The next few years, Aethelflaed and Edward built fortresses as a counter to Danes, Vikings, rebel Angles, and the Wealisc devastating our land wherever it could not be defended. Amid these violent circumstances, young Athelstan forged his skills as a warrior. Looking back on this period, I consider this successful transition from youth to man on the part of Athelstan to have been the reason for his later greatness. It also accounts for the wicked plots to take his life, almost as though the number of enemies a princeling makes is the measure of his valour.
I shall not linger on what happened in these years except for where they are important to the tale of Athelstan. To commence, Aethelflaed, glorying in her increasing reputation and power, blocked the advance of the Est Anglian Danes. Th
