Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

FOUR

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"What have you learned?" I asked Saga, emerging from my room after a sleepless night plagued by screaming men and fallen warriors.

"They rile each other," Saga walked beside me, "they speak in the hall now."

"What of?" I fixed my dagger into the belt around my waist, trying not to groan as my muscles ached.

"The same thing as always: war, silver, women." Saga rolled her eyes. "Bloodhair is a fool, blinded and bound by the seer, and Haesten can not see further than the tip of his nose."

"But?" I stopped before we entered the clearing to the stairs.

Saga coughed, lowering her voice. "Haesten has a way into Wessex. He acts as a man of Alfred and Bloodhair, supposedly chases a prophecy the seer foretold. She promised he would be king."

I snorted softly, turning away from her, "Are all men fools for power, or is it just the ones we are surrounded by?"

"I am afraid, I do not know, Lady," Saga hummed, following after me as I descended down the stairs.

"...you will follow," Haesten's nasally voice spoke out in the centre of the hall, "and together we attack Mercia, we attack Wessex..." He paused dramatically before raising his voice, "And we kill Alfred!"

Cheering sounded throughout the room as I reached the ground, standing at the back of the room, crossing my arms over my chest and listening.

Haesten turned his eyes on Uhtred, something sinister in his gaze. "I find the pretty Aethelflaed... and we all take our turn with her!" 

More cheers rose up, and he relished in it.

"Your father is not convinced," Saga whispered in my ear.

We both turned to look at him; Brynjar sat by Ragnar looking bored, a cup of ale turning in his hand.

"He is wiser than most," I murmured, turning back to Haesten.

"We go from north to south, east to west, taking everything in our path—"

"And at some point, we begin to fight amongst ourselves, and the plan fails," Uhtred's voice cut through Haesten's, and the hall fell quiet.

"Fight?" Haesten scoffed, "For what reason?"

"It will happen." Uhtred was not phased. "It will surely happen."

"Why?" Bloodhair piped up, "Because you say it?"

I crept forward, making my presence known to my father, who caught my eye across the room and nodded.

"Because each of you believes himself to be the sword Dane above all others," Uhtred sighed, "mistakenly." 

Haesten returned to his seat, and I was able to see Brida and Ragnar as well.

"There can be only one leader," Uhtred concluded.

I decided he was a wise man, because of them all in the hall, his was the only heart that did not race with rage. His heart and the hearts of the men that followed him; some were calm, some apprehensive, but none bloodthirsty.