Chapter 1

4 Years Ago

My lungs, chest and the back of my neck were burning and I needed to stop, to breathe, to rest. However, the shouts were getting closer and the people around me were starting to realise that the huffing girl who was grabbing at her knees and fighting for breath was also the same girl who's face was plastered all over the city walls on wanted posters.

"Curse you all." I muttered as I began to run again, a piercing pain erupting in my chest. The people surrounding me were yelling out to the guards, sufficiently grabbing their attention and bringing them knowledge of my location, which wasn't exactly how I pictured this playing out.

"Over here!"

"She went that way!"

"This way! This way!"

These were only some of the things that the townspeople were yelling out to the armoured men.

I grunted as I felt a particularly painful stabbing sensation in my lungs. I let out a dry cough and pressed my palm to my chest, hoping foolishly that it would help numb the pain that was now blossoming throughout my legs, stomach and arms, stemming from my chest.

I looked up just in time to see a guard running down the street towards me, obviously focussed on catching the runaway criminal. He hadn't seen me yet but I had about three seconds to hide before he lay eyes on me and I really did not want him catching me.

I ducked into an alleyway and pressed my body into the wall, trying to make myself as small as possible. The guard ran past me and didn't look back. I sighed in relief and tried to catch my breath, which was proving to be difficult. My heart was hammering and I could feel the blood in my body pulsing. Today wasn't going my way at all.

"Over here." A calm but timid voice called. I froze, blood going cold and whole body becoming rigid.

"I'll help you. Come." It was a mans voice. I knew that much already. He could be trying to trick me for all I know. I turned my head slightly to the side and saw a young man standing near the mouth of the alley on the opposite side from which I entered. I couldn't see his face very well and that unnerved me slightly.

"I'm not trying to trick you." He said as if reading my thoughts.

"Step into the light so I can see your face." I rasped. My throat was raw and painful from the constant running I had been doing all morning. He obliged, stepping back into the street so that the light of the sun showed me his features.

Christian, a voice in my head suggested. He was wearing dark brown robes that were tied around his waist with a knotted rope. There was a hood over his head which prevented the sun from showing me most of his face.

"Are you a man of God?" I asked, hoping my scepticism wasn't too obvious. I was not a follower of the Christian faith even though I lived in a Christian country.

"I am a Christian monk, yes." He replied, removing his hood to show me his face. He looked quite young for a monk. I wondered how he became one. He had little facial hair but his unruly curly brown hair made up for it. It covered most of his forehead and was quite clean. However, the top of his head was hairless. That was not unusual for monks but I always found it quite odd. What truly drew my attention though was his eyes. They were beautiful. Stunning even. They were as blue as the sky on a cloudless day but as dark the darkest blue sea at the same time.

"What is your name?" He asked, lifting his hand out for me to take. I glanced at his hand, still wary.

"Kyra." I replied slowly, not yet sure that I could trust him, even if he was a Christian.

"I am Athelstan of Lindisfarne. I just want to help you. You need rest, food, shelter." He insisted, nodding at his outstretched hand.

Hesitantly, I reached out and put my hand in his. His hand was soft. I let him pull me down the length of the alley and into another street. This one was deserted though so there was little chance of someone recognising me as the criminal that I apparently was.

"Thank you." I said quietly as he lead me to a small building that he was probably staying in. It seemed small but cosy. It definitely was not what I was used to but I could get used to it for a few hours, a night if I had to.

"It's no problem. God asks us to be kind and humble to all living creatures even if they do not support our faith." He looked over at me and smiled slightly. I pulled my hand from his grip, having only just realised that they were still together. His smile faltered for a second but it quickly righted itself.

"You are from Northumbria, yes?" I asked, finally catching my breath, the pain that had been causing me unrest was subsiding.

"I am." He replied, a far off look in his blue-blue eyes.

"Then why are you here? In Wessex?" I stopped to look at him, running my finger along a table and looking around at the plain walls.

"I am here because we monks are told to travel and spread the word of God..." he trailed off.

"Why Wessex?" I pressed, turning to look at him face-on. He looked thoughtful.

"I've travelled very far and learnt many things during my travels and I heard that Wessex was a beautiful country." He answered finally, meeting my gaze. "They're not wrong." He added as an afterthought. It's true that Wessex is a magnificent country full of wealth, cattle, rolling hills and grassy plains.

I nodded. Satisfied with my answers.

"Come. Rest." He said suddenly, turning and gesturing to the small straw bed that was placed in the corner, away from all the other furnishings in the room. It seemed rather small and uncomfortable to what I was used to.

I stepped closer, not really sure that I was able to trust the monk yet even after he told me that he would not harm me.

"You are safe with me. I am a man of God and therefor cannot lie. It is a sin." He assured me while motioning to the bed again. I grunted.

I knew that the monk could not hurt me because that would be against the word of his god.

I moved forward and sat on the edge of the straw bed, looking up at him warily even though I knew he wouldn't hurt me who was to say he wouldn't get the guards. They were looking for me after all and there was a handsome sum for the man who delivered me to the guards and even though this Athelstan was a man of God and was taught not to be greedy I knew that all men - and women for that matter - have a hard time fighting greed.

"I will not harm you nor inform the city guard of your whereabouts." He reassured me with a small smile. He stepped back a few steps and picked up a cup and jug of water. He poured some into the cup and held it out to me. I glanced at it misgivingly. He smiled wearily and took a sip from the cup, proving to me that it was not drugged or poisoned. I took it gratefully and drank it all. It provided relief to my chest and throat.

"Not too fast. You will cause more harm than good." He told me, refilling the cup. I drank it much slower this time, taking my time and relishing in the cold temperature of the drink. When I finished, Athelstan took the cup and put it on the bedside with the water jug.

"Now get some rest. I shall wake you when supper is ready." He said, moving towards the door and into another room, closing the door quietly. The room fell silent and I sighed. After all the chaos of the morning, it was nice to have some peace and quiet.

I lay back on the bed, shifting uncomfortably. The room was quite plain but that was to be expected seeing as though monks and priests do not really have any belongings aside from their bibles and crosses and whatnot.

I wondered if this Athelstan character lived here permanently or if he was borrowing the home from a resident while he was out wandering the Earth and 'spreading the word of God'.

In any case, if there were any riches to be found in the home, I would not be able to take them as I need to keep as light as possible. It makes for easy travel and besides... this Athelstan was kind enough to save me from the city guard. It would be unkind and ungrateful of me. I would be in chains at this very moment if it weren't for the young monk.

After a while, I began to become fatigued and tired, having only now realised how exhausted I was, running from the city guard and whatnot.

My eyes began to grow heavy and I could barely keep them open which made me more uncomfortable by the second because the city guard could crash into the house at any time and take me away because who was to say that no-one saw me and the monk enter the house? It was entirely possible that someone saw us and then rushed to the nearest outpost to inform the guard of my whereabouts. However, I couldn't help but give in to the demands of my exhaustion.

My eyes closed for a final time and I let sleep take over my body.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Hey guys!! It's Rachael back again with a new story. I am currently working on a playlist or this story so stay tuned for that!!

I personally love Athelstan so much. He's such a great character on the show Vikings. If you haven't seen it then I definitely recommend it.

Also, if you haven't already, please check out hyperparadise 's story called 'Pain Is A Number.' It's really good and I love it.

Anyways...if you do know of any other fan fictions of this amazing  man please tell me???? I need more Athelstan in my life.

As always... please enjoy this chapter and leave your thoughts in the comments. I am really excited to hear what you think of it so far.

Updated on the 12th of October.