Vagabond | The Last Kingdom

Twenty

"Lighten up husband you know you're the only one I like touching me"

"Just you wait till we're out of here woman"

─── ✦⋅ ☆⋅✦ ───

As we braced ourselves to depart from Eoferwich through sheer force, a silent plea escaped my lips, directed towards any god willing to listen. The last thing we needed was a spatter of bloodshed so early in our mission, especially if we aimed to conquer Bebbanburg and save Aelfwynn.

As the imposing gates parted, revealing Edward and his assembled army on the other side, I finally released the breath I had been holding. Uhtred allowed Edward his moment of triumph as the satisfaction of marshalling such forces washed over him, but I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the spectacle.

"To Bebbanburg" Finan's cry pierced the air, rallying the soldiers as cheers erupted around us. He shot me a knowing wink, to which I responded with a grin.

As we journeyed northward, our path was suddenly intercepted by Cynlaef, Aethelstan's closest companion. "What of Osferth?" I exclaimed, swiftly dismounting to warmly embrace him.

"Osferth is alive and well," he reassured me, his words washing over me like a soothing balm. With a sigh of relief, I turned back to Finan, nodding in gratitude. His smile mirrored my own, acknowledging the weight that would have burdened me had Osferth's fate been uncertain.

"I've been wandering" Cynlaef began, only to be abruptly cut off by Finan's terse interruption. "Now is not the time," he interjected, effectively silencing him.

Nevertheless, Cynlaef managed to relay the news of King Constantin's movements, his arrival at Bebbanburg by sea alongside his retinue while his main army marched overland. Despite doubts about Constantin's maritime voyage, we dismissed the notion, focusing instead on our pressing objective of rescuing Aelfwynn.

"We cannot besiege Bebbanburg while Aelfwynn remains captive," I asserted, finding agreement in Uhtred's proposed plan. He outlined a daring scheme wherein he and a select few men would infiltrate the fortress via a cliffside path to liberate Aelfwynn.

"When you say men I am going to assume you included me," I remarked, arms crossed, prompting Uhtred to exchange a glance with Finan "Don't look at him" I warned, steeling myself for the peril ahead. "It's going to be dangerous," he cautioned, to which I responded with an exasperated eye-roll.

"I am the one that swore the oath so I will not rest until that girl is safely in my arms, anyone with objections can handle them on their own," I declared resolutely, mounting my horse and riding ahead. 

Uhtred's plan hinged on Haestan, whose supposed reformation still left me wary. Haestan would feign shipwrecked traders to lure Wihtgar onto the beach, then signalling Edward to initiate the attack.

── ✦⋅ ☆⋅✦ ──

Scaling the rocks to reach the fortress proved to be an arduous feat, pushing the limits of exhaustion to new heights. Yet, my smaller stature in comparison to the men granted me an unexpected advantage, allowing me to manoeuvre more easily among the jagged terrain.

"Ah," I muttered, my gaze fixed on the seemingly insurmountable rock face before me. "What's the matter?" Sihtric inquired, concern etched across his features as he peered up at me.

"There's no way forward," I replied, frustration bubbling beneath the surface. "The path is gone."

"Is there another way around?" Finan's voice trembled with apprehension. "Can we go back on ourselves?" His anxiety, palpable in the air, mirrored my own, perhaps tinged with an added layer of concern for my safety.