𝐖𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐃 / / 𝐒𝐈𝐇𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐂

CHAPTER 5

They had spent days nursing Uhtred back to health, the man was not how she remembered him from standing on the other side of the battleground. He was weak and frail, his strength gone from months of malnutrition. He barely spoke at first, seeming to have lost his charisma on those treacherous sea.

Though what he did acquire was a new friend named Finan, an Irishman. She did not ask how he found himself upon Sverri's ship, though she did scold him. After all, he had stook a sword into the Dane, and she wanted that for herself. Finan only laughed and shook his head when she told him that. He found himself drawn to the foreign beauty with the strange eyes, despite Uhtred's warnings, but Else kept him close as she found his company good to keep. His quick wit and sharp tongue was entertaining and mirrored well with her mischevious ways.

It was one night when they where sitting around the campfire in the high grass, when Uhtred began to find his hunger once more, that came the discussion of what to do next.

"You have an appetite, my lord?"

"Mm," he mumbled, shovelling grub into his mouth. "I do. It is good."

"I am please," Steapa said. "Alfred waits for your return."

"We have buisness here Steapa, in the North." Uhtred placed his cup down next to him and turned to the Saxon man.

"We gave our word," Ragnar spoke over the flames. "To go to Wessex."

"But we are here now?"

"We gave our word." Else stressed.

"We go directly to Wessex." The blonde Dane explained carefully. "Kjartan can wait... and Thyra must wait."

"And Gisela?" Asked Hild.

"What of her?" Uhtred looked at the Nun with worry.

"She is safe. She waits for you at the nunnery of Epchester."

Uhtred looked to Ragnar, then to Steapa and then to Else. The two men groaned, knowing that they must go to collect the Lady Gisela. Else, simply laughed and downed her drink. "Ah, this must be where we rescue the princess, is it not?"

"Can't say I've ever rescued a princess before."

"Me neither Finan, me neither."

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They awoke early the next morning to set off on their journey, and a good job they did too, Uhtred's strength had somehow been regained over night, perhaps with the promise of seeing his lover in a matter of hours. They rode hard and fast, not that it bothered Else. She loved flying by, it made her feel free, and she took turns in racing Finan and Uhtred. However, it was with good reason that they arrived when they did.

"Uhtred, I'm here!"

Upon pushing the heavy wooden door open, to their surprise they weren't the only ones there to fetch Gisela from the nunnery. "Well, well," Else licked her lips. "What do we have here?"

Gisela was being held onto by two armoured men, her brother's Abbott stood in front, alongside another two priest's whoses names she did not care for. A ceremony of sorts taking place, boy was this about to go west.

"You are too late!" Eadred's smug face was asking to be punched.

"You will let her go!" Uhtred yelled as the rest of their party followed him and Else into the church. A knife was quickly placed at Gisela's throat and Loki's daughter drew her weapon.