Vol 1. Chapter 14 - Rumors of a Wolf

A.D. 874 Kingdom of Wessex, Winchester

/pov Leofric/

Six moons have passed since the battle of 'Ashdown' they call it now.. The newly crowned King Alfred is a good man.. he's a sickly man.. goodness it must be hot in that get-up they force him to wear for his coronation.. I look at the king's imbecile nephew Aethelwold.. son of the former king.. had to find him where I usually find him when I'm sent to.. passed out piss-drunk smelling of alcohol and urine.. with a touch of vomit that made the air around him still curdle.. even after being doused with two buckets of flower scented water.. uppity little dipshit.. doesn't understand the god given privilege his life is..

Wasting away in delusions of being the rightful king.. if I was Alfred I would have already gutted the fool and been done with it.. but he's not me.. he's a king.. a godly king the priests like to remind everyone.. fucking priests.. they drain the blood for our lands with their tithes like vampiric monsters draining the blood from their victims.. "alright arseling.. on your feet you weasel.. your to speak with the king." I dragged him along after informing him.

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/pov Aethelwold/

uhh.. my heads spinning.. Christ the lights are bright.. ow.. my eyes are burning like that time I had that fine wench of a tavern whore piss on my face.. not my best idea I'll say.. my eyes burned like they had syphilis.. I was sure they'd burst.. killing me.. but behold.. I live!.. I'm a survivor.. a rightful king..

Alfred thinks he can just take my rightful crown.. mark my words I will be king one day.. and all the fools who call me the fool and look down on me will regret treating me the way they have.. I don't want to see Alfred.. doesn't matter what I want I guess.. Im drug before Alfred to be tossed into a chair like a child.. they should be punished for handling me so roughly.. peasants.. I'll remember this guard.. hmm Alfred looks sickly yes.. always was know for looking squeamish.. hmm yes he does look ill.. me on the other hand.. Im very healthy.. I have plenty of time on my hands.. hmm.. we shall see what the future holds for King Aethelwold the 'Important' I so hope they moniker me so.. we shall see..

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/pov Alfred/

Disappointment.. thats what my nephew is.. pure disappointment.. I loved my brother.. but he is dead.. his son is not fit to bathe himself.. much less rule a kingdom.. a kingdom that needs a true leader.. a king who can protect his people from the threats we face every day from every direction in these lands we find ourselves in..

Aethelwold will never touch my the crown of Wessex.. even after Im dead.. no matter what it takes.. if I have to kill my only nephew then so be it.. that is the price one could pay when one is king.. especially in these times.. I can feel chaos in the surroundings.. not just in the air but all around.. in the peoples eyes.. I see fear.. fear for Danes showing up on the horizon to slaughter them or worse.. fear of bandits taking the little food they might or might not have saved to survive the winter..

Fear.. yes fear can be used to my advantage.. no it must be used to my advantage.. I must let the people know I can protect them from what they fear.. they will in turn bow to my rule.. farm the fields that feed my children.. they will give birth to the soldiers that protect my realm.. this is where my saga starts.. I will absorb these lost sheep.. I will turn them into a predator.. no longer the prey they once were.. no longer a sheep.. but now something more.. something like a magnificent Alpha Lion.. yes we shall have that for our flag.. our standard.. our symbol.. the symbol of 'England' the Lion of 'England'

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/pov Queen Aelswith/

When I married Alfred I knew he would be king one day.. I did not know it would be so soon though.. and now I'm Queen.. exactly like my father wanted.. I guess I wanted to be Queen too.. just didn't expect to marry a sickly man who I worry will not have a long and healthy life.. he is a good man god bless him.. but he does not fill me with lust.. no he just fills me with duty.. and honor and the likes.. sure thats all good.. but I want more..

I remember seeing him.. not Alfred.. no.. the wolf.. the wolf thats right.. thats what they called him.. he fills me with lust.. he does more than fill.. he overflows.. he makes me overflow.. god forgive me having these sick feelings of lust towards a heathen.. lord give me strength.. I don't want to have these feelings lord..

the wolf's 'mate' gave birth a second time I hear from 'Father' Beocca.. another set of identical twins no less.. another boy and girl.. I wish he would fill me with twin wolf pups.. o god I can't believe I just thought that.. please forgive me god.. I pray for strength god.. please send me the strength to fight these wants to possess a heathen pagan lord in gods name I pray.. amen.