The Last One

fifteen

I watched as Uhtred and Finan rode away in the direction of the west, back towards English Mercia. It felt odd to watch them shrink into the horizon without us, and I felt disjointed. Like a piece of me would be missing now that they were gone.

I took a deep breath and then winced as pain shot through me again.

"Whatever will we do without them," Sihtric said next to me, his tone was heavy with implications of what we may do with our newfound sovereignty. A shiver ran through my body as I thought of the options.

"I am sure we will find something to pass the time," I blushed as I spoke. I was not nearly as bold now in the light of day and without the effects of alcohol or battle high.

A playful grin split his face, then dissolved as he looked away. "Later," he sighed, "first I should go."

"To find the camp? Alone?" I was concerned with this information. What if he got caught? My stomach knotted with the possibility of his capture.

"Yes," he tilted his head at me curiously. "I will be fine."

"No, I will go with you."

He snorted. "You cannot ride. You will go nowhere."

"You can't go alone! What if you are seen? Or caught? Or.." My stomach felt like a rock in my gut that threatened to weigh me down. If he was captured or killed, it would be up to me. To come after him or to finish the mission, and not just that, but I would definitely miss his attention and his presence.

My mind planned a step further. If Sihtric was gone, Uhtred would put more responsibility on me alone. Spying was not my forte, but I felt that duty would fall to me. Or perhaps he would recruit a newcomer for the task. I wasn't sure which option I hated more. Either I'm his new expert spy, or I'm so useless at that task he has to bring in someone new just to do that task.

His gaze flicked from one of my eyes to the other. "I will not be seen." His voice was confident, but I remained less so.

"If you wait," I started, "just until the morning, maybe I'll be able to ride with you."

He sighed. "Fine. I do not think you will be ready to ride, though. It will just be a delay of the inevitable."

"Then let it be a delay," I argued. "Please."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine, but I will only wait until nightfall, not the morning."

"Fine." I agreed. It seemed even less likely that I would be ready to ride at nightfall than it did that I would be able to ride in the morning, but maybe.

He started to walk away, and I didn't follow. Instead, I stood where I was and looked back out towards the west, but I couldn't see them anymore. No, they were gone, and now it was just us. I sighed softly so as to not offend my battered body.

_________________

I woke up in the dark. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my eye sockets. I took quick shallow breaths, each one like a new punch to the ribs. My head throbbed in time with every breath I took.

Fuck.

How did I get here?

Where is here?

What's happening?

I tried to remember where I was, what I was doing, but the last thing I remembered was walking towards the trees in hopes of finding a certain herb to help soothe my ribs, at least outwardly. I thought I was lying down, but I couldn't tell for sure. I squirmed and discovered that I was lying on my side. There was something over my head, and my hands were bound in front of me. I rolled myself onto my knees and eagerly pulled my hands up to grab or whatever was on my head. My fingertips grazed against the fabric. It felt like a sack.