ii. digging a grave
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Angrboda moved to rest on the hill across from where Skade sat under a tree, she didn't trust the woman alone with her brother. Not after seeing what she had. She watched as Bloodhair approached Skade and a part of her knew this wasn't going to end well, she frowned as Bjarki huffed next to her.
She clutched her head as a new vision hit her, she groaned in pain before curling up her knees to her chest. Angrboda fisted her hair to feel something, as she began to dissociate, something to ground her back down to earth. Bjarki reached for her arm softly sensing it and tried to pull her closer to him. She reached out for the bear and hid her face in his fur, she was thankful no one approached her. She was able to cry into his fur and not be bothered, the blood, that replaced the normal salty liquid, flowed from her eyes and stained the brown fur of Bjarki.
It was cruel to see her brother's death over and over. Angrboda was capable of stopping it but to avoid angering the gods further she must allow it to play out. It was another unjust punishment.
She eventually moved from her spot to join the Danes at the fire pit, though she did not eat. Bloodhair immediately raised a hand to her back noticing she was paler than normal, she leaned against her brother knowing it might be the last time. Her heart ached at the thought.
"You like to look?" Hæsten questioned Bloodhair, Angrboda clasped her hands together as she stared into the flames, hoping for anything to save her brother.
"Why is the witch eating with us?" Brida deadpanned and then looked over at Angrboda in distrust. "His sister is already enough as it is."
"Because Bloodhair likes to look and that is all he can do."
"She's trouble. Both of them." Brida said and nodded over at Angrboda. Bloodhair glared at the woman as he pulled his sister closer to his side and then handed her a bone from the deer that they were eating. She gave him a small smile as she fiddled with the bone, it helped her stay focused on reality. But even it couldn't take her mind away from the future events.
"You wish me dead," Skade spoke with a knowing look. "That would benefit whom?"
Everyone, Angrboda wanted to say.
"Each of us, all of us." Brida answered.
"Including Uhtred? Did he ride you so well that you now speak for him?" Skade taunted as Hæsten laughed. They all grew silent when they heard a crunch, Angrboda had unconsciously snapped the bone in half to hide her anger. She tossed the bones into the flames and smirked when Skade quickly looked away from her cold and soulless gaze.
"You bore me, witch."
"Sihtric, answer me this: does Uhtred wish me dead?" Angrboda looked at the newcomer and noticed he was already looking at her, unlike most men his stare was devoid of fear and lust. It was innocent curiosity, she found it amusing. She held his gaze for a moment and realized his eyes were mismatched and she knew in her heart that he had suffered from that defect in the same way she had with her muteness. Danes always assumed the worst when someone was different.
"He is undecided. He does not know if he should hump you or kill you," Cnut chuckled softly. "He's afraid of you." Sihtric looked back over at Angrboda and she couldn't help but feel drawn to him for unknown reasons. Bloodhair shot Sihtric a dirty look once he noticed his interest in her and leaned forward to shield her from the Dane.
"Because she's poison. She has you all by the balls. Believe it." Brida leaves soon after.
"Is Brida your woman or not?" Bloodhair snapped.
"Soon. I'm the reason she has returned." Cnut said smugly and Angrboda found herself not caring.
"Soon?"
"Her men will be my men." Cnut says to them.
"You should tell her to hold her tongue." Bloodhair says instead.
"You should tell her about your wife, across the sea," Hæsten says as he and Dagfinn laugh. "Perhaps she should take a lesson from Angrboda." Hæsten then adds and Bloodhair stands to defend his sister but she pulls him back down with a shake of her head.
Hæsten is not worth fighting.
"You have betrayed Uhtred, why?" Cnut asked Sihtric once they grew silent. Angrboda leaned forward to learn the answer, whether she believed it or not was something different.
"Because he is losing men and losing his mind." Sihtric answered and quickly looked at her when he noticed she was observing him.
"Will he come for my woman?" Bloodhair glared at Hæsten.
"He is afraid of the curse, lord. He wants it gone. Yes, he will come, I'm certain. But he is not the warrior he once was." Sihtric tells them. He gulped when he noticed Angrboda's eyes narrow in doubt and felt a little uneasy by her intense gaze.
"Maybe he is more dangerous now." Cnut speaks as he stands up.
"More reckless, lord. Unable to plan, that is why I am here." Sihtric adds. Skade looked at him in understanding and Angrboda nudged her brother to gain his attention.
"Do not fall for her charm, brother. She has wicked intentions."
Angrboda could see Sihtric straighten his posture out of the corner of her eye but she chose to ignore him as she watched Bloodhair smile down at her.
"I can take care of myself, my little giantess." He whispered as he kissed her head. Her heart broke knowing she might never hear that nickname again or his kindness.
That night she decided that she was to find a place worthy of her blessing, she kneels in the dirt as Bjarki stands guard behind her. She uses her hands to scoop the dirt to her left in a simple routine as she loses track of time. She felt like she deserved the laborious work and refused to use a shovel. It was her fault he was to die. Once the hole was big enough to bury a small child Bjarki began to snarl, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Sihtric standing there with a frown and his hands up in surrender.
"You will catch a sickness, lady." She shrugs and continues to dig, he slowly moves closer to avoid being attacked by the bear. He crouched next to her in confusion, he noticed she was covered in dirt and that she had a bowl of liquid next to her. When she doesn't answer he leans down and places a hand on her own to stop her, Bjarki grows more feral by the minute as he roars and snaps at the Dane.
"Speak to me." Sihtric signs and she is startled at the action, no one else has ever been able to communicate with her outside Bloodhair.
"I am digging a grave." She answered and glanced at the hole with sad eyes, Sihtric couldn't help but want to protect her from the dangers of the world.
"For whom?" He asked quietly.
"My brother." Sihtric gazed down at her with dismay as he moved to stand, she had assumed he was going back to rest but she soon learned that was not the case. He was a man of many surprises, it seemed. She watched as he grabbed a shovel and gently nudged her over as he began to dig for her, she had never known anyone who had been so kind to her without wanting anything in return.
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