Kingdom Come

III. Slavers

I'll be there for you

These five words I swear to you

When you breathe, I wanna be the air for you

I'll be there for you

I'd live and I'd die for you

I'd steal the sun from the sky for you

Words can't say what love can do

I'll be there for you

Jaehaera and her father Uhtred gathered around their turd King. Sihtric and Bjorn stood on either side of her while she stood behind her father. Hild stood nearby with Clapa and Halig. "Sigefrid and his army are not beyond the Tuede," the turd king announced to everyone what some of them already knew. "It stands between us, and Eoferwic." it's not an army you turd for brain 'king' she thought to herself while rolling her eyes, hiding the action by looking at her feet. How many times do we have to tell you?

"But it is not an army," Her father added as if hearing her thoughts. "We are more than three times their number."

"So we kill them," Ulf added. Yes, Jaehaera thought in agreement.

"No," the turd king answered. "No, we do not kill them." Jaehaera looked down and rolled her eyes again. The action became something Bjorn and Sihtric have become accustomed to by now. Sihtric smirked inwardly. "We must consider the battles that lie ahead. Beyond Erik is Kjartan, beyond Kjartan is Aelfric."

"And what you must do, Lord," her father spoke again, "is win the first, and this could be done this very night."

Guthred took in a breath and released it. "I have decided that we shall negotiate."

"We bargain?" Ulf asked, his voice having a bit of a bite to it. She liked him. "With an army so small?" Halig looked at Hild and the other three.

"The brothers and their man, they are a useful addition to our own numbers," the abbot's voice explained further. She wanted to kill this man and place his head on a stick as a warning.

"Why do you insist on inviting strangers into the household guard?" her father asked. Finally saying what she and the others had been thinking.

"And what of the silver?" Ulf added on.

"I have made my decision," the king told them. It's a shit decision, but what can be expected of a shit king, she thought as she moved some dirt with her foot. She looked down to hide the annoyance that had to be written all over her face. "A message has been sent."

"It will mean less silver," Ulf added again as her father looked away from the king with annoyance and disapproval.

"Ulf, it will mean more silver," the abbot added. Jaehaera rolled her eyes but covered the action by looking up at the sky above them. If there truly was a Christian God, she would hope that he would strike him now with lightning. "From Eoferwic, Kjartan and Bebbanburg-"

"Bebbanburg, and what lies within it, belongs to no man but me," Her father commented sternly.

"You are for yourself, it would appear," the abbot shot back. Jaehaera put her hand in her cloak and took hold of her knives to throw, but Hild grabbed her arm.