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Twyla, Sihtric's and Sigdeflaed's eldest daughter, was currently taking care of her siblings, when her mother called for her! Twyla instantly stood up, kissed her siblings' foreheads and then walked towards the great hall! Sigdeflaed was standing in front of it and when she caught sight of Twyla, she immediately smiled! Twyla shot her a questioning look, before she saw her pointing at the gates! Twyla immediately turned her head and saw her father, Uhtred, Finan, Osferth and young Uhtred riding through the gates! She immediately ran towards her father, waited for him to jump off his horse and then she pulled him into a tight hug!
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Sihtric:"Hello Twyla, I missed you too!...(*she widely smiled at him*)...have you been good? Or do I have to scold you?"
Sigdeflaed:(*she laughed*)"Twyla was an angel as always!...(*Sihtric kissed his daughters forehead*)...but we'll talk about your other children another time!"
Finan:"What have the little rascals done now, Sig?...(*Sigdeflaed turned her head*)...did they drink my ale?!"
Twyla:(*she shook her head*)"No, but they threw earth at every new visitor who came here!...(*Finan slightly laughed*)...but what's the matter with you? You're depressed, I can tell..."
Uhtred:"You know we wanted to take back my birthright, Bebbanburg, right?...(*Twyla nodded*)...and Father Beocca travelled with us...he died in the fortress..."
Sigdeflaed:(*her eyes widened*)"I'm so sorry, Uhtred!...(*they hugged*)...if you need anything, let me know!"

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Uhtred shot Sigdeflaed a thankful smile! Twyla lowered her head and felt how tears rolled down her cheeks! She tightened her grip on Sihtric's waist and he instantly lifted her head with his index finger! He wiped away her tears and kissed her forehead...he was the only comfort she needed! After a while, they all sat in the great hall and Finan told Sigdeflaed and Twyla the story of the two monks, young Uhtred had to befriend...
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Finan:"You should have seen his face!...(*young Uhtred rolled his eyes*)...I don't even want to imagine how boring it must have been to ride alongside them!"
young Uhtred:(*he sighed*)"It was very boring, Finan!...(*Twyla laughed*)... and what happened here in Coccham while we were away?"
Sigdeflaed:"Twyla and I looked after the horses, did the housework, kept the great hall tidy and much more!...(*Sihtric smiled at her*)...nothing much happened here!"
Sihtric:(*he tilted his head*)"And those visitors you were talking about earlier?...(*Twyla lifted her head*)...were these visitors significant?"
Twyla:"They asked for a boy called Æthelstan and a girl called Ælfwynn!...(*Uhtred's eyes widened*)...after they realised we couldn't help them, they left"

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Uhtred, Finan, Osferth and Sihtric looked at one another before they stood up! Sigdeflaed shot Sihtric a questioning look, before he walked towards the door! Twyla ran after him and asked, if she could come along! Uhtred looked at Sigdeflaed, who was still confused and waited for her permission! After a little while of thinking, she eventually nodded and watched as Twyla happily walked over to her horse! When everyone saddled and readied their horses, they said goodbye to Sigdeflaed and Sihtric's other children and rode off towards Saltwic! Meanwhile: Stiorra took care of Æthelstan and Ælfwynn and cleaned the building! On the way to Saltwic, Uhtred and the others met Æthelflæd and Aldhelm and told them about the visitors in Coccham...
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young Uhtred:"How good it is to see you!...(*Æthelflæd smiled at him*)...we must get to your estate as soon as possible, Æthelflæd!"
Aldhelm:(*he shot young Uhtred a confused look*)"Why, what happened?...(*Uhtred sighed*)...are Æthelstan and Ælfwynn in danger?!"
Uhtred:"Possibly, yes!...(*Aldhelm's eyes widened*)...what is the quickest way to your estate, Æthelflæd?"
Æthelflæd:(*she got snapped back into reality*)"Um, this route is actually the fastest and best!...(*Uhtred nodded at her*)...hello Twyla, how nice that you rode along!"
Twyla:"Lady! I didn't want to sit idly in Coccham and twiddle my thumbs!...(*the two women laughed*)...it's good to see you, Lady!"
Æthelflæd:(*she smiled at Twyla*)"It's good to see you too, angel!...(*Æthelflæd looked at Uhtred*)...but very briefly another topic...what's going on with Uhtred today?"

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Twyla sighed and before she could answer, she watched as her father climbed over the wall and opened the door from inside the estate, for them! Æthelflæd immediately ran towards the door, but Finan held her back! She shot him a questioning look, before she heard how Uhtred called out for his daughter! Stiorra was a little stubborn and only opened the door, when her elder brother asked politely to be let in! Moments later, they all were gathered in the building and Æthelflæd hugged her daughter! The boy, who's presumably Æthelstan, came walking towards them and he was scared...
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Æthelflæd:"Uhtred, can we talk for a minute?...(*Uhtred nodded*)...what's going on? What happened in Bebbanburg?"
Uhtred:(*tears rose in his eyes*)"Father Beocca is dead, Æthelflæd!...(*Æthelflæd's eyes widened*)...I allowed him to die among strangers..."
Æthelflæd:"It's not your fault, Uhtred!...(*Uhtred lowered his head*)...he looks down on you from up there, and tells you now at this moment that this is not the end!"
Uhtred:(*he wiped away his tears*)"I don't know how to go on without Father Beocca!...(*Æthelflæd pulled him into a tight hug*)...he was always there! Ever since I was little, he always looked out for me!"
Æthelflæd:"And that won't change!...(*she kissed his forehead*)...only now he is in another place and has found peace!"

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Uhtred sighed but nodded! After a while, they went back to the building and Aldhelm told them, that Edward has reached Aylesbury! Æthelflæd's eyes widened and she immediately looked at Uhtred! Twyla currently played with Ælfwynn and Æthelstan read a book...Osferth was sat behind him and watched as Sihtric and Finan played a little game! The boys and Twyla were to stay in Saltwic and the boys were to look out for Æthelstan, Stiorra and Ælfwynn! Meanwhile: Uhtred, Aldhelm and Æthelflæd reached Aylesbury and saw how Edward talked to Eardwulf, Æthelflæd deceased husbands guard!
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Æthelflæd:"Edward, how unusual for you to leave Winchester!...(*Edward turned his head*)...what are you doing in Aylesbury?"
Edward:(*he took a deep breath*)"Settle the matters left unresolved by your dead husband!...(*Uhtred clenched his fists*)...and while you were in Saltwic, things changed here as you can see!"
Uhtred:"Just say what you want and then we won't bug you any more!...(*Edward looked at Uhtred*)...and all the matters that hadn't yet been settled were to be settled by Æthelflæd!"
Edward:(*he laughed maliciously*)"Then why hasn't she started already?...(*Æthelflæd rolled her eyes*)...for example, who will inherit Mercia's throne?"
Æthelflæd:"Ælfwynn and as long as she is not yet of age, an adult who is chosen, but you know that, don't you?...(*Edward lowered his head*)...tell me you know that, Edward!"

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Edward remained silent and walked towards Aylesbury's hall! Æthelflæd and Uhtred followed him and Aldhelm just rolled his eyes at Edward's behaviour! Meanwhile: Sihtric, Finan and Osferth took a quick nap and Twyla still played with Ælfwynn and Æthelstan! Stiorra leaned against a wall and watched her childhood best friend! The two young women widely smiled at each other and once Twyla was done playing with the children, she walked over to Stiorra!
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Stiorra:"When you entered the building, I didn't recognise you at first!...(*Twyla laughed*)...you are still as beautiful as you were then..."
Twyla:(*she tilted her head*)"Are you talking about yourself?...(*Stiorra slightly laughed*)...I missed you, little whirlwind!"
Stiorra:"Certainly not as much as I missed you!...(*Twyla pulled her into a tight hug*)...how are you? Has much happened in Coccham since I left?"
Twyla:(*she thought briefly*)"Not really except that my siblings will eventually be the death of me!...(*they laughed*)...the battle of Tettenhall took a lot out of your father, my father, Finan and Osferth...they don't talk about it but I feel something bad happened there!"
Stiorra:"You're right, I can feel it too!...(*Twyla lowered her head*)...first the death of Father Beocca, then the battle of Tettenhall...what will happen next?"
Twyla:(*she shrugged her shoulders*)"I have no idea! But I hope that one day we can all live peacefully in Coccham!...(*Stiorra nodded*)...I don't want to have to worry about possible assassinations anymore..."

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Stiorra sighed before she wrapped an arm around her best friends shoulder and pulled her closer to herself! They stood there for about 5 minutes, when suddenly Finan and Sihtric grabbed their weapons! Meanwhile: Uhtred and Æthelflæd still tried to talk some sense into Edward, when Aldhelm saw, how Cenric and some of the other guards left Aylesbury! He immediately whispered something into Uhtred's ear and when Edward disappeared to pray, Uhtred told Æthelflæd to stay in Aylesbury! He himself walked towards his horse and rode back to Saltwic...
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Sihtric:"Girls, you stay where you are and hide together with Ælfwynn and Æthelstan!...(*Twyla shook her head*)...angel, now is not the time to be defiant!"
Twyla:(*she rolled her eyes*)"Listen to me first, father!...(*Sihtric sighed*)...how about you hide and let us sort this out?"
Finan:"Have you taken leave of your senses?!...(*Twyla looked at Finan*)...Twyla, that's a really stupid idea!"
Stiorra:(*she grinned*)"No, it's a good idea if you join in!...(*Finan looked at Sihtric*)...please? We don't have much time left until whoever this is reaches the gates!"
Osferth:"Okay, what's the plan?...(*Twyla clapped*)...but please tell us the plan in a nutshell, will you?"

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Stiorra nodded and began explaining! Soon Sihtric found himself, hiding under the bed up stairs in the bedroom, Finan hid himself behind a wooden wall and Osferth hid himself in a wooden box in which you normally store clothes! Twyla and Stiorra welcomed Cenric and the other guards in and let them have a look! But as soon as they realised, that Ælfwynn wasn't there, they rode off again! Stiorra and Twyla widely smiled at each other and moments later Uhtred reached Saltwic! Nearly anxiously he called out for Stiorra and nearly had an heart attack, when Sihtric landed on the floor behind him!
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