Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 50

***Warning, this chapter is a tad bit gory!***

The next day we went along with the Saxons of Wessex to negotiate with Ubba, the word, negotiate, merely a formality, for Ubba would negotiate with no one be they Dane or Saxon. We arrived at the bottom of the hill, and I observed Ubba and his sorcerer Storri watching us approach, a few of his armed men standing in the background.

Uhtred fearlessly stood at the front of our party and made the introductions, "Lord Ubba, may I present the Lord Odda of Wesesx."

Ubba's eyes narrowed, and his finger caressed his weapon. "There never seems to be a meeting that you do not attend. Is there more than one of you?"

Uhtred ignored his comment and continued, "Lord Ubba, Odda is Alfred's most trusted general."

"I don't give a shit who he is. All he needs to do is surrender," Ubba smiled.

"There will be no surrender," Lord Odda firmly inserted.

"What will there be then?" Ubba continued to smile, clearly having no intention of negotiating anything.

"There will be no surrender. I will however invite you to return to your ships. Guthrum may have broken the peace, but there's no need for Ubba to do likewise," Lord Odda replied diplomatically. I will confess, the calmness in his voice was impressive as he faced down Ubba, one of the most unreasonable and temperamental Lords that caused most other Danish Earls to quake in their boots.

"We will not be returning to our ships," Ubba retorted, still smiling.

"And I shall not be moving from this hill," Lord Odda held his ground. Ubba chuckled. "You have no business in Wessex."

"My business is to kill you."

"You may try," Odda smiled back. Ubba moved forward. My hand moved towards my blade, ready to draw.

"Guthrum's fleet is gone. Njord reached out from the deep and dragged Guthrum's fleet to the seabed," Uhtred interjected.

Ubba's smile finally vanished from his face. He turned to Uhtred, "You're lying."

"We watched the fleet die and its men go under," I added.

Ubba looked in my direction and eyed me. "Tara. Why do you fight with them?"

"I fight with Uhtred Ragnarson," I replied. "Not the Saxons. Uhtred speaks the truth, Njord took Guthrum's fleet."

Ubba began to look panicked and turned to his sorcerer. "Storri what do you say?"

"Lord, I do not see for Guthrum, I... I see for you," Storri replied nervously.

"Of course he doesn't see Guthrum, he has no real powers," Uhtred sneered.

"No, they're lies. They're all lies," Storri desperately protested.

"You're next to die Ubba. I know it, Tara cast the runes," Uhtred continued to goad.

"Her? That's an even bigger lie!" Storri shouted.

"The blood of Freya and the runes say the Gods are angry with you Storri. They're clouding your vision," I played along, picking up on what Uhtred was doing.

"Freya?" Storri desperately looked from me to Uhtred to Ubba who looked less satisfied with himself.

"Earl Ragnar the fearless is with the Gods and they're angry with you. You left his death unpunished," Uhtred continued to press Ubba.

"Avenging Earl Ragnar is not my business!" Ubba was very upset now, practically hissing at Uhtred. "That's for his son."

"Who you cast out," I spat.