𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 ↦ Sihtric Kjartansson

xxv. escape plans

"Uhtred."

"What is he doing here?" Yrsa hissed, glaring at the prince. "That snake should slither back to his hole in the ground."

"The King and Edward have conferred and they have decided there will be no trial, no punishment at all, barring a small wergild to be paid to the church." Beocca had learnt long ago to ignore Yrsa's threats, and so continued on as if all was well. Yrsa merely huffed, before turning back to the food.

"A small wergild?" Finan questioned.

"100 piece of silver?"

"That's it?" Finan chuckled, sharing a look with Yrsa as the pair realised they might get out of this slightly more unscathed. "That's all."

"Of course not." Aethelwold rolled his eyes.

"One hundred pieces of silver and your oath."

"He has my oath." Uhtred pointed out.

"The king wished that you swear an oath to the aethling, to Edward." Beocca expanded on his statement.

"Edward is not the aethling. The crown cannot be assumed."

"Someone is jealous that they are the most hated person in Wessex." Yrsa crooned softly, grinning as Aethelwold huffed and turned away. "I swear, each year, we give Alfred a different oath, hold land, fight for him, be a good lord. He is just finding new ways to hold things over our heads."

"Yrsa, that is not helpful." Beocca stated, as the woman scraped her bowl out.

"No, but it is the truth. Next he will be asking us to make an oath to Edward's unborn child, just so that he feels he has us toeing the line that he keeps moving." The men were watching Yrsa's back as the woman rolled her eyes. "No, next he will be asking us to become Christian, to be baptized, that is what is next."

"Yrsa is right, the king asks too much." Finan pointed out, as Uhtred listened and observed.

"What you must now do, Uhtred, is consider what will happen if you do not swear the oath to Edward." Beocca looked between them. "People will die. It will not just be the men here, who will die. It'll be the men standing outside, men you fought beside..."

"It will be Alfred's doing."

"...days ago."

"He could not care less for men in his service." Uhtred shook his head.

"The king cares deeply." Beocca was trying to defend the king to people who were growing more and more disinterested. 

"You, Beocca, you served him all your life and for what? His witan whisper about your choice of wife?"

"Without Alfred, I would not be standing here at all, I would be dead." Beocca's voice was raising as Yrsa leant back against the wall beside her husband. Sihtric's hand found hers, tracing the rings on her fingers gently. "Without Alfred, there would be no Wessex, there would be no Mercia, no Christendom. There would be Danes and that is all! The green fields would be red with blood and my insides would be hanging from the trees. Look, for all your whines and moans, Uhtred of Bebbanburg, you've had a good life here in Wessex, and don't you dare say otherwise. Alfred gave you shelter."

"I have earnt it."

"You have land and wealth, all you can eat and drink."

"And I've earnt it."

"Make you choice, boy!" Beocca's voice almost made Yrsa jump with how suddenly it had been raised, her eyes going wide as she looked between the priest and her father figure. "Accept your punishment or allow your friends to kill each other, all to spare you the hardship of life as a lord!"

With that, Beocca turned and walked out, leaving Aethelwold there.

"You are not welcome, snake. Leave with Beocca." Yrsa cut the man off before he could speak again. "Otherwise, I will kill you here and bury your body beneath the floor boards. I think that would earn me a reward."

As she spoke, she stood up drawing her hatchet part way as the man stomped off.

"There will be no killing." Uhtred stood, placing a hand on Yrsa's shoulder as the woman growled and glared at the ground. "Calm your rage, Yrsa, I shall have use of it later."

༓࿇༓

The plan was swift and easy. Sihtric and Finan accompanied Uhtred to Steapa, taking his weapons, whilst Yrsa got everything ready to leave. It did not take her long to get ready, to round her weapons up and find their horses in the outside stable.

"I do love being hunted." Yrsa muttered to herself as she picked a bit of mud out of the feathers on Beastie's feet.

"Think of the positives, Yrsa." Finan pointed out, as Sihtric chuckled at his wife's foul glare, kissing her cheek gently. "It is us on the open road once more."

"It means that I have to put up with your smell for weeks now." Yrsa whined, rolling her eyes as Sihtric kissed her softly.

"I have to put up with that, so I think I have it far worse." Yrsa opened her eyes, winked at Finan before reaching up to kiss Sihtric again as Finan sighed. Their moment was interrupted by Uhtred jumping off a wall to reach them. "I see that they let you leave."

"We should ride, hard."

"Lord, you are cut." Yrsa pulled away from her husband, touching Uhtred's shoulder as she examined the wound.

"Barely." Uhtred squeezed Yrsa's hand, before pushing her away.

"We ride to where, Lord?"

"To Ragnar and to the Danes." Uhtred revealed as Yrsa untied Beastie from his position outside of the stables. Sihtric was quick to boost her up and onto Beasties' back.

"Then we should go and find your men."

"Come Beastie." Yrsa urged her horse onwards, double checking to make sure that the men were following her, before leaning lower in the saddle, trying to gain as much speed as possible.

༓࿇༓

Hiya,

It's been a while, but we're back to our normal content of Yrsa trying to kill Aethelwold and Uhtred not allowing her to. Also, Sihtric and her are cuties, they're very sweet and I love Uhtred and Yrsa's father, daughter relationship.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx