The same cannot be said for Skarth, as he mocks them. “You cowards. You cannot even look at your queen, for shame swallows you whole. A plague on your houses and those inside for generations to come!”
Some men are affected by his words, but in the end, there is no loyalty. Only self-preservation.
And this is evident when my once ealdormen, Lord Rufus, steps in front of us, preventing us from advancing. I asked Lord Louis to torture him until he cracked. But the fact that my sons are still missing means it was all in vain.
“The queen finally returns,” he mocks, not hiding his disgust. “You shame the Lord by consorting with that barbarian.”
“You shame your mother by opening your mouth,” Skarth bites back.
“My mother and family are thankfully safe, no thanks to your whore.”
Skarth doesn’t even hesitate as he withdraws his knife and tosses it, embedding it into Lord Rufus’s thigh.
Lord Rufus drops to the ground, howling in pain.
“Oh, you weakling, it’s just a flesh wound. Get up and stop embarrassing yourself.”
“Guards!” Lord Rufus screams. He sweeps his arm toward us, indicating they’re to capture us.
“I love thee,” I say to Skarth as I am dragged down from my horse.
“As I love you.” He, too, is pulled to the ground and instantly disarmed. His arms are shackled behind his back.
Aric is knocked out cold and dragged away.
My hands are tied behind my back, and a collar is placed around my neck, which is attached to a rope. I am then led to my palace by collar and rope like a rabid dog. Skarth is punched and kicked when he tries to fight, but he never wavers. He stands tall, ensuring his eyes never leave me, for he always watches, always guards me.
But when we breach the palace walls, we know our time together has come to an end.
Aethelbald stands in the palace square, donned in a red robe and gold jewels. He reeks of power and control, but in case I missed his victory parade, my mother’s corpse hangs by her broken neck from the gallows. Ravens feast on her rotten flesh, and maggots eat through the flesh from her distended abdomen.
Regardless of our rocky relationship, I feel sadness and guilt because she sat on the throne at my request. If I hadn’t asked that of her, she would still be alive.
I wear her death as well as the demise of the kingdom I tried so hard to protect.
“My queen, it is so lovely to feast my eyes upon thee.”
“The same cannot be said about you. I am here. At your mercy. Tell me what it is you want and stop with the melodramatics.”
Aethelbald is merely a youngster, but he breeds such hate. Such a shame, as he could have changed England for the good if he had a fiber of decency in his veins.
“You know what I want,” he replies, steepling his fingers in front of his lips. The gold rings he wears I recognize as my father’s.
Skarth’s mood instantly changes when he reads the victorious grin on Aethelbald’s wretched face. “You are pathetic,” he mocks in disgust. “But I suppose that the only way for you to gain love is through blackmail.”
Aethelbald conceals his rage, but I know he will ensure Skarth pays dearly for his smart mouth. “I want her, but you, you are disposable. Guards.”
“No!” I cry, struggling against my collar. “You have me! I will not fight you. Anything you want, it is yours. All I ask is for the safe return of my children and to let Skarth go.”
“You are no longer in any position to make demands. But I do have a soft spot for thee. First and foremost, I want what is rightfully mine. I will rule over Wessex as it was to be. You will renounce King Raedwulf’s reign immediately, and I shall be coronated to be Wessex’s king.
“Once that is done, then Wessex and Northumbria will be aligned in rulership and beliefs, for you will accept my hand in marriage, when I’ll rule over both kingdoms.”
“I am promised to another. Prince Ludwig, Duke of Miltenburg.” Never thought I’d be pleased to announce this, but this may be my saving grace.
I see that it’s not, however, when Aethelbald laughs.
“It seems the prince got cold feet and withdrew his proposal.”
