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"EDWARD HAS ATTACKED US."
Sigtrggyr and Uhtred had been in the hall discussing ways to solve the conflict between Danes and Saxons. Meanwhile, outside, Edward and his men had been leading an attack of the fortress, trying to burn it in order to break entrance.
"Come with me." Sigtrggyr told Uhtred, causing the man to fall into step with him. "Uhtred...you betray me, all will suffer." He warned. The man let out a deep sigh, knowing he was the only one who could turkey stop this war once and for all.
The pair made their way into the courtyard where the fighting had already broke out. Bodies littered the ground and Saxon and Dane battles each other. The air was filled with smoke making each breath difficult and causing their vision to be impaired.
"Let me speak with them." Uhtred asked Sigtryggr. "Let me speak with the king."
"Go with this man. If he kills Danes, kill him." Sigtrggyr told two of his Danes as they followed Uhtred into the carnage.
Locked away in a room, sat Cirilla. She had been reading her fathers chronically when she heard screaming from below. Getting up quickly, she ran to the window only to see battle happening below.
"Dear God." She whispered. Some of the fortress was on fire as the smoke filled the air, making her squint her eyes in order to see.
Her eyes caught onto a man making his way through the battle, yet not harming killing anyone. It was Uhtred.
Her heart jumped in her chest as she saw him, defenceless, making his way through the fighting.
"Stand down your men!" She heard him shout from below. Following his eyes. She saw her brother fighting off a Dane. "Edward!" He yelled.
"Lord! You must trust me! I spoke to him!" Uhtred pleaded with Edward, both of them out of breath. "Edward, stop this fighting!" Sigtrggyr watched, pacing, as Uhtred spoke to the King.
"It's too late!" The king yelled.
"Trust me!" He grabbed Edwards armour, pulling him back towards him. "Sigtrggyr is willing to negotiate! Why would I lie to you?" Edward looked over to Sigtryggr who stood away from the battle. "I have spoken to him. He will stand down! Winchester is going to burn!" He informed, watching as the smoke got thicker. "Sigtryggr! Stand down your men! Order the shield wall! Do it now!" Yet Sigtrggyr still paced, refusing to call his men off first incase Uhtred betrayed him. "Sigtryggr! Stand down your men! You can get what you came for!" Sigtrggyr hesitated, out do fear. I'd be atood his men down, there was every chance that the Saxons would continue to kill the Danes.
"Shield Wall!" The Dane yelled after a moment. A horn was blown alerting all the Dane's to fall into the shield wall. "Shield wall!" He demanded again, this time louder.
"Shield wall!" Edward shouted as well, telling the Saxons to fall into formation.
Both Saxon and Dane parted, for naming a path in between them as both sides formed the shield wall.
"Hold the line! Hold the Lines!" Uhtred told each side as he got between them, Aethelflaed and Edward following him.
"Sigtrggyr, you wish to talk with us." Edward said, causing the Dane to stand forward.
"There will be no negotiation until we see the captives." Aethelfaled stated, desperate to see both her sister and mother.
"Welcome." Was all Sigtryggr said, allowing them to follow him into the castle. Brida stood to the side, an angry look on her face as she had yet again, failed to kill Uhtred of Bennanberg.
"Sister!" Aethelflaed yelled as she entered the study room along with Edward.
The girl jumped from her position at the window, running over to her siblings. She jumped into their arms as they caught her, holding her in their embrace.
"Thank God you are alright." Edward said as he closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of having his sister back.
"I was treated well." Cirilla told them as they pulled apart from the embrace, her eyes falling into the door where Sigtryggr stood.
He watched as the girl he had grew fond of was reunited with her family. It warmed his heart seeing her happy. She was with her people. Where she belonged. There was a pang of sadness in his heart knowing that their time together was over before it had even truly began.
"Is Uhtred alive?" She asked suddenly.
"Yes, Uhtred is well." Aethelflaed answered.
"That man must have nine lives." She laughed, making her sibling join, forgetting the tears that fell from their faces. "He's the only man I know that can go into battle without a weapon and make it out alive."
"He's the only man in the world that can do that, sister." Edward laughed.
The three stood together, laughing like children as they reunited after such a long time. The siblings had been through a lot and yet they remained close as ever. Cirilla sometimes wondered if her father watched over them, smiling as he sees how much love his children have for each other.
"Come, we must go home." Cirillas face dropped slightly. Home was such a foreign word to her. She had never felt at home anywhere. Never had she felt that sense of security and happiness within the walls of Mercia or Winchester. The only place she ever felt that feeling was with him.
Her eyes fell behind her sister, onto Sigtrggyr. He smiled at her sadly, knowing their time together was up. She would return to Mercia and he would start to build up his own land. They were too different. He should've known form the start that it would never work out. She was a princess after all and he was a Dane.
"Can I speak with Sigtrggyr for a moment?" The siblings froze as their sister asked the question, looking between each other, they agreed after a moment of silence. Leaving the room, closing the door behind them.
The pair stared at each other. It was liek the first time they had ever met. Blue and green caught for dominance but this time neither one wanted to look away. He was home. The girl didn't care about his past, nor did she care about their future. She didn't care, as long as he was in it.
Cirilla ran to Sigtryggr, jumping into his strong arms which instinctively wrapped around her small waist as he lifted her from the ground.
"I can't leave you." She whispered into his hair, her eyes becoming watery at the thought.
"Then don't." He whispered back, making her pull away from his shoulder to look into his eyes. "Come with me, to Eoferwic. We can lead there, together." He proposed. Cirilla stared at him with wide eyes.
"My family. I can't leave them." She said softly, her voice cracking.
"You can visit them as you wish." He told her, being open to the idea of allowing them to enter his own land. "And they will be welcomed in Eoferwic." Cirillas mind rattled at the idea. "Come with me. And become my wife."
