The sun rises with a fierce determination just like the fighting men of Bebbanburg. They march out the gate, their prayers and weapons prepared, long before Cwen wakes. Cwen had grown used to not seeing her father for days, sometimes weeks, depending on the struggle Bebbanburg faced or whatever man claimed offense over some land or comment. She never cared for the reason nor was it given to her. It was just another thing taking her father away for a time.

The Lord Uhtred rarely made a show of goodbyes, he reserved any form of greeting for when they returned so the night before his departure was nothing more than a brief show of good faith that did not lack in his usual coldness. All of that left Cwen unphased.

With the morning heat rising, the sun burning at her eyelids woke her. It was not the disruption she was expecting as usually Glenna or Uhtred would come in. She rubs her eyes, not bothering to plait her hair when she leaves her room. She finds that Bebbanburg is much emptier now. Loneliness was never quite an issue because of her father's absence but today left a void she could not explain. Perhaps it was because she couldn't find Uhtred no matter where she looked. Her first instinct was to find him, she was quick to forget everything else.

Roaming the halls, Cwen passed servants who busied themselves with necessary work to keep Bebbanburg afloat, none concerned with her. It was not long until Glenna found her before she could find Uhtred and once she tamed Cwen's hair, suggested the two pray and eat. Glenna hadn't even wondered where Uhtred was, assuming he would do anything but pray with her, thus leaving that responsibility to Cwen. Not that Cwen minded much, although praying had been much slower than usual to her. Glenna could sense her fluttering nature as her dress rustles from her movement.

"Go ahead," she eventually sighs out, "you have said enough prayers for the morning."

Cwen raced to find Uhtred, flurrying by everyone without a care. Passing by stones and wooden walls that adorned Bebbanburg, a fleeting idea that maybe Uhtred did not want to be found came to her mind. Yet she ignored it as she came to the doors leading to outside.

It only took a second for her to make up her mind and push it open. She peered over the edge of the railing and finally caught him running with food and a bag in his hand. He was fast, and she could barely keep her eyes set on the boy who had all the energy of a man, apparently all of the courage, and none of the experience as he would soon find out for the worst.

Her bright large eyes follow his dark hair bobbing between the stables then and so she makes her way over there, not realizing how he had tried to keep himself swift and unseen.

"What are you doing?" Uhtred was oblivious to her presence and the sudden voice caused him to let out a small boyish cry. He cursed himself for sounding so childish and did not even register her question. "Are you off to train?" Cwen then asks after he didn't answer. She looks down at his chainmail and the stuff he carried with him; a small sword fit for a child that should never see the darkness of war, and a shield large enough to block any hits.

"Yeah, I'm training. Go back inside." He says brushing her off, placing his things on the small horse beside him. Cwen furrows her brows drawing in closer.

"Then where are you riding to? Are you going somewhere? Father will be angry if he learns about this you know." Uhtred sighs, her constant incessant questions distracting him. He clutches his sister's shoulders and looks deep in her eyes.

"I need to go, Cwen. I need to fight. You wouldn't understand and I don't expect you to." His face turns firm, quite like how their father would when he would come to a decision. Uhtred's decision had been made in the morning, and no one could discourage him from it. "Now go inside, please."

Cwen gulps, looking back at the interior of Bebbanburg, wishing that she could just take his hand and drag him back inside with her. Then they would play without knowing the horrors of war that Uhtred was seeking out like a pup would its mother's prey.

Uhtred mounts the small horse, using how deep in thought his sister was as his escape. He kept his eyes on the front gate. Shivers tickle his spine and yet he still doesn't look down at her knowing if he does he might be convinced to stay behind. "I will be back with Father, Cwen. Don't worry," is all he says before he rides off. He did not even give her a moment to argue. The dirt picks up under the horse's hooves and flies through the air, almost hitting Cwen who stumbles back from the impact. A quivering frown pulls at her lips as he disappears. 

It was a desperate attempt, but she was desperate. She rushes up to the ramparts, breath coming out in short rapid pants. It did not matter if Glenna would chastise her, or if the remaining men on duty would be disrupted. She had to see him again, even if it was only his brief figure fading in the distance.

Cwen finally reaches the top, about to race to the wall of the rampart but shuffles back. Aelfric  stood with his man, already looking out onto the land, or rather at who was riding out on it. Aelfric had heard the frantic thudding on the stairs, as did his man, Scallion, but thought nothing of it. It wasn't until the sound stopped that the two men turn their heads, their expressions telling a different story to their reason for being there.

Cwen stood there in a panic, sidestepping in an awkward attempt to go to the edge and look at her brother. It was almost sad, Aelfric thought to himself but did not bother to think further on it, nor acknowledge her. Cwen glances to the side. The tall fence on the rampart was no match for her short frame and she would not dare ask her uncle to pick her up. A sickening feeling claws at her throat from the way he looked out into the land. Something would burst inside of her, from  the injustice of everything at that moment. With that, she ran away, back to the safety of Bebbanburg, inside away from the war, away from the men and the emotion prying at her. Let her uncle have it, let the fighting men have it, let Uhtred have it if he so desperately wants it. She would have none of it.

Scallion did not take his eyes off of her until she escaped inside. He leans in towards Aelfric in a whisper, "And the girl? Shall I rid you of her too?"

Aelfric contemplates in silence. His gaze wanders to where she fled and only a moment passes before he shakes his head. "She will make no difference. She would never be the heir."

Cwen hid herself in her room, with no appetite and no faith. It had taken Glenna and three servant girls to eventually coax her out. Glenna took her to pray and thought to herself how silent Cwen became in the night. Any other night she would have fidgeted and grown tired of praying, but now she was more quiet than the mice that plagued their home, the girl's hands together in prayer and eyes sealed shut. So tight that Glenna feared she would burst.

"Whatever is wrong, Cwen? You know can tell me if anything should bother you."

Cwen wrings her fingers as if she was trying to scrub them raw from the guilt that raked through her. Her body could not physically hold in the secret. She stares up at Glenna and the woman knows something terrible happened instantaneously.

"Uhtred ran away. He took the horse that Father gave him and went to find him." Her voice was softer than any other time that Glenna heard it and yet loud enough to sound like an echo in the room.

Glenna turns, facing the statue of Mary. It was a comforting silence that allowed Glenna to think, but it was interrupted by the girl. The seconds passing by to Cwen felt like an eternity. "Shouldn't we go after him?" Cwen wonders out loud, then frowns with the next question coming out more doubtful than anything else. "Should we send Uncle Aelfric?" Her mind raced with any possible solution to the problems that arose from this, saying everything that Glenna could think of.

Glenna contemplates her questions, fumbling with her response feeling Cwen's stare burn into her temple. What could they do but wait? She freezes at the realization and then sighs out, "Surely Uhtred will find your father, and Father Beocca will look after him. Do not fear, Cwen. Now, let us pray for their swift victory and return. God will hear our prayers and punish the Danes for their sins."

And pray they did. Not an unusual activity for the two, but with many from Bebbanburg gone, praying was the best option to escape from their worst thoughts. So Cwen prayed, and she did so in the only way a child knew how, talking in her mind like she was having a conversation. Asking God to protect Uhtred, her father, and the other men, hoping everything would sort itself out without hurting anyone. The way Glenna spoke about the Danes brought faith to the young girl's mind.

Days passed and yet no word reached Bebbanburg of whether or not they had won the battle. Glenna reassured Cwen that it did not matter how much time has passed. They were surely drinking in their victory and would arrive in the next few days, she told her. Although she was young, Cwen could see the doubt on Glenna's face, she knew the likely reason why they were not home was because they did not survive. It was hard to swallow, and she still held hope for seeing them ride through the gates.

That was until a single rider came through, his horse tired and worn from the ride, just as much as he. With sweat and dirt running down his face, Beocca barely managed to get off the horse as he stumbled through the gates. Cwen grabbed a bucket of water, rushing over to hand it to him. She did not even get the chance to ask him where Uhtred and her father were. Aelfric came from the ramparts and ushered Beocca inside without any direction to Cwen, leaving her alone.

Cwen believed it when Glenna took her aside that night and told her that her father was dead. She believed it when Glenna explained how the Danes won against all three of the armies. Battle was battle, and people would not come back from it sometimes, that she was told. Yet when Cwen wondered what that meant for Uhtred, Glenna was apprehensive to say anything, because, in truth, Beocca did not know the boy had come to the battle. None of them knew where he was, so to them, it meant he was dead. Surely the Danes, they thought, would have killed him the moment they saw him. Either that or he was lost, and who would know if he would return?

This did not ease Cwen's pain, but it did create space for Aelfric to act as the lord of Bebbanburg. No one else could take over this burden. He attended to the remaining people as his brother did and allowed Glenna to remain in Bebbanburg to care for Cwen though she was not her real mother, as Aelfric put it. Cwen could sense how hard Glenna tired to keep her the same carefree girl. Life had almost grown similar to how it did before the Danes arrived on their shore.

On a day the weather permitted Cwen to be outside, letting her bask in the summer air, a small group of Danes approached the gates. Glenna could not find Cwen anywhere once she heard the news of their sudden arrival. Cwen was neither outside nor around the halls and had feared her being confronted by grown men, Danes at that. No child should have to be condemned to the sight of them, Glenna thought.

Yet she had no power in fate as Cwen already snuck into the corridor where she heard the men's gruff voices echo. She caught the brief mentions of some rat while being too caught up in how they spoke. It was as if they weren't enemies, as if the Danes had not killed her uncle's brother and other good men of Bebbanburg. She had only seen Danes in brief moments when someone came to collect payment and Glenna would drag her away. In Cwen's mind it was foolish to have to pay them. Why? So they would not attack?

Cwen peeks into the room just as Beocca walks in. Too entranced in the conversation, Beocca did not realize the small girl take up space in next to him. She slid in easily and barely breathed hoping no one would notice her.

"This is a slave you are entitled to buy back if you wish to." The Dane lay his sword flat on the table as he sat down.

"Buy back?"

"It's your nephew Uhtred, lord. He lives."

Cwen fails to bite back the gasp that leaves her lips, catching the Dane's attention. His kohl lined eyes bore into her. To Cwen, this was not just some man but a beast with an abhorrent smile gracing his features once he caught sight of her. A part of her wanted to back down and run, the other part wanted to know more about Uhtred. She did not even realize how she caught her uncle's attention as well.

Beocca, noticing how the Dane drifted out of the conversation, felt a presence beside him. Cwen cowered back. Without thinking, Beocca blocks her view from Kjartan and scrambles outside into the hall. Breathing heavily he looks cross with her but the only thing on Cwen's mind is her brother.

"You were not allowed to be there. What were you thinking?!" His words were hushed but still expressed the frustration bubbling inside. His nostrils flared and he glanced back at the room they had just left. "You cannot involve yourself in matters that should not concern you. Not if you want to survive." Cwen could not detect the protectiveness in his words. She wanted to back away but was held back by him holding onto her arms.

"Survive? Are the Danes going to attack us again?"

Beocca breathes a deep sigh. "No, I do not speak of Danes. You must know your uncle will not protect you."

The information left Cwen flummoxed. "What about Uhtred? Will he get him back?" Beocca could not truly answer her without putting the fear of God in her. His silence though only fueled the fire that was her scattered thoughts. Hearing shuffling from the room, Beocca straightens his back and turns Cwen in the direction of her room. Neither saw how Aelfric left the room first and watched them disappear from around the corner. Even as she attempted to speak, Beocca hushed her and did not appear since that day. His avoidance was torture enough for her.

Cwen knew nothing of discussions or a decision for Uhtred's retrieval. All she knew was what the Dane said to her uncle. She did not even get to hear Aelfric's response before she was taken out by Beocca.

Days after, Cwen's nails dig into the wood of the banister. Aelfric and a number of men including Beocca prepare their horses to ride out. While Cwen did not know why and was aching to find out, Glenna seemed to know exactly what was happening. Her voice wavers as she begs Aelfric indistinctly enough that Cwen cannot hear. Her knees buckle and in her anguish, she falls to the ground. Glenna did not want to break in front of all the men, yet she sat before Aelfric. He looked down at her with an indistinguishable look on his face.

"Please do not do this, you cannot," Glenna pleads louder, grasping at his sleeves, and pulling him back. Never had Cwen heard such a sound from the woman's lips. Glenna never had a fierce protectiveness over her. She looked after her, taught her, and treated her well as her father's wife, this stark contrast in her frightened Cwen.

"Cwen," Aelfric calls for her. He finally looks up at her for the first time in days, gesturing for her to approach them.

In the stables, Cwen stares up at the horses that are the size of giants, like the ones her father said tormented the Danes in their homeland. Aelfric exhales sharply, obviously weary of Cwen already, and grabs the girl by her sides, placing her on top of the horse. At first, she lets out a laugh but feels the air leave her seeing the look of dread on Glenna's face whose gaze flickers between her, Aelfric, and Beocca. Beocca sat on one of the horses, carrying shame while Glenna followed Aelfric's horse to the edge of Bebbanburg's walls. Beocca bit his tongue, wanting nothing more than to stop him from using Cwen. Aelfric ignores how Glenna claws at the two of them and turns Cwen's head, preventing her from looking back at Glenna. He never once looked back.

"Lord?", Beocca's voice rang out from behind as they rode quietly getting further from Bebbanburg. "Is it necessary to bring the child? She is just a girl."

Cwen tries to catch a peak at Beocca but Aelfric's arm in the way stops her from doing so. A voice inside her head told her that this was all wrong, to be afraid. From her position on the horse, Aelfric looks taller and more gaunt. She could not tell what he was thinking or why he was bringing her to wherever he planned on going. It was not as if she was important enough, she thought. Aelfric never responded to Beocca though. None of the party spoke as they traveled into the woods.

Cwen had never ventured outside of Bebbanburg, and the journey out into an equal setting overrode her anxiety. To watch the way the trees shook from the breeze, how birds chirped wildly without care, to count those trees until she lost count, and with that she almost forgot why she was outside.

A small clearing through the trees came into view and not so far were a couple of men waiting around. By now, Cwen knew not to speak no matter how curious she was.

The Danes upon seeing the group arrive at the agreed destination, observed them. Ubba is the first to make any sound or movement as he barks with laughter. "They bring a little girl?" This catches Uhtred's attention and he whips his head to find out who it was. His heart quickened and his innocence slowly returned seeing Cwen in the distance on Aelfric's horse.

"Cwen," Uhtred exclaims. Ravn looks at Uhtred with a raised brow.

Ragnar leaned over, he was less intrigued than his father and furrowed his brows. "What are you on about?" Uhtred clammed up, embarrassment over his excitement eating at him.

"Nothing," he responds. Tentative of how Ragnar or Ravn would react, Uhtred remained silent even as Cwen's eyes lit up on seeing him. Aelfric had set her down, letting Beocca keep an eye on her. None of it was about trust, it was just irrelevance to him.

Cwen scarcely recognized Uhtred as Beocca held her back from breaking out into a run. He looked dirty, his hair more tangled and wild than usual. Instead of his normal clothes, he wore fur over a dark tunic, and a hammer dangling around his neck. It barely felt like her brother, yet the way he smiled at them settled any uncertainty. Despite her struggling, Beocca held her hand.

"Uhtred," he greets, "are they treating you well?"

"I am fed, yes." Cwen attempts to rip her hand away from Beocca but his strength far outweighs hers. She groans and Uhtred stifles a laugh.

"Good, good. That's all we ask." He kept up the simple politeness as he got even closer. "And what is that around your neck, some symbol?" Once they got closer, Cwen dragged him enough to hug Uhtred. Uhtred does not waste any time to crush her in a hug. He hated how he left her, and now she was brought by their uncle, he could only assume the worst from it. Cwen picks up the necklace and sweeps her fingers over it, the cool metal feeling nice on her hands as she stays under Uhtred's arm.

"Oh, this," he says as if uninterested gesturing to it in Cwen's hands. "They make me wear it." Watching from afar as Beocca ventured even closer, asking for permission to touch the pendant, Ragnar raised a brow. Ragnar observed how the little girl by the priest's side clung to Uhtred. He did not care enough to separate them and Uhtred embraced her freely. Beocca watched on, his heart feeling more full yet the dread crept up again.

"Look, I will speak plainly. Your uncle will kill you." It was just like when Beocca spoke of Aelfric before, Cwen thought, and the unknown fear returned. "Right? You cannot go back to Bebbanburg, you must escape." Cwen whipped her head back to Beocca, trepidation was evident on her face. Beocca did not stop in his efforts to warn Uhtred though. "He wants to be the ealdorman. He wants to be the king, in fact, like that pathetic Egbert over there," he says nodding towards the only seated man who looked as if he was trying to be seen as a man of power and failing miserably, "a puppet king for his Danish masters."

Cwen could feel Uhtred breathing grow heavier by the second. She ducks her head into Uhtred as Aelfric glances over at them. His blank, emotionless stare at them made her stomach churn. Despite this, Beocca continued in his hushed tone, "you should go to Wessex. King Aethelred, real King Aethelred, and his brother the Prince Alfred, they are good men, good Christian men."

"That's enough whispering in his ear, priest." Ragnar stalks over, one hand resting on his sword finally tired of the way he muttered to the children. He grabs Uhtred by the neck like an animal would its pup, not caring for how Cwen reeled back.

"Uhtred!" Beocca turns him back around.

"One more word and I'll have your ballbag for a purse."

Beocca whispers," I'll meet you there." He stands straight, dragging Cwen away who stumbled back. "That will not be necessary," he then says in a normal voice, "I was just allowing the girl to reunite with her brother. Come now." He takes Cwen by the hand and leads her away from the forming group.

"Father Beocca," Cwen starts but could not find the thoughts to form a sentence or a question.

"It was nice seeing your brother was it not?" He asks her as Aelfric passes them.

A big blonde man sits across from Aelfric and their other men gathered around them. Cwen could only watch on, her thoughts leading her astray from the discussion at hand. Uhtred was held by one of the Danes while Cwen stayed close to Beocca. He stood blocking her from anything oncoming, enough to be inconspicuous. Any time she glanced up at him, the man avoided her eyes while he anxiously watched the bartering for the ransom.

Uhtred's cry for how the seal belonged to him ripped Cwen from her drifting mind and brought her back to the barter.

Aelfric now stood, growing antsy. "My lords, I have given up land, horses, I have offered a generous supply of food as well as my sword. All I ask in return is a fair price for my only nephew."

"What would you say is a fair price?" Ravn asks.

"I will offer 100 pieces of silver."

"Two hundred," Ravn replies without leaving a second to waste. The bargaining amused him, that Cwen could tell.

Aelfric was flabbergasted at the idea. "My allegiance and 100 pieces is surely a fair price."

"It is not."

The big blonde man said nothing which surprised Cwen. She only saw the old blind man briefly when they arrived and he was speaking with Uhtred. If Uhtred was casually talking to him, then would he betray him? If Beocca was right, then if their uncle would betray him why would a random man not?

"I will give 120 pieces of silver for the boy."

Ravn chuckles. "Not enough."

Aelfric's jaw jutted out as he avoids eye contact with everyone. The tension was palpitating as fast as Cwen's heart. "Perhaps, for 120, my allegiance, and," he trails off, "and if you need to replace what you will lose, take this child instead." Aelfric rips Cwen from Beocca and presents her to Ubba. "She can do the same work he can." Uhtred thrashes against the man who holds him, crying out for him to let go.

"No!" Uhtred screams, and being just a boy being bargained for, no one acknowledges him.

Ubba stares at her bony arms and wide eyes searching for help from the priest behind her. Aelfric chuckled nervously, trying to hide the fact that he was nervous, and patted her head. Cwen hated it. She felt like one of the horses to be sold. "She will grow into her looks."

Cwen looks up at the tall men in front of her who truly eye her for the first time since they arrived. Ragnar only showed disinterest, yet his eyes flickered to Uhtred. A realization hits him that he would not share with anyone. Ragnar could see the pathetic desperation in Aelfric as he held onto the girl around Thyra's age. How easily he could throw his niece to a pack of wolves in return for his nephew, how wasteful to toss one relative aside for another. As if he had something planned for Uhtred. And perhaps the Earl enjoyed the boy's presence. Ragnar bends down towards Ubba's ear, as Cwen gives Uhtred a panicked look.

"No-"

"Be quiet," Aelfric mumbles to her, ignoring the way she moves out from under his hand. Cwen runs into Beocca's arms and whimpers, wanting to return to Bebbanburg. She was prepared to hear that they accepted his terms and she would be traded like the food from home, and she would never see her home again, she would never see Glenna, never run through the halls with Uhtred.

"The boy's sold to Earl Ragnar," Ubba cuts the tension filled air, his voice settling the whole situation.

"What?" Aelfric gawks.

"Ransomed, Lord."

"That's what I said. The matter is closed!" Cwen looks to Beocca for confirmation, somehow not believing the words, like they would grab her right then and throw her onto their horse.

"My Lords, I have come a long way! I have offered my allegiance. I have offered compensation for a loss-"

Ragnar steps up to Aelfric, not afraid to get in his face. The words angered him. "Which is why you are allowed to breathe. If you have an argument, it's with me now." Aelfric stays silent and Ragnar takes it as his answer. As Ragnar walked over to his men, he gave a lingering look that resembled one of pity, but in a matter of seconds it was replaced with disinterest and he rejoined his men.  "If business is done, we have ale to drink."

"And King Egbert needs to sit." The men were now settled and joking, leaving Cwen to wonder what this meant for her and Uhtred. Aelfric rushes to his horse not bothering to wait for Cwen and Beocca, sulking in his failure to reclaim Uhtred.

Cwen tries to seek out Uhtred's attention, the leaves crunching under her feet. "Uhtred!" Cwen yells for him, reaching out for him but Uhtred is far out of reach, the idea of reaching him is a dream. Beocca holds Cwen back, picking her up and trying to shush her as she whines against his grip.

Uhtred knew not to say anything as Ragnar put him on his horse and sat behind him. The side that was relieved to be bought by Ragnar and stay with him and his family was quickly torn apart by the side of him pained by the loss of his sister. Bebbanburg held nothing for him except for Cwen. And just as quickly as he found her, he parted from her.

On the ride returning to Bebbanburg, Cwen and Beocca were at the end of the line of horses. It was simple to stay out of Aelfric's sight and ease his anger. Cwen watches Beocca's fingers tighten around the reins, ringing out his nerves.

"Will Uhtred go to Wessex now?" She whispers to him. Beocca almost couldn't hear it. "Are you going to Wessex then?"

"I pray to God he will make it there," Beocca answers in a low voice, though inside held all his disappointment. Cwen wanted to ask many questions of him and yet she didn't dare to say another word. She didn't understand how Aelfric could want to kill Uhtred, was being a lord of some land worth the lives? If the Danes agreed to take her in exchange for Uhtred, would he have gone through with it? If Beocca leaves, what would happen to her?

Glenna emerges from inside as they trot through the gates and rushes down the stairs. Her eyes flitted around, not seeing Cwen and her hand comes up to her lips to stifle the gasping cry when she sees Cwen nowhere to be found, not on Aelfric's horse like when she left. When Beocca's horse crosses the threshold, Glenna finds Cwen's gaze and rushes to the horse. She pulls Cwen down from the horse and hugs her close, taking her inside before anyone could say a word to her or Cwen. The night was filled with confusion and numbness from the events for Cwen.

The crickets chirp and trees bristle in the dark sky as Uhtred shed tears for his sister, thinking that Aelfric would have surely killed her. It was like Aelfric wanted no trace of his brother. Beocca was surely correct and Aelfric would kill anyone who came close to taking the power he assumed in Uhtred's absence. He didn't even notice as Ragnar sits beside him in the stables where the horses shuffled from being disturbed.

"She was your sister?" Ragnar questions the obvious, his tone lighter than it ever had been. Uhtred did not expect such a tone to come from a man so big and fearless. And yet, Ragnar looked at him with pity if Uhtred could guess the emotion. He nods to the Earl's question and wiped his tears.

"I was supposed to protect her. Watch over her."

Ragnar wondered if he should lie. Say that she would be perfectly fine. But from what he observed in his chosen moments of silence: she was a lamb in a wolf's den. And the largest wolf being their uncle would surely not allow a lamb to prance around to doubt his claims. She would not survive much longer if she had lived this night, that Ragnar knew.

So instead he brought his arm around Uhtred's shoulders, hoping to distract him from the pain. "Let us go inside, boy."

___

A/N: thank you for reading! This is just a bit of them young still but it will focus now on the rest of season 1 and them being older. If I didn't just publish now I'd still be editing it lol. Hope you enjoyed :)