Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 7

The next morning Uhtred and I were cleaning out the goat pen. We were shoveling our way through the muck and shit as the goats bleated around us. A rider came hastily up the path towards the hall. He was shouting Earl Ragnar's name and slipped into the hall. Uhtred and I exchanged glances before shrugging our shoulders and making our way on to clean the horse stalls.

We had just begun mucking out the first one when Ragnar the Younger entered saying Uhtred was needed in the hall. I whined in protest that I was to be left to do the stalls alone, to which Ragnar laughed and teased that it would be good for my character. I scowled at him as he took Uhtred with him to the hall. Uhtred shot me an apologetic smile over his shoulder. I felt myself cheer up slightly at this and returned my attention to the stalls.

It took me several hours, but I finally finished the horse's stalls. Fresh hay had been laid and new water in their troughs. I looked proudly at my handiwork and plunged my head and hands into a barrel of water. I then made my way back to the hall to get my next task. Upon entering I found Earl Ragnar hunched over in a huddle with Lord Ubba and Ragnar the Younger. Uhtred was patiently sitting nearby while the three men whispered. I crept over to Uhtred and sat beside him.

"What's going on?" I whispered.

"I don't know. They're speaking Danish I think."

"If you are to be Dane Uhtred, then we must work on your Danish," I laughed.

Earl Ragnar heard me and looked over. I feigned innocence and smiled at him. He returned his attention back to Ubba.

"I'd like that," Uhtred said enthusiastically.

"Good, we'll start on your Danish this afternoon," I smiled.

"I'm afraid no this afternoon," Earl Ragnar said. We both stared at him quizzically.

~~~~~

"Why can't I come too?" I protested, dodging in and out of men and horses being prepared for the journey.

"You are too little," Rangar the Younger replied, saddling his horse.

"I am not!" I stomped my foot.

"You are little one," he smiled, poking my forehead gently.

I pouted at him and muttered some not so nice insults under my breath to which he laughed heartily. I spotted Earl Ragnar talking with one of his men and trotted over to them. He had just sent his man to fetch something, when I gently tapped his leg. He looked down at my pleading face.

"No," he replied.

"Please! I will be on my best behavior!"

"Tara," he began but I cut him off again.

"I can fight just as good as any of your men," I crossed my arms across my chest.

"And that's why I need you to stay here and protect my hall," he sighed.

"But I want to go with you," I frowned.

"You are too little; besides, Sigrid would have my head if she knew I let you come with us," Earl Ragnar said, kneeling down to my height. "There will be plenty more opportunities for you to march with me, and when those days come, I will be honored to have you by my side."

I slightly cheered up at this, but my resolve to go was not put down. A very, what I deemed at the time, ingenious, plan crept into my head. I assured Earl Ragnar it was okay, and then slid out of sight into the hall. When I was fairly sure his attention was elsewhere, I snuck back out and clambered under the cover of one of the carts. I weaseled my way towards the back and laid still as I felt the cart jolt forward. We were marching towards Bebbanburg and I was now going too. I smiled at my plan, and soon felt the cart's movement luring me to sleep.

~~~~~

I awoke with a start as the cart's wheel hit a big bump. I heard men outside being ordered to push it. Soon I felt the cart back on the move and felt myself relax. I laid awake staring in the dimly lit space and wondered if I dared sneak a peak outside. I did. I crawled my way to the back of the cart and peeked out. I saw men following the cart and watched as the ground moved by. I heard orders to halt and heard men beginning to make camp. I laid completely still as a pair of feet moved to the edge of the cart. I held my breath.

"Tara, you can come out now," Earl Ragnar said sternly.

I hesitantly clambered out into the light. It took my eyes a moment to adjust and focus on Earl Ragnar looking at me. He had his hands on his hips and his head cocked slightly to the side.

"I'm sorry," I said, jumping down.

"I appreciate you wanting to come, but this is no place for a child," he said, smiling slightly.

"But I can fight!" I protested, hands to my hips.

Earl Ragnar laughed at this and held out his hand to me, leading me away from the cart. "A tip for you, when you sneak into the back of a cart, make sure nobody sees you doing it."

My face went red. "You knew I was in there?"

"Yes," he smiled. "Well, we're too far away to turn back now."

I grinned at him and shook his head at me, though a smile was still plastered on his face. "If Sigrid asks, consider yourself reprimanded."

I nodded and we walked over to where the beginnings of a fire were being laid. Uhtred sat on a log and looked surprised to see me.

"Little rat," Ragnar the Younger teased me, ruffling my hair.

I stuck my tongue out at him, which made him chuckle. I sat down next to Uhtred and stared at him. He seemed to be worried about something and wasn't very good at hiding at it.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"Nothing," he tried to smile.

"I'm not stupid you know," I replied.

"I didn't say you were."

"Then tell me, what's wrong?"

"I don't want to go back to my uncle," Uhtred admitted.

"Then stay with us," I said.

"Earl Ragnar says we have to hear my uncle out," Uhtred moped.

"We could run away," I suggested.

Uhtred laughed slightly at this. "I don't think we want to start a war."

"I'll fight your uncle for you then." We both broke out into a fit of laughter and were soon sent into the nearby wood to find small sticks for the fire.