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Creeping across the ice felt nerve-wracking, and the fear of any cracks or drowning gave the warriors good enough motivation to step gently and quietly.
The Saxon camp slept as we reached the bank, and Sigtryggr was the first off the ice, offering his hand to me and then, to Emil.
"When fifty have crossed," I whispered, crouching and creeping forward, "we attack."
"Yes, My Queen," Sigtryggr mumbled, eyeing the torches surrounding the tents.
We had two hundred warriors with us ready to fight in total. They would be enough for the camp to kill them all.
"Twenty are here," Wolland hissed, crouching beside Emil and thumping his back.
Sigtryggr clenched his jaw, his fingers tightening around his blade.
"Forty," Olav joined us as well, throwing me a weary smile.
I pulled my sword from my sheath, whispering one final prayer to the Gods.
"Fifty," Tormund grinned, landing beside us, "it is time to spill their guts."
My blood bubbled with anger and excitement, and I began to walk forward, the warriors following me as more crossed the lake.
"Kill the guards," Olav hissed, grabbing one as he spotted us, covering his mouth and slitting his throat.
Sigtryggr and Wolland killed three more as they spotted but were not quick enough to sound the alarm.
I made for the tent nearest to me, creeping over to the bed and stabbing my sword into it.
A cry filled the tent as the man in it died, but I paid little mind to it and continued, moving onto the next tent, Emil close behind me at all times.
"I thought there would be a shield wall," Emil whispered, following after me into another tent.
"There are no soldiers awake yet," I murmured back quietly, running my blade across another Saxon's throat as he slept, his blood spraying over the bed. "There is no need for a shield wall until they know we are here."
"Is it not cowardly to kill them in their sleep?" Emil rushed after me as I darted around the camp.
"It is foolish to wake them and wait to be killed by them," I snorted softly, darting between more tents.
"Fire!" A yell sounded, "Fi— Danes! Wake up! There are Da—" The man who alerted the camp was slain by Tormund.
I sighed, grabbing Emil's arm and pulling him after me, "They are awake now."
"Do we make a wall now or—"
"Ah!"
I pushed Emil away as a Saxon warrior rushed towards us, ducking and slashing my sword across his thigh.
He fell into the dirt, and I whipped back around, stabbing my sword into his back before pulling it back out.
Emil blinked, his eyes wide, "I have never seen you kill up close before."
I threw him a hurried grin, grabbing his arm again, "It is a month for a lot of firsts."
"Kill them all!" Sigtryggr roared nearby, and I rushed over to the sound, manoeuvring between Danes.
I pushed Emil against Sigtryggr's back, standing in front of him, my sword raised. "If they come at us, you cut them with your axe and be done with it!"
"Yes, Mother!"
"For today," I yelled, swiping my blade across a Saxon's chest, "you will call me Gyda!" I kicked the Saxon away, "Because today, we are equals!"
Emil's heart raced, and he dove forward suddenly, attacking a Saxon that rushed towards me, his axe piercing the man's throat.
"Your boy is a gifted warrior," Wolland spun around me, grabbing Emil back as more Saxons arrived.
"He is his father's son," I laughed, grabbing a Saxon soldier who went for Sigtryggr, casting my blade into his stomach.
"I am my mother's son too!" Emil dodged a blow of a Saxon before slamming the blade of his axe into the soldier's face.
I could not help how prideful I felt as I fought beside him, "How many are left?"
"The camp is fleeing!" Sigtryggr yelled back, "We have killed them all!"
More of my warriors still arrived from the lake, and they helped finish off the remaining Saxons, and we did not bother to chase the ones that dove into the forest to hide. They would send a message to Edward.
"Is that it?" Emil frowned, breathing heavily, "It did not feel like much."
I nodded slowly, "Yes, it was a little—"
The sound of a loud horn cut me off, and we looked across the field of the camp where horses raced towards us rapidly, a banner raised proud and tall.
Emil gasped. "Is that not—"
"Edward is here!" I roared, "Shield wall!"
The Danes scrambled to get into lines, their shields rapidly hitting against each other.
Emil's heart rushed so fast, I feared it would jump out of his chest as he stood behind Sigtryggr and I, his axe ready.
"Are you happy, boy?" Wolland gruffed, "Your first shield wall."
Edward's men drew closer, their yells loud.
"It is everything I have ever dreamed of," Emil breathed out, turning his axe in his hand.
"Brace!" Sigtryggr ordered, and we all tensed.
The new Saxon soldiers slammed against us with their full strength, but the shield wall did not break, and we were quick to stab our weapons between the gaps at their heads.
"Emil!" I yelled, "To the floor! Cut their heels!"
"Yes, Mo— Gyda!"
I almost smiled, stabbing my sword again and catching the eye of a Saxon warrior, killing him instantly.
Warriors began to fall in front of me with sharp cries as Emil swiped at their feet rapidly, Hoder's crafted axe precise and deadly.
"Forward!" Sigtryggr roared.
"Glory or Valhalla!" I added on loudly, taking a step forward with the others.
Emil scrambled to stand, taking a position between Sigtryggr and I as we parted slightly to move, "I want to do this every single day of my life."
Sigtryggr snorted loudly, "Let us just survive today first."
"Forward!" I yelled again as more Saxon soldiers fell, unable to pierce the wall.
Emil dove his hand forward, swiping his axe at a Saxon's throat.
I gasped as a sword came down on his arm, aiming to cut it off , but just as Emil had told me, his skin did not even bend. It was hard like stone, and the sword broke instead.
Emil grinned at me, retracting his arm, "The Gods are good."
I nodded slowly, "They are indeed."
"Gyda," Sigtryggr called out to me, "the line is breaking on the left. We have to fight."
I drew Emil back again, standing in front of him, glancing at Sigtryggr, "Glory or Valhalla, my friend."
"Glory," Sigtryggr smirked thinly, "we will get to Valhalla when we are old."
With a final roar, the Saxons broke the shield wall, and we all divided, fighting against whoever we could.
Emil covered my right side, and Sigtryggr covered my left. We rotated protecting each other, but it soon became very clear that Edward had more soldiers than us.
The sun began to rise, and I looked to the skies again, sending up a silent prayer to Odin and Thor, hoping that my second plan would take place soon.
Emil's gasp drew my attention to him, and I blanched as I watched a Saxon soldier try to pierce his chest with a spear and fail.
I roared, swinging my sword and cutting off the Saxon's head with little care or control, "Do not fear! Do not falter! Our Gods are with us!"
Yells of agreement responded to me, and I pushed Emil further back, motioning for him to go fight beside Wolland, who swung his hammer around.
"Gyda," Sigtryggr gasped out, "we are outnumbered."
"Fight," I told him firmly, reaching to grab his hand around his sword, "the battle is not over yet."
"Surrender!" Edward's yell sounded across the field, "There is still time!"
I sneered, grabbing a Saxon warrior and throwing him to the ground, using my boot to crush his neck before I took his sword and spun in my other hand. It was harder to balance two swords, but it also meant I could kill twice as many men so I would do that.
We only had to hold on a little longer.
"Lord King!"
I faltered, my eyes flying over the field as Uhtred's voice sounded around me.
The warrior spoke to the King hastily and Finan appearing behind him shortly after along with Osferth.
"Uhtred..." Sigtryggr breathed, bumping into my back, "what is he doing here?"
"I do not know," I grit out, jumping forward to stab my sword through the back of a Saxon man's neck as he tried to kill one of my warriors.
"They are talking!" Sigtryggr rushed out.
I spun around on the ground, cutting a soldiers ankle before using my own sword to stab through his chest as he fell on it.
"Gyda!" A roar sounded over the field, "Sigtryggr!"
I grit my teeth together, straightening to kill more Saxons as I passed through them, deepening my way through the Saxon defences.
"Halt!" Uhtred yelled again, "Stop the fighting!"
I yelped as someone grabbed my hair, rotating my body so they could not cut my throat.
Sigtryggr growled as he sliced the man's hand off me, kicking him away before he grabbed my shoulder, righting me. "My Queen... we can fight no longer... they have won."
I would not admit defeat so easily, but I let him raise my arm anyway.
"Halt the battle! Retreat!"
Saxons began to jeer at us as Sigtryggr dragged me back over to the Saxon camp where most Danes stood.
Emil met my eyes as we arrived, disappointment shining through them.
Edward's horse moved through the Saxon men, Uhtred following him.
"Thank you," Uhtred rushed out once he was close enough to us, "there has been a great misunderstanding here."
I wiped blood off the side of my lip before spitting out the blood that circled my teeth.
Sigtryggr pushed me back slightly, "I do not understand."
"I..." Edward spoke up, his eyes glaring at me, "was under the impression you had killed my wife... I know now that I was wrong."
"And?" Sigtryggr scoffed, "That is all you have to say to me? What about when Eforwic was attacked? You did not come to our aid like you promised."
"I sent men," Edward vowed, "but my message was intercepted."
I rolled my eyes, dropping the Saxon sword I held to the ground, "Do you think this fixes everything?"
Edward fixed his eyes on me, narrowing them, "You are right. This fixes nothing. You attacked Saxon men for no reason."
Sigtryggr raised his arm out, moving to stand in front of me, making other Danes come stand around me as well. "If you wish to blame anyone, you will blame me."
"Lord King, this is a misunderstanding," Uhtred pleaded, "let them go. Let this end with peace."
"How can there be peace when they have killed my people?" Edward demanded, his eyes flashing.
"And how can there be peace when you threaten my borders?" I snapped back, gripping my sword tighter.
"Gyda," a voice called out softly and from behind Uhtred. Kari rode out, "The fight is over."
I stared up at Sihtric and my daughter, who he cradled to his chest, a bitterness twisting inside me.
"Sihtric was the reason we found out about this betrayal of Edward's man," Uhtred explained hurriedly, "he has not betrayed Northumbria. He is trying to save it."
"Northumbria does not need saving," I spat out, raising sword slightly, making other Danes do the same.
"You are right," Edward agreed, "it does not. Surrender Northumbria to me, and I will let you go and live peacefully in Frankia."
"What of Jarl Sigtryggr?" Emil's voice called out behind me, and Sihtric's eyes widened and flit to him.
"Sigtryggr is to die for his crimes," Edward spoke simply, "I can only pardon so many traitors."
"We do not need your pardons," I spat out, "and I will not give you my kingdom."
Edward stared down at me as though I was a bug, "Then I will kill you, and I will take it."
A venomous smile touched my lips and hissed, "No, you will not. Do you know why?"
Edward grit his teeth, "Why?"
I pointed up to the sky, where two arrows flew over our heads, one after the other, burning brightly. "Because you have lost this fight."
Sigtryggr turned to me, confusion lining his face, "My Queen?"
A loud roared sounded from behind the Saxon soldiers, drawing closer and closer by the second.
I grinned, turning my blade, smirking at Edward, "Glory or Valhalla, boy king."
The battle was won. Saga was here.
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