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Sigyn was disappointed in Uhtred.

Bloodhair had cornered her fuming with rage and assumed she would offer a comforting hand. Uhtred had claimed Skade with a kiss in front of Bloodhair and now his heart is broken.

Men are whiny.

She crossed her arms as he paced back and forth claiming to hit Uhtred and claim Skade, he turned to her sharply and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"You are the key. You have always been the answer." He said with a hysterical laugh and held his hands out to hover near her face. She tensed when he used his knuckles to caress her cheekbones and attempted to move away.

"I am not the key or the answer, Bloodhair. Please, leave me alone." She whispered trying not to anger him more. The Dane grabbed her face with one of his hands and she winced at the pressure and the pain that followed. She gripped his wrist with her hands and watched him worriedly, he has always been unpredictable.

"You are, Sigyn. Skade would not keep you around unless you had a use. You are the source of her power that is why you are cursed to never leave her." Sigyn tried to shake her head but his grip wouldn't let her.

"You lie, Bloodhair. I have no powers." Sigyn claimed. She was not a seer, she did not have powers, and she certainly wasn't some conduit.

"You will listen to me, whore!" He snarled as removed his hand from her face only to grab her wrist roughly as he shoved her into the hall with him.

"Bloodhair, you will let her go," Brida ordered with a glare, Sigyn was surprised the woman even cared. "You swore peace to Ragnar."

"Let me go," Sigyn hissed when Bloodhair tightened his grip no doubt leaving a bruise. "If what you say is true, Skade would not accept you, not if you continue to harm me." Sigyn wasn't much of a manipulator but she knew that Bloodhair was gullible when it came to Skade. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Sihtric had his hand on the hilt of his sword ready to intervene.

"I will make you pay for this." Bloodhair threatened and let her go as he stomped over to Hæsten. Osferth rushed to her and cradled her wrist gently to observe the damage the dane had done, he guided her over to the bench he and Sihtric sat on. Sihtric continued to glare at Bloodhair when she nudged his arm to draw his attention away.

"He is not worth it, Sihtric, but thank you." Sihtric gave her a small nod as he glanced at Osferth with a knowing look as the monk grazed his fingers over her skin to soothe it.

"I will return south and send Bloodhair's men and ships to the River Ouse. You will follow and together we attack Mercia, we attack Wessex, and we kill Alfred!" Hæsten said from where he stood, the men around them cheered. "I will find the pretty Aethelflæd and we all take our turn with her," He said looking over at Uhtred. "We count our silver, we go from north to south, east to west, taking everything in our path." Uhtred glares at the Dane.

"And at some point, we begin to fight amongst ourselves and the plan fails. Bloodhair had already shown it to be true, after attacking a member of my company." Uhtred spoke bluntly and glanced behind him to check on Sigyn, the blonde woman looked up from watching Osferth to give him a small smile.

"Why? Because you say it?" Bloodhair hissed out and frowned when he witnessed Sigyn place her hand on the monks.

"Because each of you believes himself to be the sword dane above all others, mistakenly. There can only be one leader."

"I will lead, I have ships, I have men. I've not grown lazy sitting inside a fortress." Bloodhair says looking around.

"Are you calling me lazy, Bloodhair?" Ragnar accused and placed his cup of ale down.

"I am asking you to join me, Ragnar, as Hæsten has joined me."

"When did I join you? I gave you food, I did not give you my oath." Hæsten said standing up slowly.

"You believe you should lead?" Bloodhair questioned.

"Yes, why not?" Ragnar stands.

"Name your victories." Bloodhair demands getting in Hæsten's face.

"Says the man who lost half his army to a sickly king." Sigyn cracks a smile at the insult.

"That is enough shit-talk." Ragnar demanded.

"Next, you'll compare cock sizes." Brida shouts with a grin.

"There can only be one leader."

"It must be you, Ragnar." Uhtred says.

"Why because he's your brother?" Bloodhair asked with a scoff, Sigyn glared at the man.

"Because Ragnar's the only man each of us will trust, the only man." Uhtred said.

"You do not trust me, dane-slayer?" Cnut asked with a smirk.

"Do not know you nor do I like you. But you are Ragnar's cousin."

"It is not about who leads, it is about how the wealth is divided." Aethelwold cuts in.

"We do not talk of wealth until we have it in our hands. Uhtred says that we must become one army, I see no man fool to disagree. You all know of me, you know of my father and my grandfather and I tell you now, I would be proud to lead the next great army. But only if it is agreed by each one of you. In return for your trust, I give you my word when Alfred is defeated, and he will be defeated, there will be silver. But more than that there will be reputation and honor in this life and the next, so who is with me? Bloodhair?" Ragnar questions and watches as Bloodhair stands.

"Yes, I am with you. You have my sword, I swear."

"Hæsten?" Ragnar asked.

"I have no argument, I too will follow." He says.

"And me, cousin, always but you knew that." Cnut interjected.

"And me. I am a man that knows every Saxon grudge and grievance held against Alfred, and there are many. You will need me." Aethelwold said with cockiness.

"That leaves Uhtred." Brida says.

"My sword is my brothers, no doubt." Finan looks worried.

"Then it is settled. The kingdom of Wessex will surrender or burn." Ragnar announced as the men around them cheered and laugh.

"We cannot go against the men of Wessex." Osferth whispered as Sigyn played with his fingers deep in her thoughts.

"Be quiet." Finan hissed out as he turned around.

"They're our people Finan, our friends."

"Osferth, be quiet." Finan snapped and Sigyn startled at the bite behind it, Finan sent her an apologetic look when Osferth caressed the back of her hand softly.