Chapter three - Garrick

King Alfred's daughter Aethelflead was to be married to the Lord of Mercia and of course Uhtred and his group were travelling up to Winchester for the wedding celebrations. Daciana was happy to have Lady Gisela with her, being in a city full of Saxon, Dane-haters was uncomfortable for her and Gisela knew how she felt. So they set out early, Sihtric and Daciana riding behind Abess Hild and Finan.

When they were halfway there Sihtric finally spoke up having spent the whole time staring at the back of his horses head in thought. "I'm going to ask him now."

"Ask who what?" Daciana scrunched her brows together.

"Lord Uhtred, about me marrying."

"Ohh, good luck I suppose." She shook her head stifling a giggle.

The man rode up ahead to Uhtred and Gisela, "Lord? Have you made a decision yet? Have you given it thought" He asked.

Daciana laughed under her breath knowing that Uhtred didn't think it was a good idea for her brother to marry the woman he had fallen for.

"Given thought to what?"

"Uhtred." Gisela gave him a pointed look.

"My request to marry, Lord. I would like to have a family."

Daciana scoffed playfully, "what am I spoiled milk!" She laughed.

"Shh, Daci." Sihtric gave her a semi-apologetic look.

When Uhtred continued his silence Gisela spoke again, "Lord, you will answer tha man."

"I will speak with her at Winchester and give you my decision." Uhtred said plainly.

"Thank you lord." Sihtric smiled.

"But you are to give her no more of your arm rings nor silver." Uhtred said with a smile on his face making Daciana snicker.

When they finally arrived at Winchester all's Daciana wanted was Ale and food. But instead after they had seen to the horses, the group of them watched as Lord Aethelred of Mercia arrived. He held himself highly on his horse, clearly full of himself.

"Is that Aethelred?" Clapa asked, look of dislike on his face.

Finan and Uhtred both hummed in confirmation.

"From what I know, Alfred could not have chosen a bigger turd."

"I've never met the man, but by the look of him he was indeed shat out the arse of a giant." Finan said making them all laugh quietly.

"He is to be King of Mercia, they are saying." Aethelwold came up behind Uhtred. "The Ealdormen of the Witan, are saying."

Uhtred sighed, sick of him already. "Lord of Mercia, perhaps. Alfred would never allow another Saxon to be called King."

"Nor would a certain dead man called Bjorn." Aethelwold raised his cup near his mouth.

Daciana snarled over to him, she stamped on his foot hard making him yelp, "you will not speak as if you know of our gods or traditions, you fool." Then she took the cup off him and moved to stand by Finan and her brother.

Aethelwold said something else to Uhtred and Uhtred dragged him off down an alley, Daciana shook her head at his nuisance and downed what was left of the ale in the cup.

As the streets cleared Sihtric approached Lord Uhtred so Daciana sat on a table to wait for him, when Uhtred agreed that he could marry the girl upon completion of a task Sihtric turned with a smile on his face as he continued to talk to the other man.

"Thank you Lord. We will name our first son Uhtred, Lord."

"No, you will not!"

"No, I will not."

"You'll name your first Daughter Daciana or I'll have your head." The woman joked throwing her arm up over his shoulder as the made their way to the stables.

Deciding against going with Lord Uhtred to Skald Hall, Daciana wanted to see Thyra and check that she was well. She did just that, learning that her friend had grown close to father Beocca and the feelings were growing rapidly.

"Have you informed him of these feelings?"

"I could not, he would not feel the same." Thyra frowned.

"If you have a chance at happiness Thyra, you must take it." Daciana took hold of her hands.

Almost as if the gods were listening to their conversation, the very next morning Thyra came to Daciana with news. Beocca had asked her to marry him, to which she had eagerly accepted. So whilst Daciana waited for Lord Uhtred and the men to return, she helped Thyra get ready to be married to the man she loved.

After a tiresome day of getting a wedding dress ready and picking out jewellery for Thyra to wear, Daciana retired to the nearest ale house. She greeted the woman her brother was in love with, Siggy, then she sat at an almost empty table in the back. Sighing as she sat down, the only other person on the table lifted his head in disorientation.

He groaned as he looked over to the woman, "must have dozed off."

"Easy to do in here, it's hot and stuffy." She nodded as a girl brought over a pitcher of ale to Daciana.

"You, girl." The man stopped the waitress, "the man who was with me here earlier, do you know where he went?"

"The Priest, oh he left something for you. I'll just be a moment."

Daciana's eyes looked the man up and down, taking in his attire. He was clearly a warrior, his battle hardened face and rough looking clothing.

"Here you are, he left this a few hours ago. Said you needed your sleep, asked me not to disturb you." She handed him a scroll of parchment and walked off again.

"You do not look like someone who keeps the company of a Priest." She filled up her own cup and then the strange man's.

"My brother, funnily enough he used to be the one people feared more out of the two of us." He chuckled under his breath as his eyes scanned the words on the parchment. "Well that's fucking great." He threw down the note and sipped from his cup annoyed.

"I have a brother, I know that feeling." The woman smiled recognising the look on his face. "What has he done?"

"Gone off to send a message for King Alfred apparently, wants me to wait here until he's back." He shook his head.

"Ooo, he must be an important man if he's trusted by Alfred."

The man laughed, tipping his head back, "he told me we were only journeying her for the wedding celebrations, old fool."

"At least you can still enjoy them." She shrugged.

"I'd rather not, if I'm being honest. All these Saxons make me uncomfortable." He twisted his head to look at the other people in the small room.

Daciana's face contorted in confusion, "your not Saxon? You surely don't look like a Dane."

He laughed again, "I'm a Briton, been killing these Saxon bastards my whole life. But my brother decided he wanted to peruse a love for god and here I am, stuck surrounded by this lot."

"Thought I was the only one, cheers to that." She leaned her cup towards him and he clinked it with his own.

"I'm Garrick by the way." He held out his hand.

"Daciana." She shook his hand with a smile.