▃▃▃▃▃ ‧₊˚⊹ ‧₊˚⊹ ▃▃▃▃▃
THE LAST KINGDOM
𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ─── ❛ king vs danes

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

The truce had ended. Ubba was back and Guthrum ordered that the hostages were to be killed.

Athena had stayed beside Ragnar and Brida, none of the Danes daring to attack her. She stayed stood until she saw Uhtred being cornered. She was quick to take out her own sword and stand her ground, protecting Uhtred—as did Ragnar and Brida.

Uhtred and Athena promised them that they will be together once more, forever, but they had to go back to King Alfred.

And they did.

They had bought a horse from a random man on the coast, riding to their estate. It looked empty.

Athena frowned as Uhtred helped her off of the horse. "Nobody is here." Athena uttered, looking up at Uhtred, who held a firm look.

The pair continued to look around, stopping as they heard a voice. "Better than Barley!" They recognised it to be Oswald's voice.

Uhtred led the way, Athena trailing behind him as she petted one of the goats. Uhtred opened the curtain, walking into the room.

Athena grimaced as she heard the noises, staying outside for a moment until she heard screeching. "Lord! Lord!"

Athena slowly walked in, grimacing as she looked down at Oswald, and a girl, who was far too young.

"Forgive me, Lord, lady. Never happened before, I swear it'll never happen again." Oswald panted heavily, covering himself as he looked up at the siblings. "It was the girl's idea."

"It was not!" The girl scoffed, turning to him with wide eyes.

"Where is my wife?" Uhtred immediately asked Oswald.

"It was not my idea—"

Uhtred unsheathed his sword, pointing it at the pair as they both panicked. "Where's my wife and child?"

"Wait! Wait, lord!" Oswald panicked, holding out his hand as he stared at Uhtred. "Shes with Lord Odda, the Younger." He told them as Athena frowned, looking up at Uhtred.

"Odda?" Uhtred frowned, making Oswald nod.

"Yes, Lord. He took the lady and your son." Oswald said as Athena's eyes widened. Mildrith had given birth, and to a boy. "She went willingly to protect the child."

"My son?"

"Yes, Lord. You have a son." Oswald frantically nodded his head. Athena couldn't help but smile as she looked up at Uhtred. "A handsome little man he is." He nudged the girl. "Looks like his father."

"I really should take your balls for this desecration." Uhtred uttered, pointing his sword at Oswald.

"Yes, Lor—No, lord...please."

"I don't care for you, your wife, your children, nor your whore." Uhtred pointed to the young girl beside Oswald.

"Lord, he made me do it!" The young girl turned to Uhtred with a pleading look. "With the promise of a coin."

"It was a false promise, lord, I have no coin." Oswald shook his head, making the woman slap him around his face. Athena hid her laugh in Uhtred's shoulder, pretending to look away.

"We'll both need a horse, food and drink." Uhtred breathed out, eyes on Oswald as he spoke.

"Yes. Your horses were returned." Oswald told them, making Athena grin. She then pulled a look of disgust as the man stood up. "It's in the stable." He said as he quickly changed.

"My house is not your house." Uhtred made clear as he walked towards Oswald. Athena turned to the girl, who looked frightened and confused.

Athena sighed as she pulled out a bag, crouching down in front of the girl and handing her a silver. "Here." Athena softly said, placing it in the girls hand. The girl frowned, looking Athena up and down. "Take it, it is yours." Athena smiled as the girl nodded her head, giving her a thankful look.

"You do not need to lay with a man for coin on this land." Athena softly said, standing back up, putting her bag away. "I will help you."

"Thank you, Lady." The girl smiled, extremely thankful for the Dane's gesture. "You are not what people say you are." The girl said as Athena tilted her head.

"What? Because I am a Dane?" Athena sarcastically said, smile still on her face as she helped the girl up, watching as Uhtred sat down. Athena knew he would want to be alone for a moment. "I may be a Dane, but I have a heart." Athena shrugged her shoulders, leading the girl outside. "Especially when it comes to women."

The girl chuckled at her words, the pair walking out of Uhtred's house. "You are free to rest in my house. There is a room, you may stay."

The girls eyes widened at Athena's eyes. "Really? Lady, you really do not—"

Athena merely smiled, reaching down to hold the girls hands. "I do. You are free to stay there as long as you'd like. There is food and drink." Athena squeezed her hands as the girl smiled. "Maybe if you take care of my house, you'll have your hands full of coin." Athena smirked as the girls smile widened, nodding her head.

"Thank you." The girl took Athena by surprised as she hugged her. Athena let out an awkward laugh, patting the girls back.

Athena had never hugged anyone, other than her family, and she certainly had not received a hug from a Saxon.

"You are welcome." Athena smiled, pulling out of the hug and staring down at the grinning girl. "But do not let anybody know of our conversation, I do not want people to think I've become soft." Athena winked as the girl chuckled, nodding her head.

Both Athena and Uhtred had risen back to the Saxon camp on their horses. Uhtred stopped in front of Odda and younger Odda, quickly getting off his horse.

Athena stayed on her horse, looking around at the camp. "Ealdorman, Lady, we feared you'd both been killed." Odda told them, a frown on his face.

"That you were not is a miracle, or, something less godly." Young Odda uttered.

Uhtred was quick to pull out his knife, grabbing a hold of Young Odda. Athena let out a groan, reluctantly getting off of her horse.

"Uhtred!" Athena hissed ad she watched her brother send Young Odda to the ground. She knew the outcome wouldn't be good for herself and Uhtred.

"Where is she?" Uhtred yelled down to the boy, his knife against Young Odda's throat. "Where's my wife and child?"

The two continued to go back and forth, Athena, whom was bored, looking down at her rings until she heard a blade being unsheathed.

She looked up to see Leofric, his sword against Uhtred's neck. "Lord, you will take your blade away from my Lord and you will do it now." Athena held onto her own sword, in caution as she eyed the Saxon. "Arseling." Leofric warned. "You have my word that neither Mildrith nor your son have been harmed."

Athena bit the inside of her cheek, watching as her brother stood up and turned to face Leofric. "Treason, but what can we expect?" Young Odda hissed as Athena raised her brow.

"Do you want to be back on that floor, boy?" Athena went to step forwards, Leofric holding out his arm to stop her. Young Odda stepped back at her words, watching as her eyes narrowed.

"Enough." Odda stepped between the group, looking at them all. "This in-fighting and argument!" He then turned to the Saxons around them. "Disperse, all of you! Now!" He yelled.

Athena dropped her hand from her sword, still glaring at Young Odda as he backed away. Odda stepped towards Uhtred and Athena, panting. "Your wife remains my goddaughter. You should be thanking my son, not threatening." He told Uhtred. "Now, you and your sister come to me when your thinking is clear and you explain to me why you are still breathing..." Odda kept his eyes on Uhtred. "And stupid!" He added before walking away from them, taking Young Odda with him.

Athena rolled her eyes, turning to face her brother. "Way to make a scene, little brother." Athena patted his chest, making him sigh and push her hand away.

"You are back from the dead and unchanged." Leofric shook his head at Uhtred, before turning to Athena. "As are you." Athena merely grinned, making a bow. "All you had to do was get down from your horse and ask: have you seen my wife?" Leofric told Uhtred, handing him his knife back.

Uhtred took it from his hands, putting it back. "That would have been the better choice, yes..." Uhtred breathed out, slowly nodding his head. "But then young Odda wouldn't have shit himself." He grinned, turning back around to turn to Leofric.

Athena merely smiled as the two men chuckled, Uhtred pulling him into a hug. "You've seen her? She's well?" Uhtred asked about Mildrith.

"She is well." Leofric nodded his head, faint smile on his face. "The child, however..."

Athena frowned at that, looking up at the man. "Sickly?" Uhtred asked, his heart dropping.

"Ugly." Leofric grinned as Athena breathed out, rolling her eyes. She was glad her nephew was well.

"Like his father." Uhtred smirked.

"Worse, with the smallest of pebbles for a penis."

Athena merely grimaced, shaking her head at the men as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Both Uhtred and Athena attending the negotiation with Ubba. The Saxons walked towards the Dane's. "Lord Ubba." Uhtred walked forwards, Athena by his side.

Athena held the end of her sword, in its sheath, sarcastically grinning up at Ubba. She had never been too keen on the Dane, especially since he tried to kill Uhtred. "May I present the Lord Odda of Wessex." Uhtred continued, pointing to the man beside him.

"There never seems to be a meeting that you do not attend." Ubba pointed at Uhtred, shaking his head before turning to Athena. "It is a surprise to see you."

Athena merely hummed, looking him up and down as her grip tightened on her sword. "Lord Ubba, Odda's Alfred's most trusted general." Uhtred continued, pointing to the man once more.

"I don't give a shit who he is." Ubba grunted, eyeing Odda, before turning back to Uhtred. "All he needs to do is to surrender."

"There will be no surrender." Odda simply said, his eyes narrowed as he stared at the Dane.

Ubba chucked at that, tilting his head to the side. "What will there be?"

"There will be no surrender." Odda repeated, his words firm. "Though I do invite you to return to your ships. Guthrum may have broken the peace, but no need for Ubba to do likewise."

"We will not be returning to our ships." Ubba simply said, shaking his head.

"And I shall not be moving from this hill." Odda said, making Ubba chuckle once more. "You have no business in Wessex."

"My business is to kill you." Ubba tilted his head, glaring at Odda.

"You may try."

"Guthrum's fleet is gone." Athena cleared her throat, looking up at Ubba as she bit back a grin, seeing his face drop.

"Reached out from the deep and dragged Guthrum's fleet down to the seabed." Uhtred finished, grin on his own face.

"You're lying." He looked between the two siblings, shaking his head.

"We watched the fleet die and its men go under." Uhtred shrugged his shoulders, hands clapped in front of him as he spoke.

"Storri, what do you say?" Ubba nudged the man beside him.

"Lord, I do not see for Guthrum. I see for you." Storri breathed out, not able to do anything.

"Storri a man who wears a stick up his arse." Uhtred uttered as Athena bit back a laugh, closing her eyes for a moment. "He didn't see that coming either."

"That's a lie." Storri stuttered, shaking his head with his eyes wide. "It's all lies. Look at his eyes."

"I remember specifically that you liked it, Storri." Athena hummed, crossing her arms over her chest as she smirked at the man.

"You're next to die, Ubba." Uhtred then told the blonde Dane. "I cast the runes."

"That's an even bigger lie."

"Do you want me to get another stick, Storri?" Athena challenged the man, raising her brow as she looked him up and down. The man slightly backed away. "Then shut it."

"Ragnar the Fearless is with the Gods." Uhtred then told Ubba, making Athena turn to him, bitting the inside of her cheek. "And they're angry at you. You allow his death to go unpunished."

"Avenging Earl Ragnar is not my business!" Ubba stepped forward, making Athena grab her sword handle, watching him carefully. "That for his son, and his daughter."

"You allowed Kjartan to walk around a free man." Athena spat back, stepping forwards as she challenged the man. "You accused my brother of killing my family!" Uhtred firmly held her arm as she glared at Ubba. "You're next to die, Ubba." Athena then smirked, a chuckle leaving her lips as his face paled. "The gods tell me by my blade." She added.

Athena didn't move back as the man screamed in her face, only Uhtred pulling her back. Athena just smirked at the man in front of her. "Then fight me! Both of you!" He pointed at the siblings. "And you'll see who's next to die!"

"Lord." Uhtred calmly said, squeezing Athena's arm as she stepped back, still smirking at Ubba. "We're negotiating."

"You will not say another word! You both will not say another word!" Ubba yelled at Athena and Uhtred, pointing at them both. "They will not say another word!" He turned to Odda, who shook his head.

"He will not." Odda quickly shook his head, staring at the siblings. "Best not."

"I..will not say...another word." Ubba uttered, glaring at Athena and Uhtred. "Talking is over." He said before walking away, Storri quickly following him, as did his men.

Athena merely smirked, crossing her arms over her chest as she watched them leave. "What now, eh?" A man asked, looking at the group. "Where are we left standing? In shit?"

"Now we have time." Uhtred merely grinned, shrugging his shoulders.

"How? You're both made them want to kill us even more." Young Odda hissed as Athena raised her brow, fed up at the boy.

"We should attack." Uhtred uttered to Odda, nodding his head.

— madeleines notes.

Athena the iconic legend.

She slays 24/7

HAHA.

She just gags everyone that does herself and her family wrong. And young Odda pisses her off, clearly.

When I write Athena's come backs, it makes me giggle. It's evident she is a Dane. Shes comedic yall.

But she is also wise, like the goddess Athena.

She's gonna be the one crafting the Saxons shields and weapons because she's a baddie and very smart.

I hope yall liked this chapter, because I did 🎀

28th July 2024
2490 words