章 19: Pureblood
Eowyn sat in the garden of Bebbenberg castle letting the cool sea breeze brush against her skin. She found herself fascinated with the sea, she remembered her father and brothers taking her and Arwyn to the coast when she was young. It was the happiest time of her life, especially since her mother was still with them. As she looked to the shoreline she could almost see a younger version of herself being thrown into the sea by her older brother Brun. Her vision disappeared as fast as it came and all she was left with was the empty shore and the knowledge most of her family were dead.
Eowyn wasn't sure what she should do, she had been put in such an impossible position. She wanted to leave with her sister and go far away from here, perhaps to Wessex or East Anglia. Thorfinn was their biggest and only obstacle, he had Arwyn in his thrall and Eowyn wasn't sure how to free her. 'I need to kill him...' she thought to herself, it was the only way she could think of to stop his control and give her sister back to her. Thorfinn was strong, intelligent and brutal, if she failed in her task she had no doubt he would devise some sort of punishment that would hurt her more than just physically. Her eyes drifted to the plants that were in the garden, a lot of them were herbs that could be used in food, it wasn't a surprise, her mother kept a small herb garden behind their home. But seeing this sparked an idea in her mind, belladonna was a plant her mother had warned her and her sister about when she was younger.
She said never to touch it or we would become sick. Poisoning Thorfinn sounded better than trying to slit his throat during the night —she had a chance with the former unlike the latter. Eowyn stood up and started walking through the gardens brushing her hands against the plants. She knew she couldn't put the poison in his food, he was too observant and any food she gave him would identify her as the one who did it giving him time to act. Her mind raced as she tried to find a solution, while she thought she found herself coming to the end of the path and towards a small wall that went around the garden. Eowyn breathed out a sigh as she struggled to think, she started rubbing her stomach mindlessly.
"Expecting one are you."
Eowyn was snapped out of her thoughts as she looked up at the older woman in front of her. She was dressed in a red and white gown with a scarf covering her hair. "No my lady I've just been unwell as of late," Eowyn said as she forced a smile.
"Make sure not to stay cooped up, some fresh air will do you good," the woman said before continuing on her way and leaving Eowyn to her thoughts.
'I'll be with child soon...' the thought sent feelings of excitement and revulsion through her. She had always wanted to be a mother, but not with Thorfinn; he had spilt his seed in her many times over the past week so she knew she would have a child soon. She had to kill Thorfinn, she would never let her child be influenced by him, to become another demon who murders people's families and forces themselves on women.
She thought about ending the baby's life before it could even arrive in this world —something that made her cringe. She quickly shook that thought off, she could never kill her child "God... if you haven't abandoned me, I could use your guidance," she whispered as she looked up to the sky. She didn't know what she had been expecting, perhaps a loud voice from the heavens or a whisper in the wind, what she got was nothing. That was until she felt something touch her feet, she looked down and saw the grass growing before her very eyes; then out of the middle, a red rose bloomed. Eowyn was speechless, it was clearly a miracle she had just witnessed. She bent down and touched the flower, it seemed to move to her touch before she even touched it.
'What are you trying to tell me...' she thought to herself as she brushed her hand against its petals.
———————————————————-
Lord Uhtred was nervous as he sat down at the table with the King. The sun was setting and the feast had begun, the king had requested they dine alone so he had sent his family and guards away from the upper dais. Now it was just him and King Aelle who sat together and ate, not even his wife or daughters were present, though now he looked closer he didn't see either of his daughters in the hall anywhere.
"You have put a splendid feast together Uhtred, I will never tire of the fish of Bebbenburg," Aelle said as he forked another piece into his mouth followed by a helping of potatoes.
"It's an honour to host you sire, it has been long since our last meeting," Uhtred replied.
"Indeed it has, I just wish our meeting were during better circumstances," Aelle said as he put his fork down and turned to Uhtred.
"I am displeased that the monastery at Lindisfarne was burned down, I know you couldn't have saved it from such a surprise attack, but it pains me greatly to lose such a holy place," Aelle said sternly.
"I am in the process of securing my land sire, I can assure you it won't happen again," Uhtred assured the king hoping it would be enough to remove his displeasure.
"I trust you Uhtred, I know you'll do whatever is necessary, in truth, other disturbing thoughts have plagued my mind lately and it is why I wished to speak with you alone," Aelle said as he took a sip from his goblet and moved his chair closer the Uhtred.
Uhtred leaned in and listened with rapt attention as he waited for the King to speak. "I have been having a dream for the past few moons, a dream that I can't explain," he said with a serious tone.
"We all dream sire, that is all they are, you shouldn't look into it any more than that," Uhtred said as he leaned back.
"You misunderstand me Uhtred, I have had the same dream every night," he said which unsettled the lord slightly but caught his attention again.
"What was the dream sire?" Uhtred asked as his curiosity was now flared.
The king did not look at him but rather the candle that was placed in front of them. "I was at the shore of a lake..." the king said with a quiet voice.
"The lake was the most beautiful lake I had ever seen and ever will see, its waters were a crystal blue that reflected the sky, it was a lake that could only exist in heaven itself," he said with a small look of longing on his face.
"I knelt down to touch the waters of the lake but I couldn't, the water moved from my hand as if the lake rejected my very being," Aelle said in a slightly distraught tone.
"What happened next?" Uhtred asked as he moved closer.
"I looked around and saw I was not alone, on the shore with me were the four other kings," He replied.
"We all looked at each other but soon our eyes were drawn to the centre of the lake, on an island a sword floated in the air, it was the most spectacular sword I have ever seen, a sword that seemed to move light in a way only an Angel could," he continued.
"We all tried to walk and grasp the sword but as we tried we fell onto our knees and our crowns fell off our heads, when they did the lake swallowed them up," he said, his distraught tone returning.
"It is only a dream sire, while it seems fantastical there is nothing more to it," Uhtred tried to say but the king shook his head.
"I thought as much too Uhtred, but after the first month my curiosity got the better of me and I sent messengers out," he said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out four pieces of parchment.
Uhtred looked at them in shock "You can't mean..."
King Aelle nodded "All of them dream the same as I, I did not detail the dream I had but they were all able to write it down accurately," he said.
Uhtred formed the trinity and grabbed his cross "A message from god perhaps?" He reasoned.
"Perhaps... but King Offa of Mercia believes it to be something else," Aelle stated.
Uhtred chuckled "What does that mad fool believe it to be?" He asked.
"He believes it is a sign..." Aelle said seriously.
"A sign of what?"
"A sign that the King of Albion is coming... the Once and Future King," Aelle said with a straight face.
Uhtred looked at the king for a moment, until he couldn't hold it in any longer and he started laughing. "Sire that is merely a myth, if he was real he was a man who consorted with demons, his closest advisor was half demon himself!" He almost shouted. They had all heard the bedtime stories of King Arthur and Camelot, but Uhtred did not believe them.
"If the sword I saw was Excalibur... then perhaps King Offa is right," Aelle said as he stroked his beard.
"Sire surely you can't be humouring this," Uhtred said as he rolled his eyes —out of sight of the king of course.
"King Offa believes it enough to have his men scouring the land for the sword," King Aelle stated.
"Then he is wasting his time, there is nothing to find," Uhtred said as he leaned back in his chair and took a drink from his goblet.
"Perhaps you are right Uhtred, but perhaps King Offa is right and if he were to find the sword, then he would have the right to claim Albion, to claim all five kingdoms," Aelle stated with seriousness.
"You need not bow to him just because he has a mythical sword sire," Uhtred replied.
"And what will my people do when they see King Offa with Excalibur, will they fight him? No, they will bow down and swear allegiance," Aelle said a bit loudly.
"There is not much to be done sire, we can't stop him from investigating his own lands," Uhtred stated hoping to move on from the topic.
Aelle shook his head "No, such an act would be treated as war, but nothing is stopping us from searching Northumbria, I only hope it can be found here."
Uhtred held in a sigh and simply nodded. "If that's what you wish to do sire, but should we not deal with the raiders first, we still need to identify who came to our lands," he said.
King Aelle nodded "Yes... we will deal with the raiders, later we can look towards other endeavours, and for now, I will enjoy the fish you have graciously served me," he said as he got ready to eat again.
"Indeed, but I had hoped to talk of other things sire, perhaps those of a marital nature," Uhtred asked as he swirled the wine around in his cup.
"You wish for a betrothal?" The King asked as he looked up to the Lord beside him.
"Perhaps one to your youngest daughter, my eldest is of a similar age, they are a good match," Uhtred said with a nod of his head.
Aelle stopped eating and leaned back in his chair "You might find yourself troubled by Blaeja, she's a spirited girl and often times I have trouble controlling her."
"Perhaps you could extend your stay and they may court each other, my son may be able to woo her," Uhtred suggested.
Aelle laughed "I do not think that girl even knows the concept of courting, she's so absorbed in books and other unwomanly things, but I will do as you suggest, I have been too soft on my daughters, it's about time they start to marry."
Uhtred smiled widely and poured himself and the king another cup of wine. "Then let us celebrate our potential union," he said as he slammed his goblet against the kings, both barking out a laugh as they did.
———————————————————-
"Edward I am amazed, it has been two days and you have far surpassed me in Latin," Judith said with awe as she looked at the handsome man before her.
"I have an interest in languages it seems," Thorfinn said with a small chuckle as he looked at a picture of what was called an onager; it had a large wooden frame where a counterweight was used to launch a large stone towards a wall 'Genius... pure and simple genius,' Thorfinn thought to himself.
"No Edward it is more than that, you have a gift from god," Judith said as she put her hand on his arm. He looked up at her and gave a smile before going back down to reading.
"I find it strange more people do not seek knowledge from these halls, there is much to be learned here," Thorfinn said as he put the book down.
Judith looked thoughtful, she did not truly understand the gravity of what was actually contained in these books, but she knew that it was full of forgotten things that once belonged to a great empire. "I would say that our people are not knowledge seekers, we are content with our lives and do not need change," she suggested.
She pointed to the picture of the book, while she wasn't as intelligent as her sister she could still recognise that it must be used for war. "Perhaps other kings are different, but here we have no need for such things, we are not a conquering people," she said.
Thorfinn nodded, he already knew that the people of Northumbria had proven to be nothing but weak so far. Though he would admit those trained as warriors had given him problems and he had no doubt that were there more of them or should Arwyn have not jumped in he would've lost. Thorfinn went back to reading the book, he wanted to memorise all of the concepts and instructions so he could apply this to his own land.
Judith was content to watch Thorfinn read, she was so amazed with him that she took pleasure from him simply reading. "Edward... I wish to know more about you, will you tell me?" She asked.
Thorfinn looked up for a moment and then nodded "What do you wish to know?" He asked as he read.
"Where are you from?" She asked.
"A different land, one far from here," he replied.
"What was it like, was it beautiful?" She asked as she leaned in closer.
"It's cold most of the year, even in summer a chill can find its way down your neck, the waters are the most beautiful I've ever seen though," he said a little wistfully. He did miss home slightly, but in truth what he missed the most was Rebekah, he tried not to think too much about her but he found that an impossible task. He longed for her warm body and the comfort she gave him, but he knew that he was doing this for her, so they could have a life of comfort and wealth.
"You seem like you miss home," she said.
"I do, but I have enjoyed travelling to this place so far," he said with a smile. A smile that sent emotions running through Judith, Thorfinn was a very attractive man. Last night she had dreams of him, dreams that made her blush. But it made her wonder what his touch on her skin would feel like 'I couldn't...' she thought to herself as her cheeks started to redden.
"What about you, do you love your home?" Thorfinn asked.
This caught Judith slightly off guard and she had to think about it for a moment. She did love the villa at Monkchester, but growing up as daughter to the king had its trials and often times she wished she could escape and live as the people do. Her father was demanded of her and her sister and while Blaeja wasn't compliant at all, she found herself unable to oppose him. Except for the concept of marriage, she didn't want to marry someone she did not love and for many years she pushed back against her father who had tried to arrange matches for her.
"I do love my home, but a lot of the time I do not love the people there," she admitted.
Thorfinn nodded "Some people in my home make it a more difficult place to live as well," he replied, thinking about Mikael.
"Do you plan to go home anytime soon?" Judith asked. Maybe she could convince him to visit her home, she didn't know why but she felt a deep connection with Thorfinn, she didn't want to see him leave, the thought caused a deep pain in her heart. 'Goodness what's wrong with me,' she thought to herself, she barely knew the person in front of her, she needed to calm this dangerous obsession.
"I do believe it is time for me to retire, I seem to be slightly feverish," Judith said.
Thorfinn looked at her before leaning over and placing his head against hers, something that surprised her but also thrilled her. "Your body does seem to be hot, you should take a willow and elderberry herbal infusion, it will bring down your fever," Thorfinn suggested as he stood up and helped Judith to her feet, her blush only got more intense as she focused on the feeling of her hand in his.
"I-I will ask Beric if he can make me some," she said as she looked down at her feet.
"I suppose this will be the last time we meet, you have surpassed me in Latin, there is nothing more I can teach you," Judith said slightly sorrowful.
Thorfinn shook his head "If you're agreeable I'd like to see you tomorrow, I enjoy your company," he admitted.
Judith found herself smiling as she looked up at him "Yes that is very much agreeable," she said as she surprisingly hugged Thorfinn before quickly leaving the scriptorium.
Thorfinn looked at the candle that he had been using, it was almost gone 'It must be time...' he thought to himself. He had agreed to meet that woman to help with the foolish search of the castle she wanted to conduct. Putting his book down he extinguished the candle before leaving the room and walking out to the castle corridors.
...
Thorfinn came across a servant with their backside in the air leaning over a balcony. 'What are they doing...' he thought to himself with exasperation. Their feet kept on going higher and higher off the ground, Thorfinn grabbed them by the waist before they could fall out the window and brought them back over; Thorfinn then realised it was Blaeja, she had tied her hair in a bun and wore a hat to make it look short, she had put on clothes that made her look like a man had and she also had black stains on her cheeks. She smiled in surprise at Thorfinn when she saw him "Thank you for the assistance Edward, I had thought I found a piece of evidence but alas it was only blood from a bird," she said a little disheartened.
Thorfinn just sighed "Let us begin your foolish endeavour so I can return to my chambers," he said as he let go of her.
Blaeja grabbed him by the hand and dragged him down the corridor "Indeed we must not waste any time, we have to keep away from the corridors near the lord's quarters, they have guards patrolling," she informed him as they turned a corridor.
"Then what are we going to do?" Thorfinn asked, he hoped that she'd say they'd have to return to their rooms.
"We have to discover where the body was taken, if we can find it then perhaps we can learn more," she said as she snuck up to a corner and looked around the side.
"I still don't understand what interests you so much, death is not an uncommon event," Thorfinn said as he crossed his arms.
"Perhaps, but a mysterious death such as this peaks my interest, and in truth, I've been incredibly bored as of late, there are only so many times I can tease my sister before it gets boring," Blaeja said with a giggle.
"Then let us hurry up and find your body," he said as he walked out into the next corridor, heading back to where the body was first discovered. Blaeja walked ahead of Thorfinn in excitement as they went on their small adventure, after a few minutes of walking they arrived.
Blaeja immediately knelt down on the ground trying to find anything she may have missed. Thorfinn just stood and leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, he knew where the body had fallen and could recreate the scene in his mind, but as he did something stuck out to him. The faded bloody footprint was facing the opposite direction to the body, meaning that the person would've been walking away from the body.
"I think they went down this corridor," Thorfinn said pointing to said corridor.
Instead of replying Blaeja stood up and ran to Thorfinn before turning around and placing her back against his chest in an attempt to see what he did. "If the body was facing the opposite corridor, then it's possible you're right," she said as she turned her head up to look at Thorfinn.
Thorfinn pushed her away "Let's go then," he said.
"If they went this way then we can rule out the courtyard or anywhere outside the castle, the body must be in the castle... or perhaps,"
"They threw it into the sea," Thorfinn said offhandedly.
"Of course, the harbour down below would be the easiest way to dispose of a body," she said with excitement. She then ran passed Thorfinn in an effort to go there as fast as she could. Thorfinn just watched her with exasperation before continuing to walk.
But as Blaeja turned the corner she found herself falling on the ground barely avoiding a short sword that would've taken her head off. Thorfinns eyes widened as he rushed towards the cloaked figure that appeared from the corridor 'That must be who killed the guard,' he thought to himself as he charged at the man barging him before he could bring his sword down on Blaeja.
He shoved him into the wall, but the man just pushed himself back off it swiping his sword as he did, Thorfinn avoided the cut by leaning back and then brought his dagger out from behind his back and thrust it towards the man. The stranger caught Thorfinns arm and stopped the blade, this surprised Thorfinn considering the man's stature, while Thorfinn was only a little taller than him he had more muscle.
The stranger tried to bash Thorfinn in the face with his sword but Thorfinn shoulder barged him again and slammed his fist into his stomach, loosening his grip on the blade, however, Thorfinn couldn't avoid the kick the man sent and was sent tumbling into the opposite wall. The man then for some reason went back to Blaeja who was still on the floor watching in shock, he went to kill her again but Thorfinn hooked his arm around his sword arm and twirled him around before throwing him into the wall; he then ducked under a sword strike and cut the man's arm before being punched in the face. The blow dazed him a little and he couldn't avoid the slash of the man's sword as it grazed his stomach. Thorfinn grits his teeth in pain but keeps his head in the fight, he starts slashing his dagger against the man who is able to move back and avoid all the blows; Thorfinn is also able to avoid most of the other man's attacks by using his dagger to deflect the sword.
Thorfinn kept fighting and tried to break past the man's defence but he was a lot faster than those he had faced before making his usual advantage mean a lot less. The stranger parried his dagger off before pushing Thorfinn back with the flat of his blade, he pushed him to a large open window they were next to. Thorfinn realised at that moment that this was what he was planning to do, he started punching Thorfinn in his side while slowly forcing him out the window.
Thorfinn growled in anger as he tried pushing the man away to stab the dagger into the stranger's face. The stranger stopped attacking and grabbed his wrist while applying more pressure on him. Thorfinn let the dagger drop where he caught it with his other hand and swiped the man's chest drawing blood, this caused the stranger to move back slightly allowing Thorfinn to kick him off.
Thorfinn charged at him again but the man ducked under him and threw him over his shoulder before running off down the corridor. Thorfinn quickly recovered from his daze before looking up to see the man turn a corridor. He cursed as he stood up and brushed the dust off himself, he felt ashamed that the man had beaten him, he had played right into his hands and was nearly killed. 'I will not let our next meeting go this way...' he said as he looked down the corridor.
Thorfinn sheathed his dagger before returning to Blaeja who still sat on the ground with shock. "The man who killed the guard must've seen you looking around and decided to get rid of you before you could learn too much," Thorfinn said as he knelt down next to her.
*Snap*
"Hey, wake up," Thorfinn said as he snapped his fingers in front of her face.
Blaeja finally seemed to snap out of her daze and look at Thorfinn "I think we should call it a night..." she said, but she didn't make any attempt to stand up making Thorfinn sigh.
"Come on I'll take you back to your chambers, the guards should deter the killer from going that far," Thorfinn said as he picked Blaeja up.
"Drop this foolish investigation and tell the guards what happened tomorrow, though I'd appreciate my name being left out of this," he said as he walked her back to her chambers, the cut against his stomach was painful and he'd needed to make a poultice and apply it to the wounded area.
Blaeja did not say a word the entire time to her room, but when they got to the corridor where her chambers were located she turned around and hugged Thorfinn tightly. This caused some discomfort but he allowed the girl who had just been faced with death to have this moment. He just wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.
She then turned around and walked to her room while Thorfinn turned around and walked back to his chambers.
...
Edgar cursed as he walked down the stone steps towards the harbour in the cove. His hand was covered in his own blood from the cut against his chest, he had planned on killing that nosey little bitch and bringing her down here but that damn cunt got in the way. 'He got lucky...' he thought to himself with anger as he thought of how close he came to killing him. "That fucking cunt ruined everything!" He shouted as he bashed his fist against the stone wall.
"I do not see my body Edgar..."
Edgar turned around as he saw his 'employer' emerge from the shadows. "There was an issue, someone stopped me from claiming my prize," Edgar said with annoyance.
*Sniff*
The cloaked man sniffed the air and his eye zeroed in on the sword in Edgar's hand. He rushed towards Edgar almost faster than he could see and ripped the sword from his grasp.
"What is this..." he hissed out.
Edgar just watched as a long tongue snaked out from the darkness of the man's hood and tasted the blood on the blade. He then made a sound that was halfway between a screech and a moan of pleasure. "This... I've never tasted this before," he said as if enamoured with the sword.
"Such power, such potent blood."
His eyes then turned to Edgar who looked at him as if he were a freak "Whose blood is this!" He hissed almost angrily.
"The guy who attacked me, he stopped me from bringing your next body," he replied.
"Forget the other bodies, bring me him, he will be the only one I will ever need," he said before going back to licking the blade clean of blood.
(AN: I'm sure I've made it pretty obvious about the return of Arthur who is the once and future king, I bet many of you will think it's Thorfinn, it's not he has no relation to Arthur. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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