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"She is a daughter, not a son, unloved and in truth, banished to Mercia to spend her life being bumped by her husband whom you have so gently put to bed. Like her husband, Alfred's not minded to pay a great sum." Uhtred claimed, the two sides sat in the hall of Beamfleot with a fire in between.
"Alfred's price is what? Say it."
"I will separate from the hundredweight in silver offered by the husband. Alfred will add another two hundred pounds weight of silver." The brothers scoff.
"Three hundred pounds in total."
"A good price. The daughter of a Frankish king was once bargained for a similar price. Pyrlig?" Uhtred turns to the priest.
"This is true, lord. It is a good price." Sigefrid laughs in disbelief. Althea grinned at Finan when he leaned closer to them.
"No. No, no, no, no! Alfred is not a Frankish king and it's not a good price!" Sigefrid snarls and she smirks at him when they make eye contact.
"I say it's a good price." She claims.
"Like the pig's arse, you have farted."
"Yes! And it stinks! By the Gods, does it stink? Open the doors."
"It is a good price." Uhtred says.
"I think it is a good price." Pyrlig agrees.
"You insult me! If Alfred is minded so little then I am minded to bring her into this hall and allow each man here to take his turn. I swear she will be tied to a cart and she will travel the kingdoms. Is that what you want, Saxon? Do not insult me!" Althea grew angry and moved to lunge at him when Finan grabbed her.
"If you touch her I will cut you limb from limb." She threatened the Dane and felt Finan slide his hand to her back.
"I am not insulting you." Uhtred quickly said noticing the way Sigefrid was looking at the girl.
"Do not."
"The king has given me some discretion to increase the price." Uhtred spoke with a casual tone, his hand reaching over to hold hers.
"What a surprise," Sigefrid laughed. "So, say it."
"Lord, if I may? And to save both time and ink, perhaps you might name a price? An acceptable price, not an impossible price." Pyrlig questioned.
"Say it."
"Ten thousand pounds weight of silver and one thousand pounds weight of gold delivered by Alfred himself." Sigefrid says proudly.
"Of course. And he shall arrive with a stoat upon his head and an apple in his mouth. With respect Sigefrid, you fart louder and longer than the pig's arse and I together. I need to take a piss, it's going to be a long day." Uhtred tapped her hand and he stood. Finan led her to a table to eat with Sigefrid and the group, a few hours in Aethelred appeared naked, and she snorted at the sight.
"He has a tiny cock!" Sigefrid teased and nudged her shoulder laughing. "Your sister would not be able to feel a thing."Aethelred scoffed at them as he drank his ale.
Once they returned to Winchester Althea paced in Gisela's house as they awaited her sister and Uhtred, she knew Uhtred could get her out alive but at what cost? She held her stomach in fear at the thought of losing Sihtric, her lovely husband.
"You are with child?" Gisela asked noticing the hand, she quickly jerked it away with a blush and shrugged.
"I do not know for sure. But Sihtric and I have taken advantage of any alone time we get." She whispered embarrassedly at telling her of all people this.
"Let me fix you something to help you calm down, this much stress is not good for you or the child." She nodded and took the drink from the motherly woman.
Althea sighed in relief when they heard cheers outside, she left the home and ran to her sister who hugged her tightly. The twins refused to let go for some time as Uhtred watched with a smile.
"I understand, sister." Aethelflæd whispered Althea wasn't sure what she was speaking about but she did not care.
"What?"
"The Danes. I understand why you married Sihtric, they are different from Saxon men." She pulled away and noticed her sister had been crying. It hit her all at once, Aethelflæd loved Erik.
"They do have a special way about them."
"I believe I am—" Aethelflæd trails off as guards walk by, she subtly touches her stomach and moves it away when it clicks in Althea's head.
"No, way. There is no way we are both...." She laughed at her sister's face when she cut herself off and just hugged her again. Sihtric jumped down from his horse gaining her attention and Aethelflæd nudged her to him.
"Hello, husband," Althea speaks with a grin as Sihtric pulls her into a kiss, she giggles when he kissed her cheek and forehead softly. "Stop it, I have to tell you something."
"I cannot help it, my beautiful wife." She flushed at his compliment and leaned into his chest.
"I'm with child. Actually with child and not just for show." Sihtric laughed happily spinning her around and pulled her into another kiss when he sat her back down.
