the last kingdom

chapter 3

(somewhere in Mercia)

A group walked through a Field of flowers flowers one sneezing

"He is heavier than he looks" finan said as stiorra sneezed

"What's wrong with you" finan asked spinning to look at stiorra

"It's a fever from the grasses....I do not have it" stiorra said

"Stiorra come here" feja said feeling her sisters head and face

"She's fine finan she does not have a fever and her skin is clear from infection stop panicking" freja said as they continued to walk

"The sickness would not strike so fast" uthred said
"Forgive me lord but you have not seen what I have seen" finan said

"How many times do I have to roll you not to do that who are you anyway" finan said

"I am no one" athelstan said

He is athelstan Edwards first born son" uthred said

"Hidden child of Edward how has he survived this long" finan asked
"He's driven with the power to annoy me and freja aren't you athelstan" stiorra said annoyed

"Best keep him safe them finan royal blood your carrying welcome to the bastard life boy" osferth joked making the others laugh

(With aethelflead)

"You can smell it o. The air lady they're burning them infected bodies" aldhelm said

"That means it is just fields away" aethelflead said

"Lady no one has passed for hours the roads are most likely closed to contain the sickness what if uthred went straight to caester" aldhelm said

"The. That is where we will go now" aethelflead said and got on their horses and left missing uthreds group my moments

"How much longer"athelstan complained
"Ask that again and I will not answer" stiorra said

"Stiorra be calm he'd just tired athelstan stop asking it will not make time pass faster now I'm sure we will not be travel much longer" freja said

"It's at the end of this field we should see the cross any moment" uthred said

When they arrived everyone sat down waiting to see if aethelflead would come

"What are you looking for finan" osferth shouted

"Bodies the sickness is close I know it's finan shouted back

"Why are you shitting yourself" sihtric laughed

"I have seen men as strong as bears at breakfast time gurgling blood and pus by supper" finan said

"Stiorra, freja take aelfwynn out of the sun it is not good for her" uthred said to his daughters

"I am sick of mothering her even freja is but she's to nice to say it we've done it for months now" stiorra said

"Think of it as training for when you both become a wife and mother" uthred said
"We will let become wives to much work for to little reward" stiorra said but moved her anyway

"I agree I will never fall in love and I would not be a good mother anyway" freja said

"Lady aethelflead is clearly not coming we should leave before the foul air catches us" finan said

"Lord I promised I would get you to meet her" eadith said

"Father she has a horse what if she was here first and went ahead" freja suggested