Blood Moon| The Last Kingdom| Sihtric Kjartansson

FORTY-SIX

☾

"Gyda, I am begging you," Sihtric groaned, following behind me as I moved through our room swiftly, "let me ride out and speak with Uhtred. Let me understand what is happening before it is too late."

A pinch of annoyance pricked my heart, and I cut off my search for one of my daggers that the children had hidden. "There is no need for you to speak with Uhtred. A decision has already been more. Northumbria strengthens its borders as we speak."

"But there may be no need for it," Sihtric huffed, his hand jumping to run through his hair, "let me go and speak with Edward."

"So he can hold you hostage and force me to surrender Northumbria?" I scoffed, digging my hand under one of the many seats in the room. "I hope you do not mind if I pass on that idea."

"He will not hold me hostage," Sihtric sighed heavily, dragging his hand down his face, "he wishes to make us seem like the enemy. He would not risk looking bad in the eyes of the Mercians. He has only just taken their lands."

"The Mercians hate us just as much as the Saxons do," I snorted, finally managing to find my dagger under the seat. I righted myself, sticking it into my belt and turning to him. "My answer is no."

"We have not had bloodshed for a decade," Sihtric fret, coming towards me and cupping my face in his hands, "you do not want to lose warriors. These are your people." He still had a silver tongue even after all these years.

Fortunately, it no longer worked on me. "Edward will kill my people whether they stay in Northumbria or meet him in battle."

Sihtric groaned again, backing away from me to pinch the bridge of his nose, "Edward will not come—"

"Edward has openly blamed Eforwic for his wife's death," I countered, "Sigtryggr is angry. He will ride to meet Edward in battle, and I will not let my Jarl fight alone."

"Sigtryggr rides to us first," Sihtric threw back, "convince him to wait. He will be here before nightfall, and I can be in Aegelesburg in a day."

"Sihtric, I have already said no," I crossed my arms over my chest, keeping my face serious, "you are important in Northumbria. People will target you, Edward, most of all. You will stay here."

Sihtric rubbed both his hands over his face before sighing heavily, "Gyda, let me go to Uhtred. He will protect me against Edward, we will talk, and all this can be resolved."

I huffed in annoyance, dropping my hands to my sides, "You are not Uhtred's man. You are the Prince Consort of Northumbria and—"

"And I did not ask for that!" Sihtric blurted, throwing his hands up into the air, "I did not ask to be a prince! By the Gods, I did not ask for it! I was a common bastard and happy with it!"

I blinked rapidly, taking a slight step back from him as hurt bloomed in my chest, pulling at my heartstrings as though they were toys.

Sihtric and I had married just before Emil was born; I had already taken four fortresses by then, and it had been no secret that I wished to rule all of Northumbria. He had never voiced to me before that he did not like the power or the responsibility... but then again, even in our first days of knowing each other, he had admitted he had a habit of not thinking things through to the end.

Sihtric stopped pacing as he realised I had gone quiet, his eyes meeting mine, growing wide with sudden realisation. "I— Gyda, I did not mean that, I just—"

A knock sounded on the door, heavy and loud, much louder than it needed to be.

"My Queen?" Saga's voice called out from behind the door, "Horses have arrived. Sigtryggr is here."