragnar was not surprised there was different men fighting for his sister. She was a beauty. Which made her dangerous. There were no other words spoken as they all began making their journey to Eoferwic. "When will we have sight of Eoferwic?" Aethelwold asked. The king's brother.

"Have you a sore arse, lord?" One of the men asked him as Valdis smirked at the jab as she too did not like the princeling. "I have a sore everything, I need a woman to rub and bathe me." Some of the men chuckled as Sihtric watched Valdis not react well to the words. "May the gods help whatever woman that may be."

The men found this comment funnier as they never expected a woman to tell a Prince off. "You have no room to speak to me Pagan whore." Ragnar stopped his horse glaring back at the prince as Sihtric had pulled out his axe. "You will refrain from disrespecting my sister. She has killed for less." 

Aethelwold looked over at Valdis who was now smirking as they continued on. It was silent the remainder of the ride and Valdis did not follow her brothers to where they discussed business. Instead, she found herself a quiet house to sit upon. She wasn't expecting Finan to join her soon after dark. "Your brothers didn't want me to tell you this. But i don't like keepin secrets from you. I know you'd kill me."

Valdis softly smiled as he comments and looked at him curiously. "They plan to attack Erik and Sigefrid and kill them." Finan immediately realized his mistake from the look on her face as she climbed down from the house with Finan following after her. Regretting telling her. Valdis burst through the doors catching their attention as Finan walked in behind her.

"Finan!" Uhtred growled as Finan frowned. "No, you don't get to be mad at him. He seems to be the only man honest with me." She glared at Sihtric at the fact that Finan came to her before he did. Meaning he did not intend to tell her. "I fought by Erik and Sigefrid for years. We spilled blood together!"

"We are bound by those who with we spill blood..." Finan's voice broke through the chaos as he finally realized why he wasn't supposed to tell her. "You will not kill them! I did not save them for you to kill them!" Valdis went to leave but stopped when she noticed Sihtric stand. "You can find somewhere else to sleep tonight Sihtric. Only way I won't kill you." She spat as Sihtric sat back down glaring at Finan.

Sihtric stood to his feet and got in Finan's face. "Alright let's all calm down." Beocca tried to relax the two men. "Why did you tell her huh?" Sihtric glared at the Irishman. "Why didn't you?" Finan asked before taking a step back and following after Valdis. What a day.

}------------------------------------{

The hid in trees outside of their camp as Valdis didn't know how she felt about this. She fought alongside these men when she had no one. And now she was being told they were going to kill them. "We are blind." Ragnar told Uhtred as they had no knowledge of their camp. Valdis rested against a tree behind them. Aethelwold pointed to the obvious tent of the brothers.

"I will go in alone." Uhtred decided as Valdis felt they shouldn't be going in at all. "No, we go in as agreed, together." Ragnar tried to explain but Uhtred had the better idea. "If you both were to die who would kill Kjartan?" Valdis finally spoke up in a simple sentence that explained so much to both of them. 

"I will go aswell, it was my bastard plan." Finan spoke up at Valdis eyes flashed with concern. She had never seen him properly fight. She has seen Erik and Sigefrid fight. So, she would be a little concerned. Finan sent her a small nod as he and Uhtred, and one of Alfred's men followed. She watched them silently take them down as she pulled out her bow and climbed a tree where she had the perfect vantage point.

She pulled her string back as she watched her brother exit the tent with Sigefrid at the end of a blade and Erik and their men surrounded them. She listened closely. "Uhtred, you will spare him." Erik spoke as he ordered his men not to move. "Come on Uhtred, don't make me do this." She mumbled softly to herself.

She decided to make her presence know as she shot and arrow at Erik's feet when he took a step forward. "Only one person I know who can shoot like that." Erik stated as he looked up at the direction it came from to see a regretful looking Valdis. Erik couldn't blame her. He remembered her oath. She was doing what she had to. 

"You put your sister against us knowing how she would feel?" Erik glared at Uhtred as he held his brother at knife point. "Some things are meant to be done." Uhtred spoke as Valdis frowned at his words. "Uhtred you will spare my brother. Name your price." Erik spoke watching them closely. 

"You will take one ship and you will leave Northumbia. One ship. You will not return!" Uhtred demanded as Valdis let out a breath of relief. They will not die today. And not by her brother's hands. "For my brother's life. This is done." Erik agreed. Valdis made her way down from the tree and landing on her feet before moving past their men to Erik and Sigefrid. 

"I am sorry my friend." Valdis spoke quickly as she noticed Sigefrid's missing hand. "Valdis you must go. We will be fine." Erik responded as he could see the hurt on her face. He rested his forehead against hers. "We are bound by those who with we bleed." Erik spoke as she looked to see a tired Sigefrid who nodded in agreement with Erik.

"When you return, find me. I will come." Valdis promised as she knew they wouldn't stay away. They both nodded as she made her way to catch up with the others. She did not say a word. Not even look in anyone's direction except Finan. They made their way quickly towards Eoferwic. As they stormed into the hall. 

Uhtred placed the hand of Sigefrid on the table. "Sigefrid's sword hand. The brothers will trouble you no more." Uhtred spoke as Valdis watched them closely. She glanced over to see Finan staring her down as he slightly nodded. Understanding that she felt no comfort being back here.

"They are dead?" Guthred asked as Valdis took a step forward but was stopped by Ragnar. "In return you will give me your army. You will ready them to march." Uhtred demanded. Uthred jumped over the table and cornered Guthred as they spoke in hushed whispers. Steepa, Alfred's man took a step forward but was stopped by Finan. 

Guthred began shouting about Sigefrid's head instead of his hand as they walked away but it was Ragnar who stepped forward. "Another word, lord. And it will be your own head, you will do as my brother asks or I will take Eoferwic and the army for myself." Ragnar threatened as Valdis and Brida were quickly at his side. 

They walked silently out of the hall. Awaiting his decision.