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The group took to riding to Eoferwic as soon as possible, Uhtred and Ragnar leading them in the front. Gene leaned back against Ragnar as he removed one hand from the reins to play with her fingers, Uhtred glanced at the two with a shit-eating grin but said nothing. She liked the peaceful atmosphere but a darker part of her wanted to kill again. Maybe she could kill the boy named Aethelwold, she already hated him. Some part of her that she couldn't explain deeply hated him. It was as if he had killed someone she loved, but he hadn't. Not yet.

"When will we have sight of Eoferwic? I have never ridden for so long nor so far." The boy himself yelled up to Uhtred, she gritted her jaw in annoyance, and the brothers glanced at one another in amusement.

"Have you a sore arse, lord?" Steapa taunted, she laughed at the joke.

"I have a sore everything. I need a woman to rub and bathe me." Gene gagged in disgust as the boy chuckled at his comment. Ragnar kissed her head to comfort her, it helped with the sudden nausea she had at the thought of any woman having to touch Aethelwold.

"We will be stopping soon enough." Uhtred announced.

"At Eoferwic?" Father Beocca asked, she wasn't sure if she liked him yet. But he was loyal to Uhtred, so perhaps she could give him a chance.

"We ride first to Loidis."

"What awaits us at Loidis?" The waste of space decided to speak once more, and she turned to glare at the boy.

"We shall see." Ragnar spoke, he pinched her thigh to tease her, and she turned the glare on him.

"Need I remind you, that first and foremost our purpose here is the king's business." Never mind, she found the priest irritating.

"Nothing has changed but our path, Beocca." Uhtred smiles.

"We shall see." Beocca echoes back.

Once they arrive at Loidis they dismount from the horses, Uhtred nods in the direction over Ragnar's shoulder. Ragnar and Gene turn to see smoke dispersing which reveals Brida, who did not look pleased.

"Brida!" Ragnar yells with a smile gracing his lips, he goes to the Dane and places his hands on her waist.

"You brought friends? They serve Alfred." He sighed and turned to look at the group watching them.

"Brida," He warns. "Do we have men?"

"Some," She then smiles at him. "This way." The two go to walk away before stopping and waiting for her. She shakes her head no and follows Uhtred and Beocca.

"Uhtred!" The Dane and seer ignore him. "Uhtred, you were sent north to aid Guthred, not to go chasing revenge." The priest says, following close behind them.

"Perhaps I plan to do both, Father."

"I think I know what you plan Uhtred, revenge will not bring you to leave, only death." Uhtred stops and turns to the priest, Gene watches closely.

"Father Beocca, you will have me kill for Alfred but not for myself, why is that?" He starts walking again in the direction of the tavern Brida and Ragnar are in.

"What business does Alfred have with Northumbria?" Uhtred calls over his shoulder, and the priest stops walking.

"God's business."

"God isn't real, Father." She spoke, mockingly using his title, but he glared at her instead. As they enter they hear Dane's cheering, but she is focused on a Dane leaving the moment he hears Ragnar speak. She narrowed her eyes in suspicion and quickly muttered a curse to send his way, beside her Father Beocca looked horrified. She ignores him and sits down between Ragnar and Brida, Uhtred just looks at the table lost in thought.

"Guthred is seen as weak and friendless, these men won't fight the brothers for a turd." Brida decided to start the conversation with colorful commentary.

"We need the turd's army to take Dunholm." She looks over at Steapa who seems to be listening closely.

"So why not kill the Northmen, then kill the turd, take Eoferwic and its army for yourself." Ragnar glanced at her and Gene.

"I like that idea." Gene watched as Brida placed her hand on Gene's squeezing it in thanks, Ragnar placed his own on her thigh.

"The woman's got a point." Finan spoke, he looked at Gene with a raised eyebrow seeing the three's dynamic, and she rolled her eyes. She would let him believe what he wanted.

"No, she does not have a point. Those are words of a traitor." Father Beocca says staring straight at Brida who laughs.

"I think we need to find you a woman." Gene smirks at the hatred that overtakes the priest's expression.

"I don't want Eoferwic, all I want is Kjartan's heart on the end of my sword and to see my sister." Ragnar looks at Uhtred.

"We will need Guthred's army." Finan looks at Uhtred, his head resting on his chin and his fingers absently playing with his beard. Gene knew he was thinking of a plan and he soon proved her right.

"I promised these men silver and the glory of avenging your father, don't dishonor them by getting them killed for Guthred," She paused briefly and looked over at Uhtred. "The turd." Ragnar and Gene laughed.

"Do you think Uhtred would allow me to curse the king? No one will ever know." Gene questioned with a playful smile.

"I will know. So, no. You are not allowed to curse the king." Uhtred said, giving her a disappointed look, and tossed his empty cup at Ragnar, who yelled at the sudden attack and bickered with his brother about respect.

Brida huffed alerting the brothers of her displeasure with the conversation and left.

"Oh, Ragnar, your woman's got the balls of a bear. I like her," Finan said pointing in the direction of Brida. "And you have another with the eyes of the devil." He pointed to Gene with a teasing grin, Ragnar smiled softly at the Irishman.

"She is right," Uhtred speaks, he brings the conversation back to the plan. "Beocca, she's right. These men are here for Ragnar, we can't ask them to die for the like of Guthred."

"Isn't it what Danes do, fight? We cannot face the brothers alone." Gene frowns at the mention of her brothers.

"Why not?" Finan asks.

"Finan there is bravery and then there is stupidity." Aethelwold says.

"You would know stupidity, wouldn't you runt?" Gene says with a vicious smile.

"The Northmen have a camp do they not? Not a fortress, but an open camp. If it is Sigefrid and Erik we must kill, then let us just do that. We kill them while they're sleeping." The brother glances at one another with a smile. She felt ill at just the thought of her brothers being killed in dishonor.

"Shadow-walkers."