Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 10

I shouted in alarm, and Uhtred barely had time to grab the man's wrist before the two went down to the ground. I drew my weapon, ready to pierce the man, but then the two flipped and Uhtred was on top. I held my axe close and waited for an opportunity to whack the man. They flipped again, the man had his blade very close to Uhtred's neck. I raised my axe, and felt my hands being dragged backwards. Another man had appeared and was now pulling me backwards onto the ground. I struggled against him and head butted his face. I heard a cracking noise and felt liquid flow down my back. I wretched out of what was left of his grip and hacked him through the head. The man fell into the dirt, blood pooling around his body.

I turned my attention back to Uhtred and the man and saw Ragnar the Younger had now joined in and was wrestling the man off Uhtred. "Get him Ragnar!" Brida shouted, joining the on lookers.

Ragnar heaved the man off Uhtred with all of his weight and punched him hard in the face. He then drove his blade through the man's body. I watched the man fall to the ground and everyone cheered. I rushed forward to check Uhtred for injury and saw he had a small scratch on his cheek that he brushed off. Ragnar the Younger bent down and asked if we were alright. We nodded in confirmation. He wiped the blood off his sword and re-sheathed it. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye, and before anyone could react, we watched as the man Ragnar had run through fell to the ground screaming in pain, a dagger sticking out of his eye.

Ragnar looked from the man to me, to Uhtred who was still staring intently where the man had been. "You saved me," Ragnar said breathlessly.

Uhtred nodded his head, apparently in a bit of shock that he had hit his target. Ragnar the Younger embraced Uhtred and then placed his forehead on his. "Thank you, my brother," he said softly.

The two of them stayed like that for a bit, looking into each other's eyes. Their brotherhood thus began. The two spent lots of time together training and making trouble up until Ragnar's departure to Ireland. We all went out to the coast to see him off. His mother cried and I am fairly sure Earl Ragnar's eyes were wet as he said farewell to his son.

Ragnar went down the line and at last got to us. He gave Brida a quick hug and wished her well. He hugged Ivar who was rather tall for a boy of thirteen. He hugged me tight and told me to keep out of trouble. I retorted that I was fourteen and not a little girl anymore. He laughed and messed up my hair with his hand. I scowled at him, but soon joined in laughing. At last he reached Uhtred and embraced him tightly, placing their foreheads together.

"Look after them, they're your responsibility while I'm gone," he said.

"You look after yourself," Uhtred smiled.

"Until we meet again, brother," Ragnar smiled back.

He released Uhtred and smacked him on the back. "See that one stays out of trouble," he said to Uhtred, indicating me as the one.

"I shall," Uhtred chuckled.

"And I'll see he stays out of trouble," I replied huffily, earning more laughs from the two of them. I rolled my eyes.

Earl Ragnar stepped in and insisted that it was time Ragnar board and depart. We all hugged him tightly once more and waved him off. I felt Uhtred's hand slip into mine as we stood, watching until the ship vanished on the horizon. We were the only two left by the time Ragnar had completely vanished from sight.

"He'll come back," I tried to comfort Uhtred.

"I know," he replied, turning to look at me.

I smiled at him and felt tension in the air. We stared at each other for a while but were broken out of our trance by Ivar telling us we needed to get going.

~~~~~

Time flew by quickly. Uhtred and I grew stronger every day and more ferocious. We trained hard and often times left bruises on one another from our mock sparring. We laughed and became closer than ever. Brida would sometimes join us in our fighting endeavors but ended up spending most of her time helping Sigrid with chores. My eighteenth birthday came and went, and soon spring was upon us once more. Thyra was due to be married in a couple of weeks and we were all rushing about carrying out preparations for the big day.

Uhtred and I were in the meadow sparring with staffs when Earl Ragnar approached the fence and leaned against it, watching us, occasionally shouting not so helpful advice. "You're going to let her beat you Uhtred?" he teased.

"I am not," Uhtred laughed, ducking as I swung at his head.

I felt him take the opportunity to whack me in the gut. I keeled over a bit winded but jabbed him in the side that he'd left open. I watched him grip it in pain and I swung his legs out from under him. He toppled to the ground laughing.

"I let her win!" he chuckled, sitting up.

Earl Ragnar shook his head in disbelief and then told Uhtred to go help catch some chickens for supper. I helped Uhtred up and we walked over to the fence. He jumped it in one clean sweep and was whistling to himself as he trotted away towards the chicken coop. I smiled after him and climbed over the fence, Earl Ragnar offering me his hand to help me jump down on the other side.

"Ta," I said.

He looked me over and smiled, "You are so much like your father."

I blushed slightly and shrugged.

"Ivar will be coming back for the wedding," Earl Ragnar said, holding his arm out for me to take.

"Is he?" I replied, accepting it.

We began walking back towards the hall.

"He is. I'm sure you two will have some catching up to do."

"Ivar the skald," I chuckled. "I bet our father is roaring with laughter in Valhalla."

"I'm sure he smiles down upon you both with great pride and joy," Earl Ragnar replied.

"I hope so," I said, thinking of our dear father made my eyes water ever so slightly.

"And you? What will you do?" he asked.

"Be a warrior," I replied.

"I mean after that," he laughed.

"I intend to be a warrior for life," I responded seriously.

Earl Ragnar looked at me and shook his head chuckling, "Has marriage ever crossed your mind?"

"No."

"I think it would be a good thing to consider. I have many suitors lining up asking me for your hand."

I scowled.

"Of course, I told them it will be your decision, and the man you choose will have my blessing," he finished, trying to placate me.

"I don't want to marry," I frowned.

"Just think about it," he winked at me.

"I will," I replied, biting my lip and watching Uhtred chasing a chicken.

Earl Ragnar's eyebrows raised, and he looked from me to Uhtred. He chose his next words carefully. "Uhtred has grown into a fine lad."

"He has," I agreed.

"Would you consider marriage to him?" he pried.

"Would I what?" I stammered, feeling my face turn red. "No, no. We are just friends. Besides, he likes Brida," I chuckled.

"Does he?" Earl Ragnar seemed to find this fact amusing. He murmured something I didn't understand before excusing himself and heading back into the hall. I watched after him and then turned my attention back to Uhtred who had just landed hard on the ground, the chicken scrambling in his grip.

"Don't let go! I'm coming," I laughed, unlatching the gate and seizing the chicken by the neck.