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Nilsa gasped in child-like glee whilst they walked through the royal garden, the butterflies swarmed her as she giggled. Uhtred stopped walking and watched with a fond smile, she was so beautiful. He would have stood there and watched her in her element for the rest of his days, but unfortunately, they had to meet with the lady of Mercia. Nilsa gently urged the insects to leave her so she could follow her husband, once she was free she wrapped her hand around his arm as he smiled down at her.

"Lord Uhtred!" Aethelflæd perked up at the sight of him and her smile diminished from her pretty face when she noticed the beauty of Wessex clinging to his arm.

"Lady Aethelflæd." He said with a small smile.

"Forgive me for not meeting you at the palace. My woman Sable is at my husband's estate. And she has learned something that will be very useful to you." Aethelflæd looks past them and they follow her line of sight.

"It is actually being done very quickly and I am not one to spy or spread rumors but lord Aethelred is collecting the relics of St.Oswald." Sable said quickly. Uhtred helped Nilsa up the hill as he listened, he chuckled when a squirrel ran in a zig-zag motion between her feet playfully.

"Why is this important?" Uhtred questioned and Aethelfæd frowned when she noticed he hadn't even glanced her way. He was too busy being completely enamored with his woman and the wildlife.

"Because, when St. Oswald's is reunited in Mercia, the land will be returned to greatness." Sable said happily.

"It is important to our people." Aethelflæd answered when she noticed his confusion.

"But why is that important to him?" Nilsa asked as she crouched down to rub the squirrel's stomach. Uhtred reached out and stroked her soft hair with a smile and she leaned into his palm unconsciously.

"Tell him of the monks, Sable." Aethelflæd said annoyed.

"Oh, yes. All that remains to be gathered in the heart of St. Oswald, which your uncle—"

"Of course. Aelfric keeps it at Bebbanburg. It's no doubt some dog lover my ancestors brought." Nilsa snickered at the look of anger that flashed across Sable's face. Uhtred grinned at his wife and tossed an arm over her shoulders when she stood up.

"Nevertheless, a treasure to the Mercians."

"Lord Aethelred has sent a pair of monks up north to strike a bargain for it." Sable informed them. Nilsa looped her arms around his torso as he leaned into her chest.

"Do you know when?"

"They should reach Grimesby by Sunday, then Bebbanburg on the day of Ascension." Sable answers.

"When is Ascension?"

"Ten days before Pentecost." Uhtred became dumbfounded and looked down at Nilsa for answers, but she just shrugged.

"Anytime someone spoke of the Christian religion to me I just showed them a venomous snake or a large spider, they would often run away in fear." She spoke with a hint of amusement and Uhtred kissed her head with a smile.

"Two weeks from now." Sable said in disappointment.

"Intercept these brothers and you could gain entry into the fortress." Aethelflæd claims and Nilsa frowns when the woman gives her a look full of judgment.

"I will need a priest who can accompany these monks." Uhtred says once they reach the streets again, Aethelflæd fails to hide her jealousy when Uhtred kisses Nilsa softly.

"I am sorry, but I can provide nothing more. I cannot defy my brother." Nilsa grimaced at the mention of the king and Uhtred rubbed her side gently.

"I hope your brother values your loyalty. He did not with my wife." Uhtred claimed as Nilsa placed her hand on his, their fingers intertwined on her side. Aethelflæd faltered in her step at the mention of the two being married.

"I hope you win what you have longed for. Uhtred...what if you die during this?" Aethelflæd questioned quietly and Uhtred chuckled.

"Then Nilsa will have the honor of being the last woman to hump Uhtred of Bebbanburg." Nilsa slapped his chest as she gasped in shock.

They leave the Aethelflaed with her envy as they walk hand and hand through the town, when they reach the stables she runs to her horse who greets her with a gentle headbutt.

"Hello, beautiful." She whispered happily as she kissed him between the eyes.

"If we leave now, we should make it to the monastery by nightfall. We will need another beast, a small one. Hump the horsemen's wife if you have to." Uhtred tells Sihtric as he smacks his back with a grin.

"I'd rather hump the horse." He says walking away, he tugs her hair playfully as he passes by and Nilsa wonders how she lived her life not surrounded by these loyal, kind, and stunning men.

"Why the extra horse, lord?"

"It's for a priest." He says bluntly.

"Which priest?" Finan asked with a sigh and Nilsa snickered at his defeated expression.

"One, I hope will be glad to see me." He grins at the sight of Hild and Beocca.

"Go, Uhtred. Finan will keep me safe." Uhtred hesitates briefly but when his friend nods he goes to his two advisors and dare she say, parental figures.

"I do not see how you can ride a horse without a saddle, my arse would be sore for days." Finan said as he grinned at her. She leaned in close and smirked when he inhaled sharply.

"It is no different than when I ride Uhtred, they are both beasts in their ways. I am used to the soreness, it is almost comforting now." She laughed when he gasped at her confession and she patted his jaw when he turned red in the face.

Nilsa raised an eyebrow at him when he glanced at her chest, she was known to wear lower-cut dresses like her mother and adorn them with jewels or something earthy. Perhaps that's why most men lusted after her or considered her a whore. But she would not change her attire and Uhtred didn't have a problem with it either. "They are nothing impressive, Finan. They are just breasts." Finan shook his head immediately at her claim.

"No, that is not true. Yours are sculpted by something divine, whether that be my God or Uhtred's." She narrowed her eyes and leaned forward, she nearly laughed when his eyes looked down at her breasts.

"So you look at mine? Often enough to come to that conclusion, no?" Finan paled and attempted to apologize but was just a stuttering mess. "I am joking, I do not care. And I doubt Uhtred would either. You can look all you want as long as you don't touch."

"I would never touch you in such a way without permission, you have my word." Finan said quickly and confidently. She squeezed his arm softly with a smile, she knew he spoke the truth. Nature would have not led her to these men if they would only harm her in the end.