The Last Kingdom: Bastard of BebbanBurg: The ‘wolf’

Kingdom of Wessex, Ashdown

/pov MC/

I notice every single change on Alfred's face.. every slight twitch.. obviously Uhtred left him unbalanced after he left.. can't blame him.. lil' bro handled that perfecto.. I noticed the 'Oddas' as I like to call them sitting there with different expressions on their faces..

One busy thinking obviously Odda the Older.. wise man.. can't say the same for his son.. Odda the Younger.. little shit has the hots for my future sister in law.. tsk.. tsk.. can't have that now can we.. gotta make sure he understands what he's risking.. will be done with ease.. the boys so scared I think he might have pissed his breeches.. he can't even look up at me.. I was busy looking at his father.. he knew he had what I wanted..

I started with "I'll make this brief as possible gentlemen.. I know every one of you.. I know a lot about every and each one of you.. I only have something to say to three of you here.. I'll say it then leave.. the rest is up to each and every one you.. and let this be known now.. each of you will be responsible for every possible action you make once I leave here.. I'll tell you this about myself.. Im a good friend to have.. Im also an enemy you would never wish for.. with that said let's start with you Ealdorman Odda.. your god-daughter Lady Mildrith.. will be given over to my brother immediately.. and let this be said here and now.. Lady Mildrith will be my sister by law from this day forth.. so Odda the Younger.. I have this to say to you.. I don't give a rats ass who you point your little Willy at.. but if you just do somehow accidentally point it at the Lady Mildrith at any point in the future.. you will lose said Willy.. thats my promise to you young man.. Prince Alfred I would like for us to be friends.. but we don't have to be.. Im not sworn to you.. my little brother is.. always remember that.. always.. by the way to compensate myself for my troubles.. these troubles you have brought to me.. you will pay the debt to the church for Uhtred's lands..you will pay a bride-price equivalent of said debt to my sister in law.. so she may marry in a fitting manner according to her status as wife of an Ealdorman of Wessex.. now you shall grant me.. notice I said grant me.. I will not swear my sword to you Alfred or anyone else until I find someone worthy of it.. I will claim these lands independent of any kingdoms who so may have a claim to any of them.. I will claim the village of Oxford.. see not so bad right? Right now it is controlled by Danes right.. so don't worry I won't take one of your villages.. but you will give me permission to recruit from your lands.. two score men of proper fighting age.. and not the weak ones either.. two score of them remember.. once I have assumed control of Oxford.. Oxford will belong to me alone.. not Mercia.. not Wessex.. not the Danes.. me.. and only me.. may you make peace with your god if you wish to cross me.. for I will dispatch you straight to your heavens.. most swift-like.." (shout out Guthrum)

"thats my promise to you.. you all can then go on to lie to your friends.. I'll continue to lie to my friends.. but gentlemen.. let's not lie to each other please.. is disruptive to progress you see.. I for one am much too busy for such nonsense myself.. I do not want to know what you have planned for your families.. but for me I have great plans for my family.. good day to each and everyone of you.. may your god bless you."

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/pov Beocca/

I was stunned but quickly recovered after Aethred's back disappeared from the rooms of the building the Ealdorman were having their meeting in.. I quickly opened my mouth to say "Your grace let me first apologize to you.. I did not expect him to do that.. I promise you he is a good man.. I baptized the boy myself I know he may believe he his pagan but he is not your grace.. he was just a innocent boy born to an innocent woman and they were both mistreated lord.. very mistreated.. that boy has had a hard life lord.. it's made him a hard man.. I know it but I also know he has always had good in his heart lord.. let me go to him at Coocham.. I'll speak to both of them lord we can work something out."

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/pov Alfred/

no.. no we most certainly will not be working something out you old fool I thought to myself and cut 'Father' Beocca off to say "No! We will not 'work' something out Beocca.. we will meet his demands.. and all and each and every one of his demands.. Im no fool Beocca.. I know when I've been outmatched.. you've led the wolf to our pastures Father Beocca.. now we must bide our time.. consolidate our strengths as one kingdom.. the kingdom of Wessex must become stronger.. if we ever wish to have the ability to atleast protect ourselves from this.. this man.. Beocca you will take the Lady Mildrith.. the silver.. the deed for the debt to the church.. and a scroll with written admittance of the Lord 'Aethred's claim to the village of Oxford and the surrounding lands bordering the current marked and claimed lands of the kingdoms of Mercia, Wessex, former East Anglia, and the danish controlled lands we call 'Dane-Land'. Admitted by the King of Wessex.. me.. myself.. This meeting is over.. I wish to be with my wife.. leave us."