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"And we will do what, hide?" Aethelflæd asked as she twisted her finger in the curls of Althea's youngest son.
"We will make an advantage out of this abbess, the hostages are dead men breathing. You cannot save them what we must do now is save the lives of your nuns and my men." Uhtred said looking over at her.
"And Aethelflæd." Osferth corrected and leaned against Althea who stood next to him with her other son.
"Abbess?"
"Aye." The Abbess says.
"I will do it." A woman said.
"No, no this is my house. It's my responsibility, I will do it." Abbess says and walks outside.
"It is Hæsten, with no more than forty men, that I can see." Uhtred tells them.
"Then let us fight them." Finan said looking at his friend.
"No, wait." Uhtred ordered as Aethelflæd gasped at whatever she witnessed outside.
"Lord, now?"
"We do nothing yet." Uhtred demands. Finan and Sihtric share a look, Althea moves to Sihtric as he fidgets with his sword ready for a fight. She pulls her husband into a kiss to distract him for a time. They wait for Hæsten to open the door before attacking. Hæsten and his remaining men run.
"We are trapped." Her sister stated.
"We're alive and they are twelve or thirteen men less."
"But we are trapped under a wooden roof." Aethelflæd continued.
"What do you suggest then, lady? That you give yourself over?" Finan said with a slight tone of harshness, Althea moved to her sister in worry when she noticed her expression.
"Yes, Hæsten's right. Why should I live when so many others have died."
"Hæsten has never spoken the truth in his life. Do not say as much again, never of those men have died for no reason." Uhtred demanded offended.
"He told me the truth about my children." Uhtred shot her a glare making Althea put her hands up in surrender and allow Sihtric to pull her against his chest.
"All doors have been blocked on the outside apart from that one." Finan said as he walked back to them.
"Will they set a fire?"
"No, not yet. He will want you alive." Uhtred answered.
"So we should fight, lord. We should open the doors and fight." Finan looked at Althea and her sons who sat at the table, the only way to avoid their death was to fight.
"And die." Osferth said making Althea slap his arm with a frown.
"Stop it." She whispered as her sons looked worried.
"It's as good a plan as any." Skade stands next to Finan as he speaks.
"Osferth, you'll open the door on my word and retreat. We form a shield wall and then we negotiate."
"Negotiate?" Sihtric scoffed and Althea moved to soothe his anger with a simple touch, he leaned into her palm when she placed it on his jaw with a smile.
"Now is not the time, husband." She said softly as he sighed in defeat.
"Hæsten will want his prize, to the door," Uhtred says as he moves to Skade. "If you truly belong to me you will do as I ask. In return, I will not abandon you. I will come for you." Skade looks over at Aethelflæd who is already watching them.
"And I will find you, shield wall, ready. Lift the bar and open the door, move!" They open the door at Uhtred's command. Finan peaks his head out from the shields.
"I count a few more than thirty of the bastards."
"Fight Hæsten, and you will lose men, many men. I guarantee it." Uhtred shouted
"I have many men."
"But you have just the one life and I plan to take it." Finan said aggressively and her sons giggled at the man making him wink playfully at the two boys.
"Move out."
"I will not leave without her, Uhtred. I may lose many men but you will lose everything and the bitch will still be mine." Hæsten demanded.
"Then take her because that is what you will have to do or we can strike a bargain. One woman in place of another." Uhtred threatened.
"I am in no need of a nun. Who is this woman?"
"Skade, the seer." Uhtred shouts as she walks forward to be seen. "Finan," The man opened the wall and watched her cautiously. "She's yours! In return, you and your men ride clear of this place and do not return."
"She is not yours to give. She belongs to Bloodhair."
"I belong to the man I choose. The man who has the will to lead, to conquer. Bloodhair is not that man." Skade corrected and turned to watch Althea with her chilling eyes.
"She has sent Alfred's death and in battle, her man will benefit from that death greatly."
"Is that true?" Hæsten asked.
"It's true."
"May I approach?" Hæsten slowly walks up the stairs as Finan turns to Uhtred.
"Uhtred, you cannot bargain with this sack of chicken shit." Finan spoke making her nod in agreement, Uhtred frowned at them both.
"You're close enough, lord. If a bargain is made I will not be handed over like you would a whore. I will walk to my new lord and should either man go back on his word, I shall see he is tormented till the end, I swear." Skade said as she looked between them.
"Do we have an agreement? Skade in place of Aethelflæd?" Uhtred asked.
"Agreed, the seer is mine."
"Then step back and she will walk to you and then you leave." Uhtred orders the Dane.
"I will."
"And you are cursed once more Uhtred of Bebbanburg, you shall wither." Skade said making Althea sigh in annoyance when the woman twirls a piece of her hair with a smirk.
"Go, open. Let her pass." Skade walks to Hæsten.
"This does not mean the princess is forgiven, Uhtred. She is safe for now, no more than that."
"Leave, go." Skade looks at Uhtred with a glare and Sihtric turns to Uhtred with worry.
"Your life is not your own, lord." Sihtric spoke and looked to his wife who looked at him with a relieved expression when the seer left.
