The Last Kingdom Imagines

An Errand for Alfred

"I am a warrior, not an errand boy!" Uhtred expresses in frustration after we had both met with King Alfred. I follow an annoyed Uhtred throughout the castle and outside to the stables where Finan and Sihtric had been waiting for our return.

"Lord?" Finan greets with his strong Irish accent, straightening his posture once we appear in view. "What did King Alfred have to say?" He asks. Sihtric too had been curious and questioned also, adding, "And was it as important as he had made it seem?"

Uhtred sighs and crosses his arms over his broad chest. He looks over at me and shakes his head in disbelief of King Alfred and his commands. "Come on, it's not that bad." I admit, resting my hand on Uhtred's bicep as I stand next to him. "At least we can leave Winchester for a short while. Personally I find this Saxon place suffocating for a Dane." I then say, trying to connect with Uhtred and lighten the mood.

He allows a small smirk of amusement to form onto his lips. This expression he makes causes me to smile back at him. We tend to share these little intriguing moments of affection with each other, but they never seem to pursue into anything. I mean he is my truest friend and my Lord, I follow him, there should be nothing more between us then that fact alone... I guess.

Finan and Sihtric still stand in front of us confused and puzzled, awaiting answers. "So?" Finan trails. "What of it?" He asks again. Uhtred looks back to the pair and rolls his eyes. "Go on." He then tells me, too irritated to explain the task given to us by King Alfred.

"King Alfred heard of a rumour that a group of Danes from Northumbria are marching forth into Wessex and possibly to Winchester. He wants their whereabouts monitored incase there are to be any surprise attacks on Wessex." I explain with a sigh.

"And?" Sihtric questions, "What of us?"

Before I answer Uhtred Speaks. "We," He begins in emphases, "are to find the whereabouts of those Danes who roam Wessex. And then we are expected to ride back to Winchester and report back to the King of the Saxons."

Uhtred had thought that this was the most pointless and wasteful journey to make for a paranoid King. And overall he didn't like to be told what to do. He thought of himself only as a warrior and not a slave to the King's commands. But if Uhtred wanted his birth right back; the lands that had been taken from him as a young boy, he knew he would need Alfred's help to reclaim it and so we had to obey. 

Finan furrowed his brows and chuckled in disbelief, "You are not serious." He said back to Uhtred and me. I nodded. "That is the most ridiculous command yet!" He chuckles. "What a long journey for a pointless task." Sihtric adds exhaustedly.

I look back to Uhtred who still had his arms crossed over his chest. "Well then, when do we leave?" I ask him. "We leave now." He commands. "The sooner we leave the better."

Finan and sihtric nod at Uhtred's command, disperse and go to collect their things for the long journey ahead. Then it is just Uhtred and I left standing. He moves behind me and places his hands on my shoulders before walking by. "And I agree," He says while leaning in close to my ear where I can feel his breath on my neck, and his eyes warm my face as he looks over my shoulder. "This Saxon town is suffocating." He laughs, causing me to smile.

Many hours later myself, Uhtred, Finan and Sihtric all ride out towards Northumbria in search of any Dane filled camping grounds. An exhausted Finan complains, "We have been searching for hours! Could we not just go back and tell King Alfred that we've found nothing?"

Finan and Sihtric follow behind Uhtred and I on their steeds. I turn slightly from my horse to look back at Finan. "No, because if we do that he'll only send us out again, saying that we didn't look far enough." I explain.