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"Finan." Uhtred says as he walks up to his friend, Lilith had her arm propped against the cart of grain as she watched them.

"Lord."

"Have the priests unload half of what they've taken. Send them back to Alfred. You will ride with them." Uhtred demanded and Finan sighed, she snickered at the Irishman.

"All the way to Winchester?"

"I will follow and find you." Uhtred promised.

"And what of Skade?"

"She stays with me. I will find you in Winchester. I must be there. Unseen." Uhtred said and glanced at Lilith when she moved forward.

"You better kill her Uhtred. If she lives past tonight I will cut her throat to cut and show your people why I am called the ripper." She snarled and Finan's eyes widened at the claim.

"And if Alfred decides to take me hostage?"

"He will have you watched, nothing more. You need only drink ale and find a woman." Uhtred tells him with a smile. Lilith scoffed at that, Alfred wouldn't even do that.

"I can do that. We all need a good woman!" Finan shouted when Uhtred walked away. "And you are terrifying." Finan said as he looked at Lilith, she placed a hand on her heart with a mocking smile.

"That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me." She said with a grin and Finan snorted.

"God help your future husband." She rolled her eyes and followed the man.

"As long as it is not you, old man." She taunted him with a cruel smile and he let out an offended gasp.

"My men are free men still. They'll travel with you to Winchester, ensure your safe return." Uhtred tells the Bishop as he walks to his horse.

"I have a guard. And Wessex is not a land of banditry." The Bishop claimed.

"Priests and Ealdorman aside, you should never refuse the offer of a sword, Bishop Erkenwald." Finan tells the holy man, Lilith could feel Skade's piercing eyes glaring at her.

"Is it your intention to remain at Coccham?"

"It is not. My lord's intention is to rule at Winchester." Skade adds as she stands next to Uhtred and the Dane-slayer sends her a dirty look.

"And I intend to drown you." Lilith replied as she crossed her arms cockily, Skade grimaced at the claim. Uhtred looked pale at the thought and after a moment of realization, she laughed. He was planning on doing just that.

"Is that right, lord?" Finan asked sardonically and she shared an annoyed glance with him.

"My business is my own." Uhtred snapped and both backed off for the time being.

"And your children?"

"Are Christian now." Uhtred said through gritted teeth. Lilith gaped at the statement and looked at Sihtric who nodded sadly.

"I would burn down Wessex for stealing away my children and converting them. Uhtred is calmer dane than me." She scowled at the Bishop and Osferth moved to forward to give her a small smile.

"I doubt anyone would dare to speak of such a plan against you." Osferth whispered.

"I will ensure they are cared for." Hild tells them reassuringly.

"If it pleases you."

"I will bring Lilith to Mercia, lord. Meet you there." Sihtric says with a grin from where he is perched on his horse. Lilith raised an eyebrow at that, she was not told of this.

"What is happening? Why is she not dead?" Osferth said as he pulled Finan and Lilith to the side.

"She has beauty and power, Osferth, over men who believe is their own reputation." Finan claims and Lilith scoffed.

"Men want their cocks wet and if the whore claims to see visions it is just a bonus." Lilith spoke harshly and Osferth frowned.

"But she is evil. He had promised her death." Osferth asked in confusion as he looked to her for answers.

"Pray for him, he'll need it." Finan said as he nudged the monk. In Winchester, the Bishop stands in front of the yelling and shouting for Steapa.

"Steapa! Steapa!" The guard appears looking down at them.

"Ah! Do you not recognize me, Steapa? Why have the gates not opened?" The Bishop asked.

"Bishop Erkenwald, you have guests."

"They did ride with us from Coccham." Erkenwald spoke.

"Where Uhtred remains. He'll be going directly to Mercia." Finan shouts to the guard.

"Steapa, he had hoped to visit his children there." Hild added.

"This is true, lord?" Steapa asked.

"You do not believe me?" Hild asked in disbelief but she was ignored.

"Is it customary to ignore a holy woman's claim?" She shouted with a smirk as she leaned forward on her saddle.

"It is true that Uhtred Ragnarsson remains at Coccham. That is all I know to be true." The Bishop answered and sent her a sharp glare.

"It is Uhtred's intention to return to Mercia. He asked me to petition to the king to have his children follow. Now, open the gates, and let us rest." Hild claimed.

"Hey, big man. We are guilty of being hungry and tired, my friend. That is all." Steapa watched them with suspicion as he eats his apple. Soon after, the gates open and the two men smile. Sihtric and Finan stand in the stables with ale when Finan gets Sihtric's attention. Lilith walked next to them with a jug of ale as she chugged it from the pitcher.

"Is that Aethelwold? The sword-Dane I see? Looks like you've mislaid your eye." Finan mocked with a grin. Lilith leaned against the fencing as Sihtric subtly moved closer to her.

"I see you perfectly, Finan. Though I do not see your master. Uhtred, where is he?" Aethelwold asked with annoyance.

"I do not remember you losing an eye at the camp, rat." Lilith spoke and she cackled when he nervously dropped his cup of ale and froze.

"Standing at your blind side, perhaps?" Finan replied and Sihtric smiled at his joke. Finan and the two Danes walk away making Aethelwold angry.

"Your men have been telling me there's to be a wedding, lord." Finan asked the Bishop when he separated from Sihtric. Lilith figured Finan was going to say something offensive so she decided to tag along with him.

"Edward, is to marry, yes. A sweet girl." Erkenwald confirmed.

"I, uh...I do enjoy a wedding. Ale flows and kisses are a little easier to come by. I might stay a short while." Finan said with a sly smile, the Bishop did not like the comment. Lilith smirked in amusement at the annoyed look that crossed the Bishop's face.

"You are welcome, Finan. I am sure, as are your people." The Bishop walks away as Finan grins and Sihtric appears with red flowers.

"Finan," Sihtric says with a nod and then holds out the red rose to her. "It is the color of blood, your favorite." Sihtric says with a bright smile, she narrowed her eyes at the Dane as Finan giggled next to her childishly. "Do you not want it?" Sihtric asked with a frown and before he could toss it she grabbed it.

"I never said that." She spoke bluntly and placed the stem behind her ear.

"She'll be cutting you into pieces soon." Sihtric rolls his eyes and smiles as he walks away with a flustered face.

"I would let her." Sihtric said hopelessly and Finan laughed. Lilith shook her head at the warrior as Osferth then walked by and grabbed Finan, scaring him.

"Finan."

"What the...Osferth? You're here?" Finan asked confused as Osferth walked them to a fire pit.

"So, we are inside the walls of Winchester. Where will he go? To father Beocca?" Osferth asked his friend.

"Yes, he'll find us. Be sure of it."

"And he is free of his curse." Osferth whispered and Lilith smiled at that.

"The bitch is dead?" She asked at the same time as Finan.

"She's dead?"

"Very." Osferth answered, he hesitated for a moment before looking at her. "He drowned her."

"Then we're all free of the curse, baby monk." Finan said with relief.

"She was of the devil, wasn't she?"

"No, more than that. She was the devil in disguise." Finan claimed making Osferth frown.

"It is what he would do."

"Ale and women." Finan says suddenly as he taps Osferth's chest.

"And prayer."

"Absolutely, but in that order." Finan said with a grin and crossed himself as they laughed and walked away.