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"I HAVE BEEN DRINKING ALE."
The sound of the heavy door opening and closing, cashed Cirilla to jump up from her position in her chair. The Dane, Sigtryggr, had left her a few moments earlier, promising to return, but it didn't settle her nerves everyone she heard a loud noise.
Eardwulf staggered through the door, into the study room where she sat. His hair was disheveled and he was swaying, clearly having drank too much ale.
"I can tell." She scrunched her nose up in disgust. "You smell worse than usual." Eardwulf approached Cirilla and stood directly next to her, leaving into her. "What do you want?" He placed a dagger onto the table in front of them, making her swallow thickly.
"To kill someone, I think." She blinked rapidly, suddenly becoming overly aware of what was happening and who held all the power in that moment. "Someone or myself, one of the two."
"Sigtryggr wants me as a hostage." She explained, her voice quiet and shaky. "I am of use to him alive." It was obvious she was scared. This man was drunk and not fully in control of his action, even when drunk he would easily be able to over power the young girl.
"Oh, don't be fooled." He rolled his eyes, making her freeze in her spot as he took a seat on the table in front of them. "He's playing with you." Her green eyes snapped to him as he spoke, his words slurred. "Unlike myself, he's a man bereft of conscience."
"Then don't anger him by killing me." She moved away from him, backing up as he followed her. "He would kill you himself if he found out I was dead." Cirilla spoke nothing of which she knew to be true, she was just hoping to scare off Eardwulf.
"I don't care if he kills me!" He yelled, kicking the chair in front of him causing the girl to jump in surprise. "It will only anger the King further." He walked her into the wall, towering over her. "Making a bargain with Dane's was madness. I can see that now." One of his hands was placed beside her head, trapping Cirilla between him and the wall, casing her breathe to speed up. "I will suffer whatever I choose." His other hand which was holding the dagger, located and pointed the sharp object at her stomach. "So, I might as well take pleasure in a small scrap of vengeance."
"I have done nothing to you." She reminded. Her voice was calm, even though she was screaming with fear inside.
"Your bother and Sister stole my chance to regain honour. Pushed my face in the dirt when all I wanted was to take back what was owed! Do either of you know what it is to have your life derided? To be forced to turn from your people to survive? Do you know what that does to a man?"
"Turns him into a drunk, apparently." She muttered, ducking under his arm to feee herself.
"Do not mock me." He turned to her, his voice harder this time. "You we're once to be my wife, remember? We could have lived happily together in Mercia."
