Moon-Heart | The Last Kingdom |

23.

Horses, men, and weapons, were being ready for departure. While night had fallen, everyone else was on their feet. Everything, and everyone needed to be ready for what was to come. They were going to leave Eoferwic no matter what. King Edward was a mad man, for even proposing the idea of giving up the north. The lives of many people, Saxon people, would be ruined, all because Edward didn't want to attack. Not to mention, he gave no thought to how his dear niece Aelfwynn felt about this false betrothal to the King of Scots. She would be treated as a pond, instead of the Queen she was born to be. Couldn't he see? It seemed like the whole world was trying to point he in the right direction, yet he closed his eyes to it. There was no chance that Aldhelm and Saehild were going to let him get away. And with Lord Uhtred, and the Mercian Guard behind them, the reality of having Aelfwynn back was so close. The only thing that stood in between, was Edward and the Wessex army. They had strength in numbers surly, and Edward was proving to be more stubborn than his farther. Yet, Lord Uhtred and Lady Saehild were going to show the King, that there was nothing worse then a pissed off Dane.

Despite the looming threat of the Wessex guards, the Mercians did not seemed to care. Not matter what they needed to do, Edward would not win. "Come on! Quicken the pace! Sunrise comes swiftly." Finan yelled out to the courtyard, "Hey perhaps don't kill me just before departure." he joked with a solider who threw a spear right before him.

His footsteps led him to a fire where Lord Aldhelm and Lord Uhtred pondered about what was to come. They had to be vigilant and careful about their actions, "Any word if the king will relent?" Finan asked.

"He has shunned all his advisers." Aldhelm answered with his arms crossed.

"He wouldn't turn swords on Saxons, surely."

Uhtred's head twitched, "Tell that to the Mercian Ealdormen." Swiftly, Uhtred turned on the balls of his feet, walking away, "We leave at sunrise."

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Standing near the carts, Saehild ran through a list in her head, before turning back to the soldiers, "Have the shields been looked over?" she raised her eyebrows.

"I am not sure, Lady." the solider didn't look her in the eyes, "We have--"

"The shields have been refurbished and are ready for battle." Saehild turned around hearing the voice, to her surprise it was Aethelstan. She had not interacted with him since their...encounter. "Disperse the shields to the others, they will need it."

"Yes, Lord." he responded, "Lady." the soldiers grabbed two shields, one in each hand, beginning to hand them out.

The tension between the two was still fresh and unavoidable. Clearing his throat, Aethelstan nudged his head silently, asking Saehild to walk with him. She kept her eyes forward, feeling like her heart was about to burst out of her chest. So badly she wanted to tell him that she was sorry, but not really, but still, that she was sorry. Yet the scrambled words remain in her own mind. The Lord stopped in a little ally, between two empty huts that could offer some type of privacy. Facing one another in the tight space, both offer a kind smile in the awkwardness.

"I—, "We—" Aethelstan and Saehild spoke and the same time.

"We should get back to the preparation." Saehild fully spoke.

"No, wait." he sighed, "I should offer my apologies." Aethelstan started, "I should have kept my composure and not force myself upon you."

"Aethel--"

"You are a noble Lady who deserves respect, and I should have remembered that."

Saehild reached out to grab his hand, "Aethelstan." she said in a calm voice.