Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 15

I awoke with a start, disoriented and confused about why I was sleeping in the woods cradled in Uhtred's arms. Suddenly the events of the previous night rushed back, and tears threatened to stain my cheeks once more. I gently elbowed Uhtred awake. He sat up and yawned like a small child. I turned my attention back towards the hall and saw we were not the only ones awake. Kjartan was ordering his men to find the silver. They combed through the wreckage of the hall.

"Too bad it isn't exactly in the hall," Uhtred tried to lighten the mood.

"There you are!" an angry whisper came from behind us.

We both turned to see Brida standing there with her hands on her hips.

"Sorry, I found Tara," Uhtred replied.

"I was worried sick!" Brida practically cried.

The two of them whisper argued, so I turned my attentions back to the attempt to find Earl Ragnar's hoard. The men dug through the ruin and found nothing. Kjartan paced impatiently and snarled at anyone who dared tell him there was nothing there.

"Tara tell him it's too dangerous," Brida said, pulling me back into their conversation.

"What's too dangerous?" I asked.

"Sneaking down there!" Brida hissed, glaring at Uhtred.

"I just want to get closer," he said decidedly.

"I'll go with you," I said.

"You're no help," Brida frowned.

After some more back and forth between the two of them, Uhtred and I were stealthily making our way through the weeds and down into the wreckage. Suddenly I felt Uhtred pull me down and we halted behind a twiggy bush as a Saxon looking man wandered by the animal pens in front of us.

"What is a Saxon doing with Kjartan?" I whispered.

"His name's Scallion. He works for my Uncle," Uhtred replied, not taking his eyes off the man.

"Your Uncle?" I almost shouted.

"Shh!" Uhtred said, clamping his hand over my mouth.

We held completely still as the Saxon looked around him. "He's going to tell my Uncle I'm dead."

"Isn't that a good thing?" I mumbled through his hand.

"They cannot get away with this. They need to be punished!" Uhtred raised his voice louder than he should've. I pulled him all the way down onto the ground and we laid there as still as could be. Nobody came, so we slowly raised our heads back up to peak through the brambles.

"They will be," I whispered. "But we must wait for Ragnar, it's his right."

"I need to kill someone," Uhtred said slowly. "Him."

"I don't think that's..." but it was too late, Uhtred was already slinking off towards the Saxon called Scallion.

"Well, shit. Brida's gonna murder me," I grumbled, as I carefully followed.

We moved silently and undetected. We ducked into a shed and Uhtred almost lost it when he saw the remains of Earl Ragnar burnt to a crisp laying in front of the hall door. I pulled him onwards and we concealed ourselves in the goat pen. Uhtred peeked out and told me to stay put. I growled at him that I didn't want to, but he made me promise.

"I'm coming after you if you get into trouble," I said.

He nodded and snuck towards where the Saxon was standing. I held my breath as I watched him sneak up behind the man, putting his blade to his neck and his hand to his mouth. He dragged him behind the corner, and I lost sight of him, but I knew what he was going to do.

I waited patiently for Uhtred to come back to where I was hidden. When he didn't appear, I decided to creep after him. I carefully snuck along the same path he did and found him with his head on his knees curled in a ball breathing heavily and silently sobbing. I knelt down and took him into my arms. I pat his back like he was a small child. I rocked him quietly and stroked his hair. It was long after Kjartan and his men had departed that I felt Uhtred calm.

"Uhtred?" I asked softly.

"I'm alright," he replied, his eyes red and puffy from crying. "Let's look around," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.

Before I could answer, he was on his feet holding his hand out to me. I sighed and took it, feeling myself instantly hoisted to a standing position. I felt Uhtred give my hand a tight squeeze before he let it go and exited. I sucked on my cheek and thought a moment before following him.

We walked up to the mass of burnt wood and grey ash. Uhtred paused before what was left of Earl Ragnar's body and knelt down. I saw him brush away tears as he gently touched what was once Earl Ragnar's hand. He looked in front of him at the destruction of the hall and I gingerly approached, placing my hand on his shoulder. I felt his free hand place itself on mine. He kissed it and held it against his cheek.

"The bastards need to pay," he said.

"And they will. I promise you that," I replied, squatting down by his side.

He turned to look at me, "you're sure everyone..." I nodded my head. "What now then?" he asked sadly.

"We wait for Ragnar," I replied.

"What if he doesn't come?" Uhtred despaired.

"He will," I insisted.

Uhtredbit his lip as he thought. His long brown hair fell around his shoulders andswayed in the light morning breeze. He looked up and I followed his gaze to seeBrida slowly walking towards us. She stopped short of us and silently waited.Uhtred sniffled once more and stood up, walking to her. The two of them enteredthe ruin of the hall. I looked back to Earl Ragnar and sighed heavily. "Youhave my word Lord," I assured him for the last time before standing andfollowing the others into the wreckage of the hall.