The Last One

five

Mercia was not as noisy and full as Winchester or Rumcofa, it more resembled my home, but it was more sophisticated in some way. Uhtred left us to go speak with the Lady by himself. Finan led the way to the tavern and before long we are served hot food at the bar where we three sat.

Sihtric eyed me. "Do you have a hood?"

"No."

"Have you ever done something like this before?" His words chilled me for some reason.

"Uhh.. no.. But I will follow your lead."

Sihtric nods. "Good."

"He will make a spy out of you, yet," Finan said around a bite of chicken.

I took a bite of chicken, the meat was warm and tender. It took me no time to consume it, and before long only bones remained on my plate. I picked at them as the boys chatted about nothing of interest.

Uhtred entered and strode over to us. He leaned against the bar as he spoke. "The good news is they have not advanced again, and remain at their camp."

"And the bad news?" Finan prodded.

Uhtred sighs. "Mercia has already decided that they pose a threat. So we will proceed with the plan." He moved to sit on a stool and nodded to me, "Red, you and Sihtric should leave at once."

I moved to stand. Uhtred pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to me. It was a small pouch of coin, I felt that it seemed to be generous enough as it's weight pressed into my fingers. "Thank you, lord."

"Their camp is west of Ledecestre."

Sihtric nodded. "We will be swift, lord."

Sihtric led me to a small shop after we left the tavern, and I used the coin I was given to buy a hooded cloak of my own. We mounted our horses yet again and headed towards Ledecestre.

Sihtric was not much for conversation and neither was I. The tension between us was still alive and made the ride awkward, but eventually we spoke.

"So, Arne the Kind," he didn't elaborate further.

"Yes?"

"Was he?" He glanced at me.

I softened. I got the sense that not many things in his life had been kind. "He was," I finally agreed.

"Do you not find it odd that we end up here? Our fathers hated each other, and now we are companions. Life is.. unpredictable."

That might have been the most I had ever heard him say. The sounds of the horses breathing was the only sound for a moment before I spoke again.
"Yes." It was all I could manage at the moment.

His eyes were set on something unseen. He didn't speak again until we stopped our horses. We were on a hill and could see the camp below. He watched with careful, piercing eyes.

I tugged up my hood. The anticipation was almost a living thing in the air around us. We started to move away from our lookout point.

"Wait," his hand caught my arm and I flinched away from him. His touch shocking me as it pulled me somewhere into the past. I ripped my arm away. My heart pounded and my face turned red.

He was startled by my movements and pulled his hand back quickly. His eyes softened and he took a breath. "Sorry, I did not mean.. I.." he looked away, shame burned his face and pulled his mouth down into a frown.

"Do not touch me," I hissed. My body tensed, muscles burning as my mind sent me into a flashback of Erik's hands holding me down against the bed as he moved behind me, pulling up my nightgown. I shivered, and the memory shattered away with the movement.