Northumbria ✓

19

Ronja pulled a sword from Gorm's belt with an angry scowl. Aethelthryth raised a brow before grabbing her wrist. Gorm threateningly rumbled, but Arne soon flanked her side. "What are you planning to do? No matter how strong of a warrior you are, you are still pregnant!" Ronja huffed, and Aethelthryth felt the tip of the sword near her thigh.

"What do you suggest, your Grace?" Aethelthryth scowled at her amused expression. Any plan would be better than charging into battle headfirst. A pregnant woman, two other women who had no idea how to wield a sword, and two men, what a deadly combination. Well, those men were probably exceptional fighters, but she didn't see them fighting a hundred men.

So Aethelthryth gave her a grin, "We run, use the catacombs." Ronja gave her a confused stare. "Underground tunnels," she clarified. Ronja lowered the sword, a glint in her eyes. She gave the sword to Gorm before asking, "You have these here?" Aethelthryth nodded.

"Of course, why do you think you caught us outside the castle when we were surrounded?" She gave the group a commanding look, "First we go to my room, I have gold hidden under my bed, and then we go to the tunnels." She started leading the way swiftly. It will be soon that they will flood the castle.

Ronja caught up quickly, "We searched the room and didn't find anything." Aethelthryth hummed before opening her door and ushering everyone inside. She doubted that the men they sent to their rooms investigated enough. She commanded Elfreda to help her push the bed aside. Then she turned to Arne, "Smash the planks!" Earthen floor was all around the castle, but her and father's room had been made of wood. Conveniently enough to hide anything underneath by pulling the planks out, but they didn't have time for that. Arne shrugged before pulling out his axe and destroying the planks. She pulled two bags, throwing one at Ronja and tying the second one around her waist.

"We need to get out before they overtake the castle!" She whispered for them to follow her before leading the way down to the prison cells. Her heart was beating fast, and she could hardly hear anything over it. She did not want to go back down to the place, but what other joice did she have? Give up and let these Lords butcher her. For them, Ronja was more valuable than her. They walked past the cell, and she avoided looking inside any of them. For the fear that she might see her father's mangled corpses even if he was buried outside.

Once they were at the end of the room, Ronja scoffed, "Now what? Stare at a wall and pray to your God to tear it down." Elfreda gave her an offended look, clearly hearing the insult towards their God. Aethelthryth ignored it and looked for the small lever. Her fingers slid in the dark, only small light coming from behind her. Once her fingers grazed the plump surface, she pulled. The door slightly opened, and the arguing behind her ceased. She grinned triumphantly.

"A lot of castles have a secret passage built into the original structure. These tunnels were here even before my father seized it. He just made them more stable." She quickly ushered everyone inside the dark catacombs. As she was ready to close the door, she cursed. Elfreda behind her tapped her shoulder. With a soft smile, she held the oil lamp. Aethelthryth exhaled in relief.

"You can't think about everything." She nodded gratefully. If they walked without light, who knew what could happen. She pushed with all her might, but the door wouldn't klick close. Arne's hand squeezed her shoulder. She gratefully nodded before shifting along the wall to the front of the group. The secret passages were small only for two people to fit next to each other.

What they probably didn't expect was the broad-shouldered Vikings. Gorm walked at the back of the group after Ronja. She was clutching her stomach, and Aethelthryth could tell that by her loud breathing, she was in pain. Before, Ronja walked Arne, who probably wanted to work as a wall between the females. At the front of the group was Elfreda with the lamp.

"How long until we reach outside?" She could hear Ronja's painful whimper and twirled around. She gazed at her stomach. Ronja's hands were holding the bump, her left hand clenched.

Aethelthryth gave her a guilty look, "Some more minutes until we reached the crossroad. The right one leads to the outskirts of the woods, which I don't think is a good idea since they are probably hidden there. If we take the left, it will lead us to a small village, but it will take about two hours." Ronja cursed before leaning onto the wall.

"Two hours in these tunnels?" Aethelthryth shook her head, "I'm not sure but not the whole time in the tunnels. We'll climb out about three miles away from the first house from the village." Ronja heaved, struggling.

She leaned her forehead onto the wall, "I will kill Ivar for being so impatient!" Small chuckles passed through the group. Aethelthryth looked at Gorm, not in the eyes though, the man was too intimidating for that, "We'll continue on, and if something is too painful, Gorm will carry you." Ronja scoffed, clearly despising being treated like a child.

"Let's hurry," Aethelthryth pushed the group forward. She could only hope that Ubbe heard about the attack. Her hope moved to the Vikings men above them, fighting for their lives. Maybe one of them will survive and deliver what happened here to Ubbe. She did not doubt that Ivar will raise hell to get in time to his wife. But her eyes turned to Ronja, with the painfully twisted face, she doubted that he would be there for his child's birth. God, she hoped they won't have to pull the child out in this disgusting tunnel.