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Having her hands bound and restrained by two men isn't something Gene excepted when they tell her Uhtred was here, her face and hands were still covered in blood and her throat now showed bruising from her brother. Gene knew she had to think of something fast because she understood the moment her boys saw the state she was in all hell would break loose.

"Gene? What have they done to you?" Gene sighed in relief seeing Lady Aethelflæd, who she noticed was in a better state.

"It's alright if my brother focuses on me, you will not be touched, I swear it." The girl grew teary-eyed and pulled her into a hug, the men grunted in displeasure but did nothing.

"Thank you, Gene. I will make sure Mercia rewards you." Gene simply waved her offer off and continued walking through the crowd with her friend.

"I have come to negotiate. I demand respect! If you do not wish to hear my price then I will leave happily." Aethelflæd and Gene are shoved forward making the lord trail off. "Aethelflæd." Gene noticed Erik was looking at her stunned and filled with dread, it would seem their brother hadn't notified him.

"I will have the head of the man that harmed Genevieve!" Uhtred lashed out at and pulled his sword from the sheath on his back, Finan too looked ready for bloodshed.

"As you can see, she is well. My sister, however, I decided needed to learn her place." Erik forced his gaze away from his sister and woman to glare sharply at Sigefrid.

"You did this?" Sigefrid laughed and patted Erik's shoulder.

"It would seem he doesn't value family as much as we thought, Erik. And that's why he'll never be considered a brother to me like you and Uhtred." Gene spoke calmly despite the discomfort she felt, Aethelflæd reached for her hand and squeezed it, she gave the girl a small smile. Sigefrid went to move toward her but Erik stopped him with an aggressive shove.

"I would like to speak with my wife."

"Then do it." Sigefrid said bluntly motioning to the princess. Aethelred walked to the two women and looked at his wife.

"They are treating you well?"

"They are." Gene noticed Erik hadn't taken his eyes off of the lord with poorly concealed rage. Great, he had a thing for the princess. That possibly couldn't end disastrously.

"And you have not been....touched?" Gene scoffed at the lord and pulled his wife closer to her.

"I have not."

"What I now must do is secure an acceptable price for your release. There will be word games played. Do not be alarmed by what I may say I assure you, once this is over, they shall pay for what they have done to us all."

"Thank you, lord." Aethelflæd whispered, he then turned around to face the brothers.

"What is your price it must be fair, or you can keep her." Sigefrid chuckles and stands next to Gene, he moves to touch her and she jerks away with a glare.

"You talk of your woman like you do not care." He taunts him, out of the corner of her eyes she sees Sihtric moving closer, she avoids looking at him to not expose him.

"She is important to me of course, but she has a price beyond which I cannot go, I will not." He speaks plainly.

"Then name it. Name this price." Sigefrid demands.

"Cowards, both of you. Neither one of you will be written in history, you'll always be failures." Gene ridicules them, and Sigefrid slaps her making everyone go mute, she locks eyes with Sihtric and subtly tells him not to do anything.

"You will always be seen as Ragnar's whore! And soon, you will be known as Hæsten's wife." Sigefrid seethed, she spat the blood filling her mouth at his face and laughed.

"You will not touch her again, Sigefrid." Erik warns him and motions to Uhtred and Finan who have moved closer with a look of bloodlust.

"Perhaps, she should speak less."

"One hundred pounds weight of silver. My lands cannot afford no more." Aethelred interrupts the sibling spat.

"Does this man speak for Alfred?" Sigefrid turns to look at Uhtred.

"He does not."

"Hmm, Weland! Where is Weland? I do not see him, Weland! Ah, Weland!" Sigefrid shouts and looks at the massive man who shoved his way to his lord.

"This man here hit him." Aethelred scoffs but soon grows scared when Weland smiles at him before knocking him out. "Take them back to their cells." Sigefrid orders.

Later that night her cell opens revealing Uhtred, she runs to him and melts into his secure embrace. He held her close as he caressed her hair and whispered to her.

"I'm sorry, Gene. This is my fault, I didn't see this coming." She frowned into his chest and pulled away. She reaches up to touch his face and shakes her head.

"No, this is all Sigefrid's fault. He's manipulative and only looks out for himself. He's fooled both Erik and me." Uhtred leans his forehead against hers for a moment in silence.

"Erik loves her." Uhtred whispered and it was unfortunate that Erik would never see that love bloom.

"I know, he's made it pretty obvious." She answered with a teasing tone.

"I'm sorry about Sigefrid, you always spoke so highly of him." Gene laughed at the irony of this situation and soon started to crumble from the thought, Uhtred shushed her as he wiped away her tears. "I won't let him hurt you anymore." He kissed her head and reluctantly left her there.

"Please, Odin. Don't abandon me now, give me a sign." She tossed out her wood-carved runes on the bed and felt the rush of power as she read them.

She began to cry at the answer. She sobbed and curled in the corner knowing in her heart it was true.

To find love she must kill her past.

Her brother's death will allow her to be free and to finally marry Sihtric.