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Once they reach Winchester Uhtred goes to speak with Alfred leaving her with Ragnar who turns to her with a smirk. He placed his hands on her waist pulling her to his chest, she smiled at his antics but allowed it due to his wide smile. He lifts her chin with his finger and leans down to give her a sweet kiss, one of love and promise. The two pull away when they hear someone clearing their throat behind them, she looks and sees a brunette Dane, a pretty one at that.

Ragnar grins upon seeing the girl, who she assumes is the lovely Brida. The Dane turns to her after kissing Ragnar and walks to her with a grin.

"You were right, Ragnar. She is lovely." Brida claimed and pulled Ragnar to them. They smiled as he placed a hand on each girl's back, guiding them closer to him. He frowns softly when a horse is brought to Brida for her departure and instead focuses on tapping Brida's nose and Gene's forehead lightly. He leans down to kiss Brida with a deep-rooted hunger and turns to Gene with a softer approach. The two watch as Brida moves to her pale horse and smiles when Ragnar helps her up.

"I do hope we will get some alone time soon, Ragnar. Try not to piss the seer off, I would miss your cock too much." She teased glancing at the two before riding off. Ragnar twists his hands nervously together before heading to his horse, Gene follows observing his tense behavior. She knew he was keeping something from her and she hated it.

"Ragnar-"

"He's made another oath to the king," Ragnar says sharply, she flinched back at his unexpected hostility. He immediately frowned and reached for her hand, he pulled her close to him once more, and he propped his chin on her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "Forgive me, beautiful. I did not mean to treat you in such a way." He stroked her hair for a few moments before moving to groom his horse with some straw hay.

"I understand your frustration, Ragnar. But we both know Uhtred has his reasons for everything he does. Trust him on this. It is the way, my love. It is the way." She placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze before pulling away. At that very moment Uhtred walks in with visible irritation at his brother.

"What's this? You are leaving without me?"

"Brida has gone already. She is gathering my men, and whatever is left of them." Ragnar spoke, looking at the other man. Gene glanced between the two with a visible frown.

"You will meet them where?"

"Loidis. I will ask you to come with me, but I hear you have been making more of your oaths." Gene moves to Uhtred, sensing that this could lead to an argument.

"I will be with you. Our plan doesn't change."

"You belong to Alfred." Gene sighs at his childishness, she runs her forehead and remembers why she disliked men so much. She knows he misses his brother but pushing him away won't solve anything.

"Our plan doesn't change. Alfred sends me to kill Erik and Sigefrid. If I succeed, then Guthred will be in my debt and I will demand the use of his men." Uhtred boasts proudly. Gene moves to lean against the pillars in shock, she reaches up to grasp the necklace her mother gave her. Erik and Sigefrid. Her Erik and Sigefrid. They survived the ambush. She covered her mouth and choked back the sounds trying to escape.

Her older brothers were alive.

But remembering what Uhtred said caused a sense of dread to fill her body, a blanket of ice covering her skin, and pain already clenching her heart. She couldn't stop this. It was either her brothers or Uhtred and Ragnar, she didn't want this to happen.

She didn't want to have to choose.

"I have men, and we have our own war, we do not need Guthred's." Ragnar glanced at Gene in concern but noticed she curled closer to herself and chose not to say anything. He knew she preferred to be alone instead of showing any vulnerability if she had the chance.

Luckily, Uhtred hasn't noticed. Or he would have reached for her and suffered her wrath.

"How many men? Enough to take Dunholm?"

"Guthred made you a slave! And by swearing to Alfred, you remain a slave. Why?" Gene let out a shaky breath before moving back to the two men, she reached out and grabbed Uhtred's hand. The man didn't look at her once but intertwined their fingers together as if it weren't a conscious thought.

"I have my reasons." Ragnar scoffs, and Gene gives him a pointed look.

"I would like to hear those reasons."

"Let's not forget what Guthred did to me, but if it means we have a greater chance of killing Kjartan it means we find our sister. Then I will do what Alfred asks." Uhtred stood his ground, Ragnar looked at him for a moment, in the silence, Uhtred squeezed her hand in comfort.

"Kjartan falls by my sword."

"He will, brother. He will." Uhtred says happily, he goes to leave and realizes he was also pulling Gene with him. She looks at him in amusement but does not let go, he too refuses to let go. He instead pulls her to his lady, Gisela looks at the two with a gentle smile. She pulls Gene into a warm embrace and pulls back to kiss her forehead. It was almost motherly. Gene felt her heart warm at the action.

"Take care, Gene. I would like to get to know the woman who helped save my man." She smiled at the blonde and guided her to the horse she and Ragnar would share. Ragnar, already on the horse, leans over to help her up, they glance over at Uhtred and see him and Gisela saying their goodbyes.