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wheyyyyy, cheeky 7am update for you, enjoy x
word count; 2088
Rosamund
It was not a while before we reached the Mercian border. We passed through easily and faced little qualms from those we passed, but we did not stop. We could not. Reaching Winchester was our fundamental goal and I would not let us be halted by my pains, albeit bad. It was half a day's ride from Mercia to Wessex as we had gone directly south-east, avoiding most of the border and travelling by the Roman roads. I was grateful for the journey being cut so short, but it, unfortunately, remained full of obstacles.
The child in my belly continued to swirl and move about, lodging itself on my lower hips. It was an uncomfortable feeling, something which exacerbated the pain in my lower back and made travelling utterly intolerable.
"Ah," I winced, feeling yet another pain shoot down my back. They had grown since they had begun and became more common each time.
"Rosamund, we have to stop," Aelwyd spoke. She had a large frown on her face and clearly didn't approve of me travelling in such a way.
"We do not stop," I replied, shaking my head. "We can't."
"We're in Mercia now!" Aelwyd exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air with frustration. I knew she didn't mean any harm, only acting out of care, but we could not. Aethelred of Mercia was not a kind man and I did not feel he would give us protection. Alas, Danes roamed Mercia like hounds on the hunt for meat and I would not risk it. Not now, not ever.
"Merica is a land of uncertainty. We travel to Winchester."
"Aethelflaed's estates -- are they near?" She asked. I scoffed,
"It would take more time to travel to her estates; we are too far south. Aelwyd, please," I sighed, "It'll be fine."
She opened her mouth to respond but Addela gave her such a look she immediately closed her lips and looked at the path ahead. We rode in silence for a few hours, Aelwyd making the odd comment about the landscape and Addela looking at me with concern whenever I winced. In truth, I was pained. I felt the child move about and each time he did, the pain grew sharper. Nonetheless, our goal stayed the same. The child had to wait and God would not bring him into this world at such an uncertain time, no, for what good would it do?
We travelled for a few more hours through Mercia, heading south, before we were met with faces we had not expected.
"My Lady?"
I took a breath before I turned to see who called me; an enemy, a conspirator, would likely attempt to take me into their custody and return me to Llanfaes. Glancing back, I felt my eyes widen as they landed on Lord Aldhelm. I had not had much contact with him during my time in Wessex but I had heard of him from many.
