xv. orders

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"Lord Uhtred." Sigebriht says as he turns away from the window. Luna groaned in annoyance and looked at Finan, neither wanted to be here.

"Lord Sigebriht you stand with Aethelwold?" Uhtred questioned in disbelief.

"I stand for a strong Wessex, where exactly do you stand lord? May I ask, is it with Edward?" Finan moved to sit down as Aethelwold poured Uhtred some ale, he motioned for her to join him and she didn't hesitate. Finan raked his fingers through her wavy hair to soothe his irritation.

"You say it as though there are men against Edward?" Uhtred said accusingly.

"There are men who doubt him, yes. But if Uhtred were to stand alongside him—" He is cut off by Aethelwold who hands Uhtred the cup.

"I was at Ethandun, I stood beside you in a shield wall. He is barely a man." Aethelwold snapped in irritation.

"And you believe you are? You are a coward, who only thinks of himself." She snapped as Aethelwold scoffed.

"And Alfred could barely lift a sword above his head, yet he was a man to follow." Uhtred defended and glanced her way.

"I say again, Edward is not Alfred. He is not a man to follow. The Danes know this." Aethelwold says with a scoff.

"You're still with them, admit it." Finan spoke with boredom.

"I am for Wessex."

"Lord, you did not answer my question. Where does Uhtred stand?" Sigebriht questions and Uhtred sits the cup down. He looks at Finan as they leave and Finan gives them a mocking smile. Luna slipped her hand into Finan's as they walk back to Thyra's home.

Later Beocca, Finan, Thyra, and Uhtred sit at the table at Thyra's home once again. Luna had just arrived with her daughter, she had just fed them and Sihtric wanted to show their son the horses. Finan and Luna weren't good at telling the Dane no for anything. Finan rubs his head as he holds his cup, the man is stressed and worried for his friend. Luna watched as his eyes lit up at the sight of their child, she gently handed him Torunn and smiled when he relaxed immediately.

"I will not leave Winchester, I cannot." Uhtred says determinedly.

"You can and you must." Finan says without looking away from their daughter.

"Not until Edward is king." Uhtred claims with a small amount of bitterness.

"You promised Alfred this?" Beocca stated.

"I did."

"If the pardon does not hold, then you cannot stay and wait to be imprisoned and killed." Finan pleads with the Dane. Luna placed a hand on Uhtred's shoulder and gave him a silent look, Uhtred almost considered breaking the promise for her.

"Where else should he go?" Thyra defends as she moves to Beocca's side.

"Anyway a horse can take him, anywhere a ship can go." Finan stressed as he rubbed his beard and slowly rocked the baby in his arms.

"Uhtred came here for a reason. He came for Ragnar's blood, he has a task to fulfill. The blood must be kept safe, a battle is coming. You must choose a side." Thyra said ominously.

"The problem being is neither side wants him." Finan claims and Uhtred chuckled in disbelief. Luna hid her smile as she turned to Beocca and Thyra.

"Which is a further reason why you must stay, wait for Edward. Which is why Alfred asked you for what seemed as a simple promise." Beocca claimed in realization.

"Bastard thinks." Uhtred mumbled.

"He knows your honor, Uhtred. That is all." Thyra claimed softly and placed her hand on Beocca's shoulder.

The announcement of Alfred's death is emotional for most of Wessex and the opportunity for the rest. Finan, Thyra, and Uhtred stand amongst the people as they begin Alfred's funeral ceremony. Tidman begins to harass Thyra once again and she quickly leaves to avoid a scene, Finan watches in confusion. Luna stands next to Finan and they share a worried look, she feels something eat away at her and she realizes it is gut feeling. Something bad was going to happen. She was thankful Osferth and Sihtric had their children from where they stood outside and not in Thyra's home.

Steapa quietly and slowly makes his way to Uhtred, he leans down to whisper to the man in hopes of not disturbing the grieving family. Beocca watches from his place up front and makes eye contact with the queen, he frowns at the sight.

"Lord, I have orders to kill you, should you not leave the hall quietly." Uhtred sighs but does as asked.

"Steapa, what is this? Hmm, what is this?" Finan shouts in desperation and confusion. Steapa motions to the guards and they slam him against the brick pillar. Luna gasped and turned to Steapa betrayed.

"You're the devil! You have betrayed us again. And for what? The cunt of a queen or her ignorant son?"She screamed in anger as one of the guards grabbed her, and both of the men shouted at the guard who touched her.

"Leave her." Steapa ordered and sent her an apologetic look as tears filled her eyes. This couldn't be happening. She and Uhtred were just getting on equal ground again, they were fixing things.

"Finan, do nothing." Uhtred demanded as he followed Steapa.

"He's a free man." Finan says defeated as he slumps against the wall. Luna felt him pull her into a hug as she wiped away her angry tears.

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