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"Lord Uhtred." Sigebriht says as he turns away from the window. Sigyn moved to Finan's side as she glared at the boy.

"Lord Sigebriht you stand with Aethelwold?" Uhtred questioned in disbelief.

"I stand for a strong Wessex, where exactly do you stand lord? May I ask, is it with Edward?" Finan moved to sit down as Aethelwold poured Uhtred some ale. Sigyn sits on the arm of the chair as she and Finan share a bored look.

"You say it as though there are men against Edward?" Uhtred said accusingly.

"There are men who doubt him, yes. But if Uhtred were to stand alongside him—" He is cut off by Aethelwold who hands Uhtred the cup.

"I was at Ethandun, I stood beside you in a shield wall. He is barely a man." Aethelwold snapped in irritation.

"And Alfred could barely lift a sword above his head, yet he was a man to follow." Uhtred defended.

"I say again, Edward is not Alfred. He is not a man to follow. The Danes know this." Aethelwold says with a scoff.

"You're still with them, admit it." Finan spoke with boredom.

"I am for Wessex."

"No, you are for yourself. Wessex does not matter to you." Sigyn speaks up and Finan pats her leg proudly.

"Lord, you did not answer my question. Where does Uhtred stand?" Sigebriht questions and Uhtred sits the cup down. He looks at Finan as they leave and Finan gives them a mocking smile. Uhtred placed a hand on her back as they walked, Sihtric would kill them if they lost his self-claimed sister and Osferth would probably send the devil after him.

Later Beocca, Finan, Thyra, and Uhtred sit at the table at Thyra's home once again. Finan rubs his head as he holds his cup, the man is stressed and worried for his friend. Sigyn sat on the counter as she traced the scarred rune, it was odd not to have her sister's darkness looking over her.

"I will not leave Winchester, I cannot." Uhtred says determinedly.

"You can and you must." Finan says.

"Not until Edward is king." Uhtred claims with a small amount of bitterness.

"You promised Alfred this?" Beocca stated.

"I did."

"If the pardon does not hold, then you cannot stay and wait to be imprisoned and killed." Finan pleads with the Dane.

"I hope they do, he betrayed me." Sigyn flinched at the voice and looked around, her body felt cold as a cold hand gripped her wrist. She slowly looked up and met the cruel eyes of her sister. Skade grinned at her as water spilled from her mouth and Sigyn gasped in fright. She glanced around once the ghost was gone and was relieved that no one had seen it, it was just her luck.

Skade was haunting her.

"Where else should he go?" Thyra defends as she moves to Beocca's side.

"Anyway a horse can take him, anywhere a ship can go." Finan stressed as he rubbed his beard. Sigyn wished Sihtric or Osferth was in the room, she was closest to them after all.

"Uhtred came here for a reason. He came for Ragnar's blood, he has a task to fulfill. The blood must be kept safe, a battle is coming. You must choose a side." Thyra said ominously. Sigyn frowned as she listened silently.

"The problem being is neither side wants him." Finan claims and Uhtred chuckled in disbelief.

"Which is a further reason why you must stay, wait for Edward. Which is why Alfred asked you for what seemed as a simple promise." Beocca claimed in realization.

"Bastard thinks." Uhtred mumbled.

"He knows your honor, Uhtred. That is all." Thyra claimed softly and placed her hand on Beocca's shoulder.

The announcement of Alfred's death is emotional for most of Wessex and the opportunity for the rest. Finan, Thyra, and Uhtred stand amongst the people as they begin Alfred's funeral ceremony. Tidman begins to harass Thyra once again and she quickly leaves to avoid a scene, Finan watches in confusion. Sigyn tapped Finan's arm to gain his attention.

"Something bad is going to happen, Finan. I can feel it." She whispered and Finan kissed her forehead to reassure her. Steapa then quietly and slowly makes his way to Uhtred, he leans down to whisper to the man in hopes of not disturbing the grieving family. Beocca watches from his place up front and makes eye contact with the queen's, he frowns at the sight.

"Lord, I have orders to kill you, should you not leave the hall quietly." Uhtred sighs but does as asked and Finan runs out to get answers. Sigyn watched from the door as Finan chased them.

"Steapa, what is this? Hmm, what is this?" Finan shouts in desperation and confusion. Steapa motions to the guards and they slam him against the brick pillar. Sigyn goes to Finan immediately and glares at the guard that stopped her.

"Finan, do nothing." Uhtred demanded as he followed Steapa.

"He's a free man." Finan says defeated as he slumps against the wall, she checks on the Irishman quickly and sighs when they realize that things will turn chaotic soon.