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"UHG THIS IS EXHAUSTING!"
Cirilla had been on the road for around two days now, with little rest. She had never been out this long without a rest or some water and food. She was absolutely exhausted.
Fredrick, the horse, huffed at the girl. She had decided to name him after she realised she was just calling him horse all the time. Thankfully, he was a trained horse that was used in battle so he had strong muscles that meant he could walk for days and a thick coat to keep him warm.
"Sorry Fredrick, I know you are tired. We shall stop soon." She told him and patted his neck softly. Cirilla knew she had to find somewhere for them to stop as Fredrick was beginning to slow down out of tiredness. "Just a little further." She assured.
It was around mid-day now and Cirilla and her horse sat in the middle of a forest where they were shaded from the harsh sun. There was a stream of water that Fredrick drank from as she sat on a tree trunk.
"I wonder how Aetheflaed is doing." She said aloud. "I feel she may be in danger as I have left her alone with my brother. I do not know what he is capable of anymore." She sighed sadly. Fredrick must have noticed her change in mood as he trotted over to the girl and planted himself next to with his head on her legs. Cirilla smiled softly at the horse as she patted his neck.
Suddenly, the sound of a twig snapping behind her made the girl turn her head in the direction of the noise, only to see nothing. Out of worry, she stood up to check her surroundings. There was nothing. But then another twig snapped and when she went to turn back around a knife was held up to her neck.
"Who are you?" A male said. He had a slight accent, clearly not Saxon.
"I could ask you the same question." She sneered back and she tried to free herself from his tight grasp. Three more men appeared in front of her and she stopped struggling when her eyes landed upon the youngest looking one. "Is that a monk?" Cirilla asked with scrunched eyebrows.
"Yes, it is a monk." The man that held her said in an annoyed voice. "Now, who are you?" He heals the knife tighter against her throat as a warning.
"Wait! Wait!" She called out as she believed he would slit her throat right there. "I am one of Lady Aethelflaeds Ladies." She lied. She did not know these men and if they found out she was a princess, they may end up taking her hostage. "I am looking for a man called Uhtred. The lady has given me a message to deliver." At this, the man loosened his grip on the girl but still kept the knife there.
"Who else is with you?" He asked her.
"No one. Just my horse and I. That is all." She told him and pointed to Fredrick who was too busy drinking water from the stream to notice the situation she was currently in.
"Who were you talking to then?" One of the men in front of her questioned. He had an Irish accent, one the girl had never heard before. "We heard you talking."
Cirilla looked at them and swallowed. They would now either kill her for thinking she was crazy or kill her because they believed she was lying.
"I was talking to Fredrick." She began and avoided eye contact out of slight embarrassment. "My horse." She muttered and looked to the mare. Fredrick lifted his head up at his name and examined the situation before going to eat some grass. "My loyal and noble horse." She muttered with an eye roll.
At this, The man that held her let go of her neck and made his way over to his other men. The man in question, was massive. He had broads shoulders and big muscly arms that could be seen even under his armour. Cirilla eyes widened, never had she seen a man like this.
"You said you had a message for Uhtred." He said and placed his knife back into his belt. "Well here i am." Cirilla said eyebrows shot up at this news. After two days of travelling she had finally found Uhtred of Bebbanberg.
"You are Uhtred of Bebbanberg?" She questioned as the man nodded. "Oh thank the heavens!" She smiled and laughed. "I could not have travelled for another day or I swear I would have gone insane! You do not realise how bad it is for you when your only form of communication is with a horse." She splurged out quickly.
Uhtred turned to look at his men who all held the same look. Confusion. Who was this girl and what was her message? Also, why did she talk so much?
"Honestly, I love Fredrick and all but I could not surviv-"
"What is your message, Lady?" Uhtred cut her rambling off, making her shut her mouth instantly. She did not realise how excited she was now that she was finally in the presence of Uhtred.
"Lady Aethelflaed wants you to meet her at Saint Milburgs Priory." Cirilla told Uhtred. "She wishes to reunite with Aeflwynn." At this news, Uhtred nodded his head.
He knew Aethelflaed would wish to see her daughter as soon as possible but he also knew of the dangers.
"She is alone Lord." The Irishman said. Cirilla hadn't even noticed that the other three men had been scouting the area to make sure she was not lying.
"I told you, just me and Fredrick." She smiled.
"Aye the horse and the horse whisperer. Sounds like a song." The Irishman teased making the other two men laugh.
One of them had the robes on of a monk and the other looked like a true Dane with his dark hair and dark armour.
"What is your name, lady?" Uhtred asked, ignoring his men. Cirilla thought for a moment. She didn't want to give away her true identity incase these men would use it against her. She did not trust them enough, yet.
"Ciri." She told them. Technically, she was not lying. It was just a shortened version of her name. "My name is Ciri." She assured with a nod. Uhtred looked sceptical but nodded also.
"How did you find us, Ciri?" He questioned her as he looked her up and down. She wore the dress of a proper lady and yet she assured them she was one of Aethelflaed ladies.
"Pure skill." She told him, her head held high and chest puffed out slightly. She was trying to prove that she was nit just some silly girl, but deflated slightly when the men chuckled. "Ok fine, Lady Aethelflaed told me to go north, so that's what I did. It was just luck I found you."
"It was not luck," Uhtred told her, a small smile forming on his annoyingly perfect face that was decorated with small scars. "It was fate."
Cirilla smiled at the man. He held a fatherly aura about him and that was something she missed dearly. Ever since her father died, she was deprived of a male role model in her life and now with her brother's behaviour she feared she had lost every male figure in her life.
"Come, Ciri." Uhtred told her. "We shall introduce you to the children." Although Uhtred had just met the girl, there was a familiarity about her. It was as If he had met her before but he was sure he hadn't. "Get your horse."
Cirilla smiled happily at him, before running over ti the stream and grabbing Fredrick reigns. The horse understood her movement's and walked along with her as she approached the three men who now sat atop of their own horses making her palms slightly sweaty.
"Well come on." The Irishman said as she just stood there, not making an attempt to get up onto her horse. "We ain't got all day, lass." Cirilla swallowed thickly before saying...
