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At the camp she stands menacingly by the beams of the tents, she does not want to be a part of this so-called army. The only reason she stayed was to protect her father, who she feared was growing more gullible by the minute. Lilith glared icy daggers at Aethelwold, why they trusted him she would never understand. She made it known that if he harmed her father, he was going to be held down as she slowly and painfully cut his cock off. He pissed himself at the threat and since has not looked her way.

She watched as Hæsten pulled Skade off her horse and into the mud. She laughed quietly at the grunts of discomfort from the blonde seer.

"Lord Hæsten, my friend," Cnut looked over at Skade in confusion.

"Cnut," Hæsten walks to the table for some ale. "Point your cock somewhere else, Bloodhair. The woman is mine, make no mistake." Hæsten threatened Bloodhair and Lilith immediately changed moods, her father often called it the guard dog stance.

"What has happened?" Cnut asked as he grew weary of her.

"I have lost everything, bar what you see."

"You've lost more than half your men." Bloodhair stated and reached out to place a hand on her back.

"And my man, Dagfinn."

"How?"

"His pride, his stupidity, or perhaps his cock? Who knows." Lilith snapped and watched as Skade grimaced at the sight of her.

"Alfred lives, that is how they came at night, in their thousands." Hæsten says distraught at his loss.

"He lives?" Aethelwold questioned in shock.

"And Uhtred is with him."

Lilith perked up at that. She has heard that the man was a great warrior and she longed to battle against the man.

"Who says Alfred lives?" Aethelwold questioned.

"I say. I saw him on horseback, as strong as he has ever been."

"That is nonsense. It must be."

"He lives! And half my men do not!" Hæsten shouted as he stood up in anger. Lilith clutched the hilt of her dagger and moved closer to Bloodhair, she would not take any chances.

"If Uhtred is with Alfred, then it is over before it has begun." Aethelwold said defeated.

"Coward." She spat his way and smirked when he cowered away from her.

"Nothing is over. Nothing is over! We are strong still!" Cnut demanded.

"How'd you come by Skade?" Bloodhair asked as he nudged her shoulder gently.

"Skade's not important." Cnut cut him off, and she agreed.

"Hæsten spared Uhtred." Skade taunted.

"You will shut your mouth!" Hæsten demanded her.

"It's true."

"We do not care." Cnut spoke and Skade continued.

"He could have easily killed Uhtred and the princess, but instead, he desired me. He thinks with his cock." Bloodhair chuckled and Hæsten once again proved he was not only a coward but a whore for a woman.

"You find that amusing, Bloodhair?" Hæsten questioned.

"I've missed her sharp tongue."

"She is mine. I will lose nothing more." Hæsten ordered.

"We are meant to be one army. Hæsten, you will rest. Then the three of us shall sit and decide how we are to proceed. A war council." Cnut claimed.

"You mean the four of us?" Aethelwold says.

"Aethelwold, another word from you, and I shall take your head." Cnut snapped as he walked past the boy.

"Very well." The boy mumbled softly.

"You abandoned your fortress and your men abandoned you." Bloodhair taunted as they sat at the table feasting, she stood behind her father as she watched Skade who sat farther out.

"Some."

"You fell into Alfred's trap." Bloodhair spoke and looked over at her in confusion.

"I was told that Alfred was dead, by your messenger." Hæsten explained.

"The trap was Uhtred's. Alfred brought his armies to Beamfleot because that is what Uhtred asked of him. Alfred will die soon enough, but Uhtred we want dead. He should have died at Dunholm, but Ragnar was weak. If we are to make Wessex ours, we must rid it of its talisman. Uhtred of Bebbanburg must die."

"Perhaps we should kill the Saxon rat, he has cost you a great deal." Lilith spoke as she leaned over to whisper into Cnut's ear, she grew smug when he noticed Hæsten and Cnut gazing at her body. Bloodhair slammed his fist on the table in anger at their courage to do so with him near.

"You could be mine, we could do great things." Cnut promised looking at her, she could feel the anger radiating from her father

"I would rather be with Uhtred than you." She said smugly and walked to her father, she placed a hand on his shoulder to soothe him.

"The days are short. We've been weakened and Ragnar's death is an omen. Wessex must wait."

"Aethelwold, you will return to Winchester." Cnut said.

"I cannot. I will not. For what reason?"

"You promised to deliver us a Saxon army." Cnut clarified.

"Once Alfred is dead, yes. Æthelred is ripe for betrayal, as are many men of Wessex. But as a corpse, I can do nothing. Alfred would kill me." Aethelwold explained frantically.

"You will ask for forgiveness."

"And I will be ignored." Aethelwold backed up.

"Then you will beg! You will deliver me a Saxon army and if Uhtred has joined Alfred at Winchester, you will kill him." Cnut shouted.

"I will kill him, how?"

"As you killed Ragnar."

"Lord..." Aethelwold begged.

"He wouldn't have the balls." Hæsten said and smirked at the boy.

"Lord Cnut, you must learn to hold your tongue." Aethelwold said.

"This fool killed Ragnar?" Bloodhair questioned and reached up to squeeze her hand.

"Cnut is joking with you."

"While he slept." Cnut answered.

"He was not sleeping! It was either he died or I died. I am no fool."

"This goes no further than this table."

"Are you part of this?" Bloodhair asked.

"I am no longer concerned by his death." Cnut said instead.

"You wish to lead?"

"Ragnar should have never allowed Uhtred to live. He should never have allowed him to leave with your woman." Cnut spoke playing to Bloodhair's ego and pride.

"Who is now my woman." Hæsten added.

"Who will take Ragnar's men?" Skade asked.

"Ragnar's men belong to Brida. They merely await her return. Aethelwold, you will leave tomorrow" Cnut ordered as they were.

"So, I am journeying to Wessex, to become a corpse, and from my grave, I am to raise an army. And kill the greatest warrior in the land?" Aethelwold scoffed at the mission.