6

                                    

                                          

( 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑! )
CHAPTER SIX
THE SICKNESS.
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When they were ambushed by peasants, some stealing Stiorra and Aelfwynn's bread, Solvi had snarled at the man and woman who tried to take hers, brandishing out her dagger threateningly, which had the couple backing off as the two girls shrieked. 
The road was blocked, apparently an illness was spreading through the land. Finan and Sihtric invesitaged the area where three people were struck through with wooden stakes. When one coughed up a splurt of blood, the two men startled back, Finan going back to wash Stiorra's arm where she'd been grabbed, though it appears the bread thieves were not taken by the sickness, and were allowed to flee. Sihtric stayed to put the surviving man on the stake out of his misery, a kindness. 
Finan seemed to be the most rattled, which was beginning to cause panic in Stiorra. Solvi rolled her eyes when Young Uhtred said only sinners catch the illness, though Lord Uhtred and Osferth seemed to know better that the sickness spread through the air. 
In the end, they abandoned the horses and the wagon cart in a safe place before continuing their trek on foot. The children seemed to be in higher spirits than the adults, Aethelstan and Solvi throwing rocks into the streams and disturbing the frogs, to which Finan picked a giggling Aethelstan up and out of the water, while Solvi collected some mud. 
She walked over towards Aelfwynn, placing the mud onto a reddenned portion of her skin she suffered after touching a plant she should not have. The young girls smiled at each other, before Solvi began to collect herbs and plants she recognized, placing them into a bag she carried, which was secured on her belt. 
When the children unaccustomed to travel by foot grew tired, Finan picked up Aethelstan while Uhtred carried Aelfwynn. Solvi and Stiorra stuck together, holding hands. Though when they entered the meadow of flowers, which Solvi began to collect the ones she knew were safe or useful, Stiorra began to sneeze. 
"He's heavier than he looks," Finan commented, carrying the bastard boy of Edward. When Stiorra sneezes, sniffling from the pollen in the breeze, Finan quickly turns to her. "What's wrong with you?"
"I have a fever from the grasses." Stiorra says, before more sternly exclaiming, "I do not have it!" Finan was so paranoid about the sickness, he had even before proposed to leave the children in a safe place instead of the horses– though Solvi supposes it was a momentary lapse of judgment from his own fear. 
"Finan, the sickness would not strike this fast." Uhtred says.
"You've not seen what I have, lord." Finan counters ominously. Aethelstan giggles as he covers Finan's eyes, much to the man's protest. "Oh, hey, oi! How many times do I have to tell you? You cannot do that. Who are you anyway?"
"I am no one," the boy recites. 
"He's Aethelstan," Uhtred supplies, "Edward's firstborn son."
Finan's eyes grow wide, "Hidden child of Edward? How did he survive this long?"
"He's driven by a mission to annoy me," Stiorra teases, "aren't you, Aethelstan?"
"Better keep him safe, Finan," Osferth jokes, "That's royal blood you're carrying. Welcome to the bastard life boy," which pulls a laugh from Sihtric. 
When they make it to Wenloca, they had missed Aethelflaed and Aldhelm. Waiting, they take a break, sitting and lazing around the ruins, while Finan goes around wacking at the overgrown foliage, a clothe to his face to cover his mouth and nose.