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Uhtred looked up at King Alfred and waited for something to happen! Æthelflæd looked at Asteria for answers, but Asteria didn't move! She still had her head placed on Sihtric's chest and Sihtric still had his head placed on hers! Finan and Osferth lowered their heads, not wanting to make the situation worse! But it got worse, when King Alfred addressed Asteria...
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King Alfred:"Asteria, my angel, I am terribly sorry!...(*Asteria still snuggled against Sihtric's chest*)...could you stop clinging to Sihtric like a limpet for one second?!"
Asteria:(*she lifted her head*)"Why are you yelling at me again, father?...(*Finan and Sihtric both raised an eyebrow*)...I have done nothing to you and yet you feel it necessary to shout at me..."
Æthelflæd:"Father, what happened?...(*King Alfred looked at her*)...why are you so angry?"
King Alfred:(*he sighed*)"You were surely there when your brother promised my men to Uhtred, weren't you?...(*Æthelflæd nodded*)...Asteria then felt that it made sense to stab me in the back, and she justified Edward's decision, which was not his to make!"
Asteria:"Because he's right, father! Do you think I enjoy making a decision against you?!...(*King Alfred flinched*)...for fuck's sake, Hæsten found Æthelflæd and wanted to kidnap or even kill her for the second time and you seriously think we should wait?!"
King Alfred:(*his eyes widened*)"How do you talk to your father, young lady?!...(*Asteria got angry*)...I will find another convent for you and place you there! Mother would not appreciate hearing you speak to me like that!"
Æthelflæd:"No, father, you can't just lock her away as you please!...(*tears rose in Asteria's eyes*)...she is your daughter as much as I am, and you have a duty as a father to protect us! But all you and mother have done with Asteria in the last few years was to deny her identity and prevent people from finding out that you have a second daughter!"

~~~~~~
King Alfred looked at Æthelflæd before he looked back at Asteria, who was now crying and trembling! Æthelflæd was right: they tried to hide the fact, that they have a second daughter, but not because they didn't love Asteria, no, they did it to prevent her from danger! Worrying about Æthelflæd's safety was more than enough and with King Alfred being sick, Lady Ælswith hadn't had the nerve to protect her youngest daughter from the outside world all alone! Edward and Æthelflæd were always there for Asteria, but when she was sent to Wincelcumb one day, the siblings lost touch! Uhtred, Sihtric, Finan and Osferth looked at each other before they looked back at King Alfred and Æthelflæd! Æthelflæd was angry and her father soon realised, that it would be best to leave Asteria alone and so he did! He walked back to his chambers and left Asteria alone...
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Æthelflæd:"I am proud of you, Asteria!...(*Asteria wiped away the tears*)...father won't be angry with you and Edward for too long!"
Asteria:(*she sighed*)"I messed up, Æthelflæd!...(*Æthelflæd shook her head*)...but I had to help Edward! He is my brother after all..."
Osferth:"And that's why he loves you and I'm sure father understands deep inside why you did it!...(*Asteria looked at him*)...I love you little sister and I promise you that no matter what convent you are sent to, I will find you and bring you home!"
Uhtred:(*he warmly smiled at Asteria*)"And we will all help Osferth with that, I promise!...(*Asteria slightly smiled*)...you are now a part of us, we will not abandon you!"
Sihtric:"I will never abandon you, Asteria!...(*he brushed her hair back behind her ear*)...my little muse...I will always be there for you!"

~~~~~~
She smiled at him and her eyes lit up! She had the most beautiful eyes, Sihtric has ever seen! In general was she the most beautiful girl he has ever seen! Her hair, her face, her eyes and her smile were perfect...and he could only assume, that her body was perfect as well! He quickly banned these thoughts from his mind...he didn't want to rush her and he didn't want her to do things, she didn't want to do! Asteria noticed, that his mind was absent and gave him a kiss on his right cheek! He instantly blushed and felt how shivers ran down his spine! Uhtred, Finan, Osferth and Æthelflæd smiled before they stood up and walked away! Sihtric looked after them and thought of following them, but then he remembered, that this was the chance to spent some time alone with Asteria...
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Asteria:"Don't you want to follow your friends and my sister?...(*Sihtric shook his head*)...why not?"
Sihtric:(*he lowered his head*)"That way I can spend time with you without my friends or your sister watching!...(*Asteria's eyes widened*)...don't worry, I don't want to rush you into doing things you don't want to do voluntarily and of your own accord..."
Asteria:"Together with Uhtred, you are really the nicest and most honest Dane I have ever met!...(*Sihtric smiled at her*)...and there's a bonus for you: you're lucky I like spending time with you, Sihtric!"
Sihtric:(*he caressed her right cheek*)"Nevertheless, I will not use your statement and your good nature to my advantage and against you!...(*Asteria's eyes lit up*)...I want you to be ready and definitely not feel forced..."
Asteria:"You make it hard for me to resist you, Sihtric!...(*she used her index finger to turn his head in her direction*)...especially your beautiful, mismatched eyes!"

~~~~~~
Sihtric swallowed and before he knew it, he felt her lips on his! His eyes widened slightly and he definitely wasn't ready for that, but he enjoyed every second of their kiss! Once she noticed, that he returned the kiss, she deepened it and felt him smile into their kiss! Her hand, which was resting on his right cheek, found its way to his right thigh and his hands, which were holding her face, were finding their way to her arse! Asteria moved closer to Sihtric and he used his strength to lift her up and sat her down on his lap! That made her eyes widen slightly, but she didn't mind sitting on his lap! When they detached from each other for some air, Sihtric lost himself in her eyes and beauty...
~~~~~~

Asteria:"You're a good kisser, I'll give you that!...(*they laughed*)...that was the best kiss I ever got..."
Sihtric:(*he grinned*)"If you let me, you'll get more of those kisses, Asteria!...(*her eyes immediately lit up*)...was that a 'yes'?"
Asteria:"Of course it was a 'yes', you moron!...(*Sihtric smirked*)...I would be an idiot if I ever said 'no' to you..."
Sihtric:(*he kissed her forehead*)"Was your last lover tender, Asteria?...(*her eyes widened*)...oh sorry, I didn't mean to remind you of him!"
Asteria:"It's all right, Sihtric!...(*she lowered her head*)...to come back to your question: no, he was anything but tender..."
Sihtric:(*his blood began to boil*)"How long were you together?...(*Asteria lifted her head*)...he will never hurt you again, Asteria, I promise you!"
Asteria:"We were together for a good 4 years!...(*Sihtric's eyes widened*)...and since he was not tender, I thank you for not rushing me to do anything that I do not want voluntarily and of my own accord!"

~~~~~~
She cupped his face into her hands and kissed him intensely! His hands were still resting on her arse and he held her in place! He again smiled into their kiss and deepened it! Asteria detached from him to breath some fresh air, but she couldn't do that for long, as he pulled her in for another kiss, with now his one hand caressing her left cheek! She smiled before she pressed her lips onto his once more and before she heard a very sharp and painful whistle! It was her father, who stood on Aylesbury's stairs and looked down on the two of them! But not only Asteria and Sihtric heard the King's whistle, no, also Uhtred, Finan, Osferth, Æthelflæd and Edward heard it! Whilst King Alfred walked down the stairs, Uhtred and the others walked over to Asteria and Sihtric! Æthelflæd's and Edward's eyes widened, but they didn't say anything, as the only thing they wanted for their sister was, to finally be happy...
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Edward:"I won't say anything about it, because the only thing I want for you is to finally be happy, Asteria!...(*Asteria lowered her head*)...but father will say something and it won't be friendly..."
Æthelflæd:(*she nodded*)"He will have you dragged away from Sihtric and you will never be allowed to see Sihtric again, Asteria!...(*Sihtric's eyes widened*)...was it worth it to you, sister?"
Asteria:"Yes, it was worth it to me, Æthelflæd!...(*Æthelflæd sighed*)...Sihtric is the one I want to spend the rest of my life with and I will do everything to save him from father's wrath!"
Uhtred:(*he swallowed*)"We are in, but we need a plan!...(*Asteria turned her head*)...do you happen to have one?"
Sihtric:"Uhtred, Lord, promise me that you will protect Asteria!...(*Uhtred hesitated but nodded*)...thank you, Lord! And to the rest of you: it was nice to have known you!"
Finan:(*his eyes widened*)"What are you up to, you idiot?!...(*Sihtric looked him*)...whatever it is, I don't like it..."

~~~~~~
Right before Sihtric could say another word, King Alfred reached the small group and shot both, Asteria and Sihtric a dirty look! Then moments later, Steapa and a few other guards lifted Asteria up and when her feet touched the ground again, one of King Alfred's guards, wrapped his arms around her from behind and held her tight! She tried to fight his firm grip, but she was too weak! And she needed to watch, as Steapa and a few other guards pulled Sihtric to his feet and dragged him away from her! Her screams echoed through the whole of Aylesbury and Æthelflæd's heart broke for Asteria! This wasn't fair! It wasn't fair, that her father denied her the only happiness she seemed to have! Edward, Uhtred, Finan and Osferth tried to talk some sense into King Alfred, but he ignored them and told the guard, who held Asteria, to bring her into her chambers and lock her in there! Her eyes widened and she again tried to fight the guards firm grip, but she was still too weak and the others couldn't help her, as swords were held to their throats...
~~~~~~