Northumbria ✓

11

She didn't pick up her head to meet the eyes of the person that stepped inside the room. Her back was to the cold stone wall, and she hid behind the table. Aethelthryth pushed her head into the wall as Ronja rounded the table. The pregnant woman pursed her lips to keep in the laugh at the mess.

"Papers, what a weapon," she said teasingly. Aethelthryth scoffed, "I liked you better when you didn't know how to talk my language." Ronja openly laughed at that. Then she turned to the man who still stood between the doors. She raised a brow at him as if expecting him to leave. The guarding man said something in their language, and Ronja scoffed back.

She leaned onto the table, "It seems that Ubbe is commanding men behind my back." Aethelthryth gave her a confused look. Did she not know that she didn't understand. "He commanded his men, Irvina's men, to not leave us alone together." This time she did raise a brow.

Aehtelthryth did not underestimate the woman before her, but she was so heavily pregnant, she was only waddling. What could she possibly do? She watched as Ronja looked at the man with another scowl, "Ubbe told me what happened." She watched her cautiously as the woman slid down the wall next to her. Ronja's pregnancy stopped Aethelthryth from clawing at her.

"Trust me. Once I find out who did it, I will hang all of them myself!" Aethelthryth scoffed and shook her head, "You just left him there to rot. Left the animals to bite off the skin of his bones!" Ronja wrinkled her nose. Aethelthryth almost told her that she deserved to be sick.

"I admit that I do not care enough to remove him, but he was our enemy. Don't tell me that your people would bury us!" Aethelthryth shook her head once more than she turned her head to look at her.

A frown attached itself on her face, "My people are not invading your land." Ronja raised a brow at the challenge.

"You sail to our land, invade our country and kill our people. We are only defending ourselves. What would you have done if barbarians sailed to your land and tried to seize it?" Ronja pursed her lips and looked before her. She twisted her fingers together.

Then she turned to her, "I understand. But it is how we survive. We raid so that we have money, food, not much grows in our land. Ivar's father wanted a piece of land here, for our farmers, but your people butchered them. Even children. And now your people have to pay for the sins of your leaders." She supported herself and pushed from the wall.

"I will not apologise. It will not change a thing. Your people broke a peaceful agreement. Now we will take the land by force." Ronja gave her one last fleeting look before turning around. She glared at the man that still stood beside the door. On her way out, she bumped her shoulder with his. He curled his lip before closing the door behind them. Her eyes zeroed on the letter on the ground.

She picked it up. It was the one from Lord Ecgberht. She didn't tell anyone it's content, and it was only another reason to cry. Aethelthryth read over the last sentence, For we shall avenge you and your father against the heathens. She bit her lip in frustration. They already thought of her as dead. That's how she knew they weren't coming to save her. That's how she knew their agreement for the feast was a lie. Even Wessex wasn't going to come.

"My lady," Elfreda's voice brought her out of her pitying state. She wanted to apologize as she watched the blonde step unsurely into the room. Cyneburga followed behind, but not before sparing a curious glance at her guard. Elfreda was carrying a small plate with cut fruits.

Cyneburga passed a hot look at her guard before jumping onto her bed. She was so unladylike it made Aethelthryht scoff. Elfreda put the plate onto the messy table before also sitting on her bed. Slowly and with a straight back. Aethelthryht looked out of the window before turning to Cyneburga with a long breath.

"I need your help in getting him to do what I want," she slowly advanced to the bed. Cyneburga smirked, "He already leaves his men here to protect you, so it won't be hard." Elfreda made a noise from the back of her throat, and Aethelthryht raised a brow at her.

"Your purity is important, and it is a sin to give in to sexual intercourse." Cyneburga scoffed, "Why? Because Church says so, or because of men, or the law. Do you hear any woman in there, no because women have no say because we are here only for giving birth? You might hate these pagans, but their women have much more freedom than us!" Elfreda shook her head, looking outraged.

"It is a sin to give in to sex, and what these pagans do is sodomy. And besides, how can she consider your opinion when you already dirtied yourself with these animals!" Aethelthryth looked at Cyneburga with a raised brow. It seemed that these two had unfinished business.

Elfreda looked at her this time with fire gleaming in her eyes, "She tried to seduce Ubbe herself!" Aethelthryth looked at her in confusion. Why should she care? Cyneburga only shrugged as if not concerned that she was doing everything against her beliefs.

"Are you still mad because of last night?" This time Aethelthryth grew even more confused. What happened last night? Elfreda scoffed, "You threw me out of our room for that pig!"

"I had to sit outside, because we aren't allowed to walk around the castle, and listen to the revolting noises!" Aethelthryht rolled her eyes, these two were at odds even before the Danes came. And it did not surprise her that Cyneburga was sleeping with them, she had been deflowered before by a stable boy.

She scoffed, "My father's body is rotting in the prison cells, and you are discussing these disgusting things!" Both paused and looked at her with wide eyes. "You can sleep in my room if Cyneburga wants to keep bringing men." Elfreda threw her hands into the air. So they probably weren't going to talk about their plan.