[i] Collab between Constablewarlus and Idlehands [/i]

He smiled, in truth he was less humor and more anger at the moment, as he had expected Loker to be here with men, not a single woman. But he would take the help bringing a shield up towards a draugr that came close and smashing it in the face with the blunt edge sending it backing away.

Sigrid jumped away as Orran barrelled into the draugr at her arm, looking up with surprise and no small amount of relief. With her spear she drove back the other two draugr, shooting him a glare at his comment. Now that odds were evened up she attacked and went on the offensive. She did not want to get close to the draugr and the one on her right lunged, she blocked it with the shaft and stabbed into it’s eye with her longknife, feeling it slip all the way in to the hilt. 

“Perhaps Odin sent you,” she grunted, her knife lodged in the skull and she let go. Both hands on her spear she whirled around, her skirts flying and beads clattering together. Sigrid braced herself, her heart pounding and she panted with exertion. “Ravens flew this morning...”

The last draugr was in front of her as Orran’s blade took care of the other. With a war cry she gathered her strength and with two hands stabbed the spear forward into the gaping mouth of the draugr. Her thrust took the long steel spike through it’s gullet and out the back of it’s rotting skull. She leaned against the butt of the spear catching her breath, looking up with flashing green eyes at Orran, her hair hanging in her face. 

“Or perhaps you just can’t stay away,” she grinned fiercely at him and yanked her spear from the dead draugr, shaking it free of the dark blood. 

Sigrid approached him, eyeing the painted man, “You have my thanks again, Christian. Once this is all settled, I will see you are rewarded for your service.” 

She looked him over and then at her arm, but the sleeve was in tact. Leaning the spear on her shoulder she looked at her hip and saw the rip in the wool dress. A cold wash of fear went over her. 

Orran having stabbed the draugr; left the blade in as he slammed the cornered shield into it’s skull, until a sickening crack could be heard; he stepped off the Draugr kicking it in the ribs out of spite, and unlodged his blade.

He turned to Sigrid “Perhaps, I simply hunt you like a wolf.” He chuckled and wiped the blade off on his trousers; looking at the woman again “Twice it is now, by the end of the week you will be owing me thrice over at this rate…” 

Orran cast a glance at her face as it seemed all color drained from it; he followed her gaze to the dress, and the large rip. He stepped towards her and knelt “Don’t act like you have just seen Christ himself, i’ll check it.” He said jokingly knowing that if Anndrais were here that would be a smack across the head with a large book.

Sigrid cut a glance at him, his stylized wolves painted on his face gave him a fearsome appearance and she smiled thinly. “Hunt me like a wolf you might not like it if you catch me.”

She tapped the bloody spear on the ground, looking at her hip where the rent in the fabric was. 

“I would not fear your Christ,” she replied as she pulled at the tear, trying to see if her skin was broken. 

“Turn around, Orran,” she ordered, tossing her hair back. 

Orran glared up at her for a moment “You are lucky I am not like your people Sigrid… And that I simply dissuade from asking a reward from you.” His eyes tried to meet hers “Instead of taking what I think is good enough payment.”

He kept the scowl as he insulted Christ, he had no urge to debate with this woman, already she tried on his patience, and as she ordered him he stood “Why should I take any orders from you? You have no pull here.” 

The meeting with the slave today really had him riled up and he was not going to take orders from a woman who owed him the life of her, and earlier her family. “You could ask, if I could turn around, or you could just swallow your pride and let me check so we could get this over with. But I do not take orders from you.”

Orran scowled at her and bit his tongue, He wanted to tell her to think, where had her husband been when her and her children were under attack, on both accounts. And what is the worth of a man, if he is not there to defend his family. But he bit back this comment though hardly, as he grunted in his throat.

Sigrid flushed with anger, seeing the look in his dark eyes, “You assume you could take your reward for me without point of my spear through your gut. I might owe you thanks but I would not pay for it by disgracing my husband.” 

She took a step toward him, “I have pull here, you know who my husband is and he will be sitting in that chair very soon.”

Sigrid gestured to the Jarl’s chair that still sat next to the hearth. “I can check myself.” 

Ignoring him she quickly hiked up her skirt along her right leg to check her hip. Her gratefulness for his rescue was tempered with the anger simmering from his refusal to do as she asked. As fast as she could, she looked at the where the draugr had bit her hip, a bead of sweat trickling down the back of her neck. There was two crescent marks already bruising her milky skin but no blood. 

Breathing a sigh of relief, she touched them to make sure there was no breaking of the skin. “So close,” she closed her eyes briefly, letting her skirt fall back down. 

Orran heard her words, and the coil snapped; he growled out, as she gestured to the chair. “You have no pull, twice today I have saved everything you care about, twice… And all you care about is that fucking chair?!” He yelled at her.

He gestured to it “You want to know what I think of your husband in that chair? A man who can’t even defend his own children? That a stranger from a land that I’m sure that monster has left plenty of children dead and burned trapped inside buildings. Oh, you deserve every last piece of hell coming to you Sigid, you and that husband of yours.”

Orran growled out loudly rolling his shoulders “Let us see how well received you are, when the only thing that kept your children alive less than a day ago, was me.” And he went to grip her spear wresting it from her grip and tossed it across the room “I will never understand why Anndrais wants to save you monsters… Too much heart and not enough sense.”

He pointed at the chair “If that is all you desire in this world, past everything that you were given…” He pointed at the Draugr “Then you deserve to be with the corpses… Enjoy your children while you have them, you will get no assistance from me anymore.” He spat at her feet, and turned to move away.

Sigrid was smoothing her skirt down when he snapped at her and before she could respond he was snatching the spear from her hand. She was not expecting it and it was out of her grip before she could tighten her fingers. Gawking at Orran as he exploded, his words making her temper rise as her face flushed pink. When he turned to walk away she reacted, storming after him, her eyes blazing green fire. 

“How dare you! I’ve told you I am thankful, I’ve offered you reward but you would not take coin,” she caught up with him and got in his path. “What do you want? For me to grovel on my knees...you have my gratitude and I would reward you with nearly anything you wished for the lives of my children. You said you did not need anything but you do. You do need something, we all need it.” 

She stepped closer to him, she was not much shorter than him so her eyes met his dark gaze directly. “We need to survive the winter and how long do you think we would last with Harald on that chair. If you think Ragnar is bloodthirsty and cruel, you’re in for an unpleasant surprise.” 

She looked over him fiercely, her breathing was heavy from her exertion and anger. “We are not in your lands, things are different here. Our lands are harsh and unforgiving and so must we be to live here. But that is not always true.” 

Sigrid bit her lower lip for a brief moment, “I love my children and I do not want to see more people die from draugr or from war. Ragnar would bring stability but not with Harald in the picture. You say your God is a god of peace? Would he not want this?” 

Orran growled as she approached; and looked down at the woman with a scowl “What I want is some respect, But you mistake me, you make the mistake that I give a damn who sits in that fucking chair.”

He chuckled mostly in anger, “You think I care who pretends to lead everything here, you’re petty bickering and political scrounging for control like rats on a carcass.” He pulled from her and started to pace lightly “Oh, your husband is not a cruel man? He would bring stability?”

Orran glared at her “Stability so your… Husband, and your people…” His fists tightened and he roared at her “CAN GO BURN, KILL, AND MAIM MY PEOPLE! I WOULD RATHER SEE ALL OF THIS BURNED TO THE GROUND MYSELF WITH IT THAN TO HAVE ANYONE OF YOU SET FOOT ON MY LAND AGAIN!”

Orran growled and pointed his finger in her face “You husband is a murderer, a thief, and a rapist!” He snapped out at her “If you think I will ever forgive any of you for the pain you have caused so many? And for what? some fucking gold and some more slaves? You people make me sick… So that is what I think of your husband.”

“You can get back to me about who is cruel, when my people come to this land, steal from you, and take you on a ship chain you up, and let the men aboard have at you Sigrid.” He spit on her shoes and snarled at her “You think you know cruelty? Go fuck yourself.”

Sigrid stared at him, her lips parted slightly in shock as he shouted at her. She looked away from him when he pointed in her face, she could imagine all too well what would become of her if raiders were to sweep through. The same thing that would happen if Harald took control. She felt a cold anger rush through her veins and a small trace of shame. It was a world where the strongest survived, where men took what the wanted if they could and it left little room for sentiment but Sigrid was not so cold hearted as Orran might think. She had not wanted to think of the people that were the cost of her beads and her silver. Her fingers went to the gold bead that had come from a bishop’s rosary. She glared down at the spit on her shoes and bit back her anger. 

“I do not ask for your forgiveness,” she said slowly, “But you are right...you do deserve respect. I’ve not given you the proper respect a warrior of your standing deserves because of the cross you wear. And that was wrong.”

Sigrid swallowed her bruised pride, “You hate us and I understand. If I were from your lands I would hate and fear the Northmen. It is the way of things, the Gods give to those that are strong and willing to take. But hear me, Orran and trust to this. You do not want to see Harald in that chair, even if you do not wish to see Ragnar there.”

“Please,” she said quietly. “For now, set your hatred aside and join us. You and Anndrais both, for we need allies against Harald. The Saxon has promised to aid us, though he is just a slave he looks like a man who can fight. We are few and Harald has many...”

She shook her head, brushing back her long red locks that had fallen loose, a moment of doubt and fear flickered on her fair face. Sigrid stepped toward him cautiously, keeping an eye on his blade. 

“If you really feel that way why did you run in here and save me?” 

Orran let her speak and looked at her hard; you would think this is the first time the woman ever had to apologise to someone and he rolled his shoulders as she stepped closer “We will join nobody, we are not on anyone’s side, because nobody is on our side…”

He growled out lightly, but as she said please he grunted “I came and saved you… Because unlike your men, I care if a child loses their mother… There is already enough of that suffering in my lands.” He eyed her carefully “ I did not do it for you, but for your children… Remember that Sigrid. While I might hate your husband, hate that you wear stolen gold and jewels, hate how everything you have gained came at the blood of innocent people… I can not hate your children.”

“Whether you take insult or comfort in that is your own dealings… But I am done, sides may change, or not. But I will have no part in either of your little war going on here. If you are that desperate for the help of a Christian, ask Anndrais. Unless he beckons me so, I will not aid you against Harald.”

He looked at her for a moment longer, lingering on the look of fear at her face “Know that if it ever comes to a point, where your children, or any of the little ones are put in danger, I will die for them. That is the only guarantee I can give, other than that. I give no allegiances to either of you.”

Sigrid nodded, her hands on her hips, taking a deep breath as she listened to him. “Fair enough. Well, they are in the other room with that huntsman. I remained here to keep the draugr away from them. So, once again, Orran you have saved mine and Hallerna’s children.” 

She went over to the draugr and yanked out her knife, twisting and pulling it until it came free. Sigrid wiped it off and sheathed it, feeling her hands trembling from the adrenaline. She was quiet for a moment, not looking at him as she passed Orran to fetch her spear. 

Finally she looked at him, “Thank you and I’m sorry. We would be enemies anywhere else but if you are willing to at least stand for the children, I can be grateful for it.” 

She looked at the Jarl’s bedroom door where the children and Einnar hid. “Before I get them I have to ask you this. You will include Svlala and Hallerna in your defense as well? You saw what Harald did to Tora...he would do worse to any woman who has stood against him.” 

Sigrid left out herself, knowing how angry the Christian warrior was at her and she would not beg his help for her personal protection. As long as Ragnar drew breath, she would ask for no other to defend her. 

Orran’s face visibly softened when she mentioned the children were in the other room; and he eyed the door that held them safely inside “I…. I did not know.” He said, and as she crossed before him; he watched her slowly.

The anger was still in his features, but every moment the children were brought up it softened just a tad bit. “I protect them because I grow tired of seeing orphans, of children without mothers, who were taken aboard longboats, and never seen again.”

“You forget Sigrid, that the children who grow now, will seek terrible vengeance, twice that of the anger I feel, I can only pray God stays their hand when they seek to return the favor your people brought upon them.” He sighed out; and he raised an eyebrow “So we speak of women now, do you wish to include yourself in that list as well? Or would you not classify yourself as a mother to children? The only reason I came and protected you today with not knowing of the children behind those doors.”

He pointed at the doorway “Was because I do not wish to see any more harm come to those who are innocent, their only crime being born in a world so violent.” Orran sighed for a moment looking towards the door again, “But do not try to guilt me into anything, I gave you my only promise… But you fall under that list of women that has stood against him, remember that.”

He looked towards the door, before turning and making his way out; he did not wish to argue or talk with her anymore, every word out of her mouth he felt was trying to manipulate him, he would not fight for anyone save for those that could not fight for themselves.

Sigrid cocked her eyebrow, her lips pressing down in a line for a moment, "Of course I am a mother to children and it pains me to see those orphans or ones who lose their children. I am also a Thane's wife and that might not mean anything to you but it means that I am responsible for more than just my own get. In case you're wondering where Ragnar and Loker and the men are they are down at the healing house. The children warned us that draugr are there as they are here...they're in the village. We did not know the draugr were in the Hall when the men left."

Gritting her teeth she glared at him, trying to force herself to calm down and think. How would a man from the lands that are raided understand a Norseman's honor? She took a deep breath, Orran's words had sunk in and it was true. Their wealth came from blood and no matter how glorious battle was for a warrior as Ragnar was it did not take away the fact that it left tragedy in it's wake. It was convenient for her not to think of those things because it could so easily be done to her and her own. Vikings did not always raid the British Isles and more often than not would raid each other. How many times had she defended or hid herself and her children from marauders when Ragnar was away. Now the undead draugr were popping all over, turning people with deadly speed she knew too well. It was not a time for fighting amongst themselves.

"Orran, wait," she said after reigning in her temper and she approached him. "Look...we are much the same, you and I. We have hot blood and are stubborn...we believe in our gods and our ways. Much you say is true, about what happens...but we cannot dwell on that, it is greater than both of us. Right now, we must repel these draugr otherwise we will not need to worry about who is Jarl or surviving the winter."

Her stern lovely face softened and she rubbed her hand against her mouth. "I would not try to guilt you into anything, I am sure you have your own reasons and it is good of you to defend those that are defenseless."

Unexpected tears sprang to her eyes when she thought of how Harald's men, bidden or not, had tried to murder her children and those of Hallerna. And how her gentle slave had been taken and used, the abuse Tora had endured by that horrible man all to make a point against her and her husband that it would be Sigrid in her place if he took charge. Harald's cruelty had gone unchecked for lack of strength behind Ragnar but now he had Loker and his men. A warrior like Orran would be welcomed. She blinked them back and blew out a breath, looking at the Pict's dark eyes.

"I'll fetch the children, would you be so good as to escort us?...Please," she asked, glancing at the heavy door, unable to look any longer at the angry face of the painted man. Sigrid was a proud woman, as fiery as the color of her hair and she could be stiffnecked to a fault but she was not stupid. They needed every sword and Orran was worth at least two, Christian or not, against both Harald and the draugr..

Orran tightened his jaw as he walked away; not wanting to hear any more of what she had to say until she called out behind him; and he did not know why, but the desperation in her voice bid him to sigh and he turned to face the woman. as she explained herself, but he would not be dissuaded from his anger; and he stood scowling at her; looking into her eyes as she tried to avoid his.

"I want you to understand one thing about me Sigrid, about Anndrais... We do not do the things we do, for riches and wealth in this world, but for the change to enter the kingdom that comes in the next." He said softly; and as he stared into her eyes he saw the tears start to form. His scowl was unwavering but he could not feel too much anger as the woman fought with tears, what she was thinking about he did not know, but it was disarming to see a woman cry.

He grunted slightly; and sighed looking at her. Orran glanced over at the heavy door and then turned his gaze back to her; his face softened immensely when she mentioned the children. "You need not ask, of course I will escort you wherever you need to go." He glanced towards the door again "I am sure you understand the beauty in children, it is pure innocence, unbridled, they are like stars in the darkness to me. So much death, we get so many orphans Sigrid, and some how most of them find a way to smile through the grief."

He paused for a moment and swallowed "Go ahead and get them ready I will be out here waiting."