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"Apologies for keeping you waiting in the cold, my dear, your father is to blame after deliberation, he has decided not to attend." Æthelred informed them from where he sat on his throne.

"I am here in place of the king. I'm here to speak for the king." Edward said and lit up at the sight of Althea, she smiled at her little brother when she noticed him.

"Our business is with Alfred." Aethelflæd said glancing around.

"Edward is Alfred."

"On this occasion." Beocca corrected and Althea smiled in amusement at that.

"We are all curious about what you have to say, my dear. Speak." Æthelred demanded. Her sister placed a hand on her wrist already sensing her urge to strangle the lord.

"Danes are near."

"Yes, which is why we are gathered. This is not some hunting party." Æthelred said trying to make her seem like a fool.

"Hæsten is with them. His army is allied with them."

"But it was Hæsten who first advised the king that the Danes were marching south." Edward said confused.

"He would do that, Lord." Uhtred said with a sigh. Althea reached out to grab his hand in comfort, he didn't deserve to lose his brother and then turn around and be belittled here. Uhtred gave her a sad smile and squeezed her hand lightly in gratitude.

"Hæsten also advised the king this dane army included yourself, Uhtred Ragnarsson." Beocca added coming to Uhtred's aid.

"It does not, father." Uhtred answered.

"Which we can clearly see."

"Hæsten has betrayed the king. He rode to Mercia to kill me, Uhtred saved me." Aethelflæd explained.

"God is good, praise him."

"I am at a loss. How is it that you knew of this danger How is it he knew exactly where to find you?" Aethelred questioned and Althea frowned.

"An interesting question, lord."

"An irrelevant question." Aethelflæd replied sharply.

"Uhtred made a plan with this dane, this Hæsten to save you, to gain your trust, gain entry to this estate."

"No." Aethelflæd and Althea said.

"A spy."

"An assassin." Men murmuring with opinions.

"No, saved me."

"I should've expected nothing different." Uhtred said in disbelief.

"And once again, Uhtred is the only man amongst Saxon rats it would seem." Althea spoke and smirked when the Mercian lord scowled at her.

"Uhtred has risked everything for me—"

"That's what he wants you to believe, I am sure." Æthelred interrupted his wife.

"Seems a rather grand strategy, lord Æthelred. And for what?" Edward turned to Æthelred and then glanced back their way.

"He is here, among us." Sigebriht said.

"And under guard."

"Then let us get to the truth of the matter, let us hear exactly why Uhtred is here," Alfred speaks as he steps into the room and slowly walks to Uhtred. "What do you have to say to me?" Althea fights back a snarl at the sight of him.

"I wish to speak to you alone."

"This is a Witan, we are one people. What you have to say affects all of us." Æthelred interrupted offended.

"These men are my friends and allies. I have nothing to hide." Alfred said as Aethelflæd and Uhtred share a look.

"I saved your daughter's life. It was Hæsten's intention to kidnap her. If that could not be done, he would have killed her. And you claim he, too, is your ally." Uhtred informed him and Althea moved closer to the Dane protectively.

"I have never made that claim. I have listened to Hæsten but I have never believed him fully." Alfred walks to Aethelflæd. "That you are here with Aethelflæd, is the only reason you are alive." Alfred glanced at Osferth briefly before turning away. "Do not tell us what you have done. Tell us all what it is you want, you always want something."

"I want one thousand men. One thousand men and I will give you Beamfleot." Æthelred scoffed.

"I do not need Beamfleot."

"I will give you peace, I will defeat Hæsten. I will prevent him from joining with the Earls Cnut and Bloodhair." Uhtred told the king.

"Not forgetting the Earl Ragnar." Alfred said and Uhtred tensed next to her.

"My brother is dead, lord. That is to your advantage, with Hæsten defeated and Ragnar gone, the Danes will have half the army and no leader. To prevent a great war, you must attack Hæsten."

"Seems viable, lord." Edward added.

"You wish me to divide my army?" Alfred asked as he looked at the Dane.

"Yes."

"Send one thousand men east?" Alfred continued.

"Yes."

"That is too great a risk to Wessex, lord." Sigebriht made his opinion known.

"Hæsten sits inside a fortress, one thousand men could die upon its walls easily. And then what?" Alfred looked over at Althea who glared at him.

"We are overrun."

"We devise a plan." Uhtred explained and pulled Althea away from the king.

"Why? What is at stake for Uhtred Ragnarsson? Is it Mercia you care for? Is it Wessex or is there another reason for this attack?" Alfred questioned in anger.

"Vengeance, lord. Do you require the details?"

"You seek vengeance?" Alfred questioned,

"I do."

"The man is a fool, who believes all of us to be fools!" Aethelhelm shouted.

"Be quiet, before I cut out your tongue!" Althea snapped already wishing to kill the Saxon men in this room. The old man gasped at her in shock and Uhtred noticed that Edward was trying to hide a smile.

"You arrived here under the protection of the lady of Mercia. I shall not undermine that protection. You are free to leave when you are ready and rested. You remain an outlaw of Wessex." Alfred informed him. "Althea, you have been forgiven for marrying a dane. We can annul the marriage if you wish." Althea scoffed in anger.

"And why would I do that? I love Sihtric. And he will remain my husband until the day I die. Oh, and father," Althea stepped into Alfred's face with a harsh glare. "If you so much as breathe in my son's direction, I will gut you where you stand. Just ask your priests. My apologies, I forgot. I killed them." Althea grinned at Alfred's frown and just laughed. She grabbed Sihtric and pulled him into a kiss, one with tongue and she moved his hand to her ass.

"If you would excuse us, I desire to suck my husband's cock." Althea said with a smirk as she pulled Sihtric out by his belt leaving Aethelflæd with a proud smile and her sons confused.

"Your daughter is a Danes whore, lord king." Aethelhelm said with distaste, Uhtred and Hvitserk gave the man murderous looks.

"She may be, but she is still my daughter. You will best remember that." Alfred said warningly as he turned to leave.