Moon-Heart | The Last Kingdom |

10.

Thirty days, it had been thirty days since the siege at Winchester began. They had tired everything, and yet the Danes still did not surrender. Corpses laid outside the gates, rotting while rats crawled all over them. While bodies piled up, each side of this war kept a key watch on each other's movements. The Saxons had set up camp farther from the gates, in near the edge of the woods, just enough to stay in a safe zone. King Edward was willing to try anything at this point, he had done so much already and nothing was working. He had been instructed by his advisors to await the arrival of Lady Aethelflaed and her men, but he was growing impatient. There was one option left he had yet to explore, fire. If he could set aflame to the town, it could drawl the Danes out. Afterwards, the walls could be rebuilt and the town could find new occupancies. At least, that was the idea.

Uhtred stormed to the king's tent, seeing the soldiers with torches, a sign of how mad had the King had become. He argued with the King about his decision, he was being too rash, but it seemed that his mind was already set on the plan, "We are past negotiation. We win or they do!" Edward declared.

"Our families are prisoners--" Uhtred remined.

He was trying to finish his thought but Edward cut him off, "Aldhelm what news?" he asked as the lord walked to meet him at the tent.

Seeing Aldhelm, Uhtred's heart dropped. He did not know if the father knew of his daughter's fate. It was known that the Danes had taken hostages, but Uhtred did not know if the father of the child was informed at all. The soldiers spoke of the King's children being taken freely, but no one knew of the little girl.

"Lady Aethelflaed sent me here to tell of a great victory." he informed, "She has taken Eoferwic and the Danes there have submitted to her rule. She now travels south with her army."

Edward inhaled and exhales sharply, "Let her not be shamed by weakness in her brother. Let her return to the land of her birth and find it cleansed of the Danes." swiftly he walked passed the two out into the open, "Tell them it is decided. If they do not surrender, Winchester will burn!"

As the king stormed away, embarrassed by his weakness, Uhtred placed his hand on Aldhelm's shoulder with a grim face, "Sigtryggr will not budge, he has tried to attack multiple times, and there has been no response.", Uhtred inhaled deeply, "Aldhelm, the party to Bedwyn was taken captive, including Saehild." he paused, "She is within the walls."

Aldhelm stood there with his mouth slightly opened, but no words came. His little girl, once again, was in danger and he could do nothing, "Has there been any word about them?"

"No." Uhtred said shaking his head and looking to the ground.

Inhaling sharply, Aldhelm tried to remain composed, now knowing that Saehild was at risk. This was about more then just riding of the Danes, their families lives were on a thin line. There would be no honor in her death, were she to die here. They were in Wessex, not Mercia. She might have been surrounded by her mother's people, but she knew very little about them and there ways. She'd die alone, scared.

**********

It had felt like an entirety since Saehild was confined to the small chamber. The women no longer came to see her, in fact no one came to see her. After the first plate of bread, it was back to burnt slices, if she was lucky. Unfortunately, there were no other treasures to find under the beds, and she had torn up most of the one book she found. Most days she would laid down staring outside the window, dreaming of what she could be doing. She dreamt of being back in Aegelesbrug, playing with Aelfwynn in the gardens, or chasing around her father, like she used to do as a babe. Oh how badly she wanted it to be real.

Sitting at the top on the bed, tracing her name into the sheets, Saehild was interrupted by Sigtryggr opening the door, "Come child, let us visit your friends."