Maybe you might be different
Will it kill you to tell me the truth?
What in the hell does a man
Have to do, to be loved by you?
Jaehaera wanted nothing more than to take Finan and go outside to eat their dinner with Sihtric and the others. It felt far too suffocating with the arseling King, and not in a fun way. Either she wanted to be excused with Finan, or pitch herself off the roof. "The broth was suitable, Lord?" Her mother asked the King. The broth, couldn't fill even a small child. But yes mother, it's great, she thought while inwardly rolling her eyes. She couldn't stand how they ate like mice and rats whenever the King came for his visits.
"Mm, the broth was a delight, Gisela," the King answered kindly.
"As is the ale," Odda added, and Jaehaera smiled at the older man, which he returned.
"You should moderate, Odda," the king told his man, "you have a ladder to climb to find your bed."
"You can always be carried lord," her father teased.
Odda chuckled, "it wouldn't be the first time." Everyone at the table chuckled, except for the King. Jaehaera couldn't help but feel bad for the older man. Her father told her how he had lost his son. Sure, his son had been a prick, but he had still been his son. Everyone manages their pain and grief in different ways. She wouldn't know how she would react if she had lost a son. Hopefully, she would never know that feeling, and neither would her mother or father.
"And I guarantee it won't be the last time," the King commented. What has crawled up his arse and died? Fetch it out before it stinks up the whole room, my Lord King she thought to herself while rolling her eyes. She drank from her cup while glancing at Finan, sharing the same look of annoyance.
"Lord, you make him out to be a drunk," Jaehaera commented lightly and without any traceable annoyance that she had felt inside.
"My head will be sore in the morning, I know it," Odda added gently.
"Well, then it's ale for breakfast, Lord, the only cure," Finan whispered to him like the devil on his shoulder. The two shared a laugh, and so did everyone else. Even the king smiled for a second, now there is a sight, she thought. He had a rather nice smile when it appeared.
"Was my nephew drunk when he was here last?" the King asked.
"Aethelwold is often drunk, Lord," her father answered. "But this last time, he did not touch a drop."
"He mentioned he had been sober for days," her mother added, "which came as a surprise." Jaehaera nodded in agreement with her mother.
"That's a miracle," Odda agreed.
"Not quite," the King answered.
"Aethelwold is not a complete fool, Lord," Jaehaera kept her tone light. Everyone in the room knew she couldn't stand the man, so they all looked rather shocked at her light comment. "If he is idle, then could he not help bring order to Mercia?" she asked.
"He fought well at Ethandun," her father agreed with her with a smile. He sat between his two girls.
"As he is fond of reminding people," Odda commented.
"He's as good a man as Aethelred," her father comments under his breath before drinking from his cup.
"Uhtred, you speak of matters you do not understand," the King told him. And there it went, the small amount of indifference she had built towards the king. It now shifted towards loathing. "Matters that do not concern you, or your daughter."
She looked at him with a slight raise of her eyebrows, and her mother as well. "The safety of Wessex concerns me," he answered the King.
"Which is why we killed the raiders, Lord," Finan added.
"Raiders who belonged to Earl Guthrum," her father told him.
"His name is now King Aethelstan," the King answered. Why do all these Saxons have the same forsaken names? With all the Aethels people are bound to get confused. "That's been his name since he became a Christian."
"Regardless of what he is called," Uhtred answered, "it is his men who now break the peace."
"You are sure of this?" Odda asked her father.
"I am," Uhtred answered. "They gather at the mouth of the Temes river at Beamfleot."
"It's true, Lord," Finan added, "200 or more, we've seen it."
"And their number grows," Jaehaera added, but the King didn't hear her like always.
"If these rogues are Aethelstan's men," He began, "they are his worry."
"Until they decide to blockade the river, Lord," Odda advised him. Jaehaera and Finan nodded in agreement. "Then Wessex will be starved of trade."
"Aethelstan shall deal with them," the king repeated. Jaehaera rolled her eyes inwardly again. No, he wouldn't.
"He must kill them," Finan commented confidently.
"I believe we must kill them," her father corrected. Jaehaera nodded in agreement with her family.
"What we must do is hold the peace," the king answered. "War cannot always be the answer!" Yes, and that is a lovely thought but with a man such as Guthrum, who was a Dane for all his life, it is. That's not just going to poof right out of the man just as soon as he turns Christian, she thought to herself but didn't know how to voice this without insulting the King. She kept quiet instead. They are rogues..you imbecile...why would a person who has become a hound listen to a master it no longer serves? It won't, the master and everyone around will get bitten.
"Lord, forgive me," her father again. Perfect, her father would do it for her. "But you speak of matters you do not fully understand." She loved when her father spat back at the arseling King. "These men will not listen to Aethelstan, and Aethelstan will not deal with them. For now, they are rogues, but, should they find a lord to serve, then they will become an army."
"So answer me this," the King began angrily. Finan shifted in his seat. "Where might this lord come from? Do I know of him?" Are you seriously trying to insinuate that her father will become this new lord? Oh, he is an imbecile. More so than she had thought before. He has been the kingsman, the king's errand boy for years, he has built a home, and just like always you think he is just going to throw it all away? Doesn't the King understand that he is her father's only way back home? Alfred is just as blind as the man that Beocca had told her about in their bible. "Should I fear him?" the King asked. The tension continued to swell in the room, making her sweat, and her heart beat faster.
Her father scoffed. "You can be sure he will not be called Uhtred, Lord," her mother answered confidently. Jaehaera could hear the slight offense in her mother's tone, which she did not care for. "If that is your meaning." Jaehaera sat back against her chair, hiding her face from the king to scowl at him the way she looked at her enemies. Finan noticed, kicked her underneath the table, and quickly shook his head before shooting her a don't look. One her father wore a lot. Jaehaera decided to do everyone a favor and correct her face, but she didn't want to.
"My advice, Lord," her father began calmly, "is to send ships and men to Beamfleot."
The king pushed his chair back and it groaned against the wood on the floor. "We shall maintain the peace." Once he left with Odda, the four shared a look. They all knew this would eventually come back and eat them alive.
*********************************************************************
Jaehaera came over to stand with her, Finan, and her father at the gates as everyone watched the men leave Coccham. Jaehaera loathed being woken up before she chose to, especially for men she did not care anything about. She stood scowling at their back as they rode away, while Sihtric and Finan chuckled.
"You look cheerful this morning, Jaehaera," Sihtric commented as he found them.
Jaehaera turned her head to look up at the older boy, not changing her face, "I will rip you limb from limb, and then feed it to the dogs," she muttered under her breath while Finan laughed.
"Is that a promise or a threat, love?" Sihtric asked her with a smirk she could hear. Uhtred looked at the boy, resuming the protective father role like always at the boy's words.
"Sihtric, do I look to be in a gaming mood?" She asked the half-witted boy. Finan's laughter only grew. If only she knew Finan thought to himself.
"You always have that look on your face, love," He answered while wrapping an arm around her, which she groaned at. Though, when his arm met her shoulder, her heartbeat started to race again, and she prayed to her gods to make it stop. She felt nauseous, and not in a fun way. "Whether you are happy or sad, you always look ready to burn down a village." All four of them knew that his comment was only half true, she didn't look like that all the time, just most of it.
Jaehaera scoffed, and removed his arm from her shoulder, letting it fall quickly to his side while she pushed him away from her.
Before she could reply her mother came to stand with them. "They say it is an honor to have the men stay," she began with annoyance and frustration, "but his men and his priests have eaten almost a winter's worth of food."
"Father, how can you serve a man who does not see your worth?" she asked him with growing anger.
"Oh he sees it," her father answered, matching his girl's annoyance. All five stood together watching with unamused expressions. "His God won't allow him to embrace it. He dislikes me more by the day." Her father couldn't but smile just a bit.
"Then you should ask him to release you," Her mother told her father wisely, and Jaehaera nodded in agreement. Alfred grew to become just like the turd King. "and we will go north, to my brother, and Ragnar." Jaehaera smiled at the thought of seeing her Aunt and Uncle again.
Jaehaera nodded again. "Father, you know we are content here," she began. "But we cannot become an enemy of Alfred, no matter how much we dislike the Turd King."
Her mother flicked her ear, though she couldn't disagree. Her mother walked away to figure out the food situation. "Lord," Hild's voice called. They turned to see her standing, dressed not in her armor or regular clothes like everyone else. She stood in her nun dress with her cross back around her neck as she wore it in battle, just this time it showed. Her hair no longer held braids like Jaehaera had done for her before.
"Hild, you look fearsome," Jaehaera commented with a smile. Finan chuckled while her father smiled.
"I think I preferred you with a sword," her father teased.
"My sword has become heavy," Hild answered. Jaehaera couldn't help but feel slightly disappointed Hild would no longer be fighting with them. But unlike Alfred, she could see her reason for peace.
"But you could probably kill someone with that, though," Finan commented towards the heavy cross around her neck, and they all smiled.
Hild turned to her father, placing a hand on his arm, her smile falling sadly. She did not like that look on Hild's face. "I need to speak to you plainly," she told her father before they walked away from the other three.
She watched her father, the two looked to be having a more pleasant conversation than she had thought, which rested her heart. She wouldn't be leaving them completely. She didn't think she could take it if she left. Sihtric stuck out his foot and caused her to stumble. She turned to look at him with an unamused face while Finan laughed at his friend's childish way of flirting with the girl.
"Are you 12 again?" She asked the boy to her left once she turned. "Did we somehow go back in time to where you are funny?"
Finan chuckled loudly before walking forward with Uhtred. "I don't know love," Sihtric answered, thinking to himself while looking around. "Your father is still here, and so is Finan, and Hild, so no I don't think we did. Though, it would be best for you to go back in time and fix your sense of humor."
Jaehaera scoffed, "I have a sense of humor, I just don't find you funny," she told him plainly.
"Now you are a liar," he teased her with his annoying smirk she often wanted to punch off his face. "You know I'm funny. You laugh at me all the time. You would be so bored without me here to ruffle your carefully placed feathers."
She denied how he might be right. "Oh please, I find your lack of intelligence hilarious. That's why I laugh at you. Just like the turd king, you don't know your head from your arse."
Sihtric placed a hand over his heart playfully as he walked towards her. What they didn't know is that the three adults stood watching this, placing bets on how long Jaehaera would deny her feelings towards Sihtric. Her father couldn't deny that they would be good together. He seemed to be the only one just as wild as her, wild enough to reel her back in when he or her mother couldn't. "That one hurt me, Jaehaera," he teased, reaching for her hand and placing it on his chest before she could register his actions. "That one hurt me right here." he placed her hand over it on his heart. He kept his hand over hers.
Jaehaera scoffed and yanked it away from his chest before rolling her eyes and walking away from the annoying boy.
*********************************************************************
It seemed like Jaehaera and her father's words rang true. Nearly four days had passed, and now they were all riding from Coccham to Wintanceaster for the wedding of Alfred's daughter. She patted her horse's head while she rode. She hadn't ridden in far too long for her liking, and she had started to get antsy. Her father and mother often compared her to a wild mustang that needed room to roam freely and she had to agree. Ahead of her, Sihtric and Finan bickered like normal about something she couldn't care less about.
"I do not understand," She told Hild. "A nunnery sounds rather boring." Hild looked at her after rolling her eyes in amusement at the men in front of them.
"Peaceful, Jaehaera," Hild corrected with a smile. "It's meant to be peaceful." She watched as Sihtric, Finan, and her father all talked together in hushed tones. Sihtric looked back at her for a split second and winked before turning back around. The action caught her off guard, and for a millisecond she had forgotten what she and Hild had been speaking about. "Just because there is no fighting, does not mean it's boring."
"But then you won't be with us," She pointed out to the nun sadly.
"No," Hild answered with the same sadness. "I will stay and help others with God's guidance." Jaehaera kissed her teeth and rolled her eyes before looking straight ahead and away from the woman. She made a sour face. "Do not pull that face, young lady."
"But you are choosing to leave me here, alone, with these utter fools," She complained to the nun.
Finan turned around first. "Fools?" he repeated. The scowl on her face signaled an argument between them was bound to be had. "I'll have you know, Jaehaera Uhtredsdottir, that I am a very clever man."
"You are about as clever as Aethelwold, who knows nothing, but thinks he knows everything," Jaehaera commented flatly.
"You know that is not true," Finan answered shortly.
"Do I?" she deadpanned.
The men laughed, and Sihtric switched places with Hild. "How long are you going to bully us?" Sihtric asked as he found his spot next to her. She looked at him, and then at the world ahead of her. "Ah, I see, we aren't speaking. Okay. Well then you can listen, you know one of these days you are going to fall madly in love with me, so don't fight it. We can do this the easy way or the hard way, love, your choice." she just looked at him with a perturbed face, but didn't say anything. Just shrugged. "Can I be honest with you?" she just looked at him, what have you been doing for half the journey other than being honest? She thought to herself. "Well I'm going to be anyways," He continued when she didn't say anything. "I am still going to try to win your affection because I am quite confident that I will one day get it. But I wanted to say that since the first day I met you, I knew we were fated to be together. I waited then, so I will continue to wait, however long it takes. Because you are beautiful, intelligent, and free. You are also ignoring me, so it's obvious to me that you are someone who I would fall for." She looked at him with no expression, but her heart leaped at his words. "Bjorn was your first love," He continued, making eye contact with her, "but I intend to be your last. No matter how long it takes." Without another word, Sihtric rode back to the front with her father and Finan.
How could one dane boy she had met years ago, one she never thought she could remotely enjoy the presence of, find himself at such a high place in her heart? And why couldn't she just tell him? She wasn't afraid of him, or maybe she was. Hild found her place next back next to her. She watched Jaehaera watch Sihtric as he rode on. Hild knew the girl's feelings whether or not Jaehaera wanted to admit it. She could tell how Jaehaera changed around him, almost seeming happier, brighter. Sihtric drew her curiosity and wonder. He let her think without controlling her. He brought out the fire in her as well, knowing how to control it when needed. Bjorn and Jaehaera had been young when they were together, they only knew each other and had nothing else. Sihtric would open her world. Hild knew how right Sihtric could be for her if Jaehaera would just let someone in for once. Someone other than herself or her mother. Or even Thyra. Thyra and Jaehaera often wrote to each other. She didn't know what the two spoke about, but Jaehaera always awaited the other woman's letters with great joy.
"What did he say?" Hild asked with a smile.
She shook her head, "nothing of importance," Jaehaera lied. Again why could Sihtric read her so well? More than any other person. More than her father, more than her mother. How could he possibly know that She would ever fall for him? Even she didn't know for herself, so how could he be so confident? "He was being his normal, annoying self."
*********************************************************************
When they arrived in Wintanceaster, no fanfare sounded. Jaehaera rode behind Sihtric, behind her mother and father as well. She rode with a deadpan expression, one she found scared most of the Saxons. She rather enjoyed scaring them, especially the children. One child stared at her while she rode, she stared back before snapping her teeth at him. The boy got startled and ran to his mother, who looked at her with a scowl. Jaehaera just shrugged and continued riding on. Hild on the other hand did not like the exchange and shot her the all too familiar warning glare she so often gave Jaehaera. Again the girl only chuckled.
"If it is not the great Lord Uhtred of the small and little-known village of Coccham," the familiar and aggravating voice of Aethelwold sounded. He greeted them on the road and she scowled down at him. If she got through the next few days without stabbing him, then it would indeed be a miracle from both his God and her gods.
"I see you are drinking again Aethelwold," She taunted as the party continued, not stopping for him.
Aethelwold returned her scowl. "I have news for you," He told her father. "You know where to find me." Sihtric took note of how the pudgy short man's eyes lingered on his love for far too long. Far longer than he liked, and he as well scowled down at the man. Sihtric, contrary to what she and Finan would have people believe, is not as dim-witted as they think. She looked like a valkyrie, a goddess of war. He knew that, and so did everyone else. Jaehaera's his goddess, and he will not have anyone, especially the pigman, looking at her as something less than such. She wasn't a piece of meat to be eaten and fought over. But that didn't mean he wouldn't burn a thousand Saxon and Dane cities if she only asked him to.
*********************************************************************
"Jaehaera!" her father's voice made her jump as she went off to find her aunt. She turned, wondering what she could have possibly done in the short few minutes they had arrived. But as her father got closer she found him smiling, and her heart relaxed a bit. "Do not make that face, you have done nothing wrong."
"Good," She exhaled. Then she looked up at him. "What can I do for you father?" he gestured for them to continue their walk, and she nodded. Uhtred didn't know how to begin this conversation. He had told Sihtric he would speak to her about what she wanted, but that didn't mean he had any clue how.
"I wished to speak to my loving daughter, is that a crime?" he asked her with a teasing smile.
Jaehaera laughed and shook her head, "no, what would you like to talk about?"
Uhtred sighed. Here goes nothing, hopefully, she didn't bite his head off he thought. "Your mother and I wanted to know about what you wanted for your future," he told her. He thought it best to leave the boy out of it completely if he wanted the conversation to happen. Though he didn't know why everyone knew they loved each other. The only person who didn't was his daughter, or she did and was ignoring it. The latter seemed like the answer to him. He knew how his child thought about feelings and anything other than battle.
Jaehaera shrugged. Talking to her father always came naturally, "I don't know," she told him honestly. "I thought with Bjorn, everything would be so simple, so perfect. But I know now it only felt that way because that's what everyone else wanted," she told him. She truly did love Bjorn, he was the correct and perfect option. But now he wasn't her's.
"Did you ever want to marry him?" he asked her, thinking it might have been his fault and Ragnar's that everything turned sour in the end. "To have a family?"
She smiled and nodded, and it calmed Uhtred's nerves a little. His daughter had a way of doing that when she wasn't threatening people. She had a gift for making people comfortable, seen, and heard. "Oh, yes I did," she told him with a bright smile. She had a gorgeous smile, her mother's smile. Others said that she had his mischievous grin and smirk. "I loved him, father, with all my heart. I wanted everything with him," but then her smile slightly fell sadly. "But now I don't know. The idea seems great, all that comes with it. I see you and mother, and deep down I want that as well. I just don't know if that's achievable for me. I want to see the world, explore, and fight alongside you for as long as I can." she paused and sighed, thinking about what Sihtric had said before. "Though if someone were to come along and change everything for me, make me see that love like that, true love, could happen then maybe that want for a family and marriage will return." She stopped for a second and looked at her father in his eyes, "I want to fight with you, you raised me to fight, and that is what I want for now."
Her father chuckled at his shield maiden of a daughter. His fierce warrior. "I do not think your mother, nor I could make you sit at home even if we wanted to," he answered. "You are very wise for your age, you know that? Ragnar is right, this brain came from your mother." he pulled her into his arms in a tight hug. "Hild might be able to stop you from fighting though. Or Thyra."
Jaehaera chuckled into her father's chest, then looked up at him when he released her. "You may be right about that."
Her father moved the stray pieces of hair that had fallen from her braids and cupped her cheeks in his hands. "Your mother and I have only, and will only, want what you want for yourself," he told her. "For our beautiful daughter, we will do anything." then he kissed her head and left her to continue to Thyra. "Be sure to make a presence at the parade, please!" he called once the two had separated quite a ways from each other. Jaehaera threw a thumbs up at her father, making sure he saw it.
*********************************************************************
Jaehaera followed the cheers of the Saxons, and soon found her place with her father, and Sihtric. She squeezed past Finan to stand with him. She watched quietly while the Mericians rode into the Kingdom. "Is that Athelred?" she asked her father. The men around her hummed in dissatisfaction, which made her smirk. "He looks like a boy, a prat even." her boys chuckled quietly around her.
"Jaehaera," her father warned. But then he nodded in agreement. "From what I know," her father began, "Alfred could not have chosen a bigger turd." Jaehaera chuckled and rested her arms on both Finan and Sihtric's shoulders.
"I said the same thing about Guthred," she began quietly, "and yet no one listened to me. It would be better for you lot of you, to keep whatever manhood you all have left, if from now on you only listen to me. For the sake of your manhood."
Finan looked down at her, "you know, you've gotten quite a large head since you were right about a few things," he teased. "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then."
"Now don't start on about nuts Finan when I hear you barely even have them," She mumbled back in response. Her father flicked her ear at her insult, but he chuckled at her. "Ow, what? I hear things from people. They tell me things, I don't ask why."
"Sihtric, truly, I wish you luck with this woman," Finan grumbled.
"Sorry Finan, I couldn't understand you over the Uilleann pipes that sound every time you speak," she grumbled back.
Finan opened his mouth to return fire, but Uhtred hushed them both. "Jaehaera, you will have to watch your tongue in front of this one," Uhtred warned. "I fear that this man will punish you far more severely."
"You can be just as bad as I can, and you know it," she reminded her father.
"Aye, and we both need to be careful," he warned, "understood?" Jaehaera understood right away and nodded at her father. She watched as Aethelwold pushed through the crowd to stand next to her father. She looked at the man with utter disgust.
"I've never met the man," Finan began quietly, "but by the look of him he was indeed shat out the arse of a giant."
Jaehaera coughed and choked on her laughter to quiet it. Sihtric, who only meant to help, made it worse by patting her on the back, making her want to laugh more. She stopped when Uhtred elbowed her in the arm roughly. "He is to be King of Mercia they are saying," Aethelwold's voice commented. Jaehaera rolled her eyes as a reflex when it came to this man. "The Ealdorman of the Witan, are saying." Finan eyed Sihtric, and Sihtric moved her in between himself and Clapa. The whole group knew of Aethelwold's obsession and threatening nature when it came to her, and they didn't need that at the present moment.
"Lord of Mercia, perhaps," Finan commented, and Uhtred nodded in agreement.
"Alfred would never allow another Saxon to be called King," Uhtred added.
"Nor would a certain dead man called Bjorn," Aethelwold retorted quietly. Jaehaera looked at the man with wide eyes as her father dragged him out of the crowd.
"Here's to hoping that he kills him," Jaehaera mumbled.
"We wish," Finan agreed. Jaehaera nodded her head and rested her arm back on Sihtric's shoulder.
Sihtric looked down at her and tried to quiet his racing heart. "I will fetch him." Finan, Clapa, and Jaehaera all nodded before he walked off to find her father. She didn't like the look her father had given the pigman as they walked off. She hoped it didn't mean trouble.
Sihtric found his lord talking to the pigman, "lord," he called out.
"You will not move any further, stay put, do not say anything," His love's father told him. And he happily stayed put, far away from the two of them. Though he was saddened to find out he couldn't hear the conversation. When the two men had finished, Uhtred walked towards him. Uhtred looked at the boy, "you will be glad to know that I spoke to Jaehaera," He told Sihtric. It almost made Uhtred laugh at how bright Sihtric's face had gotten at the sound of her name. Now the two might not have gotten off on the best terms, but Uhtred knew that no other man could ever love his daughter more. He would look after her, and protect her like he had when he got taken away and left her on her own. If that were to ever happen again, he would not have another man beside her. No other man could ever be good enough. Though Sihtric himself was barely enough. His daughter deserved the world, and he knew Sihtric would give it to her. "You may marry my daughter," Uhtred held up his hand to stop the boy from speaking, "when she will have you. When she loves you in return."
"Lord, thank you-"
"Upon completion of a task," Uhtred interrupted. "You will fetch Clapa, you will fetch my daughter, and you will wait for me in the stables. Ensure the horses are watered, and fed, but ready."
"Yes lord," the boy answered with the goofy smile he wore when he saw Jaehaera.
"Go," Uhtred commanded.
"Thank you, Lord," Sihtric told him again as the two men walked away from each other. Sihtric couldn't see his fatherly smile and eye-roll. "We will name our first son Uhtred, Lord."
Her father turned to him immediately at the thought of him bedding his daughter. The possibility of him marrying her had been a tough one to accept, this an impossible one. "No you will not," Uhtred told him.
Sihtric's eyes widened in fear at the look Uhtred had given him. He shouldn't have said that he thought to himself. "No, we will not," He corrected quickly, and ran off to do as his lord commanded. He didn't think, even after that slip-up, he could wipe the smirk from his face.
*********************************************************************
Jaehaera had been wrong.
"I think that this is an entirely, stupid, idiotic," She began as she readied her horse for travel, "so mind-numbingly simpleminded situation we find ourselves in, boys." she huffed before she continued with Finan and Sihtric watched her with amused faces. "Why is he trusting Aethelwold? He is a rat. A snake, a good-for-nothing, stinking, empty-headed weasel."
"Oh Jaehaera, how I love to hear your poetic, angry words," Finan teased. "And I have no answers for you." He walked over to see if she needed help mounting her horse, but like always she managed on her own. "It is a mystery, but I'm sure Uhtred will have the answers for us."
"He better, or I swear to you, I will hit him," the girl threatened as she leaned forward to tighten her girth. Sihtric returned to them and stood next to Finan. "Do you know anything?"
Sihtric shook his head, "no, nothing," he answered. "But I'm sure we will soon find out."
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They had been riding for hours when they had finally come to a stop. The group dismounted and left their horses hidden before advancing to a rocky outcrop overlooking a farmstead. Uhtred had decided, against Jaehaera and Finan's thoughts, to listen to Aethelwold and go visit the dead man. A draugr, she could feel it. Neither one of them was impressed, so for once they agreed.
"This is it," Aethelwold told them. "Skald's Hall. It was given to Eilaf by his lord, for great service."
"Sihtric," her father began, "you will go no further." Sihtric glanced at his love, and her father sadly. Jaehaera didn't notice the glance, she had been analyzing the farmstead they were all looking at. "Not until we are at the hall, and inside." he looked at his daughter quickly, then at the boy. "At all times you will remain unseen."
"Yes, Lord," Sihtric answered. Jaehaera looked at her father and Sihtric. It would be easy for him. He could remain hidden rather well, he could blend in easier than the rest of them. He would be fine, she told herself, though for a second she didn't know why that thought had crossed her mind.
"If the dead man rises," Uhtred began with a disbelieving smirk, "when he returns to his grave, you will keep watching."
"What if he sees me, Lord?" Out of them all, Sihtric had to be the most superstitious. She found it amusing. On their long journeys, she would tell the group old Norse horror stories. Stories they all had known as kids, though Jaehaera had a flair for the dramatic. The only people that didn't know the stories were Finan and Hild. Beocca as well when he traveled with them. She always scared Finan and Sihtric the most. She loved scaring them. "What if...what if he knows that I am near?" he asked her father. She smirked at how nervous he looked.
"Then you will shit yourself," Jaehaera teased as Sihtric rolled his mismatched eyes at her. Clapa laughed the loudest, knowing how scared he always got at her stories.
"You will remain unseen, and keep watch," Uhtred repeated to give him confidence. He also knew how superstitious the boy could be, and didn't want him running off, no matter how scared he got.
Yes lord," Sihtric mumbled again sadly. The group walked back to their horses to get ready to ride down to Skald's hall. Jaehaera again noticed how uncomfortable Sihtric looked, and she didn't like it.
"You will be fine," She told him confidently. "You have fought much worse than a dead man. If he does see you, just cut off the head, burn the body, and then we will throw the ashes into the sea. Easy enough, right." she smiled teasingly at him.
Sihtric looked at her flatly, but appreciated the confidence she had in him, "right, easy enough, lady." The group, except Sihtric, followed Uhtred down to Skald's hall on horseback. Mareridt shook his head, but Jaehaera kept herself still. Though she felt the horse's discomfort. It felt strange not to have Sihtric with them. She could stay hidden just as well as he could, she never cared for the words between her father and the people who always seemed to need his help. She and Sihtric could have stayed together.
"There are men," Finan pointed out as they rode in. men in armor stood up as they rode in to meet them on the road. "Warriors."
"We are here to see Eilaf, the Skald," Aethelwold announced to the men. Jaehaera looked around at all the men. She did not like this, not one bit. "We have an invitation."
When no one moved, her father continued, "who leads here?" he asked. Someone pushed through the crowd. Someone she did not recognize, but it seemed Uhtred did. "You?"
"I do," the man answered. Once the man got closer, she recognized him immediately. A memory of him, the one she had compared to a boar, the one they saw standing with the brothers Erik and Sigefrid. Now she truly did not like this. "I am Haesten, and you are Uhtred of Bebbanburg. You spared me at Eoferwic, Lord. You are expected, and welcome." He nodded at her father and gestured for them to enter. Their small group all nodded together and dismounted before tying up their horses. She followed behind her father, sandwiched between Finan and Clapa.
The two men glared at any man who dared to look at her too long. She never cared for the prying eyes of men on her, disrobing her with her eyes. It made her skin crawl each time, she would never get used to it. She wanted their whole group with her, minus the pigman Aethelwold, and trade him for Sihtric. Then and only then would she feel the tiniest bit comfortable. When they finally entered the hall, Jaehaera looked up to see a man in a cage above them. She looked up, trying not to let the horror and discomfort be written across her face as she followed her father.
"What has he done?" her father asked what their group had been thinking.
"He's a thief, lord." Her father nodded before sitting down, looking cautiously at everyone. She took her spot next to him, and Clapa at her other side. She watched everything around her. Women cowered in the corners. She really did not like this.
"I serve Erik, Sigefrid's brother," Haesten explained while pouring everyone ale, which she did not take. Not even after her father smelled it, and signaled to them that it was alright. She would not risk it. "He sends you good wishes." Yeah, right, she thought. She picked at the food on the plate in front of her, not sure if she trusted it. She didn't care if she looked ungrateful or rude. She could not drop dead for the sake of proper manners. She would not speak at this table, it would not be in her favor judging by the atmosphere around her.
"Erik is not here?" her father asked. Haesten sighed after drinking more ale. Something men did that she hated.
"He is not." She glanced at the man suspiciously. Not that she trusted Erik as far as she could throw him, but at least he respected her father. Her father seemed to trust Erik as well. Her stomach dropped more. "And if I had my way, I would not be here. My men...they are afraid."
"Of ghosts?" Finan asked. Jaehaera shot him a warning look. Danes were superstitious, but they did not like to be made a fool of for those superstitions. She only teased Sihtric about it because she liked him. She pushed that thought away to deal with later. Haesten looked at Finan, not appreciating the glares or questioning statements as she had predicted. She looked at the two men looking at each other, holding her breath.
"It is not a sight you will forget," Haesten told Finan shortly. Finan and Jaehaera shared a look. They could be safely in Wintanceaster, celebrating with Aethelfaed, eating good food and ale, but instead, they were here. Here in some shit hole, drinking piss water, and food not even meant for pigs. "My lord wants you to know that by now he will be at Beamfleot, and not Frankia."
Perfect, Jaehaera thought to herself. Her father must have caught the look she had made and pinched her arm under the table. "With Sigefrid?"
Haesten nodded, "with his brother, and with the fleet," he looked at the raven-haired girl, which she did not care for. She began to open her mouth when her father pinched her arm again. She bit her tongue to keep from speaking her disapproval. "He insisted you were told." Jaehaera wanted to bash her head against a wall.
"And where to after Beamfleot?" Finan asked.
"I cannot say," Haesten answered. Jaehaera blinked to keep from rolling her eyes and huffed quietly to herself, but her father caught it and pinched her again. This time she hissed quietly in pain, shooting her father a returning glare. She did not care for either the boar man or her father at the moment. "But it is hoped that you will join us there."
"..I would rather have nails driven into my skull, repeatedly," Jaehaera mumbled under her breath, and into the cup to cover what she had said. Not well enough because all she got in return was a glare from Finan, and another painful pinch from her father. She scowled at her father and Finan.
"Eilaf is resting, lord," Haesten told her father, "in preparation for tonight. You may wish to do the same." He nodded as he stood up, looking at Jaehaera again before walking off. It made her bones and skin itch like she could rip them off. Jaehaera quickly left her Father's side and sat next to Finan to avoid being pinched anymore. She deadpanned her father like she did her enemies.
"They have a fleet," Finan repeated.
"My arm hurts," Jaehaera complained, "and not in a good way."
"How many I wonder," Finan continued, ignoring her.
"Why did you pinch me?" She asked her father angrily.
"Nineteen ships," Her father answered his friend. Then he looked at his daughter, "you know why, stop being dramatic." Uhtred stopped both of their whinings quickly.
"That's more than five hundred men," Finan guessed while huffing and doing the mental calculations. "Plus those already there."
"And those who will come," She added flatly, still upset at her arm being attacked. "Hopefully not many though," she let herself be serious for once. "They are waiting to see what you will do. They know not many will go against you, you are the dane slayer, you have a knack for winning," she told her father with a proud smile. Which he gladly returned.
"Then it has started," Aethelwold added.
Jaehaera's smile fell quickly, making Finan smirk. "What?" She hissed.
"The end of the peace."
She looked flatly at the man, and then at her father. "How come when I say things like that, I get scolded, and pinched," she began, "but when he does everything is suddenly fine, and you let him be?"
"He is not mine to discipline," her father answered with a smirk. She continued to deadpan Aethelwold, scaring him to his wit's end. "Jaehaera, stop with your staring." She blinked and looked at her father before sighing and doing as she had been told.
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By nightfall, Jaehaera began to pace around the cabin. She swung her hatchet in her hands. She couldn't stand being locked up in a vacancy with nothing to do for more than 15 minutes at the least. Even then that would be pushing it. She could be outside, helping Sihtric stay awake, not in here with boredom growing more and more prevalent with each minute.
"Jaehaera, would you please stop with the pacing already?" Finan grumbled. "You are giving me anxiety."
She just made a face at him before rolling her eyes and taking a seat. Her leg bounced. She needed to do something, anything, she couldn't take this any longer. Finan sighed loudly and glared at her as he felt the wood beneath him move from her fidgeting. "Oh for the love of everything good and holy," He began to groan, "could you sit still?"
She stopped and glared at him. After what seemed like a thousand years, the door swung open before she could make a snarky comment back. Then it slammed shut. Jaehaera watched as a tall, tattooed man stalked through their ranks, and sat beside Finan. She could see the look of mild discomfort on Finan's face. She tilted her head as she watched the man cautiously. She couldn't tell what to make of him. "Forgive me for not being awake to greet you, Lord," his frail voice told her father when he finally spoke and looked at Uhtred. "Bjorn has given me little rest these recent times."
"We understand," Aethelwold spoke for the group.
"The gods are wanting true men," the tattooed man continued. "So, I thank you for being here, Uhtred of Bebbanburg." She watched her father watch the elderly man with a tilted head. He did not speak. "After tonight...I hope to sleep." He didn't just need tonight to sleep, she thought, he needed just about a thousand years or more. He looked seconds away from dropping dead.
"Fetch the blood," the elderly man called. Sorry? Blood? Blood for what? She thought to herself. Her face had to be concerned and slightly disgusted because her father gave her a warning look again. He couldn't pinch her from here.
She heard the prisoner whimper from above them. All the pieces in Jaehaera's brain clicked at that moment, and her stomach dropped a thousand feet again. This man truly made her uncomfortable. Everything about this place made her frightened and uncomfortable. Not just the men. Her head began to hurt right at the center of her forehead, and she felt nauseous. "It is time," the tattooed man announced. She dreaded finding out what he meant.
Their group disappeared outside into the fog, walking along the tree-lined path. She thought she could see shadows of haugbui and draugr everywhere. She wouldn't be surprised if Pesta herself stepped out from the shadows. With each step they took her headache began to worsen, and her nausea as well. Finan and the other two men grew anxious at her response. "Jaehaera?" Finan whispered as they walked. She felt so heavy. "Are you alright?" Normally she would be taking pleasure in his discomfort.
She just shook her head. It caused the three men to regret ever coming. "I don't like this, I want to leave," she whispered to them. "We do not belong here." Finan and Clapa didn't need any other reasons. Neither did her father, but it was far too late to turn back now.
It took a few minutes before they reached a wooden barrier that led to a field lined with stones. "It is a Christian graveyard," her father's words caused Jaehaera to stop at once in fear. Every bone in her body screamed for her to make a run for it.
"No," Finan wrapped his arm around her elbow, dragging her through the graveyard as she dug her heels into the earth. "Me telling you that you would burst into flame if you ever dared to step foot into a Christian graveyard had only been a joke."
"Not a funny one," She hissed at him, growing more tired by the second. "I'm scared, Finan." Those were three words their small party had never heard come out of the young woman's mouth. Ever. Her father hasn't heard them since she was five at most. The men shared a look as they walked further into the graveyard. The thief whimpered loudly.
Sihtric watched them within the trees. His eye found Jaehaera, reading the discomfort, and fear on her face. He knew he had the right feeling. The others watched her closely, she already looked like she could be sick. They should have never come.
The prisoner began to plead for his life. "To raise the dead lord," Haesten began, "we need to send a messenger across the gulf." She had been right, back at the cabin. She knew Sihtric watched from the trees, which gave her a bit of comfort.
"He's guilty?" her father asked.
"Twice over."
"Please, I beg you, lord, please," the thief pleaded to anyone who would listen. But it seemed that only she was. "I have a wife, I have children please."
"What did you steal?" her father asked him.
"A lamb, lord, for my family," the thief answered.
"And furs," Haesten added.
"For my family, lord," the thief repeated.
Jaehaera stood there, frozen with fear. This man did not deserve this, she knew that in her heart, he did not deserve to die for trying to provide for his family. She could be sick right here, but she could not, would not let it show. "I'm sorry, but a thief twice over deserves to die," Finan spoke, and her father nodded in agreement.
She could feel her eyes begin to water, the emotions of the atmosphere around her caving in, pushing her into the graves around them. She blinked the tears away and focused on her breathing. Jaehaera could feel herself begin to break as the thief pleaded again. "Put it in his mouth," the tattooed man, Eilaf, commanded.
The thief continued to grovel desperately, but she and the others knew there was little hope for him. Everyone's minds had been made up. Haesten walked over to the man, stuffing something down his throat. Jaehaera wanted to vomit, and the others with her grew uncomfortable. She narrowed her eyes at Eilaf and his men as her gut curled. "A harp string lord," Haesten told Eilaf, "a bridge from our world to Bjorn's."
Why did it seem to her that no one questioned why they all stood at the supposed grave of a Dane man, in a Christian graveyard? And why no one had seemed to ask where exactly Bjorn ended up in the afterlife. None of this made any sense to her.
"Kill him," Eilaf hissed, as the thief spat out whatever had been shoved down his throat seconds before. "Get the message in his mouth, and kill him." They shoved it down into his mouth and throat again as Jaehaera looked away. The man's blood pooled into the soil on the gravesite, causing a few of the men to look away. Aethelwold included. Finan looked around with a questioning glance. "Bjorn you have blood. I have given you life. I have sent you a message. If it is peace that you want, you shall not have it until we hear you speak!" Eilaf's voice sounded even frailer.
Uhtred gave her a glance at the man's speech before looking around, trying to see if he could see Sihtric or anyone else hiding in the trees. Then he looked back at his daughter again who looked like she could either pass out, drive her ax into her skull, or vomit. She could do all three in no particular order. She did not like this one bit, she hated it. She wanted to go home, or at least away from here.
Nothing happened for a moment, before the ground started to move, the earth being pushed aside from inside the grave. It looked as though someone was trying to push themselves through. Someone or something. Finan and Jaehaera shared a panicked look at the face and hands appearing through the soil. She clutched her Valknut talisman around her neck, thankful she had been wearing this as it protected her from spirits. She sent a quick prayer to the gods, thanking them for the protection they provided her, and she asked for continued strength. She and Finan watched in horror as the corpse stood on shaky legs. This could only be the work of dark, truly dark evil magic. She could feel it.
It, or they, spat out the harp string. It landed at her and her father's feet, which caused her to stumble back in fear, Finan catching her, holding her steady. "Welcome, Bjorn," Eilaf greeted softly. Jaehaera wanted nothing more than to send this fucker back into the ground where he belonged. This was not natural, he belonged with the gods now. She tightened her grip on her talisman. Fina held her steady and held his sword. "This is Lord Uhtred who has sent a good many Dane to the place where you live."
"I do not live," the corpse spoke.
"You have a message for Lord Uhtred," Eilaf reminded the corpse. Bjorn began to straighten himself at Eilaf's word. It caused Finan and Jaehaera to take another step back. She grew weaker and weaker by the second. She hardly had the strength to keep her eyes open.
"Lord Uhtred, I see you now," Bjorn's eyes were glazed, his hair matted, and his cheeks hollow. "The gods have had their sacrifice, and the brothers have tonight begun that which cannot be stopped. Lundene's streets are red..." A raven cawed in the background. "With Saxon blood. You are to be king. King of Mercia. King of Saxon and Dane. King of other Kings." Finan and Jaehaera looked at her father. So did Aethelwold. "You. Lord Uhtred."
Then, Bjorn stumbled away, falling back down next to the dead body of the thief as Jaehaera took a deep breath, she felt as though she hadn't been breathing since the corpse rose. This was not something to be said aloud, not with the King already so suspicious of her father and their little group. "Bury him," Eilaf's voice sounded miles and miles away as Jaehaera tried to gather herself and her thoughts to process what she had seen and heard. "Lord King, it is done."
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Sihtric wanted nothing more than to make sure Jaehaera was now being properly looked after, but here he sat, still in the gods-forsaken woods. Watching the same place a dead man had just risen up out of. He decided to quietly get as close as he could while still remaining hidden. He heard a gasp of breath come from the dead body and fell back onto the earth in fright. Sihtric quickly got up and moved to hide behind the nearest tree, one he could still see the corpse. Then when he saw all that he could, he returned to his lord.
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They all sat in their cabin again. Jaehaera leaned against Finan, who let her as she slowly regained her strength. "What we have just witnessed," her father began, turning to Finan and his daughter who had kept her eyes closed since they had sat down, "do you believe it to be true?" he asked both of them.
"I do," Aethelwold answered. Finan and her father just looked at him. They already knew that.
"And me," Finan answered. He looked at Clapa, "it put a shiver through your spine no doubt." Clapa simply nodded.
Jaehaera sat up slowly and shrugged. "I don't know, Father," she spoke tiredly. She still felt awful. "I still have too many questions. Do I truly believe that someone could be raised up from the dead by something this simple when I know it can truly only happen from dark magic? I don't know. Do I think it's strange that Erik and his brother aren't here, when they, and everyone else, seemed to want you here? Yes. And how do we know that we can truly trust this Bjorn? Where was he before Eilaf, damn him, had raised him up? Valhalla? Folkvangr? Ran? Hel? How are we to know he can be trusted?"
The men all seemed to pause at her words. She didn't have the strength to argue with them, so she leaned back against Finan. "So, what now?" Finan asked. "You are sworn to Alfred."
"Alfred is nothing compared to the gods," Aethelwold commented.
Jaehaera sat up and glared at the man who quite simply just damned them all. "You know nothing of our gods, pigman," she spat at him. Finan put a hand on her shoulder. "Do not speak of what you do not understand. You have damned us all, do you understand that? You do not know our gods, and what they can do. Hold your tongue before I chop it out."
"Jaehaera," her father hissed, placing a scolding hand on her shoulder, keeping her in her seat as he felt her rise up. Clapa only smiled at the fierce girl.
"Uhtred," Aethelwold hissed, looking at his wild wolf of a daughter in disgust. "It is our birthright to be called Kings."
Her father ignored him, "Haesten," he called.
"Lord?" Haesten answered once he walked over
"The brothers Sigefrid and Erik," her father began, "is it true what Bjorn says? Are they attacking Lundene?" he glanced at his weak daughter.
"I cannot say for certain, Lord," Haesten answered. "But that was the plan...to sail up the river and take Lundene, which would now be your city...as King of Mercia." Her father only sighed at the man's words