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

Chapter 36

Nadia

The old stables turned cells for prisoners had vastly improved since Ragnar had men clean it from top to bottom. The smell was not as strong, though I'd never say it was pleasant. The rat turd Aethelwold could be heard babbling about being a King, but the ale provided to him daily kept him mostly mollified. Rorik and Brida were already standing outside the cell that contained the captured Dane.

"Lord, lady," Rorik nodded at us.

"Has he said anything yet?" Ragnar asked, looking through the bars.

"Nothing lord," Rorik replied.

Ragnar let out a sigh and stared at his man who intuitively strode in. Ragnar followed. Rorik stood threateningly over the man who was cowering in the corner. He seemed to be trying to become a part of the wall. I followed behind Ragnar. Brida and our son stood in the doorway, the cell too small to fit us all.

Ragnar knelt down in front of the man. Rorik on guard nearby. "Do you know who I am?" Ragnar asked. The man did not respond. He curled further into his ball. 

Rorik gave the man's leg a kick and the Dane whimpered. "Yes lord."

"Then I am at a disadvantage as I do not know who you are," Ragnar continued.

"I'm Osvald," the man whispered.

"Who do you serve?" The man began to sob. "Who do you serve?" Ragnar asked again, his voice rougher.

"Answer my lord," Rorik said harshly, landing a blow on the man's head.

"I can't," the man shook.

"Lord?" Rorik looked to Ragnar.

"Last time I ask, who do you serve?" Ragnar asked, standing to his full height. "You see this man here? You killed his wife. He's very eager to make you pay."

"I..." The man's will was diminishing.

"This woman?" Ragnar pointed to me. "You know who she is?"

"Lady Ragnarson," he managed to get out.

"Good, then you know what she's capable of," Ragnar replied. "You killed her son."

The man's eyes went wide as he looked from Ragnar, to Rorik, to me. I refrained from looking towards our son.

"Perhaps I should leave you here with my wife and my man. Let them deal with you," Ragnar turned to leave.

"Please lord! It was not me."

"But you were there," Ragnar replied, stepping past Brida and Young Ragnar.

"Aksel! It was Aksel Kjartanson. He led the men," Osvald screamed in desperation.

The name tore a hole through the air. The cell was deathly silent. I exchanged a glance with Ragnar who had turned back to face the man. "And what were the Saxons doing there?"

"Lord Wihtgar paid the silver, but Aksel wielded the army," Osvald replied. His tongue now loose, he spilled all he knew. Admittedly it would've been nice to have captured a higher up man, but low men had their use too. From the sniveling Osvald we learned that Wihtgar had formed an alliance with Aksel to remove Ragnar from his seat in Dunholm. The Danish army that had opposed us was made of mercenaries and cut throats. Nobody truly loyal to the bastard. That much was good. But the mere fact that he could draw that many men to him was a concern.

When Osvald had spilt all he knew, Ragnar ordered Rorik to take his sword hand and send the man back to Aksel. The man protested and begged for mercy. Ragnar calmly replied that Osvald should be grateful he was letting the man keep his miserable life. He strode out taking my arm in his.