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Uhtred, Gisela, Finan, and Althea all walk into the Witan, with news of her sister. Her mother looks over at her with tears in her as if looking for any information on her sister through Althea's eyes.

"Lord, Lady Ælswith. I'm here with news of Aethelflæd."

"From the Northman."

"From my own spies, who sleep within the walls of Beamfleot, lord. Aethelflæd is alive, my men have seen her with their own eyes." Althea and Gisela loop their arms together in comfort as Finan leans against her.

"Oh, praise him." Ælswith speaks with happiness.

"Praise him to the heavens." Alfred agrees.

"Then why have they not made their demand clear."

"They have been spreading news of their hostage, lord." Uhtred informs.

"Boasting...about seizing a woman." Aethelred says in disbelief.

"Boasting of the great army they will raise with the ransom." Uhtred said.

"This is what I fear, lord. No man in this hall should be in any doubt when their demand arrives they will be considerable as will be the consequences." Odda speaks up.

"Of course, they'll make outrageous demands. That is the purpose of strong negotiation to ensure there is agreement." Alfred says looking over at his spare daughter and noticing her eyes were bloodshot from crying. He frowned seeing Gisela comfort his daughter and it didn't escape him that she often sought out Uhtred and his wife throughout childhood.

"You intend to negotiate, lord?" Odda questions.

"I intend to recover my daughter."

"Regardless of the price, lord. Mercia is not a land of plenty, far from it." Selwine informs nervously.

"Wessex shall pay its share of silver, and if necessary its share of blood. I will do what needs to be done, if that means negotiation then I will negotiate." Alfred demands.

"Lord, I would advise that you don't attend the negotiation. The presence of the king and father would only serve to increase their price." Uhtred says.

"But if not the king, then who?" The Witan began to clamor about and Althea walked to Uhtred who moved an arm around her shoulder.

"There will be silence!" Alfred orders. "Aethelred?" She scoffs at the man.

"Yes, lord."

"It must be you. This is for Mercia to resolve, you must go to Beamfleot." Alfred demands calmly.

"Of course, lord."

"And a representative of Wessex, lord. As the burden of your daughter is to be shared between the two kingdoms." Odda stands a moment after and looks at Alfred.

"Send Uhtred. He is the only one seemingly capable of saving her." Althea speaks looking at her parents with no emotion.

"I would suggest that the Lord Uhtred represents Wessex too." Aethelwold stands in agreement with his cousin, she smiles at him softly. Her sister and Aethelwold were the only two in her family that gave a damn about her.

"Forgive me, lord. But I do believe he is your only choice." Beocca says leaning over to speak.

"Lord?"

"Uhtred, you will accompany Aethelred." Alfred looks at Althea who gives him a nod in thanks, Alfred gives her a small smile.

"I will do all I can, lord. Lady." They leave the room and gather their weapons, Finan hands Uhtred his sword as she stands with Gisela.

"Uhtred! Uhtred, forgive me but I have asked the king to excuse me from this journey to Beamfleot. For my sins, God has always placed me at your side and I feel shame for abandoning you." Beocca looks over at Althea who gives him a look of understanding.

"No, Beocca. Your place is in Winchester with Thyra."

"Bless you, Uhtred. You have given me so much but given me the courage to approach Thyra, that was your greatest gift."

"I will be in your prayers, no doubt." Uhtred teased.

"Perhaps....always."

"What will happen when we reach Beamfleot? Will there be a ritual, a toast, a meal?" Osferth asked as they began their journey. Althea listened carefully wanting to know the answer too.

"There will be a heathen sacrifice: the youngest member of the visiting party will be split with an axe." Osferth paled at the thought and Althea reached out to squeeze his arm.

"They will want to humiliate us." Uhtred answers instead with a smirk.

"In what way?" She asked looking at the Dane.

"An insult, a challenge." Uhtred answers.

"Why?"

"Because they can." Finan says and not long after they are ambushed by Danes.

"Hæsten, we are traveling to Beamfleot." Uhtred sees the Dane glance at them.

"For Alfred?" Hæsten calls out and looks over at Althea.

"For Alfred, yes."

"I am here to take you to the fortress, lord. You and two others." She looks over at Uhtred in concern.

"I travel with half my number, no less." Hæsten contemplates the request before agreeing.

"The Lady Aethelflæd, she is well? There will be no negotiation until I have seen her." Aethelred demands.

"She is well. My lord Erik sees that she is most content, lord." Althea glares at the blond male in anger, Osferth nudges his horse against hers to calm her.

"Ride in and we will follow."

"Oh, you will not be needing a horse." Hæsten and his men chuckle. After walking for hours they finally reach the fortress where the brothers await their arrival.

"You will kneel." Sigefrid ordered as they walked in, Osferth went to do as asked but she pulled him back up to stand. Uhtred denies the request.

"We will not. We have come here in peace and equals. You've made us walk a good distance to meet you, that is respect enough." Uhtred looks at them with annoyance.

"You should have joined me, Uhtred."

"If you wished me to join you, why have a deadman tell a prophecy? Why didn't you simply ask?" Uhtred taunts and looks at the brothers.

"Well, me, you would refuse. But the gods..."

"The king of Wessex sends his greetings. He hopes you have enjoyed the company of his daughter." Uhtred cuts the man off, and Sigefrid chuckles.

"Enjoyed her?"

"Oh, she's not his favorite. Why else would he have allowed her to marry the pig's arse standing behind me?" Althea smirked and moved closer to Uhtred.

"Before any negotiations take place, the pig's arse wishes to be certain that his wife is well." Aethelred demands and shoots them both a glare.

"And if she is not well, what then? What will the pig's arse do, fart?" Sigefrid chuckled once again. "Will you fight me? Will you fight my brother?" Erik taunts as if Aethelred personally offended him.

"I would like that." Sigefrid says.

"You alone will kneel."

"I will not." Erik shoved the Mercian lord onto his knees as the Danes laughed. Althea liked that the man treated the lord like a bag of shit.

"I have come to negotiate! I demand respect! If you do not wish to hear my price then I will leave happily." Aethelflæd is shoved through the crowd that very moment. Althea immediately runs to her sister, Uhtred tries to grab her but she slips from his hands. Her sister melts into her as she embraces her, Althea moves the hair from Aethelflæd's face to look for any signs of harm.

"I'm alright, sister."

"As you can see, she is well." Sigefrid speaks. "I mean no harm to Lady Althea, Uhtred. Unless she desires a new dane husband." Sigefrid teases and grins when Althea shoots him a dirty look.

"I would like to speak with her." Sigefrid looks at Aethelred with a smirk.

"Then do it." Aethelred walked past them with caution and stood next to Althea. Althea reluctantly leaves her sister's side and moves next to Finan.

"What is your price, it must be fair. Or you can keep her." Aethelred speaks and cowers under the look Althea gives him.

"You talk of your woman like you do not care?" Sigefrid questioned. "Perhaps Lady Althea should be allowed to kill you after all."

"She is important to me of course. But she has a price beyond which I cannot go, I will not."

"Then name it. Name this price." Sigefrid demanded.

"One hundred pounds weight of silver, my lands cannot afford no more." Althea scoffs in disbelief.

"Does this man speak for Alfred?" Sigefrid points a thumb at Aethelred and turns to Uhtred.

"He does not."

"Hmm, Weland! Where is Weland? I do not see him. Weland! Ah, Weland." A giant of a man shoved his way through the crow to Sigefrid. "This man here hit him." Aethelred scoffs and the big man smiles and then swiftly knocks him out. Althea cheered at Weland who smiled at her once he passed by.

"I have dreamed of that moment for days." She claimed happily, the brothers laughed at her excitement and led them into the hall.