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Thyra was walking around the camp, when she heard horses approach! She quickly grabbed some tableware and clashed it together! Some of the guards woke up, some needed to be woken up! Dalia, Æthelflæd and some of Æthelflæd's maids, where napping in the back of one of the tents! When Thyra entered the tent and woke up the girls, they quickly ran outside! Æthelflæd's eyes were filled with fear and Dalia regretted her decision to coming along!
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Thyra:"If we don't get out of here now, we'll die!...(*Dalia took a deep breath*)...any suggestions? For example, where we could take refuge?"
Dalia:(*thought briefly*)"How about the forest?...(*Æthelflæd and Thyra looked at her*)...there is the greatest chance of being able to escape!"
Æthelflæd:"They will kill us on the way to the forest, Dalia!...(*Thyra nodded*)...how about we just fight?"
Thyra:(*tilted her head*)"Do you know how to do that?...(*Æthelflæd shook her head*)...and how will you fight then?"
Æthelflæd:"So we'd rather take Dalia's suggestion?...(*Thyra nodded*)...okay, let's go!"

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The girls took each other by the hand and began running towards the forest! They watched as men got killed and they heard the screams of terrified women! Nevertheless: they needed to run! When they reached the forest, each of them took a different direction and Dalia prayed, that Thyra and Æthelflæd would make it out alive! She didn't worry about herself, she wouldn't fight if she had to! When suddenly everything went quiet, Dalia dared to turn around...in the glimpse of her eye, she saw as Æthelflæd got kidnapped and Thyra hiding behind a big tree! Out of a sudden, a Dane appeared behind Dalia and she quickly turned around! She dodged his attacks and tried to run away! He grabbed her wrist, slammed her to the ground, opened his belt and turned her around so that her back faced him! Dalia didn't know how long she was getting raped, but she knew that it hurt! She prayed for it to end and when the Dane finally pulled his cock out of her, she dared to look at his face...
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Dane:"Actually, I should kill you, but someone has to play the messenger!...(*Dalia spat at his feet*)...you are quite rebellious!"
Dalia:(*rolled her eyes*)"And you are a bastard!...(*the Dane laughed*)...just kill me and deliver your fucking message yourself!"
Dane:"Where would be the fun in that?...(*Dalia shrugged her shoulders*)...I'm not a fan of doing the dirty work!"
Dalia:(*grinned*)"Neither do I, and yet life doesn't always give us what we want!...(*the Dane rolled his eyes*)...if you're going to kill me, please do it quickly, all right?"
Dane:"Why do you want to die so badly?...(*Dalia stood up*)...is your life that shitty?"
Dalia:(*nodded*)"After you raped and humiliated me, yes!...(*the Dane's eyes widened*)...but that's all right! I suppose that's what you Danes always do!"
Dane:"Not all Danes do such things!...(*Dalia tilted her head*)...anyway: I have to go now!"

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She watched as the Dane got on his horse and rode off! Dalia trembled and sank to the ground...she felt dirty and worthless! Never in her life she has been humiliated let alone raped! Thyra slowly made her way over to her and Dalia flinched when she felt her sudden touch! But as soon as she realised, that it was Thyra, she relaxed into her soft touch! Thyra gently caressed Dalia's head and hugged her! Dalia cried into Thyra's long red hair and didn't seem to calm down any time soon! Meanwhile: Uhtred, Father Beocca, Finan, Sihtric and Lord Æthelred's men reached the camp and saw all the dead bodies! Lord Æthelred immediately swallowed and Father Beocca jumped off his horse to find Thyra!
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Father Beocca:"Thyra?! Thyra, please! Please don't be dead!...(*no response*)...oh my God, no! Please, dear God, don't let her be dead..."
Uhtred:(*sighed*)"Beocca, anyone not named Æthelflæd is probably dead now!...(*Sihtric lifted his head*)...we should ride back to Winchester and report on the situation!"
Æthelred:"Uhtred, what do you think they did to Æthelflæd?...(*Uhtred shrugged his shoulders*)...they wouldn't kill her, she's Alfred's daughter! Do you think they kidnapped her?!"
Uhtred:(*turned around*)"All I know is that this camp has been destroyed, my sister has disappeared and I'm in a bad mood!...(*Lord Æthelred flinched*)...if you have any further questions, please direct them to Finan or Sihtric!"

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Thyra and Dalia were still sitting in the forest! Thyra continued to caress Dalia's head and when Dalia calmed down again, they stood up and began walking towards the camp! Meanwhile: Uhtred wanted to leave, when Father Beocca stopped him! Sihtric and Finan lost hope, that they would ever see Dalia, Thyra and Æthelflæd again! Uhtred eventually gave in and told his men, that they were about to wait...
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Finan:"Sihtric, do you think Dalia is okay?...(*Sihtric shrugged his shoulders*)...I don't even want to imagine what they could do to her if they kidnapped her..."
Sihtric:(*lowered his head*)"Then don't imagine these things, Finan!...(*Finan rolled his eyes*)...I could never forgive myself if something happened to Dalia!"
Finan:"So you do care about her?...(*Sihtric sighed*)...do you like her? Be honest!"
Sihtric:(*nodded*)"Yes, but I don't love her!...(*Finan sighed as well*)...and if I don't see her again soon, I'll lose my mind..."
Finan:"Believe me brother, we all will!...(*they looked at Uhtred*)...Uhtred, any sign of Thyra or Dalia?"

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Uhtred shook his head and just as Sihtric wanted to give up the last hope he had, he heard someone scream Father Beocca's name! It was Thyra and both Uhtred's and Father Beocca's eyes widened! Thyra came running towards Father Beocca and when she reached him, he immediately wrapped his arms around her waist and held her close! Uhtred caressed his sisters head and kissed her temple! Lord Æthelred looked at Thyra and after a short moment of thinking he addressed her! Dalia was slowly walking towards the camp, as her whole body ached and she couldn't move any faster...
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Father Beocca:"I thought you were dead!...(*Thyra shook her head*)...oh thank God she is still alive!"
Thyra:(*kissed his forehead*)"Beocca, I was so scared!...(*Father Beocca held her even tighter now*)...but that's not all..."
Æthelred:"Thyra, do you know where Æthelflæd is?...(*Thyra looked at him*)...you will answer me!"
Father Beocca:(*shot him a warning look*)"Of course she will! Just let her exhale first!...(*Lord Æthelred rolled his eyes*)...so my dear: where is Æthelflæd?"
Thyra:"I have no idea, Beocca!...(*Uhtred sighed*)...all I know is that we were running when the killing started and that I lost sight of Dalia and Æthelflæd at some point..."

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Finan, Uhtred and Sihtric lifted their head when they heard Dalia's name! The three of them looked at one another, when a weak frame slowly came walking towards them! Finan immediately nudged Sihtric's side and when Sihtric looked in the direction Finan was pointing at, his eyes widened! Dalia was trembling and dried tears were visible! Sihtric immediately walked towards her and pulled her into a tight hug! She immediately relaxed into his touch and began crying again! They sank to the ground and Sihtric gently caressed her head! Finan and Uhtred sat down besides them and Uhtred gently rubbed Dalia's back! Sihtric could feel how afraid she was and that something bad had happened to her...
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Finan:"Dalia, what happened?...(*she sobbed against Sihtric's armour*)...talk to us!"
Dalia:(*shook her head*)"No...I...I...I don't want to think about it again, Finan!...(*his eyes widened*)...please...please...don't ask me to think or talk about it again, Finan..."
Sihtric:"Dalia, we can't help you if you don't talk to us!...(*Dalia tightened her grip on his shoulders*)...my God, what have they done to you? You're all scared..."
Uhtred:(*looked at Father Beocca*)"Do you have any idea what could have happened to her?...(*Father Beocca nodded*)...seriously? Tell us your thoughts!"
Father Beocca:"I guess she was raped and that caused a trauma!...(*Dalia flinched at the word ‚rape'*)...and I guess that's where you get your confirmation!"
Finan:(*looked at Dalia*)"Okay listen Dalia, you just have to nod or shake your head in a minute, okay?...(*Dalia looked at Finan*)...have you been raped, yes or no?"

~~~~~~
Dalia nodded and immediately turned her head back to Sihtric! His eyes widened as well as Uhtred's and he tightened his grip, to give her the feeling of safety! A few months later: Æthelflæd was back in Mercia and Dalia was now living in Winchester as she moved out from home! Uhtred and his men often visited her and she slowly processed her trauma! Still she wanted nothing more to do with Sihtric and that in the camp was just a moment of weakness! Sihtric still couldn't understand why she didn't want to see him and when they visited her again, she had a tantrum!
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