Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 60

Ragnar looked surprised to see me again, but received his share of the plunder and awarded me a pouch full of coins. It wasn't worth what I had brought back, but it didn't matter, it was something. Besides, as lord, Ragnar was expected to take a larger share.

The festivities began, and as the sky grew darker and the stars crept out, men began to fall where they stood, including a very drunk Barth. As I slipped away from the merriment I caught Ragnar's eye watching me. He gave me a small nod before chugging down the remainder of his ale and turning his attentions to talking to Guthrum who seemed to have not noticed my presence. Just another woman. Over the years I have found that we all look alike to men, particularly when they're drunk.

I weaved my way through the dark city, every so often glancing over my shoulder to ensure that I wasn't being followed. After a few more false turns and a sense that I was completely alone, I made my way into the cottage where Uhtred and Leofric were hiding.

"Uhtred?" I whispered into the dark.

Two glowing orbs appeared above me. "Tara?"

I sighed in relief and felt my way to the ladder and scurried up it. Once secure in the loft I quickly silenced any protests from him by handing him the silver. He looked disapprovingly at me but didn't protest.

Uhtred insisted that we wait a bit longer to ensure that I truly wasn't followed. His lack of faith in my abilities to sneak around annoyed me, but as fate would have it, we heard a couple of loud rowdy voices nearing the house we were hiding in. I shrugged at Uhtred who was staring at me in disbelief. Leofric looked hungry for blood, I hoped it wasn't mine. We held our breaths and were as still as ice, as two large Danes entered our place of shelter. They seemed unaware of us being there and I beamed in triumph at Uhtred who rolled his eyes. I peered over the edge of the loft and saw why we were of little consequence to them. Below they had a nun held down on a table. I knew what they were going to do and felt my fingers itch towards my knife. Her tear filled eyes stared up and met mine. Something in me snapped. Her stare called me to her. Uhtred stirred first, but was too late. I had already flung myself down on the nearest Dane's back, my knife meeting his neck. His friend was surprised and barely had time to draw his sword before Uhtred descended upon him.

The nun in the most unholy manner stunned me as she seized my knife from the man's neck and began repeatedly plunging it into his chest with no mercy. Having finished off his opponent, Uhtred calmly seized hold of her hand and shushed her. She cried and collapsed into his arms. He quickly handed my back my knife and gently rocked her like a child.

With the Danes slaughtered, Leofric insisted that we move quick. Uhtred nodded in agreement and looked to the nun. "Can you walk?" She nodded.

With Leofric donning one of the dead Dane's helmets at the front and Uhtred doing likewise at the back, our small group crept from our place of hiding and toward the gates.

The deserted city lay in front of us and we were about to cross the threshold of the wall before the final gate, when a sober Brida stepped out of the shadows. "Up to our necks," Leofric grumbled.

"Uhtred," Brida greeted us, brandishing her axe.

"Brida," Uhtred replied calmly, stepping forward.

"Your big dumb head doesn't fit in that helmet Leofric," she teased.

"Nice to see you too Brida," Leofric replied.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"Away from here," Untred responded.

"You're going to Alfred aren't you?"

"As far as I know he's dead," Uhtred lied.

"Then why not stay here?"

"There's nothing here for me."

"We're your family."

"Last time I checked Guthrum wanted my head on a spike," Uhtred chuckled.

Brida did not look amused. She shifted her axe between her hands, giving it a small twirl. Its blade gleamed in the moonlight. "Why should I let you go?" She asked, eyeing our odd group of allies. "What's stopping me from calling for help?"

"Didn't Earl Ragnar teach you to not play with your prey?" I taunted her.

Her gaze shifted to me. She raised her brows and smirked. "So you're my prey?"

"I'm your worst nightmare," I snarled.

Brida was in a fighting mood. Her eyes flashed with rage. She was hotheaded and looking for a reason to fight. I wondered what had her so wound up, but simultaneously didn't care. Uhtred shot me a warning glance that I ignored. He may have thought that he could talk sense into Brida, but I could tell she was biding her time, like a viper ready to strike.

"So sure of yourself Tara," Brida snapped. I had her where I wanted her.

"How about you let us pass. Nobody needs to get hurt," I smiled. "Or I can knock you on your arse."

"Tsk. You really think you can beat me?"

"I know I can beat you." No sooner were the words out of my mouth, I was ducking from a swinging blade.

"Tara," Uhtred half hissed, half yelled.

I ignored him and easily clobbered Brida on the head with the butt end of my axe. She growled low and charged at my legs, taking us to the ground. A group of assumedly Danes running toward us sounded and I shouted at Uhtred to go. He hesitated but was dragged off by Leofric and the nun. I gave Brida a quick head-butt to the face. She gripped her nose in pain as blood flowed. I swung around her and wrapped my arms round her neck and apologized as I temporarily put her to sleep. The group of Danes were upon us and stared with confusion at the scene before them. As far as they could tell, two Danish women were having a disagreement.

I disentangled myself from Brida and told them she was drunk. One of the replied that she had seemed fine only moments ago. I shrugged and reminded them she was Earl Ragnar's woman and I should get her back to him. They stared at me uneasily but must've decided I was harmless.

I not so gracefully stumbled off with Brida hanging off my shoulder. Ensuring that we hadn't been followed I left her hidden in a hayloft. "Sorry Brida," I whispered to her before descending back to solid ground.

I glanced about the empty streets and silent as a mouse crept through the deserted city. I easily slipped passed the drunk men guarding the gates.

I continued to calmly walk away until I reached where the path began to merge with the woods. I glanced behind me and saw a shadowy figure watching from the wall. No alarm was sounded as I sprinted out of sight.

I easily caught up with Uhtred, Leofric, and the nun, who I learned was called Hild. The four of us huddled round a small fire. We decided that not freezing to death outweighed being seen by the Danes.

Uhtred spent who knows how long lecturing me. Most of which I wasn't paying attention to and decided to silence him with a quick kiss. Uhtred stopped chiding me and kissed me back. The nun crossed herself and diverted her head down. Leofric's face grew slightly red. He made some excuse about finding more wood for the fire and strolled off into the cold night.

"You've made Leofric runaway," Uhtred playfully scolded.

"Me? I'm not the one who..." I stopped feeling somewhat aware of Hild's discomfort. "To be continued," I grinned wickedly.

I felt Uhtred's wandering hand caress my lower back out of sight of Hild. I glanced sideways at him and he pretended to ignore me. I inched closer to him and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders, encasing us in his fur cloak. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and was soon drifting off to the sound of his steady breathing.