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In Winchester Uhtred, Finan, Hild, and Luna walk into the graveyard to remove Gisela's body from the Christian soil to hopefully give her peace. Once the men start to shove the dirt Hild intervenes, and her hand shoots out to hold Luna's.
"Uhtred, a moment, please. Lord, I pray, forgive the breaking of this peaceful ground it is an act of love. Amen." Hild prays and nods to a depressed Uhtred.
"Amen." Finan mumbled. Hild rubs Luna's shoulders as they pull the wrapped body of her lover from the ground. Luna refused to look at them when they carried her body. Uhtred lights the pyre and he starts to cry quietly, Luna and Finan both move to his side at the sight.
"Lord, lord." Finan says quietly and grips Uhtred's shoulder. Luna's heart breaks when Uhtred attempts to curl his body into her own as he sobs into her hair, she holds him close and cries softly at the pain he feels.
"It's beautiful. She is drifting away from the earth and upward to the heavens." Uhtred sniffled and laid his head against Luna's own as they stood watching the flames.
"We've done a good thing here. God knows it. The Gods know it." Finan said with a watery tone, he was trying not to cry too. They stay there until morning and Uhtred aims to retrieve his children to leave Winchester for good. Stiorra grabbed the stone made into the hilt of his sword as she waved happily at Luna, the woman smiled sadly at the young girl.
"Uhtred! Uhtred! You are needed at the palace by the king." Luna frowns at Uhtred's defeated look, she places a hand on his back and looks over at the priest disapprovingly. She wished they would let her man have a moment to mourn, she found peace with what had happened.
"For what reason? We are to return to Coccham." Uhtred unconsciously leans back into Luna and Stiorra makes grabby hands at her.
"It would be better if you heard it from him yourself. Alone." Beocca stated and watched as Luna took Stiorra from Uhtred and kissed him softly, Uhtred melted into her kiss craving some form of comfort.
"Go, sweetheart. I'll watch the children." Luna pushes him toward Beocca softly when Uhtred doesn't move from her. He hesitated with a desperate look in his beautiful eyes. "I will be here when you return, I promise."
She takes the children back into the place Uhtred is currently staying, she ignores Skade. Stiorra cuddles into her arms as young Uhtred stands next to her hugging her leg, she hopes the children will be able to mourn their mother soon.
"The Gods favor you," Skade speaks watching in interest as the two children seem overly familiar with the brunette. Skade stands and moves closer until the rope strains against the beam. "A born Saxon woman favored by my Gods. Why?"
"You are the seer, not me." Luna retorted she looked at the blonde girl with a raised eyebrow, Skade grinned at her and glanced down at Luna's stomach. Uhtred enters an hour later when it grows dark, Luna urges Stiorra to go to her father. They hear Finan and Steapa shouting insults back and forth making her smile. She moves over to Uhtred's side and rubs his shoulders, he leans back against her with his daughter dozing off in his arms. She continues to massage his shoulders to loosen the knots in his muscles.
"Sister Hild!" Uhtred's son yelled and ran to her once the woman walked in, the abbess hugged the boy and moved him to his bed.
"Come to bed," She chuckled and turned back to the couple. "Lord, there can be no bloodshed. They are throwing insults out there, but they will soon tire of that. Come." She says to Stiorra and puts her to bed too.
"There will not be bloodshed."
"You should say that to Steapa. His head is hurting from thinking. Is there a solution?" Hild questions and looks at them.
"I did nothing wrong."
"Uhtred, you killed a monk. A holy man and not for the first time. And why in God's name is she still here?" Skade smiles at Hild.
"Uhtred did no wrong, Hild. They disrespected our woman, I would have done much worse." Luna replies sharply and leans down to kiss Uhtred's head who tilts his head back and rests it against her stomach.
"I am not your concern." Skade replied bluntly and looked back over at Uhtred.
"I did not intend to kill the monk nor do I regret it." Uhtred sighs and reaches back to pull Luna into his lap and she caresses his arm that soon holds her waist.
"It was fate." Skade said and glanced at Luna and Uhtred in curiosity.
"Fetch Beocca. Ask him to bring the demands of the king."
"I will tell Beocca that you are ready to talk and to listen be sure that you do. It would if you cut her throat." Hild motioned to the seer.
"He cannot. He dare not," Hild leaves them to fetch the persist. "Tonight lord, you'll break your oath to Alfred. You'll have no choice."
"You will be quiet." Uhtred demands as he buries his face into Luna's hair.
"It is a new beginning."
"I did not wish for a new beginning." He gently moves Luna off his lap and stands as he moves to the seer.
"This is your doing. This is your doing, all of it. You speak another word and I will end your life, no matter the curse or consequences." He threatens and she leans away to instead look over at Luna. Later Luna stands next to Sihtric and Skade as Beocca enters, and Finan leans against the beam behind Uhtred. He looks worried.
"Uhtred, the king and Edward have conferred and they have decided there will be no trial. No punishment at all, saving a small wergild to be paid to the church."
"A small wergild?" Finan asks and his eyes watch Skade moving closer to Sihtric and Luna.
"One hundred pieces of silver." Finan chuckled.
"And that's all?" Luna asks. She smiles when Sihtric pulls her into his arms and she snuggles into his armored chest.
"Of course not." Aethelwold cuts in.
"One hundred pieces of silver and your oath." Luna frowns at the implication and looks at her two lovers farthest from her.
"He has my oath." Beocca exhales.
"The king wishes that you swear an oath to the Atheling, to Edward."
