▃▃▃▃▃ ‧₊˚⊹ ‧₊˚⊹ ▃▃▃▃▃
THE LAST KINGDOM
𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 ─── ❛ Dane slayer

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

Resting her head on Æthelflæd's shoulders, Athena tore up some of the bread she had been given and ate it.

She listened to her people talk around her, Athena just nodding her head now and then with a small smile.

Ragnar still occupied her thoughts. How did he die? Did someone kill him? Who killed him? Did the Dane's betray him?

That's all she could ask herself, subconsciously fidgeting with her rings as she spaced out.

Athena wanted answers for her brother's death. She wanted vengeance for Ragnar. And she would get it, going against the Danes.

She glanced up when she felt her hand being squeezed, making Athena turn her head to the side to see Melusine, who sent her a smile.

Athena sent a weak one back, clasping onto Melusine's hand for comfort as she rested the side of her head back against Æthelflæd's shoulder.

Melusine rubbed her thumb on the back of Athena's hand, watching as she zoned out again. Melusine sent her a worried look, keeping a hold on her hand as she leaned into Sihtric.

"An approximation go a witan had gathered." Everyone turned around at that, looking over to Sigebriht. "The outlaws are required."

Athena frowned at that, lifting her head off of Æthelflæd's shoulder and looked towards Melusine for any guidance. "What is an approximation to a witan?" Clearly Sihtric was thinking the same thing as they all stood.

"It's almost a witan, not quite." Finan answered the Dane as they all walked away from the table and towards the hall.

The doors opened for them as they walked in, seeing Æthelred on his seat, men around him, including Beocca, and Pyrlig and Edward.

Athena swallowed thickly as she moved forwards, standing beside Æthelflæd as she looked at Æthelred. "Apologies for keeping you waiting in the cold, my dear." The man told Æthelflæd, a fake smile on his lips. "Your father is to blame."

Athena rolled her eyes at that, crossing her arms over her chest as she looked over to the man, whom continued to speak. "After deliberation, he has decided not to attend."

"I am here in place of the king." Edward then spoke, an awkward look on his face as he turned to the two siblings and Æthelflæd. "I M here to speak for the king."

"Our business is with Alfred." Æthelflæd told her younger brother, frown on her face.

"Edward is Alfred." Father Pyrlig answered with pursed lips.

"On this occasion." Beocca added with a hesitant nod.

"We are all curious of what you have to say, my dear." Æthelred spoke up once more, hands clasped together on his lap. "Speak."

Æthelflæd did not look to her husband as she turned to Edward. "Danes are near."

Æthelred nodded his head with a tilted head. "Yes. Which is why we are gathered." He shrugged his shoulders. "This is not some hunting party."

"Hæsten is with them." Æthelflæd added as she turned to her husband. "His army is allied with them."

Edward frowned at that, crossing his arms over his chest. "But it was Hæsten who first advised the king that the Danes were marching south."

"He would do that, Lord." Uhtred finally spoke up, slowly nodding his head

"Hæsten also advised the king this Dane army included yourself and your sister." Beocca pointed to the two, making Athena turn her head into his direction.

"It does not father." Uhtred shook his head immediately as Athena stayed quiet, fidgeting with her rings.

Beocca nodded his head at that, turning to the men around. "Which we can clearly see."

"Hæsten has betrayed the King." Æthelflæd continued, clasping her hands in front of her. "He rode to Mercia to kill me." She looked at the two siblings beside her. "Uhtred and Athena saved me."

"God is good." Beocca said from the side, nodding his head. "Praise him." They all muttered the same phrase at that.

Æthelred shook his head with pinched brows. "I am at a loss." He stuttered, fake confusion written on his face. "How is it that Uhtred and Athena knew of this danger?" Athena looked up at her name, narrowing her eyes slightly. "How is it that they knew exactly where to find you?"

"An interesting question, Lord." Athena turned her head to the side at the unfamiliar voice, her eyes landing on a man. She looked him up and down with a glare.

"An irrelevant question." Æthelflæd shook her head, looking over to this man.

"Uhtred and Athena made a plan with this Dane, this Hæsten, to save you, to gain your trust..." Athena bit her tongue as she turned to the man once more. "Gain entry to this estate."

Æthelflæd immediately shook her head. "No."

"Spies."

"Assassins."

"No, they saved me." Æthelflæd argued, looking between the man and her husband. Athena lowered her head, biting her cheek as she bit back her comments.

"Should've expected nothing different." Uhtred uttered, shaking his head with pursed lips.

"They have risked everything for me—"

"That is what they want you to believe, I'm sure." Æthelred scoffed, shaking his head. Athena did not know how he had the nerve to act all innocent, when he hired a man to murder Æthelflæd.

"Seems rather a grand strategy, Lord Æthelref." Edward quickly said, looking over his shoulder at the man. "And for what?"

"They are here, among us." Sigebriht added from the side, looking over to Edward.

"And under guard." Edward added with a pointed look.

"Then let us get the truth of the matter."

Athena looked up at Alfred's voice, her eyes slightly wide as her eyes landed upon the sickly king. He had gotten worse since the last she saw him. "Let us hear exactly why they are here." Alfred continued, stepping forward and in front of them both. "What do you have to say to me?"

Athena glanced over to Uhtred, waiting for him to reply to the king. "We wish to speak to you alone." He uttered, his eyes solely on the king."

"This is a witan." Æthelred quickly said, sitting up as he covered his look of disbelief. "We are one people." He told them. "What you have to say affects all of us."

"These men are my friends and allies." Alfred then said, looking back over to the siblings. "I have nothing to hide."

Uhtred turned his head to the side, looking over at Athena, who pursed her lips and nodded her head. "We saved your daughter's life." Uhtred spoke, turning back to the king. "It was Hæsten's intention to kidnap her. If that could not be done, he would have killed her." He then shrugged. "And you claim that he, too, is your ally."

"I have never made that claim." Alfred quickly said, shaking his head with a stern look. "I have listened to Hæsten, but I've never believed him fully." He then turned to his daughter, walking towards her with a soft look. "That you are here with Æthelflæd is the only reason you are alive." He stroked his daughter's cheek, looking over her shoulder and glancing at Osferth. "Do not tell me what you have done. Tell us all what it is you want." His eyes landed on Uhtred. "You always want something."

"We want one thousand men." Uhtred confidently said, looking down at the king. Æthelred scoffed at that, making Athena glare over at him. "One thousand men, and we will give you Beamfleot."

"I do not need Beamfleot." Alfred shook his head, narrowing his eyes.

Uhtred slowly nodded his head. "I will give you peace." Uhtred then said. "I will defeat Hæsten. I will prevent him from joining with Earls Cnut and Bloodhair."

"Not forgetting the Earl Ragnar."

Athena closed her eyes at Alfred's words, lowering her head as she bit her cheek. "Our brother is dead, Lord." Athena lifted her head back up, finally speaking up as she looked at Alfred. "That is to your advantage." She uttered, fidgeting with her rings.

Uhtred turned his chin to the side, looking over to his sister, whom held a troubled look on her face. His gaze softened as he looked at her, before turning to Alfred. "With Hæsten defeated and Ragnar gone, the Danes will have half the army with no leader." Uhtred simply said. "To prevent a great war, you mist attack Hæsten."

"That seems viable, lord." Edward told his father, nodding his head.

"You wish me to divide my army?" Alfred turned from Edward, back to Uhtred with a raised brow. "Send one thousand men east?"

"Yes."

"That is too great a risk to Wessex, lord." Sigebriht added from the side, shaking his head.

"Hæsten sits inside a fortress." Alfred pointed out, clasping his hands in front of him. "One thousand men could die upon its walls easily." He shrugged. "And then what?"

"We are overrun." The man beside Sigebriht added into the conversation.

But Uhtred shook his head, not giving up. "We devise a plan." He then said.

"Why?" Alfred suddenly asked. "What is at stake for Uhtred Ragnarson?" He stepped forwards towards Uhtred. "Is it Mercia you care for? Or is it Wessex? Or is there another reason for this attack—?"

"Vengeance, Lord." Uhtred cut him off with a firm look. "Do you require the detail?" He then said.

"You seek vengeance?" Alfred asked, glancing over to the silent Athena. He was surprised that the woman hadn't cussed out every man in the room. But she simply remained silent.

"I do." Uhtred nodded his head.

"The man is a fool, whom believes all of us to be fools." The man added once more, making Athena turn to him with a glare. Who was this man?

"You arrived here under the protection of the Lady of Mercia." Alfred pointed out, slowly nodding his head. "I shan't undermine that protection. You are free to leave when you are ready and rested. You remain an outlaw of Wessex." He told Uhtred, his gaze narrowed.

Athena turned back to Alfred, biting her inner cheek as she glanced to Uhtred. It obviously did not turn out how they had plan."

They had all returned to the table, discussing their next plan of action. Athena inputted nothing, biting her inner cheek as she listened.

They all looked over to Beocca, Edward and Pyrlig, whom moved to sit on the sable with them. Athena watched as Edward sat next to Æthelflæd, smile on his face. "I came to sit with my sister for a while." He told them with a nod. "My sister, the outlaw." He jested.

Æthelflæd smiled at that, turning to face her brother. "You grow by the day, Edward." She softly said.

"He grows wiser." Beocca added with a smile, nodding his head at Æthelflæd. Athena felt Osferth shift uncomfortably as he looked at the siblings.

Athena pursed her lips as she subtly reached out to the boy beside her, squeezing his arm with a soft look. "Slowly, but hopefully." Edward smiled at Beocca.

"If you would excuse me." Osferth cleared his throat suddenly. Athena brought her hand back to her lap, her brows pinching together as she watched the boy leave. She knew it must be hard to be surrounded by your siblings, whom did not know who you were.

Beocca took that as a sign to sit down in the now open seat, sitting beside Athena with a sigh. He hesitantly glanced between Uhtred and Athena. "I was sorry to hear of Ragnar's death." He carefully spoke. "He was a heathen, but a good man." Athena softly smiled at that, looking down at her lap. "I shall pray for him."

"Amen." Alfred nodded his head in agreement.

"He would not thank you for your prayers, Father." Uhtred slightly sighed, glancing over to Athena with a soft look.

"Well, they are his all the same." He shrugged his shoulders, looking over to Uhtred.

Athena softly smiled once more, glancing to the priest beside her. "Thank you, father." She nodded her head, glancing back down at her lap.

Beocca nodded his head at her words, a gentle smile on his face as he glanced over at Uhtred once more. "I pray for you too, Uhtred." He added, looking at Athena. "And I will not stop, in spite of your pigheadedness."

Uhtred smiled at that, nodding his head. "And me, Father?" Finan asked from the opposite side of Athena, raising his brow.

Beocca turned to him with a smile. "Oh, I'm afraid you belong to the devil already." He jested.

Finan hummed, slowly nodding his head. "You could well be right." He shrugged, making Beocca grin.

Father Pyrlig looked between the people at the table. "Should we get on with the matter, Father Beocca?" He suddenly asked, making everyone turn to him. "Sooner we get back to the hall, the better."

Beocca stood nodded his head, letting out a sigh. "Yes. Edward is here..." He looked over at Athena and Uhtred. "Because he has something to say—to ask." He said, making everyone turn to Edward. "For the sake of appearances, you should all try to behave as if you're completely disinterested."

Athena pursed her lips as she rested her elbow on the table, her chin in her palm as she looked over to Edward. "How..." Edward cleared his throat. "How many men died Hæsten have?"

Uhtred looked over to the man, tilting his head to the side. "Maybe as many as one thousand."

"And a fortress." Edward then said, making Uhtred nod his head. "I wish to understand why you believe you can defeat him when it appears impossible."

Untred glanced over to Beocca, not saying anything at first. Then he sighed as he turned back to Edward. "Laying siege to the fortress would take three thousand and many would die." Uhtred began to explain. "But I would use his hatred of me to draw him out." Athena glanced down at the table at that. "We could fein an attack with a small number of men and then retreat. Hæsten will not be able to resist the opportunity of killing me." He continued, holding his hands out in front of him. "An open ground, with an army, we will have a chance."

Edward took all of Uhtred's words to consideration. "Men will still die." He hesitantly said.

"That is what happens when you go to war, Edward." Athena muttered, glancing over at him with a gentle look. "Men must die either way." She watched as he slowly nodded his head at her words. "But by defeating Hæsten, that will prevent a greater war, and less men will die." She shrugged her shoulders.

"And that is no false claim, Lord." Finan added from beside her, looking over to Edward. "Nothing deters a warrior more than the news of defeat." He then glanced over to Uhtred. "It's a plan that can work, but Uhtred and Athena will need men." He turned back to Edward. "An army." He slowly nodded his head. "And I do not with the devil to take me too easily." He jested, turning to Beocca.

"There's a thick forest surrounding Beamleot." Edward noted, taking all their words into consideration. "A good place to hide an army." He nodded his head.

Uhtred nodded his head as well. "Yes, Lord." He said. "A good place to hide five hundred men, of more."

"Then you shall have them." Athena turned to Edward at his words, her eyes widening slightly.

Beocca looked over to Edward, a subtle warning look on his face. "Is that a promise you can keep, Lord?"

"It is, or I can never be called king." Edward nodded his had once more, sitting up in his seat.

Æthelflæd turned to her brother with a hesitant look. "Edward, you are certain?" She asked Edward, tilting her head to the side.

Edward glanced to his sister, then looking over at Uhtred and Athena. "Set a day for the attack and I will be there." He told them.

Athena couldn't help but smile at his words, lifting her chin from her palm as she looked over at him. "You shall have the men." Edward added, promising him. "Draw Hæsten out of the fort. Our armies will be hidden in the woods, waiting." He looked between the siblings once more. "You have my word." He nodded once more. "I swear."

They had left Mercia, going towards Beamfleot. Athena hoped Edward would be able to get through to Alfred, that they would come to their aid.

They had waited a night to attack, waiting until the morning to do so. Athena and Sihtric both made sure Melusine would be safe, no where near the battle. But she would be there to help with any wounds after.

Gripping onto her shield, Athena bit her inner cheek as she looked over to the fortress. The small army made their way through the woods and out of them, hearing a horn be signaled.

They made their way towards the fortress gates, looking up at the men that looked down at them. Athena's eyes hardened as she looked up at Skåde.

"Lord Uhtred!" Hæsten called down, leaning on the wooden railing with a grin. "And the Lady Athena!" Athena narrowed her eyes at that. "Such a frightening sight." He mocked.

"You are a coward, Hæsten!" Uhtred yelled up to the man, mocking the man. "Hiding inside your fortress." He bit back a smirk. "When the priests of Eoferwic did rise, you fled. When Sigefrid attacked Alfred, you fled." He continued to list all the things off. "And at the nunnery, once again, you fled!"

Hæsten glared down at him, shaking his head. "I took your woman!" He nodded his head to the side at Skåde.

"And as long as I move and breathe, she still is my woman." Uhtred simply said, shrugging his shoulders. "Fight me!" He then said with a grin. "I'll wait for you in the clearing there." He nodded his head back towards the forest. "Bring a guard and no more. Let us make the square and let the two of us fight."

"That is what you want, Uhtred?" Hæsten asked, raising his brow. "To die?" Athena quietly scoffed at that, shaking her head as she lowered it.

"What I want is an end to this." Uhtred told him, shrugging his shoulders. "What is most likely to happen is you will remain a coward." He tilted his head to the side, mocking the man once more. "You will remain inside your fortress." The man around laughed at that. "Songs will be sung about your cowardice." Athena slightly grinned at her brother's words. "I shall pray for them to be written."

"I am no coward, Dane-slayer!" Hæsten yelled down, obviously frustrated by Uhtred's mockery. "If death is what you want, then you shall have it!" He pointed down at Uhtred, while storming off."

Athena's grin dropped as she glared at the retreating Skåde, her grip tightening around her sword and shield. "Lord, the job is done." Finan turned to Uhtred.

At that, they all turned around, walking back into the forest. Athena walked ahead, ignoring the snow that dropped to onto her hair, clinging to the furs around her.

She turned her head to the side when she heard someone walk beside her. A sigh left her lips as she looked at Sihtric. "What?" Athena asked, tilting her head to the side with pursed lips.

Sihtric looked behind them, making sure nobody was in earshot as he spoke. "Are you sure you should be involved in the battle?" Sihtric hesitantly asked her, his words uttered.

Athena rolled her eyes, a sigh leaving her lips, biting her inner cheek. "I am sure, Sihtric." She sent him a pointed look. "It would be weird if I did not."

Sihtric tilted his head to the side, pursing his lips as they walked. "You do not need to. You can go with Mel-"

"Sihtric." She spoke firmly, shaking her head. "I will fight in this battle." She told him, watching as he let out a defeated sigh. "I will be fine."

— madeleines notes.

AYY FINALLY A CHAPTER GUYS, sorry for the long wait, I am here now.

Chat, I start collage Thursday, send me prayers. 🙌🙌🙌

But I'm doing photography with my girlies so 🥰

Then I have to re sit my maths exam in November HAHASH. Oopsies🐎

But Athena just being so quiet in this chapter. BLESS. She's just thinking about Ragnar guys 🥺🥺

I'm actually devastated that I will not write their sibling dynamic anymore. But trust, this will bring Athena and Uhtred closer, even if Athena is not speaking with him.

And we are all surprised that Athena did not cuss anyone out this chapter HAHA. She was just silent or being nice, SHOCKER.

But a soon as she saw Skade, she wanged to murder that bitch, like BRUH. She finna be so mad when Uhtred continues to have little relationship with him. HAHA.

Athena just turns to Finan and absolutely curses them out bc she is so annoyed.

BUT HOPEFULLY, NEXT CHAPTER MIGHT HE A BIG ONE, DEPENDING HOW I SET THE SCENES OUT.

Me and Jordan have been waiting for it and omg. I'm actually so exited to write it, DRAMA EHEHEHEHEHEHE.

And Alfred not including Athena when he was cussing Uhtred out. Thats what we call iconic. He knows she ain't a bad person 🙌 she just wants to ensure her brother's safety. And that's what we call LOYALTY.

Now Athena doesn't gaf about those Danes, AFTER THREE SEASONS. She was like, my brother died with you Dane's, I wonder why.

She'll be like "yeah, kill them all."

But Athena coming to terms with the Christian's religion and thanking Beocca for praying for Ragnar. BLESS. She is just a massive softie at heart.

But she's still a Dane 🥰🥰🥰

Sihtric taking the brother roll rn and he's slaying 🙌🙌 WE LOVE SIHTRIC IN THIS HOUSE YAH

ugh love Athena and Æthelflæd's friendship. Warms my heart how Athena is so comfortable with her.

and Athena and Mel, top tier, nobody comes between them. Their gfs END OFF.

Okay now I need sleep, I need to sort my sleep schedule out.  OOPSIES

33rd September 2024
3722 words