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Althea often wondered if she had committed a heinous crime in a past life, for she was betrothed to a man with no honor. A man known as Geoffrey the newly crowned leader of East Anglia, the ex-Dane Guthrum had died of old age not long ago. Her sister was to marry Æthelred of Mercia and Althea made it known she hated him from the start.

She had tried to escape her fate but her mother, Ælswith, had slapped her. In her mother's eyes not marrying Geoffrey would tarnish their family and lead to God abandoning them. Althea hoped he would sooner rather than later, she hoped and prayed that the man above would strike down her parents. The love they had for her was superficial at best. She was the spare, the extra daughter they didn't want, and she would pay the price.

But unlike her twin, she didn't care about the titles or want the love and respect of a kingdom. She wanted to be like Uhtred and Steapa, to ride out to dangerous places and kill anyone in the way. She took sword training more seriously than her siblings did, having been secretly taught by Ragnar and Brida when they were imprisoned and later by Finan when Uhtred met with her father. She had beaten many of her father's guards and reveled in it. Steapa would taunt them about her victories to shame them to be better, even if he was secretly proud of the girl.

"Althea, your betrothed will be here soon. Mother wants you out of your training gear." Althea scoffed at her sister and looked to Steapa who frowned, he didn't like the man she was marrying either. He was said to be cruel and had inappropriate tastes when in bed, many women had killed themselves after a night with him and Steapa worried for the young woman in front of him.

"I'd rather slit my own throat than marry him." She mumbled and waved her twin off to change, Steapa followed after the girl to guard her room.

"My lady, what if I knew a way out of this marriage?" Steapa leaned down to whisper, the girl immediately lit up in hope.

"How? I'll do anything!" She asked and grabbed his hands in hers pleading.

"Marry a dane, my lady. And the day of the wedding publicly announce it." She thought about it for a moment before looking at him.

"They'll annul it or deny its authenticity."

"Not if you announce you're with child. I will claim witness to the marriage ceremony and that the love is true." Steapa leaned down to kiss her head and watched her grow teary-eyed.

"Thank you, Steapa." She then walked into her chambers willing the idea to work, she just had to find a dane willing enough to piss off the king, though she supposed that was most of them. Althea grabbed a black cloak pulled the hood over her head and walked out, Steapa pretended he did not see her by glancing the other way. Luckily, it was night so she did not have to worry too much about being spotted, she turned into a dark corner and tripped over a body. The man groaned lightly but reached out to steady her, she looked at the person and noticed he was a dane. He was one of Uhtred's men, hope filled her chest at the thought.

"Are you alright?" She questioned, she noticed he was dirty from the mud he was lying in and was drunk off ale.

"No, the woman I wished to marry chose to go back whoring." He mumbled sadly, she hummed in fake understanding. She decided to sit next to the Dane, ignoring the squelch the mud made when she sat in it, she didn't mind the dirtiness she liked nature and all it had to offer.

"Oh, I'm sorry. How long were you together?" She reached out to wipe away some mud on his cheek and watched him grow red.

"I had only met her once at an inn." Althea paused and looked at the now ashamed man, either he was an idiot or he had a loving heart.

"Did you two at least..." She trailed off not knowing how to phrase it, the man shook his head no. He wanted to marry a whore he had not even tried out himself? Surely, he's an idiot.

"I'm not sure what to say to that, I'm sorry," She said with a slight smile. "I'm Althea."

"Sihtric," He muttered. One of Uhtred's men. "I just wanted a wife and a family. Perhaps, I'm not meant to have that." He looked sadly at her and it was as if a puppy was kicked right in front of her, her heart broke at the sight.

"You can. What if I had a proposition for you that included that?" The Dane slowly sat up and she tried not to show that the newfound closeness was getting to her. His eyes, god, his eyes were beautiful. She fought the urge to reach out and touch him, Sihtric moved the hair that had fallen in her face and pushed it back into the hood, his fingertips grazed her cheek causing her to shiver.

"And what exactly would you be getting out of this proposal of yours?" He questioned, she grabbed his ale and took a big swig of it before turning to him.

"A life of freedom and not being forced to marry a man that would undoubtedly abuse me. Marry me, Sihtric. I will give you as many children as you want," She said softly into his ear and then climbed in his lap, one of her fingers trailed down his jaw and stopped at his lips. "All I ask is you don't abuse me and that you must remain loyal to me and our marriage. My body could be yours as yours would be mine." She grabbed one of his hands and placed it on her breast, she smirked when he let out a choked gasp.

"But Uhtred...."

"Uhtred offered to take me away from here once, to give me that freedom I longed for. I doubt he would mind if I married one of his loyal men." She then lifted his chin to gaze at him. He was beautiful, the most beautiful man she's ever seen. She knew their future children would grow up to be deadly and beautiful.

"I'll marry you, princess. I don't care what consequences I have to face to do so." He declared and she leaned in to place a kiss on his lips.

"Meet me in the church in two hours, husband of mine. And after, you may unwrap your gift." She said in a sultry tone, he groaned when her lips brushed his ear.