Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
╚════════*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*════════╝
Althea knew Uhtred and his boys would be leaving soon for Lundene and she refused to be left behind, Gisela and her sister both tried to tell her it wasn't safe but she ignored them. Althea was on a mission to convince Uhtred to allow her to join them, but Sihtric didn't take much convincing. He didn't trust her family or Geoffrey so he was immediately in agreement with the idea and the fact she rocked his world after helping seal the deal.
"Uhtred, please. I know how to fight and they won't consider me a threat, which is a good thing, right?" Uhtred sighed and looked to Finan who shrugged.
"The brothers are unpredictable and you are the daughter of the king, I don't want you to be harmed." She frowned when he patted the top of her head.
"You both know I'll be safer there with you, Geoffrey still lurks around here watching me. I don't feel safe here anymore, Uhtred." The dane softened immensely and pulled her into a hug, she noticed Finan had an angry fire in his eyes at the mention of the lord of East Anglia.
"If I allow this, you must listen to me. Gisela and I consider you as a child of ours, I would never forgive myself if you got hurt." Althea lit up instantly and kissed the side of his head thanking him before running off to find her husband.
"Poor Sihtric, he will never be able to deny her anything." Finan said with a playful smile as they watched Althea kiss Sihtric who melted into her arms. After they prepared everything they set out to Lundene which she knew was an extremely dangerous place for women and children.
"They say Lundene is dangerous." Sihtric says quietly, his eyes never leaving Althea who walks ahead.
"Oh, it is but Lundene is alive with every kind of life." Finan reaches out to pull Althea between them and she unconsciously leans into Sihtric's side, her husband wraps an arm around her waist as he listens to his friend.
"I hear women do not walk in the streets unguarded, that bodies are round in the river, daily." Althea looks at Sihtric and Finan with amusement as Uhtred walks past them.
"Twice daily, with each and every ride. Which is why, Althea must remain with one of us at all times." While her husband and Finan talk of this place she moves to Uhtred's side.
"Does this feel weird to you? I don't think it's a trap, exactly, but it feels off." She whispers, Uhtred glares at the men looking her way and places a hand on the hilt of his dagger.
"I had hoped it was just me." The two walked quietly into the fortress when the Mercian lord began to question Uhtred.
"Uhtred, how is it that you know these streets so well?"
"I stayed here for a time, with Earl Ragnar the fearless, when I was a boy." Althea perked up at hearing more about Uhtred.
"When you were a dane?" Aethelred stated causing Uhtred to glare at him. Althea placed a hand on Uhtred's arm to draw him back to what was important. Althea waited for her husband as the men talked strategy, the beautiful dane smiled at her when she interlaced their fingers together. They walk until they reach an archway where a priest was nailed to a cross.
"God preserve us."
"It is a death, nothing more." The group walks past the man and sees two men waiting for them. Althea had never seen a dead body but she was surprised how little it bothered her.
"Uhtred Ragnarsson! The future king of Mercia! Welcome to Lundene, your new home should you want it." A dane said overly cheery but she could see the darkness in his eyes. The eyes never lie.
"Sigefrid, I thought you might want to kill me still." She watched closely as the Dane gave a fake smile.
"Oh, for a long time, I did. But then I grew to like my new hand. Though, I have to be careful when wiping my arse." He showed his new limb off with a grin.
"He's lying." She spoke drawing the attention of the two Danes. "I can see it in his eyes, Uhtred. He's deceiving you." She glared at the male as she walked to Uhtred.
"And who might this beauty be?" Sigefrid questioned moving closer, Uhtred placed his arm out in front of her in protection.
"Lady Althea, is it not?" The blonde brother stated looking at Sigefrid with a smirk. "It is good to see you here, Uhtred. Though your friends are not familiar."
"This is Aethelred of Mercia."
"Lord, my spies tell me you are to marry one of Alfred's daughters." The dane looks at her in question while Aethelred scoffs.
"Your spies are wrong, lord. I've already married one of his daughters." He boasted and she looked to Uhtred with an annoyed look.
"And you, princess? Where is your Saxon husband?" Sigefrid taunts with a grin, she pushes past Uhtred and stands directly in front of Sigefrid, much to his own surprise.
"I have no Saxon husband, I married a dane. In fact, it was one of Uhtred's men, lord." She watched as the brothers looked at one another in shock and they gave her a nod of approval. Erik places his hands on her shoulders and gently pushes her back to Uhtred.
"How does she ride?" Sigefrid addressed the lord of Mercia, Althea seethed as they spoke of her sister in such a way.
"I've had no complaint." Uhtred grabbed her by the waist when she unsheathed her dagger to attack the lord of Mercia.
"If anyone else speaks of my sister in such a way, I will have your tongue." Aethelred moved a couple of steps back in surprise at the outburst while the brothers chuckled.
"Looks like we have a little spitfire on our hands, brother." Sigefrid grins at her as Uhtred and Erik continue to speak, Uhtred never letting her go despite her now being calm.
