Alaric carried Una back into the castle. Her wet dress dripped across the floor as they made their way through the long and dark stone halls. Una was shivering from the cold. Alaric was too. This night was one of the coldest nights Alaric had ever felt before. He had never been this far north before, not since his birth at least.

"Here," Alaric said gently, setting Una down on her feet.

"Thank you," Una mumbled.

The little oil lamp was still lit in the corner.

"How did you hear me, having that dream earlier?" Una sighed as she took off her damp outer dress.

"I couldn't sleep. I figured you couldn't either, so I came to see if you were still awake ."

"Came to talk to me? I didn't think you would talk to me again after I was lamenting so much. That's what mead does to me. I just wanted it to help me sleep." Una smiled.

"It's hard to sleep on nights like these. I don't blame you for drinking. I could use some mead myself." Alaric laughed.

"I've just been very oversentimental lately," Una admitted.

"Well, you have a reason," Alaric said softly.

He turned and walked to the door.

"Well, if I don't get a chance to see you off tomorrow, I guess this is goodbye, queen Una."

Una furrowed her brow and looked up at Alaric.

"You're serious. That's it?" Una laughed.

Was he trying to act mellow dramatic, Una thought?

"What do you want me to say, Una? No amount of words could express how much you mean to me. Words are meaningless now. I can't stop you from leaving." Alaric sighed as he stood in the doorway.

"Are you mad at me?" Una asked with a laugh.

Alaric sighed deeply again and turned around.

"Frustrated, more me than you." He admitted.

"Why?" Una insisted as she walked over to him.

"Who's going to look after you in battle. What if you get hurt?" He seemed concerned.

"You forget I'm a healer too. If there's one thing I can do better than putting men down, it's mending cuts." Una said with a soft grin.

Alaric nodded his head and pursed his lips.

"You know I'll come back," Una said faintly.

Alaric nodded his head again.

"You're kidding yourself," Alaric said.

"Of course I will! Why would I not?" Una exclaimed.

"You've been away from home for far too long. I'm not talking about Wessex."

"There's nothing left there for me," Una said.

"You'd abandon your people?" Alaric asked.

Alaric crossed his arms and sighed.

"My father left for war for almost a year, and the kingdom held up. It's not easy to get past the mountains. It keeps the enemy out and the ally in." Una said.

"Njord made it through fine. How do you know after this war that he won't pay you a second visit?" Alaric exclaimed as he pointed at Una.

"Njord won't live through the final battle. He is too old and sick. This is his final battle, so when I win, the good name of Northumbria could be restored to Bryttania. I think he knows this, that's why he's going with me. There won't be an opportunity like this ever again. He must atone for his sins, and the wages of his sin is death." Una said.

"So you will kill him, after all?" Alaric asked.

"No. I'm tired of that word. I loathe that word. This war will be too much for him. He will give up in the end. The Mercians will slay him, but he knows I'll win, so none of this will be in vain. Your kingdom will flourish after this. And I say your kingdom because when I come to see you, you better have a crown on your head." Una smiled at him.

Alaric chuckled and stood straight again, unfolding his arms. The scent of the oil lamp began to smell stronger. It was almost out of oil.

"I'll see to it that I will become king. I can't say that I'll be a great one, considering that I was raised by millers most of my life, but I'm still a Dane. We're all the same underneath." He looks up at the dancing shadows on the ceiling.

"Alright, Una. This won't be our last goodbye then. Promise me. You'll go home before you come back here." Alaric turned and looked down at Una.

"Humph. You have a deal." Una smiled back.

Alaric nodded and turned around again, his arm outstretched for the door frame. Una hesitated. She wanted Alaric to stay here with her. These were their last moments together before she would go and leave him. Una knows not how long that will be. All she knows is that there wasn't enough time left. It was like she blinked, and she jumped to this moment in time.

"Wait...Alaric. I have one more favor to ask as your queen." Una hesitated.

"Oh, no. Do you have twigs stuck in your hair again?" He laughed.

"I just say that because I know it pesters you. You should be honored. You're the only one I ever ask for anything." Una laughed.

"What would you like to pester me with this time, hopefully, the last time?" Alaric scoffed but ended up smiling.

"Help me out of this wet dress," Una said softly.

Alaric stared at her and blinked.

"You know first hand how hard it was to put this thing on, and now that it's wet and sticks to my skin, it's impossible. I could take a dagger to it. However, I would hate to destroy such a fine underdress." Una asked.

"Oh, I see," Alaric said with a nervous tone.

Una turned her back to him and rose her arms high in the air. Alaric walked closer to her and pulled the bottom hem of her dress up, and pulled as hard as he could.

"Much!" Una mumbled as he nearly suffocated her with the wet dress.

He freed it from her body and threw the damp dress to the ground, making a heavy slap noise. Una stood there in her bottom undergarments, feeling the instant warmth of the room.

"Thank you," Una said, not turning around.

"That might be the last time for a while. Good luck getting Njord to help you out." Alaric sighed.

"I wouldn't ask him or anybody. I'll just grin and bear it." Una laughed.

"Humph, what will you do without me?" Alaric laughed as he turned toward the door.

"It's disheartening that I have to leave.
I want to stay with you here." Una said honestly.

Alaric turned again and looked at Una's bareback. Her damp hair formed long waves at the ends.

"Do you mean that?" Alaric said softly, turning back around to look out the door.

Una clutched her hands under her neck and bent her head down, staring at a crack in the floor.

"I'd be a fool not to say that I'll miss you dearly. It's going to be very different without you near. It will be like old times when I went off to battle. I had to rely on myself and my own strength. Many admired me for that, but there is nothing admirable about abject loneliness." Una said, taking off her bottom undergarments.

Una walked over to her bed and sat at the end, covering herself with a wool pelt for warmth.

"For as many people who love you dearly, you still felt lonely? Do you still feel this way?" He asked earnestly.

"The people that have many friends are sometimes the loneliest in the world. It's been a long time since I had a good friend like you. I lost my best friend not long ago when she miscarried, and the love of my life died. Not long after did my other two closest friends leave me. Your brother left me through death. My childhood friend abandoned me. It seems like no matter how close I get to people, they always get ripped away from me. Like them, soon I will leave, and I won't see you again for a very long time. But at least I made you a promise. That means you're closer to me than all the others have gotten. When you are near, I don't feel that loneliness, but soon it shall return. " Una said, saddened.

"You feel like you have eternity when you're with someone. Then when they are no longer with you, you look back and realize how fleeting those moments were." Alaric said, turning around and looking at Una wrapped in the blanket.

"I'll probably be an old woman when I get to see you again at this rate of the war. Rats are good company when I'm not hungry." Una laughed.

Alaric could tell though her laugh was hiding the sadness on her face. She looked down at the ground. Her eyes were watering, and she squinted.

"But I'll be an old man." He smiled and walked over to Una.

He sat down next to Una and wrapped his arms around her. He didn't want her to feel like she was being abandoned again. He didn't want her to feel lonely also.

"Being an old man won't make a difference when you come back. We'll still have lots of adventures, no matter how many of my joints pop and bend." Alaric laughed, rubbing the side of her shoulder.

"Perhaps another little Una will be born as your granddaughter. I'm not sure where I'll put her though she is as wild as you are. Perhaps the stable? Ha, like that night, you actually were going to sleep in a stall." He laughed, trying to comfort Una.

Una wouldn't say anything. She just looked at the ever dimming light of the oil lamp. It barely lit anything but the table it was sitting on.

"Ahh, cheer up already!? Everything will be alright." Alaric said, leaning in kissing her temple.

He wanted to see Una smile one last time, but it seemed to make matters worse. He sighed and released his arms from her, and stood up.

"Don't cry anymore, Una. It makes me sad to see you upset." Alaric stood in the same spot, looking at the barely visible lamp flame.

It was Yvar who used to kiss her temple like that to cheer her up too. She knew Yvar was still out there, somewhere.

"I love a man the way you love Johanna," Una admitted looking up at Alaric.

"He was my friend who left me alone with Frey when we were trying to cross Offa's dyke. We were childhood friends. He was my first love. He convinced me that he loved me too, and then he left. Promise you'll remember me when you become king. I don't want you to leave me too." Una asked.

"Of course." Alaric sighed.

"You're not exactly easy to forget anyway." He added with a laugh.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Una chuckled.

Alaric turned his head to the side. He could see her smile again. He could remember her like this now, his last memory until they meet again.

"I might as well say it." Alaric felt himself blush.

"Say what?" Una asked curiously.

"Well..." Alaric choked on his words.

"Tell me, and I'll tell you something." Una smiled.

"I think your laugh is loud and obnoxious, but it's also infectious. I can't help but smile every time you laugh. It's gotten me into so much trouble." He smiled.

Una blushed deeply.

"And I'm terrified of you. But at the same time, you have encouraged me to be a better and stronger person. No other person has been able to do that. It also irritates me when you say degrading things about yourself. I hear you mumble them sometimes under your breath. By far, you are the kindest, strongest, most intelligent, honest, and brave person I have ever met. It could just be because you're a queen, but I've met many queens in my life. None have ever been like you." Alaric said softly.

Una couldn't believe her ears. He was never one to compliment her, so this was shocking.

"You always talk down about your beauty, too, just because you don't look like a conventional woman. You're prettier than they are, you know, the ones who you think talk about you. I figured that out about jealous women. They'll pick out every flaw on you to justify their plain looks. If I may be honest, I think you are absolutely stunning. You may be a ruthless warrior, but that has never taken away from your grace. I think Johanna lacks a lot that you have. She's beautiful and kind, but that's it. She definitely couldn't kick anyone's arse if she wanted. I've always admired that about you, your fierce Independence." Alaric laughed hesitantly.

Una said nothing, for she could barely think.

"I swear I didn't drink a drop of honey wine." Alaric felt very exposed.

He started to walk away.

"Wait?" Una said, grabbing his hand.

"You didn't let me get to say my piece," Una said breathlessly.

Alaric could feel her hand tremble on his arm. His own hands were shaking. Una felt her cheeks burning, and her skin was clamming up from fear. Why was it so easy for her to go into battle? But this was the hardest thing she has had to do in a very long time. She slowly released her hand from his arm and took a deep breath. It was a long-held secret, but she could conceal it no longer.

"You know when I said I had feelings for you at the beginning? During that time, for a moment, I was with Gareth. It felt wrong. That's why I couldn't keep leading Gareth on and myself. He's a wonderful man, but I can't see a future with him. It's not because it wasn't real, or his tyrannical wife was in my way, but because I had not truly fallen in love with him."

Una had to pause for a moment. Her breath began to tremble, and the last minutes of lamplight was slowly fading away.

"Alaric... I had fallen in love with you."

Alaric took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His mind was everywhere.

"I tried very hard to console myself with this. I tried to pretend this was a friendship, but I grew fonder and fonder of you every day. That's why it is so tough to say goodbye to you, because of how you mean to me. I think it was selfish of me to keep this in for so long, but I can deny it no longer. I think I'm in love with you, Alaric. I understand it's pointless to say it now. For all that it's worth, I am sorry." Una said, bowing her head.

"Is that another thing you say to pester me? I'm sorry?" Alaric laughed.

Una felt crushed like her heart was ripped out. She wasn't used to blatant rejection. He may have called her beautiful. That meant nothing if he stood there and laughed at Una after she poured her heart out to him. Una sulked and wrapped the blanket around her harder, trying to hide away herself again.

"You wouldn't understand," Una said, standing up almost running to the door.

Alaric lunged out at her and grabbed her by the shoulder. Una froze in her steps. She felt Alaric come closer to her.

"I do understand, more than you'd ever know," Alaric said, walking in front of her.

Una couldn't look him in the eye. She was speechless. There was no way Alaric could understand her feelings. Una thought she was a demon of darkness, and Alaric was an Angel of light. They came from two separate worlds, and now Una understands that it must remain that way.

"Could you do me one last favor as your... love," Alaric said.

Una moved her head up to meet his eyes. Her face froze with wonder, and her breath seized.

"What?" Una said with a quick breath.

He put his hand under the wool blanket wrapped snuggly around Una. Una felt her heartburn in her chest, and her eyes darted left and right.

"Allow me to take this off of you," Alaric said soft and low.

Una's breath quickened. But she composed herself this time. She couldn't panic, not now.

"Be brave out there," Alaric said as he pulled the blanket off of her body and tossed it to the floor.

"Alaric," Una said, wanting to cover her nakedness.

"I won't hurt you, not anymore. I promise." Alaric said in a soft tone.

Before she could look away, he leaned down and pulled Una's lips to his. Una jolted and pulled away, shocked. She was so happy but so confused. Was this real? It had to be. Una pulled his head back down and kissed him with more fervor. He pulled her naked body closer to him, and she could hear his breath quicken as they passionately met each other's lips again.

"You must never look back," Alaric said, taking a breath.

He lifted Una in the air as they kissed again, allowing Una to straddle his waist. He held on to her close as he kissed her again, to her jaw, down her neck, kissing the tops of her shoulders.

"Cast you laments away with your sword and take up your inner strength with your heart." He said as he walked over with her to the bed.

"Remember what you are fighting for." He said, laying her gently in the bed.

He took off his tunic and crawled over her.

"I will stop all wars. This must be the last." Una said breathlessly as Alaric kissed her down the length of her body.

"It must," Alaric said, gently caressed her soft skin in his hands.

Una had never been touched this way. The way Alaric touches her. She didn't have time for love most of her life. It was one war after the other. There was no time for matters of the heart. It didn't matter. It was a waste of breath and effort. Love distracts the mind, and Una needed to concentrate as hard as possible if she wanted to win. But this, this was different. Una felt liberation from this. It wouldn't impede her in battle. This was love. It was pure peace.

"Win," Alaric said as the lamplight finally went out.

The moonlight cascaded through the windows and brightened the room more than the lamp. Alaric can see all the faint scars across her body. Each one of them had its own story. Each of them as beautiful as Una. Una had a woman's noble and fair body, despite how she acted on the battlefield.

Alaric couldn't believe he was doing this, but he was. Was he betraying Johanna? But Una, Una was everything Johanna wasn't. She looked nothing like her. Una was well muscled, and she had a buxom body. Johanna was svelte and alluring, but she had no mental or physical strength. They were both beautiful, but at this moment, though, all his eyes were on her, Una. She was the strong one, physically and mentally. She was the one who Alaric had always admired from afar, and this night he could admire her as close as she would allow him.

He unlaced his pants as Una wrapped her legs around him and kissed his lips and neck. They were both scared, but they couldn't stop. They couldn't control their minds or bodies.

"I will." Una barely uttered.

For a moment, Alaric felt guilty. How could he choose between them? Johanna saved his life, but so did Una. He knew he couldn't be with either of them deep down. This was all that he could give Una one night. This was the only night that he could give her after all that Una has given him, her strength, joy, and love.

There was one thing that Johanna and Alaric could not do that shocks Alaric now. Thoughts of Wilona have not traced through his mind. He didn't have to think of her anymore as he made love to Una. There were no psychological barriers, only his torso position between Una's legs that impeded him. This was the moment that would change them both forever. He looked at Una and paused.

Una was smiling, and her heart was exploding in ecstasy and sadness.

Alaric saw that it was the same smile she had in the field that one time. It was the smile that made Alaric realize that she was grander than any other being he had met before.

Arawn was right. Una was his density.

He gazed deeply into Una's eyes as he gently pressed himself into her. Una gasped at the unfamiliar sensation, but it made her feel whole and right. Alaric bent down and kissed her again as he held her in his arms.

It was the most beautiful moment since the field he has had with Una. It was pure bliss, and now that feeling of euphoria was in him to carry after this night. He will miss Una terribly, but he will always have Una in his heart forever. If Arawn were right again, this wouldn't be the end. It was the beginning.