Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 59

My breath hitched in my throat as Steapa's large blade swung fast towards Uhtred's unprotected head. Uhtred had Serpent-Breath up in a defensive position, but I knew well enough that the brunt force of Steapa's weapon would most likely shatter Uhtred's blade into pieces.

I was ready to close my eyes when Leofric gently nudged me. I looked up, the clever Uhtred had run past the giant and was jabbing, drawing blood. He continued to dance around his strong, but slower opponent. Steapa caught on and began to make it more difficult for Uhtred to freely move about. He was evidently smarter than he looked. 

I watched as Steapa pushed Uhtred closer to the crowd, attempting to trap him. It was then I spotted her. She calmly peeled away from the spectators and I dashed off with a confused Leofric watching after me. I quickly cut her off, granted she wasn't really trying to run. We stood face to face, weapons drawn in the deserted street.

"Tara," she stared at me, unflinching. Her lips pressed into a tight line. I watched her grip tighten ever so slightly on her axe.

"Brida," I replied, staring her down just as firmly. I had my sword drawn. Her eyes darted from it to my face.

"Are you going to stop me?"

"Do you have a reason I should?"

Her dark eyes studied me, looking for any tiny betrayal that would give her the advantage.

"Just passing through," she said.

"Is Ragnar with you?" I asked, putting things together rather quickly. Brida was a scout. The Danes were here.

"Aye," she replied.

I took my time studying her. Her hand had a small tremble. Just at that moment I spotted a Saxon guard coming toward us. My dagger was let loose, whizzing past Brida's head finding its mark in the man's throat. Brida looked at me in shock.

"Tell Ragnar he better hurry."

She looked at me confused, but nodded. She moved past me, her weapon still drawn and her eyes not leaving me until she was sure I wasn't going to stab her in the back. Once she was at a safe distance I watched her take off into a run towards the unguarded edge of the city. Fools. The Saxons deserved what was about to come their way.

I returned to the fight and found Uhtred and Steapa were both bleeding rather badly but neither was dead, nor willing to yield.  "Come on Ragnar," I muttered lowly in Danish.

"What?" Leofric asked, not really paying attention.

"How's he doing?" I asked louder, in Leofric's tongue. 

"The arseling is putting up a good fight."

We watched on. The distant screams came first, and before anyone knew what was happening a hoard of Danes charged into the square wreaking havoc. Steapa and Uhtred quit fighting and turned on the new enemy. Odda the Younger and the rest of the king's men fled for safety behind the wall. Cowards. The Danes beat on the heavy wood doors and I knew they would probably soon breach the flimsy barricade.

I shoved myself through the panicked crowd and placed myself at Uhtred's side, Leofric following closely behind. "Can you run?" I asked him. He nodded. The three of us tore away from the slaughter. Total chaos had erupted. Uhtred led us towards the stables where we watched Young Odda and the other king's men riding off, saving their own hides.

"How nice it must be to be of noble birth with no morals," I spat.

"Indeed," Leofric agreed. "There's nothing left here but shit," he complained.

The stables were indeed empty of all horses. We were stuck on foot. Uhtred looked out at the massacre and I could see he was trying to think. "We should find somewhere to hide," he said.