Drustina receives a summons to attend King Ethelred's court to resolve some issues concerning her pregnancy. She keeps her baby's paternity a secret to avoid any complications concerning the baby's potential rights to claim the Viking throne. Later she discovers her love for Carl and agreement to marry wins her some unexpected bonuses in her quest to regain her queendom of Lleyn.

Choices

by M.N. Thomas

Edited by Bill Durr & Tom Peashey

In this chapter Drustina returns from her spying trip but finds the essential information lacking. She still is not absolutely certain where Harald Cold-blood, the Viking king will land his invasion fleet. There is no other option than to try and tempt him into her prepared killing ground but the risks are high because certainty of success is low. She will have to sacrifice some ships (but not the crews)to get Harals to land on Selsey Bill. Then she must carefully prepare the killing grounds.

This chapter describes how the Western Celts from Brithony decide to join forces with the beleaguered Saxons in order to protect their own interests. In the second part of the Chapter, Drustina decides she will have to make a spying trip of her own and the cost of getting vital information is painfully high.

Drustina has to choose between accepting being raped in order to gather information and take it back alive or to kill her rapist and probably be executed for regicide.

“Damn” I say aloud. “Damn”. Its another hot summer night. I spend it with my buddy Mike’s hard lemonade. Cranberry. Its not exactly hard liquor but lets face it, I ain’t got the cash and Mike makes a damn good drink. The Sour Patch Kids are over and if they could talk they would say “Hey fucker, get off that couch and go to that new gay bar downtown. C’mon fatty. Put the sugar down and back away slowly.” It’s a good thing the fuckers can’t talk.

Sorry about the delay with Chapter 73.

In this Chapter, Drustina has gone searching to find the location of the threatening Viking invasion fleet. She knows the invasion is imminent but where and when and how many ships are vital facts that escape her.

Drustina returns to find Cws in turmoil after the Vikings have been destroyed but Gisela stupidly escaped Drustina's protection only to be abused by the Saxon villagers after being re-captured.

Drustina finally gets to Winchester to warn the Saxon king but she finds the king pre-occupied with religious matters and the Saxons woefully unprepared.

A chapter describing how Drustina confirms that the Vikings are still very active raiding Britannia and this only demonstrates that the Vikings have not yet overrun the whole of the island. Somehow the Germanic Saxon, Engle and Fresian tribes of southern Britannia are still holding their own against the Norsemen's attacks.
The Viking princess Gisela learns at first hand what the heat of battle really means.

This chapter addresses a brief and successful confrontation with the Vikings that serves to better Drustina's standing with the Saxons of Wessex. She rescues two high-born Saxon brides and captures a Viking princess, daughter of King Harald Cold Blood.

In this chapter Drustina's ideas about defeating the Vikings out on the sea before they can land, are proven to work.

The young Prince Andrar finally wins his spurs. He comes of age quickly as he learns that war is not some glorious adventure but a frightening, dirty, dangerous business.

(This should keep me in Sephy’s good books for a week or two!)

In this chapter, Drustina experiences her first pre-prepared and planned engagement with the Vikings. Andrar, the young heir to the Freisian throne has his first terrifying experience of battle.

This is a chapter where Drustina passes her wisdom to older men and foreign emmisaries who have yet to prepare and sign 'The Treaty of Hoek'.

Say what? It started becoming clear that she thought I was wearing fake breasts or something. I tried telling her they were real, and dragged out the plastic card Chief Watt had given me. But she just wasn't listening.

Finally, after yet another "take them off!" I'd had enough. I reached down and yanked the top off over my head.

"There, I've taken off the only thing I can take off. Or do you want me to take off my shorts too?"