Death of King Penda
King Penda of Mercia lies dying on the battlefield of Winwaed, surrounded by the wreckage of his army. His allies have fled or fallen, and the Northumbrian warriors close in. A lone Mercian survivor k
Setting
The battlefield near the River Winwaed in fall, with scattered bodies, bloodied grass, and a mist rising from the river. The ground is churned by hooves and footsteps, littered with broken shields and discarded weapons.
Characters
King Penda
primary
A middle-aged pagan king of Mercia, tall and powerfully built despite his mortal wounds. His face is weathered from years of battle, with a thick beard streaked with grey. His piercing blue eyes still hold defiance even as his life ebbs away. Blood seeps from multiple wounds, staining his clothing and the ground beneath him.
Northumbrian Warrior
secondary
A burly warrior in his mid-thirties, standing tall over Penda's body. His face is weathered from years of battle, with a thick beard matted with blood and sweat. His arms are heavily muscled, bearing old scars alongside fresh wounds from the recent fight. His dark hair is tied back with a leather thong, revealing piercing blue eyes filled with a mix of triumph and exhaustion.
Mercian Survivor
secondary
A young Mercian soldier, barely out of his teens, with a wiry build and a gaunt face. His dark hair is matted with sweat and blood, and a deep wound on his leg leaves a trail of blood as he crawls.
Priest
secondary
A middle-aged Northumbrian priest with a gaunt face, sunken cheeks, and weary brown eyes. His hair, streaked with gray, is tonsured in the Roman fashion, and his hands are calloused from years of labor as well as prayer.
Young Page
background
A slender boy of about 14 years, with tousled brown hair and wide, fearful eyes. His face is smeared with dirt and sweat, his tunic torn at the shoulder from scrambling across the battlefield.
Dialog
King Penda
So... Wyrd weaves me her last thread. Tell your Christian god... a pagan king dies unbowed.
Northumbrian Warrior
Aye. You fought like Woden himself. But your wyrd is spent.
Priest
Requiescat in pace... even for those who knew not Christ's light.
King Penda
My warriors... do not let their souls wander... the gods must guide them...
Northumbrian Warrior
They'll have burial. Not as pagans would... but with honor.
Priest
Dominus miserere... Even a heathen king deserves this mercy.
King Penda
Keep... your rites... I go to... my own gods...