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

Chapter 17

"Small?" Uhtred asked again, looking at Ragnar with disbelief. I shrugged.

Ragnar ignored him. "You know my name, but I don't believe I've had the pleasure of knowing yours," Ragnar replied, calmly, his hands resting on his belt.

"Aksel Kjartanson! Son of Kjartan Kjartanson. I've come to claim what is rightfully mine."

"This is some trick of the gods right?" I asked, staring at the dark haired Dane. In his black eyes I saw fury and the familiar flicker of Kjartan.

Uhtred looked at Sihtric. "I thought you were his only bastard son?"

"Apparently not," Sihtric replied, eyeing his newly found half brother.

"And what do you think is rightfully yours?" Ragnar smirked, seemingly unsettled.

"Dunholm, and everything you own," he raised his eyebrow at me. I scowled and instinctively reached for my blade. Ragnar stopped me with a brush of his hand.

"Look, we're not here to cause any trouble," Uhtred tried to address the crowd.

"I know all about you Uhtred Dane slayer," Aksel sneered. Uhtred turned an awful shade of white and seemed to struggle to come up with anything to say.

"Just get out of our way, we'll deal with this later," I snarled.

"I know about you too, Nadia Thurgilson," his eyes moved to me.

"Then you know what I do to men like you and your father," I sneered back. I scoffed as he flinched slightly, he knew.

"Are you all really willing to die for this fool?" Ragnar asked the crowd. "Do you even know this fool? How do you know he is who he says he is? Kjartan had one son, Sven Kjartanson, who perished the same day as he."

There were murmurs and the crowd seemed to quickly dissipate, many were most likely just there to watch. Askel watched as ten men remained behind him,

"Six to ten, I like those odds," Finan growled.

Askel seemed to ponder this. "Leave them," Askel ordered his men. "This isn't over Ragnarson. I will reclaim what is mine. Don't close your eyes for a moment! I'll be there and I will kill your family and make you watch. You will suffer."

"You better be prepared to back those threats up," Ragnar chuckled, clearly making Askel more infuriated.

"Let's go, now Ragnar," Uhtred urged his brother forward. Finan following suit by steering me away from letting loose my dagger at the little shit's taunting face.

Back in the boat we cast off quick and Ragnar quietly fumed. "We could've killed them all."

"Is his death really worth reopening a blood feud with the Kjartansons?" Uhtred asked.

"If he is who he says he is, he's going to come for me one of these days," Ragnar grumbled.

"But at least you know that. What if he has sons? You won't know who they are, or when they're coming for you," Uhtred replied, unusually mature for him.

"When did you grow up?" I teased him.

"I promise, I'll be there for you when the time comes," Uhtred said, placing a hand on Ragnar's shoulder.

Ragnar nodded. Uhtred stood and went to the other side of the small boat. "It'll be ok," I said.

"Will this blood feud never end?" Ragnar asked.

"They killed your family first," I reminded him.

"Even so, I need to find out who this bastard is and if he has any children."