Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 61

To say that being on the run in winter was discomforting is an understatement. We huddled from abandoned place to place, scrounging up whatever game we could. The sheer bitterness of the windchill forced us to risk lighting fires at night so that we didn't freeze to death. To quote Leofric, "light a fire and risk getting captured and tortured, or torture ourselves as we freeze to death. " We choose the latter.

As the cold continued to eat away at our spirits, and limbs, I swear that Leofric looked like his was on the brink of going mad as the first frost came. The nun bless her never complained one bit. She looked on in silence at as the three of use continuously grumbled about how miserable we were. One would hardly know that we were the hardened warriors. 

With Danes scouring the countryside, Uhtred and Leofric decided we should move south, further away from Daneland. We had not a clue who had survived the attack, and Leofric, the sworn man of Alfred, continued to hold out hope that his king had gotten away just before the Danes swarmed. Uhtred on the other hand, confided that he hoped Alfred had gotten what was coming to him.

"What about Bebbanburg?" I asked him.

"Ragnar," He replied. 

I understood his meaning and too hoped that Alfred had somehow perished. But the further south we went, the less news we heard about the fate of the devious and sickly king. 

After several days of stalking through the woods and open fields we finally climbed a hill and saw the marshes of the sea laid out before us. 

"A great swamp," Leofric bemoaned.

"Safety," Uhtred offered.

"Insanity," I chimed in. Leofric nodded in agreement. 

"The marshes of the sea," Hild calmly added.

We all sat down, exhaustion showing in our eyes. I leaned against Uhtred and watched Hild pass out the remains of our rations. Leofric took a swig from our waterskin and passed it around. 

"Beyond the marshes is the Saefern," Uhtred broke the silence. "From there we can get to Defnascir." 

"The question is, do we go around it? Or through it?" Leofric grumbled, gnawing at his chunk of stale and potentially mold covered bread.

"Around it means Danes," I replied. Uhtred nodded, lost in thought. 

"Through it means dangers untold," Leofric finished.

"Quite the predicament we find ourselves in," I mused.

"Up to our necks in it," he grumbled in response.

Uhtred shifted and turned to look out. My side felt cold now I was no longer pressed against him. "There are huts out there in the distance," he said.

"So there is chance of shelter. I like those odds," Leofric replied.

"You won't be able to reach them until the tide goes out, unless you have a boat," Hild calmly said as she packed up what remained of our stale bread.

"This is true," Leofric nodded.

"So we wait," Uhtred decided.

"We wait," Leofric agreed.

"Look down there," I exclaimed. Eight eyes stared at the tree-line below us where birds took flight. 

"Dinner?" Leofric greedily lipped his chapped lips.

"No, someone's coming."

We all laid down on our stomachs and continued to peer over the edge. The cold earth was unwelcome, but better than being seen. We silently watched as six priests appeared at the woods edge. They seemed to be in a great hurry, and were unaware of our presence as they scampered towards the marshes. 

"Wonder what they're carrying," Leofric smiled wickedly.

"Silver," Uhtred said.

"Books," Hild offered.

"Food," Leofric grinned.

"Look, there's three women and two children with them," I said, pointing to the next group of people to emerge from the trees. 

"I know that silver fur cloak from somewhere," Uhtred bit his lip and furrowed his brow.

"That's not all," Leofric drew our attention left of the priests and their charges. Six Danes on horseback were charging at them from a distance. We watched the party scramble in the opposite direction towards the marshes. 

"Guthrums men." My shoulders fell at the sight of their lord's banner. Guthrum would not be far behind.

Uhtred drew his sword.

"What are you doing arseling?" Leofric demanded.

"We can't leave them to die," Uhtred replied. The horsemen had reached the six priests who it turned out were armed, and most likely not priests. Two of them were easily slaughtered while the other four put up more of a fight. 

"Three against six on horseback, not great odds," Leofric grumbled. "But I'll take those odds."

Uhtred turned to Hild and ordered her to run for the marshes. She nodded. To Leofric and I he exchanged a look I knew well. "Glory or Valhalla," I smiled, drawing my blade, knowing it would better my odds against horsemen. 

Uhtred let out a terrifying war cry that stopped the riders in their stead. Their beasts reeled backwards but soon were under control as we charged at them from our hiding spot. The downhill momentum and adrenaline expediting our descent. I stole a glance at Hild who was running towards the women and children, her short blade Uhtred had given her drawn and clutched tightly in her hand. She seemed to assure them we were friends and ushered them towards the marshes. I drew my attention back to the fight at hand and realized that the four remaining priests were in fact men in Alfred's guard. I quickly searched for Uhtred and saw that without hesitation he had flung himself from the small incline into one of the horsemen. The two toppled to the ground. The horse panicked and rode off, assumedly home as they do.

Leofric was engaged with another man, trying to knock him off the horse without being trampled himself. I found myself clashing blades with another. I was on the defense, protecting my head from his heavy blows. Being on foot, I was able to maneuver around him more quickly and finally got a blow in, slicing open his leg. He yelled in pain as his leg steamed, fresh with blood. I drew my dagger and it met its mark. The man fell off his horse, dead. I barely had a moment to breathe when I noticed more horsemen charging at us. Uhtred saw them too, and shouted at all of us to run for the marshes. He didn't need to tell me twice. I retrieved my dagger and tore off with Leofric and him at my heels. "Three to six huh?" I winked at them.

"Just run," Leofric huffed.

We hit the edge of the marsh and Uhtred ushered Hild, the women, children, and an actual priest who had not fought with the soldiers down a narrow path. He shoved Leofric ahead of him and asked for Naegling. I handed her over without hesitation. Uhtred told me to keep running, and I obeyed, turning to watch as he bent down low and took out the horse charging at him's legs. The rider was flung from the horse into the frigid swamp waters where he flopped around, before sinking into its depths. Us Danes are masters of the sea, but we are not known for being able to swim. I watched as the beast writhed in pain, and Uhtred quickly put it out of its misery. He ran to join us at the top of the pathway and we watched as the remaining pursing Danes dismounted and clumsily clambered over the dead animal. Uhtred handed Naegling back. I gave my sword to Hild, and gripped Naegling's handle tightly. It was time to make her sing.