Lady Luck| Finan The Agile| The Last Kingdom

FIFTEEN

☼

"Sweet Jesus, Mary and all the little lambs," a strangled gasp escaped my throat as we arrived at a large tree, a little while away from the gates of Winchester.

Danes riddled the ramparts, mounting severed heads onto long spikes for all to see even from a distance. There must have been at least twenty heads already, all shrivelled and grey.

"Dear God," Finan reached behind himself, his hand grabbing mine and pulling me behind his back so that my view of the heads was obscured. "This does not mean they're dead," he tried to assure Uhtred, "Stiorra's strong. She'll have kept herself hidden."

"God protect her," I whispered to myself, moving my hand to Finan's armour and gripping onto it while I tightened my grip on his hand as well.

"Why have they strengthened their defences?" Sihtric wondered as a couple of Danes called out to each other loudly, scouring around the gates.

"They could be preparing for a siege," Uhtred offered, his back tense as he watched on.

"I thought that Danes did not like sieges," Finan sighed, his hand squeezing mine back slightly as I knew my grip tightened further.

I was not afraid of being this close to a siege, nor to the Danes, but I did fear for Aelswith and the children. I feared what being an enemy to the Danes whilst being under their control meant.

"Yes," Uhtred quipped, "Perhaps Sigtryggr learned something in Irland. He's cunning. Maybe he changes the strategy."

"Strategy or not, there's too many of them," Sihtric shook his head lightly.

More Danes filtered out of the gates, holding spears or swords.

"What if we can not find a way in?"Uhtred looked back at us.

I silently prayed he was wrong, and I prayed for a miracle because that was all the use I had. I could observe, and I could pray.

"If Sigtryggr fought the Irish," Finan muttered, "he'll know what hard bastards we are and how we do not give up, even when it looks completely impossible."

"Would there not be men remaining within?" I whispered, my nails near sinking into the leather of Finan's armour, "Surely, some Saxons remain."

"Doubtful," Uhtred sighed, motioning to the mounted heads, "and if any remain, that is their fate."

I shuddered slightly, my stomach turning with the memory I refused to revive by looking to the gate again. "Could it be possible, at all, that not all were captured?"

"Even if that were the case," Finan glanced back at me, his hand digging out of mine to pull my hand off his armour before he placed them both into his hand and covered them. "They can not do anything for us."

"We could enter with those villagers," Uhtred offered, his gaze returned to the gate.

"We should do it now then," Finan looked away from me, "If they get that food in, they close the gate." 

"But, Lord, you are known here," Osferth huffed, throwing his hands up slightly

"We're all known here," Sihtric shrugged, "This plan will not work. Someone would betray us in return for their own safety."