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"Why warn the Danes that we're coming?" Finan questioned Uhtred as they walked to their horses. The twins had perched on their horse already while Fintan was running around between the three of them.

"Who asks? Them or you?" Uhtred asked and smiled at the young boy.

"I'm asking, but the men would like to know."

"To worry them. They know that I am coming but they do not know when. It will give them sleepless nights, and when they do sleep, I want them to dream of a cold, cold hell." Uhtred said with a grin as he grabbed the reins of his horse.

"Hell is a place of fire, lord." Osferth said as he walked past them with bags, Fintan made an excited sound and ran to the monk.

"Uh, what are you doing?" Finan questioned and looked at Gene who laughed quietly. The man took parenting her and Osferth seriously.

"Did you believe you were leaving without me? Not a chance." Osferth said with a smirk, they gathered their things and she handed Fintan to Osferth who held him on the saddle. They eventually arrive in a small village called Crowland and Finan grows weary of it.

"I'm noticing this village is different from the others we've passed." Gene turned to look at the twins who frown at the Mercians in disgust and she can't help but to crack a smile.

"It prospers." Osferth answered.

"In the heart of Danelaw, it prospers." Finan spoke with suspicion.

"I have a thirst, my friends."

"Everyone here is as fat as a buttered bishop." Finan says as they walk through the town. Gene nudged Finan forward when he looked at the woman at the well and chuckled at him, the twins each held one of Gene's hands while Uhtred carried Fintan, the boy reached out with hands outstretched and Uhtred couldn't deny him anything.

"A buttered bishop?" Osferth repeats.

"A buttered bishop. Do you have a problem with that?" Finan asked with a smirk.

"You! Who are you?" A man shouts at them as they go to enter the alehouse.

"Who are you?" Uhtred asked in amusement.

"I am Guthlac, thegn of this place." Gene snickered at the sight of him.

"I am Uhtred of Bebbanburg." He said as he looked around.

"Never heard of it."

"And we have never heard of you." Gene added and pulled the twins close as they snuggled into her waist.

"We serve the lady Aethelflæd and thus, Mercia. We do you, no doubt." Uhtred says with a bored expression.

"We are Mercians, yes."

"Fat Mercians." Finan whispers to Osferth who shakes his head in disbelief, Gene cackled completely caught off guard and turned to hide her face in Finan's shoulder.

"What is it you want?"

"Food and ale, a place to sleep, rest a while. I'd hope that our beds will be warmer than your welcome." Uhtred says insulting the Mercians.

"No swords. Leave your weapons with your horses. My doors will be open to you." Guthlac says and stumbled back when Gene moved to Uhtred's side and placed a hand on his arm.

"I can kill a man without even touching you, his sword is the least of your problems." Gene said with a grin and felt Uhtred smile against her head when he turned away.

"I will not give you my sword, but you have my word. We're here for food, ale, and rest. Nothing else." Uhtred reinforced and noticed the Mercian sigh.

"Very well, but be warned we don't take kindly to—"

"Stranger with swords." Osferth cut in making Finan grin.

"Yes, that."

"And now he will send a messenger to the Danes, which could be to our advantage." Uhtred whispered to them. The group sits around a table and eats, Finan laughs as he clutches his cup of ale. The twins were sitting next to Uhtred as they listened to Finan's story while Fintan stood on his tippy toes to look outside with Osferth.

"I had more fun at the burying of my father."

"You knew your father?" Uhtred asked in surprise.

"I knew his first." Finan says into his cup.

"They are here, lord." Osferth speaks as he looks out.

"I see you watching! Tell our visitor, Uhtred, he is surrounded."

"Men with weapons, lord. Some with bows." Osferth says as he moves to Uhtred's side.

"He has sent his messenger. Now the plan is to keep us here."

"Inside an alehouse? I can think of worse places." Finan says making them laugh.

"Guthlac belongs to the Danes. They will hear we're trapped and they will ride to kill us all. Which is good, there will be fewer men at their camp. We are a distraction." Uhtred said with a smug smile.

"And we will be surrounded." Finan deadpanned as he grabbed Fintan and pulled him on his lap as they spoke.

"Watch that dirt, Osferth." Uhtred ordered.

"Uhtred, I wish only to talk!" Guthlac says.

"Then talk."

"I do not wish to fight." Guthlac said.

"That is a shame. Nothing finished evening in an alehouse so well as a fight." Uhtred says sardonically.

"Uh, maybe a woman." Finan cuts in making Uhtred smile.

"Maybe a woman." Uhtred said in agreement.

"You are outnumbered, there is no way out and we have bows. You should yield. Yield and your men will live. They only want Uhtred." Guthlac pleads to them.

"You're a traitor, Guthlac!"

"You cannot escape! I say again. We only want Uhtred!" Guthlac shouts.

"You are all free men, free to choose." Uhtred says as he turns to the men.

"We're with you, lord." The men say in unison.

"Bar the door!" Uhtred orders as men move to do as told.

"We cannot climb out, lord. The bowmen will have us." Osferth says as they watch Uhtred peek out the top-floor window. Gene stood against the nearest beam with a grin as she mumbled an incantation to help the fire, which Uhtred would soon demand, spread faster. She felt Fintan tug at her dress and when she leaned over he reached up to wipe away the blood that had leaked from her nose, she kissed his head lightly with a smile.

"Throw me that axe." Osferth does what is asked.

"What now, lord?"

"Bring me fire." Uhtred demanded and Finan tossed his hands up.

"He just loves burning things." Eithne giggled at Finan's dramatic display.

"He would love hell." Osferth said bluntly and Gene laughed as she shook her head.

Once they successfully burn the roofs of the building next to them and hear the screams and shouts the group walks out, Uhtred glares at the thgn as he approaches.

"Spare me, lord. Spare me! The Danes made me comply. I had no choice." The man kneels as he begs for his life.

"Never forget," He stabs the man as he glared at the Mercian traitors. "You serve the lady of Mercia, first and last." The group rides out and soon comes across Cnut and a small army of men as they crouch in the brush. Gene hated the man with a passion, she knew he helped kill Ragnar but she didn't have any solid proof.

"Cnut and only Cnut." Finan whispered.

"That's good enough. Less men at the camp." Uhtred replied as they walked closer to the Dane camp.

"Once night falls, even the king of shadow walkers would find no place here." Osferth said as he looked at them.

"Shush, someone's coming." They quickly hid behind a tree as the man approached them.

"It is Sihtric." Osferth said with worry. She and Osferth had to grab the kids to stop them from running out, even if she knew it was all a grand scheme.

"You have something to say to me, boy?" Uhtred demanded as he stepped out into the clearing.

"I do," Sihtric unsheathed his sword. "Yield to me." Uhtred drops his weapon as they glare at one another in silence. Uhtred and Sihtric break out into laughs and hugs. The twins and Fintan run to Sihtric as they hug him, Gene watches with love as her husband cradles each of their faces and kisses each of their foreheads. Sihtric gazed down at them with pure love as he held them, Gene moved forward to rub his cheek softly and watched as Sihtric leaned into her palm.

"Hello, my love." She said quietly. Sihtric kissed her wrist and stood to kiss her properly.

"I missed you, my beautiful wife." He said and moved his hands to place them on her hips.

"You were playing us. My goodness! They were playing us, Finan! Why?" Osferth said happily as he tapped Finan's thigh.

"If you had not believed it nor would others." Uhtred said with laughter as he picked up his dagger.

"I fooled you." Sihtric said smiling.

"No, I knew!" Finan said as he hugged Sihtric.

"No, you did not. Was I good?"

"A little." Osferth said with a smile. Gene pulled Sihtric close to her as she pulled him down to whisper into his ear.

"The first chance I get, I am holding you down and riding you." She whispered and grazed her teeth against his earlobe, he shivered against her at the promise.

"I'm telling you, I knew." They all laugh at Finan and hug one another. "I just hope it was all worth it."

"I hope so, too."

"What do you know? We saw Cnut on the road." Uhtred spoke silencing the laughter.

"Only Hæsten remains at the camp."

"What of Bloodhair?"

"Dead. He fought with Hæsten and was killed by Skade." Sihtric said.

"Good Jesus."

"She's a witch like no other," Sihtric said with slight laughter in his voice. "But she is not like my seers." Sihtric spoke as he kissed her hand and ruffled Erik's hair.

"She knows I'm near?"

"Yes, she knows of your promise to shadow walk, but there are too many guards. She is allowed to collect grass and herbs by a tree for her spells." He tells them and confuses Uhtred.

"A tree?"

"It's a single tree on the other side of the camp. You cannot miss it." Sihtric spoke teasingly.

"Tell her I'm here and take her there tonight."

"And if she refuses? If Hæsten prevents her?" Sihtric questioned.

"She will not refuse and Hæsten will not refuse her." Uhtred said confidently as they both chuckled.

"You have never failed me, Sihtric. I will see you at the tree. Let's go, Finan." The children hug their father once again before following them.