[i]Collaboration between Jinxer and Constable_Walrus[/i]
[i]Healing House, Wilfred/Anndrais[/i]

Anndrais watched the scene with horror, he had seen terrible things before, awful horrible things, but this? This would have made Christ himself weep at the cruelty these dogs showed the poor girl; and after denying the woman to assist he finally stepped forward and seeing Vigi cruelly beaten he stepped forward angrily [b][i]"Enough!"[/b][/i] He shouted tired of these games of false god's they truly wish to see the might of a God? then he would show him the power his possessed, not just of kindness and compassion, but of furious retribution. 

"I grow tired of these games, You think your gods are powerful? Are strong? So you condemn an innocent girl to the flame out of cruelty and madness?" He was in luck he was not wearing the heavy robe; and he took off his undershirt he wore, Tora still being wrapped in his robes [b][i]"I will go in, call it a test, if I can pass through the flames, get the girl, and the Pict back. Then it shows my God has more strength than you give credit, if I am wrong, I will die, and you will be rid of me... Accept, and let us test the strength of your god's of war, or refuse and show those around you how much stock you truly put in your gods power."[/i][/b]

He glared at Harald [i][b]"So let me through, if you think you have enough stock to play a hand, what do you have to lose other than getting rid of me forever?"[/i][/b] Anndrais clenched his hands and prayed quietly, the truth was he was frightened, and scared. But Christ walked with him, and if he should die, it was all in his plan, and his way.

As Anndrais confronted Harald, the huge Saxon loomed behind him holding a woodcutter's axe; left lying on the ground having been knocked over by those fleeing the Draugr inside the Healing House. He slowly walked past, still cradling a carefully balanced Tora in one arm and holding the axe in his other.

[b]"As I understand it, the Pict and I are now possessions of Ragnar which means that currently you are endangering the property of Ragnar. As a fellow thrall it is my responsibility to do what I can to protect my master's property from harm."[/b] He planted himself firmly in front of the door with the axe held low but the blade pointed towards the crowd and Harald's men.

Harald himself stared hard at the two Christians; he could not risk another provocation with the Ragnars and the Saxon slave had a good grasp of his position and was using his enslavement against Harald. The priest, however, was free to wander, Harald could force him to stop as he was a free man and no Dane in the fort would miss a Christian priest but to do so in front of a crowd would merely taint his own name.

[b]"Go. When you return you will be checked for injuries, if there's a single bite on any one of you then you will all return to the flames."[/b]

[b]"If anyone here attempts to block the priest or tries to seal them inside I will carry out my responsibilities upon them."[/b]

[i][Healing House, Interior][/i]
Inside the Healing House Robbie searched desperately for the girl amongst the flames and smoke. Already his eyes were streaming and the rag he had torn from his clothing to cover his mouth was not helping the smokey air entering his lungs; he had to escape from here soon or they'd both end up death. The Draugr had retreated from the flames, for the most part but were eyeing Robbie hungrily as he looked for the girl.

[b]"Scared of the flames of Hell are ye, undead bastards?"[/b] He growled in his thick accent. Then he spotted the girl and hurried towards her, as fast as his injuries would let him. She was still alive, although unconscious. After checking her for any Draugr bites the Pict picked her up and turned to go when a creaking followed by a splintering sound had him freeze and look up. A flaming beam was hurtling towards them both. Reacting on instinct he slung the girl towards the door just as the beam descended on his head.

[i][Healing House, Exterior][/i]
Anndrais rolled his shoulders and kept his hard stare at Harald, luckly he had taken the bait, enough time for him to maybe save both Robbie and the little girl; he narrowed his eyes at Harald [b][i]"It is settled then... We will show you the power of Christ and save those you have cast into the flames."[/i][/b] He turned quickly eying the Saxon with the girl in his arms and he spoke quickly in Latin, so the Danes around them would not understand him.

[b][i]"Keep Tora safe, I will go in, God willing the poor child is still alive, I will be back shortly."[/b][/i] Anndrais paused for a moment before speaking to him softly again [i][b]"If the flames consume me, try to temper Orran's fury... He will be unchained and ready to kill any who had a hand in my death if it comes to that. Tell him that I kneel before Christ now, and that my pain would be gone."[/i][/b] Anndrais rushed towards the door, and slammed into it, busting it open and the hot flames licked out as the monk disappeared inside rushing through them, He was met with intense heat and thick black smoke; and he lowered himself to see and breathe a little better. and he brought a hand to his face to shield some of the bright orange light.

Anndrais noticed two things at first; a small figure by the door, unmoving and he went to it quickly looking over the small child, she was still breathing [i]'by God's graces she was alright'[/i] he thought and turned his gaze upward seeing the Dragur; the undead had eyed him the second he burst through the door; the only thing seporating the two was a wall of fire between the dead and their meal, their eyes hungry and gnawing and gnashing their teeth, as they backed away from the fire. Anndrais shook his head quickly and scooped up the girl, cradling her in his arms; and sprinted back through the flames in the doorway; coughing slightly and laying her gently on the sleet covered ground [b][i]"Wilfred! Help the girl, i'm going in for Robbie!"[/b][/i] Anndrais gently let go of the small child, and rushed back inside, venturing further into the burning longhouse this time.

Anndrais could see little through the worsening smoke and flames as fire consumed the wooden longhouse as if it was kindling; the fire intensified, as it went on, and he searched the ground for Robbie, calling out his name, eventually finding a collapsed beam with a figure beneath it; Anndrais rushed forward looking him over; it was the pict alright, but the heavy beam lay over him; keeping him pinned, and he looked as if he was out cold. The beam was scorched and still ablaze, and Anndrais breathed slowly, and attempted to find a grip on the heavy beam; crouching down lightly; finally finding a spot where he could grip it; Anndrais, gave a quick prayer to God for strength in his head; as he attempted to lift the beam off Robbie.

The beam lifted off of him, enough for Anndrais to toss aside, and get it off of the small Pict, and He knelt hear Robbie, moving his arms under his and cradling his upper body. His world was starting to get hazy, and he was running out of air and struggling to breathe; he had a vague thought of Orran, and of home; lasy dying images of something happy in a cursed place such as this; Anndrais shook his head and started to pull Robbie out of the building lifting the man up more as he dragged his lower body across the ground. [i]Christ be praised it was not the Saxon who went in.[/i] and he dragged Robbie out into the snow; and after clearing the doorway Anndrais collapsed with the man still in his arms.

[b]"Go with the grace of God, brother."[/b] Wilfred replied in Latin, moving to cross himself but gave it up as futile, unwilling to put down either Tora or the axe. Instead he kept his position in front of the door, planted firmly with the axe held ready to cave in the skull of anyone foolish enough to test him. He caught sight of the beaten Vigi and thought back to the debt he felt towards the man, whether he was a pagan priest or not he had proved himself to be a good man.

[b]"When they return they will need to be checked for bite marks to ensure they are not infected."[/b] Wilfred began, speaking loudly so the gathered could hear. [b]"Only a man of integrity... with knowledge of healing could perform this."[/b] He lingered after speaking of integrity, staring down Harald and his men, before turning his head slowly and deliberately to look at Vigi. He had spent years looking after his congregation and inspiring them with God's teachings; he knew how to control a crowd. As expected, they followed his line of sight.

[b]"The seidrmadr, the one you turn to for God's guidance and to cure your ills is the only man who has both of these qualities. He will be the one to check their injuries."[/b] Wilfred hefted the axe onto his shoulder, drawing attention to the weapon in a non-threatening manner. Only a fool would not be aware of their own size and its impact when as large as the Saxon; it would take a brave and foolish man to argue with him now.

Just as he finished speaking Anndrais returned with the child and, a few long moments later, with Robbie. The Pict was worse for wear with a heavily bloodied head and his red hair singed around the wound near the rear of his skull. Wilfred's knowledge of medicine was rudimentary but sufficient enough to see the damage; akin to a man whose armour had not protected him from an axe's blow fully and partly caved in his skull. Ignoring his desire to kneel by the Pict, Wilfred stood his ground and waited for Anndrais to catch his breath.

[b]"They're both here, come and check them over now."[/b] Wilfred spoke to Vigi while staring hard at Harald. Half a dozen guards stood between them but the false thegn would remember when they had first enslaved the huge Saxon; he had more than just his fists this time and Harald had fewer guards.