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"Your guards are not, lady." Finan said after they made a dramatic entrance and now enjoy the food and ale the nuns have given them. He looks down at her youngest son who sleeps in his lap as he chugs down some ale.

"Not what?" Aethelflæd asked and glanced at her in curiosity when Erik snuggled into her side, Eithne was being fed by Sihtric and the young girl would simply open her mouth instead of asking for food.

"They're not guards. Their swords are trinkets." Sihtric said with a smirk and chuckled down at his daughter when she whined at his lack of attention.

"It's true." Finan agreed.

"They're good men."

"That has never protected anyone, Aethelflæd. They are either warriors or not." Gene spoke as she leaned into Sihtric's side with a smile, her husband kissed her softly as he gazed down at Gene with a loving smile.

"I'm sure they're loyal but they are not guards." Finan explained.

"They are barely men." Uhtred added and looked over at Gene and Sihtric with a fond smile.

"I do not like you, young man. You have a very high opinion of yourself." Aethelflæd smiled at the Abbess and Gene cackled at the woman.

"I am heathen, I am godless and an enemy of Alfred. But I will keep you all safe." Uhtred told the holy woman bluntly.

"And who is it that wishes me dead?" The elder woman asked them. Gene and Finan grinned at one another as he spoke.

"Several people, I imagine."

"What Uhtred is saying, is that the lands are changing. Men are becoming sick with greed and we must all be on our guard." Aethelflæd explains.

"Well, perhaps. But I know when I am hearing half-truths. I do not like him." The abbess scoffs at him. "And I like her even less." She replied motioning to Skade as she left.

"Nor I you, hag!" Skade shouts making the Abbess pause and turn around, Finan giggles next to her and Gene cannot help but smile at the man.

"She reminds me of my mother and that woman was never wrong either." Finan says making them laugh, he nudges Gene playfully.

"When we solve this, our little family is going on a peaceful trip." Sihtric said as he rubbed their daughter's back, Gene hadn't even noticed that the young girl was asleep in his arms. Her youngest kicks the bench softly as he dreams and mumbles in his sleep, Finan chuckles at the boy and pats his head.

"Oh, is that so? And where would we go, husband?" She asked seductively as she propped her arm on the table and placed her chin in the palm, she reached out to trail her fingertips down his jaw and throat.

"Anywhere, everywhere. As long as we are happy and safe, that is all I care about." Sihtric says grabbing her hand and placing kisses from the wrist and down her arm.

"That does sound promising, my love." She laughed when Erik gagged in disgust next to her and immediately ran to Osferth.

Not long after the group gathers at the table once more when the Abbess runs in with the nuns in tow panicking, she boards up the door and turns to them.

"What is it?" Uhtred asked.

"Abbess?"

"Danes, outside. I just witnessed them kill a man." The woman said quickly and terrified.

"How many Danes?" Finan asked as the men stood alert and unsheathed their swords. Skade glares at Gene's children when they stand next to her, and Erik sticks his tongue out and laughs at her when she scowls.

"I did not count, but many."

"Why aren't they bursting through the door?" Sihtric asked and watched Skade cautiously as his children teased her despite her pushing them to Gene.

"Finan, hold. Sihtric, they may not know we're here. Gene, do you know of anything?" Uhtred asked softly as he touched her arm, she sighed but nodded.

"Hæsten, he has come for the princess." She answered and Uhtred groaned in annoyance

"They have asked for the lady Aethelflæd." The Abbess says.

"Well, they know someone is here." Osferth replied sarcastically and picked up Fintan.

"There are two other hostages."

"We wait inside and will remain silent. Abbess, you will go to them and talk to them." Uhtred ordered and the Abbess began to panic.

"No, no. I...I...I will not."

"Yes, you will because you must." Uhtred insisted.

"Did I not say I did not like you?"

"You did. Allow them to believe you are unprotected and deny Aethelflæd is here." Uhtred explains. Gene moves her children into a corner and kneels while reaching for the axe that her brothers made her.

"Erik, I need you to take this," She says and wraps his hand around the hilt of the weapon, Erik frowns at her as she does. "As the eldest, it is your responsibility to protect them." Gene watched as the boy nodded with pride as if her trust in him meant the world to the boy.

"I will, mother. You have my word, no one will lay a hand on either of them. Or you." Erik added making her smile softly at the boy, Sihtric raised an eyebrow at the boy's confident speech.