Chapter seven - Lunden
Daciana stood on the docks with Finan and Clapa, awaiting the arrival of Uhtreds guests, the woman could hardly keep her feet still as she spotted the vibrant red hair on the small boat.
She had been up hours before she should have been, nauseous with what she thought was anticipation for seeing Thyra again.
Once the boat was docked and it's occupants all started to get out, Daciana pushed passed anyone in her way, almost sending Steapa into the water.
"She still hasn't learnt any manners then." The large man spoke to no one in particular.
Thyra yelped in excitement as Daciana engulfed the smaller woman in her arms, almost lifting her from the ground.
"Oh how I've missed you." Daciana grinned at her friend before turning to Aethelflead who was standing next to her, looking rather unwell. "And it's lovely to see you again, Lady Aethelflaed."
"I've also missed you, Daci." Thyra put a hand on the others cheek.
"You too, Lady Daciana." Aethelflaed smiled weakly.
"Just Daciana, please. No need for all those fancy titles." Aethelflaed nodded with a small forced smile.
Daciana rolled her eyes as she heard Finan step onto the dock, "Lord Aethelred! Welcome to Cooccham, the jewel of Wessex. Uhtred is expecting you."
Thyra watched Daciana as she laughed discreetly at Finans words as he carried on talking to Aethelred, making a joke out of Uhtred being banished.
"I see nothing has changed there." Thyra cocked her brow at her friend.
Daciana's eyes widened, "Actually, I'm going to tell Sihtric after the battle. His head needs to be clear for what's to come."
"About time." The three women giggled, though Aethelflaed was clueless too what they were on about.
"Lady Aethelflaed, would you like to accompany me to the church for some prayers?" Father Beocca interrupted politely.
"Certainly, father. I'll see you both later." She said as she followed after the priest.
Everyone gathered gathered in the hall, all of them conversing together whilst they waited for Aethelred to tell them Alfred's plan.
"I have not seen the inside of a pagan hall. I am surprised at its... warmth." Aldhelm confessed as his eyes wandered around the hall.
"Were you expecting to see heads on poles, Lord." Gisela joked.
"I was, Lady. Excuse my ignorance."
"That can be arranged if he'd like." Daciana said quietly into her cup making both Gisela and Thyra giggle.
"I will excuse you, this one time." Gisela spoke as she moved to sit facing Aethelred, "Will the Lady Aethelflaed be joining us after prayers, Lord?"
"If she has the will, yes. She has not traveled well." He replied.
"Should she be traveling at all to battle?" Gisela asked.
It made Daciana curious too, a Lady, especially the daughter of a King, should not have been going with them. It was unsafe and dangerous for both the Lady in question and those traveling with her.
"It was her wish to accompany her husband. They are newly married after all." Aldhelm spoke for his master, making Daciana scoff.
"She will be kept out of harms way." Aethelred smiled and nodded to Gisela.
When Thyra stormed out Daciana looked at the Mercian men with distrust.
"She should not be traveling anywhere near the battle. She is the only daughter of the King, it's likely she will either put us in danger or face danger herself." Daciana shrugged as she leaned back in her chair.
The woman watched as Aethelred grew enraged and Aldhelm rolled his eyes in annoyance before speaking. "You are also a lady, are you not? Shouldn't you be staying here whilst we go off to battle?"
Daciana laughed manically as she stood and moved far too close to Aldhelm, tilting her head up slightly to look him in the eyes.
"I am a shield maiden, not a lady." She looked him up and down, "and I will not sit here and be insulted by a pretty little lord like you." She spat at his feet and barged passed him, knocking into his shoulder as she walked out the hall.
"To be fair mate, she could probably take all of you down without breakin' a sweat." Finan said as he clapped a hand on Aldhelms shoulder, "Steapa might give her a little bit of a challenge though."
Still raging because of the Mercians, Daciana went off in the direction she assumed Thyra went in. Though Daciana normally steered clear of the church, she knew that was were Beocca would be and so that is were Thyra would go.
A loud clink coming from the church made her fasten her pace, relieved when she entered and saw that it was just a goblet that had been knocked over.
"I'm not interrupting?"
"No— you're fine Daciana." Aethelflaed spoke, her voice low and tears brimming at her eyes.
It was not expected to her or anyone else in the room, when Thyra asked Aethelflaed a question.
"Does he beat you?... if he does not, then he will. I can see it."
"He is not, uh... tender or loving." The Lady admitted sadly.
Abbess Hild shook her head, "Father Beocca, you must tell the king."
"No! You cannot."
"The King is the only man who can end it." Hild looked at her with sadness in her own eyes.
"God put an end to this ordeal before it had begun. Not all in Mercia are friends of Wessex, not all are happy with the King's influence. And I must do my duty to Alfred" Aethelflaeds voice was strong, "my husband will not break me."
Everyone in the room looked at the young woman admirably, Daciana most of all because although she knew Aethelflead was kind and loving. Daci saw her as a Princess, someone who was fed with a silver spoon and expected to get her own way. Not a brave woman who was willing to face cruelty in the name of her kingdom.
Aethelflaed swore them all to secrecy and then Daciana showed them where they would be sleeping,. Beocca and Thyra both stayed up to talk to her for a short while.
Father Beocca had brought each of the woman a plate of food, Daciana grimaced at the sight of the cheese. The smell making her stomach turn, the priest let out a breathy chuckle as she pushed the plate over to him.
"Not hungry?" Thyra asked as she ate her own food.
"Cheese hasn't been agreeing with me the last few weeks, the smell is um—" The brunette pulled a sour face, "Revolting."
"I see." Beocca popped some cheese in his mouth, "I should get to the church, some prayers before battle i think."
"Oh, I will be accompanying you to the camp, I don't wish for Lady Aethelflaed to feel alone." Thyra nodded as she intertwined her hand with her husbands.
"Thyra, no. It is not safe." Beocca protested.
"I am coming and that is the end of it." She told him straight and he sighed in defeat.
When Thyra excused herself to go to bed Father Beocca held back, when his wife was out of ear shot he allowed himself to confess his worry.
"I would like to ask you a favor, of course you can say no but I only ask you out of love for my wife." He waited for her to nod before resuming.
"You are a brilliant warrior Daciana, there is no denying that. And I'm sure Mercian guard will be left behind to protect Aethelflaed, but I ask you... Would you remain at the camp, just to settle my mind. I trust you to keep my wife and the Princess safe."
Daciana's mouth fell open at the request, she yearned for battle, craved it almost. But knowing how Aethelflaed's husband treated her and seeing how the Mercians treated dane's like herself and Thyra, she understood the need for her protection.
Daci met the priests eyes and saw the worry, fear and love. "I will."
"You will?" His eyes brightened at her words.
"Thyra is the closest thing I'll ever have to a sister, I love her and I know that you do too. So I will... I will protect her with everything in me.
A tear left his eye as he clasped his hands around hers, "Thank you Daci, you have no idea how much this means to me."
"Go and pray to your god, then get some sleep, Father. You will need it for battle." She smiled to him before taking herself back to her own home.
She had no protest when she opened her door to see Finan fast asleep in her bed, quietly she undressed and got into the bed next to him. He let out a few mumbles and wrapped his arm around her, burying his face in her neck.
✵ ✵ ✵
When Daciana told her men about her change in plans, to stay at the camp to protect Thyra and Aethelflaed, they protested to say the least. All but Uhtred who just smiled warmly at her because he understood why she was doing it, and he was happy that someone he trusted would be with his sister keeping her safe.
"Surely you are not serious? We need you Daci." Sihtric frowned.
"You'll be fine big brother."
"Are ya' sure. I mean, you've been wanting to fight for a while." Finan rode his horse closer to the woman.
"I have, but some things— some people..." she glanced over to where Aethelflaed was riding miserably. "... are more important."
"Promise me, you'll stay safe." Finan practically whispered to her.
"I always do."
As the two branches of the army split to go their separate ways Daciana reached over to grasp her brothers arm, then smiled at Finan before she sped up to ride next to Thyra.
The camp was set up quickly and as expected when the men left to attack Lunden a few of them were left behind with the women and anyone else that was to stay at the camp. Most of the Mercian guard just started drinking or went into their tents to sleep, Daciana could feel in her stomach that something was not right.
Aethelflaed and her ladies maid stayed inside their tent and Thyra had started to gather up some things she could cook for them. Daciana paced around the camp, every few minutes checking the tree line for scouts. She was about to sit down for a few minutes when she felt the ground start to rumble.
Her eyes darted to where she could hear the galloping, it was like a nightmare as she saw the army charging towards them. Daciana cursed as she saw the little group of fighting men all passed out drunk in their chairs, so she ran as fast as she could towards Aethelflaed's tent.
Thyra started shouting for everyone to wake up, shaking pots and pans. Everyone at the camp sprung to life and they all started to run for their lives, the guards all focused on protecting Aethelflaed.
"Thyra!" Daciana shouted as she ran towards her.
"We need to get Aethelflaed!" Thyra pulled her towards the tent as a man approached them.
"Go, go, get Aethelflaed and head for the trees." Daciana pushed the red head forward.
Instantly Daciana took out her sword and started fighting the large man that ran at her, killing him by driving her sword into his stomach. She pulled it out and turned, seeing another man walking in the direction of Thyra and Aethelflaed. Her heart almost stopped as she hurried after him, she quickly bent to slice his thigh, severing the artery as he collapsed to the ground.
"Run!" Daciana shouted as she spotted Sigefried not to far away.
"The forest!" Thyra pulled at Aethelflaed's arm, practically dragging her.
They ran fast, avoiding the attacking Dane's and trying to keep their footing steady. Daciana ran behind them, taking out as many warriors as she could. She caught up with them as they got to the tree line, the young ladies maid now nowhere to be found.
The men were fast approaching them and Daciana looked up at the trees seeing one with a low enough branch.
"Thyra! Quick!" Daciana laced her hands together for the red head to step on, then quickly pushed her up into the trees before they were seen, "Stay hidden and tell our men what happened! I will protect her!"
Then Daciana was running with Aethelflaed again, through the trees and careful not to drop her sword. Aethelflaed tripped and tumbled to the floor making Daciana stop, as she turned Sigefried, Erik and Heasten were far too close and they were about to catch up to them. Without thinking Daciana hauled Aethelflaed up and urged her to keep going.
"Run, Aethelflaed, run!"
Once more she turned to face the three men who were now all grinning in a vile manner, Daciana cracked her neck on both sides and swung her sword around her wrist.
"Three against one, okay, let's do this!"
She let out a fierce scream as she charged at the three men, all three of them started fighting back, clearly surprised at how well the woman could fight especially against all of them.
"Erik, get the princess! We have this one." Sigefried instructed his brother.
Daciana kept sending blow after blow but she was tiring, she could feel her sword becoming heavier. She had managed to cut Sigefried's leg and left a gash across Heasten's face, she had done some damage.
Then all of a sudden she was hit over the back of the head, she dropped to the floor with a sharp pain in her stomach and her vision blurred but she looked off in the direction Aethelflaed had ran in and saw Erik. He was carrying something pink over his shoulder, when Daciana realized who it was she tried to shoot up.
"No!" She yelled but Heasten kicked her in the face, sending her into darkness.