╚════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*════════╝

"It is the fever, it will pass." Osferth said as he sat down next to the other two men, he had attempted to feed Uhtred but it had not gone well. Gene was still unconscious next to their lord and Erik refused to leave his mother's side. Eithne hasn't stopped crying since then and only finds comfort in her father's arms. Fintan who was still quite young doesn't fully grasp the situation but he knows everyone is scared and sad so he goes and hugs both Osferth and Finan.

"He sees someone. It is the Gods tormenting him." Skade speaks to the men running up the hill when Uhtred sits up shouting and making himself cough. He looks around and sees Gene next to him with Erik asleep against her leg. He feels nothing but guilt at the sight. This was his fault and now she suffers.

"Lord, lord! You must eat and you must drink. You are not thinking right." Finan says urgently.

"Brida." Uhtred mumbles.

"Finan, look." Sihtric speaks alerting the Irishman, there in the darkness stood Brida.

"Brida." Finan whispers in relief.

At Dunholm Gene lies in bed with Erik, who still refuses to leave her side, afraid it would be the last moment he had with his mother. Ragnar sat in a chair next to the fireplace with Eithne asleep against his chest while Sihtric lay next to Gene holding their youngest son. The two men would not leave her side under any circumstances that were not an emergency. Ragnar was happy for the couple and it warmed his heart to know she had found happiness and a family she believed to be out of reach.

"Uncle Ragnar, do you think mama and uncle Uhtred will be alright?" Eithne had asked earlier that day, the Danes rubbed her back gently when he saw she was crying.

"Of course, little one. They are the toughest people I know. And your mother would battle Odin himself to get back to you." He said with a forced smile and kissed her forehead when she nodded. Sihtric looked at them with a sad expression and looked back down at his wife in worry, neither one of them wanted to believe Gene would die but her heart had already stopped twice.

And Sihtric who was bound to her by blood felt the pain she felt and the ache in his heart when hers stopped, he would not physically die if her heart refused to continue to beat but his soul would. He would be nothing but a shell of a man and he hated the thought of not having her by his side.

They were told by Finan that Uhtred had woken and his wound was no longer infected but she hadn't. Brida had joined them at some point hoping to comfort them in any way she could, the curse blocker had worked for Uhtred but for some reason not for Gene.

"Mama!" Erik shouted and hugged her tightly when her eyes slowly opened, the shout woke both men as they watched with hopeful eyes.

"Hey, baby." She whispered hoarsely and with Sihtric's help sat up, her husband kissed her softly and she noticed the sadness in his beautiful eyes.

"I thought I had lost you." He whispered into her neck and she felt his tears slide down her skin.

"You know me, Sitty. A curse cannot take me away from you, not forever." She kissed his forehead and ruffled both of her son's hair. She noticed Ragnar sat a distance away from her daughter and gave them a soft look, he nudged Eithne until the girl stirred awake and Ragnar pointed to Gene.

"Mama!" Eithne gasped and ran to her, she bit back a groan at the force of the hug.

"East, Eithne. Mama is still recovering." Sihtric said gently and watched her and their children hug.

"Thank you, Brida." The woman nodded at him and reached out to tap Gene's nose.

"Try not to make this a habit, yeah?" Gene grinned at the girl but agreed. Ragnar walked to them kissed her head and moved away with a small smile.

"I swear to you, Gene that I have grown a handful of grey hairs between you and my brother's cursed sleep." She laughs at his attempt at a joke and pulls him into a hug.

"I love you too, Ragnar."

Not long after Ragnar greets them when they enter the hall, the Dane quickly gives Uhtred and Gene some food as Finan breaks the bread into pieces for them. The children were outside with Sihtric and she felt thankful that they were able to do so.

"Good?" Ragnar asks watching his brother and somewhat ex.

"It is good." Uhtred replies with a smile as Brida sits down with a smile of her own.

"I have had better." Gene teased and Brida shoved her arm softly.

"We thought you gone." Finan said and watched them.

"The same, I fear I'd die an old man's death, under furs." Uhtred spoke and looked at Gene who smiled at him. "And I feared I would drag Gene to death with me."

"So the great Dane-slayer was afraid?" She looked at the newcomer and noticed his fiery red hair.

"You are who?" Uhtred asked plainly and noticed how the man looked at Gene with disgust.

"He's no one important, Uhtred." Brida informed with a grin.

"I am Cnut."

"You are what?" Finan spoke.

"He is Cnut, he's my cousin on my mother's side." Ragnar said and she noticed he didn't seem to like the man too much.

"I'm a dane, lord Uhtred. So are you gonna kill me too?" Cnut taunted.

"No, he won't. But I will." She grabbed the knife near her but Brida quickly took it from her.

"You talk like an infant." Uhtred said instead.

"How many of us have you really dispatched to Valhalla? Is it twelve? Twenty? Forty?"

"Cnut, you'll shut your mouth. Now show my brother and Gene some respect."

"Or I may have to kill one more." Uhtred teased and watched Ragnar laugh.

"He's back! He's back! Get up. Upon your feet! Get up!" Ragnar says happily, Finan looks at them with a smile as Uhtred stands. "He's back where he belongs. Where he has always belonged, you're a dane for life now. Say it!" Ragnar says happily.

"I am a dane for life." Uhtred says softly.

"No, say it." They began to thump their fists on the tables.

"I am a dane for life." She and Finan look at one another.

"Mean it!"

"I am a dane for life! From this day onwards." Ragnar pulls his brother into a hug.

"This means everything to me." He says softly to Uhtred, as the men cheer she notices Finan growing quiet.