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

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

The small group had made their way to the nunnery Æthelflæd was in, all sneaking in and hiding in the kitchen.

Athena did not understand why they were hiding in the kitchen. But a nun walked in, her eyes wide as she quickly ran out. "Now we scared a nun." Athena muttered, looking over to Melusine with a sheepish look.

But sooner or later, they all got in. Uhtred had found another way in, greeting Æthelflæd and the nuns.

Now, they all sat in the hall, eating the food the nuns provided for them. Athena was not hungry, not having an appetite for food, and passed it to Osferth, claiming he needed more meat on his bones as a jest.

"Your guards are not, Lady." Finan spoke, his words directed to Æthelflæd, whom sat In between Athena and Melusine.

"Not what?" Æthelflæd frowned, playing with the ring around her finger.

Athena looked up from the table, leaning her chin in her palm as she turned her head to face Finan. "They're not guards." Sihtric then spoke, leaning over the table to speak to the woman. "Their swords are trinkets."

Melusine sent a look to her husband, making him roll his eyes with a soft smile. "It's true." Uhtred added from in front of Æthelflæd.

"They're good men." Æthelflæd sighed, sending a pointed look towards Uhtred.

"I'm sure they're loyal, but they are not guards." Finan shrugged his shoulders, making Athena give him a pointed look from across the table.

"They're barely men." Uhtred nodded in agreement.

The nun beside Melusine glared over at Uhtred. "I do not like you, young man." She said, making Athena hide her amusement in her hand. "You have a very high opinion of yourself." Athena chuckled at that, pointing the look Uhtred sent her.

"I am a heathen, I am godless and an enemy of Alfred...but I will keep you alive." Uhtred shrugged with a faint smirk.

The nun frowned as she leaned back in her seat. "And who is it that wishes me dead?"

"Several people, I imagine." Athena rolled her eyes at Finan's uttered words, kicking his leg from under the table and sent him a sarcastic smile.

Æthelflæd let out a sigh as she looked around the table, before looking over to the nun. "What Uhtred is saying is that the lands are changing." She softly smiled to the nun. "Men are becoming sick with greed and we must all be on our guard."

"Well, perhaps." The nun slowly nodded her head, her eyes landing back on Uhtred. "But I know when I'm hearing half-truths." She looked back over to Æthelflæd. "I do not like him." She turned, scoffing at the look Skåde sent her. "I like her even less." She said, getting up from her seat.

"Nor I you, hag." Skåde called after her, smirk on her face as Athena and Melusine pulled her a dirty look.

Both Athena and Melusine turned their heads when Finan and Sihtric chuckled to each other, both women giving them pointed look.

"She reminds me of my mother, and that woman was never wrong either." Finan jested as he turned to Uhtred beside him.

Athena shrugged ad she watched the nun leave. "I like her." Athena grinned, turning back to the table. "Whom knew nuns were funny."

That made Melusine lean backwards and behind Æthelflæd and tapped Athena around the back of the head. Athena let out a hiss as she held the back of her head, looking over to Melusine, whom grinned. "And violent." Athena uttered, looking up at the amused look Finan sent her way. "Hush." She muttered once more, leaning her chin in her palm.

Æthelflæd couldn't help but smile at the bickering around the table, grateful that Uhtred and Melusine had listened to her call of help.

The Mercian woman glanced down at Athena, whom had not eaten a thing since being there. "Are you not hungry?" Æthelflæd leaned down to speak to Athena as the others talked among themselves.

Athena looked up at the woman, smiling softly as she shook her head. "I fear not, Lady." She slowly nodded her head. "I do not have an appetite."

"Not for ale, also?" Æthelflæd continued to ask, tilting her head to the side as she gestured to the full cup of ale.

Athena pursed her lips, shaking her head as she cleared her throat. "I fear not." Athena muttered, watching as Æthelflæd analysed her with a faint grin.

Æthelflæd simply hummed, a knowing look on her face. It clearly sounded alarm bells when Athena did not drink her ale. Even Æthelflæd knew that. "Is there a reason?" Æthelflæd continued to push, her words quiet as Athena pursed her lips once more. "You forget I have a daughter."

Athena squeezed her eyes shut as she slowly nodded her head. She did not know she was that easy to read. "How?" Athena asked, referring to his Æthelflæd quickly found this out but just asking questions.

"I lost my appetite for food when I was with child." Æthelflæd shrugged her shoulders, making Athena frown. She did not know that was the reason she wasn't that hungry in moments. "And I didn't drink ale. And it is strange when you are not drinking." Æthelflæd kept the smile on her face. "You'd be downing cup after cup right now."

Athena sighed, running her hand down the side of her face with a sheepish look. "You are right, I fear." She uttered, making Æthelflæd smile softly. "How is your daughter, Ælfwynn? Is she safe?" Athena then asked, and Æthelflæd slowly nodded her head.

"She is well." Æthelflæd insisted, smiling as Athena asked of the wellbeing of her daughter. "So, how did the Irishman react?"

Athena's brows pinched together at that, tilting her head to the side. "What?" She frowned, making Æthelflæd frown.

"Is he not...?" Æthelflæd trailed off, glancing over to him for a moment, then back to Athena, who pulled a sheepish look. "He is and he does not know." Æthelflæd realised, her lips slightly agape.

Athena slowly nodded her head with pursed lips. "Yeah." Athena sighed, glancing down to her hands for a moment.

"Who knows?" Æthelflæd then asked, intrigued.

Athena sighed, sitting up as she leaned back against her seat. "Mel, Sihtric, the seer..." She looked around the table, slowly nodding her head. "That is everyone here, and you."

"How does the seer know?" Æthelflæd frowned, confused as to how the seer knew, but Uhtred and Finan didn't.

"She was the one whom told me." Athena shrugged, looking over towards the seer, whom as grimacing down at the food. "I did not believe it at first, but it made sence. She claims it's a girl."

Æthelflæd looked over to Skåde, her brows slightly pinched together as she turned back to Athena, whom was playing with her many rings.

"Why haven't you—"

"I fear it is not a good time to tell either of them." Athena cut Æthelflæd off with a soft smile. "With war and battle happening, I cannot tell Uhtred nor Finan." She whispered, making Æthelflæd slowly nod her head in understanding. "I will tell them soon, just when the time is right."

Æthelflæd reached out to hold Athena's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze with a soft smile. "I'm sure they will be delighted at the news." Athena slowly nodded her head at that, smile matching Æthelflæd. "Although, I cannot imagine Finan as a father."

The pair chuckled at that, lowering their heads when people turned to them. Athena brought her hand to her mouth as she rested her forehead on Æthelflæd's shoulder. "What are you two giggling about?" Athena lifted her head at Finan's voice.

Athena shook her head with an innocent look, feeling Æthelflæd hide her face in her shoulder. "Nothing." Her voice shook with laughter, Æthelflæd chucking into her shoulder. "I agree." Athena uttered to Æthelflæd, making Æthelflæd chuckle once more.

Athena knew Finan was good with kids, having seen him look after Young Uhtred and Stiorra. She didn't doubt that he would be a good father. But would he want to be a father? They have never spoken upon the matter.

Athena had always said she wasn't one for marriage and finding a lover, but Finan had completely changed her view. She surprised herself, happening to want those things.

But Athena did not know Finan wanted those exact same things with Athena, but never voiced upon the matter because of what Athena had said about them.

She had never pointedly said she didn't want to find a lover or marriage, but she spoke of it like she wouldn't find either of those things—like she did not want it.

Athena had gone to the stables to tend to her horse. Melusine had gone to pray with Æthelflæd, leaving Athena alone, which the woman did not mind.

She wanted to think about everything that had happened. Athena's thoughts were surrounding her brother, Ragnar, and the Dane's.

She was still saddened at the fact that he had disowned her and Uhtred, but at-least she still had Uhtred.

Running her hands through her horses mane, her fingers smoothly going through the white hair. Athena didn't even bother looking over her shoulder when she heard someone walk in.

"Sihtric said I'd find you in here."

Athena looked over her shoulder at the Irishman's voice, running her hands through her horses mane. "Yeah." She nodded her head with a faint smile. "Æthelflæd and Mel are praying, and I have had enough of Uhtred's company." She jested, turning back to her horse. "So I decided to tend to my horse."

Finan leaned back on one of the pillars in the stable, grin on his face as he watched Athena tend to her horse with a soft look. "How's your horse doing?" He randomly said, making Athena raise her brow with an amused look.

"She is fine." Athena chuckled at his random question, keeping her hand on her horse, whom leaned into her palm.

Finan chuckled at her confused look, shaking his head softly. He ran a hand over his face, the smirk still on his lips as he looked over to her. "And how are you doing?"

Athena shrugged her shoulders with a slight sigh, turning back to her horse with pursed lips. "Good." She uttered, her tone slightly hesitant, her thoughts going back to Ragnar. "Why do you ask?"

Finan watched as she hesitated to speak, the troubled look that decorated her face. He let out a sigh, moving off of the pillar and moved towards her.

He placed a gentle hand on Athena's shoulder, making her turn and look up at him with pinched brows. "Just checking on you." Finan shrugged her shoulders making Athena bite her inner cheek. "You have seemed distracted as of late. Is everything alright?"

"Just got a lot on my mind." Athena simply said with a soft smile. "But it is fine." She nodded her head with a reassuring look. But she noticed the look Finan sent her, making her frown. "I am fine." She muttered, casting her eyes down.

Finan raised a brow at her, not buying it. He had gotten use to reading Athena like an open book. And Athena was never a good liar sometimes.

A sigh left his lips as he gently held onto her chin, lifting Athena's head and making her look up at him. "Try again. You know you cannot bullshit me." She rolled her eyes at the pointed look he gave her. "You have been off, even before Dunholm."

Athena pursed her lips at that, sucking in a breath. She knew that was true, she had been off edge since she had talked to Skåde. "I am fine, I swear." She glanced up at him, biting her inner cheek.

Finan looked right into her eyes, keeping his hand on Athena's chin. He knew her too well, she could try and lie, but he saw right through it.

His eyes scanned Athena's face, looking for any hint that would give away what was truly bothering her. "You don't expect me to believe that do you?"

Athena pulled a sheepish look, shrugging her shoulders with a hopeful smile. "Yes...?" She slowly nodded her head.

Raising a brow at her answer, Finan shook his head with a huff, letting out a soft laugh. "I know you to well, Thena, you cannot bullshit me." He said, moving his hand off of her chin and squeezing her shoulder. "What is bothering you?"

Athena let out a quiet groan, lowering her head in defeat. He was right, she could not. But she could work her way around it.

"Just thinking about Ragnar." It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. "And what he said." She added with pursed lips, looking up at him once more with a sad smile.

Finan gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze, a soft frown tugging on his lips as he looked down at her. He knew how much Ragnar meant to Athena, and after hearing him say to Athena that she wasn't his sister anymore, he knew that affected her. "I can imagine it is not easy." He said in a soft voice.

"Nope." Athena let out a sad chuckle, a weak smile on her lips as she looked up at him. "It is not." She uttered, shaking her head as she looked down once more, fidgeting with her rings.

He returned her sad smile, moving his hand down to hold Athena's chin again. His thumb and index finger gently grabbing her chin. Finan tilted her head back, forcing her to look up at him. "I know there's nothing I can say to make it better. But you know I'm always here for you."

Athena nodded her head with a soft look, grateful for his words. "I know." Her voice was gentle as she smiled up at him. "Thank you."

Finan softly smiled, his hand dropping from her chin and reaching up to brush a strand of hair away from her face. His eyes kept staring at Athena, as if looking for signs of hidden sadness. "You know you can't hide things from me right?" He jested, trying to lighten her mood.

Athena rolled her eyes at that, shaking her head with a chuckle. "I can try." She jested, shrugging her shoulders.

He gave her a deadpanned look, obviously not finding your joke amusing. "Well you're not very good at it." He teased, reaching up and poking her cheek gently.

A scoff left Athena's lips as she moved his hand away, biting back a grin with a fake look of offence. "How would you know?" She raised her brow, crossing her arms over her chest. "I could be hiding a lot of things from you." She shrugged her shoulders. And she wasn't wrong.

Finan chuckled at her offended stare, a sly smirk on his face. He leaned in closer to her, dropping the mocking offense look and giving her a smirk. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

Athena pursed her lips as she shrugged her shoulders. "That defeats the purpose of what I said." She chuckled as she held an innocent look on her face.

He raised a brow, chuckling at her response.
"I'm not gonna be fooled by that innocent look, you know that right?" Finan asked her, slightly amused at their back and forth.

"It's worked before." She hummed, shrugging her shoulders once more with an amused look. "Has it not?" Athena subtly teased.

Finan knew she was correct. When they had first met, Athena had fooled him multiple times, acting all innocent just to jest. And he believed it.

He chuckled, his smirk growing wider at her words. "Maybe once or twice." He let out a defeated sigh, making Athena grin. "But I caught on pretty quick." Finan added, seeing her grin.

Athena tilted her head to the side. "Sure you did." She patted his chest with a chuckle, shaking her head with an amused look.

Finan caught her hand as soon as it hit his chest, gently grabbing Athena's wrist and holding it against his chest. "Are you mocking me?" He teased bringing his free hand to her hip, making Athena chuckle.

"Perhaps." She hummed, shrugging her shoulders with a slight grin. "It is fun to mock you." Athena nodded her head with an amused look.

He chuckled at that, his hand tightening on her hip as he looked down at her. "Oh really?" Athena nodded her head, grinning once more. Finan's eyes looked down at her lips momentarily, noticing her dimples. "You know what else is fun?"

Humming once more, Athena tilted her head to the side, her chin raised as she looked up at him. "What?" She asked, raising her brow.

Finan chuckled at Athena's mocking confusion, his hand moving from her wrist to gently grab her chin, tilting her head back as his thumb ran across her lower lip. "I've got quite a few ideas" he said in a low voice, his eyes looking at her lips.

Athena raised her brow at his not so subtle flirting, reaching out to take his hand away from her face. "Well, keep those ideas to yourself." She smirked, tilting her head to the side. "Need I remind you that we are in a nunnery." She jested, letting go of his arm and reaching up to tug on the cross around his neck with a chuckle. "And you are a man of God."

"And that has not stopped me before." Finan shrugged his shoulders with a grin, making Athena roll her eyes.

Before Athena could reply to his comment, there were shouts from outside. The pair immediately moved away from each other as their heads turned to the door.

Athena was the first to move, walking towards the door and picking up her sword and sheath. She looked out the window, her eyes winding as they landed on a small army of Dane's.

It was Hæsten.

"Fuck." Athena uttered, quickly turning around with a heavy sigh, wrapping her belt around her waist and looking up at Finan. "It's Hæsten."

Finan swore at that, moving towards her and grasping onto her arm, quickly leading them back into the main hall.

Their men were all around the table, not having a clue of what was happening outside. Athena's eyes landed on Uhtred, making her way towards him with a worried look.

Uhtred turned to her with a slight frown, seeing the worried look on her face. "Hæsten is here, with his men." Athena told him, making Uhtred quickly stand up.

The doors to the hall opened, making Athena pull out her sword, but relaxing when a nun walked in, just as panicked. "Danes. Outside." She said, closing the doors behind her. "I just witnessed them kill a man."

Everyone stood at that, Athena moving towards Melusine and Æthelflæd. "Why are they not bursting through the doors?" Sihtric asked, taking out his sword.

"Sihtric, they may not know we're here." Uhtred said, closing the wide windows as he walked towards the doors.

"They have asked for the Lady Æthelflæd." The nun replied, making Athena stand closer to the woman.

"Well, they know someone is here." Osferth inputted, still sat at the table as he looked over at Uhtred.

Uhtred looked around, a sigh leaving his lips. "We wait inside and will remain silent." He told everyone in the hall. "Abbess, you will go to them and talk to them."

The woman immediately shook her head with a fearful look. No, no, I..." She moved to lean against the wall. "I will not."

"Yes you will, because you must."

"Did I not say I do not like you?" The woman sucked in a breath, feared for her life.

Uhtred nodded his head. "You did." He sighed once more. "Allow them to believe you are unprotected and deny Æthelflæd is here."

Æthelflæd frowned at that. "And we will do what, hide?" She questioned Uhtred, not allowing them to risk their lives for her.

Athena sighed, pursing her lips as she looked at Æthelflæd. "No, not hide. We will make an advantage out of this." Athena slowly nodded her head with a reassuring look.

Nodding his head at his sister, Uhtred turned back to the Abbess. "Abbess, the hostages they have are dead man breathing." He shook his head. "You cannot save them." The Abbess looked down at that. "What we just do now is save the lives of your nuns and my men."

"And Æthelflæd." Melusine added, squeezing the woman's arm.

"Abbess?" Uhtred asked, waiting for the woman to give him an answer.

The woman let out a defeated sigh. "Aye." She breathed out shakily.

But a woman stepped forwards, her eyes on Uhtred. "I will do it." She quickly said, making everyone turn to her.

The Abbess reached out to squeeze the woman's hand. "No." She shook her head. "No, this is my house, it's my responsibility." Her voice shook as she turned to Uhtred. "I will do it."

And the woman did, she walked out the doors, Sihtric and Finan closing them behind her and barricading them.

Athena stood at the window, spinning her dagger in her hand as she looked out to Hæsten and his men. "Hæsten has no more than forty men." Uhtred said, looking out of the window over Athena's shoulder. "Forty that I can see."

"Then let us fight them." Sihtric spoke up, holding his sword in his hand. Melusine sent him a look, shaking her head.

"We wait." Athena said, not turning around to look at her friend as she kept her eyes on Hæsten. "They do not know we are here, it is an opportunity, Sihtric."

Athena watched as the woman tried to plead with Hæsten, but it was no use. They killed Æthelflæd's guards, making the Abbess yell at them.

The woman picked up an axe, only to have one of the Danes throw a spear into her chest. Athena sighed, looking over her shoulder at Uhtred. Melusine guided Æthelflæd away from the window with a troubled look.

"Lord, Lady, now?" Sihtric asked, his tone worried.

Athena did not speak, watching the Danes with narrowed eyes. "We do nothing..." Uhtred turned to him. "Yet."

"Æthelflæd!" Hæsten yelled frown outside, his tone loud. "Enough men and women have died to save your bony arse..." Athena narrowed her eyes at his words. "At Beamfleot and now here." He said as Athena watched him and his men walk across the bridge. "Did my Lord Erik not give his life for you?"

Melusine tightened her hand on Æthelflæd's arm, running her other hand up and down the younger woman's back. "How many more must do the same?" Hæsten continued to taunt Æthelflæd from outside. "Show yourself!"

Athena bit her tongue as she watched the Danes walk towards the side entrance. "The hall, now." Athena said, putting away her dagger and sending the group a pointed look. "We attack." She nodded her head at Sihtric, whom grinned at that.

Æthelflæd reached out for Athena's arm with a worried look, waiting until the three men were out of the room. "Are you sure you should fight?"

Athena simply grinned at her words. "I have been fighting since I could hold a sword, friend." Athena smiled, shaking her head. "An unborn babe is not going to stop me."

Æthelflæd and Melusine shared a look, but the pair knew they could not force her to not fight. So Æthelflæd nodded her head, making Athena reach out for both of their hands and guiding them towards the hall.

They all stood in the hall, weapons raised as they waited for Hæsten and his men. Athena gripped her sword, her eyes set on the doors in front of her.

They heard footsteps from outside, making everyone raise their weapons, ready to attack. The door slowly opened, making the two men at the front to throw them open. Uhtred gave them an order to attack, and their men did.

Athena and Uhtred's men threw spears at the Dane's in front of the doors, making them drop to the floor.

Uhtred took the lead, attacking the first Dane he saw. Athena followed raising her arm dodging the blow sent her way as she blocked it with her arm.

A yell left her lips as she raised her leg, kicking the Dane in the chest and bringing her sword to his arm, cutting his hand off.

The Dane screamed in agony, his guard down. That gave Athena the opportunity to kick his leg, knocking him to the ground.

She swiftly brought her blade against the Dane's neck, pushing his body back as the lift drained from his eyes.

They all continued to fight until some of Hæsten's men were dead. Athena panted heavily as she looked around, looking for Hæsten.

He stood at the door, his eyes wide as he looked around, the rest of his men running back outside. Athena didn't think twice as she wanted him run to the door, unsheathing her dagger and throwing it in his direction.

Hæsten was quicker, shutting the door and running away before the dagger could hit him. Instead, the dagger hit the door, making Athena let out a groan of annoyance, moving over the bodies and towards the door.

"We are trapped." Æthelflæd voided, looking down at the dead bodies littering the floor. Athena let out a grunt as she pulled out her dagger, turning around.

"We're alive." Uhtred panted, crouching down to pick up his sword. Athena leaned on the wall, catching her own breath. "And they are twelve or thirteen men less."

"But we are trapped under a wooden roof." Æthelflæd added, her arms crossed over her chest as she looked over at Uhtred.

Finan sighed as he turned to the young woman, shrugging his shoulders. "And what would you suggest then, Lady?" He tilted his head to the side. "That you have yourself over?"

"Yes."

"That is out of the question." Athena shook her head, standing straight as she looked over at Æthelflæd.

Æthelflæd sighed as she looked over at Athena, pursing her lips. "Hæsten speaks the truth. Why should I live when so many others have died?"

Uhtred turned at that, walking towards Æthelflæd. "Hæsten has never spoken the truth in his life!" He hissed, standing in front of the young woman with a stern look. "Do not say as much again. Never." He shook his head. "Or those men have died for no reason."

Athena sighed at her brother's words, walking towards Æthelflæd and squeezing her arm with a soft smile. "Let's get you back in the hall." She uttered to the woman, making Æthelflæd nod.

— madeleines notes.

The way all these women are just clicking onto Athena before any of the men HAHA. Shows they are not as smart as women.

The fact Ragnar dies in this episode... Æthelwold and Cnut suck my fat you absolute disgrace and mistakes.

Hate them, hope they both rot in hell.

Athena and Finan just casually flirting makes me giggle, showed Jordan half of it, BAHAH. Like, guys let's remember we are in a nunnery, no flirty flirty smh 🤦‍♀️

LAST CHAPTER OF AUGUST RAH

31st August 2024
4567 words