Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 72

Upon my arrival Alfred cleared the room of all except a familiar face.

"Ah, Tara, thank you for coming," Alfred greeted.

"As though I had a choice," I scoffed.

Uhtred's priest friend, Beocca let out a warning cough. I shrugged at him. Alfred ignored our exchange and continued on. "I have a proposition for you."

"I'm not that kind of woman," I fired back, enjoying the discomfort I was spreading. Beocca crossed himself to advert the evil.

"You are as bad as Uhtred," Alfred replied, a small smile appearing on his face. "Now, how would you like to win your and your friends' freedom?" I raised my eyebrow at him. He studied my face seeing he'd peaked my interest, continued on. "Father Beocca needs an escort north through Daneland."

"Why not send your men with him?" I asked with the intent to annoy. Even I knew Alfred sending soldiers from Wessex into the north would not look good for the victorious king.

"I do not have time for foolish questions."

I shrugged at him. "All I have to do is ride north with Beocca and whatever it is you are sending him with and bring him back in one piece?"

"Yes," Alfred replied, ignoring my inference that Beocca would be traveling with something.

"And you will release me and Ragnar and Brida?"

"Yes. You have my word."

"Why me? Brida, I can understand is not to be trusted, but why not Ragnar?"

Alfred pursed his lips and breathed deeply. His eyes locked with mine and a small smile curled at the edge of his lips. "Uhtred told me you saw me in Cippanhamm."

"So?"

"You could have easily revealed my true identity yet you did not."

"I was drunk," I tried.

"Even more reason for you to let slip who I was." I felt his stare boring into me, but forced myself to keep eye contact. When I refused to answer he continued on, "I trust you to deliver Father Beocca safely."

"And if I don't or can't?"

"I trust you will," he repeated, his eyes challenging mine. Without saying it, I knew he meant Ragnar and Brida's lives would be forfeit.

"I will need to speak with my lord Ragnar first, lord," I tilted my head.

"Of course," Alfred replied, looking annoyed. He summoned the guard back.

I was taken back to the cage where Ragnar and Brida eagerly waited to hear what Alfred had wanted.

"I don't trust him," Brida sniped.

"I do," Ragnar surprised us both. "He will keep his word."

"You can't be sure," Brida scoffed, her distrust driven by her hatred of all Saxons, despite her once being one herself.

"If it's a chance at our freedom, why not?" I asked. "Besides, what easier way than to play bodyguard to a priest," I sniggered.

"Alfred is a king. He is a man who firmly believes in honor. I trust he will keep his word. If not, he will have one heavy price to pay," Ragnar grinned.

Despite Brida's continuation of protests it was decided that I was to venture north and win us our freedom.

~~~~~

Within a few days time, my weapons were returned. I gladly strapped Naegling on my back. I was given a dark fur-lined cloak and a beautiful chestnut horse to ride. Beside me was Father Beocca upon a horse of white, and another priest man who I didn't bother to learn the name of. He was from the north, and it was his message that had spurred Alfred onto this insane quest. I suppose the fates find funny ways of interfering with us.

Behind us was a cart full of men with boils and scarred faces. Beocca explained to me that they suffered from leprosy, a highly contagious disease that ate away at a man's flesh. When I asked why they were to accompany us, the other priest made a coughing noise and not so quietly urged Beocca to remain silent. I rolled my eyes at him, but caught a glimpse of a chest hidden beneath the ill men. Silver, I guessed.

Soon our odd band was off on the long trek north. The priest whose name I did not bother to learn eyed me with heavy suspicion and refused to speak to me. After a few days of me not having slit his throat and run off with what I assumed to be silver, seemed to calm down some.

The first week of our journey was as uneventful as could be. We stopped more times than I would've liked at taverns and inns that dotted the way. It was the north priest who insisted we did not sleep in the wilderness. To his un-amusement, I pointed out he was more likely to have his throat slit in his sleep and the chest stolen at a tavern than in the wild where nobody knows we are there. To which he grumbled it was my job to ensure that didn't happen. "I'll have to sleep at some point," I smiled wickedly.

The priest stepped forward towards me and my fingers flinched towards my blade. Beocca stepped in to prevent us from getting into a physical altercation. "She is only teasing," he said calmly, shooting me a warning look. I shrugged at him and walked back to check on our horses, touching the silver hilt of Naegling as I passed the cursed looking men guarding the treasure.

Our journey continued and I watched with boredom as the countryside passed us by. The two priests seemed to be in no particular hurry which only served to agitate me further. After who knows how long (I gave up counting days) we finally arrived in Eoferwic one mid morning to find two very much dead Danes dangling by their ankles from the ramparts above the gate.  Beocca crossed himself. The other priest gave me a nasty sneer to which I merely shrugged, ducking below one of the dead man's arms. "Coming?" I called over my shoulder, not looking back to see if they were. 

As I entered the walls of Eoferwic I became very aware of more dead Danes laying about. I quickly worked out that the dear peaceful people of Eoferwic were the opposite of that. Villagers came out of hiding and stared at me as I passed. I was surprised that I found myself relieved to have the two however annoying, priests as traveling companions. Beocca quickly introduced himself to a man called Hrothweard, who coincidentally was the priest that led the uprising against the Danish garrisoned in Eoferwic. I felt nervous eyes on me as the two men talked in low voices. After a bit, Beocca happily announced that we were guests in Eoferwic and would rest a bit before continuing our journey north. I was also informed that Beocca had promised I would not leave the walls of the town until it was time for us to leave. A small price to pay for keeping my head I supposed.

Though I was confined to the walls of Eoferwic, nobody said I couldn't walk the ramparts. I breathed in the fresher air, not missing the metallic stink below. As I peered out a small group of horsemen approached. More Danes. A small smile tugged at my lips as I pulled the hood of my cloak over my head.