Hope that last chapter didn't stress you out too much. My fingers are crossed that over the next few chapters all the questions are answered. If not feel free to flick me an email!
Thank you again for those of you that reviewed. ;)
A look of pure shock came across Aethulwulf's face, he tried to conceal it but Kadlin had seen. "So your my son's sister?"
She nodded simply. "Does that mean you don't want me? I understand if it changes things"
He came at her with such quick movement that Kadlin didn't have time to react. His lips were on here, Kissing her. Gently but passionately. He took her shoulders in his hands and gently encouraged her to lie back down. Lying above her, he kept him self propped up so that his weight didn't cause her any pain due to her injuries. When he broke the kiss he answered her.
"If anything it makes me want you more. Not only can I hurt Ivar and the other son's by having you at my side. It will cause much pain to that bitch of a woman I have to call Wife. She has humiliated me for too long, fucking my father. Now it is my turn to humiliate her. Oh how they will laugh, when it is known that I am fucking her lover's daughter. Her beloved son Alfred's, sister"
Biting her tongue so she did not spit on him. Kadlin was disgusted. How on earth did he think that speech was going to win her over. Instead she smiled sweetly, but winced in pain. "I need time to think on it your grace. I am so sore and tired, will you please let me rest" she lifted her head up so that once again her lips met his. She kissed him. In her mind it was Ivar she was kissing. Ivar's weight hovering above her. Ivar's breath on her neck.
"Then once I am feeling better, you can show me what I am missing out on"
He climbed off from her and made his way to the door. "It will be my pleasure. Until then"
Once Aethulwulf had gone, Kadlin could finally relax. She locked the door from the inside and for the first time in a while she felt comfortable. Knowing that within a day she would be taken away, she planned on gaining as much from this as she could. She looked around the room for any trinkets she could find, there was so much in here. She searched through for what felt like hours. There was a knock at the door. "Miss, I have something for you"
Kadlin felt uneasy. She was expecting nothing. "What is it"
The girl spoke back through the door. "It is a dress, from my lord Aethulwulf" Looking down at her own dress. Perhaps it was for the best, she thought. Opening the door. Looking at the girl, she saw no dress. It wasn't until the blade went in to her stomach that she realised the girl was holding it.
"Pagan whore" she said, as Kadlin slumped to the ground and the girl walked off.
Kadlin curled up in a ball on the floor. The blood was soaking through her dress, and she started to feel light headed. Closing her eyes, she focused on Ivar. Her hand around her necklace. She saw him coming, the army was not far off. She just had to wait for them to get to her, then she would be alright. It was then that her vision continued, she saw Helga fall. Tanaruz lying beside her with a blade protruding from her chest.
She was the only one who knew this would happen. Helga had been like a second mother to Ivar. She meant more than the world to Floki, she could not let her die. She could not allow this to happen. Pulling herself up to her feet it was then she noticed that there was no one around. All of the men, women and children had left. So much for Aethulwulf taking her with her, what a piece of work he was. Kadlin was excited for the day when he met his maker.
Ripping off the bottom of her dress, she tried to apply more pressure to her stomach. The wound was bleeding much more when she moved, but she had to get out. She had to find someone to warn Helga of the danger.
The halls were silent as she tried to make her way out of the castle. Straining to remember how she had gotten inside. It was then she was pulled back behind her. Ecbert, had a knife to her throat.
"Bloody hell, this is not my day" she said aloud.
"Come on, nice and easy" he spoke. As he guided her back into the room. The door closed and Kadlin saw there were only a handful of guards and the bishop here with Ecbert.
"Your grace, she is bleeding" the bishop commented.
"I did not even cut her!" he called back.
"No, on her stomach. Look"
Ecbert looked down and saw that indeed she was bleeding. "Shit. I can't have you die. I need you to get me to Bjorn."
"May I suggest some wine for her pain?" the bishop added.
"Splendid idea my old friend!" Ecbert yelled as he handed a glass of wine to her. Never one to drink, but the pain in her stomach told another story. It would help take the edge of the pain at least, she thought to herself. Lifting the glass up to her lips, she drank the entire thing. Ecbert poured her another, and she finished that one too.
"She likes it!" the bishop added.
It was then Kadlin realised that the bishop and Ecbert were drunk. As the minutes passed she too started to feel lightheaded. At least my wound doesn't hurt as much. Perhaps this was why so many men drank, she thought to herself. To wash away pains, not only from battle but there was very little going through Kadlin's head at the moment.
They heard a commotion out side and Ecbert stood up and turned to the bishop. "Well my friend, it has been a pleasure knowing you!"
"It has been an honour serving you" The two of them hugged each other ,and Kadlin couldn't help but feel for them. They both knew they would soon die.
"Now, miss. Actually who are you?"
"I am Kadlin."
"Ah, Kadlin, we must go I am afraid. I'm sorry about this but I do need to hold this knife at your throat again. Rest assured, I will not cut you. I just need you as leverage. You understand yes?"
She nodded. "I do, but not too fast eh, my stomach is still quite sore"
"Excellent, well we must be off. Goodbye old friend!" Ecbert beamed as he and Kadlin left the hall and entered the hallway once more.
They walked down the hallway and turned one corner, they had reached the entrance. "Wow, I was close before" she spoke happily, the wine still clearly affecting her.
"Yes, my dear you were. Lucky for me I got to you. Why are you here anyway?" he asked as he walked behind her with his blade still lightly at her neck.
"Well you see, I was captured."
"No!" Ecbert was quite drunk, Kadlin surmised.
"Yes, you grace. Then your son offered to take me as a mistress"
"Oh, that would have been nice. You see I took his wife. She fell in love with me and I her. Would have been good for him to have someone"
"Well, I'm afraid I belong to another and I would very much like to get back to him."
Ecbert sighed. "Yes, Pagans and Saxon's don't really get along. Unless you are Aethelstan. He seemed to get along with us just fine. Did you know him?"
Kadlin could see movement up ahead as they continued to walk to the centre of the town.
"Yes, I knew him. He was my father."
Ecbert stopped and turned Kadlin to face him. "Your Aethelstan's daughter! I didn't even know he had one. Oh come here"
He pulled her into a embrace, and Kadlin winced at the pain it caused her.
"Yes, unfortunately he did not know. My mother kept it a secret from him. My lord we really must get going"
"Of course, of course" as he brought his blade back up to her. "Well I am truly glad that he did not take you. My son I mean. I am grateful to have met you Kadlin, daughter of Aethelstan. I loved him, like a son, perhaps more than my son. "
It was then that Kadlin saw him. Ivar upon his chariot. Bjorn next to him. They walked towards them and the crowd parted. Blades lifted from every direction and all of them pointed at Ecbert. Kadlin noticed the archer, and tried to move away to give them a clearer shot at Ecbert.
"STOP!" Bjorn cried out. "This is King Ecbert"
Ivar saw her, and he looked relieved. A small smile escaped his lips, and she returned one in kind.
"Bjorn" Ecbert replied. "I wonder if we may speak?"
"The time for speaking is over" Hvisterk called. "You had our father murdered."
Ecbert remained calm. "Well, we shall speak. Or I will open this pretty girls throat"
Kadlin's eyes found Ivar's. Her hand slipping under her dress. Grabbing her blade quickly, she turned and held it up to Ecbert's throat. Mirroring what he had been doing to her. She had looked like a pathetic woman for too long.
"You will do no such thing. I will slice you from ear to ear before you move, If Bjorn allows it you may speak with him. If he does not. I will kill you here"
"Careful, where you point that. Do you even know how to use it?" he laughed to her.
In response, Kadlin pressed her blade into the side of his neck. A small amount of blood, wetting her blade.
"Alright alright. Point taken. Bjorn, will you speak with me?"
Kadlin looked to Bjorn and he nodded. She lowered the blade and made movements to go towards Ivar. Ivar had driven the chariot closer and slid down off the back of it. Kadlin walked toward him as Ivar crawled to her. She dropped to her knees, and pulled him up on to his own when they met.
His hands running through her hair, his forehead touching hers. She closed her eyes and smiled.
"I was worried for you" he said gently to her.
" I know"
"You are bleeding" he commented, as he tried to move her dress to see the injury.
"It is not too bad. The bleeding has stopped mostly."
"I thought you were dead." he said quietly.
Kadlin looked up to Ivar, noticing for the first time that most of the army was or had left. It had felt as it it was just the two of them there.
"We have much more to do together Ivar."
Then, Ivar kissed her. It was like nothing she had felt before. His touch on her was gentle, but there was a fierceness and want with buried inside it. He pulled her in and as much as it hurt her, she continued the kiss. When finally their lips separated she spoke once more.
"We have much to discuss. Ivar, Ecbert is the king no longer"
"Shit, we have to get inside."
As Ivar climbed up to his chariot, Kadlin moved to pull herself up. When she sat on the back and Ivar issued the horses to move, Kadlin remembered there was something else she had to do.
"Ivar!" She called. "I need a bow"
"Yes, I will get it for you."
"No, I need it now!" she said desperately.
Ivar bent down and picked up her bow of the floor of the chariot handing it to her. She grabbed it, and slid off the back of the chariot. She ran, as fast as her feet would take her. Ivar called to her, but she had no time to explain. She ran, the pain in her stomach aching as she moved. Passing Ubbe, she called at him to follow.
"Ubbe, with me please!" she pleaded as she ran.
He followed with no hesitation, sensing the desperation in her voice. She weaved her way through the hallway, trying to see what she was looking for. As she reached the final corner, she saw it.
Tanaruz standing behind Helga, her arm raised and the dagger in her hand. Without hesitation Kadlin drew back her bow, and let loose the arrow. The arrow piercing through the webbing in Tanaruz's hand forcing her to drop the dagger. Turning around to see what was happening and who was shooting at her. Kadlin quickly let another arrow fly and hit her squarely on the chest.
A look of horror formed on Helga's face, as she saw the dagger near Tanaruz fallen body. Tears fell from her eyes as the realisation that her foster daughter was about to attack her, dawned on her. Before Kadlin could take another step, she fell.
Her vision went blurry, her head hitting the floor.
"Kadlin" she heard being called out, She saw nothing but darkness, and felt nothing but pain. Her wound had started bleeding again.
"Kadlin"