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"I need ale, slave." Osferth said jokingly to Finan. Rúna was beyond annoyed and angry, she was pissed at Uhtred and Sihtric. She felt betrayed when Finan told her Sihtric took the prisoners and ran. She was beginning to open her heart up to him and like those before him, he crushed it.

"Here." Finan grabs the nearest cup of ale and hands it to him.

"What is it?" Osferth asked when Finan perked up.

"You mean, who is it, Osferth." Uhtred walks in a moment later. "You're back."

"I'm back." They laugh and hug.

"That's good."

"Sihtric?" Uhtred questioned and looked over at his sister who was glaring at him.

She would keep her promise. She will not speak to him.

"Uh, gone. Long gone and, um, with the prisoners, lord." Finan says quietly making Uhtred nod in understanding, Uhtred then raises a hand to place it on Finan's neck. "Good journey, then?"

"It was. I know what I must do now. Osferth." Uhtred greets the monk with a smile.

"Lord."

"You're still alive?" Uhtred questioned teasingly.

"Of course!" Uhtred hugs the boy as Aethelflæd walks in.

"Reaching Skade will be near impossible. She's in the middle of two thousand Danes or more." Finan informs him with worry. Uhtred knocks his arm against hers softly but is ignored when she stands and moves next to Osferth.

"It can be done."

"How?" Osferth asked.

"With God's help," Aethelflæd looked at him in confusion as they all went silent. "I'm joking. I've yet to decide." He says with a grin.

"When?"

"When I am rested." Uhtred said bluntly.

"As soon as you are rested you will walk with me. That is a command." Aethelflæd says and leaves. Finan fidgets for a moment before clearing his throat.

"Uhtred, Sihtric's departure —" He is cut off by Osferth.

"Betrayal." Rúna flinched at the word and Uhtred felt guilty as he saw her distressed face.

"It has disturbed the men. They feel that you are to share the blame. You and your quest for Skade, some may not want to go looking for her all over again. Think about it." Finan spoke quietly and Uhtred nodded.

Hours later, Uhtred and Aethelflæd return with a hostage. Uhtred shoves him down on the stool as Finan stands in from of the fire with cutters and the man whimpers in fright when Finan sits across from him.

"Ask me anything and I will give you the truth. I swear!" The man begs.

"Brave man."

"I am no fool." The man snapped at Finan.

"You were at Dunholm. You're Aethelwold's man." Uhtred stated as he walked closer.

"I am, lord."

"He sent you here to do what?" Uhtred asked.

"To kill you, lord. And I am glad to have failed."

"I'm not." Rúna mumbled making Uhtred gaze at her sadly.

"Miserably." Finan says.

"I am glad. I would like to see my wife and children once again. Is that so wrong? When we left Winchester, I did not know we were going to the Danes."

"You were stupid to follow that rat anywhere." Rúna spoke as she purposefully avoided looking at her brother.

"Why did Aethelwold send men to kill, lord Uhtred?" Aethelflæd asked him as she stepped closer.

"Because Uhtred is Alfred's sword and shield. Have mercy, lady. I had no choice."

"Offa, you will carry a message to the Danes and I will let you live." Uhtred spoke as he looked down at the man.

"Lord."

"Your family in Winchester will be my hostages, should you be tempted to lose your way." Uhtred threatened.

"No, lord. Yes, lord. What is the message, lord?"

"You will return to Aethelwold and to Hæsten, Cnut, and Bloodhair. You will tell them that Uhtred of Bebbanburg is coming as a shadow walker and they will die as my brother died. I will send them all to Niflheim." Uhtred says coldly as Offa cowered under his gaze.

"I can do that, lord. I swear!"

"You will do that." Finan stands next to Uhtred when the man turns to his men.

"Like Sihtric, some of you may doubt me. I understand why, there have been times when I've doubted myself. Those times are behind me now. I am a lord without wealth, without land, I can't offer silver or the walls of a fortress behind which you can grow fat and lazy. Follow me and I will take you down a hard, brutal path, but it is a path that leads to the one thing every true warrior desires: reputation. Follow me and you will have my sword and my oath for whether you are Dane or Saxon, I swear I will die to protect each and every one of you. My mind is clear about what must be done, but I cannot do it without you." Uhtred speaks from the heart.

Finan and Aethelflæd watch him with soft smiles and radiating pride. One by one the men stand in his favor and soon they cheer. Rúna scoffed in disbelief and walked out of the hall, she could hear Uhtred shouting her name. When his hand grabbed her arm and turned around and punched him, hard. Uhtred hissed in pain as he clutched his bleeding nose.

"Listen to me, please." She crossed her arms waiting for him to continue. "I am sorry. Sihtric leaving was on me." Rúna gave him a dirty look. "Telling you this could jeopardize it, but I cannot have you hating me." Rúna narrowed her eyes at the Dane.

The two grew silent when some of his men walked by laughing and drunk. Uhtred pulled her near an alley and leaned down to whisper into her ear.

"It's part of my plan. It had to be Sihtric." She sighed in relief knowing Sihtric was still their comrade but scowled at Uhtred in anger. She shoved the man away from her making him toss his hands up in the air in disbelief.

"Say anything else and I will punch you." Uhtred immediately shut his mouth as she walked away.