The march back to Tamworth was done at a more leisurely pace than the march south before the battle had been. Along the way, different groups of warriors left the main body to head back to their farms and villages. That night the remaining warriors camped about twenty miles south of the town. The next day they reached the town around noon.

Aethelwulf went straight to his home. Aelfthryth embraced him. "My darling, you're safely home!" she cried. "My heart has been constantly in prayer for you."

"We had complete victory," said Aethelwulf. "But in this victory are also sown the seeds of defeat. Two of my brothers are dead."

"I know," said Aelfthryth. "I was informed last night by a messenger from your mother."

"Bernwulf is now in line for the throne. During the battle he sent an assassin to try to kill me. If it had not been for quick-witted Cedric, my body would have been lying alongside those of my dead brothers."

Aelfthryth bit her lip at that awful thought.

"My darling," Aethelwulf went on, "for our sake and for the sake of the baby in your womb, we need to leave this place and go into exile, until such a time as it is safe for us to return."

Aelfthryth nodded.

Aethelwulf continued, "We must make plans quickly and leave swiftly, for I fear if our plans become known to my brother he will seek to do us harm before we leave."

"I can leave by nightfall," said Aelfthryth. "We need but a few things."

"Good," said Aethelwulf. "I would like to go out of here this night, before Bernwulf acts. But now I must go and see my father. Cedric, Cormac and Brian can help you with anything you need to prepare for leaving. Take only those things that are necessary, my dear. The more we carry, the slower we travel."

"Yes," Aelfthryth replied.

Aethelwulf now turned and faced his friends, who stood there watching.

"See you take good care of her today and help her in every way you can," said Aethelwulf gravely. "I must go and take leave of my father." With that, he turned and walked hastily out the door and headed towards the great hall.

* * *

A short while later, Aethelwulf strode into the great hall. His father was once again seated on his throne surrounded by his counselors, amongst which Bernwulf was most prominent.

"Ah, Aethelwulf," said Bernwulf sarcastically. "You're finally gracing us with your presence."

"I came straightway when I returned to the town," said Aethelwulf.

"Good for you, my son," the king interjected, cutting off Bernwulf before he could make any more derogatory comments. "We must make arrangements to bury your brothers."

"Yes, Father," said Aethelwulf.

"I've placed Bernwulf in charge of that, but your cooperation will be necessary."

"Yes, Father."

"Now that Wessex is no longer a threat, and Sussex is in flight, I feel that we can rest in peace for some time," said the king.

"No, Father," said Bernwulf, "we must press home our advantage. I don't understand why we dismissed the army. We could have swooped down on Wessex and brought such destruction upon them that they would have wished they had never marched on us."

"I will write that comment off to the callowness of your youth," said the king. "You're a bloody man like your brothers, and now I must live with the thought that you shall be king after my death. God save Mercia."

"And indeed He shall," said Bernwulf, burning with the rebuke. "For when I am king, Mercia shall be basking in glory as the greatest nation on this isle. Why, we could subjugate this whole land. But no, you don't want to do that. You want to push your peace at any price. Mercia could be glorious, but no, she's just one amongst many..."

"And her men alive, and her women and children free, and not the subjects of tyranny. They are not widows or fatherless as many would be if we followed the mad, warmongering policies of some. No, my son, I despair for this land when you become king."

"I suppose you would want Aethelwulf to become king in my stead."

"That is a thought that has crossed my mind at times," said the king sharply. "But I will honor the laws and customs of my land, and the oldest of my surviving sons shall be king after my death, God help him. Just see that you stay surviving."

Bernwulf burned with anger. "By your leave, Father, I will depart to take care of the funeral arrangements for my brothers who died in glorious battle."

"See you do," said the king.

"Come, brother," said Bernwulf to Aethelwulf.

"No, I want to speak to the young man," said the king.

"Go, I shall be with you shortly," said Aethelwulf calmly to Bernwulf, who then turned and marched out of the room, followed by his close retainers.

"Leave us," said the king to the remaining people surrounding the throne. "I need to converse with my son in private."

When the remaining men had left, the king motioned to Aethelwulf to come closer. "The walls have ears, my son," he said, "so we'll speak in hushed voices."

"Yes, Father," said Aethelwulf quietly.

"Your life is in jeopardy, my son."

"Yes, I know it is, Father."

"So, what will you ask the king?"

"I've come to say goodbye, Father," said Aethelwulf. "Tonight I leave with my wife and my friends to go into exile in Ireland."

"My God, with the Celts?" exclaimed the king.

"They have no ambitions towards our land," said Aethelwulf. "I'll be safe there, and I'll wait for the day when I can return. I will send word how I can be reached, should you ever need to contact me."

"It is with a heavy heart that I will see you go. And in the meantime, you must keep up pretenses."

"Yes, Father."

"Don't let on that you'll be leaving, my son, for they'll be onto you as quick as a wink."

"Yes, Father."

"Come and embrace me, my son, for you have my heart."

"Thank you, Father."

"Cedric will go with you?" asked the king.

"Yes, Father."

"And the two Irishmen?"

"I will seek refuge in their land."

"Well, they should be beholden to you."

"Yes, and I have become friends with them, my lord."

"All the better. Now, go with your brother and keep up the pretense."

"Yes, my lord."

Aethelwulf left the room, and presently found his brother who was huddled in conversation with some others.

"Ah, Aethelwulf, you're here," said Bernwulf.

"Yes, brother, I am."

"It's surprising you came out alive from the battle."

"Surprises do happen, my brother."

"I see you are reconciled to your friend, Cedric."

"And so we are."

"Hmmm," said Bernwulf. "I find him a very untrustworthy fellow."

"He's never been false to me," replied Aethelwulf.

"Hmmm," said Bernwulf again. "When you next see him, tell him I would like to speak to him sometime."

"I'll do that. But don't you think we need to be about the burial arrangements of our brothers?"

"I suppose so. Stupid idiots! Of course, their stupidity worked to my advantage, didn't it? Number one and number two out of the way, and there I am. Third brother lucky, so to speak."

"I suppose so," said Aethelwulf noncommittally.

"Well, they did like to fight, but now they're dead. But in every calamity there's opportunity, don't you think?" Bernwulf said sarcastically. "It seems for you, brother, there is. One more calamity and you would be king on our father's death."

"Then we need to take every precaution that no more calamities occur," said Aethelwulf.

"I should think so. Well, on to the funeral arrangements. After high mass in the church, I thought of carrying our departed brothers in great procession to the hill yonder," said Bernwulf, pointing out a nearby window to the prominence in Tamworth Field. "There we shall light a great funeral fire, and burn their bodies with much fanfare, as was the way of our ancestors."

"Sounds more pagan than Christian," commented Aethelwulf.

"Perhaps," said Bernwulf. "But then I find so much more affinity with the gods of war than I do with the God of peace and charity."

"That sounds like blasphemy, brother."

"Hmm, it does, doesn't it?" smiled Bernwulf. "But then when one is a king, one need not worry about those sorts of things."

"The God which sees in secret knows all these things," stated Aethelwulf calmly. "Do you seek to hide it from Him as well?"

"Perhaps," replied Bernwulf. "But then again, maybe not. I keep forgetting that you almost became a priest, brother. Pity you didn't. Life would be much safer for you if you had."

"And why wouldn't it be safe for me now?" asked Aethelwulf.

"Well, you are next in line to the throne after me," replied Bernwulf. "That places you in grave danger. Because those who do not want me as king could--most reluctantly, of course, I am sure--try to place you on the throne in my stead. With you gone there would be no one to rally to. Our nephews are too young and their squabbles would more likely result in civil war. People don't want that. Better a bad king than no king, as the proverb goes. Anyway, let's get down and finish these funeral arrangements. Tomorrow night we will immolate our fine brothers' bodies on the fire of glory."

Aethelwulf shuddered. "So be it," he said quietly.

"Good, then we are agreed. There's really no need for you to be involved anymore. I think I can arrange it from here. You may go."

"I'm not used to being dismissed from your presence," said Aethelwulf testily to Bernwulf.

"I suppose you aren't. But I do suppose that's something you should get used to," Bernwulf replied with a sly smile. "Consider it practice for the day when I take over the kingdom."

Aethelwulf gave his brother a slight nod, then turned around and left.

Bernwulf walked back to his companions. Aethelwulf could hear them laughing as Bernwulf said something to them which was inaudible to Aethelwulf. Yet he could be sure that it was some joke shared at his expense.

Aethelwulf spent the rest of the afternoon engaged in various business around the town. He so wanted to get back home to finish preparations for leaving, but he didn't want his brother's spies to know what was going on. So he decided to lead them on a merry chase around town, first in this tavern and then in this shop, and at the market and another tavern, and so forth throughout the day.

He even spent time in the church where the bodies of his two brothers lay side by side before the altar, awaiting the funeral. He walked over to them and looked down at their ashen faces.
I wonder if you have found peace? thought Aethelwulf. I hope you have, but I am almost sure you have not.

Once the sun had gone down, Aethelwulf returned home. The preparations made by the others during the day had gone about unnoticed. Hidden from sight at the back of the house, six horses were saddled. A seventh was ready to carry extra baggage.

In the dark of the early night, before the moon had risen, Cormac, Brian, Aethelwulf, Cedric and Aelfthryth mounted the horses. Aelfthryth's maidservant mounted the sixth. Cedric grabbed the reins of the packhorse, and the small procession rode out of town, hopefully unnoticed.

"Did you get the message to Cenwulf?" Aethelwulf asked Cedric.

"I told him before we parted company. He'll be waiting for us."

"Good," said Aethelwulf. "I suggest we make haste while we can."

The small group rode through the night. Aethelwulf and Cedric being familiar with the countryside knew the quickest way to take, leaving the roads at times and cutting across the country.

By dawn's light, they could see the sea in the distance and the small town nestled in the harbor where Cormac and Brian had first set foot on English soil. As they drew closer to the town, a horseman could be seen coming in their direction. They all soon recognized Cenwulf.

"Welcome, my lord," he called out to Aethelwulf. "Welcome, friends," he said to the others.

"Dear Cenwulf," said Aethelwulf, "I'm sorry I do not come for a more pleasant reason."

"This is the way of kings and kingdoms," said Cenwulf, with the wisdom that comes from many years near the seat of power. "There is a boat in the harbor upon which I have secured passage for you and your retinue. It leaves on the tide, which will be in about an hour. You must make haste."

"Thank you, Cenwulf," said Aethelwulf. "We do intend to."