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A man approached the hall emerging from the night, Uhtred turned to look at him with judgment. The old man slowly walks past them and sits at the head of the table and starts to eat in silence. He grossed her out for some reason, old people scare her.
"Forgive me for not being awake to greet you, lord. Bjorn has given me little rest these recent times." Luna looks at her boys with confusion, and Finan shrugs.
"We understand." Aethelwold quickly says.
"The gods are wanting true men so, I thank you for being here, Uhtred of Bebbanburg. After tonight I hope to sleep." The weird old man then steals Aethelwold's ale, making her laugh quietly at his face. Finan looks around anxiously and moves closer to her for comfort, she rubs his back as he leans into her side.
"Fetch the blood," The man orders. Uhtred looks up at the thief in realization. "It is time." The group follows Eilaf outside and Uhtred notices it's a Christian site.
"It is a Christian graveyard."
"Yes, lord," Hæsten speaks holding the torch. "Perhaps that is why Bjorn cannot rest nor pass." They stopped at a grave, the thief was put on his knees, begging anyone who would listen.
"To raise the dead, lord, we need to send a messenger across the gulf." Hæsten explains, Luna looks over at Uhtred hoping he understands. He did not. Uhtred just shrugged and pushed her back to Finan, who quickly grabbed her hand. She fights the urge to tease the Irishman. But she wasn't sure what to expect with a ritual such as this. Maybe the dead would rise or perhaps this was a plan to lure Uhtred into a trap.
"He is guilty, twice over."
"I beg you, lord, please. I have a wife, I have children. Please!" The thief begged looking at Uhtred.
"What did you steal?" She questions, the man looks at her in visible shock before answering.
"Just a lamb, Lady Luna, for my family." She frowned at the title and noticed Uhtred was uncomfortable too. Uhtred moved closer to her and angled his shoulder to brush against hers.
"And furs." Hæsten cuts in.
"For my family, lord." The thief defends.
"I'm sorry, but a thief twice over deserves to die." Finan says and rubs the top of her hand with his thumb.
"No, please!"
"Put it in his mouth!" Eilaf says wanting this to be done and over with no doubt. The nameless Danes restrain the thief as they force his mouth open.
"A harp string, lord. A bridge from our world to Bjorn's."
"Kill him," The thief begs once again after spitting out the string and soon screams to Uhtred again. "Get the message into his mouth and kill him!"
"Spare me! Spare me and I will repay you with gratitude!" Hæsten covered his mouth and then slits his throat, the dane soldiers then lean his body over the grave to soak the blood up.
"Bjorn, you have blood. I have given you life, I have sent you a message. If it's peace that you want, you shall not have it until we hear you speak." Eilaf calls out, the group stands in silence. Luna does not like this whole thing with the afterlife. This felt wrong., so wrong. Soon the dirt starts to move on the grave and soon hands break through, Finan reaches for his sword on instinct for protection, yet he still has one hand holding hers. She looked at Uhtred and noticed he too looked fearful, at least she wasn't the only one. The so-called Bjorn crawls out and stands before them, spitting the dirt from his mouth.
"The harp string." Finan acknowledged fearfully.
"It's fake, this is all fake. Trust me in that, Fin."
"Welcome, Bjorn. This is Uhtred, who has sent a good many Dane to the place where you live." Eilaf says with an underlying tone.
"I do not live."
"You have a message for lord Uhtred?" Bjorn straightens up his spine before speaking.
"Lord Uhtred, I see you now. The gods have had their sacrifice and the brothers have tonight begun that which cannot be stopped. Lundene's streets are red with Saxon blood, you are to be king," He reaches out to Uhtred, and Luna becomes uneasy at the sight. She was not above punching an old dead man if it meant keeping Uhtred and Finan safe. "King of Mercia, king of Saxon, and Dane, king of other kings. You, lord Uhtred." Aethelwold glances at Uhtred briefly. Bjorn then walks backward before falling onto the grave.
"Bury him. Lord king it is done." Eilaf walks away while Hæsten watches Uhtred intensely. They all leave and gather around a table in the hall, she was sat between Finan and Uhtred, and the Irishman was leaning over in her space to hear and speak to Uhtred, his knee propped against her own as he often does.
"What we have just witnessed," Uhtred trails off and looks at them. "Do you believe it to be true?"
"I do." Aethelwold says and Finan nods slowly.
"And me. It put a shiver through your spine, no doubt." Finan looked to Clapa who nodded.
"I feel uneasy about this whole thing. We are missing something, Uhtred." She says softly and lays her head on Uhtred's arm as Finan rubs her back.
"So what now? You are sworn to Alfred?"
"Alfred is nothing compared to the gods. I would suggest," Uhtred just sighs. "Uhtred, it is our birthright to be called kings." Uhtred strokes her hair to reassure her, Uhtred then calls upon Hæsten who slowly and reluctantly walks over.
"The brothers Sigefrid and Erik, is it true what Bjorn said? They're attacking Lundene?"
"I cannot say for certain, lord, but that was the plan to sail upriver and take Lundene, which would now be your city as king of Mercia." Hæsten says briefly and then walks away to sit with his men while they contemplate what to do next.
