As they enter the marsh, Guthrum himself attacks Uhtred. The five of them wander for a few weeks until they reach the swamps of Athelney. Uhtred, Leofric, and Iseult hide in the fields until nightfall when they enter Cippanhamm and free their friend Eanflæd at the Corncrake Tavern, and the nun Hild. The duel is cut short when Guthrum's Danes attack and the crowd is scattered. During the duel, Uhtred carries only his sword, Serpent-Breath, whereas Steapa is fully armoured. To settle the dispute, a fight to the death is ordered between Uhtred and Steapa. The Witan summons Uhtred to an audience with King Alfred in Cippanhamm, where he is accused of using the king's ship to raid the Britons with whom Wessex is at peace based on the testimony of Asser, who has made his way to Alfred's court, and wrongfully accused Uhtred of attacking the Cynuit abbey on the false testimony of the warrior Steapa Snotor, who is loyal to Uhtred's enemy Odda the Younger. He returns to his estate and pious wife Mildrith, using his hoard of treasure to build a great hall and relieve his debt to the church. Svein goes to Cynuit, where Ubba was killed previously, and Uhtred to the coast of Wales where he captures a ship laden with treasure. Uhtred and Svein then sail up the coast to Land's End, where they part ways. A monk named Asser, who was at Peredur's court, witnesses the betrayal and escapes to Dyfed in Wales. Uhtred and Svein however ally to kill Peredur and pillage his settlement, and Uhtred carries off Peredur's wife, the shadow queen Iseult. He comes across a settlement ruled by the British king Peredur, who hires Uhtred and his men to fight an invading Danish force led by Svein of the White Horse. '876 - 878': Uhtred, bored with the peace between Alfred and the Danish king Guthrum, goes off raiding into Cornwall.

The Pale Horseman by Bernard Cornwell