I don't know, but I always feel a little sorry for Æthelwulf; what with his father, his wife, Alfred not being his son, and him constantly getting outwitted by our lovely Ivar; I thought he needed a little love.

Æthelwulf had not been able to believe his eyes; he sure that God must have sent one of his own, beloved messengers down to earth, as he had taken in the features of the woman who had held Athelstan close that day. Ecbert's heir, sure that he had never seen anything more beautiful in his life. The woman that he had been made to marry; that had betrayed him and lain with the former monk, even having a child by him, was nothing when compared to that exquisite creature. The news that she was Athelstan's sister, angering him, pleasing him, confusing him. Notions of revenge......of taking her and avenging himself for the jealousy, the rage, the humiliation that the affair between Judith and Athelstan had instilled in him, filling his mind. Yet when they had been introduced; when she had so elegantly curtsied and held herself with a regal air that any princess, any queen would be envious of; when she had smiled and looked into his eyes, he had realised that he didn't just want to force himself on her; that he didn't want to use her. That what he really wanted was to give himself to her, as much as he wanted her to give herself to him. That he desired her to show him the love that Judith......that his own father, had never had for him. And now, as he sat quietly in his rooms, all Æthelwulf could think of........ was Athelstan's sister, (Y/n).

His arranged marriage to Judith had always been a little complicated and troubled; there never any real love between the man and wife. Æthelwulf aware that his bride thought him to be a little slow, boring; and that that was perhaps one of the reasons she had become so fascinated by the man that had spent so long with the pagans. The prince having to repress his anger; to appear calm and unaffected in the face of Judith's betrayal. But now, thanks to (Y/n), there was a calmness in his life that he had not experienced before; a loyalty, a care that he had never known, and he would not let it go, he would not surrender it for anything. And despite the fact that he could not marry her and make her his queen; to Æthelwulf, (Y/n) would always be the queen of his heart. A small smile coming to his lips, as he heard a soft knock at the door to his chambers; he quickly getting to his feet and making his way over to the wooden ingress. His heart beating quicker as his lover's face came into view; Æthelwulf quickly pulling her inside and taking her into his arms. (Y/n) giggling as he lifted her up into the air and spun her around. The Prince of Wessex and Mercia, dropping to his knees and wrapping his arms around her, resting his head on her stomach, after he had placed her back down. His eyes closing, as she combed her fingers through his hair.

                                                             >>-------------------------------------<<

(Y/n)'s life had certainly taken a turn; she had only been young when word was received that Lindisfarne had been attacked by Northmen, and that the monks had been killed. She always presuming that Athelstan had been amongst the dead and she was now alone in the world, apart from her aging grandmother. But then......there he had been, after all those years; she amazed by his tales of Ragnar Lothbrok, and how he had lived with the pagans; of how he had become one of them......begun to follow their religion. (Y/n) not caring if he had turned his back on their beliefs; if he had worshipped the Northmen's gods, just that her big brother was back in his life. And if that was not enough, Athelstan had then introduced her to the prince; the way that Ecbert's heir had looked at her, sending a feeling through her, that she had not known before. Her heart breaking for Æthelwulf when she had heard what her brother had done; how he had sired a child, with the prince's wife. (Y/n) finding herself speaking to the prince, apologising for the hurt, the pain that Athelstan's actions had caused. But not once had she ever intended to become the prince's lover; not once had she ever thought that Æthelwulf's eye would fall on her. Yet here she was, the heir to the kingdoms of Wessex and Mercia on his knees before her.

"I have missed you............" Æthelwulf said, opening his eyes and looking up at her.

"We broke fast together this morning, my love.........."

"Exactly...........it has been far too long since I have seen you......." (Y/n) chuckling at the comment, as the prince got to his feet and pulled her into his arms. She hoping that he would not ask where she had been; (Y/n) not wanting him to lose his smile, by telling him that she had been with Athelstan, that she had been playing with Alfred while they had been apart. She placing her lips to his and deciding that it was the perfect time to tell him her news.

"Æthelwulf........" Her voice low, soft, filled with love, as the two finally pulled apart. The prince resting his forehead against hers.

"Hmmm........?"

"I have some news..........."

"News...........? Is everything alright......? My father......Judith haven't said anything to you, have they.........?" (Y/n) not deaf to the change of tone in his voice, at the mention of his wife and Ecbert. She reaching up and placing a hand on his cheek.

"No.......nothing like that. I..........I am with child, Æthelwulf. We.......we are going to have a child........." She explained. Her heart beating faster as she waited for his reaction to the news. (Y/n) feeling as though she couldn't breathe for a moment, as Æthelwulf pulled away. Her hand moving to rest on her stomach.

"I........I will leave you........." (Y/n) continued quietly, before turning and making her way to the door. It seeming that he would accept her brother's bastard as his own; but when it came to one that he had fathered himself.....her wrist suddenly grabbed, before she was spun around; Æthelwulf picking her up and carrying her to his bed. He gently placing her onto the mattress, then joining her. The smiling prince kissing his lover, before carefully moving his head back to her stomach; overjoyed that his child was growing inside her. Silently promising, as he held (Y/n) close; that even though his beautiful lover may never be queen, even though their child would never be called a prince, or princess; they and their mother, would always rule his heart.