Always Be By My Side - Sequel to Always Return to Me (The Last Kingdom Fan Fic)

Chapter 14

Ragnar

I sat on a stool with my back to the wall as I whittled a small deer for Little Ragnar. I heard stirring from the furs on our bed and turned my attention to her waking up from a deep sleep. "How long did I sleep for?" She sleepily whispered.

"Not too long my love," I replied, smoothing an antler with my thumb.

She lazily rolled onto her side and reached for my shirt, gracefully slipping it over her head. The too large shirt looked nice on her and I raised my brow in amusement as she glided over to where I sat. She plopped down next to me and rested her chin on my thigh, cushioning it with her hand.

"We should talk about my trip now," she said.

"Alright," I replied, waiting for her.

"I have good and tragic news."

"Let's hear the good news first."

"Uhtred is looking forward to seeing you and has ten men to take Bebbanburg with."

"He wasn't mad?"

"No, he loves you. You're his brother, forever and always."

"Ten men plus our twenty is hardly an army."

"I know. But we do fight better than Aelfric's men."

"But he has the advantage."

"True..."

"No matter, I will fight by my brother's side to the death if he is still committed to this."

"He has a plan that should help us. He's learned of two monks sent by the turd King Aethelred of Mercia. You remember him?"

"Fondly," I laughed, having only met the sniveling wreck once while watching my wife punch him out.

"Well, Uhtred will use them to gain entry. He's enlisted Uhtred the Younger to help."

"A full family reunion," I smiled.

"Yes." The hesitation in her tone concerned me. I shifted and moved to sit on the floor with her. She adverted my gaze which alarmed me more. "What?"

"The tragic news?" She bit her lip, and I could tell was fighting back tears. I silently waited, while she took a few breaths before looking me dead in the eyes. "Thyra's dead."

Her words hit hard. I felt like all of the air had been knocked out of my gut. "How?" I managed to whisper.

"A fire," she replied, studying my face.

I scoffed. It seemed as though the gods had a plan to wipe my entire family out by way of fire.

"Are you ok?" She asked.

"Aye...I'll be fine," I replied, wrapping my arms around her and holding her tightly to me. The thought of what I would do if the gods saw fit to take her from me flashed through my mind. They would know no greater fury. I buried my face in her hair so she could not see me cry as I mourned my sister, and my family. We stayed like that a long while until I felt ready to face the world again. I felt her clutching my and gently patting my back. After a while longer I insisted that I was fine and that we should prepare the plans for our part in the fight for Bebbanburg. She nodded, and quickly looked away, but not before I noticed her eyes were wet with tears.

~~~~~

I managed to assemble twenty extra men who wanted to stay behind from the big army to defend against the Scots. Also, any chance to kill Saxons was motivation enough for many of them. The remainder of my men marched with my cousin, Cnut, and Earl Heastan under the leadership of my trusted second in command. After we'd beat back the Scottish threat, I was to join them south.