The Dawn of the Lost

7

"Astrid, Astrid!" A voice called over and over. "Please." My eyes opened slowly, Uhtred was staring down at me. "Thank the gods," he said.

"U...Uhtred, where's Ragnar?" I wheezed.

"In the North, you know this," he said picking me up in his arms. I cried in agony. Uhtred did what he could to comfort me, but as we walked I laid my head on his chest. He carried me out of the barn, and towards his hut. "It's okay, you're safe now, no one will harm you." I noticed a few tenants came out to see the commotion, Uhtred pressed me closer to his chest. He gazed around. "Whoever this was, I will make you pay!" he spat venom.

"My lord we had no idea she was in there," the man who made me bleed and broke my legs said.

"You lie. You told me she left!" He growled.

"I do not have time for you, her life is in danger. At the moment I value it over yours," he said and rushed to his hut. He lay me down on their bed.

"I...I don't want her in here!" I stuttered and looked at Mildrith, but not for long as I found my eyes rolling elsewhere.

"Lord, you can't expect me to leave my own house," she began.

"Get out!" He demanded.

"Lord, please," she begged.

"Now!" he yelled. I watched as she left, that was when I let my cries of pain-free. Uhtred already had a bowl of water and a cloth, he began to clean the wounds on my wrists I hissed and whimpered as he did. "Shush, it's okay," he kissed my head quickly before placing a healing cream made from plants on to the wounds and wrapping them up. He gently ran his hands down my legs to feel the extent. "If you're still, and you rest, you will heal just fine," he said. "You also need to recover the blood you lost."

"You will not leave my side will you?" I asked.

"No," he said gently sitting on the bed with me. "I was worried you had left me, retreated back to Ragnar."

"I would never," I said. "But the people who you rule over are animals."

"They will pay, don't you worry about that," he said.

"Good, Uhtred, they made me suffer," I said as tears tumbled from my eyes.

"Hey you're safe now," he said gently pulling me onto his chest. He gently rested my head in his neck and stroked my hair. "You've been through worse Astrid, but I've always been there to get you back on your feet, as you have for me."

"I...I know," I replied reaching a shaky hand up to rest on his cheek.

"Just rest," he said pulling a deerskin up over my shoulders. "I will be here, I won't leave your side."

"U...Uhtred, I don't feel too good," I said and leant over and threw up. He rested a hand on my forehead.

"You're burning up!" He exclaimed. "Those double-crossing pigs left you in that barn for too long, a fever has sunk into your bones." He rushed up to grab me a bucket and a cup of water. "Drink, I will send for a healer in the morning," he said.