Always Be By My Side - Sequel to Always Return to Me (The Last Kingdom Fan Fic)

Chapter 27

Ragnar

I was up before dawn, ready to return home but hesitated as I watched my wife peacefully sleep. Her face did not have its usual creases of worry. Her dark hair was splayed across her pillow like water and I instinctively pushed back a strand that slipped forward. She grunted and her eyes fluttered open to look at me. A sudden panic rose in her eyes as she saw the sunlight streaming into our small room. She sat up quick. "Ragnar," she began to protest.

"It's alright. I spoke with Uhtred and the Lady Aethelflaed. She said we can stay another day. You needed to rest," I stopped her. "Besides, it may be a while until you get to see your niece again."

I watched a smile grow on her lips as her face lit up. "What did I do to deserve you?" She asked, gingerly planting a kiss on my cheek.

"Only the gods know," I chuckled. Resting my cheek in her warm palm.

~~~~~

Our peaceful morning soon came to an end. I watched from the house as Nadia and Aelfwynn played in the garden. Her fair hair glowing in the sun was a giveaway that she was not Mercian. Stiorra watched longingly from the sidelines, but like her father, was too proud and pigheaded to join in. Finan and Sihtric were playing some game they had devised, while Young Uhtred and Osferth read by a window, leaving me to sharpen my knife and watch my wife playing at ease with her brother's daughter. Watching them made me think of our own children, and my desire to return home deepened.

The sound of horses neighing rang through the air. The hairs pricked up at the back of my neck and Nadia ushered the girls into the house where the rest of us were. "Saxon riders, they don't look friendly," she said calmly.

Finan and Sihtric were on guard within a moment and the three of us quickly armed ourselves with our swords. We were ready to leap into action when Stiorra stopped us. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"Protecting you," The Irishman replied.

"We have a plan," she smiled deviously.

The adults in the room exchanged a look, but being vastly outnumbered, we agreed to follow along. We soon found ourselves stuffed in secret compartments within the walls, in the ceiling, and in chests. My heart raced as the riders passed where Nadia was hidden with Young Uhtred, Aelfwynn, and a small boy. I knew she could protect herself, but being in a wall in the estate away from her was agony.

Stiorra bravely greeted the riders and welcomed them into the house and waited as they searched and called to each other that there was nobody there.

After what felt like an agonizingly long time the leader of the men turned his attention back to Stiorra. "I told you, she's not here," the girl said calmly. She may have her mother's looks, but her grit was that of her father.

The man finally ordered his men away and we remained hidden until they had ridden back in the direction they came. Within moments of coming out of hiding, Uhtred came rushing in, calling for Stiorra.

"It worked, I sent them away," she assured him.

"Where's Aelfwynn?" he asked.

The Irishman answered by pushing past Uhtred and whistling out the back gate. To my relief, Nadia emerged from the tall grasses with the children close behind her.

Without a moment to waste, we began packing to journey away from the estate. It was only a matter of time before it was realized that Uhtred had not taken Aelfwynn to Winchester and Mercia would be crawling with men looking for the child.

"We head north towards Ceaster," Uhtred informed us, as we gathered up a few provisions for the trip.

"Do you think we have enough? With children and a band of seven?" Young Uhtred asked nervously.