Ravensthorpe was bustling like any other morning. Birds sang to one another and voices of those who had not partaken so heavily in the night's festivities yelled in the distance. Fall was fast approaching and everyone needed to do their part to get Ravensthorpe in tip-top shape before the first snowfall. Overconsumption was no excuse to not do one's duties, but cursing to get through the day was an acceptable antidote to the head and stomach aches that plagued almost every viking in the settlement.

Carrying voices did nothing to condone the act of slumber and the heat of the late summer sun only amplified the growing levels of her discomfort. Eivor focused on the dust that floated in the air, stirred up by her throwing her furs off to the side and lit only by the rays of sun that poured into her room. She stayed where she lay as she re-acquainted herself with the world and fought with the rest of her hangover sticking around long enough to say good morning.

Her sore eyes and aching feet reminded her of the night before; the pain she felt as she chased a vision in nothing but her undergarments, and the pleasure as she was stripped from them. A smirk crossed her tired lips as she remembered the night's events in fading detail, like a dream you try to grasp as you wake, failing to keep it with you to enjoy for just a moment longer.

Ciara

Eivor pushed herself up from the bed and stretched her aching muscles. A gentle breeze blew through her window and reminded her that her tunic had been removed at some point in the night, sparking questions in her mind. The visions she thought only a dream slowly placed themselves back where they had left fog, allowing her to answer the questions that not need asked.

"So you were not a vision after all." Eivor whispered to herself as she scanned the opposite side of the bed to find an equally naked red-head had indeed spent the night.

She laid down on her side to face Ciara's bare back and watched her body rise and fall with every gentle breath she took. Her body was that of a goddess; her skin was fair and smooth without as much as a scratch. Ciara was no viking. She did not have a chiseled body like Eivor or a very slender, toned build like Randvi. No. She was soft and delicate, with curves that Eivor very much enjoyed using to pull her in. Her frame had thinned down some since she had first met her, more than likely from being forced out of Flann's court, but she was still as beautiful as ever.

Eivor traced her fingers along her curves as she took in every inch, forgetting about the world around her and the mess she had just created for herself. She didn't care. Her mind was finally at ease and there was nothing in the world that could make her happier. There was no longer a memory to haunt her or songs to chase her; the hole in her chest had already started to fill.

A gentle moan turned yawn came from Ciara as she stirred from her slumber, rolling from her side to her back as she rubbed her eyes. Eivor watched her round breasts fall to her sides and followed the arching back that lifted from the bed.

"Did you sleep well?" Eivor cooed as Ciara's eyes landed on her. She traced her fingers over her belly, between her breasts, and back down.

"How could I not?" She closed her eyes with a content sigh as she enjoyed Eivor's small touches.

"I do not think I have yet gotten to see your body like this." Eivor stated as she allowed her eyes to wander. "It is beautiful."

Ciara's smile grew. "Thank you." She turned to her side and took in Eivor's body. It was strong and muscular, with no curves like how she possessed. Her breasts were smaller but perky and her skin was a mix of pale and tan from where the sun had kissed her and past battles had scarred almost every inch of her skin. They were polar opposites, but she enjoyed it. "And you." She traced a scar on her stomach.

"Hmm." Eivor hummed in disagreement. "My face is not the only thing to suffer from the life of a raider."

"But they show you have lived, and lived past the pain at that." she traced another that was further down her stomach.

"Be careful. Those scars are sensitive." She grinned.

"Oh?"

Eivor moved closer in response to Ciara's grin. Her fingers traced her cheek and her smile stayed as she watched Ciara's eyes flutter closed in response to the gentle strokes. Plump lips, freshly moistened by a tempting tongue, begged Eivor to come closer. If there was one thing she could not deny herself the pleasure of, it was kissing a beautiful woman.

She drank in the satisfied breath that Ciara released as they sank into one another. It did not take long for Ciara to express through tugging her in via her already disheveled braids that she desired more than a simple kiss. It seemed as though they would make up for lost time quicker than she imagined.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have had the pleasure to lay my eyes on." Eivor cooed as she lay down beside her, satisfied with the morning's activities.

"You flatter me." Ciara's skin flushed a light shade of pink as she watched Eivor scan every inch of her. She was not used to such attention. "You should go, Eivor. Azar will be leaving soon."

"Aye, I am sure someone will be sent to find me soon." Eivor allowed herself one last gaze before she slid off the bed and gathered her clothes from the wreckage she had left the night before. "Will you wait for me?" She turned to Ciara, who was gathering her clothing as well on unsteady feet.

Ciara's face fell as she saw the pain in Eivor's eyes. She remembered the same pain when she had walked away in Ireland, the uncertainty she had left her with. She had a second chance to do what she had wanted all along, and she was not going to squander it. She dropped her things on the bed beside her and cleared the gap between them.

"I would not dare dream of leaving you again; I will be here when you return. I would see Azar off, but I think it best that I stay out of plain sight for now until you handle things with Randvi. I will find something to keep myself occupied in the area until you are ready for me. Do not fret if I am not waiting for you in this room, however. I do need to find myself something to eat that isn't you."

Eivor smiled at the joke. "Yes, that is understandable. I do not know yet what I am to do with Randvi. This situation is…undesirable, but I must deal with it soon. Make yourself comfortable wherever you please. My home is yours."

"Thank you, Eivor."

"There is a stream with a small pond that I enjoy spending some time in by myself a little ways behind the longhouse. I would recommend you bathe there for today. I would have you join me, but I do not feel that it is the right time." Eivor said as she gathered her clothes and slipped on something simple.

"Yes, I agree. I will take you up on that offer, however, as soon as it is available." Ciara winked at Eivor as she finished slipping on her clothes from the night before.

Her escape through the window was quick, leaving Eivor to stand in the quiet she left behind. There was no trace of her other than the disheveled sheets and the wet circle that was beginning to dry on the bed where they had laid together. There would be nothing left by the next day if Ciara decided to run. She could hide aboard Azar's ship and return to Ireland or steal a horse and gallop away into the depths of England and Eivor would be none the wiser.

Eivor allowed her mind to travel this path for only a moment before pushing her way out of her room and into the longhouse main hall in an attempt to stop the growing pit in her stomach from making her sick. The smell of mead still lingered in the air, but all who had been there the night before had woken and dealt with their hangovers somewhere else. She grabbed a piece of bread that still lay on a nearby table and headed off to her private bath, taking a large bite to settle the gurgling in her stomach. It had started to stale, but it was better than nothing.

"Ah, Eivor, there you are," Randvi called as Eivor opened the door to the bath. "I am surprised you are up so early." Her spirits seemed higher than normal today.

The sound made Eivor's stomach drop. "Yes, I thought it best I bathed before sending Azar off today. I may act like an animal, but I should not smell of one."

"Hmm, yes. There is still time as they just started loading the boat. Would you like me to help you?" Randvi stepped forward with a smile, closing in on Eivor.

"No, no." She cleared her throat and moved her body into the doorway as Randvi approached; her hand kept them at an arm's length. "I am okay, Randvi, thank you. I would like to be alone if that is alright."

Randvi was visibly taken aback but recovered quickly. "Oh, yes, that is alright. If you would like to have a moment alone, I can respect your wishes." She cleared her throat. "I imagine today is not going to be easy for you."

"I am going to miss Azar, but I think things will be alright." She breathed past the anxiety that gathered in her stomach. "I plan to visit The Seer today to discuss a matter that is long overdue."

"Is something the matter?"

Eivor kept her eyes forward. "I would like to speak with you once I am done. You are not going to like what I have to say, but it must be said."

"I..I see." Randvi's eyes found the dirt under her as her face showed the questions she dare not ask. "Should I wait here for you?"

"I will find you when I am ready." She watched the pain that flashed through Randvi's eyes fade into cold stone.

"Well, I will be waiting for you when you emerge from your bath so we can see Azar off. Please let me know if you need anything."

"I will." Eivor nodded and watched Randvi walk away before closing the door behind her. She groaned at the thought of telling Randvi the truth as she stripped her clothes and sunk into the crisp water.

Her mind raced through all the ways Randvi would react as she scrubbed away the morning's activities. She knew that she could have, and should have, ended things sooner; Randvi would have taken it much easier when their relationship was new, but with all the time that had passed? Her stomach flipped at the thought of Randvi leaving because of her, but she couldn't continue to live a lie.

Once she felt sufficiently clean, she dunked her head under the water to give herself a final rinse before exposing her wet body to the cold morning air. Goosebumps coated her skin as she walked to her belongings, leaving wet footsteps on the wooden floor. Her grooming process, practiced and perfected over the years, was quick. Brushing, braiding and donning her gear was almost second nature to her, and the breeze that blew through her wet hair when she stepped out of the bathhouse reminded her how much she was dreading the coming winter months.

The thought had struck her to dart off behind the buildings and leave Randvi standing at the longhouse entrance, to flee from the sinking feeling of shame and regret, but the turn of her head and the smile she gave made her feel even more shameful for thinking of running from her mistakes. Randvi had been a friend long before a lover and it would be cruel of her to treat her as a passing fancy that could be tossed to the side when she found what she truly wanted.

In reality, that was what she had done without even realizing it. She had lied, cheated and treated Randvi like a constant that would never leave; she was foolish and selfish. Eivor knew she was going to lose more than what she had bargained for. She was going to lose a friend that had been with her through everything life had thrown at her because she had been too much of a coward to tell her the truth. Even a small lie would have saved them both the heartache of the situation she had put them in now. If she had just told her when she returned that she did not love her, that she wanted to break things off, the situation would not be so dire.

Azar's leaving was the only saving grace she had. The expression she wore on her face as they walked to the docks could be explained off as the burning pain of watching her comrades leave her side once again and Eivor could tell herself that the look of concern Randvi carried was in regards to caring for her feelings and the uncertainty of how to handle them or the days to come, not that she had all but told her that their relationship was over just moments ago.

The docks had mostly been cleared of Azar's supplies by the time they had arrived, but Eivor busied herself with the few crates she could find to distance herself from her problems. Azar's crew was quick and efficient and nabbed the boxes she had planned on carrying by the time she turned around to pick up another. For the first time in over a week, she felt useless, and found herself toying with the fluffy white feline that guarded the docks while she listened to the crew call out their final checks.

She chided herself in silence for not waking sooner to be of more help; her personal affairs had once again gotten in the way. She was glad that her friends had been understanding of her predicament, even if they were not privy to the full details, but it did not mean that she felt no remorse for being absent. Ciara had flooded her mind and only now that she was freed from her torment did she realize just how much life she had missed.

"Ah, Eivor!" Azar's voice broke through her rambling thoughts. "I was beginning to wonder if you were going to make it to see me off. I was afraid the mead had taken you."

"Yes, well…" Eivor glanced at Randvi and cleared her throat. "I had something.. unexpected come up last night."

"Ah, I see." Azar smiled. "It's good to see you being your old self again, Eivor." Azar patted her on the shoulder as she stood.

"Yes, something like that." Her cheeks turned the slightest shade of pink as she remembered her night with Ciara. It was none of Azar's business who she bedded, and it was best that for now, this stay her secret. "Enough about me." She cleared her throat again and stood, eager to change the topic of conversation. "Do you think you have everything you need for your journey? I can provide anything you do not have. Food, water, mead and men are all at your disposal."

"Thank you for the generous offer, Eivor, but I think we will manage with what we have. I have traveled enough to know what I need to get around." Her arm fell from Eivor's shoulder as she turned to watch the last of her items be loaded onto the boat. "I think it is coming to be my time to depart."

Eivor turned to watch the men signal that the boat was ready.. "Yes, it seems so." Her gravely voice grew low as she thought of when the next time it would be that she would see Azar. She would send letters when she could, but the next time she would make it back to Ireland was a mystery, even to her. She turned to Azar, her voice heavy.

"I do not know when the next time it is, I will see you, my friend."

"Nor I you, Eivor." Azar's arms were loosely clasped behind her back. "But I do hope you will write."

"Aye, I will." Eivor watched as Azar turned to meet her gaze. Azar was not normally one to show emotion, but her eye showed the smallest hint of sadness. "I am grateful that you took the time to visit my home. I hope it treated you well."

"It was a nice vacation from what I am used to. I appreciate you and your people being so welcoming. You do not find this level of hospitality everywhere." Azar grasped Eivor's forearm and returned the friendly embrace she had been taught in Ireland.

The last nod they shared was one of acknowledgement that they may never see one another again, and if that were the case, they would hold one another close at heart. Letting someone you cared for vanish into uncertainty, perhaps never to return, was always a difficult but inevitable consequence of friendship in their unforgiving world. The life of a raider had taught Eivor an important lesson; you could not expect everyone to survive, but you could not be so callous as to think that the connections you make along they way, no matter how short, are not important.

Eivor stood at the docks until Azar was no longer in view. Minutes? Hours? She did not know how long she stood, nor did she care. The waters were clear and the sky a slight overcast; her dear friend would be free of the glaring sun and treacherous waters, even if only for her first day of her trip. She closed her eyes and imagined the cool water splashing upon her face as she sailed with her own crew. A pang of jealousy beat in her chest as the sounds of her fellow vikings yelling out in victory as they hauled loot through the cold water and back onto the ship after a long fight with the nearby military camps played in her mind. She missed who she used to be. The travels, fighting and making deals with kings seemed like they all happened so long ago.

There was much on her mind and she took the time to reflect on what her life would be like when she told Randvi the truth, when everyone found out that she left her for another woman. She was their Jarl; she had an image to uphold, and she was doing a horrible job of upholding it. Selfish, absent and cruel, that's all she was.

The sigh that left Eivor's lips carried the weight of the world with it. Her eyes skipped everything, only focusing on Ravensthorpe after she rubbed the haze from her eyes. Her people never seemed to change. Sure, they got older, but they always seemed to know what they were doing and why. Everyone had something to do and a time it needed it done, and rarely did she ever hear of them failing at their duties. Dag had brought all of her failures to light and she wondered if deep down they had all felt that she was a failure, only leaving it be because they no longer had someone willing to be their voice. Even with all the support and well wishes, it was hard not to wonder after that night and after all the nights she spend locked away or deep in the forests of Wessex, if her people believed she was fit to lead them to glory. How many more mistakes could she make?

A glimpse of red sent her heart to her feet; Ciara had always known how to make an entrance. Eivor could not expect her to confine herself to the woods, but her presence at this very moment made her question every decision she was making.

"Are you alright?" Randvi stood, breaking the train of thought Eivor had.

"Randvi, you startled me." Eivor breathed as her mind was brought back into focus.

"I am sorry. I did not want to interrupt you. You seemed lost in thought." She closed in as Eivor reeled.

"Yes, yes, I have been mulling over some things." Her feet moved back on their own, her own body now wanting to flee without her input.

"I know it is hard losing another friend, Eivor." Her soft voice did nothing to cushion the pain Eivor felt. She knew she could not let Randvi continue on like this. Even though she was sure Randvi knew things were over, she still wanted to help, to be there for her; it made her sick.

"I will be alright."

Her eyes locked with Randvi's. They were unsure as they watched Eivor's body language throw off signals that were identical to that of when she first arrived back from Ireland a year ago. It broke Eivor to know what she had to do. She glanced back over at Ciara as her mind wondered again. Randvi's eyes followed.

"Who is that? Is she from Azar's crew? I do not remember seeing her around before."

"I don't know. I was too busy with Azar to notice anyone stay behind. An introduction is surely in order." Eivor's lies slid from her tongue with ease as her feet lead her straight towards Ciara. She cursed herself in her mind; these women would be the death of her.

"Should you not take it easy?." Randvi grabbed her arm and stopped her. "You have been doing so much these last few days."

"Thank you for your concern, but I do not need rest. Seeing to my people is my job, Randvi, and I have done enough evading of that." She pulled her arm away without looking back and headed off towards Ciara, who was happily chatting with the new people she was meeting. She did not feel good about leaving Randvi with such a bitter tone, but it was no lie that she had been ignoring her duties as Jarl.

Eivor's breaths grew ragged as the weight of the situation grew. She wasn't ready to face all of her demons in such a brief span of time, but it seemed like it was going to happen. Ciara was strong and independent, and she was going to do as she pleased; trying to keep her locked away was about as good as trying to keep a bull held in with a fence made from string.

"Ara, is everything alright?" She approached eagerly, her eyes glancing back down to the docks as Randvi slowly made her way up the hill towards them. "You seem a little out of sorts."

"Yes," Eivor sighed, "everything is alright, I just.." She followed Ciara's eyes to see Randvi coming their way. "..think that I may need some more time."

"I understand. I did not mean to disrupt your life here so suddenly, and with Azar leaving.." She paused as she looked at Eivor's pained expression. "I do enjoy everything and everyone here, but maybe it was not the right time."

"No, my pain has been my own doing."

"Eivor." Randvi's voice stabbed through her eardrums, sending her mind into a spiral once more. "I thought I would come and see our newcomer." Her welcoming voice made Eivor feel sick once more.

"Ah, yes." She cleared her throat and turned to face Randvi. "Randvi, this is Ciara, our newest addition to Ravensthorpe. She is originally from Ireland and, as we suspected, arrived with Azar."

"I am happy to have you join us, Ciara." Randvi, clueless to it all, gave a genuine smile.

"Yes, it is a wonderful place. I find I may enjoy this more than Ireland once the sickness of leaving one's home wears off."

"Thank you. Eivor and Sigurd have done a fine job at building us a home here. We have many allies across England that would be happy to have you visit; you will find welcome in many places." Randvi turned to Eivor, whom had gone silent during their exchange. "Has Ciara been given a place to stay?"

Eivor cleared her throat. "No, uh no, she has not. We were just discussing finding her a suitable place to stay for the time being while we sort her permanent residence." How much more could she lie?

"Well, I think I have a place she can stay for now; it's not the best, but for one person it will do just fine. I can show you the way and get you some things to make your stay more comfortable, unless you and Eivor had more to discuss?"

"No, I think we were done here." Eivor mustered up a smile. "If you do not mind taking over, Randvi, I have something else I must tend to."

Eivor swallowed the sickness that soured her mouth and nodded to the two women as they left. Randvi was leading the woman who was replacing her to her temporary cabin, left in the dark to the harsh reality that was hanging over her head like a weight whose rope was slipping. Panic had set in, and she needed to seek council before things got worse.

Tranquil sounds of flowing water and chirping birds calmed Eivor as she approached the Seer's cabin. The sounds of Ravensthorpe dwindled as trees and thicket created an impenetrable wall that blocked all but the sounds of nature and the cliff side captured what sound snuck through and cast it into the waters below, carrying each sound down its many streams until they were drowned by the crisp waters.

Valka had made a wise choice in her home. There was nothing here to bother anyone, not even during the strongest of rains, when the water rushed down the cliff side and into the pond that gather next to her cabin when you would think the world would be too loud. It was almost as though she willed peace into existence so one could have a place to feel at ease.

Eivor found her tending to the herbs around the side of her cabin, astutely picking only the best to use in her potions and tonics. She was always observant, only flicking her eyes up to meter Eivor's approach, working as long as she could until her Jarl was within earshot.

"Eivor, what a wonderful surprise." The crows feet that decorated her eyes wrinkled as she smiled. "I was not expecting to see you today with the leaving of your dear friend."

"I did not expect to be here today either, Seer." Her voice was somber as she approached.

"Is everything alright? You do not sound yourself."

"I wish it were. Do you have a moment?"

"I do." She looked Eivor up and down. "But first, would you mind gathering me some things? There are a few herbs that I need that are out of the way. You'll find them near the stream over there. Here." She handed her a small bundle of leaves. "They look like this."

"Aye, I will find them." Eivor took the sweet-smelling leaves with a smile and began her search. She was used to the Seer sending her off on small scavenger hunts when she arrived. A favor for a favor.