Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 20

I felt my breath catch in my throat as Ubba pushed Uhtred away from him and ordered his men to strip him.

"Keep away from me!" Uhtred said, smacking a soldier that was coming at him.

"Not another step!" Uhtred shouted, and I moved to his side as Ubba ordered his archers to lock onto us.

"I have a hostage," Uhtred yelled, grabbing Ubba's attention.

"What?"

"I have Storri!"

"He speaks the truth!" I shouted.

"Stop!" Ubba ordered, moving forward once more to look at Uhtred.

"If I die, he dies. If I die your sorcerer dies," Uhtred said quickly

"He lies, I can smell it," Guthrum hissed.

"He doesn't!" I insisted.

"And we are to believe you?" Guthrum snapped at me.

"I have proof! I have his runes!" Uhtred shouted, reaching into his belt and throwing Storri's pouch at Ubba. "Storri will be returned to you safely."

"Take his head from his shoulders!" Guthrum ordered.

"Guthrum be quiet!" Ubba shouted.

"Have them unbar the doors. I will release Storri when we are clear of this place," Uhtred said, motioning for me to move behind him.

"You go nowhere," Ubba replied.

"Then he dies. Your sorcerer dies," Uhtred insisted. "Have them open the doors."

Ubba looked distraught, but his superstitions overpowered his sense. He nodded his head and I heard the door unlatch. We slowly backed towards it and Ubba called out to Uhtred that he would kill him. Uhtred replied that Storri would tell him otherwise, and that he was telling the truth about Ragnar.

"Tara Melgaard, is this the path you choose?" Guthrum asked suddenly.

"I serve the Ragnarsons," I replied coldly.

"He is not a Ragnarson," Ubba replied.

"He is. And so is his brother, Ragnar, and when he returns you will both crawl on your knees begging for Uhtred's forgiveness." With that we backed out of the room and didn't turn until we were out of it. Upon entering the hall, we broke into a run and left the monastery and village far behind us.

We ran like the wind, Ubba's distraught scream ringing out behind us. Uhtred flung himself onto his horse and hoisted me up behind him. We rode fast and tore away until at last we were safely in the wood and I saw Brida in the distance.

"What happened? Did he hear your story?" She asked, rushing towards us.

"He did not. Not a word," Uhtred said, slowing his horse.

"What did he say?"

"That he'll kill me," Uhtred replied.

"Nothing else?" Brida asked, looking to me.

"Where's Storri?" Uhtred asked, moving past her.

I shrugged my shoulders at her and followed him to see Storri tied up butt naked on the back of a horse, a tree branch sticking out of his arse. I stifled the urge to laugh and Uhtred looked both amused and horrified.

"He's naked!" Uhtred exclaimed.

"It was necessary," Brida assured us with a smile.

"There's a branch up his arse!" Uhtred said, still shocked.

"Which is why he's naked," Brida replied, hiding her laugh.

Uhtred went over to where Storri was.

"Oh Brida," I laughed, patting her on the shoulder.

We joined Uhtred by Storri and Brida twisted the stick, causing him to scream in pain. "Uhtred, he must've said something," she tried again.

Uhtred shrugged at her, "He believes that I killed Ragnar."

We stood staring at one another in silence a moment before Uhtred gave the horse holding Storri a good slap on the rear. The horse took off back home to Ubba. We watched him go, shouting "ow" with every step the animal took. Brida chuckled lightly and turned her attention back to Uhtred who had spoken, "we need to put as much distance between us and this place," he said.

"And go where?" Brida asked.

"Back North?" I suggested. "We can wait for Ragnar there."

"Anywhere but here," Uhtred replied, starting to walk.

"I say we go to young Ragnar," Brida said.

"He's in Ireland," Uhtred replied.

"Then we go to Ireland," she insisted.

Uhtred turned to face her. "How? In what? With whom? Danes?"

"Then we wait for him, like Tara suggested," Brida said.

"What if he doesn't return, what then?" Uhtred asked in an annoyed tone.

"He will return," I cut in. "I know he will."

Uhtred stared at Brida and then me. "Accept it, we're lost."

"No, I don't believe that. We are alive for a reason," Brida protested, getting upset.

"Brida, we're no longer Danes," Uhtred cut her off.

"Don't say that," I mumbled.

"Tara," he said, turning on me. "You heard Guthrum, you are a traitor in their eyes."

"No," I replied, shaking my head, not wishing to believe him. "We have Ragnar, he will believe us," I practically pleaded.

Uhtred looked away from me, and Brida looked as though she was going to cry. The three of us stood there not knowing what to do. Brida shook her head no and took off towards the horses. Uhtred tried to place his hand on my shoulder, but I pushed him off and followed her. We rode in silence, Brida and Uhtred on his horse, and I on my own. I had no clue where we were riding, and blindly followed Uhtred, silently crying. I cried for my brother, my father, and my earl. I cried about the path I was on and wondered if there was any redemption. I prayed to the gods that Ragnar was alive and would be returning to us once more. I knew if we could make it to him alive, he would believe us, and he would protect us. He would take us in and let us serve him as we'd served his father. Ragnar the Younger, now the Earl Ragnar, was our only hope.