Khaana sighed heavily as she sat as patiently as she could muster. It was a frigid day and the candles chosen for peace in the chapel had a scent that made her stomach turn. "Smile it's your wedding day," Eadgyth said in soft laughter. Khaana looked down at her hands, letting the woman shape her hair into a long braid. "A day I never wanted, unfortunately," Khaana murmured. Eadgyth lifted a brow and looked over Khaana's shoulder to see her face, "One you never wanted at all, or simply just not with my brother?" she asked her.
Khaana chuckled and shook her head. "I know that letter wounded you, Lady." Eadgyth whispered, "Let my brother heal it. He can if you let him." She added before finishing up the braid. Khaana sat in silence once more, "I don't need healing, I bare all my scars." She muttered.
Across the waters, Ragnar paced about his camp, "I want ships ready." He ordered as a young Dane man scurried away from him towards some tents. "Ragnar, you cannot stop it, and it will be days before we would arrive," Brida said from her seat sharing her sword. "I do not care, I will not sit on my hands and let this happen," Ragnar growled. "What if she wants it to happen?" Brida asked quickly. "Khaana hates the Saxons for what their kings did to her." Ragnar said glaring at Brida in frustration, "she would never want this to happen!" He roared.
Brida sighed, "we sail in alone and raid Wessex? We will be killed, or held captive" Ragnar chuckled, "I don't fear them," He asked. Brida slowly nodded, "You should. They have been trained by Uhtred, who was trained by your father. It would also ruin Uhtreds plans and his hopes. We fail and Alfred kills the four of us all." Brida reasoned. Ragnar glared at his feet, his fists clenched. With a long sigh, he tilted his head back and fixed his eyes to the sky. " At least we would be together in Valhalla." He murmured. "I cannot stand this quiet, this distance. We are one and I have been left like a severed arm in a trap." Ragnar's strained sigh was clutched in.
"Which would mean you are not one anymore." Brida said standing up, "You need to leave it Ragnar." she said sternly. "Wait for a day when you've been given a sign that things are to change." Brida reasoned. "I have been, and I grow tired of waiting. The Gods do not honor those who sit and whimper when they can take for themselves." Ragnar grumbled, pushing past Brida and towards where Guthurm stood with his men.
That chapel was blazing with candles, and many people had gathered to witness the spectacle of the Herald being wed to a simple knight. Lady Aelswith lingered, watching with a pleased smile on her face as she stood next to Alfred. "It's like something out of the holy book is it not? It was a wise judgment for you to see this pair." She said to him. "You and Wessex shall be blessed," she praised. Alfred never took his eyes off of Khaana as she was led up the isle by Uhtred and three guards.
Leofric waited at the front of the Chapel, he stood stoic but inside he could feel his knees knocking. Eadgyth laughed to herself, watching her brother's gaze. "He looks at them as if they're bringing him a heap of gold." She thought. "You sure about this?" Uhtred thought to Khaana, She sighed into his mind, "Yes. It needs to be done. So I will do it. It could have been far worse." She said. Uhtred kept his eyes ahead of him, "and what of-"
"It no longer matters. Let it go, Osbert." Khaana thought quickly silencing him as she could feel her heart threaten to race. "Please let his ceremony pass quickly." Khaana thought to herself after cutting the connection with Uhtred. Stopping across from Leofric Khaana peered up at him, he offered a shakey smile and she resisted the urge to smirk but the look in his eyes worried her. "I've seen that look before." She thought glancing at Uhtred to manage a smile. "I cannot feel the same." Khaana thought. "It's just the Urswine, I shouldn't feel this guilty."
While Khaana's mind fretted, the ceremony went on, she watched as if no longer a part of herself as her hands were bound to Leofric's by a rope and she could hardly remember uttering the words "I do." It was a blur, "all the better, you won't want to remember it." she thought.
A Celebration was thrown in the great hall of the castle. Khaana had long fled into the corridors to the courtyard. Not a soul lingered as merriment echoed from far away, "When did you fall into being so sentimental?" she scolded herself. "You're more human than you think." Leofric's voice answered. Looking up Khaana spotted him standing a short distance away. "They are starting to wonder where the new bride has run off to," he said easing to sit at her side.
The two sat in silence until Leofric's hand covered her own, "it would be easier if you would allow your pride to admit you miss him." He said. "Well aren't you just a regular old housewife full of wisdom," Khaana muttered bitterly. "It's the truth." Leofric sighed. "I don't know what you are and I doubt that I will ever know. But I know you're built just like us, and feel things the very same." He said. "And those feelings will make you sick if you ignore them or let them stew," Leofric muttered.
"I would not stop you from finding him, if that's what you wanted," Leofric added. Khaana turned to him with her eyes narrowed, "how do you live happily being anyone's pawn? Everyone's pawn?" She asked him. Leofric gave a bitter chuckle, "is that how it seems?" He asked. "Not anyone's pawn, Lady. If I follow anyone or allow them to sway me, it is because I respect them to some degree," said Leofric. Turning to look Khaana square in the eyes he stood up and held out his hand. "I respect you a great deal. Now, they want to see husband and wife dance for the first time." He said.
Khaana eyed his hand before carefully taking it, "I have not danced this way before." She said. "and I dance as if I should not have danced before. we will be a mockery together." Leofric chuckled.
Khaana stood in the center of the great hall under the gaze of expecting eyes. "This ought to be good." Uhtred whispered to Eadgyth, "Khaana has never been to a dance that was not at a fireside." He said. "Oh no, Leofric's got two backwards feet himself." Eadgyth gasped. "So it's going to be absolutely awful. Brilliant." Aethelwold murmured taking a swig of ale as he chuckled.
Together the new bride and groom prepared to take their first steps of the dance when Khaana gave a deep frown, Leofric watched this frown turn into a smirk. "you have a plan." He said withholding a smile of his own. "I do indeed have a plan," Khaana whispered.
Taking Leofric's hand she turned to face the onlooking crowd and presented them with a warm elegant smile. "I am told by he who has blessed me, that this day is not solely my own. I am to share this moment with those who have shared this holy union before I. That to honor those who have walked this path before me, will bless not only our union but their own as well and those thereafter of the people of Wessex." Khaana announced.
Aelswith turned to Alfred with a surprised smile, though her eyes were pleased as she expectantly awaited his reaction. "So come, come, all those wed and join us on this first dance. Let us witness your bond and see what is to come." Khaana said. Leofric watched in silence, "that's a load of-" he thought, but the king and queen were the first to step out into the center as the music began to play once more. "we would be glad to accept such an honor." Alfred said.
Khaana smiled and offered a bow of her head, "there is no pair that could humble me more by joining us, thank you, lord and lady." Khaana hummed. No sooner had the King and Queen started the dance than did other married pairs take to the floor. Odda the elder and his wife among them. Khaana and Leofric were lost among the many couples. Leofric smirked down at Khaana whose eyes shimmered, "you are very pleased with yourself." He chuckled. "I should be." she said, watching everyone carefully. "Now we do as they do." said Leofric, leading Khaana into the dance.
Her smile fell, "I was not intending on dancing Urswine." she hissed in a whisper.
Uhtred guided Mildrith onto the dance floor as well, he'd remembered the dance a bit from his childhood and figured he would manage well enough "You wish to dance?" Mildrith asked, her smile full of glee. Uhtred chuckled and gave a shrug, "it could be fun, but I will not leave my friends to embarrass themselves alone." he explained in jest. Mildrith giggled and looked at the dancing pair, "they do need help don't they?" she asked.
Uhtred led Mildrith in dance alongside Khaana and Leofric, Khaana watching her feet carefully. "You step on my toes and you will regret it," she warned Leofric. he chuckled silently and turned an eye to Uhtred, "she's already demanding." he said. Uhtred smiled at him and teetered his head, "it will get worse, Khaana is bossy." said Uhtred. "I would not have to be if grown men would behave and carry themselves like adults." Khaana shot.
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After the dance, a large meal was hosted by Alfred and Aelswith for The Herald. "They push me further into servitude with my wedding day and host a feast for yours?" Uhtred thought to Khaana while everyone ate and chatted. "if you think this is free you will be mistaken, I can assure you that Alfred will have prepared a long list of how much we are indebted to him for this grand reception neither the Urswine nor I asked for." Khaana spoke to Uhtred's mind.
"And in the end, it will only serve for me to make his end slower and far more painful." she thought. Uhtred held in a chuckle as ate his food quietly.
Khaana glanced over, She noticed Leofric silently piling food onto his plate and then discretely slipping half of it onto her plate as well. "I told you if I was hungry I would eat." Khaana hissed in a whisper. "You might not be, but at this rate that little creature inside you has got to be starved," Leofric whispered back. Khaana watched him with a blank stare before begrudgingly looking down at her plate which was now filled to its limits.
Lifting her spoon to her lips Khaana hesitantly took a mouth full and frowned, "it's nasty." she thought and her eyes voiced this thought to her companions. Leofric chuckled silently, "It can't be as bad as the heathen food, surely." Aethelwold chimed. Khaana cast her gaze up at him, "I didn't care for it either." Khaana whispered. Leofric reached towards a bowl of dates and figs, "here you go." He sighed.
Khaana gladly took a handful and munched. "How'd you know?" Uhtred asked him. "They're as foreign as she is, and they're expensive. call it a wild guess." Leofric laughed. Khaana rolled her eyes as she continued to eat. Leofric watched her and gave a fond chuckle. "you're a fool." He thought quietly to himself. "She will break your heart and you very well know it."
The evening pressed on at a crawl, and the smile fixed on Khaana's face as she remained on display began to wane. "You are tired." Uhtred whispered to her, taking to Khaana's side as a pair of nuns left her.
Khaana gave a slight nod, "the amount of restraint needed to tolerate these empty well-wishes is unbearable." She murmured. "having to voice gratitude for what is little more than an insult." Khaana's eyes subtly wandered to Alfred who quietly eyed Eadgyth from where he stood arm-in-arm with Aelswith.
"He thinks we've been outfoxed." Khaana murmured. "we might have been. I now owe 2,000 shillings and you...after this grand display. you are right he will want something from you." Uhtred sighed heavily, "Maybe we cannot outfox a snake, Khaana." he groaned.
Khaana's eyes thinned dangerously for a moment, "No, but you can outrun one, and certainly trample one." she hissed quietly. Khaana winced as she cradled her stomach with one arm. Uhtred watched her with concern. "you feel ill?" he questioned.
Taking several deep breaths Khaana shook her head, "No, I am fine. Just tired." she replied. Though her vision wavered and the room slowly wanted to spin. "Maybe too much wine," Khaana murmured. Uhtred tried to help support Khaana, offering her his shoulder. "Would you like to find a place to lay d-"
Uhtred gasped as Khaana crumpled, He was quick to catch her when her legs gave way. "Khaana!" He called, "I am alright, Osbert." Khaana voiced quickly, but it came out quietly.
Leofric turned away from his conversation with Odda the Elder, his eyes falling on Khaan and Uhtred. "Go," Odda urged and Leofric jogged over to them.
"Whats happened?" asked Leofric while kneeling beside them. "I don't know, she says she's tired or too much wine?" Uhtred's words came out as a question, his eyes trained on Khaana with worry. "Lady?" Leofric asked noticing the sweat on her brow. "It had to be the wine, the rooms swirly." She muttered in annoyance.
Leofric carefully gathered Khaana up and into his arms, Uhtred laying the back of his hand against her forehead. "You're burning," he said. Leofric tilted Khaana's head to look at him and studied her eyes, they would not focus. His eye slipped to Alfred who bidding Aelswith to stay walked to them.
"Lord," Leofric addressed Alfred, frowned deeply as he studied Khaana. "We do not want to cause concern, quickly take her to her former quarters and I will send a healer. Go." Alfred ordered. With a nod, Leofric swiftly headed for an exit. Uhtred followed, though his eyes and scanned the room once, looking for a unsavory face but he'd found none.
Eadgyth seeing them quietly slipped away from her gaggle of handmaids and made chase.
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Uhtred paced around the room fist held to his mouth as his eyes stayed on Khaana. Eadgyth lit the last of the candles to add light to the dim room. "What's wrong with her brother?" She asked. Leofric examined Khaana quietly while she gazed up at the ceiling scowling. "Could be many things," Leofric stated.
He wanted to say it could be the pregnancy, but it was clear that if Uhtred did not know, Khaana had little intent on letting anyone know of it. "It could just be a lit of exhaustion. Today was overwhelming." He sighed.
"Or?" Uhtred asked stopping in his tracks, he could hear the unspoken or in Leofric words. He didn't need the man to tell him, it was already running through his own mind as well. "Some brave and foolish soul sought to poison me," Khaana muttered dryly. "And I was too preoccupied to take notice," she growled.
Eadgyth's brows knitted together, "Poison?!" she gasped. "Surely, surely no one would - You're the Herald!"
"Which means very little to those who still do not believe it." Uhtred said.
"The arsling's right. Some of the people do not trust her yet. I have seen it. But I would not have thought that they'd linger among the nobility or the king's servants." Leofric murmured. Uhtred huffed impatiently, "where is the healer?" He asked. Eadgyth rested a hand on his shoulder, "I will go see if I can find them. Maybe they have gotten lost or maybe Alfred has been tied up and could not give the word yet." she offered.
"Thank you." Leofric said as Eadgyth nodded and exited the room.
"Aethelwold!" She gasped nearly nose to nose with him as she closed the door. "I saw the herald fall is she alright?" he questioned, though there was little concern in his tone. Eadgyth glanced back at the door pondering, "He is a little worm and is good at finding out things he should not know..." she thought.
Taking Aethelwold by the arm Eadgyth led him away from the door, "Leofric thinks she might have been poisoned." she confessed. Aetholwold chuckled, "who would be stupid enough to try that? He'd have the wrath of the dane, the king, the bear, and god." He asked. Eadgyth however, wasn't laughing.
"You're serious?" Aethelwold asked. "I am afraid so," Eadgyth murmured.
Aethelwold brushed back his hair, "It would be a good chance to redeem yourself if you could find out who might have done this." Eadgyth said. His brows rose high, "and how is that?" He asked her. "Simple, people love the herald and hate a traitor. If you could find the one who did this, Alfred and the eldermen might look more favorably at you. You won't be king but you'd be treated a sight better than you are now." Eadgyth explained.
Aethelwold smirked, "You have a point, I suppose. Alright, I will return to the party and see what I can find out." He said. Eadgyth nodded and watched him be about his way before running off in search for the healer.
"Do you know of anyone who would try this?" Uhtred asked Leofric. He simply shook his head, "none that would number those within the party walls. no." sighed Leofric. "It wouldn't have been any of them, it would be someone on the outside, a word to the cooks, or a tainted food supply." Khaana murmured.
"It may not have been anyone's fault at all just poor containment of food and drink, a quiet sickness." Khaana sighed heavily, "we do not know."
Uhtred's frown grew, "I know that you have a cast iron gut and therefore doubt it is a simple sickness." He said. Leofric rested his hand upon Khaana's stomach and cast her a worried glance. "I do not know." she whispered.
When the door opened Leofric quickly removed himself from the bedside to make room for the healer. Behind the man sporting a large satchel and basket of oils and herbs stood Eadgyth. In her arms a tray with a pitcher.
The healer set this things on the bedside table and quietly examined Khaana. He pulled at her eyelids to widen her eyes and studied them quietly, checked her temperature and her pulse. Uhtred and Leofric shared glances. "Drink this, it may slow the taint." The healer said as Eadgyth poured a glass of milk.
Khaana sat herself up and took the cup, peering down into it cautiously, "wait." Leofric called, leaving his place next to Uhtred he took the cup from Khaana and downed it. "What are you doing?" She asked him. Leofric remained silent, it didn't taste bitter or odd and there was no unexpected scent to the milk. Waiting a moment, in the pause Leofric's body did not feel any different.
He looked to Eadgyth and gave a nod, she was quick to pour another cup of milk and hand it to Khaana. "making sure it was safe." Leofric murmured.
Khaana accepted the second cup and drank it down.
"I am afraid I have no way of knowing what was given to you. All we can do is watch over you for now, and see what is to come. Your fever is high but it isn't growing." the Healer said. "Is the room still spinning?" He asked Khaana.
"Only slightly," Khaana sighed, "and the pain in your stomach?" asked the healer. Khaana frowned and held her stomach gently, "It's still there." she murmured. Leofric jaw clenched tightly, and Eadgyth's eyes narrowed at him. The Healer nodded and turned to Eadgyth. "Fetch some hot water, there is a powder we will add to a tea that should soothe gut pain." He said.
Eadgyth smiled, "I know it, it is given to Lord King when his gut ails him." she said.
After leaving with the healer, Eadgyth returned alone with the hot water and prepared the tea and powder for Khaana. The young handmaiden watched Khaana drink the tea slowly with wide eyes. "Aren't you going to complain about how awful it is?" She asked her.
"Why? it isn't too terrible, Believe me, I have stomached much worse. At least this is somewhat sweet." Khaana replied, peering into the murky concoction. "Alfred says it tastes how he'd expect boiled rat fat to taste," said Eadgyth with a giggle.
"I pity the poor bastard out there who knows what that actually tastes like." Uhtred said. Leofric winced, "doesn't really have a taste if it's cooled." Leofric murmured. All three people glanced at him. "When on earth!" Eadgyth shrieked. "wasn't on purpose I can tell you that, Fat makes a good fire starter, when you're training arslings things happen, mistakes are made and the commanders pay for it." Leofric said.
Khaana smirked and gave her head a shake, continuing to drink her tea. "No too quickly," Leofric advised. "You can return to Mildrith now Osbert, I am feeling better," Khaana said. However, Uhtred frowned, "Mildrith is fine on her own for now, I will not leave you here." He protested. "You're new wife should not be left alone at a celebration. Stop being stubborn and go, I've got Eadgyth and the Urswine, that is enough for now." Khaana shot.
"If she's this prickly Arsling, she's perfectly fine," Leofric added.
Uhtred folded his arms across his chest as if to make a point that he refused to leave. Khaana sighed, "go if only to make sure Alfred isn't roping any of us into something without our knowledge..." she said. Uhtred's arms dropped to his side, "alright, I'll go. But I will come back." he said.
When the door closed behind Uhtred, Leofric and Khaana lingered in silence. She quietly drank her tea and tried to ignore the confused gaze of Eadgyth. "alright what are you-" Khaana held up her finger and pointed to the door, "Arsling!" Leofric called out. Khaana held in a chuckle as she could hear feet shuffle outside the door, "Osbert tell Aelswith to send a nun with a bucket please." Khaana called out.
Eadgyth giggles as she could hear Uhtred grumble and his footsteps lead away from the door.
"Why a bucket?" Eadgyth asked the remaining pair. Leofric shrugged his shoulders, "to bring everything up, I'm guessing." he said. "He is right, I cannot risk any traces left lingering," Khaana murmured. "But the milk will help with that, you do not have to worry," said Eadgyth. Leofric and Khaana glanced at each other.
"Better safe than sorry." said Leofric.
Eadgyth's hands popped onto her hips as she scowled, "Alright, you out with it." She said pointing to her brother. "what are you two hiding and looking shifty about for?"
Leofric looked to Khaana, "Can I tell her? She's pretty good at keeping secrets." he asked. Khaana sighed, "might as well, I will need help later I am sure." she said. "Help? with what?" Asked Eadgyth, watching as Khaana quietly held her stomach. "Protecting it." Leofric muttered.