Patiently, Uhtred commits himself to mastering words, although he struggles to see why a warrior needs to be able to read. Over several months, he also begins to understand the tight structure of Alfred’s apparently ragtag army, and he sees its chances for success against the Danes.

Alfred summons Uhtred to his court and, to the boy’s amazement, confides that God has guided him to choose Uhtred to command one of ships for the pending assault. “Because it is only with faith in God,” he tells the youth, “that we shall prevail against the Danes” (257). Alfred hesitates only because he is not sure Uhtred has embraced Christianity. In the end, Uhtred’s marriage to Mildrith—and his agreeing to assume her family’s considerable financial debt to the Church—reassures Alfred of Uhtred’s commitment to the Church and his allegiance to the Saxon cause.

Uhtred’s narration moves ahead to 876, by which point he and Mildrith have had a son. Uhtred knows the time has come for the Danes’ great push to end Saxon rule and claim England. The Danes bring in a massive armada that carries legions of battle-ready Vikings into southern Wessex. Alfred fears additional Danes might land to the north, squeezing the Saxon army in a pincher movement.