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"Goodness, that was exhilarating!" I beamed, taking a few wide steps back down the ridge as Uhtred led us back onto the path.
"For you, perhaps," Finan snorted, "I am pretty sure Osferth nearly shit himself."
"Osferth or you?" I threw back, turning around to walk backwards, grinning from ear to ear. Adrenaline was a wonderful thing; I was not hungry or thirsty, and I felt as though I had slept from dusk until dawn and had all the energy in the world.
"She has you there, Finan," Osferth smiled slightly, holding Aelfwynn in his arms as we walked, having offered to give me a break.
Despite my excitement and relief, my muscles did ache still, probably from carrying Aelfwynn, and it made my bones stiff, so I accepted his help.
Finan, who led Aethelstan by the hand, glanced down at the little boy, "Did I look scared to you, wee man?"
Aethelstan looked up at the warrior, smiling shyly, "You did at the lake..."
I barked a laugh, clapping my hands together before I turned sharply to avoid tripping on a pebble in the road, "Oh, indeed, you were terrified there."
"But not of the soldiers," Finan huffed defensively, "the sickness is something to fear."
My smile dimmed slightly as my throat went slightly dry before I swallowed thickly to try to be rid of the ticklish sensation in my chest.
"I see a town!" Uhtred called back suddenly.
In the distance, I could see the dark walls surrounding either a town or a village and a fraction of relief settled into my bones.
"The sign says Wulfrunetun," Young Uhtred declared, having reached up to run his hand over an old, wooden signpost.
"That means we are close," Uhtred nodded, "we can rest here for the night and eat some proper food."
I crept ahead quickly, darting around Sihtric and Stiorra to reach Uhtred's side, "Lord, do you think they will have a healer?"
"Perhaps," Uhtred sighed, glancing back at Aelfwynn as I did, "but a healer will require silver, and I do not have much on me."
My hand flew up to the cross on my neck, and I pulled on it, showing it to Uhtred, "I will sell this. It is worth at least fifty silver, and if you need more," I splayed out my fingers, showing off the rings that circled them, "I will sell these too."
"I have yet to meet a Christian willing to sell their cross," Uhtred raised his brow slowly.
I swallowed down the slight lump in my throat, a frown forming on my face, "It is metal, Lord, not the religion."
"Then why do you wear it, if that is the case?" Uhtred was not trying to offend, genuine curiosity lining his face.
I lowered the cross back down to my throat, "It was my mother's, or so I am told."
"You do not remember?" Uhtred mimicked my frown.
I shrugged slightly, "I do not remember a lot of things from Hrofeceastre, least of all my mother who died when I was five or six."
"You have no love for your family?" Uhtred asked carefully, a sort of understanding building in his eyes.
"It is hard to love people you do not know," I smiled thinly before motioning back to Aelfwynn, "I will go and tend to her."
Uhtred nodded, letting me walk away.
I forced a smile onto my face, holding my hands out to Aelfwynn, "Come."
"I do not mind carrying her," Osferth protested softly, "you carried her all the way over the ridge."
"It was my pleasure to," I countered, letting Aelfwynn wrap her arms around my neck as I stood in front of her.
"You must be tired," Osferth frowned lightly.
"Nonsense," I widened my smile, "I am fit as a fiddle and completely capable of carrying a small child."
"I do not doubt that," Osferth nodded, laughing softly.
Aelfwynn, having recovered from her terror of seeing Eardwulf, buried her face into the crook of my neck. Her skin did not feel hot against mine anymore, and I did not know if that was because her fever had broken or if mine had formed. She coughed quietly, her hands gripping the silk on my shoulders as her eyes drooped closed.
"Not long now, Aelfwynn," I tried to assure her, "and then there will be milk and pies."
Wulfrunetun was not a rich land, and there was scarcely anyone about, but Uhtred used what little silver he had to find to us a place to stay. It was a shabby little house, but it was good enough for me to build Aelfwynn a makeshift bed and lay her down.
"Cissa, I hate to ask," Uhtred sighed as I stepped outside the house, having let Aelfwynn sleep under Osferth's care, "but I have no silver left and the children need to eat."
"Of course," I nodded immediately, my heart jolting at the frustration and somewhat sadness in his voice. I reached up behind my neck, going to unclip my cross necklace.
"No," Uhtred shook his head, "no, I can not ask you to give me that. Your rings will be enough." He turned to Finan and Sihtric, who stood beside him. "We have managed to scrape some silver together as well. Your rings will be enough."
"My cross will sell at a higher price," I argued, dropping my hands down and starting to weave the five rings I wore off my fingers.
"The rings will be enough," Uhtred smiled softly, holding his hand out to me so I could drop my rings into his palm.
"What is the plan now?" I wondered, looking between the men, "How soon will we set off again?"
"There are horses here," Uhtred revealed, "Finan will ride with Aethelstan and me for company to go and find Aethelflaed. He will let her know where we are and that Aelfwynn is safe." He met my eyes, nodding slightly, "I wish for you and Osferth to remain here and guard Aelfwynn until Edward has sworn he will not harm her."
"I would be happy to, Lord," I agreed easily, reaching my hand behind the belt of my dress and pulling out Sihtric's dagger that I had taken back from Aethelstan after the fight. I turned to the Dane, holding it up, "Do you mind if I keep this? I have found it is rather a good friend."
Sihtric smiled slightly, nodding curtly, "It is my gift to you."
"You are most kind," I studied the blade of the dagger before slipping it back into the side of my belt. It was a metal belt, so it clinked against the blade, and the sound made me nervous; it promised death.
"Finan and I," Uhtred turned to his warrior, "will tell Edward what kind of a man he trusted."
Finan sighed softly, dropping his arm onto Aethelstan's head, using him as an armrest, "So, we fight for peace, Lord... again."
"We can not let them turn on each other," Uhtred sighed, "we have to stop this." He turned to Sihtric, "We do it?" After Sihtric nodded, Uhtred did as well, "We do it."
"Lord," I sighed softly, raising my hand to my forehead and rubbing it with my fingers, "there is also the matter of Aelfwynn's health."
"It is the sickness?" Finan blurted immediately, his eyes darkening.
"I fear it is," I revealed, "she keeps getting worse. She can not eat or drink. All she wants to do is sleep."
"Can you keep her alive until we return?" Uhtred frowned.
"Lord, I wish for nothing more than to do that," I dropped my hand, a deep frown growing on my face, "but I do not know if I can. I will do all I can, and I know Osferth will too, but I am no healer."
"She is the future," Uhtred muttered, "she has to survive."
"You think I do not know this?" I quipped, my hands clenching into fists at my sides, "I have watched the girl grow since she was born. I know how important she is and what she stands for but without medicine... Lord, I fear the worst."
The adrenaline that had been pulsing through me evaporated, and I was hit by a sudden wave of nausea and exhaustion. It hung down on me, and my shoulders drooped as a chill trailed over my skin.
"You'll find a way," Finan gruffed softly, "you've saved her twice already. What's a third time?"
A half-hearted laugh escaped my throat, and I shook my head, my voice coming out slightly croaky, "I can not fix this with luck."
"Everything can be fixed with luck," Finan countered, pulling Aethelstan back with him.
"We will be back as soon as we can," Uhtred promised me, taking a step closer to me, his voice lowering further, "and you? Your sickness?"
I swallowed, wetting my lips slowly and mumbling, "I am fine. I must have been mistaken. It is only Aelfwynn who is sick."
"Good," Uhtred nodded, taking a step back before motioning to the house with his head, "Go on, it is best to stay indoors. Rest and then let Osferth lead you to the forest nearby to hide."
"I will pray for your safe return," I offered the men a last fleeting smile before I turned on my heels and rushed back to the house.
Osferth was humming softly as I stepped inside, his hand patting Aelfwynn's head. He looked at me as I came in and tried to smile.
"Any better?" I asked, sitting on the other side of Aelfwynn.
"No," Osferth sighed softly, "but no worse, either."
"That is good, at least," I let out a shaky breath, raising my hand to rub my chest as it tickled again.
"Can I ask you something?" Osferth moved his hand away from Aelfwynn, settling it in his lap instead.
"Ask away," I smiled thinly, fixing the shawl over Aelfwynn's shoulders to be higher.
"Would your father really have sent men to avenge you?" Osferth wondered, tilting his head slightly, "If Eardwulf had killed you, I mean."
A loud, ungraceful snort left my throat, followed by a short peal of laughter while I clapped my hands together once, "God, no! I do not even think he knows I am here. I am not his eldest daughter, nor am I a son, so of what importance can I possibly be to him?"
Osferth's smile dimmed slightly, and his eyes softened, "But you are his child still."
My laughter quietened, and a gentle stillness settled upon us. I clasped my hands together in my lap, sighing softly, "Well... he can not name me Oswald, and thus, I will forever be his disappointment."
"That hardly seems fair," Osferth mumbled quietly, his eyes shifting to Aelfwynn as mine did.
"You should know well about the unfairness of fathers mistreating their children," I countered lightly, "it is a shame that there is not a law that requires parents to love the children they bare."
"A shame indeed," Osferth agreed, nodding his head slowly before he let out a sharp breath, "but you may be lucky yet."
I looked up, meeting his eyes as he smiled brightly, "How so?"
"Oswald is a terrible name, Lady," Osferth grinned.
I snorted again, raising my hand this time to cover my mouth, "Oh, indeed, it is the most terrible of names."
"And," Osferth added on, "had you been a beloved child, you would not have found Aethelflaed, and in turn, you would not have found us."
"And, that would we be a true misfortune," I matched his smile, lowering my hands back to my lap before turning to Aelfwynn again.
Beads of sweat built up on her forehead, and she had started gasping for air at times.
"Osferth, could you do a me great favour and possibly go about looking for water?" I asked softly, glancing at the young man.
"Of course," Osferth rose easily, stepping around Aelfwynn, "and I shall collect the food Uhtred will have bought by now as well."
I offered him a small smile as he left before reaching out to stroke Aelfwynn's forehead. I let myself cough this time when the tickle came before I raised my hand to my forehead and wiped it. My hand came away wet, and I let out a shaky sigh.
Outside the house, I could hear the horses setting off and leaving, so I knew that we were alone now, fighting to keep Aelfwynn alive no matter what.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, lowering my shaky fingers to the top layer of my dress, and I began to pull it up. If I wanted to help Aelfwynn, I had to survive too, and that started by finding a way to break my own fever.
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