Chapter 8
Freydis
"I did something terrible," I said, shaking in his arms. "I committed a sin."
"Ye did nothing," he held me tight before I could pull away.
My eyes burned with tears. I should go to God for forgiveness for allowing the Devil to possess me.
"I feel so sick," I told him. "I don't know what to do with myself."
Would God ever forgive me for what I've done?
"Ye don't need to do anything," Ragnar murmured.
I stared down at the woman lying on the ground. Blood continued to flow from her, but it wasn't as much as before.
"The woman," I started, pushing the words out of my throat. "She... she died because of me."
"She didn't die because of ye," he said.
I stared at the man closely. There was a dried piece of wood lying next to him. He looked dried and deranged, like an old corpse. That was what Ragnar used to kill him.
"I've got to clear this bloody mess," he muttered.
"What are we going to do with him?" I asked.
"Take him somewhere, away from the Church," he replied.
I followed Ragnar as he first dragged the woman outside, her blood leaving stains on the floor. He added her to the warriors outside, then he came back inside for the man.
"Isn't it necessary to let the King see the body first?" I asked.
He paused and stood up, walking towards me.
"Should any ask bout' him, tell 'em he fled," he said.
"Why?" I asked.
"Say to yer father, ye were set upon by Hounds," he said.
"Do you know something?" I asked, following him.
Ragnar didn't answer right away and waited until he'd dragged the body to the entrance of the church before looking at me.
"They're known as vampyres—or undead, as some call 'em. Creatures that feed on the blood of mortal men."
My eyes widened. My breath caught in my throat.
"Then why would he come after me?" I asked. "He tried to take me away."
"That's what I know not."
Silence stretched between us. My heart began to thrum fast inside my chest. A thousand questions roamed through my head.
"You should tell the King... he'll know—"
"Nay," Ragnar said too quickly. "If ye tell yer father he'll ask questions. Too many questions... and I want no one knowin'. Not till I learn what this means."
"Are you going to give him a grave?" I asked as we walked into the woods, dragging the body along.
There was no response from him.
We continued walking; the woods were getting darker the further we went.
"We'll bury him here, so no one learns o' him, Freyja," he said, giving me a polite smile.
We went back to the church after that, and after cleaning the blood, Ragnar returned to the woods with a shovel and dug into the soil, making a grave.
...
"How did it happen?" Lagertha asked. The expensive jewelry hanging around her neck glittered as she paced the room. "How was did the Hounds go into the Church and kill all the warriors?"
My heart was skipping. What if she found out that I was lying? What if rain fell and washed away the mud Ragnar dug for the man?
"I have sent warriors to scout the place as we speak," Harald said from his throne. "I imagine the beasts haven't gotten far."
Lagertha's eyes flashed with anger. "I want all of them dead."
I gasped.
"They think they can come into our Church and have it defiled," Lagertha hissed.
"Thank God you survived their attack," Harald said, to me.
"Why didn't you go with your guard?" Lagertha asked. "If he was in the Church with you, he would have seen the Hounds coming."
"I always go to the Church alone," I said. "And if Ake had come with me, they would have killed him too."
Just then, Lagertha stopped walking and turned to Harald.
"All this is happening because of Ragnar," she said. "I saw him in my dream with the face of a beast."
My jaw clenched at her words.
"He brought his Hound friends to torment us," she said. "We need to do something about him. Just this morning, our warriors were attacked by Hounds, and now this?"
"Ragnar is my brother, and he has done no harm since he came. He helped the warriors fight the Hounds away."
"Of course he would! He's a Hound living under a sheep's clothing. He's going to destroy us before we know! I'm not going to allow it!"
"Quiet!" Harald yelled. "If you accuse Ragnar of something, bring proof; otherwise, hold your tongue."
Lagertha didn't reply. She clenched her fists and stormed out of the hall.
Harald turned to me. "You should have some rest. You must be tired. Tomorrow we have something to discuss."
I stood up, walking out of the hall, and Siggy followed me from behind.
"Are you alright?" Siggy asked as we walked to my room.
"I'm fine," I said.
"I'm sorry. What happened to you in the Church... it must have been traumatizing."
"It is," I said, stepping inside my room. I was in no mood to talk right now. "Goodnight," I said to her, closing the door.
I walked towards the mirror, staring at my clothes, which had the woman's bloodstains on them. Taking my clothes off, I headed for the bathing chamber.