𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫'𝐬 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 | 𝐨𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡

𝐓𝐄𝐍

After reuniting with Mildrith and the baby at Lord Odda's estate, Uhtred decided that they would spend the next few days in Devonshire. Bryn and the boys didn't mind, they needed the rest and there was plenty to explore. By the third day, however, the kids had grown restless and none of them had gotten any sleep the night before because of the baby. So, when Uhtred announced that they would finally be heading to Winchester, the kids were beyond excited to hear the news.

"Why don't the boys and I go ahead with the midwife and the babe?" Bryn suggested when she finally caught Uhtred alone. She waggled her eyebrows at him, "Give you and your wife some alone time?"

Needless to say, Uhtred immediately accepted the offer. But, what he didn't know was that Bryn, Vikar, and Orri were going to leave regardless of if he agreed or not. Not only were they exhausted because of the baby, but they had long since grown annoyed, and thoroughly disgusted, by the not-so-subtle 'sex eyes' Uhtred and Mildrith had been giving each other.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm glad we're going back to the city," Bryn announced. She glanced over her shoulder at Vikar, who she was currently riding with. "Do you think Leofric missed us?"

"Us? Maybe a little. You? Undoubtedly so," Vikar replied. At the mention of Bryn's primary riding companion, Vikar shifted uncomfortably in the saddle. "I don't know how you ride with him like this, my balls are numb."

"Told you," Orri said, shooting Vikar a smug grin. He had, in fact, told his brother that having Bryn ride in front of him on the saddle would be exceptionally uncomfortable—because he himself had made the same mistake in the past. "Leofric's saddle was specifically made with an elongated seat for two people to sit comfortably. Your saddle was not, leaving you to sit on the cantle. That's why your balls are numb, they haven't got any room to breathe."

"Extremely glad I don't have that problem," Bryn hummed, expertly maneuvering herself around Vikar's body so that she was sitting behind him. "Better?"

"Much, thank you," he said.

They were nearly to the city when the sound of hoofbeats rapidly approaching from the rear drew everyone's attention to the path behind them. Vikar and Orri quickly guided their horses to circle around to the back of the cart, telling the midwife to go on ahead as they did so. Bryn carefully stood up behind Vikar and nocked an arrow on her bow, wobbling slightly after Vikar flinched away when she touched her knees to his back.

"Can you see anything?" Orri whispered to Bryn.

"Not yet," she whispered back. Just as she was getting ready to aim her bow down the path, Uhtred and Mildrith came darting out from between the trees on horseback. "That was quick," Bryn remarked, returning the arrow to her quiver. "When I suggested you reacquaint yourself with your wife, I expected it to take much, much longer."

"I knew it!" Mildrith said, clearly proud of something.

Bryn pursed her lips in confusion, eyes shifting between Uhtred and Mildrith. "What's happening?"

"I told her it was my idea," Uhtred admitted, referring to sending the kids ahead with the midwife and the baby.

"It was," Bryn tried, failing to rectify the situation. When it came to lying, she was exceptionally good at it. When it came to lying to friends and family, however, she still hadn't quite mastered the art of it. Mildrith raised her eyebrows and Bryn threw her hands up in exasperation, "I give up."

Family reunited once more, they caught up to the midwife's cart and made their way into the city. Bryn was glad to be on horseback when she saw how crowded the streets were.

"Everyone, their mother, and their mother's dog is out today," she observed. She'd never been one for crowds, having gotten lost within them one too many times as a child.

"Where do you think they're all going?" Orri wondered.

"To the palace, it seems," Mildrith answered, pointing ahead. "See?"

Sure enough, the crowd was bottlenecking up near the door to the great hall, people shoving and scrambling over one another to get inside. None of them could be sure why, but Mildrith suggested they were most likely celebrating because they'd defeated the Danes at Cynuit.

"Beocca's here," Vikar announced, pointing at the priest. He was standing in front of the great hall, doing a terrible job at keeping people from flooding through the door.

Uhtred dismounted his horse and then helped Mildrith down from hers. "Father Beocca!" He called, waving at him to hopefully gain his attention. "Father Beocca!"

Beocca, upon seeing Uhtred, immediately abandoned his post to approach him. "Uhtred?" He looked like he'd seen a ghost. "You are here before me now?"

"I am, and with my wife and child."

"Orri, Bryn, and Vikar are here, too," Orri added as he slid off his stallion, Bryn and Vikar following suit. He grabbed Bryn's hand to prevent her from getting sucked away with the flow of people now freely streaming into the great hall.

"Oh, God be praised," Beocca cheered, embracing Uhtred. "You are alive!"

"Of course, I'm alive, why shouldn't I be alive?" Uhtred laughed.

"You were at Werham, a hostage," Beocca reminded him. "We thought you were dead."

"No, Father, I was at Cynuit," Uhtred said, gesturing at the kids. "We fought at Cynuit. Did they not say?"

"Uh oh," Bryn whispered when she realized what had happened. Leofric was right; someone else had taken the credit for their victory at Cynuit.

"Did they not say?" Uhtred asked again. Beocca's silence was his answer. Uhtred, understandably upset, shoved the man aside and moved towards the great hall. "I'll see Alfred now."

"You three will stay here with the horses," Beocca instructed Bryn, Vikar, and Orri before he chased after Uhtred with Mildrith.

"You three will stay here with the horses," Bryn mimicked in a voice that didn't even come close to sounding like Beocca's, and then she scoffed. "Won't catch me in a fucking church."

⸻⸻ ☆ ★ ☆ ⸻⸻