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They sit around the boat as Uhtred sleeps, Skade drinks some water from the river while Finan is huddled at the back of the boat. Finan watched horrified at the sight of Uhtred kissing Skade. Sihtric and Sigrún were cuddled up in the front, she was asleep with her head in his lap and Seidr was snuggled up against her chest dozing off. Sihtric smiled down at them as he stroked her hair softly. He loved her, he knew it with his entire heart and soul. Osferth sent the couple a soft smile and turned away to catch some sleep.

Eventually, they arrive back in Coccham.

"Is the idea we walk into Coccham like we've never been away?" Finan asked from where he walked with Uhtred.

"Yes."

"Directly to the hall?" Finan questioned in disbelief.

"Yes."

"And if another lord resides there?" Finan asked quietly.

"We ask him to leave, my friend." Uhtred spoke nonchalantly.

"I plan to see my children." Uhtred said dismissively and looked to a man who gained his attention. Sigrún raised an eyebrow at the plan but failed to say anything, Sihtric was too distracting. His hand was rubbing up and down her back and she desperately wanted to sleep with him.

"Lord, you will not remember me." A man claims as he bows to him.

"I remember you. You're Edwin. You're married to Mildwynn." Uhtred claimed happily as he patted the man's back.

"Lord, they have taken more than half our winter store. Animals and grains. They say it is to feed Alfred's army, but we will certainly starve." Edwin said in a panic, he flinched back at the sight of Sigrún's snake and she giggled quietly.

"Who did this?"

"They're at the hall, lord. King Alfred would not have ordered this." Edwin said. Uhtred and his group walked to the gates of the hall and noticed guards were placed outside.

"Stand aside, I want no bloodshed, no man killed." Uhtred said and sighed when they refused to move.

"He said stand aside. Now!" The guards look at one another before moving. "Thank you. I should not need to raise my voice." Sihtric says softly, she slips her hand into his as they walk in. She had to fight the urge to suck his cock right then and there. Gods, she was unbelievably turned on. She's never been like this, it must be Sihtric.

Sihtric moves to the table to eat and drink ale as the priest takes notice of them. She props her chin on his shoulder and wraps her arms around his bicep, Seidr slithers down her shoulder to taste the food that sits in front of them. Her heart skips a beat when Sihtric tears some of the meat and puts it into a pile for him.

"Uhtred. Uh, what is the meaning of this invasion?"

"This is my home." Uhtred stated and glanced at the snake that swallowed most of the food in one go.

"We are here by right, on the king's business." The priest said as he stood up.

"You are stealing food from the mouths of the poor." Uhtred said as he looked at the priest in disdain.

"An army needs to be fed."

"As do the priests, it seems." Uhtred says as he watches Skade stab a piece of meat on a priest's plate.

"You are lucky it is not your hand." Skade sneered at the man as she leaned in close. Skade looks up at her and Sigrún rolls her eyes and pulls Sihtric down for a kiss.

"We want no disharmony here today." Uhtred turns and sees a cross hanging above the doorway.

"What is that?" Uhtred questioned.

"Well, you know what it is."

"Take it down. Take it down or I will make a gift of you to Skade." Uhtred threatened as Skade walked behind him in interest.

"I will not do as you ask. I cannot."

"Lord, see it as a piece of wood, nothing more." Finan stated moving close to them.

"It is a holy cross."

"Bishop Erkenwald, I suggest you shut your holy mouth." Finan interrupted sensing the growing tension. Sigrún cackled at that and Sihtric smiled down at her softly.

"And take it down."

"Or I...I can just take it down, lord?" Osferth added softly pointing up at it.

She's adopting the adorable little monk, though she might have to fight Finan to do so.

"You will do nothing." Uhtred demanded making Osferth nod.

"I realize you are looking to find a reason to kill me, and I would prefer to do as you ask. I am not a fool, but I cannot deny my faith. The king will hear of it, God would know of—" Uhtred cut in with anger.

"The king has told me many times that this is a pagan's hall. You will take it down."

"It is my cross, lord. My doing. I put it there and I would like it to remain there unless, of course, your plan is to once again be the Lord of Coccham. I meant no insult." Hild said from the entryway, Uhtred smiled softly just as Skade grunted and the cross fell.

"Now, perhaps, we may eat." Skade says from above. Finan moves to dust off the cross as he picks it up.

"You may take it." Uhtred says as Hild and Skade stare one another down.

"When you leave, you will take only half of what you have gathered. I understand an army must be fed, but my village will not starve." Uhtred demands looking at the Bishop.

"The king will not approve."

"The king is a ghost! Nothing more than that." Uhtred shouts making the men whisper amongst themselves.

"Lord, may we speak further, privately?" Hild asked and the two left the hall as Skade stood by the door watching. Sigrún stands and she laughs when Sihtric does the same immediately.

"You do not have to be by my side, you know that right?" She questioned with a smile and Sihtric began to frown. "Not that I do not enjoy your company, I do very much. But I want you to have freedom. I want you to still have your own space, my love." She said softly as she caressed his cheek, the Dane leaned into her palm with a small smile.

"I know, Sig. I just prefer to always be by your side." Sigrún intertwined their fingers and pulled him with her to the room Uhtred gave her.

"I am doing a spell for Uhtred." She explains once they reach the room she starts pulling out ingredients.

"He asked?" Sihtric asked in confusion but bent down to pick up Seidr who was headbutting his leg lightly.

"No, but I fear he will not kill her. He is not the type to harm or kill women. The guilt that would no doubt weigh on him will follow him forever and unfortunately, I cannot do anything about that. So, I have decided to do something similar to a curse." Sihtric nods along and sits in front of her with Siedr curled up on his lap.

She pulls out Skade's vile of blood and pours it into the copper bowl and cuts her palm deeply making both her boys hiss in disapproval. She rolled her eyes in amusement at their reaction, she bled into the bowl and watched as Sihtric quickly wrapped it for her.

He was so beautiful.

He glanced at her and leaned in with a smile as he kissed her softly. She pulled away not long after and held out a small pouch for Siedr to release his venom into, he clasped his jaws into the hide and bit as hard as possible to get his saliva glands to produce more venom for his mother.

"Thank you, my sweet boy." She praised and Sihtric stroked the snake's head as it leaned into his hand happily. She poured the venom into the bowl of blood and whispered some words to finish it. She raised the bowl to drink it when both of her boys made distressed sounds.

"That is poison!" Sihtric said frantically as he tried to get the bowl from her, Seidr was growing stressed with the thought of his venom killing her.

"I know, my boys. I know what I am doing, I swear. Loki would not allow me to die by something so simple as venom. Do not panic when I black out, it is only natural." Neither one of them looked relaxed at her statement but they both moved back. She drank the mixture and gasped when she felt the spell take root, her nose had blood leaking from it, and she laughed as she knowingly sealed Skade's fate.