▃▃▃▃▃ ‧₊˚⊹ ‧₊˚⊹ ▃▃▃▃▃
THE LAST KINGDOM
𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 ─── ❛ battle of tenttenhall

SERPENTS TONGUE ₊˚.༄𖥸 ── 
𑁍₊𓄹 -- ❪ the last kingdom ❫. 𓄹
╭ ‧₊˚⊹    你好，欢迎光临           
╰ ✦ a sickness╭ ᘒ ✦

They had left Æthelflæd's estate, taking all the children with them. They had to protest Æfwynn from Edward—not wanting the child to be used as a bargaining chip.

Æthelred was dead, now every man was trying to get their hands on the poor child. And Uhtred swore to Æthelflæd that they would protect her daughter.

And they did.

Athena sat on top of her horse, holding onto its reigns as she looked out into the distance. Her and Melusine were taking turns in watching the children, and it was her turn.

Looking over her shoulder, Athena watched as Uhtred directed his horse towards her, Finan and Sihtric. "Do we stop?" He questioned the three.

"No." Finan firmly stated, shaking his head. "Edward and his men will be half a day behind us at most." He turned to Uhtred with pursed lips. "We must move faster to have any chance."

"We have no time to stop." Athena slowly nodded her head, turning to her brother with a sigh. She then paused as she watched a horse ride towards them. "Horseman." She told the three, making them all look over their shoulders. As the person got closer, Athena's brows pinched together. "Horsewoman." She corrected, watching as a red head rode towards them.

The woman rode towards them, stopping beside Uhtred. "I bring a message from Lady Æthelflæd." Athena sat up at that, pursing her lips.

"Did your brother send you?" Uhtred questioned, making Athena's brows pinch together. Uhtred knew this woman?

Athena turned to Sihtric on her horse, nodding towards the direction the woman came. "Check for any scouts." She uttered, making Sihtric nod his head, moving away from Athena and Finan.

"No, he does not know I am here." The woman told Uhtred, shaking her head with a firm look. "He imprisoned Lady Æthelflæd, but I released her."

Uhtred slowly nodded his head, sharing a look with an uneasy Athena. "Why should I believe you?" Uhtred asked.

The woman pulled an offended look. "I do not lie." She simply said, shaking her head.

"How did you find us?" Athena asked, making the redhead turn to her. The woman did not miss the weary look Athena sent her.

"Lady Æthelflæd herself said you spoke of travelling the road to Ceaster." The woman answered Athena, making Athena look over at Uhtred.

"There's no one else." Sihtric said as he rode towards them, shaking his head.

Uhtred nodded his head at Sihtric's words, turning back to the redhead. "And you took the road alone?"

"Yes." The woman nodded her head. "And she wants you to meet her at the ruins of St. Milburg's Priory."

"St. Milburg is on the road to Wenloca, and we have passed it." Young Uhtred said from beside Stiorra.

"It might be a trick to divert us." Finan said from beside Athena, his arms crossed over his chest.

The woman sighed at Finan's words. "I've done what I promised. You can choose to believe it or not." She firmly stated.

"And where do you go?" Uhtred questioned as she turned her horse around.

"I do not care." The woman shrugged her shoulders, looking away from Uhtred. "I have family in Frankia."

"That way is inland." Young Uhtred piped up once more.

Athena pursed her lips as she continued to stare at the woman. "Ships come in near Ceaster." Uhtred stared, keeping his eyes on the redhead. "Travel with us. We will show you." He then looked towards the three behind him. "If she's lying, at least she's under our control."

"I'm sick of being controlled." The woman hissed at his words, making Athena tilt her head to the side.

Athena slowly nodded her head, a faint grin on her lips as she looked at the woman. "I like her already." Athena uttered, turning to Finan, whom rolled his eyes.

"Then travel alone." Uhtred shrugged his shoulders at the woman, watching as she turned her horse around to be side by side with him. "When did Æthelflæd leave?" He then asked, realising she was staying.

"Last night, in haste." She replied, holding onto her horses reigns. "Without much silver and only Lord Aldhelm to protect her."

"At least she has someone loyal by her side." Athena nodded her head, uncrossing her arms as she reached for her horses reigns. "Mayhaps she is at Wenloca already." She looked towards Uhtred, whom nodded his head.

"We should ride back to meet her." Uhtred said, turning back to the redhead.

"Lord, we should not do this." Finan piped up, arms still crossed over his chest as he shook his head. "If she found us, so will they." He nodded at the redhead.

Uhtred pursed his lips as he looked over to the children in the cart, Osferth and Melusine guarding them. "Are you good with children?" Uhtred questioned the redhead.

The woman's brows pinched together. "Not really." She looked towards the cart.

"We will need your help with all the children." Athena grinned, pulling on her horses reigns as she moved to be beside the woman. "And these fools." She added, nodding to the men. The redhead smiled at her words, nodding her head. "We go back." She spoke towered the group near the cart.

Athena sat in the back of the wagon, the children surrounded around her, Stiorra beside her as well.

She tore her share of the bread, handing it out to the four children around her. "What about you?" Athena looked up at the voice of Stiorra.

Athena simply shook her head with a smile, feeling Thyra and Ælfwynn move closer to her on either sides. "I'll steal Finan's share." She simply said, making Stiorra chuckle as she ate her own bread.

"When will my mom find us?" Ælfwynn muttered, the side of her face against Athena's chest as she played with her bread.

Athena looked down at the girl with pursed lips, a sigh leaving them as she wrapped her arm around Ælfwynn. "Soon. You will see your mother soon, I promise you." Athena tried to offer the young child comfort, stroking the child's arm.

"What are you reading, Æthelstan?" Athena turned her head at Atlas' voice, watching as the boy moved closer to Æthelstan.

Æthelstan turned his head to the side, looking at Atlas as he shrugged his shoulders. "A book."

Thyra rolled her eyes at that, playing with the runes around her neck as she stared at the two boys. "Oh, I think he thought you were reading a tree." She sarcastically said, making Athena shake her head with an amused look. "Obviously t'is a book, Æthelstan."

"I did not know what he meant." Æthelstan defended himself, turning his head to face Thyra. "He is young."

Atlas brows pinched in confusion. "You are not that much older than me." He grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest. "You are not that smart."

"I am smarter than both you oafs." Thyra declared, lifting her head off of Athena's shoulder as she looked over at the two boys. "So hush with the bickering, you damn fools."

Stiorra loudly chuckled at that, pressing her hand over her mouth as she looked over her shoulder. Athena rolled her eyes as she held onto the side of Thyra's head, placing her head back on her shoulder. "Do not torment them, my sweet."

"Why not?" Stiorra looked over at the two with a grin, watching as Athena ran her hand through Ælfwynn's hair. "She is entertaining me on this boring ride."

Thyra grinned at her cousin at that, making Athena roll her eyes in amusement at her daughter, pressing a kiss to her head.

Athena's head shot up when she heard Stiorra yelp. She watched as two people fought against the food in Stiorra's hands. "No! No!"

Athena swiftly moved the children behind her, grabbing her dagger from the sheath tied to her thigh.

Stiorra had already jumped out of the cart, fighting against the two people for the bread. Athena pulled herself out of the cart, pulling Stiorra away from the two random people.

She then pointed her dagger at the two people, pushing Stiorra towards the cart. "I will stab your eyes out!" She threatened, watching as the two people moved around the cart.

Uhtred pulled his horse around the cart, looking down at his daughter and sister with wide eyes. "Did they harm you?"

"No, father." Stiorra shook her head with a glare, looking over at the strangers. "They took my food!"

Uhtred narrowed his eyes as he moved his horse away from the pair and towards Sihtric and Finan.

"Bastards." Stiorra hissed, moving to Athena's side as the blonde clutched onto her arm. "My food!"

Athena sighed as she sheathed her dagger, turning to Stiorra. "I'll steal Osferth's for you." She simply said, making Stiorra grin as they moved towards everyone else.

Once Athena looked away from Stiorra, watching as Melusine made her way towards the children, Athena's arm was tugged on.

"Did they grab you?" Athena looked up at the panicked Finan with a frown, slowly shaking her head. A sigh left Finan's lips as he turned to Stiorra. "Which hand did he grab?"

Stiorra didn't have time to answer as Finan started to pour water on her hand and arm. "Finan?" Athena frowned, watching him panic.

"Leave her be." Uhtred said as he rose towards them.

"Lord, it is spread by touch." Finan shook his head as he looked up at the man in the horse. Athena's brows pinched together once more, looking around in confusion.

Uhtred rolled his eyes with a sigh. "No, it is the air that spreads it." He simply said, turning to the two scavengers. "Do you have it?"

"No!"

"Go."

And the scavengers soon rushed towards the woods, Stiorra's bread in their hands. Athena looked around in confusion, not understanding what was happening.

"And the animals, we should kill the horses." Finan continued to panic, pointing towards the horses.

"What does the air spread!?" Athena looked around in confusion, crossing her arms over her chest.

"The sickness."

Athena's brows remained pinched together as she pursed her lips. A sickness? "Father, what if I breathed the air?" Stiorra began to panic, making Athena place her hand on her shoulder.

"It will not matter." Young Uhtred told his sister from on top of his horse. "It only takes sinners."

Athena looked up at her nephew with a raised brow. "That does not make any sense." Athena shook her head. "This...sickness, it touches everyone." Athena simply shrugged, still not understanding the big deal of this sickness.

"We should return to Ægelesburg." Finan frantically suggested, looking around as he fidgeted. Athena turned to her husband with pursed lips. "If there's sickness in the land—"

"We cannot go back." Uhtred firmly stated, shaking his head with a hardened look. "We cannot defend ourselves against Edward's men or Mercian Guards."

"Better to die in a fight than choking blood, Lord." Finan shrugged his shoulders, arms crossed over his chest.

But Uhtred was not listening. "We go across land to Wenloca, abandon the path, avoid the bad air." He simply said.

Finan went to protest, but Athena placed a firm hand on his arm, shaking her head. "We leave the horses and the cart, we travel on foot." She told them, keeping her eyes on Finan with a reassuring look. "Okay?"

Finan kept his eyes on Athena, slowly nodding his head as she sent him a smile, squeezing his arm.

And they did.

The group traveled on foot, remaining in the woods. They all walked along the river, Athena holding onto Thyra and Ælfwynn's hands.

The blonde Dane watched as Æthelstan ran into the water, throwing rocks at the frogs with a chuckle. That made Finan move through the river, picking up Æthelstan. "Leave the frogs alone." But Æthelstan simply giggled as Finan placed him back on the path.

"Æthelstan, do not torment the animals." Thyra called out to her friend, holding out her hand for him to take. "My father cannot stop you every time you decide to attack the animals."

Æthelstan simply chuckled as he moved towards Thyra, grabbing a hold of her hand with a grin. Athena softly smiled as she looked at the three children around her, then lifting her head to see Melusine holding onto Atlas.

The group soon moved out of the woods and onto land. Athena now walked beside Stiorra, holding onto Æthelstan's hands as they walked through the grass.

Stiorra sneezed into her hand, making Finan immediately turn around, Thyra on his shoulders. "What is wrong with you?"

With pinched brows, Stiorra looked up at the man with offence. "I have a fever from the grasses." She fired back. "I do not have it!"

"Finan, the sickness would not strike this fast." Uhtred turned to Finan, shaking his head as he held onto Ælfwynn.

But Finan shook his head with a fearful expression. "You have not seen what I have, Lord." Thyra grinned as she looked down at her father, moving to cover his eyes with a giggle. "Hey, hey. How many times do I have to tell ya?" Finan held onto her hands, looking up at her as she grinned. "You cannot do that."

"I am tired." Stiorra groaned, turning to Athena, whom swung her and Æthelstan's arms with a grin. "Can you carry me?" She hopefully asked Athena.

Athena turned her head to the side, raising a brow at the young adult. "You are almost a woman grown, must I carry you?" Athena chuckled, keeping her hand in Æthelstan's.

Stiorra eagerly nodded her head, pointing towards Sihtric, whom had Atlas on his back. "Yes! Let me get on your back."

Athena shared a look with Uhtred, asking for any help. But her brother just shrugged his shoulders with an amused look.

A defeated sigh left Athena's lips as she turned to Stiorra, slowly nodding her head. "Go to Eadith." Athena ruffled up Æthelstan's hair, watching as the boy towards the redhead with a grin. "Come on then." She turned to Stiorra.

Stiorra grinned in victory as Athena stopped in front of Stiorra, crouching down slightly so Stiorra could jump on her back.

A sigh left Athena's lips as Stiorra wrapped her arms around her neck. Athena moved to hold onto Stiorra's legs, continuing to walk alongside Finan and Thyra. "Now are you happy?"

Stiorra nodded her head, looking up at Thyra, whom grinned down at her. "Very." Stiorra hummed, making Athena roll her eyes as they continued to walk. "This is why you are my favourite person ever!" She rested her chin on Athena's shoulder. "Admit it, you prefer me much more to my brother."

Athena chuckled as she looked over to her nephew, whom had turned at Stiorra's words. "That is a lie, sister." Young Uhtred shook his head, making Stiorra groan. "Isn't it, aunt?"

"You both are fools like your father." Athena simply said, a grin on her face as Uhtred turned around with an offended look.

"What did I do?" Uhtred raised his free arm, making Athena roll her eyes with a grin as she stared at her brother.

"Everything." She hummed, shrugging her shoulders with a grin as Uhtred rolled his eyes, turning back around.

Athena then looked up at her daughter with a smile, watching as she ruffled Finan's hair up with a giggle.

— madeleines notes.

Trust me when I say, this era will last a lot longer because it is my favourite. And I am gonna try make scenes with everyone bc this era is MY FAVOURITE AND ADORABLE.

Short chapter but I had to feed you my loyal subjects. 🙌🩷

BUT NAH, THE YUNG FILLY DRAMA?!?!?!?

Bro I had to find out in class and I screamed to my friend!?!? LIKE WHAT?!??

but TikTok is not making it any better.

ALSO OUTER BANKS.

I NEED PART 2 ASAP. I cannot wait until November you silly oafs.

BUT THE TURTLE SCENE MADE ME CRY LIKE A BABY.

AND T?!? CLEO'S REACTION.

Yeah balled like a baby.

BUT HALLOWEEEN IS SOON AND IM BEING THE BADDIE MISS DAENERYS TARGARYEN,THE RIGHTFULLY QUEEN OF THE SEVEN KINGDOMS!!!

I'll obz show you my costume and my TikToks when I am dressed up. So HEHEHE.

Okay have this small chapter bc I am too tired to write more, oops. BUT I LOVE YALL.

13th October 2024
2754 words