The Forgotten Princess | Avery x Leofric x Uhtred | The Last Kingdom

A dastardly escape

The brothers were soon arguing, everyone's attentions drawn to them and by the look of worry on her nieces face she knew that maybe Sigefrid had figured out the relationship between his brother and the young princess. And after seeing Erik claim one of the female prisoners as his and taking her into another room, they both grew nervous. By the look of anger on Sigefrid's face he had his suspicions. Avery continued to glance around in a desperate search for Sihtric, but he was still missing from the crowds.

After several minutes Erik left the hidden room with the woman he had claimed. The woman was quiet and went back to the other prisoners in an attempt to hide away. But Aethelflaed was confused, did Erik do anything with her? The tension in the room was at an all time high when one of the men who were supposed to be on guard started shouting about a fire in the town. The hall emptied of all of the soldiers as they went to put the vast fires out. Relief filling the women when they spotted Uhtred. He had kept his promise. He had come for them.

The entrance to the hall was barred, the men working on getting the Princesses out of their cages. With an unspoken order they worked on getting Aethelflaed out first. Finan and Sihtric focusing on breaking the lock on Avery's cage. When she was pulled free from her cage she sighed softly and Sihtric threw his arms around her in a firm hug, and she could feel Uhtred's questioning gaze, but Sihtric had been her sanity since she was here.

There were soon loud bangs against the wooden door, all of the men trying to return to the hall after they were able to put out all of the fires that was used to lure them outside. Avery was quick to grab the spare dagger from Finan's belt as she stood before her niece, ready to act as a human shield if needed.

"Both of you, behind us." Uhtred ordered and he should have known already that Avery would refuse to listen. She was always out to prove herself and this was no different. "Avery, I will not ask you again."

"You will need all of the fighters you can get. There are hundreds of them. If I am to die today, it will be covered in my enemy's blood." Finan laughed softly at her words, he had missed her fire and energy. Little did he know she was a broken version of the person he once knew.

Osferth was watching the scared prisoners and noticed the hooded cloak that Aethelflaed wore. He removed the cloak from her shoulders and held it over towards the slave. That was when Uhtred seemed to realise what was happening in that moment.

"Go to the stables, take the white horse and run. The men will assume you are the treasure, and they will chase the treasure." The young girl nodded her head, shocking everyone in the room as she signed herself up for an early death. Most of the men chased her. Until she was caught, and the trick was revealed. The soldiers angry and running back towards the hall.

The doors finally burst open, steel singing in the air as swords and axes clashed together. Sihtric's choice of weapon was two hatchets, Finan was an amazing swordsman and Uhtred of course had Serpents breath to strike down his enemies. Osferth was clumsy with his weapon, but he had the makings of a great warrior. They would easily be overpowered though due to the sheer numbers of Sigefrid's men. So that is when Erik decided to buy them time, he would die to help Aethelflaed escape.

Avery had to drag her niece away, she did not want to leave the man she had fallen in love with. But if Erik was to die and she was caught, his death would have been for nothing. His death had to be for something.

"There will be time for revenge. We just need to survive today. Please." Avery continued to beg her niece, but the blood curdling scream filled the halls as Aethelflaed had to watch the man she loved be killed before her very eyes. "Do not let this be for nothing." With one final pull on her arm, they were finally moving. All of them running towards the river where Avery had bathed earlier that day. One of Uhtred's men remaining to give them more time.