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They sit around the boat as Uhtred sleeps, Skade drinks from water from the river as Finan is huddled at the back of the boat and the others are in the front. Finan watched horrified at the sight of Uhtred kissing Skade, Lilith scowled at the sight as she moved next to the Irishman.

"I thought he wanted her dead." Lilith hissed out as they watched Uhtred lick the blood from Skade's palm.

"So did I." He mumbled with a frown. "I'm sorry about your father." Lilith glanced at him quickly before turning away.

"He is in Valhalla." She said stiffly and walked away. Eventually, they arrive back in Coccham.

"Is the idea we walk into Coccham like we've never been away?" Finan asked from where he walked with Uhtred. Lilith trailed behind them as she preferred to stay away from the seer for as long as possible.

"Yes."

"Directly to the hall?" Finan questioned in disbelief, he turned to her who shared his bewildered expression.

"Yes."

"And if another lord resides there?" Finan asked quietly.

"We ask him to leave, my friend." Uhtred spoke nonchalantly. Lilith noticed that Coccham had an almost cimmerian feel to it, she wasn't sure if that was Uhtred's doing.

"I can do that. Are we to expect a wedding, lord?" Finan asked as he looked back at Skade. "We did not risk our lives for you to hump the bitch. Or do you plan to kill her with your cock?"

"The winebibber is right," She smirked when the Irishman scoffed in offense. "The bitch is nothing more than a nefarious traitor. She killed my father, lord. My fight is not with you, only her." Lilith explained with hatred.

"I plan to see my children." Uhtred said dismissively to Finan. "And you are welcome to stay, Lilith." She scoffed as the lord looked at a man who gained his attention.

"Lord, you will not remember me." A man claims as he bows to him.

"I remember you. You're Edwin. You're married to Mildwynn." Uhtred claimed happily as he patted the man's back.

"Lord, they have taken more than half our winter store. Animals and grains. They say it is to feed Alfred's army, but we will certainly starve." Edwin said in a panic. Lilith looked at Skade with an analyzing gaze as the blonde brushed by her.

The blonde was alluring to men but Lilith could see the truth behind her pretty face. She was a rodent disguising herself as a serpent.

"Who did this?"

"They're at the hall, lord. King Alfred would not have ordered this." Edwin said. Uhtred and his group walked to the gates of the hall and noticed guards were placed outside.

"Stand aside, I want no bloodshed, no man killed." Uhtred said and sighed when they refused to move. Lilith was about to force their way in with blood and dead bodies when Sihtric gently moved past her.

"He said stand aside. Now!" The guards look at one another before moving. "Thank you. I should not need to raise my voice." Sihtric says softly and Lilith wanted to scowl at how pulchritudinous the man was.

Sihtric moves to the table to eat and drink ale as the priest takes notice of them. She begrudgingly joined the Dane as she didn't like the attention of the monks on her, Sihtric held out a cup of ale as she sat on top of the table and crossed her ankles on the bench.

"Uhtred. Uh, what is the meaning of this invasion?"

"This is my home." Uhtred stated, Lilith narrowed her eyes at the Bishop. Uhtred glanced at her in a warning and they both knew if he allowed her the freedom to kill the man she would.

"We are here by right, on the king's business." The priest said as he stood up.

"You are stealing food from the mouths of the poor." Uhtred said as he looked at the priest in disdain.

"An army needs to be fed."

"As do the priests, it seems." Uhtred says as he watches Skade stab a piece of meat on a priest's plate.

"You are lucky it is not your hand." Skade sneered at the man as she leaned in close. Lilith watched blithely as she did so, she reached for the hilt of her dagger when the seer grabbed the place next to her. Sihtric quickly grabbed her wrist to halt her and gave her a pleading look.

"Stop looking at me like that." She snapped but it fell on deaf ears when Sihtric perked up.

"Like what?" Sihtric questioned as he tilted his head in confusion.

"Like that," She motioned to his face when he leaned closer. "You are so statuesque and it is irritating." She hissed out as she drained the cup and stood back up.

"I don't know what that means." Sihtric says in reply and Osferth shakes his head at the Dane.

"We want no disharmony here today." Uhtred turns and sees a cross hanging above the doorway. Lilith rolled her eyes at the disrespect to the lord and crossed her arms.

"What is that?" Uhtred questioned.

"Well, you know what it is."

"Take it down. Take it down or I will make a gift of you to Skade and Lilith." Uhtred threatened as Skade walked behind him in interest. Lilith perked up at that and watched the Bishop's face drain as the name was spoken. She waved mockingly at the holy man and giggled in delight when he nearly fainted.

"I will not do as you ask. I cannot."

"Lord, see it as a piece of wood, nothing more." Finan stated moving close to them. He shot her a glare and nudged her out of the way.

"It is a holy cross."

"Bishop Erkenwald, I suggest you shut your holy mouth." Finan interrupted sensing the growing tension.

"And take it down."

"Or I...I can just take it down, lord?" Osferth added softly pointing up at it.

"You will do nothing." Uhtred demanded making Osferth nod.

"I realize you are looking to find a reason to kill me, and I would prefer to do as you ask. I am not a fool, but I cannot deny my faith. The king will hear of it, God would know of—" Uhtred cut in with anger.

"The king has told me many times that this is a pagan's hall. You will take it down."

"It is my cross, lord. My doing. I put it there and I would like it to remain there unless, of course, your plan is to once again be the Lord of Coccham. I meant no insult." Hild said from the entryway, Uhtred smiled softly just as Skade grunted and the cross fell. Lilith huffed at the display and fought the urge to grab the nearest bow to shoot her down.

"Now, perhaps, we may eat." Skade says from above. Finan moves to dust off the cross as he picks it up.

"You may take it." Uhtred says as Hild and Skade stare one another down. When the seer walked back down she accidentally tripped her, Sihtric pulled her back to the table when he noticed her causing chaos.

"When you leave, you will take only half of what you have gathered. I understand an army must be fed, but my village will not starve." Uhtred demands looking at the Bishop.

"The king will not approve."

"The king is a ghost! Nothing more than that." Uhtred shouts making the men whisper amongst themselves.

"Lord, may we speak further, privately?" Hild asked and the two left the hall as Skade stood by the door watching.