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THE LAST KINGDOM
𝐀𝐂𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐄 — ↳  COLD WINTERS MORNING❞

⋅───⊱༺ ♰ ༻⊰───⋅
𝐒𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐃
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘☽ 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘥𝘰𝘮 ☾∘∙⊱⋅•⋅

The smell of the fresh salt water lake down by docks which was accompanied by the gentle cool breeze of the winters morning, blew through Aryas peculiar white locks. The mid morning sun shining down barely showed, as it hid behind the clouds of the day. Arya Uhtredsdottir stood upon the wooden balcony that overlooked her home of Coccham as her elbows layed rather restless upon an old oak wooden beam of the balconys ledge. The coarse material that made up her pale blue strap dress coated with a white undergarment underneath seem to itch more then usual.

Her fingertips lightly scratching away at an old piece of wood, her hazel green eyes locked onto the ten foot tall double door gate that led out of the compound in which she called home. She was waiting for someone. The cool winter breeze allowed the girls sallow yet deep breaths to be blown out like a puff of smoke, but the cold never seem to bother the girl, in fact she enjoyed it. It was odd but then again so was the young lady.

"He will return soon Arya best not to worry yourself." A thick Scandinavian accent spoke snapping Arya from her thoughts. Turning her body around the girl locked eyes with Gisela, her father's wife, holding a rather small infant within her arms.

The woman wore a light summers dress that copied the same colour in which the sky was, accompanied with a white undergarment that coated her arms and body protecting herself from the cool winters air. The girls bright blue eyes rolled into the back of her head as her arms folded across her chest.

"He has never been this late, they should have returned by now." The girl stressed, her eyes briefly flicking back to the gate almost as if she hoped that in that moment it would open. Gisela understood her worry.

Arya wasn't always like this when it came to her father. In the months after the two first met Arya failed to even acknowledge the man as her family or even a person. It was Gisela that appealed to Aryas better nature and helped establish a relationship between the father and daughter. Gisela had taken a likely to Arya right away - which was unheard of and of a surprise. Taking a motherly role to your husbands bastard was something most women would never image doing, but for Gisela, she took in the motherless child without a second thought.

"And they will – but standing here looking towards those gates is not helping anyone and will not quicken their journey." She said in reassurance. Arya knew better than to argue with the woman so she held her tongue. Gisela smiled seeing Aryas silent agreement as she neared to stand upon the girls left.

"But it is sweet that you care." Gisela smiled nudging the girls side lightly, her eyes shifting down to the girl who stood just below her chin. Arya rolled her eyes removing her arms from the ledge placing them to her sides.

"You make it sound as although you are surprised." Arya responded, an eye brow raised to the woman who had just turned her attention to the infant in her arms to seem to begin to make a fuss.

"Not surprised – just gladden." Was all Gisela said, her eyes flicking to meet Arya as she gave a small smile before returning her full attention to smoothing the baby.

Sounds from the streets alerted the pair as their eyes turned to see a fuss being made as men were seen moving towards the gates. The girls orbs widened upon the gate being opened and a group of men riding horseback into the estate – being led by the man Arya been waiting for. Her legs took off in a sprint down the hall rushing down the thin flight of stairs rushing herself towards the group of men.

Gisela followed close behind adjusting the babe in her arms as she looked on with amusement at the youthful girl several steps ahead of her.

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Uhtreds features brighten as his leg swung over the side of his horse, both his feet hitting the ground as his eyes caught sight of three approaching figures.

"Now there's a welcoming sight!" He announced smiling at his wife who stood a few feet away holding their baby within her right arm while her left hand gripped the hand of their toddler boy. But up front with those beautiful white hair locks was his eldest child. He braced himself for impact watching as the youthful girl picked up the pace smiling wide as her arms shot up wrapping tight around his neck.

The man stacked back sightly from the intensity of the embrace as his muscular arms wrapped about the girls lean frame. Placing a kiss to her temple Uhtreds hands reached up to cup her chilling cheeks as he gently pulled her back inspecting her face.

"I've missed you father." The white haired girl spoke first, those bright blue eyes widening up at him. He smiled placing a tender kiss to the side of her head. Upon his wife and young son arriving he released his daughter as his toddler boy ran up to him. Lifting the boy into his arms the man grinned as his eyes moved to meet his wife's. He placed a kiss to Gisela lips as the family walked slowly towards the front of the main house.

"It went well?" The woman asked adjusting the baby to her hip. Uhtred nodded bouncing the child on his hip. "It did, not a scratch."

"You have a visitor." Gisela announced as they approached the entrance to the home. "He has been here all night."

Arya, who was stood nearby approached her father as his good mood dropped sightly. The man passed his young son over to his daughter as he turned around begrudgingly entering the home to speak to said guest - if that's what you could even call him.

───※ ·❆· ※───

She knew who was awaiting her father. Who currently sat at the head of their table feasting on their food and drinking their ale. Aethelwold. The son of the former king and the meant to be heir, before better judgement was passed and the title of King was passed to his uncle, King Alfred.

Aryas forest greens locked onto Gisela who had formed a sight smile at the girl. Passing both children to the nursemaid, Arya and Gisela approached the house as they entered. As expected Aethelwold was sat at the head of the table and just to the right of him sat her father.

"The dead speak. I have seen it, heard it and the dead speak." Aethelwold spoke as Arya approached the table. Gisela grabbing a hold of the water jug poured a cup as she frowned.

"The dead?"

"A corpse. I saw him rise from his grave and speak." Aethelwold proclaimed. Arya scrunch up her features looking at the mad man at the head of the table. She took a seat a few chairs down from Aethelwold as her father asked.

"And what did this corpse say?"

"Well, what he said concerns us both." He turned his eyes to Gisela "Us all, hence my visit, and what I tell you are his words, not mine, you understand?"

"And what did he say?" Her father asked, looking to be trying to hide a grin that threaten to spread his lips.

"That I should be King." He announced, smiling at the idea of him being on the throne. Arya almost fell off her chair as she pressed a hand to her mouth trying so hard to fight the smile that refused to leave her face. She knew the man was foolish, but she never thought he'd be this delusional.

"No, believe me, it is true." He said sensing the lack of belief in the room. "He said that I should be King of Wessex and that you, you should be a king too. He said that you, Uhtred, will be crowned King of Mercia. Bjorn heard it through the three spinners." He said naming the supposed dead man that spoke to him.

"Bjorn?" Aethelwold nodded.

"That is his name. He is a Dane? A dead Dane, yes. And therefore, a good Dane." He said attempting the make a joke of the matter. Arya bore a glare into the man's face as her eyes narrowed. Aethelwold shifted in his chair at the silence that rang high in the room but also due to the young girl that sat a few chairs down that lightly terrified him.

"We are royalty, you and l." He said turning his attention back to Aryas father. "I have done my utmost to serve Alfred, but with no reward, no respon... Where are you going?" He asked desperately as Uhtred got up from his chair making his way up the stairs towards the large loft that housed his bed.

"To wash the blood off my hands and then to bed!" He announced not wasting a second glance at the man.

"Do you not believe me?" Aethelwold called up to the man.

"Where did you see this corpse?" Uhtred asked.

"Mercia. Beyond Watling Street." He answered. Arya raised a sight brow at the knowledge as the land he spoke of she knew belonged to the Danes. Aethelwold crossed into Dane lands, but to why the girl didn't know.

"You crossed into Daneland?" Gisela asked speaking Aryas mind. The man's attention shifted from the loft to look at the woman at the table.

"I went to the part of Mercia that Alfred gifted to the Danes, yes." He begrudgingly spoke, a thin smile forming at his lips not liking the words coming from his mouth. It was safe to say that like most Saxon's, Aethelwold was none too pleased with the likes of Danes, and Arya could say the same for Saxons.

"And you just so happened to have wandered across Watling Street?" Arya asked, her elbows crossed resting on the table as she leaned forward, an eye brow raised, looking at the man in question. Her father returned down the stairs, his tunic removed, with a towel draped over his shoulder as he made a move for the front door.

"I was sent for! I was invited! And the same will happen to you." Aethelwold shouted after her father but to no avail as the sound of the doors slamming rang through the room. The man sighed turning his attention to Uhtreds wife.

"I know what I saw. You will be a queen." He said almost as if trying to win over the woman. Arya rolled her eyes at his attempt to get Gisela's support on his madness.

"I may not wish to be a queen." She replied not at all buying into what Aethelwold was selling.

"When Bjorn is ready to speak, there will be a messenger." He said. Gisela tilted her head sightly inching forward on her seat looking the blonde man in the eye.

"Tell me... Do you wish Alfred harm?" She asked.

"No. No, of course not. I mean, I wish him dead, but I would not harm him." He said. Gisela said nothing as the man's head dropped down, shaking lightly.

"I know what I saw." He mumbled as a last resort. Nobody said anything. Aethelwold sighed.

"I will not outstay my welcome. Thank you for your kindness." He spoke nodded to Gisela before raising from his seat, taking his leave out the door. Arya watched him go with narrowed eyes. Turning away from the door Arya looked to Gisela.

"I swear by the Gods that man gets more madder with every visit." She said with a shake of her head. Gisela smiled chuckling lightly at the girls comment but said nothing against it. A smirked found its way onto her lips as she spoke in a humorous tone yet with a matter of fact underlining it.

"I'm afraid that's the case with all men my love."

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Walking underneath the grey sky Arya rounded the corner as her eyes set on the forge, where a few men stood around attending to weapons. Two men in particular caught her attention as her lips turned into an up right smile. Moving faster on her feet she approached the two men.

Hearing the sound of quicken footsteps, a tall breaded brunette man shifted his eyes to the left. His lips turned into an up tight smile at the sight of the white haired girl.

"Whitelocks! There you are!" Finan smiled reaching his arms out to allow the girl to wrap hers around his torse, to which she did so with no hesitation. Whitelocks – the nickname Finan had given her the day they met that she just couldn't get rid of. It use to annoy her to no end but after mouths of her begging him to stop and him simply ignoring, she simply gave up. It was hard to win an argument with the Irish man.

"I knew you missed me." The man grinned as the girl pulled herself out from his embrace, rolling her eyes at his cocky tone, even though what he spoke was true.

"Of course I did – who else's life am I supposed to wreak havoc on if your gone." She grinned walking over to Sihtric who wrapped his arms around her. She heard Finan scoff as she pulled away from Sihtric and placed a small kiss on his cheek for good measure.

The Irish man walked forwards wrapping an arm around the girls shoulder blades pulling her against his chest. When first arriving Arya found herself growing a strong attachment to the Irish man. He was the first one she allowed to break way into her broken heart since the incident that would forever haunt her. He was a light hearted man that always seemed to be on a mission to put a smile on her face. The cross he wore around his neck sometimes bothered her at times but the man himself made her forget those feelings.

The same went for the danish man Sihtric who she again found a strong bond with seeing as both knew what it was like to wear the title of bastard like some sick badge of honour their meant to be proud. Their Danish heritage was something they bonded over and she found herself comfortable with someone who shared her beliefs and feelings.

They were two men that Arya felt strongly for and comfortable in their presence. The first men in her life she knew wouldn't hurt her.

"Did you do well?" Arya asked, her eyes flicking to look up at the man then at Sihtric who stood in front of the pair.

"We did, took down every single one of those bastards - had no idea what hit them." Finan gloated

"I wish father would allow me to join you, i could do some good out there. I know how to wield a blade!" The girl complained leaning herself more against the older man. She heard Finan sigh as this was not the first time the young girl has brought this up. Uhtred was a man who for any reason would never risk the life of any of his children, which included the bastard Arya.

"Wielding a blade and using it against others are two very different things whitelocks." Finan said repeating the words he would say everytime Arya brought the topic of her joining them.

"Finan." A nearby man called.

"What?" He asked. The question however answered itself when a crowd began to form around what looked to be a few horsemen riding forwards, with an army of guards and what looked to be a few Christian priests. The lead horsemen caught Arya by surprise as riding front and certain was Lord King Alfred, King of Wessex.

"Lord King! Welcome to Coccham." Finan announced, his head bowing in an act of respect for the Lord King.

"Finan." Alfred gave a short courtesy nod before shifting his attention to the white haired girl in Finan's grip.

"Arya my dear – I trust you are well." The King asked giving the smaller girl a tight lipped smile. She could see the look in his eyes but decided to ignore. She was no stranger to the look. Arya simply nodded her head down, her knees bending sightly in a bow towards the Lord King.

"Very well Lord King, thank you." The girl spoke in a much shire voice then she would normally speak with. Her voice always got that way when around the High Lords or in this case The King himself. The man always exchanged welcoming words whenever Arya found herself in his presence. She knew deep down he was only being polite in order to save himself from making a deal of the matter. If Uhtred hadn't decided to take her in she would have found herself receiving the same treatment all other bastards did.

"Lord Uhtred is at the fortress, the burh." Finan had said. An older man with greying hair and fine clothing who rode alongside the Lord King looked to the Irish man with a look of authority yet spoke with a gentle asking tone.

"Would you fetch him, Finan? We'll be waiting in the hall." Odda, a fellow Lord, asked. The Irish man nodded his head.

"I will, Lord." He said as the trio watched the rest of the Kings men walk. Arya took notice to the fair few Priests the King had brought with him. It almost made Arya want to grunt in annoyances as the obviousness of Alfred lack of respect for Paganism.

"The man must have a priest for each day of the year." Finan joked earning a chuckle from both Arya and Sihtric. One of the Priests locked eyes with Arya as he lifted his arms placing his hands together.

"God be with you." He spoke as he continued on his way. Arya said nothing, her eyes boring glares at the crosses around their necks, as the rest of the Kings posse walked by them.

───※ ·❆· ※───

"Lord King. Lord Odda." Uhtred addressed the two lords that sat at the head of the table before turning to a tall muscular man that stood by the door.

"Steapa, my friend." He addressed in a more friendly manner shaking the man's hand. Walking next to Finan, Arya entered the hall as she stood a few inches behind him.

"Uhtred, you do not deserve such a charming wife." The King commented as the trio walked further into the hall each taking a place at the table. Uhtred sat across from the King as Finan placed himself to the right of Lord Odda and young Arya placed herself a chair down from her father.

"Oh, I can only agree, Lord." Uhtred commented shifting lightly in his seat as his eyes locked firmly on that of the King.

"I was not expecting you, there's been no message." He said.

"I'm hearing you've hanged a man." Alfred said cutting straight to the point of things. At this Arya felt herself lightly shift in her chair at the knowledge of what her father had done. She knew he had killed people, most of the men had but Arya always found herself becoming incredibly uncomfortable when the matter of death and people being killed was ever discussed.

"I hanged many men just lately. Raiders, Danes... Uhtred began to list. "And already dead, Lord." Finan chimed in picking up his cup of ale taking a drink.

"I'm speaking of a Saxon man, a man of Coccham, of Wessex." The King spoke.

"That is why you're here?" Her father asked.

"Amongst other concerns." The King simply said. Her father shrugged his shoulders leaning back in his chair looking to the King.

"That man was a thief, Lord. Sinful to the bone."

"You hanged him without trial." The King revealed.

"He was guilty. Three times over." Her father said sounding unfazed to what he had done.

"It is the purpose of a trial to determine guilt. People must witness justice being done." Alfred said sounding rather angry at the Danish man.

"Then I shall arrange a trial." Uhtred said drinking from his cup.

"It's a little bit late for that, I fear." Lord Odda commented.

"Has there been a complaint, Lord?" Gisela asked as she moved towards the chair directly next to Arya placing herself next to the young girl.

"There are laws, carefully written laws. If you wish to remain an ealdorman, you will adhere to them. You shall not impose your pagan ideals within my kingdom. We are west of Watling Street, not east." Alfred spoke in an angered tone. Her father looked down at his cup looking almost deflated at the Kings words.

"Yes, Lord." Her father said like a child being scolded by their mother.

"We do not cross over into Daneland, we do not cross over into Danelaw, in mind, nor body, norspirit." Alfred said with great firmness and might.

"No, Lord."

"My nephew... Aethelwold, he was, uh... Well, he was seen doing just that. Leaving Wessex, crossing through Mercia from west to east. Are you aware of this?" The King asked.

"I am not." Her father lied through his teeth. Arya remained quiet as she simply watched the Alfred attempt to question her father on the matters of his nephew. The girl wasn't exactly sure what the man was getting at or what his true purpose of being here was.

"When Aethelwold was here, he mentioned nothing of crossing into Daneland. Hm, what did he mention?" The King asked looking to Aryas father, his eyes rather narrow and emotionless, the usually way in which The King normally looked at her father.

"He mentioned you, Lord, and how you took his crown." Her father answered.

"Aethelwold is permanently idle." Odda mumbled drinking from his cup.

"My advice is the same as it has always been - you should put him on trial and then kill him." Her father joked slipping his cup. Alfred's face little emotion as he glanced around the room before his eyes settled back on Uhtred.

"Should the devil begin to whisper in his ear, then I may have no choice."

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𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔

First Chapter finally out!

Had massive writers block for a while but hopefully this long chapter makes up for it

I love Gisela so much so her and Arya are going to have a really close bond

Arya meets Osferth in chapter three and honestly so excited

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