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Althea and Hild rushed around gathering everything they needed for Gisela's labor. The woman in labor reached for her hand and Althea intertwined their hands together as she kneeled next to her. Gisela screamed in pain when she pushed again, she was sweaty and panting for air to soothe the pain. Althea moved the hair from Gisela's face and helped her sit up a bit.
"I love you, Althea," Gisela said and squeezed her hand as she cried out in pain. "I know we joke but you are mine and Uhtred's daughter in every way but blood." Althea smiled down at the woman and squeezed her hand.
"You are not saying goodbye, right?" Althea whispered holding back tears, seeing the defeated look on the older woman's face made her shake her head. "No, please."
"There's too much blood! Hurry! Hurry!" Hild shouts to the women. Gisela's hand grew limp in her own and breathed shakily with one more scream.
"No, no! Mama, please!" She wails trying to wake the woman, she shakes her shoulders hoping she will wake. That this whole thing was a cruel joke.
"Lady Althea, she's gone." Althea shook her head not wanting to believe it she collapsed to the ground and Hild moved to hold the brunette.
For the next two days, Althea refused to leave her and Sihtric's home, choosing to mourn the woman in silence. Her sons bring her food that Thyra makes and hug her when she cries but they know to give her some space.
On the third day, she hears the sound of cheers she leans in the doorway weakly and notices a wet nurse holding the child Gisela died for. Uhtred dismounts his horse and walks to Hild, Finan and Sihtric glance at one another in worry. Sihtric looks around the square until his eyes land on a visibly exhausted and sad Althea. Sihtric doesn't hesitate to go to her, the closer he gets the more he notices, that her eyes are bloodshot and her skin pale.
"Uhtred, she is gone. She has given you a son but she's gone." She heard Hild speaks and watched her pull Uhtred into a hug.
"I must go to her." Althea turns away from the scene with tears in her eyes.
"Althea?" Sihtric pulls her into a hug when she breaks down at the sight of Uhtred sobbing. "I'm here now, shhh." He whispered and kissed her forehead. She sobbed in his arms for hours as he caressed her hair and rubbed her back.
Althea joins Uhtred as he lights the pyre with Gisela's body, they both begin to cry as Finan places a hand on Uhtred's shoulder.
"Lord, lord." Finan says quietly and grips Uhtred's shoulder.
"It's beautiful. She is drifting away from the earth and upward to the heavens." Uhtred sniffled and laid his head against Althea's as they stood watching the flames.
"We've done a good thing here. God knows it. The Gods know it." Finan said. They stay there until morning and Uhtred aims to retrieve his children to leave Winchester for good.
"Uhtred! Uhtred! You are needed at the palace by the king."
Of course, Alfred cannot even let him mourn.
"For what reason? We are to return to Coccham." Uhtred unconsciously leans back into Althea.
"It would be better if you heard it from him yourself. Alone." Beocca stated Althea squeezed Uhtred's arm gently as he walked by.
Uhtred enters an hour later when it grows dark, Althea urges Stiorra to go to her father. They hear Finan and Steapa shouting insults back and forth while she and Uhtred sit in silence.
"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.
"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 sighed and watched as Althea opened the door to allow her sons in, the two boys hugged her tightly when she opened her arms.
"It was fate." Skade said and glanced at Althea and her children.
"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.
"It is a new beginning." Skade says.
"I did not wish for a new beginning."
"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 he leans away to instead look over at Althea.
