The Dawn of the Lost

9

Uhtred sat me on the bank gently and wet a cloth which he washed me with. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"I've been better," I replied.

"I know," he said rubbing my shoulders, I pulled my robe back on and flicked my wet hair over my shoulder. "Looks like your fever is on its way out," he said.

A few weeks later...

Uhtred and I trained in a clearing just on the outskirts of his farmstead, I had to build up the muscle I had lost. We used wooden swords just to ease my back into it. "You're still surprisingly strong," he said.

"Nothing can beat me. Not even a fever," I said. He just smiled and prodded me in the ribs.

"Come on use your shield," he said.

"I'm trying," I said lifting my shaky arm up.

"My father didn't go easy on me, so I'm not going easy on you," he said and kicked me back, but I pushed his foot back and he fell onto his back. I pressed a boot onto his chest.

"You were saying," I smirked.

"Is that how you're going to play it huh?" he quizzed me pushing himself off the ground.

"Yes," I grinned. He charged at me, as our blade crashed they sparked. Just as I was about to swing my blade at him we were interrupted.

"Uhtred!" Mildrith yelled.

"What now?" I sighed and twirled my blade around in my hand.

"None of your business Dane, you can leave us," she demanded.

"No, she can stay!" Uhtred answered. "She can hear whatever you have to say."

"I will not talk in front of her," she insisted.

"Your voice still annoys me," I said putting my blade in its scabbard and storming off back to Uhtreds house, but I was stopped in the square but one of the tenants, and his wife. "Get out of my way!" I snarled.

"No, we should have killed you!" He growled pushing me back. I sighed and pulled my blade from its scabbard and stabbed him, I pulled my blade up breaking bone as I did. He dropped to his knees, I kicked him backsliding my blade out of his chest. His wife screamed, and I slit her throat, her blood spurted out all over me.

"Monster!" Another woman cried emerging from her house. I took my dagger from my waist and threw it at her. A mob was suddenly surrounding me. I ran to the stables and jumped onto my horses back and galloped off. I looked back just as Uhtred emerged from the woods with his wife. I gave him one more glance and galloped out into the cold wilderness.

We paused on a hill looking back at the temporary home we had, my horse neighed and reared up. "I know boy, we'll find somewhere else," I said. We turned tail and walked back to Winchester. I trotted through the gates and into the courtyard where I was greeted by Beocca.

"Where's Uhtred?" he asked.

"At his farmstead," I replied.

"I'm surprised you didn't travel together," he said.

"I had to leave in a hurry, some of the townspeople tried to attack me again," I said.

"I can tell," he answered. "Come we must tell Alfred of your news, but first wash that blood off yourself, I may have grown accustomed to it but Alfred isn't."