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Aurora looked at Uhtred, who rolled his eyes at Æthelwold! The mentioned boy soon grinned at Aurora and she immediately let out a loud sigh...she hated this boy and everyone in Winchester knew it! Only Æthelwold seemed to have missed that information...and it pissed Aurora off! He had some kind of unnecessary information for both: Uhtred and Aurora and decided to bug them with his presence...
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Æthelwold:"I see you prefer the company of this Dane more than the company of your own people, Aury!...(*Aurora rolled her eyes*)...how come you are sitting in this ale house with him?"
Aurora:(*she shot him a dirty look*)"How come you're not dog food yet, Æthelwold?...(*Uhtred stifled his laughter*)...at the moment I prefer the company of the Danes more than the company of my own people, because it looks like my own people are doing everything to be better than all the other people!"
Æthelwold:"And surely not because you want to make your brother even angrier than he already is?...(*Aurora shook her head*)...too bad, because that's what I heard!"
Uhtred:(*he took a sip of his ale*)"Too bad, then you just heard wrong!...(*Aurora giggled*)...why don't you just go away and leave us alone?"

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Æthelwold rolled his eyes before he took his mug of ale and left! Aurora exhaled with relief and looked at Uhtred, who was restless! She placed her right hand on his left thigh and warmly smiled at him! He returned the smile and kissed her forehead! Meanwhile: King Alfred and Odda were currently sat in the throne room, when Lady Ælswith entered and asked the King, to let Leofric and Uhtred fight this very second! King Alfred thought briefly before he agreed and sent his other guards out to find Uhtred and Leofric! Finding Leofric was easy, because he was sitting next to his horse, cleaning it! But finding Uhtred was more difficult! Once the guards came up with the idea to check the ale houses, Uhtred and Aurora walked past them...
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guard:"Lord, you must come with us!...(*Uhtred raised an eyebrow*)...order from the King, Lord!"
Uhtred:(*he sighed*)"And what is the occasion of this order?...(*Aurora looked at the guard*)...does he need me in the throne room or how can I help him?"
guard:"No, Lord, he demands that you fight Leofric today!...(*Aurora's eyes widened*)...there is nothing you can do about it! You must submit or die on the spot!"
Aurora:(*she shook her head*)"No, he does not fight today, nor does he die today!...(*the guard sighed*)...where is King Alfred right now?"
guard:"On the way to the marketplace, Lady Aurora!...(*Aurora nodded at him*)...what are you up to? Lady Ælswith will hate you if you try to change the King's mind!"
Aurora:(*she lowered her head*)"But watching one of the two accused die, that's okay?!...(*the guard shook his head*)...if I don't try, I can't know if I would have succeeded..."

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Uhtred and the guards watched as Aurora walked towards the marketplace! Meanwhile: King Alfred, Lady Ælswith, Æthelwold, Father Beocca, Odda and Odda the younger reached the marketplace, waiting for Uhtred and Leofric to appear! But they didn't and Lady Ælswith shot Aurora a questioning look, when she appeared instead of them! Odda and Odda the younger also shot her a confused look, but she decided to ignore them! Her only goal was to be heard by King Alfred...
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Aurora:"Lord King, please give me a minute of your precious time!...(*King Alfred nodded*)...thank you, Lord King! My words and concern are for Uhtred and Leofric...the two have been unjustly accused and will unjustly fight to death! I hereby ask you as second right hand: drop the charges or at least let them fight tomorrow, when they are rested and ready..."
Lady Ælswith:(*she shot her a dirty look*)"Your words are an insult, Aurora!...(*Aurora turned her head*)...how dare you annoy the king with such nonsense?!"
Father Beocca:"With all due respect, Lady, but I think as second right hand to the King, Aurora has a right to speak her mind freely!...(*Odda nodded*)...quite apart from whether it is true that the accused were wrongly accused, I find her statement just: the two should be rested and ready!"
Odda the younger:(*he laughed maliciously*)"Is every complete idiot in love with Uhtred Ragnarsson right now?...(*both, Aurora and Father Beocca shot him a dirty look*)...sister, why don't you do us all a favour and let the adults sort this out?"

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Right when Aurora wanted to say something, Æthelwold shoved her out of the way and she needed to watch, as Uhtred and Leofric were dragged to the marketplace! Aurora watched with tears in her eyes, as Leofric fought her beloved! Lady Ælswith had this victorious grin on her face and her father just smiled! She found it disgusting and disrespectful...watching as the people enjoyed the fight and the consequence that might come out of it! Meanwhile: Danes rode towards Winchester and a short time after they passed Cent, they rode through Winchester's gates! People screamed and King Alfred ended the fight between Uhtred and Leofric, so that they both could help him and his family flee! 5 years later: Aurora was sitting in her chambers, still processing her brothers death, waiting for Uhtred to return from one of his longer journeys, since he had some, from which he came back from time to time and stayed for a couple of months or so! Now she was waiting for Eartha to knock on her door and tell her, that Uhtred was back! And he indeed was...Aurora couldn't be happier!
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Eartha:"Lady, Uhtred is back!...(*Aurora's eyes lit up*)...and he has Hild and Halig with him! I would say his journey was successful!"
Aurora:(*she thought briefly*)"Eartha, tell me, does he have any injuries?...(*Eartha shook her head*)...oh thank goodness! Where is he now?"
Eartha:"He talks to King Alfred about his journey!...(*Aurora stood up*)...only I fear that King Alfred is already planning his next journey!"
Aurora:(*she narrowed her eyebrows*)"What journey are you talking about, Eartha?...(*Eartha sighed*)...are there new threats?"
Eartha:"2 brothers, Danes have settled here!...(*Aurora's eyes widened*)...and rumour has it that Kjartan's son Sven is holding a Dane as a slave! King Alfred has decided to send Uhtred, Hild and Halig to this slave camp and free the Dane!"
Aurora:(*she tilted her head*)"And what do the brothers have to do with this other Dane?...(*Eartha lowered her head*)...is this other Dane special in any way?"
Eartha:"Well, it is said that this Dane is the rightful King of Cumberland!...(*she sighed*)...Lady, no matter what the brothers are up to and no matter whether that other Dane is really a King: it's a bit too big for just 3 people!"

~~~~~~
Aurora sighed as well and after a while, the two women left Aurora's chambers and walked towards the throne room! When they reached it, Aurora immediately heard Uhtred's precious laugh and King Alfred's calm voice! Eartha carefully opened the door and Aurora silently entered the throne room! Somehow she was so quiet, that no one heard her come in! Once she closed the doors and turned back around, her gaze met Steapa's gaze, the King's new guard and left hand! He warmly smiled at her and Aurora walked up to Uhtred...trying to be quiet! When she reached him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his back! He slightly frightened and turned around! Aurora laughed and he wrapped his arms around her waist, swirled her through the air and kissed her passionately, when her feet touched the ground again...
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Uhtred:"I see you are still as beautiful as the day I left!...(*Aurora blushed*)...how are you, my little flower?"
Aurora:(*she widely smiled at him*)"I'm fine now!...(*Uhtred smiled back*)...how was your journey, my darling?"
Uhtred:"I can't complain!...(*he sighed*)...the only thing that worries me are the brothers and the fact that Kjartan's brood keeps another Dane as a slave!"
King Alfred:(*he sighed as well*)"Would it be possible for you to take Hild and Halig and ride to this slave camp, Uhtred?...(*Uhtred nodded*)...thank you very much! Of course you can take as many men as you need!"
Uhtred:"Thank you, Lord King!...(*King Alfred nodded at him*)...and when I have located the brothers, I will kill them!"
Aurora:(*she lowered her head*)"I have no doubt about that!...(*Uhtred looked at her*)...promise me that you will be careful and not put yourself in unnecessary danger!"

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Uhtred nodded and took her by the hands! She shot him a questioning look, before he said his goodbyes to King Alfred and led Aurora out of the throne room! Still confused, Aurora still followed him and soon she stood in front of Hild's house! When Uhtred knocked and Halig opened the door, Uhtred entered Hild's house and Aurora was forced to do the same! A few hours passed and they were still talking about the upcoming journey! Hild looked at Halig, whilst Aurora placed her right hand on her stomach! Her eyes slightly widened and she thought: ‚oh please not now'! Somehow Uhtred noticed and stopped talking...
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Uhtred:"My little flower, what's wrong?...(*Aurora got snapped back into reality*)...are you uncomfortable?"
Aurora:(*she nodded*)"Uhtred, I must speak to you seriously!...(*his heart sank and he nodded*)...can we go outside for a minute?"
Uhtred:"But of course we can!...(*he looked at Hild and Halig*)...will you excuse us for a few minutes? We'll be right back!"
Aurora:(*Hild and Halig nodded and Uhtred followed her outside*)"When you put your hands on my stomach, what do you feel?...(*Uhtred placed his hands on her stomach and his eyes widened*)...so what do you feel?"
Uhtred:"You are carrying my child?!...(*Aurora nodded*)...my little flower, that is the best news of today!"
Aurora:(*she smiled*)"Yes, that may be, but you'll be leaving soon and we both don't know how long you'll be gone!...(*she sighed*)...I will think of you every day and pray that you come back to me in good health! And without another woman..."
Uhtred:"My wife and the only one I love is carrying my child...what more could I want?...(*he kissed her forehead*)...I will come back to you! Without another woman, I promise you!"

~~~~~~
He wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her temple! Aurora snuggled against his chest and after a while, he detached from her and walked back into Hild's house! Aurora sighed and walked back towards the palace! 3 days later: Uhtred, Hild and Halig rode off towards Cumberland and Aurora stood in front of the palace, waving her beloved goodbye! After he was fully gone, she turned back around and headed towards her chambers! Meanwhile: Uhtred, Hild and Halig rode past Cent and met up with a warrior there! He was a Dane, but he could be trusted! Together they rode on and after a while they reached Cumberland...
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