Northumbria ✓

23

Ubbe effortlessly jumped into the cart. His tall frame dwarfing her as he drew close. He looked at the baby in her arms and raised a brow. Aethelthryth's lips pulled into a smile, "It's not mine," she said jokingly. He smirked at her before his hand rested on her hip. Soon Ivar was taking his son into his arms. He cuddled Ragnar and Ronja on the cart while the rest ridden on horses. She leaned her back onto Ubbe's chest, and his arms tightened around her.

"You knew that the Lords weren't going to come," she stated the obvious in a whisper. Ubbe sighed before his breath ghosted her ear, "Lord Ecgberht came to us. He swore his alliance and told us about their plan of not joining us but attack us. Their armies were supposed to wait at Newcastle, but they weren't there. We took the castle, and then Gorm arrived that the Lords attacked you." Her brows furrowed.

She turned her head slightly, "What will he get in return?" Ubbe kissed her cheek, his voice light, "He will be our pawn." Aethelhtryth did not understand. "We will make him a King, but he will answer to us. We'll make him rule from Newcastle. He will do what we want him to do." She nodded her head. Deep down, she already knew that Ronja wasn't going to make her a Queen.

"Messenger came from Irvina. She wants Gorm to travel back home. Ivar and Ronja will travel back in a week with him once everything in Newcastle settles. I'm still unsure about Hvitserk. Bjorn and Gunnhild will arrive after them. Bjorn is itching for a fight." Her hand rested over his that was on her stomach. She looked towards the group that was traveling before her. Elfreda was sitting with Arne at the place they sat before. Ubbe probably wanted to go to his people too. He wasn't a man that wanted to venture and slay, no he wanted to settle down. But he wouldn't be able to settle down here. People would hunt him down.

So she asked, "What about you?" His lips ghosted her ear, and she could imagine him grinning, "I'll go wherever you go." Her breath hitched at his simple answer. She admired how easily that answer came from him. Her whole face crumbled. She was already throwing all her values away, so why not some more.

*

It took them hours to reach Newcastle, and Aethlethryth grew even more annoyed. Ubbe could not only see it on her face whenever she turned but also feel it from her. So when they finally climbed off the horse, he was relieved. They could finally rest, and he could spend some silent moments with the princess. Only laying in each other's arms was enough to calm him down. And Gods knew he needed it after the hard day. The conquering of Newcastle only took them a few hours. They attacked the second they arrived, it was still night, and they came as a surprise. After the short-lived victory, Gorm arrived with urgency.

That Ronja gave birth was shocking for everyone, but he was a lot more concerned about his princess. The questions he had were clouded in concern. He begged his Gods to protect her, and in the end, they did. When he saw her holding his nephew and beating that head of the man, he was relieved. He was happy and excited that he could hardly wait to feel her in his arms.

Now Aethelthryth jumped off the horse, and instead of pulling him into the room he took for himself, she turned to Elfreda. And yes, he expected her to want him after the words he told her. When he talked with Hvitserk, the first real talk they had after a while, his brother told him to tell her what she probably wanted to hear. But Aethelthryth didn't look calm or excited about him offering to stay in her homeland. No, she looked ready to chop him into pieces. That confused him immensely.

Before she could walk to Elfreda and probably find a place they would hide at he grabbed her wrist. She turned to him, and he raised a brow at her hostile expression. Then he was pulling her along, and to his surprise, she followed. Maybe she figured that she would have nowhere else to sleep if she didn't go with him. He wanted to assure her that Arne would take care of Elfreda, but at the moment, he didn't really care.

"I thought you would be happy to hear that I would stay here?" He still pulled her along until they reached the room he chose. Ubbe close the door behind them. This room wasn't as beautiful as those at her castle, but they would do until they decided what next.

She frowned, "You didn't make it any easier for me." He raised a brow. "How could you ever be happy here?" He sighed this time before advancing. He grabbed both of her hands. Softly he intertwined them with his.

"I'll be happy with you," he brought both of her hands to his lips and kissed her palms. "Would you be happy here?" Aethelthryth shook her head. Tears sprung into her eyes.

She tucked him towards her so she could lay her head onto his chest, "They will hate me if I stay, but what would I do in Norway. I cannot farm. I was not raised to do hard work." She almost sounded as if she was whining.

"There is nothing wrong with that. You could learn how to fight, or help Ronja in Kattegat, or help the cooks." His fingers tilted her head, so they made eye contact. His fingers trailed over her cheeks, wiping the few tears that escaped her eyes.

He smiled, "Or we could stay here, a small house near some village."

She scoffed, "So they could kill us in our sleep?!" He grinned before giving her a small peck.

"It's true that in Norway, we will be more protected, but it's whatever you want," she nodded at his words, deep down, she was already decided.