Warriors at Heart (The Last Kingdom Fanfic)

Chapter 27

"I miss being outside," Uhtred joked trying to lighten the mood. "We had a great view."

Brida hissed something at him and went off to sulk alone in the corner. I shrugged my shoulders and leaned against the wall. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. The situation was far from ideal, but I supposed I should be thankful at least that Alfred didn't have us murdered right there and then. I wondered if Ragnar was among the army of Danes and really hoped he wasn't. At the moment he was the only ally we had.

"You're awfully quiet," Uhtred broke into my stream of thought.

"What is there to say?" I asked, not opening my eyes.

"You usually have a lot to say," he replied.

"What do you want me to say? You've betrayed our people and I let you," I shot back. "I guess I'm no better than you are. Perhaps I'm worse."

"Are you going to stand there sleeping?" he teased.

I heard him move towards me and slowly opened my eyes to find him next to me. He was staring at me with something in his eyes I couldn't place. Desperation? "Don't be a fool Uhtred," I replied, thumping him on the shoulder and closing my eyes once more. "How long do you suppose they're going to leave us in here?"

"Until we rot," Brida glowered from her corner.

"They will let us out, once they see that we were telling the truth," Uhtred ignored her.

"You have an awful lot of faith in them," I frowned, opening my eyes to look at him.

"They will let us go free," Uhtred repeated.

"They better, or I will kill you myself," Brida growled.

Uhtred chuckled at her threat, though I sensed on some level she wasn't joking. After a while my legs grew tired from standing and I relented to sitting on the floor with my back against the wall. The stone was cold, and the small smattering of straw laid across the ground did nothing to make it more comfortable. Uhtred slid down next to me and affectionately rested his head on my shoulder. "We will go free," he assured me once more before shutting his eyes.

"Whatever you say," I replied, shutting my eyes and leaning my head on top of his.

I drifted off to sleep and far away from the prison cell that currently held us. I dreamt of a green meadow filled with lots of little flowers. I ran through the meadow with Ivar laughing behind me. How good it was to hear his laugh and see his smiling face once more. We ran and laughed and tumbled to the ground as he tackled me. My father's voice appeared, and he was cheering us on. "Father?" I smiled up at him as he picked me off Ivar and hugged me tightly to him. "Wake up Tara," he said. I frowned at him, confused, but soon felt him and Ivar slipping away from me once more as I was shaken awake.

My eyes flew open and the hand that was on my upper arm was now twisted into a wrist lock. I peered around the dim cell and saw Uhtred's strained face looking at me. I immediately released him and watched as he held his wrist. "Oops," I smiled.

"I hear men," Uhtred said, trying to peer out the high window.

"Wow," Brida replied sarcastically.

"I think they're back," Uhtred said almost too happily.

"How do you feel knowing you've just killed Danes?" Brida shot at him.

He ignored her and ushered me towards him. I groaned and stood, stretching my aching muscles as I did so. Satisfied they'd been stretched enough, I walked over to Uhtred and felt him lifting me up to the bars to see what I could.

The sunlight was harsh on my eyes that had grown accustomed to the dark and I snapped them shut and shielded them with my hand. I cautiously lowered my hand from my eyes and slowly opened them. I was met with the painful blinding light but felt them slowly adjust. I looked out to see feet of men and horses. "I can't see anything," I hissed down to Uhtred.

"Nothing?" he asked.

"Feet," I replied, trying to steady myself further by gripping the bars in my hands. "Wait, there's a stretcher with a body," I said, squinting to try and see who was in it.

"Is it Alfred?" Uhtred asked. I could sense a tinge of fear in his voice.

"I don't know, they're too far away," I replied. My gaze shifted from the stretcher to the returning war party. It seemed as though the Saxons were victorious. Quick and victorious. It had taken them barely two days, how embarrassing for the Danes. I would've felt worse for Earl Guthrum if he hadn't previously tried to kill us.

The sound of doors swinging open rang out and Uhtred lowered me back to the ground. We stood in our cell waiting as approaching footsteps shuffled towards where we were held. "If they're here to kill us, I want you to know I'll kill you before they can," Brida grumbled at Uhtred.

"I'm not dying without a fight," I said, as a set of keys jangled in the final wooden door that led to the room where our cell was. I slipped my concealed weapon out and Brida looked quite impressed. Uhtred hissed at me to put it away. I growled at him and tucked it up my sleeve, just in case. The door swung open and a man stepped into the room. He stood in the shadows and I couldn't quite make out his face until he stepped closer towards us and into the light.