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Eoferwic, Northumbria, 879 AD.
Laywyn scowled as she sat squashed between Hild and Halig in a busier part of the inn— that Uhtred had claimed was the best place to have their conversation because the commotion around the group meant it would be harder for them to be spied on. They were listening to Father Beocca and Brother Trew explain the supposed prophecy that had led King Alfred to send Beocca north with varying degrees of interest.
Apparently, one of Brother Trew's superiors, an Abbot Eadred, had been visited by Saint Cuthbert in a dream. The blessed saint had told the abbot of a Danish slave destined to become king of all Northumbria.
A man named Guthred, who would unite both Saxon and Dane and bring peace to the lands of the north.
Though Laywyn had learnt all about the miracles and blessings that God's will sometimes enacted on earth, even the prophecies of the future that were sometimes visited upon the dreams of holy men, she was sceptical about the claims of this Brother Trew, and of his superior Abbot Eadred. She knew it was a sin to doubt such powerful men of the church, but she found it unbelievable that the abbot had actually seen a vision of the blessed Saint Cuthbert.
It seemed more probable to Laywyn that Abbot Eadred had simply decided to claim he had been blessed with a prophecy of the future in order to win support from Saxons in the south for his candidate to be king. Northumbria was a turmoiled land with multiple claims to power. The man who backed the king to unite the warring forces would be afforded unmeasured influence over it all.
But then again, mayhaps Laywyn was being too quick to judge the abbot and his followers' intentions. Mayhaps he really had been visited in a dream by Saint Cuthbert.
Laywyn was intrigued enough by the claims to want to meet this Abbott Eadred, and his King Guthred, and discover the truth of the matter for herself. Judging by the expression on Uhtred's face, her lord was thinking the same thing.
Either way, it did not really matter whether Abbott Eadred spoke true about receiving a vision or not. He would be judged rightly by God if he was lying, and Alfred had sent men north at his word. The King of Wessex clearly thought there was some merit to the abbott's claims and that would be enough to earn Guthred support to form an army.
Only if he was freed from slavery first, of course, which seemed to be what Father Beocca wanted Uhtred to help with.
"Come with us," Father Beocca was pleading earnestly to her lord as Laywyn refocused her attention on the conversation. Hild was frowning beside her, though whether from doubt of Abbott Eadred's assertion or dislike of Beocca wanting Uhtred to get involved, Laywyn could not tell. On the girl's right, Halig just looked bewildered, as if he could not believe anything he was hearing, and Brother Trew was watching Uhtred warily. "Help us to free Guthred, protect the ransom until it is delivered, and I am sure that we will be rewarded."
