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Sihtric:"Lord, I think Finan, Osferth and I should stay outside with the horses!...(*Uhtred nodded*)...we keep our fingers crossed that the King is not completely stupid!"
Finan:(*sighed*)"Tell him we must hurry! Because not only his daughter is in danger!...(*Lady Gisela appeared*)...Lady Gisela? What are you doing here?"
Gisela:"I heard what happened!...(*Finan lowered his head*)...Uhtred, if you don't get this right, we may never see Æthelflæd and Val again..."
Uhtred:(*walked towards her*)"My sunshine, we will see them again, I promise you!...(*he kissed her forehead*)...how are Stiorra and young Uhtred?"
Gisela:"They miss their father!...(*Uhtred sighed*)...but I told them that he will return as soon as he had saved their favourite aunt!"
Osferth:(*slightly smiled*)"But Uhtred should hurry up now!...(*Gisela turned her head*)...I am sorry, Lord!"
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Uhtred waved it off and disappeared into the palace! After what felt like ages, he returned and Gisela noticed the change in his mood! King Alfred was stubborn and denied his wish for more troops! Finan's blood began to boil once again and he angrily banged on the table! Sihtric and Osferth sighed...watching Æthelred and Aldhelm leave the palace! They would return to Mercia and gather their troops...and Uhtred was damned to return to Coccham! And without further complaining...he did! But before they rode off, he once again paid Valeria's parents a visit and promised them, that he would bring their daughter home! Eadgyth thanked Uhtred and hugged him before she closed the door! Now they rode off and they would remain on Coccham, until King Alfred would give in! And 2 days later he did! He sent word to Uhtred and begged him to lead his troops to Lunden! He sent word back to King Alfred, saying that he would sent two of his men into the fortress, to check on the girls well being!
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Uhtred:"Sihtric, Rypere you two will ride to Beamfleot and sneak into the fortress!...(*they nodded*)...then when you have seen that the girls are well, one of you will come back here and tell me!"
Rypere:(*raised an eyebrow*)"Shouldn't we then head straight to Winchester to pick up the troops?...(*Uhtred shook his head*)...and why not?"
Finan:"Because Uhtred knows Æthelflæd and Valeria better than you pea-brain!...(*Rypere rolled his eyes at him*)...Lord, do you think the girls will send word and stop you from marching troops?"
Uhtred:(*shrugged his shoulders*)"Even if so, I will only believe it when there is a good reason for it!...(*Finan silenced*)...now get out of here!"
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Sihtric and Rypere walked towards their horses and rode off! They reached the fortress of Beamfleot after a while and rode through the gates! Erik and Sigefrid were happy, that they came to visit! Sihtric immediately went to check on the girls well being, when Erik and Sigefrid were having a round of ale! Hæsten, Dagfinn and some other men, questioned Sihtric's suffer visit, but before something happened to him, Erik came to his aid!
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Erik:"Hæsten, Dagfinn get out of here before I make you sleep with the pigs!...(*they nodded and disappeared*)...you are the one they call Sihtric, aren't you?"
Sihtric:(*nodded*)"Uhtred told me to go and see if the girls were all right!...(*Erik opened the door to their cell*)...Val, Æthelflæd?"
Æthelflæd:"Sihtric!...(*she hugged him*)...it's good to see you! Where is Uhtred?"
Sihtric:(*smiled*)"Not far away princess!...(*Æthelflæd turned to Erik*)...is there something Uhtred should know?"
Erik:"Æthelflæd and I want to escape together!...(*Sihtric's jaw dropped*)...would you give him this letter?"
Æthelflæd:(*looked Sihtric dead in the eye*)"Uhtred must help us!...(*Sihtric looked at the letter*)...also tell him that he better place the troops close to the fortress, it is more likely to come to a fight on open ground!"
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Sihtric nodded and stored all the information in the back of his head! Before he turned around, he wanted to check on Valeria! Erik nodded and opened the cell door again...this time Sihtric stepped inside their cell! He looked for Valeria and found her, cowering in a corner! He approached her and gently placed one hand on her right shoulder! She turned her head and he gasped at the sight of her...she had bruises all over her face and scars everywhere! Erik also gasped at the sight of her...he certainly hadn't done this! The two men looked at each other and after a while, Sihtric left! Valeria's world collapsed...she wanted him to stay! Æthelflæd hugged her best friend and kissed her forehead! Erik and Æthelflæd had a bond and Valeria was happy to see that...but Erik wasn't there, when Hæsten or Dagfinn abused and raped her! Sihtric eventually returned to where he had left Rypere and told him, that Æthelflæd was fine but Valeria definitely wasn't! Rypere nodded and rode off...then Sihtric entered the great hall and tried to start a conversation with Erik...
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Sihtric:(*tapped on Erik's shoulder*)"Can we talk?...(*Erik nodded and stood up*)...can we go outside?"
Erik:"Good idea!...(*they went outside*)...what do you want to talk about?"
Sihtric:(*took a deep breath*)"I saw Valeria's scars and bruises and I want to know who did this to her!...(*Erik thought briefly*)...can you think of any names off the top of your head?"
Erik:"Hæsten and Dagfinn spontaneously come to mind!...(*Sihtric's blood began to boil*)...I swear to you, I never touched Valeria! A few times I took her in my arms when she needed a hug!"
Sihtric:(*smiled at Erik*)"I appreciate your honesty and I know you would never have touched her roughly!...(*Erik lowered his head*)...Uhtred as I know him, will help you and Æthelflæd!"
Erik:"And who will help Valeria?...(*Sihtric grinned*)...the Irishman in your group has his eye on her, am I right?"
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Sihtric nodded and disappeared! Meanwhile: Rypere reached Coccham! Uhtred was happy to hear, that Æthelflæd was all right , but when Rypere told him, that Valeria wasn't all right at all, Uhtred's mood changed immediately! He told Rypere to remain in Coccham until Sihtric came back! And Sihtric came back the next morning! He had Erik's letter and gave it to Uhtred...he read it and gasped! He needed to prepare a plan...but first, they needed to go to Winchester! So they did and when Uhtred stood in front of King Alfred, he told him, that Æthelflæd was fine! Lady Ælswith was glad...but she was afraid as well! Uhtred, Finan, Sihtric and Osferth then rode back to Coccham and prepared their plan to free the girls! Erik would help them...Erik was their only chance! The moment they reached Beamfleot, their life flashed before their eyes...
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