Soldier, Poet, King

Four

Arriving in Winchester, they saw Aethelwold drinking, as they arrived at the stable, as they dismounted their horses. Uhtred went and spoke with Beocca, who told Uhtred of his feelings for Thyra, as Uhtred gave his blessing, knowing that Thyra had never been happier than when she was with the Saxon priest.

Liv was with Sihtric, Finan and Clapa, as Finan kept his hand on her waist, making sure to keep her close, as she had only ever been in Winchester once. They heard cheering, as they saw Aethelred and his man, Aldhelm riding through the town, towards the palace.

"Is that Aethelred?" Clapa asked, as both Uhtred and Finan let out hums of confirmation, "From what I know, Alfred could not have chosen a bigger turd." Uhtred spoke, making Liv let out an amused snort. "I've never met the man, but by the look of him he was indeed shat out the arse of a giant." Finan spoke, as Liv did let out a laugh this time.

Uhtred had then dragged Aethelwold down a side street, before deciding to allow Aethelwold to take him to where the dead man rises from in Daneland, as Liv remained in Winchester with Gisela and Hild.

Liv was with Thyra in the home she lived in, as Thyra braided her niece's hair, as she smiled softly, "I have missed you, Coccham is nice, but I sometimes lie awake, wondering if Kjartan would have killed me, had it not been for Sven being convinced that by sparing me it would earn your love." Liv admitted, as Thyra looked at her niece, forcing the younger red-head to look at her, "As do I. We are both survivors of Dunholm, what happened should never happen again, nor will it." Thyra spoke, as Liv nodded her head, she knew what had happened in Dunholm wouldn't happen again, but the fear she had, it overwhelmed her somedays.

"Gisela told me that Finan took you riding in the rain?" Thyra asked, as Liv blushed a brighter shade of red than her hair, as Thyra smiled, "He then gifted me a thistle, before I entered the Burh once we returned back." She said, as she pulled out the cloth that the flower was still wrapped in, as Thyra took it, before she began embroidering the thistle onto the piece of cloth, as she embroidered many small thistles near the edges of the cloth, before she handed it back to her niece, who smiled, noticing that Thyra had used some of the thistle in the embroidery.

"Give it to him, as a wedding present." Thyra suggested, as Liv looked at her confused, "Wedding present? We aren't getting married." She said, as Thyra simply sent her niece a knowing smile, "Not yet. But you will, one day." She spoke, before they continued to catch up.

Liv soon left, deciding it would be better for her to go and stay with Gisela, as she had seen Beocca approaching, as she entered the room she smiled at Gisela, who smiled at the sight of her step-daughter, who hadn't stopped smiling, "What has you so happy?" Gisela asked, as Liv looked at her, "I think I'm in love." She admitted, as Gisela smiled softly.

The following day saw the wedding of Beocca and Thyra, with Liv stood with Finan, as Uhtred married her aunt and the priest, she smiled, seeing her aunt and now her uncle happy. Finan noted she was wearing a dress, which was rare, but he still thought she looked beautiful, with her hair braided and flowers woven through it.

Liv remained by Finan's side, as they waited for Aethelflaed to make her appearance, as both Ingrid and Gisela had told Aethelwold to be quiet, as he spoke ill of Aethelflaed, as Liv watched as Aethelflaed walked toward her future husband.

"Why are we delaying? Did Sihtric see something at the grave site?" Aethelwold asked, before Finan pulled him back, "Sihtric saw nothing." He told him, as Liv rolled her eyes at the nephew of Alfred.

Following the wedding, Liv was sat on the steps with Finan, and her father, as Sihtric was leaning against a pole, as he held his lover, Sigdeflaed in his arms. "Aethelwold, my father is yet to make a decision over what was said by the dead man, what you speak of is treason." She said, as Aethelwold glared at her, "You wish to speak of treason? Didn't you side with Kjartan?" He asked her, as she glowered at him, "No. I was taken from my home, as a child, and forced into a killer. The only treason I commited was not slitting Kjartan's throat as he slept." She hissed, as Aethelwold stepped back, scared of her.

A monk then approached, who Aethelwold outed as being Osferth, Alfred's bastard son, as Liv glared at the King's nephew. "Leave him alone. He cannot help his parentage anymore than you can." She said, as she looked at Osferth, sending him a small smile, "You knew my uncle, Lord, Leofric." Osferth told Uhtred, who looked at the monk, "He was a great man. A great warrior." He said, as Osferth continued, "I wish to serve you, Lord, as he did." Before Finan spoke up, "We have no need of a monk." Finan said, before Uhtred was summoned, leaving them with Osferth.

"Osferth, find a sword, lose the cross." She said, as he nodded, before leaving, as Finan looked at her, wondering why she had agreed with her father, as she raised a brow at him, "We all start somewhere Finan, and I believe he is destined for greater things." She said, as Finan nodded, as he looked at her, knowing she was right.

They were soon off to London, with Finan keeping Liv close to him at all times, as they wandered through the busy streets, as Finan told Sihtric what he had heard about London, as Liv grinned, knowing full well that it was true, but that Finan was also doing it to scare Aethelred.

"How do you know so much about London?" Aldhelm asked Uhtred, "Earl Ragnar brought me here when I was a boy." Uhtred answered, "When you were a Dane." Aethelred shot back, as Liv glared at the blonde.

She knew he did not like her father, nor could she make him like her father. They soon found the brothers, who told them that they would not be leaving London, with Sigefrid revealing what the dead man Bjorn had said about Uhtred.