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"I knew you would be with your princess." Brida snapped glaring at them.

"Something had happened." Uhtred said as he walked to her. Gene felt Sihtric tighten his hold on her waist when she inhaled sharply, she hadn't stopped crying since Ragnar had died, only Sihtric knew of the situation. She couldn't find it in herself to speak of it and Sihtric refused to leave his wife's side while she was so distressed.

"You left him." Brida said harshly.

"Ragnar?" Uhtred asked with dread.

"He had waited years for you to come home and within a matter of days, you were gone. You should have left the Saxon bitch to die." Brida snarled as they watched.

"Where is he? I will go to him."

"He's dead! Ragnar is dead! He doesn't feast in Valhalla. Instead, he lies under a pile of stones at a lake near Loidis. There was no honor in his death," Brida grabs Uhtred's furs and pulls him close. "None. He will spend eternity in the cold of Niflheim because of you Uhtred of Bebbanburg. You chose her. You chose Alfred and you left him." She puts a dagger to his throat and Sihtric makes to move to his aid.

"No, Sihtric." Finan said holding out his hand. Sihtric chose to instead kiss Gene's neck softly when she tensed up at Brida's claim.

"I should kill you but I want you to live with the pain of his death. He was your brother." Brida looked over his shoulder to glare at her. "Gene you were his friend, your first love, and yet you left him to die." Sihtric scowled at the women when he felt Gene sob in his arms.

"I have a family, Brida. I have to put them above friends." Gene said looking at the angry woman.

"He was once your family too." Brida snapped and walked away leaving Gene and Uhtred heartbroken and guilty.

"Do not listen to her, my love. You did nothing wrong, Ragnar would say the same." Sihtric whispered into her ear as he held her.

At Aylesbury, horns are sounded as Steapa and Æthelred greet them with swords. Aethelflæd and Uhtred dismount and approach them.

"I ought to kill you where you stand, lord." Steapa snarled looking at Uhtred.

"You could try, my friend. I'm here to see the king." Uhtred says.

"You ride with outlaws, my dear."

"He's an outlaw of Wessex, not Mercia. We're here to see my father." Aethelflæd spoke looking at the two men.

"What is it you have to say to the king that you cannot say to your husband?"

"I wish to speak of treachery and traitors. The Dane Hæsten did attack us at the nunnery at Wincelcrumb. It was his purpose to kill me." Aethelflæd told them.

"Hæsten claims to be a friend to Alfred. He's not."

"Let the outlaws pass, no weapons. None at all."

"Lord Æthelred, like you, we stand against the Danes!" Finan shouted in disbelief.

"No weapons is the command, Irishman. None at all." The group reluctantly hands over their weapons as they walk in.

"My father cannot suspect my husband is the traitor."

"We should kill your husband and be done with it." Finan spoke with a grin. Gene smiled softly when Sihtric kissed her head and pulled her close by her hand. Their children walked in front of them, Erik like always, was hovering near her as he glared at the Saxons. Fintan was holding Aethelflaed and Uhtred's hands as he watched Steapa in amazement, probably from his height she assumed, and Eithne was curled into Finan's side.

"And begin a war between Wessex and Mercia now?"

"Lady, I'm joking. We'll kill him tomorrow." Finan and Sihtric look at one another with a grin. Gene ruffled Erik's hair when he placed a protective hand on her stomach when Steapa turned around. Sihtric reached around her to caress his son's face with his knuckles as he felt warmth in his heart at the protective action.

"We halt. Stop!"

"We know what hall means, big man."

"Steapa, we are both thirsty and hungry." Aethelflæd speaks softly.

"You may enter the hall, lady. The outlaws do not."

"Then I choose to remain here with the outlaws." The princess spoke and Fintan gazed up at her softly.

"As you wish."

"Um, what if I need to piss?" Finan calls out, and Uhtred turns away with a smile.

"Then take out your cock." Steapa deadpanned.

"And if you mistake it for a weapon, what then?" Steapa went to move towards and Steapa pats Finan's chest and grinned over at her. Steapa squeezed her arm briefly with a soft smile and turned away from them,

"Steapa, food, and ale would be appreciated." Uhtred interrupts.

"I will arrange it."

"And Steapa, good food. Meat and lots of ale!" Sihtric and Uhtred watch Finan with a smile, Finan fights back a grin. They move to a table to eat some food with Steapa keeping watch. Her children were gathered around the table eating quietly, Uhtred was a little jealous of how mannered and quiet they were.

"Steapa." Sigebriht said walking to them.

"Lord Sigebriht."

"An approximation to a Witan has gathered. The outlaws are required." Sihtric chugged his ale down and picked up their youngest son.

"What is an approximation to a Witan?" Sihtric asked Finan.

"It's almost a Witan, but not quite." Finan answered quickly.

"We must be without the king." Uhtred whispered.