#me and uhtred: *gently holds*

[whitedarkmoonflower]

I loved your story with Sihtric. I wanted to ask if you have time if you could write Sihtrics wife being taken by Hestan in season 3, and she gives birth to twins while she is with them. Then Hestan sees Uthred and threatens that he has Sihtrics family, but of course, Sihtric gets his family back.

Kidnapped Part 1

Sihtric x reader

Authors note: dear Anon, sorry that it took me a while to start writing. As it happens so often with me the story just took hold on me and kept going. It was starting to get a bit long, so I decided to divide it and post at least the first part, that is completely ready, before I figure out how Sihtric will get his family back.

Warnings: nothing really serious, bit of angst to lose your dear ones, use of alcohol in distress

Word Count: 2,515

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

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“I am going to find my wife,” Sihtric's face lit up in a warm smile as he spoke to Finan, clutching some flowers in his hands. He hadn’t seen you for months. He could still vividly recall the day he left and how excited he was finally to be heading for a battle after years of peaceful living. He loved you with all his heart, but he was a warrior and had longed for some adventure. He had never expected it to turn into a nightmarish ordeal, with Skade emerging in Uhtred’s life and swiftly turning it upside down in the blink of an eye.

Now that the witch was dead and you all were back in Winchester life seemingly returning to its normal flow, he found himself consumed with anticipation. He couldn't wait to see you, to hold you in his arms, and to tenderly kiss your swollen belly, knowing that you carried his child. The sheer joy that had overwhelmed him when you had shared the news just before his departure was beyond words. He had kissed you passionately, spinning you around like a madman, laughter bubbling forth from his very core. In that moment, he had wished he could stay by your side, but there was no other choice. Now almost eight months later you were likely nearing the end of your pregnancy. You were carrying his child – the full weight and meaning of this still hadn't fully settled within Sihtric’s mind as he hadn't quite had a chance to fully comprehend it amidst the chaos and battles that had unfolded.

Finan’s infelicitous attempt to mock Sihtric, left him unfazed as he merely smirked at his friend, refusing to engage in further discussion. With a determined expression, Sihtric turned away, hastening his steps towards home. Home – it was a word that made Sihtric’s heart skip a beat and warm up each time he thought about it, keeping him going even in the most desperate circumstances. It represented a dream come true, a place where he belonged and a family to return to. Something he could barely imagine just not so long ago.

His steps quickened as he approached the familiar street, his anticipation building as the house he had bought for both of you came into view. Eagerly, he rushed to the door, knocking with expectation. To his surprise, there was no response. He knocked again, straining to hear any signs of life behind the closed doors. However, the only response he received was an eerie silence that hung in the air. With a mix of anxiety and a racing heart, Sihtric gently pushed the door, causing it to creak open. A tight knot formed in his stomach as he stepped into the cold and desolate house. His eyes scanned the surroundings, revealing dust-covered furniture and cobwebs that had claimed the corners of the room. Sihtric's entire world shattered into countless shards. The house stood empty, abandoned for quite some time. You were not there, and he didn’t have the slightest idea what could have happened or where you could have gone. His hands dropped to his sides, letting go of the flowers he had been clutching. They twirled to the floor. Sihtric turned on his heels and sprinted towards the marketplace, desperately hoping to find Finan still there.

“Finan,” Sihtric called out, rushing towards his friend, and grasping his arm. “She’s gone. The house is empty. She’s gone.” Finan grinned, as his initial instinct was to offer another joke, but the sheer despair in Sihtric’s voice, the anxiety etched across his wide eyes, silenced any attempts at humour. Finan choked back his words and almost bit his tongue, realizing that now was not the time for jesting.

“What do you mean she’s gone?” Finan wanted to be certain, “Could it be that she is out running errands?”

“No, you don’t understand, Finan.” Sihtric responded urgently, his words tumbling out in a rush. “She’s truly gone. Nobody has lived in the house for a while already. Finan, we have  to find her. I have to find her. I never should have left in the first place,” Sihtric's desperation drove him forward, simultaneously pulling Finan towards the stables.

“Hold on, just wait a moment,” Finan tried to stop his friend’s frantic movements, to hold him, “Wait, stop!” he finally yelled at Sihtric, gripping his shoulders tightly and shaking with all his strength.

“Where do you think you are going? Do you honestly believe you’ll find her by aimless riding around with no idea where to even begin searching?” Finan tried to put some sense back in his friends dazed mind. Sihtric struggled to break free from Finan's grasp, but Finan refused to let go. They were nearly wrestling now, when Osferth and Uhtred came running towards them. Not understanding what's going on they stepped between the two friends, trying to pull them apart.

“What’s going on?” Uhtred yelled, holding onto Sihtric tightly.

“Sihtric’s wife is missing,” Finan explained, as Sihtric continued to struggle, unable to articulate his thoughts, his despair evident. It took considerable effort and strength to restrain Sihtric, until he finally ceased his resistance, leaning his forehead against Uhtred's shoulder.

“She is pregnant, Uhtred. She carries my child, and I have no idea where she is or what has happened,” Sihtric whispered, his voice filled with anguish, as Uhtred placed a comforting hand on his friends’ shoulder.

“Sihtric, calm down. First, we need to find out what has happened. Does she have any family? Is it possible that she sought some assistance from her family or friends? Being pregnant and alone can be incredibly challenging. There might be an innocent explanation for her absence,” Uhtred suggested, nodding to Finan and Osferth, who instantly understood what he meant and turned around to disappear in the jungle of the narrow streets, searching for anyone who might have information.

While Finan and Osferth scoured the neighborhood, Uhtred accompanied Sihtric to the tavern. Sihtric slumped heavily onto a chair, his hands supporting his head, not even noticing the ale jug Uhtred had brought him. After an hour or two, Finan and Osferth returned with news.

"We have both good news and bad news," Finan began. “The elderly widow living next to you told us that the pregnancy was not easy. She felt sick very often and couldn’t eat as she was constantly throwing up. About a month ago, she apparently decided to go to her sister, as it was too hard for her to cope alone.”

“The bad news is that her sister came for a visit a week ago looking for her as she had never arrived at her place,” Osferth added.

Sihtric remained seated, his hands buried in his hair, supporting his bowed head. He had heard what his friends told him, but he was simply unable to grasp it. His heart pounded in his chest, his pulse racing with an agonizing mix of fear and desperation. His mind spun with unanswered questions, each one a dagger stabbing at his already fragile state of mind.

Memories of your last moments together flooded his thoughts, taunting him with images of your laughter, your shared dreams, and the promise he had made to you, to come back as soon as possible. Without you, the world felt vast and empty for him, devoid of any meaning.

Sihtric felt tears welling up in his eyes and blurring his vision. Helplessness surged within him, a suffocating sensation that threatened to consume him. Taking a deep breath, Sihtric shook his head and wiped away the tears before anyone could notice. He could not imagine a life without you; there was no alternative. He had to find you.

----------------------------------------------------

It felt like an eternity, but in reality, only two months had passed since your fateful encounter with Heasten on your way to your sister’s place. You had delayed your departure, hoping to wait for Sihtric, but as time went on, it became increasingly difficult. Your belly had grown so big, that even dressing yourself had become a challenge. It was obvious you needed help. With no news from Sihtric in over half a year already, you were faced with the truth that either you were going now on your own or you would never manage it and would be left alone for the childbirth. You had enough money to hire a wagon and a coachman and luckily it was not far you had to travel. Your sister along with her husband and their three children, lived just two days’ journey away from Winchester in a small village near the river.

On the second day of your travels, you noticed a few riders observing you from the nearby hills, but before you could start worrying, they withdrew, and everything seemed to be fine. However, your sense of security was short-lived as a group of warriors abruptly appeared on the road ahead. There was no possibility of escape with a wagon, so your coachman halted, awaiting their approach.

"What cargo do you carry?" a rough voice, tinged with a distinct Danish accent, inquired.

"We are not traders, my lord," you responded, opening the flaps of the wagon's tent.  “I am simply travelling to my sister for the childbirth.” Your pronounced pregnancy was on full display, as you hoped it would dissuade the riders from causing harm. You looked at the man, who had spoken and your heart froze in fear. It was Heasten, the Danish warlord whose path had so often crossed with Uhtred’s and his men. You recognised him from your few encounters at Alfred’s court where he tried to persuade the king that his wife and children wished to accept Christianity and get baptised. It had been a ruse, a ploy to gain Alfred's trust and provide false information about Bloodhair's army. Unfortunately, these encounters had allowed Heasten to recognize you as well.

A cunning smirk crept across Heasten’s face as he fixed his gaze upon you, scanning your entire being from head to toe. His eyes lingered upon your swollen belly and they narrowed slightly, flickering with a malevolent spark, revealing the twisted delight that swirled within. Like a predator sizing up its prey, his gaze became focused and intense.

“Ah, who do we have here!” Heasten exclaimed as the corners of his mouth curled upwards and a wicked grin began to spread across his face, his eyes flaring in mischief, “Sihtric’s little bitch, ripe as an apple!” He approached the wagon, dismounted his horse, and extended his hand in your direction, urging you to descend.

“You know Sihtric will chop you alive into pieces and feed to the dogs, if you lay a hand on me,” you hissed at him, attempting to invoke fear, but it seemed to have no effect on Heasten. His smirk only grew wider.

“First your husband will have to convince his Lord to stay away from the upcoming battle,” Heasten retorted, his voice laced with menace. “Or else, it will be me who carves pieces from your lovely body and sends them to Sihtric.”

“You, there,” Heasten commanded one of his warriors. “Go to Winchester. When Lord Uhtred returns, seek out his oathman Sihtric and tell him what happened today. Tell him, that if he ever wishes to see his wife and his pup alive, he must persuade Uhtred to stay away from the battle Edward – that little weasel of a king – is preparing to fight against Cnut’s army. And if he fails to do so, he will have to choose between the life of his Lord and the life of his wife and child,” Heasten stretched his hand toward you, forcefully ripping away the delicate silver chain that hung around your neck – a gift from Sihtric.

“Take this and present it to Sihtric as a proof that you speak the truth,” he commanded, handing the torn silver chain to the warrior.

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Uhtred had sent out all his available men to gather information and persuaded Sihtric to remain in Winchester, ready to depart at a moment’s notice should any news arrive.  Sihtric was a complete mess. The mere thought of waiting idly, doing nothing, was unbearable. In a desperate attempt to drown his fear, despair, and overwhelming helplessness, he resorted to the only thing that came to mind—he drank. He hoped it would numb the consuming emotions that tormented him and finally got so drunk, that Finan and Osferth had to carry him back to his room in the tavern.

It was long past midnight when Sihtric awoke to a pounding headache. At first, he couldn’t even recall where he was, but then in a sudden rush, the events of the previous day flooded his mind. He jumped out of the bed still wearing his clothes as his friends hadn’t bothered to undress him. In need of some fresh air, he hurried outside just in time before his stomach revolted and he threw up. Spotting a nearby barrel filled with rainwater, Sihtric plunged his head under the cold water and counted to five before emerging, only to find a man – a Dane – standing next to him. Sihtric instinctively reached for his axe, but the Dane simply shook his head.

“Don’t! Believe me, you want to hear what I have to say,” the Dane spoke raising his hands to show that he held no weapons, while Sihtric watched him warily.

“I have a message for you from Heasten. You remember our dear friend Heasten, don’t you?” the Dane continued, “He sends his regards. It has come to his ears that you are missing something, something very dear to you. And guess what? Heasten has found it.” Sihtric listened with eyes widening in disbelief, his expression shifting from watchful cautiousness to pure fury, though the Dane seemed oblivious to the change and pressed on.

“Listen carefully. If you ever wish to see your bitch and the pup within her alive, you must deter Uhtred from helping Edward. He must not join Edward’s army, nor should he engage in the battle against Cnut. Do you understand, you worthless scum? If you fail to do so or if the lives of your family hold no value to him, then you have a choice to make: Uhtred’s life in exchange for the lives of your loved ones.”

Sihtric stood frozen, rage slowly consuming him, as the Dane’s words sank in. He didn’t want to believe it. He opened his mouth to respond, but no sound escaped. The Dane extended his hand toward Sihtric, revealing something held within his palm. “This is the proof you were seeking,” the Dane smirked, unfurling his fingers, and allowing something small fall to the ground. Sihtric knelt down, his anger mounting, as he picked up the delicate silver chain with a pendant in the form of the sun. He recognised it instantly; the very same necklace he had given you when Uhtred agreed to your marriage, and you had always worn it ever since. Sihtric grunted in rage and quickly sprang to his feet, only to discover that the Dane had vanished.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

[ms-oswald]

homesick | chapter two

author's note: aaaand chapter two is here! another long one (sorry, not sorry lol). 18+ MDNI. Sending all my love to @persephones-journey, thank yoou for being my second pair of eyes! ❤️ banner credit to @arcielee 💜 Lots of love & stay safe 💕

     “Kára?”

The roughness of battle suddenly vanished, the sight of an old friend gracing relief into his muscles. 

“If it isn’t my favorite Irishman.” A grin stretched into her cheeks, light steps pushing her to him as he got up from his seat and met her halfway, the alehouse rowdy and curious as eyes peered over to them. 

“Who is the woman?” The youngest of Uhtred’s men, a gentle monk, leaned closer to his friends as he whispered while his view remained on the couple.  

“She is one of Ragnar’s men.” Uhtred had taken the lead on answering, his own blue hues set on them. “A seafarer.” A slight smirk had crossed the side of his lips as well, a sense of contentment at seeing his closest friend ease a little; Finan had reached out for her, gingerly holding her hand with their fingertips timidly tied together as they laid above the ground. 

She noticed a tired look in his eyes; she placed her other hand to his cheek, stroking his skin tenderly before pulling him away and out of the alehouse.  

A few feet away, settling in a calmer air, he looked back at her. Though his heart swelled to her presence, he remained curious – and partly hopeful. “What are you doing here?” 

“Are you not happy to see me?” She teased, bumping his shoulder and catching a glimpse of his chuckle. She proceeded, her lighter tone softening. “I heard about what happened with the brothers... I came to see if you had survived.” 

He sighed, a grim look flashing across his irises; even in the dim light around them, she could see something was not right. There was anger, fear, grief – exhaustion. He wore them heavy on his shoulders and her heart broke. 

“How long are ya here for?” He had taken the smallest of steps, head down as he held her hand again, suddenly needy for her touch. It had been some years since they last saw each other – since she had left after helping Ragnar defeat Kjartan. He had mourned her departure once, and knew it were to happen again as she was a fleeting form, a nomadic essence that was never meant to be rooted into the ground, her breath wedded to the sea.  

And so, his inquiry would need to become an iterant quest for their time to come.  

She placed her hand to his cheek. “I can stay for a couple of nights, leave the day after tomorrow...” She softly replied, worry etched onto the creases above her brows.  

He leaned into her touch, kissing the heel of her palm as he exhaled a faint smile of gratitude.  

She then pulled him out of his thoughts, her fingers playfully rubbing at his shaven scalp while taunting him with an exaggerated disapproving look. “What am I supposed to grab onto now?” 

A low laughter rippled from beneath his chest, an easy beam glowing under moonlight.  

He leaned towards her, whispering teasingly into her ear. “I don’t remember ya having any issues last time. I still have your nail marks on my back, Love.” 

She bit her inner cheek, attempting to hide her blush, and slapped him on his chest playfully. “I guess you will have to refresh my memory.” 

A chuckle rumbled the back of his throat as he kissed her cheek, reaching the corner of her lips.  

He broke the embrace, locking eyes with her while she tiptoed around the arm ring he wore on his right side, her fingertips grazing gently over the piece of jewelry before they slithered down to his wrist and hand.  

“Does Ragnar know you are here?”  

She smirked. “Jealous now?” She bit her bottom lip, her head tilted sideways as faint mirth reached the green specks in her eyes. “As far as I know, he doesn’t.” She took a closer step, the tip of her boots touching his own, and lifted herself on her toes, hovering over his breath. “Like I said, I was just passing through to see you.” She eyed him intently, adding jest into her words. “It would have been devastating losing out on such a good friend.” She tapped his chest to her last words, and lingered. 

He grabbed the hand that rested on him as he spoke. “A friend or a hump?”  

She extended her play, pretending to think seriously over her answer as she pursed her lips. It earned her another of his infamous smirk, the creases to his cheeks welcomed.  

She sobered up, nodding curtly. “Both.” 

Another vibration across his lungs, a gentle chortle escaped him as he shook his head. “It’s really good to see you.”  

“And darling, it is good to be seen!” She took his hand and tugged him her way. “Now lead me to your home. I am exhausted and need a bed!” 

“Alright, alright.” The crinkle to his cheeks remained with his grin unwavering to her presence. He pulled her the opposite way, the couple scurrying away from the lights and from the dwindling drunken people as he led her to his place. 

It was a quaint home, comfortable enough to house one person.  

She walked around, glancing to every corner of the open space, taking in the sight while he stayed behind to lock his door. 

He then turned and silently watched her, trying to catch her in the dim light peering through his windows.  

A mind of its own, his body moved forward, his feet marching towards her until he stood behind her. She sensed him and smiled as his arms slid around her stomach, pulling her firmly against his chest.  

She closed her eyes and fell into his embrace, the tip of his nose stroking her temple into her hair as he inhaled; the faint scent of salty waters sent shivers down his spine, the bittersweet aroma curling into the pit of his stomach as he tightened his hold around her. He trailed down behind her ear and her neck, taking in her presence by way of his other senses, un-relying on his sight as his shut hues stayed in the dark.  

Her breathing steadily grew heavier to the feel of his caress traipsing down her stomach. He quietly reached the laces of her trousers, swiftly undoing them before his fingers slipped underneath the fabric. 

She sighed, her head falling backward against his shoulder. She then tilted to the right, hugging his arm with her teeth grazing the muscles; her mouth was slightly parted in pleasure, the dexterous fingers toying with her wantonly. 

“I missed ya...” He breathed, air fanning over her blushing cheek. “I missed having ya around.” 

She tried to regain her composure, her hazels catching the shy glimmer of the moonlight onto the floor. 

She huffed a smile, a lopsided curve etched into a smirk. “As a friend, or a hump?” She called back, playing.  

He took a moment, following into her footstep as he teased her; a slight pressure to his grasp, he heard the faintest of whimper before answering, the cheeky grin smug behind her. 

“Both.” 

The skin of his teeth scratched her earlobe, an overlay to his ministrations as he listened to her soft panting, her chest heaving from the growing warmth underneath her breastbone. 

She cursed under her breath, a strained giggle shaking her tongue at his answer before calling out for him. 

“Finan...”  

“Mhmm?” He mumbled, sweetly kissing the column of her neck. 

“We’re in the dark...” 

She attempted once again to gain control of herself, desperately wanting to focus on her thoughts.  

He did not relent, purposely continuing with his diligent work. “I know.” 

A faint titter tickled his ear. “Do you not want to look at me, is that it? Have I grown hideous since last we saw each other?” She patted his cheek, signaling him to stop. He breathed out as she turned in his arms, rolling her eyes in amusement at his inflated disappointing gaze. “We’ll have all night for some fun.”  

She parted from his embrace with her arms stretched behind her back, a coy glimmer sparkling in her hues. “Come on, get a fire started – give me some heat, and when you are done, I’ll be ready and completely bare, waiting for you in your bed.”   

He let a soft groan out and yanked her back into his arms before catching her lips into his own, granting himself a firm kiss – a tale for more, before once again pulling away. 

He turned to his hearth while she moved to his bed and started to undress herself until she reached her shift. She left it on as she took a seat on the bed, waiting for Finan to join her. 

Once he finished tending to his task, he turned to Kára and found her waiting for him. 

“I thought you said ya’d be naked?” He bit his lip into a lopsided smirk, eyeing the way the thin material of her shirt proudly displayed her cleavage down to the way she had crossed her legs, purposely hiding herself away from him. 

He swallowed the sudden saliva coating his inner cheeks, mouthwatering at the sight, body thrumming at the thought of what awaited him. 

She stood up, hands behind her back as she glanced downwards at herself before lifting her head to him, a bold glimmer settling across her features, her silent invitation. “How about instead, I give you the joy of ripping this off of me. Have you work for it.” 

“So thoughtful of ya.” He followed her pace, tagging along as he closed in the distance, teasing with a hand to his chest at pretend gratification. “I really appreciate it.” 

He took one more step as she extended her hand towards him, grasping his shirt. He chased the motion and pulled her in his arms before tipping her way, ghosting his lips over hers until they firmly pressed. 

He then cupped her cheeks, holding her gently as he deepened the caress. The strokes were gentle – sickeningly sweet to a roaming eye, as she sunk into the way the ale was coating his tongue; she had felt it heavy in the warmth of his breath, and how the taste lingered – bittersweet. 

She let him hold on to her as she reached for the layers of clothes that covered him still; they only parted for the second she removed his shirt, the item thrown carelessly onto the ground before her arms rested back around his shoulders, searching for the delectable kiss in candlelight.  

Catering to both their needs for closeness, he swiftly lifted her up, her legs encircling his waist as he moved them closer to his bed. 

He lingered at the edge, simply standing as she held on for dear life, her nails softly digging into his jaw and cheeks.  

Without letting her go, he eventually took his seat and settled her on his lap. He let himself fall within the warmth of her embrace, to the way she wrapped around him, seeking air from his lungs as he searched for peace. An urgent need rummaged into his chest, a shovel digging for anything but death and war – a lost treasure. 

She felt a tightened hold about her waist, fingers clutching at the fabric of her shift; an unsettled feeling stroked beneath her breastbone as she pulled away, silently catching her breath.  

“What’s wrong?” An affectionate touch spread across his cheeks as worry raised into the softened streams of her hazels.  

“Nothing.” He breathed out, locking his gaze onto hers. 

She pulled back and saw the lie trembling within the depth of his hues; they were at a standstill as she observed him. 

He had tried to look away, a sudden shyness creeping up in the pit of his stomach but she stopped him, fingertips to his beard as she tilted forward and gently brushed her nose to his.  

She gifted him a tender kiss and whispered closely, catching the glimmer of the hearth in his brown eyes.  

“Finan... Let me take care of you.” 

He could only stare at her, her words slowly settling within his teared down mind. He couldn’t muster a response, his only source of communication the careful gestures he bestowed upon her form.   

She slowly pushed him to lie down and hovered above him while still holding onto each other’s sight.  

She took a moment, her nails lightly grazing at his beard. She wore a simple smile, a small pull from the corner of her lips as she lowered herself towards him. Another kiss across the pink of his skin, he kept her unmoving as he caught her with his arms around her body, hands slipping down her back. She teased him, faintly rolling her hips and earned a muffled grunt from the back of his throat; she repeated the movement once again, the pressure tightening between her thighs.  

She then hid her face in his neck, keeping up with her pampered touch as she found the ties of his pants.  

Feeling the slip of her hand between their bodies, he helped her undress him by kicking off his boots and pulling down his trousers. She was slowly slithering down, mouth to skin as she trailed pecks down his chest. She discarded his last piece of clothing, finding herself at the edge of his bed.  

He waited for the mattress to dip again, his eyes to the ceiling before he leaned on his elbows and watched her stare back at him. She was biting down her inner lip and took a moment as she reached for her shift, removing it and baring herself in front of him as he was. 

He sat up, drawn forward by his own enthrallment, his breath stuck within the confines of his lungs. 

He stretched his arm, grabbing her fingertips and tugged her his way until she stood between his legs. She looked down at the way his beard scratched her stomach as he pressed soft kisses to her flesh. She bit down her bottom lip, hands holding the back of his head while feeling his own trailing down her back to her cheeks and thighs. 

He inhaled deeply, the subtle scent coating her skin sweetly intoxicating him, lulling him further into distraction. 

She caught his attention as she slowly pulled away from his squeeze. He raised his head to her, his gaze shadowing her movement as she lowered herself to the ground.   

A shaky breath escaped his parted mouth, titillated by the way she presented herself to him; her palms rubbed against his thighs as she kneeled before him, her chin upwards. He glanced down at the swell of her breasts before meeting her eyes, enraptured by the honeyed glow of her irises, the darken room inexistent under her colors.  

His stare was unbendable as he intently watched her with a dry throat. 

A violent groan rasped passed his lips, his head tilted back as he gripped his sheets. He cursed, his lungs tied to the weight in his chest, with her name slipping in a strained echo within the walls of his rooms. 

She anchored herself with her nails carved into his hips, the ploy performed by her tongue seducing gluttonous breath out of his slacked jaw, his whimpered string of profanities – a sweet melody to her ears. 

Enraptured by the way she suctioned her cheeks, keeping him wet and warm, he grabbed her curls, forcing dishevelment amongst her braids as he tensed, his head falling back in pure pleasure. 

He was tied down by her chords, sinful vibrations passing through her swollen lips as her own carnal ache thrummed between her thighs. She became a prayer intertwined into his marrow, her name smothered under tantalizing heat. 

She sought his pleasure continuously, unrelenting as every twist and twirl of her tongue, the sliver of graze from her teeth, earned her grunted blasphemies from his mouth, hisses and hitched exhales into the thick air around them. 

Ignoring the simmering bruises to her knees, she felt him tense, his grip tightening as he looked down, his hues struck by her wanton teasing; he let go, submerged under ecstasy as a hefty exhalation rapidly escaped his lungs. 

He fell back onto the bed, catching his breath while running a hand down his flushed face. 

He felt her slip away and shifted his gaze to her climbing back onto the mattress, finding her seat as she straddled his lap. She kept her eyes on him, cleaning the corners of her mouth with her fingertips. He sat back up, arms snaked around her waist while closely watching the way she licked her lips, a silent swallow gracing her ears.  

He quickly claimed her reddened flesh, latching on lustfully. She felt him twitch underneath her, the taste of himself across her tongue igniting his desire anew. 

He engulfed her breath, holding hostage every drop of her taste for his own, a primal need that burned within his very core and kept her slightly lightheaded while still grounding her to his strokes. 

His hands slithered to her back, pushing her firmly with her breasts in heated friction against his chest; a muffled moan slipped away from her, the contact enticing as it burrowed into the pit of her stomach, forcing a clench between her legs. 

She barely broke away from him as she slid her right arm down his stomach to their joint hips. A light gasp fanned across her swollen lips as he felt her gently stroke him while she leaned on her bruised knees, high enough to graze herself against him. 

Mouth ajar, a strained moan fumbled at the back of her throat, the teasing touch causing shivers to violently scrape her bare skin. The thicker the pressure at her hips, her head instinctively fell back, 

She glanced down to catch him staring at her just as she slowly sunk onto him, the thickening pressure increasing at her hips and causing a twist in her voice as she called for him, cursing his name unabashedly.  

He stilled, taking in the way unadulterated pleasure etched beautifully across her features, flushed and whimpering. His heartbeat deafening him to the sound of his own exhales, his body trembled under such weight, lechery at its finest in this night. 

She settled back onto his lap, her bruised joints finding comfort resting on the sheets.  

Hitched breath tickled his lips, warmth spread across a she took a moment of enjoyment, the feel to be back in his arms this way maddening.  

He searched for her lips, capturing them then as she timidly tilted her hips. She listened to his panting, the stuttered groan grasping at his throat while he pressed her further against him, every piece of her fitting within him.  

They took their time, the thrusts gentle as stolen kisses and rough skin strokes were in precedence; she needed his attention, to bask in thrill amidst the tragedy hanging above him, puppet strings cutting into his flesh.  

She knew he was keeping it together for appearances – from the moment she greeted him this night, she could see a darken shadow suffocating him, drowning in eyes, his posture, his shoulders. The fury, grief and exhaustion were simple friends as they held hands. 

The desire to digress from such gloomy depth and lure him into her arms, lovers delight seeping through careful gestures and sound; it was the soft call of his name, the gentle ‘Look at me’ from her lips to his, to the breathless ‘Touch me' as she guided his hands along her form, the heat in his palms raising her skin from her breasts down her waist, and down her back.  

He continued of his own accord, carving her flesh into his creases, pleasure thriving beneath his fingertips. 

She held his gaze in fervent strength, a lustre of vulnerability crossing over their bare flesh. They latched onto one another, the ombre swirling between her brightened hazel to his darker hue; they were unrelenting, stubborn – a sliver of obsession, a shadow of possession, rooted into their frantic embrace, the tied threads simmering, humming to every thrust, every crescent, every drip sliding down limb to limb. 

She slowly felt overpowered under the weight of his stare, her body trembling – resonating against his touch. Her pace quickened, the friction between their hips ceaseless, delectable. And she was cursing sweet nothings between their lips, the letters of his name sculpted into her chords, a lust-filled melody haunting his ears.  

Overwhelmed, her head dropped backwards, her chest following as she anchored herself to him, her left arm grasping his shoulder while the other fell to his leg. 

She stayed in his view, watching as she submerged under their pooling pleasure, seeking the rushed waves as adrenaline pumped through her veins.  

He tightened his hold on her and swiftly pivoted, landing her on her back as he hovered over her.  

She gasped, taken aback as he took over without interruption, the strokes consuming and hips rutting in greed. 

He pressed his forehead to hers, warm breaths mingling in heavy steps as his hands wandered – a must – until their fingers interlaced. Comfort waved through, her surreal presence settling into his reality the way a breath of fresh air seeks lungs for nestling. 

He hadn’t realized how much he had missed her – the sound of her voice singing into his ears, the softness of her skin rubbing lovingly against his calloused tone, the depth of her gaze always searching for his even under the cover of darkness.  

He caught her lips, stealing kisses every chance he got as he still held her underneath him, hips bruising – yearning.  

He was pursuing her shadow, despair clawing at him knowing she was a temporary presence; his muscles tensed as his mind dragged him back to their separated time. The sudden restlessness that was roaming in the pit of his stomach crept back ever so slowly, every moan rolling down her tongue a knock into reality. 

She had become an unexpected presence in his life, an unintentional friend – an emblem to the freedom he had been given. She was entwined into the cracks of him, pulling him together into a state of perpetual hope, solace, forthcoming by her reappearances. 

He savored the thrusts, the appetite euphoric with her clinging to him as if afraid to let go – the thought of parting from him, of losing his warmth as he filled her lasciviously left her delirious over the nights she had ached for him, over the years and oceans that separated them. 

Her muffled moan snaked across his tongue, inciting a groan as he deepened their kiss, the brushes languid as his hand rested on her throat, thumb to chin as to tilt to the angle he wanted. He then trailed down her neck, swollen lips tender against her skin while the trim of his beard scratched her carelessly.  

Her eyes rolled to the back of her head while she tightened her legs around his hips, falling into an utter state of bliss. He felt her body quiver as her nails dug into his waist – shivers ran down his spine, his pace faltering until he slowed down and lingered, taking his time, relishing in the sweet ecstasy coating them longingly.  

He lied on top of her, hiding in her neck while her breath lingered by his ear, her thighs lazily resting by his hips, caving under pressure, and her fingers grazing his back soothingly. 

She inclined her head his way, closing her eyes for the moment as to enjoy the simplicity of their position – the way the weight of his body fit with ease over her own. She felt the press of his lips atop the glistened layer of her skin, a tender gesture he trailed along her shoulder. 

Reaching the end, he pulled away and slowly slid to her left while she pulled the disheveled sheets and fur around them, the fire still bright as it heated his room. She then shifted in her seat as she stretched her legs, wanting to nestle closely to him. She laid on her back, his arm around her with her left elbow lazily bent, her fingertips feathers above him. 

Finan could feel the heaviness on his shoulders partially drifting away, a faint sense of ease covering him; it was the pant heaving from her chest that soothed him, her presence an everlasting solace. He mindlessly played with her hair, fingers lumpish within the entangled locks while caressing her head. 

He was staring at his ceiling, lost in thought while his exhales steadied, the rush of adrenaline dissipating into the beads of sweat across his bare flesh. 

He felt her slip her fingers through his, silently searching for his hand to hold. He let her, his right arm following the movement as she brought his knuckles to her lips. He smiled, squeezing his hold on her and tilted slightly, his nose stroking her hair before kissing her sweetly. 

She moved again, gently enough to press herself further to his waist. He set a soft breath out, a burgeoning need to never let her go settling into his core – despite knowing it was futile. 

“Where are ya headed next?” The gruffness in his voice pulled her back to reality, his question a slight tug at her heart. 

She sighed quietly, her gaze unfocused. “Irland... I owe my father a visit.” She started tracing patterns over his chest, pensive. “Have you ever thought of going back? 

The silence was cut short, the minute dropping as he took his time to answer. 

“I haven’t really... I don’t think I’ll ever see it again.” 

She frowned and shifted to lean on her elbow, her eyes finding his. “Why not? It’s your home, is it not?” Genuine curiosity prickling at her brow.  

He was caressing her arm, his right still placed around her as he moved his own left to rest behind his head. “Not anymore... Coccham is my home now.” 

She took on the dramatics, an exaggerated groan shaking her tongue. “Ugh, but Irland is so much better!” She coaxed a smile out of him, her playful whining earning a soft laughter. He patted her arm and turned away, his hues facing the top of his home once again, the grin fading. 

“There are days where I wonder about it, but... not enough to want to go back.” She listened, watching the somber expression heavy on his features. He tilted his eyes back to her once again. “There is nothing left there for me anymore. I was a warrior until I wasn’t.” 

She lingered across the faint anguish coloring the depth of his browns; she could sense he wanted to change the subject, the dismissive tone laced in his lilt giving her a nudge. 

A weak bite into her inner lip, he moved to stroke her cheek, sweeping strands away to rest behind her ear. She slid closer to him, hovering above and leaned down to share the tender kiss – a moment of peace passing through them, her questioning of his motherland turning to dust.  

“What of ya?” He retraced her lips, his callused thumb enjoying the smoothness of her skin. 

She puckered the muscles, pecking his touch quickly before following with an answer. 

“My family may have settled there after leaving Norway, but Irland is not my home. And Coccham is definitely not it either.”  

He chuckled, his arm falling down as she leaned on her elbow once more. “I have never truly thought of it, really. A home... I just know I never was one for land, and farming and everything in between.” 

Restless, she switched positions again, lying back down as Finan followed, facing her while she took her turn to gaze upwards.  

Her words dug from the underground an inaudible inquiry – an opaque wondering, a glimpse into a scenario that could never be, a drawing settling into his mind for a split of a second. 

“Ya never thought of settling down?” Kára was young, her future ahead of her – the smallest piece of his shadow pondered if she had even thought about such a path. 

“I don’t think it was ever meant for me.” She turned her head to look at him, catching his stare as she responded, a layer of improbability stuck to the back of her throat. “I was born on a ship in the middle of nothing but water... and just maybe that is why I could never settle.” A lopsided grin, ever so timid, rose to her cheek. “Or at least that is what my father says of me – that I am a true seafarer. A true daughter of Njörd.” 

“And what do you say of yourself?” He had moved his arm over her stomach, palm stroking her sweetly, warmth spreading to both bodies. 

She contemplated, taking a moment before meeting him with a mischievous glint in her hazels. 

“That this traveler needs to ride out the sea.” 

He matched her smirk, his lips stretching as he teased. “I can help with that.” 

She played along, expressing disbelief to his proposal. “I don’t think so. Your Irish waters are weak. I need something stronger-” Her tone dropped, seduction rising as it slipped down her tongue, warm breath tickling him. “-robust. Rough.”  

He startled her, earning a squeal as he leaped to hover above her and pinning her arms above her head; a light laughter followed, amused by his sudden change in behavior.  

He lowered closer to her, parting her thighs with his knee as he pressed himself against her breasts, re-awakening temptation into their midst. He trailed one hand down her form, resting it below her hips with his eyes never leaving hers as he took in the way her mouth parted, a hitched breath floating between them. 

She arched her back slightly, a teasing gesture earning a bite from his lips, taunting her. 

“We should prepare ya for a storm then.” 

     He spent the next morning with his head between her thighs, stirred by having woken up with her pressed comfortably against his chest. 

It had followed with a slow roll out of bed, Kára pushing Finan to break his fast while she had remained distant, her own plans in their finishing touches. 

She then walked to the great hall, finding him sitting with Uhtred and Gisela, calmly chatting with their plates and cups slowly emptying. 

She took her place behind her friend and placed her hands on his shoulders as she tilted her head towards Uhtred. 

“I am taking him for the day.” The tone had been set as an order more than it was a request. 

Gisela quietly chuckled, her eyes falling to her husband as he stared back at the newcomer dumbfounded. He then glanced to Finan, the Irishman shrugging his shoulders as he waited for a response.  

Uhtred simply nodded, nudging his head for the young man to go – speechless. 

A satisfied grin on her face, Kára took his hand as he got up, and walked out. As she reached the entrance, she quickly turned back and shouted. 

“Oh, and don’t expect him until sundown!” 

Without letting room for protest, she pivoted and led Finan away, both bodies walking towards the stables. 

“Where are we going?” He was puzzled, curiosity set in his brows as he let her lead the way, his arms tensed from her pull. 

She pivoted her head to him, a teasing smirk cornering her lips. “You’ll see.” 

He found two horses with their saddles on, bags, furs and blankets tied to each of them. He stilled and watched as she continued, quietly greeting them with gentle petting before grasping at their reins and tugging them back his way. 

She handed him his own, a spark of excitement floating across the green of her eyes. “Ready?” An instinctive smile stretched into his cheeks as he nodded. “Ready.” 

Climbing on and riding away, she led the march out of Coccham and into the woods with Finan trailing by her side. 

He had remained quiet for a few minutes, waiting to see if she would reveal the secrecy she was withholding; she noticed the stolen glances from the corner of her eyes and smirked, amused by the way intrigue prickled at the furrow brow atop him. 

“You’re staring.” 

“Ya are kidnapping me.” 

She turned his way, her grin still apparent. “It’s not kidnapping when you will be returning later.” 

He matched her smile and shook his head as he shifted his gaze back to the road ahead of them. “Where are ya bringing me?” 

“You’ll see.” He could hear the mischievous intonation in her words, stretching wider the beam dimpling into his cheeks.  

He glanced back towards her, catching the glimmer of amusement in her eyes. “A woman of mysteries.” 

“That is my charm, Irishman.”  

He chuckled at her response and continued the ride, light jests shared between them. 

They eventually then made their stop, Kára halting her horse after the hour had dropped; Finan followed, both bodies climbing down their horses before they continued on foot while still holding onto the reins. 

She took the lead once again, carefully walking through a dampen cave passage, the sound of water echoing all around them.  

To the other side, the area seemed to have been secluded from the rest of the world. The indistinct sound of insects chirping rallied as they hid within the foliage, the trees framing the scenery as they reflected across the serene creek, its rhythmic voice setting the tranquil atmosphere. The mixture of rocks and boulders were comfortable within and around the body of water, the trunks of weeping willows, birch and elms closed in around them, cutting off outside pollution. 

Finan stood breathless as he took in the lush greenery blinding his gaze. 

Kára let him be as she continued down her path, carefully guiding her horse to the willow a few feet away.  

“If ya wanted me by yourself, you could’ve said so.” 

She tied the harness to a low branch before turning to face him, scoffing dramatically. “And be disturbed by Uhtred?” He had approached her close enough, she grasped at the collar of his armor and tugged him her way playfully, a sham of a threat gracing her features. “I’d rather kidnap you.” 

He fell into step, adding theatrics of his own. “So, this is a kidnapping!” He then inclined her way with the tip of his nose grazing hers. “I knew it.” 

She giggled at his antics and let him go, both turning around and undressing their horses as they removed the weight off their backs and placed them by the tree’s roots. She pulled a small bag of apples and dropped it at their feet, the fruits toppling over while Finan handled the blankets and the rest of the baggage.  

She followed with the saddles, placing hers gently on the ground before moving onto the next one; just as she was untying the second seat, Finan grabbed her hand, pivoting her towards him. He placed a hand to her neck, thumb stroking her jawline, and tenderly kissed her lips.  

Without pulling away, he mumbled a soft ‘thank you’ a timid smile gracing her view.  

He reached for her loosened braid, her locks soft under his touch. 

She watched him, attempting to capture a reaction as her heart squeezed. “Does it still bother you?” She still remembered the discomfort he felt the first time they sat close to each other, the day she had tended to his wounds, the breeze forcing him to breathe in the salt in her curls.  

He noticed the quiet distress in her hazels. “It hasn’t been that long.” The faint uncertainty laced into her voice, the distant tremor of fear rooting her to the grass – a slight tug tore at the pit of his stomach. 

He cupped her cheeks, another shared kiss in a try-out for reassurance.  

It wasn’t enough to convince her. 

Despite their physical closeness, a part of her hung onto the fear of being pushed away. 

“You don’t have to hide from me, Finan. You can tell me.” 

“I know. But I promise ya, I am not bothered by it.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and clenched her jaw, holding onto the tears glazing the corners of her eyes.  

Finan pulled on the tie keeping her hairdo together and watched as the ends detangled. 

“Ya’ve got the sea air, and so every time I breathe it in, it will remind me of you.” He continued un-doing her braid, the strands flowing freely around her shoulder. “You’ve made it into something that doesn’t frighten me anymore.” 

Her breath hitched, taken aback by his confession. She ignored the heat creeping up to her cheeks, her eyes struck by the way he was gazing at her, tender affection coated within his irises.  

She bit her bottom lip, stifling a smile, and took a step backwards, breaking the embrace.  

They kept their sight on each other, her smile widening as she kept her teeth to her pink skin.  

“Rid of your clothes.” She ordered before she followed, kicking off her boots, removing her weapons and discarding her armor, her own wear falling atop the open blankets.  

He peered closely her way, hues retracing the way she discarded her garments, from the way her trousers had swiftly dropped around her ankles to the way she pulled at the hem of her shirt, passing it over her head and throwing it. 

She took a step towards the water, her back facing him with her hands reaching into her curls, finishing detangling her braids. 

Feeling the heavy gaze, she turned to look at him, finding him leaning against the willow, arms crossed over his chest. She rolled her eyes, her grin dimpling into her burning cheeks. “What?” 

“Nothing.” 

She chuckled, shaking her head. “Liar.” 

She turned back, the hairdo gone and ruffled her roots, fingers scratching her scalp and easing their previous strain. She then dove into the water, disappearing from Finan’s sight for a moment, the quiet settling in for a short minute before she resurfaced. 

He was still eyeing her, stare unwavering as they shadowed her every move – a complete state of limerence. 

She swam around to face him. “Join me!” 

“Is that an order?” He pulled away from the trunk and walked towards the edge of the water, untying his sword belt.  

“I’m afraid it is.” He stared at the way the shivers covered her skin down her exposed breasts. Her arms were afloat, shaping the water by the sides of her body with her hair slick back and freshly damp. “Come on, the waters are freezing without you.” 

He made a quick turnaround, removing his clothes and marching to her until he sunk to the water, continuing his way towards her. 

They held their eyes to each other, her body dipping under the surface down her nose. He kept swimming until the creek reached his waist. Closing the distance separating them, she slowly stood up with her hazels stuck to his own gaze. 

Hand to her cheek, she leaned into his touch as he stroked her skin. “Better?” 

She nodded shamelessly, the corner of her lip caught between her teeth. “Much better.” 

Her fingertips pressed delicately across his pink skin and trailed towards his toned chest and stomach, teasing the downwards motion to his hips.  

She retraced the way his skin raised to her touch, watching as his muscles ticked under the tip of her nails, the tickling soothing to his limbs.  

She kept going, arrowing downwards, eyes up to him. 

He leaned his forehead against hers, mouth slightly parted as he thought of what to say – the flirtatious caress along his form was freeing, calming. 

She was tending to his wounds – a silent promise to care for him, as she had done last night. 

And as tempting as it was, he found himself only wanting to hold her, to indulge in the way her body would melt into his, arms holding her tight, and simply savor her presence. 

He carefully took her wrist, stopping her from slipping past his hips under water. 

“I don’t need... that. I just...” The low tone of his voice made her frown. She searched for his gaze, curious. He breathed out his last words, his shoulders depleting. “I just need you.” 

An ache hid beneath the surface of his browns, an unfamiliar yearning – it was the simple need to be embraced without the shadow of carnal delight hanging above them.  

She was his refuge to the storm that had numbed him, a shelter, a fire keeping the cold at bay.  

She was unencumbered by the loss at Beamfleot, though still understood the woes of war. 

“Alright.” The soft reply slipping from her lips, she shared the smallest of kisses on his cheek as she placed her arms on his shoulders, hands falling into the void behind them.  

They shared an intimate breath, lips – feathers between one another, as they stood still, time halting by their side. 

He held her by the waist, pulling her closer until they were flushed together, hiding in the crook of her neck. She closed her eyes, falling into the feel of him warmly pressing against her cold skin. He continued down her shoulder and trailed backwards until he kissed the spot right under her ear, gooseflesh running amuck. 

The tranquility of their moment soon was interrupted – the horses pulling them out of their reverie, agitated. 

Both turning their attention to the right, Finan instinctively pulled her nearer, acting as her shield as tension crept up across his limbs. 

She eyed the area, glancing between the horses and the rustling sound coming from a few feet across them. Kára wasn’t frightened – had it been intruders, they would have shown themselves by now.  

She shifted her eyes back to Finan, the man still seemingly on edge. “Finan. Look at me.” She forced him to pivot her way, hands to his cheeks as she caught his stare. “We’re safe.”  

The distant bushes continued stirring until a fox slipped through the low branches.  

The horses distanced themselves, slowly calming down just as Finan let out a breath of relief, his shoulders dropping. 

Kára giggled, her head resting on his chest before she pulled away, smacking him with the surface of the creek. 

She flickered water his way once again, pulling his attention away from the shore and back to her as she continued swimming away from his grasp. 

He complied, catching up to her and quickly caught her back in his arms as he blocked her own, her back pressed against him.  

The reverie had settled back in, bringing comfort to the two characters as she digressed reality into her back pocket, stretching the slumber for a few more moments with the laughter and antics simmering beneath the surface. 

     They hid under the shade of the weeping willow, sitting atop the blankets and fur she had brought from the village. 

She laid her back against the trunk while he rested between her legs, head to her stomach with her knee bent over his shoulder, her bare feet enjoying the feel of the grass. 

She ran her fingers through his shaved scalp, nails soothingly scratching random patterns as she tilted back, eyes closed, the warm breeze seeping through the bended branches. 

It was midday and the sun hung high above them, warming bodies and lands as it lulled them into a state of bliss and comfort; the horses were resting, and the fox was asleep a few feet away from the couple, having searched for its own shade under the leaves. 

Clothes were discarded, the use of blankets partially covering them; being the only two people in the world, decency had no pertinence. 

 They were quiet, the comfort of each other’s company enough to soothe any lingering worries away; Finan had slowly fallen into a light state of slumber, enjoying being in her arms. 

Their moment of peace was then halted, a grumble disrupting them. 

A light laughter slipped from her tongue soon after, realizing the origin of the noise. 

“Is that the call for hunger or do we have another animal roaming about?” 

She felt his body shake atop hers, his own mirth laced with her own as he placed his hands to his stomach and tilted his head upwards, attempting to catch a glance of her from the corner of his eyes. “I didn’t realize how hungry I was. Did ya bring anything for us to eat? Or is it all for the horses only?” 

A soft giggle graced his ear as she leaned over, her palms sliding down his muscles. “I brought us some bread, nuts and fruits.” She placed her chin on his collarbone. “I couldn’t get away with the meat, so we will need to hunt.” 

He hummed in response while pushing himself to sit upright and then reached for his trousers as she sat on her knees, hugging him once again, her arms wound around his shoulders. “How about I do the heavy lifting and you get started with the fire?” She kissed his cheek then trailed down to his neck as he leaned against her, instinctively smiling and agreeing to her proposal. 

The campfire was bright, its hues in harmony to the sunbeams still bright above them.  

Kára came back with small traps in both her hands, satisfied with her catch as she wore faint smudges of dirt across her face and arms. 

Finan watched as she dangled their feast in front of him, a grin etched across his cheeks, amused by the spark in her steps.  

The meat cooked, the fruits and nuts laid out, the bread fresh and in pieces – their meal were plenty, filling his appetite as the atmosphere dipped into light banter and jest. 

Their little companion had found a seat next to Kára, silently sniffing and waiting to be fed; she obliged, splitting bits and pieces of the last remaining raw rabbit to give to the little one, the furry friend never leaving her side.  

“I think he likes ya.” He stared at his friend’s new pet while nibbling on fruit, teasing laced in his vocals.  

“He’s got good taste.” She turned to Finan, playfully winking while she petted the animal.  

He chuckled and wrapped one arm around her shoulder, pulling her near as to lay a kiss to her temple before turning back to face the small fire.  

She placed her head on his shoulder, the pet slithering its way to rest between her feet, quietly finishing its lunch. 

She sensed Finan sobering up, his silence suddenly suspenseful.  

“Where did you go?” There was sliver of strain in her voice as she rested her chin on his shoulder, coaxing him to turn her way. She lifted her head, her fingers stroking his beard gently as he looked in her eyes, the glimmer of green shining under the sun.  

He leaned against her, bumping the tip of his nose with hers before stealing a kiss, the humble gesture preparing his response. 

“Nowhere near as interesting as your travels.” 

She huffed a chuckle, noticing the subtle way he pushed for a new line of inquiry. 

And she followed with no hesitation. 

“Where are ya headed after Irland?” 

They held each other’s eyes, a tenderness to the gaze as she caressed his cheek, the back of her knuckles soft against his beard.  

“We’ll sail East… maybe visit the Greeks again, see what new treasures they’ve discovered.” 

A small smile dimpled the left side of his cheek, tone low as he spoke, the spark in her honeyed stream conjuring curiosity. “Tell me more.” 

She shared a quiet laugh, grasping the bottom lip between her teeth. “Where do you want me to start?” 

She met his wishes, leading their talks as she reminisced of her past voyages, the trials and tribulations, the people she’s met to the lands she visited, down to her small crew – a group of seafarers just like herself, who craved the taste of adventure and thrived amongst the seas. 

He listened intently, observing the way her lips curved in excitement, her cheeks dimpling into a brightened smile, to the way the glint in her hazels lured him in, enthralled by her exuberance. She spoke with a light step in her voice, a silent promise she made to herself, to share her discoveries with him, to gift him the pleasures of such a life by her side, to present the wonders right at his feet. 

Her words hung to his ears, thrumming within his core and aching – ambivalence settled beneath his breastbone, a bittersweet taste coating his marrow into a state of admiration; his heart slipping down his sleeve, every tug shadowed her spoken syllables, its pulsation reverence and cowardice. 

An invisible thread pulled him further towards her, enraptured by her presence – an aura exquisite under the timid sun beams. 

“You should see the world…”  

They had moved to lie on the ground, side by side as she had shifted her gaze, looking up while Finan glanced between the open air above him, to his left with his hues taking her in, the glow of the afternoon seeping through the tree leaves. 

She turned her head to him as she spoke, catching his eyes. “This doesn't have to be your life, you know. There are beautiful lands out there that are worth more than this entire country…” She bit her inner lip, teeth digging into the soft tissue in hope. “You should join me, come see it with me.” Her tone softened, serenating as she leaned closer to him. “Let me take you to see the world, Finan.” She turned, pushing her weight to hover above him, her elbow taking the pressure and facing him as she caught the hint of a smile appearing across his lips. “Leave Wessex behind, and come with me. No more battle, no more war, just food and drinks and women until you are blue in the face.” 

He let a chuckle rumble down his tongue, a pensive gaze stitched over his brow as he stared back to foliage above him. 

The moment seemed to have stopped – even though it had been short, it felt to have dragged itself through the mud, a disappointment that had been both forthcoming and yet still heartbreaking. 

She sighed, not withholding her displeasure. “Uhtred it is then…” She sat up, arms wrapped around her bent knees. 

Finan quickly followed her, his shoulder to her blade. “Kára-” 

“It’s alright. I figured as much…” She tilted her head towards him, chin grazing her shift. Her eyes were cast downwards, giving herself a quiet exhale before meeting him, the faint saddened gaze imbued into her greens. “At least you are giving me a reason to come back.” She wore her lopsided smile, crafting an exit to their path. 

“I’m touched.” He kissed her, lips pressed to shoulder, a smirk hiding behind the gesture. 

She rolled her eyes, unable to stop her own grin. 

She then inclined his way, kissing him softly, and lingered before resting her forehead to his. 

He noticed the change in her demeanor, sensing her frown as if in thought. 

“What’s wrong?” 

She pulled away, meeting his gaze once more as she caressed his cheek. “When I didn’t find the brothers in Frankia… I knew something was wrong.” 

He leaned into her touch, in awe. “Ya came back for that?” 

She nodded, her hand patting him playfully. “I needed to make sure ya Irish arse was still breathing.” 

She mimicked his lilt, brewing a chortle from his lungs; she hid away her worry, the mere drop of imagining such loss weighing on her shoulders. 

They had gone the rest of the day with light jest and quips, bringing back the needed distraction into their midst; she pulled him back into the water, having quickly discarded of her shirt before pulling down his trousers and dragging him away from their burned-out campfire. 

The fox had gone and the horses rested still, nibbling at whatever fruit and greens laid at their hooves. 

Only the light laughter – the teasing plays and childish bantering had coated the breeze within this small place, the drops of water from the stream fall, to the music of insects adding layers to their afternoon. 

     He woke up in a frantic state, startled as sweat hugged his skin. 

He was catching his breath, attempting to recuperate as he took a moment to absorb his surrounding; the darkness of the night silently greeted him, the hearth’s embers becoming but decor in this time.  

Sitting up, he rubbed his face and ran his hand across his shortened hair, anxiety crippling under his chest as it pierced through his lungs, palpitations heavy. 

He didn’t feel the bed dipping behind him – it was the soft call of his name that pulled him away from his anguish. 

“Finan?” 

She slipped her arms around his shoulders as she sat up, and felt the slight sweat slipping off his back along the tension in his muscles. “Nightmare?”  

“Mhmm.”  

She pressed her nose against his cheek and wound her arms closer. “You are safe, Finan.” She whispered soothingly as she turned his head her way, catching his tired gaze. “You are well, and you are safe.” 

He leaned back against her, closing his eyes and listening to her words, his breath steadying.  

She helped him shift his focus to her touch, to the warmth spreading from her body with her hand placed on his chest, guiding his lungs as she controlled his exhales. 

He tilted his head further towards her, stealing a soft kiss before breaking away, resting over her brow.  

She stopped speaking and breathed with him, caressing his chest gingerly – lovingly. 

The minute had passed, her own worries draping over her. 

“Finan...” He met her eyes, noting the slight frown she carried. “What happened with the brothers? Why the strain?” 

He hesitated, looking away and in front of him.  

She pulled him back in, finding a seat next to him while taking her hand into his, resting them on her lap, the other stroking his beard. 

The longer he held her gaze, the comfort of her touch – he found a slither of courage reaching the surface; it was slow, but the words slipped out of his tongue, shaking the ground as he counted the events of the battle of Beamfleot, shivers scurrying across his skin. 

To the death of Clapa, Kára teared up, having grown fond of the gentle giant. 

Her heart broke, Finan’s tale and state wrenching anguish into her bones. 

His confession brought her closer, the bewilderment sitting atop him – puzzled by why this battle was tearing him apart. 

“Some are harder than others. Especially when you were close to death...”  

There was a light tremble to her last word. He turned to her, detecting the glimmer in her eyes, the tear drowning her hues. “You almost died. You lost a dear friend- the night in itself... It was a disaster.”  

She took a deep breath, pivoting away from his gaze. She instead moved, resting her head on his shoulder and squeezed his hand in hers, a self-reassurance of his presence by her side. 

She swallowed the lump in her throat, both of them sitting in silence for the moment that passed. 

“There is nothing but death and war...” 

The sober tone in his voice sent chills down her spine. She felt the break in his heart and carried it as she turned back to him. 

“Penance for being a warrior, I’m afraid.” 

She leaned in, stroked his cheek once more before gently pecking his lips. She then pulled away and silently invited him back to bed, the sheets covering them comfortably. 

He buried his face against her chest, letting her chin rest on his head as her leg wrapped around him, her arms encircling his shoulders – a shield. She raked her fingers against the back of his scalp, her nails soothingly scratching while he breathed in deeply, pushing himself flush against her. 

He found refuge across her collarbone and down her breasts, his lips seeking her bare flesh. He tugged her closer, every empty inch vanishing as limbs molded, a sculpture forming under nightlight. 

She sighed, the weight of his body demulcent as he moved her to lie on her back, sensing an urgent longing in his strokes, his fingers bruising her. 

She cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at her, eyes meeting in the dark. She shared a small smile – a silent promise of reassurance, before gifting him a gentle kiss. He slowed down, resting his forehead on hers as a shaky breath escaped him, fanning timidly over her parted mouth. She swallowed, capturing his lips with her own and taking the lead in the lingering gesture while he settled between her legs. 

She wanted to give him the distraction he was craving, to create disassociation, to care for the present moment only – to fuck and forget for the few remaining hours they had left. 

To use her and relent all worries – to escape and drown under carnal desires, to lean on a primal need; to cope and pursue the physical pleasure instead. 

He did not let her go, tongue stroking hers while she felt his palms down her waist, raising her skin, until they rested on her thighs and parted them further. He then pulled away, trailing wet kisses down her stomach until he reached her hips. 

She arched her back, her fingers gripping at her pillow above her head as a strained moan vibrated passed her slacked jaw. 

She closed her eyes, ripping at the fabric of the sheets as he consumed her – a glutton. 

He held her down, toying with her pearl while his ears listened to the sighs he coaxed, her chords becoming an exhilarating rush quivering down to his core. He thrived; the distant call of his name, the way she was begging for more, pleading for release. 

She cursed, an annoyed groan slipping out of her, unable to grab onto his hair. Sensing what she was trying to do, her pleasure building in tandem with her frustration, he could only chuckle, the sound shaking beneath her hips. Hearing him, her huff turned into laughter – a small giggle running down her tongue as she made him pull away.  

He caught her eyes and noticed how she quickly glanced at his beard, the taste of her fresh on his tongue. 

She rolled her eyes, bumping her knee playfully against him. “Stop it- Just- Fuck, just come here.”  

The smirk remained across his lips, complying to her demand. He crawled back towards her as she wrapped her arm around him, tugging him near until his breath ghosted over her. She wiped his beard lightly with her fingertips, licking her own lips before she kissed him, taking a lick of herself along her tongue. He groaned, trembling under his chest as she teased him, her calf firm onto his backside – luring him to nestle in the cradle of her hips, begging to be filled, to clench around him as he rutted into her; to have him bury himself inside her, ecstasy aflame, mindless. 

He held onto her – his anchor, reclaiming her body as he gently rolled his hips, thrusting into her with careful movement. 

He hid his face in her neck and deeply inhaled. The infusion of her scent – the hint of rosemary and thyme, the whiff of earthy aroma clashing with the sea salt overflowed his senses. 

His grip of escape, the need for solace grew. He turned desperate the longer he remained between her thighs, pushing passed the anguish that lingered on his shoulders and making his sole purpose on this night to bring his lover to the brim of unadulterated bliss – to have her come undone once again under his touch. 

The room filled with heavy breaths, dirty nothings and the continuous friction of skin to skin – limbs glistening under every dimpled mark of teeth and lips, and fingers, in a drunken haze as haste and frantic, and greed engulfed them. 

Deception waited outside their door, counting down until it was time to part. 

     They stood by the entrance gates of the village, her horse by her side while her small group of men were exiting, ready to embark on their next journey after their short intermission. 

He was holding her hand and gently tugged her in his arms as he spoke. 

“Be safe. I beg ya.”  

The soft pleading laced into his words had faintly pushed at her chest. She breathed in deeply, closing her eyes, and took a moment before pulling away. 

She stretched her lips into a smirk. “Well, if you are begging...” He shook his head, amused by her cheeky reply. 

She then leaned towards him once again, placing a tender kiss to his cheek as she whispered her promise into his ear – a swift shift to a tender and honest approach. 

“Thank you for staying.” 

“That is what friends are for.” The way her eyes settled across his own, an attempt to reassure him of her presence, the depth she would go to for him – a silent callout for the care she held for him. 

He gave her a nod as a soft huff of a chuckle escaped him, his gaze shifting downwards. He ignored the slight twinge in his heart – her chosen words, a tremble to his core. 

A faint ache buried under her chest as she watched him, her brows furrowed into concern. 

“Are you going to be alright?” 

He could hear it in her voice, the slight anxious inquiry; he dismissed it and gave her a soft smile as his lips stretched into the one side of his cheek. “Aye.” 

One step forward and he pressed his forehead to hers.  

He took a moment, eyes closed and breathed her in, hands to her cheeks as he carefully stroked her skin, the need to touch her, constant. She met him, her palms wrapped around his wrists as he placed his lips to her hairline.  

She then kissed him, tilting her head slightly upwards until she reached him, the tender caress holding them close.  

“Don’t miss me too much, Irishman.” She spoke between their breaths, a hint of mischief slipping across her tongue. 

She noticed a slight spark across the brown of his eyes as a light chuckle tickled her ears; it had looked as if the storm had passed, its heaviness pushed into a distant horizon. 

“I won’t if you don’t.” 

She winked at him, giggling. “I’ll try then.”  

She gave him one last kiss before she climbed onto her horse.  

They bid each other another goodbye as he walked her to the other side of the gates. 

Once they parted, the smile curved across his lips fell slowly until it disappeared, his heart faltering in its step as it tumbled over a lost footing. 

--------

xoxo

taglist: @gemini-mama @iamfandomnerd @ladyinred2248 @gco95 @errruvande

[magravenwrites]

Do Not Go Where I Cannot Follow:

Part 1:

Finan x Reader

A/N: A massive thank you to @axe-does-writing for beta reading this for me, you're the best 🥰

This is set during season 4 as the Coocham squad are travelling through Mercia to avoid the sickness.

Warnings: symptoms of sickness, angst, keeping secrets, established relationship

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or GIF

You had lost count of how many days you had been travelling, trekking through Mercia on foot with the children, trying to avoid danger and the dreaded sickness.

It was only due to Eadith's bravery that you had managed to survive for this long; standing up to her brother so that you might escape.  Though this brought you all some semblance of safety, you knew it would not last.  Not if Edward’s men caught you.  With this in mind, you decided to keep moving until you could find somewhere safer to rest.

Your feet had begun to ache, and Aelfwynn had started to become a dead-weight in your arms. It was a strain you weren’t sure you could continue with in your present state, but you were determined not to say anything until you absolutely had to; everyone had enough to deal with without you becoming a burden too.  

Releasing a slow, measured breath, you adjusted Aelfwynn in your arms, trying not to show how much you were struggling.  Luckily, with only Osferth behind you, you had managed to avoid detection.  

Until now.

“Give her to me.”

Looking to your left, you found Osferth had sped up to walk beside you, already holding his arms out ready to take Aelfwynn from you.  The look on his face brooked no argument and you could not find it within yourself to disagree with him.  For all he was such a sweet and caring man, he could be very stubborn, a trait you were sure he had picked up from your husband, Finan. Without any complaints, you carefully transferred the young girl into his arms, making sure her head was comfortably settled on his shoulder before continuing to catch up with the others.  

You hadn’t realised how much your slow pace had caused you both to fall behind.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently as you walked.

“I’m fine,” you smiled.

“Y/N, don’t lie to me, you’re as pale as a ghost!  You’re getting sick aren’t you?”

“Keep your voice down!” you berated him, glancing to the front of your group to see if anyone had heard him.

You knew it was true, you had begun to feel progressively worse over the last two days.  Your whole body ached, you had a persistent headache that had started to pound behind your eyes and you were sure you had the startings of a fever.  Truth be told, all you wanted was to curl up in a ball and sleep for a week, but you knew that wasn't going to be happening any time soon.

“We don’t know if it is the sickness, it might pass in a day or two.”  You weren’t sure who you were trying to convince, Osferth or yourself as you twirled your wedding band around your finger.

Releasing a long sigh, your gaze lifted to your husband at the front of the group, watching as he carried Aethelstan atop his shoulders.  Your heart squeezed in your chest, overflowing with the love you felt for him.  He had been excellent with the children during the journey.  You hoped that one day you would be blessed with your own children, he would make an excellent father.

Osferth noted the action, guessing where your thoughts had led you.  “He deserves to know.  If you are unwell - if it is the sickness - he would want to know. He would be heartbroken to think you could not tell him.  Do not ask me to keep this from him.”  he begged.

“I know, but I can’t tell him, and you cannot either.  He would freak out, he needs to focus on Uhtred, the children and getting us all to safety; he cannot do that if he is fussing over me.”

“Finan always worries for you regardless, it is his nature to worry over those he cares for.  You know, when we are away, you are all he talks about, all he can think about is you: what you would be doing that day, whether you were well, or thinking about the day he can return home to you.” he lectured.  

It made you smile to know that even when you were parted his thoughts still turned to you, the same way yours turned to him.

“Even so, I beg you not to tell him, if this does pass in a few days then there will be nothing to worry about.”

“And if it does not?”

“Then I will cross that bridge when I get to it.”  You ended the discussion, seeing a small village come into view up ahead, hopefully where you could get some rest for a while.

With everyone on edge already, Finan's sour mood and near constant anxiety about the sickness had started to grate on everyone's nerves, though everyone knew he didn't mean it - he was just terrified, having seen its effects before.  

Having reassured him multiple times over the course of your journey, you had discovered what really had him in such a state of panic: The one thing Finan wanted to do was to protect his family. To protect you, and make you happy.

But this? This he had no control over.  That is what terrified him.  That he could not protect you from this.

That was your main reason for not telling him of your illness. To know that you, his own wife, had the dreaded sickness.  It would break him. You would not do that to him. 

— Time Skip — 

You had all safely settled into the village of Wulfrunetun, having managed to gain a few hours of rest while you planned out your next move.  Aelfwynn’s condition had deteriorated in the last few hours, the poor girl barely able to keep her head up from exhaustion.  You all hoped that with some rest she might start to feel better.

You had managed to get some rest in the shade outside, where it was cooler, trying to reduce your progressing fever.  You felt rotten, your skin felt slightly clammy to the touch, and you were certain you could feel a bubbling in your chest whenever you breathed too deeply, but couldn’t decide whether that was just your overactive imagination and fear of the sickness playing with your mind.  Surely the sickness wouldn’t progress this quickly?  It had only been a couple of days since you had started to feel unwell.

“Ah, there ya are.  I’ve been lookin’ for ya.”  Your thoughts were interrupted when your boisterous husband came bounding through the door, heading over to you once he had caught sight of you, a grin forming on his face.

You forced a smile onto your face, standing up from where you had been resting under a tree.  Finan’s arms immediately encircled your waist as soon as you were within arms reach, and you couldn’t help but fall into his embrace, leaning your head against his chest, letting his steady heartbeat soothe your anxiety.

Finan rested his head on top of yours, and the pair of you took a moment to simply enjoy each other's presence.  

“You feel warm, are ya feelin’ alrigh'?”  he asked, pulling back just enough to look at your face, his eyebrows drawn in concern.

“I'm fine”

“Are ya sure?  You've been spendin’ a lot of time with Aelfwynn, I don't want ya to get sick.”  He reached a hand to cradle your face.

You let your cheek rest against his palm for a moment, before pulling away and teasingly swatting his hand away from his fussing.

“I promise I'm fine, my love.  I have just spent too long in the sun, is all.  I would tell you if anything was wrong.”  

Liar.  The words tasted bitter in your mouth.

“Has Lord Uhtred formed a plan yet?”  You asked, hoping to distract him.

“Aye, he has.  Uhtred has decided we must travel back to Aegelesburg; Sihtric and Young Uhtred are going to search for Aethelflaed and Aldhelm and bring them to meet us there.  We will be leaving soon.”

“What of Aelfwynn?  She is not strong enough to travel any further.”  ‘Neither am I’ you silently added.

Finan grumbled to himself for a moment, heaving a sigh through his nose. “Osferth and Eadith are goin’ ta stay ‘ere to look after her until things calm down in Aegelesburg, it wouldn’t be safe for her there, even if she wasn’t sick.”  He pulled you in closer.

“Then I will stay here with her.” 

“Absolutely not!  You’re coming with me to Aegelesburg and as far away from this sickness as possible.”

You shook your head, pulling his arms from your waist so that you could hold his larger hands between yours.

“Finan, listen to me.  I am still tired from travelling, and I would be glad for some rest.  I would be of more use tending to Aelfwynn than I would be to anyone in Aegelesburg.  Besides, the situation is still volatile, what happens if it turns into a siege?  I would be safer staying here, and coming to you once it is safe.”  

“Y/N, do not make me part from ya, please.”  He begged, bringing his forehead to rest against yours.

It took everything in you to not break down into tears, but you knew it was better for him to be away from you, at least until you got better.

“I know, I don’t want to part from you either, but you must go, and I will follow as soon as it is safe enough to do so.  It won’t be for long.”  You murmured.

“Alrigh’”  He reluctantly agreed, pulling away and pulling you into a bear hug, his arms completely enveloping you.  You felt him press a kiss to the crown of your head.

“I love ya.”

Your heart felt fit to burst, and you blinked away the tears that welled up in your eyes.

“I love you too.  Now go and get ready.  The sooner you leave and sort this mess out, the sooner we can be together again.”  You pushed his shoulder jokingly.  He chuckled, letting his arms slip from around you as he headed back inside.

As soon as he was out of sight you slouched, coughing into your elbow to muffle the sound.  You could feel the burn of it pulling at your chest, you could taste faint traces of copper in your mouth.  It was definitely better that he leaves now.

— Time Skip — 

The men were tying their saddlebags to the saddle of their horses, preparing to leave any minute.  You watched as Sihtric helped Young Uhtred with his saddle, making sure everything was properly secure.  He must have surely been missing his own children, his own wife.  A pang of sorrow went through your heart at the thought.  At least you got to travel with your husband, to say goodbye to him.

You wrung your hands as you continued to stand on the outskirts of the action, there had been something plaguing your mind over the last few hours, something other than the sickness you could feel creeping deeper into your bones and your secrets from your husband.

“Sihtric,” you called to him, your eyes darting to Finan briefly to make sure he was out of earshot.

Sihtric quickly finished helping Young Uhtred, clapping him on the back as he moved away to talk to you.

“I just wished to say goodbye...”  you exhale nervously.  You had to ask him - why was it so difficult to ask him?

His mismatched eyes studied you silently for a moment. 

“Goodbye”  he answered, half a laugh falling from his lips, unsure of where this was going.

Your gaze moved over Sihtrics left shoulder, falling onto Finan as he moved back and forth, finishing his preparations.  It was for him you had to ask this.

Sihtric followed your gaze, looking over his shoulder, before looking back at you, questions now very present in his eyes.

“...I know you are not going with him now, but… look after him for me.  Lord uhtred will give him something to follow, a purpose perhaps - but he will need you to lean on.”  Tears rose in your eyes at the thought, making sure Finan had people to carry him forward if the worst should happen.  

“Y/N, what is this about?”

“Just promise me!” 

“Of course! I swear it, you don't need to ask.” He looked visibly shaken by your panic, stepping closer to make sure you were ok.

“I know. Thank you.” You breathed a sigh of relief.  You needed to pull yourself together, you weren’t gone yet. 

“Y/N, please, what is wrong?  How can I help?”  

“Nothing just - in case things go badly.  There is so much that could go wrong.”  you answered evasively.

You weren't sure if he quite believed you, there was still the lingering question behind his eyes.  

You knew he could tell something was still wrong, he always saw more than was shown, heard more than was said.  You supposed that's why he made such a good spy.  Thankfully he did not press the matter, instead bringing you in for a hug.

“Everything will be fine, you'll see.  Lord Uhtred has not failed us yet.”  He looked so sure as he pulled away, for a moment you allowed yourself to hope.  Perhaps things would be ok after all.  You would fight this sickness with everything you had.  For Finan and the rest of your family.

“I know, but you can forgive a wife for worrying.”  You joked.

“Speaking of, might I borrow my wife so that I may give her a proper goodbye?” Finan interrupted, a sly grin on his lips.  The same flirtatious grin that you had fallen for so many years ago plastered across his handsome features.  Sihtric laughed easily, backing away to give you both some privacy.

You fell so easily into your husband's waiting arms, reaching your arms around his shoulders to bring him closer. 

You saw Sihtric climb up onto his horse, not moving from your place in Finan’s hold, you call out to him once more.

“Sihtric!  Be careful.  Look after yourself.”  

He nodded at you, looking between you and Finan.  

“You as well, both of you.”  With that, he urged his horse forward, joining Young Uhtred on the road to find Aethelflaed.

“Well I knew I might have to ward off some men vying for your attention, but I did no’ think I would have to count Sihtric among ‘em”  Finan tickled you, just under your ribs, causing you to let out an undignified squeak.  

You give him an unimpressed look, before smacking lightly on the arm.  You cleared your throat, hoping to make it sound like you were just composing yourself, rather than staving off the coughing fit you could feel burning your lungs, no doubt induced by your scream.

“Oh please, you know I only have eyes for one man.”  

“Oh aye?  And who might that lucky man be then hmm?”

“Osferth of course!  Why else would I be staying behind with him?”

You couldn't help the chuckle that crept past your lips at his shocked expression as he pressed his hand to his chest in mock hurt.

“You wound me!  Are ya sure there isn't anything I can do that could convince ya to bestow your affections onto myself?”

“I suppose I could be persuaded.”  you raise your eyebrows in suggestion.

“I am nothing if not persuasive.”  he lowered his head closer to your own, his lips a hair's breadth away from your own as his tone deepened.  The very voice he knew you loved, that could make your toes curl and your pulse race.

Despite the fact you could feel yourself getting hot under the collar, a feeling you were quite sure had nothing to do with your illness at present, you retained steady eye contact, not letting him know how much he had affected you.

“Well, I shall look forward to your attempts to win my favour upon our reunion, husband.”

His eyes lit up a fraction, enjoying the reminder of his title to you.  As you watched him, your overdramatic, funny, fierce, loyal and ever-loving husband, you felt yourself fall for him all over again.

“I shall relish the challenge, wife.  I will send word soon.”  He closed the distance between you, capturing your lips with his own.  He cupped your chin with his finger as his thumb brushed over the swell of your cheek, reluctant to part with you. 

You deepened the kiss, attempting to pour all of your feelings into it, trying to convey all the love you felt for him and all of the things you could not say.

Eventually, the voice of your lord interrupted your final moments with Finan.

“Finan!  Put your wife down and let us be on our way.”

You finally parted from each other, opening your eyes to look at your husband once more. You tried to banish the tears that rimmed your eyes and you prayed this would not be the last time you saw him.

“Be careful,” you whispered into the space between you.

He pressed a final kiss to your forehead, murmuring into your hairline “You too, I love ya.”

“I love you too”  you told him as he began to move away, letting your arms slip away from his frame.

He mounted his horse, and Uhtred lifted Aethelstan so that he sat in front of Finan in the saddle before checking on Stiorra and making his way to his own horse.  

You watched until the four of them were out of sight, and you felt Osferth’s presence at your shoulder.

“You should have told him.”  he chided quietly.

“Perhaps,” you conceded, wrapping your arms around yourself at the sudden chill you felt in your arms.

“I am going to rest awhile, wake me if there is any change in Aelfwynn.”

He watched you go back inside, a feeling of trepidation sinking in his stomach.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hope you enjoyed it! Part 2 will hopefully be finished soon!

Tags: @axe-does-writing @solinarimoon @morosemagick @emilyhufflepufftlk @lauwrite1225 @madrielite

[jacevelaryonswife]

ㅤㅤ Do you want me tonight?

∴pairing: Osferth x Fem!reader

∴warning: smut, english is not my first language.

Since your union with Osferth some time ago, you two didn’t shared a fruitful marital night. Even though your husband was kind and attentive, the act itself was uncomfortable, although short. It didn't help that he spent a few nights out with Uhtred and his band. You two weren't exactly uninhibited and relaxed, especially in bed, but a few days ago a restlessness in your femininity kept you unrested and irritable. Unfortunately your husband was away for a considerable time and with no expected return, which worsened your condition, as you didn't know if he was fine or if he would come back alive, fueling your anxiety even more. In all, only three nights were spent in carnal intimacy, where Osferth and you were shy and almost reluctant.

Even though he was your husband and you were his wife, it still felt wrong to indulge in such indulgence, almost a holy sin, especially when it felt so good to him. He felt guilty for the feeling and even more guilty when he saw the discomfort on your face. It was horrible to bring his sweet wife pain, so he decided not to warn you that he was on his way and to surprise you with beautiful yellow flowers. Osferth arrived at night, heading towards the bedroom to find you at the window in your bedclothes, oblivious to his presence. You wore the same delicate white dress as the other times you slept together.

“My lady… it's very good to see you,” he said, pulling you out of your reverie.

Your breath almost hitched at the sight of him, walking quickly into a hug. Your sudden strength surprised him, but he returned the intensity and heat. "I missed you husband, I didn't know you would arrive today." Taking a deep breath on his clothes to inhale the scent, you realized he had bathed earlier.

“I wanted to surprise you. Do you like it?” he asked with a shy smile, pulling away slowly and holding up the flowers expectantly.

“They are beautiful. Yes, I love them my love”, you said while looking at him intensely, gently picking up the flowers and enjoying them for a while. Whenever he returned from a journey he knew he would have questions to answer, but not now, not today. Now, you don't want to know what happened, you want to know what happens next.

He continued to smile fondly, preparing to say, "They suit-", but was interrupted by firm, almost impetuous lips on his.

“Don't say anything,” you said as you backed away, placing the bouquet on the headboard to return to him and encompass his beautiful, lovely face. "I want you. I want you tonight, husband. Do you want me?"

Oh Lord. He felt his skin heat up under your hands, breathing deeper than before. Osferth wasn't a liar, he wouldn't make up any excuses to get out of the situation, but a tightness in his chest made him reluctant. He didn't want to cause you pain, but he didn't want to continue to cultivate the feeling that the love you were making was wrong. The love between two people will never be a sin.

“My love… are you sure?”, he inquired.

"Yes. And you?

"Yes."

You pulled him into a passionate, fierce kiss, more intense than anyone had ever shared before. He held your waist gently, contrasting with the grip you held over his face and neck. The restlessness between your legs, which never quite went away, gradually increased during the contact of your lips. Another time you would have allowed yourself to melt into the sweetness of your husband, he was such a good and patient man, but there was no time to wait, not when you backed away and nearly ripped his tunic and holy symbol necklace from his body. To say he was surprised was an understatement, his lovely, tender wife, so demure, slid her hand down to touch him like never before, cupping his reactive member and making him groan hoarsely.

“Take them off,” you ordered, groping his smooth, clean torso before planting kisses along his length.

Osferth was stunned by the speed of the events, but he obeyed your command by removing the last piece that left him dressed, standing naked in front of you. You numbed at the sight of your husband and reached out again for a more aggressive and hungry kiss, rubbing your body against his, tugging at his dark blond hair and swallowing the sweet sounds he made as your skin rubbed against his newly grown manhood hardened and exposed. You held him for dear life, unable to let go, encouraging him to grip your waist tighter than usual. He moaned again as your hand touched his pleasure zone again, bracing itself against your body. You didn't want to stop the kiss and the movements, but you left him quickly to guide him to the shared bed.

“Lie down,” your voice came out breathlessly, watching him move to the center of the pale sheets. Taking off your dress for the first time, you were exposed in front of him, but you weren't intimidated in the least. “No barriers this time, I want to feel it completely.” It was the opposite. It was Osferth who sensed a prey under your intense gaze, but only until he saw your naked figure crawling towards him. So beautiful.

He could only watch with open mouth in anticipation as you climbed on top of him and braced your hands over his chest, leaning in very close to ask, "I want this tonight, is that okay?"

“Y-yes my lady, it's okay, it's okay,” he said between pulses of breaths.

You smiled contentedly before taking your husband's warm, smooth sword and pumping a few times, positioning yourself on top of him and sliding with a loud moan through the startling sensation of hitherto unknown pleasure. Osferth hummed as you wrapped him in your wet heat, cupping your hips and waist and then your breasts, almost ashamed to knead them between your fingers. You both gasped as you began to ride him experimentally, moving up and down deliciously before having him fully inside your shell and moaning at being so pleasantly full.

“Mmm, oh husband, this is so good.” You ground over him, fully wetting the length, making him tighten around your waist. The friction between the hot flesh was almost heavenly and crushing, better than other times and he needed to feel more, almost crying as your movements progressed and you bounced uninhibitedly on his manhood, moaning in unison. The pleasure was addictive and the wetness between your thighs made a mess at the base of his cock.

“My love,” he called, intoxicated by the steady rhythm you established and the way your core embraced him. So good. So deliciously good. He gently squeezed your breasts before cupping your ass and hips.

“Osferth!” you exclaimed as you rode him fast and hard, eyes closed at the magnificent friction and tingling growing in the bottom of your belly. So overwhelming. It’s sounds were loud and compelling, but nothing besides the carnal act between you and your husband mattered, not even the fine sheen of sweat that broke out on your forehead as the pleasure grew more intense and impossible to ignore, making you park your movements to grind and rub on it before jumping back in heavily.

He had never felt such a sensation, your connected bodies seemed to be on fire and he needed everything to contain himself and enjoy more. He just wanted more, almost desperate when his hips bumped unconsciously back to you and a tight grip caused by his wife made him moan louder. The lustful tingle seemed to explode through your body and a warm white color briefly blinded you. It was the most wonderful and intense feeling of your life, and if it weren't for your husband's hands on your waist, maybe your body would have fallen forward, still squeezing your legs.

“My lady,” Osferth moaned breathlessly, almost begging to be relieved as well. You ground against him a few times and felt the hot liquid gushing into your core as he sang loudly, squeezing your waist with a strength not seen before. Lying across his torso, you allowed yourself to relax after removing his sword from your womanhood. “That was heavenly, oh Lord, so good,” he commented breathlessly.

“Yes, it was so good my love”, you agreed with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. “Don't spend too much time out again, I need you here with me.” Your eyes met the beautiful soft blue irises before kissing him tenderly and calmly.

“I'm not going anywhere, my love”, he said with a genuine and passionate smile, hugging your body while closing his eyes momentarily. Yes, none of that felt like a sin.

for my bestie @syzrina 💗

[halfmylife]

Say yes to me

Pairing Sihtric x Fem!Reader

Summary You stayed the night with Sihtric before he leaves Winchester again

Warnings none just fluff

A/N Thank you for everyone that voted in my poll, you asked for Sihtric x reader and you shall receive! This is my first attempt at any Sihtric fic so I hope you enjoy!

The night had been cold, the wind even louder as it persistently blew through the comfort of your small room. The weather may have been a menace but the warmth of the man beside you had been your saviour.

Sihtric held you tightly against his own body, enveloping you in his warm touch. If it were not for the sun breaking through the window, you might never have left his side. That would not be the case.

Pushing his arm gently from your side, you wriggled from the bed, moving around the room to pick up the discarded clothes from the previous evening. You had not gotten very far when he moaned at the emptiness beside him.

“You don’t have to do that.” He moaned, still wrapped in covers and furs. When you turned to look at him his eyes were open and taking you in completely.

“I’m afraid I do.” You shrugged on your undergarments, much to his annoyance. Sihtric had forced himself out of the bed, settling down on the edge of the bed in front of you. Without warning, he grabbed you by the thigh, pulling you between his legs. To the best of your ability you regained some balance, placing your palms to the warm skin of his bare chest.

“You could come with us.” He whispered, eyes pleading with you as they looked up to meet your own. His grip never loosened on you, holding you in place.

“I have no place there.” Your voice was soft. Though it would be a dream to travel with Sihtric, it was no way of living for you. You could not earn or survive in the same way. Besides who would want you there other than Sihtric himself?

“You are a warrior, there is always a place for you.” He argued. Your hands found his hair, slowly becoming tangled in his curls.

“I do not think Lord Uhtred would agree.” You offered a resigned smile, though it hurt you to say the words out loud. You did not want to sound defeated.

“Why wouldn’t he? You are perfectly capable.” Sihtric could not see the same reality that you did. He often spoke of running away to have your own home one day. It was only a dream. Sihtric pulled you down onto him so that you straddled him, not caring for the weight across his lap. “I want you to come with us. Come with me.”

“He does not need a woman fighting for him.” Uhtred had the strongest fighters alongside him and none were women, in your mind he would not make the exception for you. Sihtric seemed to think over your words as his fingers rubbed up and down the smooth skin of your thighs.

“I could make you my wife.” You wondered if you’d even heard him when he spoke so softly. Your body froze as he held you close. It wasn’t until he spoke again that you realised what he’d said. “You could fight by my side.”

“You do not wish to marry me.” A breathy laugh escaped your lips and you half heartedly tried to move away, despite never wanting to leave his embrace. Sihtric, however was not leaving you move an inch.

“I do.” There was no doubt in your mind that he meant every word and yet somehow you could not bring yourself to admit it was true.

“You hardly know me.” The two of you had spent such little time together each time he returned to Winchester, part of you had wondered some time ago whether you were just a means of release when he came home or whether it was genuine. Nothing Sihtric ever did made you think it wasn’t genuine but the thought had always been at the back of your mind.

“That’s not true.” He seemed to think for a moment. “Your favourite time of year is spring because you love the colour green. You like to travel out of the city sometimes just to be able to swim in the lakes. And even though you will deny it, you like being greeted with flowers.”

No word he had spoken had been a lie. In truth you wondered how he had learned so much, you were never one to divulge such information out of fear of over sharing yet he knew it all. Sihtric saw you completely and wanted you all the same.

“You would have me?” You questioned, doubt still consuming you.

“Always.” His answer was almost immediate and there was no other answer in his mind. “Would you have me?” His eyes poured into yours, searching for the very answer he craved for some time. Be mine. Say yes. All he wanted to hear was how you wanted him in return and that you would be his.

“Without question.” The doubt had faded from you completely, knowing the man in front of you was all you ever needed. Sihtric was yours and you were his.

[scorpionrising]

there is love that doesn't have a place to rest — ch. 1

pairing: finan x fem!oc word count: 2395 content warning: this fic deals explicitly with the trauma of sexual assault. while there are no drawn out, graphic scenes, it is made explicitly clear what is going on. for context: oc is uhtred's daughter and was captive in dunholm for all her childhood. proceed with caution. additionally, expect canon typical attitudes, behaviors, violence, etc.

read on ao3

“no words appear before me in the aftermath salt streams out my eyes and into my ears every single thing i touch becomes sick with sadness 'cause it's all over now, all out to sea” –taylor swift, bigger than the whole sky

Ravna awoke in a blind panic, scrambling about her bed and gasping for air. The scent of smoke was heavy in her lungs, vision going hazy. She screamed up a storm, wailing as loud as she could. Surely someone would be able to hear and help. Something was keeping her trapped, holding her arms down. But the room was on fire. She knew it was. She screamed louder, head flinging back into her pillows. 

The door opened with such force that it flew from the hinges. Hazy as the smoke, her father stood in front of her. Her screams stopped as he came into focus, turning into gasping hiccups. 

“Oh, igða,” he whispered, sitting down beside her with a frown. He ran a hand down the back of her head and pulled her into an embrace as she began to sob against him. He shushed her gently, rocking both their bodies. “What is it? What do you dream of?”

“Fire,” she gasped, curling her fingers into the soft material of his shirt. 

He made a small noise, but did not stop rubbing her back. He hummed quietly to calm her, but it did not stop her racing heart. 

“Breathe,” he instructed. “You need to breathe.” 

“I cannot,” she said. 

“You must.” 

She tried, she really tried. She listened to the steady thrumming of his heart and his own quiet breathing. He brought his hand up and down along her spine, continuing his humming. He did this until the sun began to rise and filter the room with golden light and her eyes began to drift shut. He did this until long after her eyes drifted shut and his followed. 

It was Gisela who woke them hours later, Ravna’s little sister in her arms. Stiorra lept from her mother’s grip and onto the bed. The toddler giggled, smacking her meaty fists into Ravna’s face as her feet dug into their father’s stomach. 

“Devil child,” Ravna groaned, rolling away, hardly able to remember the dream from the night before. 

Stiorra giggled even more shrilly as their father grabbed her by the legs and tickled her viciously. Gisela smiled and looked to Ravna. She held out her hand and beckoned Ravna away from her father and sister. 

“You frightened me last night,” Gisela whispered, looping her hands around Ravna’s upper arm. “Will you tell me what ails you?” 

“I apologize,” Ravna said, bowing her head. “I hope I did not wake Stiorra or Feilan.” 

She thought of her little brother and his quiet, watchful disposition. He shared a name with their father, but she felt it too strange to call the little boy Uhtred. That was a man’s name, and Feilan was her little wolf. 

“It is no matter,” Gisela said. “It is you I worry about.”

Ravna glanced down, embarrassed. Gisela, seeming to notice this, tutted quietly and patted Ravna’s arm. 

“Do not fret,” Gisela said. “I am concerned. You have been plagued by these nightmares for a fortnight.” 

Ravna shook her head. “It is nothing. Merely dreams.” 

“Dreams have meaning,” Gisela said. “There is something haunting you.” 

Ravna frowned, uncomfortable with the attention given. She much preferred when everyone was fixated on Feilan or Stiorra, rather than her. She found it difficult when eyes were on her, reminding her all too well of how it felt to be caged.

“I know how to make a tea so that when you sleep, it is dreamless,” Gisela said. “Would you like me to brew it for you?”

“It works?” Ravna asked. 

“It does. I have used it many times.”

Ravna wondered what it was that haunted Gisela, who was a seemingly perfect woman. In the year since Ravna came to live with her father and his new wife, Ravna had not once heard Gisela even begin to raise her voice, and she was always kind to everyone. Whatever it was that tormented her, Ravna’s heart ached. 

“Thank you,” Ravna said. She tucked her hair behind her ears and looked around. “I will go down to the river later, I think.”

Gisela smiled at her. “More drawing?”

Ravna nodded, unable to meet the woman’s eye. Another thing that made Gisela so delightful was how she did not push conversation. She allowed it to ebb and flow, like water, and never grew upset when Ravna was no longer interested in keeping up with talking halfway through it. 

After eating—one whole egg and half an apple under her father’s careful supervision—and dressing in proper clothes, Ravna slipped from the hall and found her path through the woods. With expert feet, she made her way to the spot she found with Sihtric the summer she first came to live with her father and he was the only face she knew. It was at the widest part of the river that ran through Coccham’s wood, with weathered boulders large enough to sprawl on without fear of rolling off. 

In her eight years imprisoned at Dunholm, she rarely ever was allowed outdoors. No longer a slave, she could be free in the fresh air and sunlight. She would even take a miserable rainstorm over being inside all day. She needed to be far away from walls and locked doors. Even now, having been free from her dark prison for as long as she had been kept there, this was the only place she truly never felt caged. 

So, she sat on the rocks, lifted her face to the sun, and hummed quietly to herself as she drew. She listened to the world all around her; the rushing water, the birdsong, the rustle of leaves, the whistle of wind, the twigs snapping. She opened her eyes and sighed.

“I know you’re there, Finan.” 

His bearded face emerged from the brush.

“How in God’s name did ya’ know it was me?” 

She grinned. “Who else would my father send after me?”

“He is worried about ya’, ceann beag.” 

“He does not need to be. They are merely dreams.”

“Night terrors of the very thing that stole your family,” he corrected, maneuvering over the rocks and coming to sit down beside her. “Is his concern not so understandable?”

“No,” Ravna sighed, flopping backwards. “I still wish he would not.”

“Now, now. Worrying about you is something he will do until he stops breathing.”

Ravna rolled her eyes, knowing the warrior so often delegated to looking after her was right in his words. 

“I’ve been asked to bring you back for lunch,” Finan said.

Ravna nodded, expecting this. “Has the whole morning really gone by?”

“Yes,” Finan said, standing up and beginning his descent down the rocks. “And you might want to prepare yourself. The king is here.”

“What?” Ravna nearly slipped in her shock, but Finan swiftly steadied her. “Why?”

“I assume that is what we will come to learn.”

Ravna moaned miserably and took hold of his arm as she clambered down. She liked Finan for a great many reasons, but namely because he often understood her in a greater sense than her father did. Uhtred had been barely more than a child himself when Ravna came along, and then she had been so young when Kjartan took her. He never got to truly be her father and still struggled to see her as someone other than the five year old girl he watched get ripped from the flames of their burning hall. Finan, however, had been a slave for a great while when he met Uhtred on that slave ship, and he understood captivity in a more intimate sense than her father did. 

In all her grief, she was still a woman grown. 

“Must I really join them?” Ravna asked. “I’d much rather find wherever Osferth has skulked off to.”

“The King likes you for some reason only God, Himself, knows, lady,” Finan said. “He’ll be in a better mood if you’re there.” 

“Is that all I’m good for? Placating kings?”

Finan shot her a look. “Ya’ know that’s not what I meant.” 

She snorted and marched on. Whenever the king came to visit, he always brought with him a horde of guards and even more priests. They milled about the village, looking out of place in the casual comfort of Coccham. Finan was behind her with every step she took as though he were a shadow, as though he thought she were going to make a run for it. In all fairness, she was considering it. There were several other places she would have rather gone than the hall. But, she did as she was bid and walked inside. 

Sihtric was seated at the table a little ways down, which took Ravna by surprise. His wife had given birth to a son barely a week before and Sihtric had seldom left her side since then. She held in a sigh. This was surely important, then. She went to take a seat by him, but Finan held his arm out to stop her. He shook his head and gestured towards the head of the table where her father was sat. She bit the inside of her cheek and, again, did as she was bid. 

“Lord King,” she said, bowing her head in deference. 

He looked thinner, more gray, than he had when she saw him last during his daughter’s wedding. His health had been failing him for years, and Ravna could not help but wonder when his god would finally come for him. 

“Ravna, my dear,” he said, “you look well.” 

“Thank you, Lord,” she said, sitting down beside her father. 

Uhtred pushed a bowl filled with stew in front of her, and then placed a large bread roll in her hands. She ripped a small piece off the bread and dunked it into the stew. She hated eating like this, when so many eyes could fall on her. 

“I hear you have taken an interest in the Holy Book,” Alfred said.

Ravna looked down. She could hardly say she had taken an interest in Christianity, just that she was trying to understand more about the world. She did not understand the notion of something being both all good and all powerful. At least her father’s religion acknowledged that the gods were cruel and petty. She swallowed down the rising ball in her throat and forced a smile. 

“Yes, Lord,” she said.

What she did not say was that most of her lessons on Christianity were had with Osferth. She was confident the king would not like that, nor would his many priests. She glanced up to where Father Beocca was sat, across from her father and next to Finan. 

An old and trusted friend of her father’s from his childhood in Bebbanburg, Father Beocca had always been kind. When she lived with Thyra in the aftermath of Dunholm while her father still searched for a place to call his own, Father Beocca would visit often. She wondered where Thyra was—if she had joined the king’s party in their visit, or if she stayed in Winchester. Ravna had to assume the latter, if her aunt was not here at the table. 

“That is very good to hear,” Alfred said, an approving smile on his face. 

Her father nudged her shoulder with his, a twinkle in his eyes telling her that she was doing well. Warm in the face, Ravna looked down at her bowl and mushed the spoon around. Idle talk was made, and Ravna almost would have believed this to be a purely social visit. It was not until the bowls were cleared away and Alfred clasped his hands together atop the table that Ravna knew something dark awaited them on the horizon. 

“You are needed, Uhtred, at the northern border of Wealas,” Alfred said. “The Britons and Danes alike have been tormenting and raiding several villages and they must be beaten back.” 

Her father sighed heavily, as though he had been expecting this. Ravna frowned as well. She knew what this meant. Her father would ride off, perhaps to his death, and she would not see him for months. She would stay, without him once more, and Stiorra and Feilan would grow. Unable to bear it any longer, she excused herself at the earliest pause in conversation with the lie of having promised to help Gisela with the children. 

Her stepmother was outside behind the hall, sat on a large blanket with her two children sprawled beside her.

“What now?” Gisela asked with a sigh, noticing Ravna’s face. 

“Raiders from Wealas,” Ravna mumbled.

Gisela hummed, running a hand through Stiorra’s fine hair. “It never ends,” she said in a falsely happy tone, as if to not alert the children. 

Ravna pressed her lips together and sat down with her crossed over each other. Feilan’s head was at her knee, his eyes barely open. He had a sweet face and soft features, while Stiorra was far more severe—even at merely three years old. 

“Hello, my sweet,” she mumbled to her little brother. 

He wrinkled his nose and shifted so that he could use her thigh as a pillow. Stiorra, noticing her big brother, sat up from her position on her mother’s lap and crawled over to join Ravna and Feilan. Ravna smiled and began to mimic the motion Gisela had been making. 

“They love you very much,” Gisela said quietly.

Despite her ire at her father’s impending departure, Ravna preened a bit at the compliment. She loved her siblings fiercely, even if she had been fifteen when Feilan was born and eighteen when Stiorra came about. There were years and years of difference between them, but when they looked at her, they did not see the ghosts of Kjartan’s abuse. How could she not adore them? 

“And so do I, you know,” Gisela continued. She reached out and grabbed Ravna’s hand. “I know I am perhaps too young for you to ever view me as a mother, but please know I love you just as much as I do your siblings.” 

Ravna blinked, stunned. It was a precarious situation; her father being six years Gisela’s elder, and Gisela being only nine years Ravna’s elder. In another life, Gisela might have been a more sisterly figure. However, Ravna’s life was what it was, and Gisela was the closest she would ever come to a true mother.

“Thank you,” Ravna whispered, unable to say much more. 

[the-common-cowgirl]

The Lost Children -

Part 4

Summary: The group embarked on their mission only to be spotted by two of Brida’s scouts as they crossed into Mercia. A chase ensues and you are injured. Osferth cares for your injury and you both let pent up feelings free. Only, Osferth comes to his senses.

Rating: Mature

Warnings: Mentions of Animal Death, Blood, Injury, Fluff, Angst, Kissing, period typical slut shaming, religious guilt, mentions of arousal, heavy petting.

Word Count: 3.5K

“Don’t put that thing near me or I’ll bite it off, so help me G-“

You were cut off with Finan shoving a cloth into your mouth, gagging you.

“You need to be quiet when we mend your leg, girl.” Finan exclaimed with a hushed, hurried tone in the low bank you were in.

Of course you knew you needed to be quiet. Two of Brida’s scouts had spotted the group as you made your way into Mercia. This resulted in a small chase. Your old, bay horse tripped on a tree root in the chase, causing you to go flying from the horse and hurt your leg. The Dane scouts would have caught up to you lying on the ground and captured you if Osferth had not spun his horse around and lifted you into his saddle, successfully escaping the nearing scouts.

And now, you were in a low bank, with a cloth wrapped tightly around your head and through your teeth with Eadith hiking your skirt up so high that Osferth and Sihtric excused themselves for your modesty. Uhtred of course was busy keeping an eye out for the scouts if they should find the group.

A sharp stick was stuck under the skin of your thigh, poking the muscle. Enough so that when Eadith tried to pull it out, you kicked at her with your free leg, missing her by an inch. She must’ve been used to her patients retaliating, you thought between the surges of pain.

“Finan, grab her other leg,” Eadith ordered. As soon as he had hold of your other ankle, Eadith pulled with enough force that had you reeling in pain. Your hands flew on their own to push her off of you; this time you didn’t miss and she landed on her bottom in mud, painting the arse of her dress brown .

Clearly frustrated, “Go get someone to hold her hands too,” she barked at Finan who obeyed without hesitation, quickly jogging to where the men were. In little time, he came back with Osferth who had his eyes downcast, trying not to look at your exposed legs that neither Eadith or Finan seemed to give a second thought about. “Sit behind her and hold her arms tight.”

Osferth began to object behind you but Eadith shut him down immediately, “She is loosing a great deal of blood and she somehow has enough energy to keep fighting us.” Eadith’s lack of patience had Osferth obeying her order without objections this time. You felt Osferth move behind you to sit and he gently brought your hands behind your back as a cool sweat started to form on your brow and your gaze started to go hazy.

His soft grip felt comforting around your wrists but as Eadith tried again to pull the stick, your hands flew free of his hold and you tried to shove her again, this time, Osferth’s forearm reached around your front and pulled you flush against him. “Sorry,” he muttered - you were unsure if he was speaking to you or Eadith for lacking at his task.

Eadith had grown frustrated. “I cannot try many more times before the stick is too slick with blood to pull! Osferth, hold her tightly. Do not let her go. Same for you Finan.” Then her eyes turned on you, “For Heavens sake girl, stop resisting help.”

Your vision was darkening and you felt a strong hold on your wrists behind you, painfully so. It distracted you momentarily from the pain of the stick wedged into your thigh being ripped from your body. Every touch felt delayed or distant and you were vaguely aware of a muffled scream then it being cut short by a hand over your mouth. You head spun as the world tumbled forward and the last thing you heard was Osferth saying, “It’s okay. It’s okay. I’ve got you.”

The world went black.

Your eyes felt heavy and a dull ache throbbed in your head as you were jolted awake. Slowly opening your eyes, you were met by a dimmed sky. Slowly realizing you were in the back of a covered wagon laying in the softest bed of furs you had ever slept on. Lifting your head took great effort due to the absence of your energy but when you did, you saw the back of Osferth’s head. As if he knew you were awake, he looked back at you and a smile broke across his face. He pulled the horse up to a halt and shouted for the group to do the same as he moved from the seat to the back of the wagon where you lay.

“How are you feeling?” He asked and took your hand, absentmindedly feeling for a stronger pulse but the action had your heart fluttering just a bit at how concerned he was for you.

“Heavy,” you replied as your head unceremoniously fell back into the soft furs. His thumb now brushed against your wrist gingerly. “Where did you get a wagon?”

“Sold your horse for meat to a nearby village to get the wagon.” Your eyebrows furrowed together in sadness as you looked at him. He gave a sorrowful look, “I’m sorry. I thought you didn’t care for the beast.”

“He was a good mount, he didn’t deserve death.” You were surprised at how your heart betrayed you and began to mourn for the old, ugly gelding.

“He was worse off than you after the fall. He welcomed death like an old friend after the pain he was in.” Osferth’s words made you feel better, knowing the bay was given a merciful death.

“He broke his leg?”

“Aye, lady.”

“Osferth, if I ever hurt myself so badly, make sure you give me a merciful death as well.” Your words were soft and true, he knew you weren’t speaking with sarcasm or anger like your normally did. You seemed too weak for that.

Your eyes were growing heavy again as you felt the wagon rock a little and Eadith’s voice, “She awoke?” Your eyes now closed but you knew Osferth nodded.

“She’ll make it then. She’s past the worst of it.” Eadith reassured him.

Sleep was beginning to embrace you again, despite its return, you were keenly aware of Osferth’s soothing thumb over your pulse.

“What about her fever,” he asked, quietly as if not to stir you.

Eadith was silent for a while before she answered him. “You’re a man of God, Osferth, pray.”

When you awoke again, the air was cool and there was no light but a flickering fire some distance away. You realized you had woken to the wagon shaking, someone was climbing in but you were too tired to care.

Your eyes found Osferth’s and he looked startled that you were awake but the shock soon faded as a smile spread across his face. You returned a weak smirk and you could almost see his heart flip.

“I - uh- brought you some stew.” He moved with a bowl and sat with his legs crossed beside your head. Setting the bowl down on the even wooden surface of the wagon that did not make up your soft bedding, he moved to help you prop yourself up. As you did so, your leg throbbed with a dull, burning pain and your head pounded. You could hear the group at the fire some distance away but could not see them due to the privacy the covered wagon offered.

Osferth smiled and grabbed the bowl., dipping the wooden spoon into the stew and gently blowing on it to make sure it wouldn’t burn you. The action was tender, sweet, foreign. You offered him a weak smile and he brought the spoon to you lips. As you slowly sipped the stew, you grew uncomfortable at the action of someone else feeding you, making you nearly lose your appetite. Once the first spoonful was gone and Osferth went in for a second scoop, you stopped him.

“I think I can feed myself,” you said trying to hide your discomfort.

Osferth furrowed his brows, “Are you sure? I can-“

“Yes,” you cut him off, “I’m certain of it.” You said with a little too much finality to be pleasant.

Osferth dropped his smirk a little and offered the bowl and spoon to your weakened hands. Feeding yourself took a bit more care as you were greatly reduced in strength, but you felt more comfortable this way.

Once you finished, you felt incredibly full and offered the bowl and utensil back to Osferth. “Did you like it?” He asked with a proud expression on his face.

You nodded, “Yes.” You willed yourself to be pleasant despite feeling as though you might vomit from how uncomfortably full your stomach felt.

“I made it.” He admitted with a smile, “I used to make it back in the monastery and the brothers devoured it.”

“Back in the nunnery, I was barred from the kitchens.” You admitted to him with a laugh as your stomach was easing down. You were grateful to share a similarity in your upbringing that wasn’t a sour memory.

Osferth laughed, “But why?”

“The sisters believed I was a cook of the devil for everything I cooked, somehow burned.” You laughed at the memory and Osferth laughed with you. It was a warming feeling; to feel humor again.

“So what were your chores at the nunnery?” He kept his bright eyes on you joyfully, simply happy that you were happy.

You huffed a short laugh through your nose, “To stay out of the way.” You both giggled at that. Once you recollected yourself, “Or gathering. I’m quite a good gatherer,” you admitted with pride.

Osferth raised his brows, “Oh really? Did you acquire that skill whilst doing your first chore?”

You tilted your head at his joke and eyed him in disbelief, “Did Osferth make a jest?” You both laughed. Once the laughing died down, you two just stared at each other in bliss, happy to be in the other’s company.

Then, a wave of realization washed over Osferth abruptly, and he shifted in sitting position. “Uh I forgot, I need to,” he stammered, suddenly uncomfortable, “Eadith is-“ he began, “Lady Eadith is busy. She asked me to,” he tripped over his words. “Lady Eadith asked me to clean your wound tonight.”

You gave a short chuckle at the reason for his sudden change in demeanor. “What must you do to it?” You asked, trying to sound like Osferth hiking up your skirt did not excite you.

Osferth began to blush. “Clean the would with a wetted rag and pour this over it,” he produced a small bottle of what you assumed was strong ale from a pouch that hung on his hip.

You nodded and reached for the hem of your now patched skirt. Osferth’s hand came to yours mid-grasp. “Wait, I’ll do it. I have to go get the rag wet in the river below.”

You nodded and Osferth left quickly. Your heart beat wildly at what was about to happen. You didn’t care about the prospect of pain from cleaning, just the mere thought that Osferth was going to see you immodestly had a light sweat breaking out over your body.

When he returned, you were still propped up, nervously biting your nail. Osferth settled next to your leg without a word, water droplets running between his slender fingers and down the bony knuckles of his hand. “May I?” He asked, bringing you from your trance.

“Yes,” you replied, not knowing what you agreed to let him do but knowing you’d most likely let Osferth do anything to you he so desired. You could almost hear the nuns that raised you calling you a harlot but you didn’t care in the wake of Osferth’s light touch at your ankle.

Osferth grasped the hem of your skirt and lifted your dress, keeping a hand on your other covered leg to protect your modesty and only reveal to him what he needed to see in order to clean your wound, nothing else. He rested the raised skirt on the bone of your hip and just below your undergarments. You kept his gaze trained on your wound; definitely not on your long, slender legs you were, for some reason, bending at the knee ever-so-slightly.

The wet rag moved against your wound and you sucking in a sharp breath. Osferth looked at you in terror, horrified that he hurt you more.

When the stinging subsided, you let out an uncomfortable, strained laugh, “Have you been doing this when I’ve been asleep? Not used to me being in pain?”

He shook his head, running the rag along your wound again gently, “No, Lady Eadith has been tending to you. This was the first time I was asked.” He moved the rag against you again, causing you to tense once more.

You let your head fall back, not wanting to look at the swollen pink wound anymore that you knew was infected from the discolored ooze Osferth was wiping away.

“That should do it,” Osferth announced to himself after some time of the cold rag gently caressing your wound. You heard the bottle uncork and prepared yourself for the worst of it. You remembered helping tend to wounds in the nunnery, when the alcohol was poured over the infected wounds, the girls would scream.

I will not scream, you told yourself, I am stronger than they were.

“This might hurt,” Osferth warned. Suddenly, the cold of the liquid touched your wound and you began to let out a squeal that had Osferth putting his hand over your mouth to silence you.

When it was over and the stinging subsided, he released his hand. “I’m sorry,” he apologized softly, “We are in Dane Land. We need to be quiet.”

You scoffed, “Tell the ones around the fire that.” You could still hear some of them talking even at this distance away. You pulled yourself back up to sit against the wagon sideboards.

Osferth bristled at your returning unpleasant attitude but did not say anything. He turned to set the bottle of strong ale at the front of the wagon. When his face found yours again briefly, then his cheeks turned the color of roses and he would not meet your eye, looking down to his hands.

Suddenly you realized your skirt was still hiked up to fully expose your injured leg and the tiniest glider at your undergarment. You began to chuckle at Osferth’s discomfort.

“Have you never seen a naked woman before Osferth?” You pulled your skirt down to cover yourself and he finally met your eye.

“What sins I have committed do not matter for it’s your innocence I am trying to protect.” He looked down to his hands again, they were clasped together.

Now he made you blush and you were glad he was not looking at you to see it. You liked the feeling his words gave you deep in your stomach, so you chased this feeling. “Who is to say I am innocent?” You smirked playfully.

Osferth slowly raised his brilliant blue eyes to connect with yours, eyeing you almost like a predator to find your jest hidden within your face but you were rather good at composing your lies. “Have you been with a man?” His voice was deeper, quieter, softer. You watched his tongue dance behind his teeth as he waited for your response.

Your lungs stopped working for what felt like a lifetime before you could collect yourself. Something about his aura, the way he asked you had you in a trance, you couldn’t lie now even if you wanted to. “No,” you breathed out, “I grew up in a nunnery. There wasn’t a chance.”

Osferth returned his vision to his hands once more, as he fiddled with a loose thread on his clothes. He seemed to be deep in thought. You wondered what he was thinking about in this moment. You longed to get inside his mind and pick it, to know if he imagined you under him. The mere thought of such an act gave way to an uncomfortable want at the apex of your thighs and you decided to do as you always did: not hold back.

“What are you thinking about?”

He met your eyes, and again, he had a deep look of desire in his blue eyes. He took in a quick breath. “I do not wish to tell you what I was - am thinking.” He looked down again, “I should repent.”

“You were thinking of me?” Your voice was soft like a gentle breeze through a field of wildflowers on a warm summer morning. Osferth considered in that moment you might be a living, breathing, walking siren for how you could sound so sweet when he knew you were anything but.

He met your eyes and nodded. “Tis not right,” he breathed, “Not fair to you.” Somehow he was closer to you than before. Who was leaning in? Neither of you could tell.

“I don’t care what’s right or wrong,” you whispered, running your hand up his leather armor and grasping the top of it, gently pulling him toward you, though, there was no resistance. “I want you,” was the last thing you said before your lips crashed on his.

He resisted at first, like the God-fearing monk he was taught to be, like the friend of Uhtred he was, like the caretaker he vowed to be to you, but as all pleasures of the flesh he had partaken in before, he decided he would repent afterward in order to taste salvation on the lips of a devil first.

You had never kissed anyone but you had seen it done between Eadith and Finan and the couples in Winchester. You had practiced on your pillow, and you wanted him, desperately. To say your first kiss was good was an understatement. With your novice lips working with Osferth’s expert lips, you felt like you may have met your God.

He pulled away from you but barely, enough to feel his heavy breath against your own. His eyes were heavy, his mouth hanging agape. “I’ve wanted you for so long,” he admitted.

“I’ve wanted you too,” you blushed, closing the small gap between your hungry mouths again and kissing Osferth with the fever of a rabid dog. He returned the want, the need tenfold and gently, but greedily, placed a large hand on your stomach, another around the bottom of your back and slid you down into a laying position.

He now hovered atop of your body, his large frame covering your own like a cloak of protection. Kneeling beside your body, one of his hands found purchase at the base of your head in your tender hairs and cradled you so that your head was tipped back and neck exposed. Slowly, he worked down your jaw to your neck, kissing and licking against your pulse.

An unfamiliar feeling of tight heat was building in your core and you moved your legs to gather friction against the mounting pressure at the apex of your thighs. When you did so, pain from your wound shot through your body and you let out a small whimper. It was enough for Osferth to stop his pursuit in the taste of your pulse.

He pulled back and you tried to grab his armor, pulling him back but he grasped your hands and shoved them away. “I’m sorry,” he stammered, “This is not right.”

Frustration bubbled up in your throat at his denial, “This is the only thing that’s ever felt right in my life!” You whined, sitting up, angry tears threatening to spill. You sat facing Osferth, propped against the sideboards of the wagon.

Osferth shook his head, “Not everything is about you.” Anger was hidden in his quick words.

You narrowed your eyes, “How could this not be about me? This would have been my first time if you would not have stopped.”

Osferth met your eyes defiantly, “Exactly. I cannot take your innocence! I am not your husband, I am not important enough in your life to do so.”

You rolled your eyes, “If I ask you to take me, then you are.”

He shook his head, jaw clenched hard, “No. That should be reserved for someone more special than me” He met your eye and for the first time in your time knowing him, you saw anger in his eyes, “Do not tempt me again. I will not forgive you if you cause me to sin in such a great way.”

With that, he stood and left angrily, the wagon rocking as he hopped out and away from you, leaving you along in the covered wagon, feeling denied, filthy and shamed.

Taglist: @godrakin @tssf-imagines @brianochka @victoriagaunt @fan-goddess

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[flowerpotmage]

You Think I'm-? (Part Three/Final)

Summary: Your relationship with Osferth finds it's footing.

Notes: Originally from number two on this prompt list. Contains fluff, smut, etc etc etc. Thank you Em for my life and beta-ing this last installment!

Read this chapter on Ao3 here. If you like my work, please consider leaving kudos there as well! You do not need an account to do so.

Supper is a warm and hearty stew at the next town you stop to spend the night in. It's not quite winter yet, thanks be to God, but the sun still sets early enough for it to be dark and cold too soon for comfort.

Bellies full and tongues whispering to one another, the other men don’t notice when Osferth slips away to find you where you’ve gone to refill your waterskin.

“Is it too soon after supper?” he jokes when you spot him and smile.

You chuckle, shaking your head. “Now’s as good a time as any.” You nod off to the side to a nook where you can hide from the chill night breeze, and he walks with you into the shadow.

For a long moment you both just stand there, looking at one another.

“Can I kiss you again?”

“I don’t want it to mess up the party–”

You both speak at the same time, and both of your eyes widen.

“Oh, I–” His face is pink, and not just from the cold. He’s frowning in embarrassment, in confusion, and so you reach out to grab his arm through his cloak.

“Osferth,” you squeeze his arm gently, and he swallows. “I’m not saying you can’t, I’m just… We travel together, we fight together, I don’t want to…” You frown, glance around. “I want to know what it is.”

“You mean if it’s only humping, or…?”

It’s your turn for your face to heat up, and you nod, letting your hand slide from his arm. “I don’t intend to leave the others.”

“Nor do I.” He reaches for your hand, and you accept it. “Do you… Do you want it to be more than…?”

When he asks so directly, you cannot help but wrinkle your nose in embarrassment.

“It’s not like I’ve never just humped someone and left it at that,” you grumble. “And I know you have too.”

He chuckles, embarrassed.

“Just… We both serve Uhtred. I’ve seen lovers ruin one another’s lives with far less at stake than us.”

Osferth’s face softens in understanding. “You don’t want us to hate one another, after.”

You nod.

Osferth pauses, thinking. “Well, I cannot say I can imagine a circumstance where I would begin to hate you.” He raises an eyebrow at you. “Can you?”

“If you humped another, perhaps,” you say, cheeky, squeezing his hand.

He laughs. “Then I promise not to hump someone else.”

You’re standing close enough to feel the ghost of breath from one another on your faces, your hand still intertwined in his.

You cannot look away. His soft smile, the crinkle of his eyes–

Before you can stop yourself, you are pressing a firm, quick kiss to his mouth. He makes a surprised sound, his other hand coming to rest on your arm as yours holds the side of his face, and then just as he is leaning into it, you pull back.

You’re smiling, and he’s looking at you in surprised delight. He starts to lean back in for another, and you press your hand to his chest to stop him, giggling.

“I want to keep it from the others. For now.”

He nods. “Finan.” The single word is enough confirmation of his understanding, and you nod with him, the both of you chuckling.

“Find me later tonight?” you half-suggest, half-ask.

He nods, and with a squeeze of held hands, you let go and leave the nook.

The hall in which your party stays is warm and lit with the warm glow of fire, filled with laughter from both men you know and men you don’t. Uhtred and Finan are having a low, quiet discussion where they sit to the side, Sihtric with them surreptitiously scanning the room as you return with Osferth.

His eyes land on the two of you, gaze hopping from one to the other over the rim of his mug. He raises an eyebrow, just slightly, and gives a small nod before looking away casually.

“And what have I missed?” you ask the group as you sit to join, Osferth close behind.

---

For a time, you manage to keep your secret with Osferth hidden from the others, and if they notice he has stopped seeking out the company of… others… They do not remark upon it.

You learn quickly that Osferth is a very generous and confident lover, a welcome surprise after your worries that his boldness that first night had only come from ale. He seems to gain his pleasure from your own, and many times you find yourself biting down on your own hand or on his shoulder to keep quiet when the others may hear the effects his hands have on you in the dead of night.

Over time you find yourselves often sleeping near one another on the road, tucked into your bedrolls by the fire and secretly sharing your night watches, sneaking kisses, innocent and otherwise.

So it is with great eagerness that you plan to sneak off for real privacy when you finally reach Mercia after your rather roundabout journey, knowing that the others should be occupied with their own business in the evening after supper.

You think, vaguely, how thankful you are that your eagerness was not misguided as Osferth pins you against the wall, hands holding your thighs around him as he thrusts into you.

Your arms are wrapped around his shoulders, eyes screwed shut and mouth open as his breath pants across the skin of your neck under your ear.

“Oh, God,” you groan out as his nose nudges against your earlobe, followed by a graze of teeth and the gentle suck of his lips around the flesh. “Osferth…”

He makes a sound between a hum and a groan, the sound low and going straight through to your chest and your gut, his thrusts becoming harder whilst not losing his pace.

One of your arms slides lower, causing him to pause and adjust his grip on you for support.

His thrusts quicken.

Your arm slides down, hand landing on ass.

He groans, loud, thrusting once, twice, you’re nearly there–

You cry out so loudly that he covers your mouth with one of his hands, his body pressed tightly against yours is the only thing keeping you from slipping down as he gives one last thrust, barely pulling out before pressing as deep as he can. His eyes are screwed shut, his mouth open and silent as his jaw shakes with the effort of keeping quiet as you clench around him.

You stay that way, his hand falling from your mouth to support your leg once more as you both catch your breath, his cock still inside you and your back against the wall. You press a shaky kiss to his cheek, he rests his forehead against yours and chuckles—

Knockknockknock.

“Oi, lovebirds! When you've cleaned yourselves up, Uhtred’s asked to see us all.”

Your eyes shoot wide open, meeting Osferth’s own apologetic smile.

“Did ye hear me?”

“Yes, Finan,” Osferth calls.

“I hope you’re both able to walk,” comes Finan’s teasing reply before you hear his footsteps retreating.

“He heard us,” you say, dropping your forehead to Osferth’s shoulder as he slowly eases you down the wall back to your feet, pulling out.

“He knew already,” Osferth winces, stroking your hair. “I’m surprised he hasn't joked with you about it yet.”

“Oh, Lord help me,” you mumble, moving to lay on your cot with shaky legs. Osferth follows and sits on the edge. “How long?”

“Well, that one time against the tree when you used your m–”

You groan in embarrassment.

“Sihtric knows too, I believe, but he hasn’t said anything about it.”

You put your hand over your face. “Well. I suppose it has been secret long enough.”

“What do you mean?”

“Might as well be open about it now.” You dare a peak at him, his eyes are already on you, face a contemplative frown. “If… if you’re okay with that, that is.”

He grins. “I was never opposed.”

“Really?”

“Besides,” he says, nudging you in a playful manner before leaning closer. “It might be far easier to go off together to hump if we don’t have to sneak.”

You smack his shoulder, mock indignation betrayed by the grin on your face reflected on his own lips.

He leans down to kiss you, firm and caring. “Come on, we’d best see Uhtred. Are your legs still shaky?”

“I’ll manage.” You try to stop grinning, only succeeding in a wide smile with pressed together lips. “They can survive seeing my somewhat wobbly legs.”

He smiles back, and helps you up.

This time when you join the group, you hold hands in the open.

You don’t even mind Finan’s jokes at your expense, in fact you seem to enjoy them for once.

[thedarkprinceofulaid]

Finan wakes from his slumber as the morning sun gleams in softly from the windows of his cottage. It might’ve been the best sleep of his entire life—at least since before slavery. He stirs just slightly before realizing that he is snuggly holding Revna in his arms, the warmth of her body against his bare chest undoubtedly the reason he slept so well.

From what he can tell, she is sleeping soundly too. He gently removes his arms from her, striving not to wake her as he sits up and stands from the furs. She needs rest to heal, and Finan prays she can stay asleep for most of the morning and into the day. His heart hurts at the prospect of leaving her, but there is work to be fulfilled with Uhtred likely already consulting with the King. He motions a strand of her black hair behind her ear, bringing his lips to her to bestow a kiss to her head. He slowly retreats, taking his armor and fresh clothing into another room to get dressed. He takes a parchment and quill, leaving her a note by her bedside.

Having you in my arms last night was like heaven to me. I must go to fulfill duties to my Lord. Rest — I will return to you.

@grlwtskulltattoo

[moonlight-rider25]

Spill the Beans

Summary: Your time on the road together is gradually coming to an end and you have to come up with a way to stop that, and fast!

Warnings: PG13+, fluff, angst,

Word count: 3700

You lay awake in your tent. Eadith steadily snoozes beside you, and the only other noise besides your constant stirring is the slight crackle from the fire outside. You sit up listening intently to the noises around you. Surely the other men are asleep by now from the amount of ale they drank earlier in the evening. No you can’t, it's a stupid idea… you remind yourself rubbing at your face. You sigh and lay back down trying to get comfortable again…

You toss around again sighing heavily as you stare at the blank canvas ceiling before you.  Your body is still, completely still.  You hold in a sharp breath and finally snap your eyes open, sit up and quietly remove yourself from the tent. 

The summer night air feels ravenous against your sensitive skin as you wrap your fur around yourself tighter. You dismiss the signals going off in your head that you're making a very bad decision and hold your breath as you crouch low along the tent lines. You walk slowly and carefully over to where you saw Uhtred make his tent earlier that night. You reach out and gently peel back the canvas flap, slowly exposing the fire light into the tent. 

A few furs cover his tall body, and you see at the top sticking out; is his carved and shirtless sculpted stomach. You bite back your bottom lip and slowly emerge through the canvass flap. Crawling towards him in his furs, he wakes with a jolt.  You freeze in panic, not knowing how he will respond, or fully thinking this part through. He sits up abruptly rubbing at his eyes and stares towards you. After a moment he sighs and pulls his furs away from his body, inviting you in, under them, next to him. You hum gleefully and crawl towards him gently placing yourself beside him.  The heat from his body radiates to you and you clasp your cold hands against his chest.  He sucks a quick breath in through his teeth.

“Your hands are ice!” He says in a whisper.

“I’m sorry!” You smile up at him and press your face against his firm bare chest.

He hums a low chuckle; wrapping his huge muscular arms around your body, pulling you closer and pecks a gentle kiss on the top of your head.  You snuggle against him, his body warming you and his sweet safe familiar scent lulls you to sleep within moments. 

All too soon you awaken; Uhtred stirring beside you. Still snuggled up next to him, he tries to remove his arm without waking you.  Your eyes blink open and you see it's still very dark.

“Where are you going?” You ask him in a sleep ridden whisper.

He smiles before pecking a warm kiss on your forehead. 

“It’s morning.” He tells you quietly. 

You peer around in the tent looking outside at the very very faint glimpse of light rising from the ground.

You look back up towards his smiling face and bury your head into his chest.

“No it can't be...” you whine quietly against him. “...Not yet at least!” 

He rubs your back apologetically and you hear a low hum of laughter escape him.  You grip him tighter and begin peppering his warm chiseled chest in soft wet kisses. He groans happily pulling you closer. You playfully push him over to his back and straddle him, still peppering him in wet kisses. You slide your hands up his thick warm neck and capture his lips in yours. He sighs heavily before indulging himself in your sweet flavor, and you let out a quiet moan into him. His hands slide up over your barely covered ass and squeeze at the perky mounds sitting on top of him.  You giggle against him and he pulls you up off his chest. His eyes glimmer as you watch him eyeing your barely concealed body on top of his. 

“Don’t make me go,” you tell him in a whisper. 

He pulls you back down and your lips meet his once again, hungry and eager.

“You know I don’t want to..” He tells you in a low groan.  “...but how will we explain ourselves?..”

You lean your head down into the crook of his broad neck and shoulder, and allow a long disappointed exhale to escape you. You sit back up, allowing him to take in the view of your faintly covered breasts as you wrap your fur around your shoulders and press your core down into his toned bare abbs. His hands slide up your thighs as he smiles through his gritted teeth while watching you. You crawl towards the tent opening; stopping when his huge hand catches your fur and you spin back around facing him.

“Will I see you tonight?” he asks with a wicked smile on his face.

You giggle softly to yourself.

“Perhaps…If I can't sleep again…” You tell him playfully in a whisper.

“You come back… I don't think either of us will have much sleep..” he replies through his wide smile.

You snicker, trying to cover your mouth, careful not to wake the others.  You both freeze, hearing another stir within their tent. You shoot him a final lustful promising look and scurry away back to yours and Eadiths tent. 

The ground is cold, cruel, and unwelcoming, compared to the warm inviting safe arms of Uhtred, but you bury your face deep within the furs and try your best to calm yourself so as to not wake Eadith. You hear another stir coming from one of the other tents. You pull your fur up into your face smelling Uhtred on it; you smile to yourself. Your heart beats steadily in your chest as you happily imagen him there with you, as you were moments ago. Only wishing you had indulged yourself more, than what time had allowed. 

~~~~~

The morning passes in a wave of usual chaos, men packing their belongings and scarfing their porridge down in a few bites while you and Eadith try to clean the cooking utensils as best you can.  Everyone packs up their tents from the night before and secures it tightly back onto their horses; who have also been fed and watered their morning share. Osferth, Sihtric, and Finan, mount their horses ready for the day's journey, Eadith and yourself; normally struggling in the back of the pack, but today they're waiting for Uhtred who waltzes over and assists you with your bags. He says nothing, as the others are far too close to hear, but he eyes you devilishly pulling firmly at the mare's straps and fastening them in place. He pats the mare kindly on the neck and begins to turn away from you, when you clear your throat.  He pauses in place for a moment, then spins back around with a smirk on his face. You extend your hand out towards him and he instinctively, he helps you up onto your horse.  You squeeze his hand a bit before letting go of his grip and try to swallow back the grin growing on your face. The others watch as Uhtred strides away from you and mounts his own horse at the head of the group.

He eyes you again before calling out to the men, and you nod slightly with a thick grin towards him. Eadiths shoots you a look from her mare, who prances eagerly in place beside you. Avoiding her look, you slap the reins setting in motion with the others. 

“What was that?” She asks finally once the group has gotten into configuration and you know they’re mostly out of earshot. 

“What?” You ask her with a giggle, avoiding her look as best you can.

“Oh no, don’t you ‘what’ me..” She tells you through her own snicker. “You’re playing a very dangerous game here girl,” She tells you through a smile.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” You cackle in response still not meeting her eye.

You slap the reins again and your horse marches off ahead of Eadith leaving her behind. You hear her cackle as she tries to join you, the two of you edgeing off the trail a bit playfully trying to beat one another. 

~~~~~

Hours pass before you stop to relieve yourself and allow the horses a quick drink of water, the summer air is still and uncomfortable as you drop down from your horse.  You hand Osferth the reins to your horse and scamper away from the edge of the woodline to relieve yourself. 

“Good God, I’m going to burst!” You tell Eadith, squatting down near a tall prickly bush.

She giggles to herself beside you as she adjusts her skirts and squats down. You both exhale a sigh of relief and gather yourselves before returning back to the horses to begrudgingly continue on your way. 

“So are you going to spill the beans, or do I have to guess?” Eadith asks quietly as you approach the group.

“Not now!” You snap cautiously.

You both approach the group and begin to mount your horses again. You hear a heavy sigh and look over to Sihtric who seems to be less pleased with the traveling than usual. Finan casts him a knowing look and you peer over to Osferth who is also seemingly upset.  You turn your head over towards Eadith and she shrugs unamused.  You smile coyly at her and begin off, staying close to the men.

“Why are we all in such high spirits?” You ask once in motion. 

The men look at eachother and you can tell an unspoken message is understood between them.

“Please, enlighten me!” You ask more eagerly this time. 

Finan sighs and turns back to you. “Just a long ride my lady.” he tells you with a huff.

“Are they not all long rides?” You ask with a slight giggle in your tone.

“Aye, they can be..” he continues. “But this one in particular is…disappointing.”

You peer over to Eadith who seems to be in agreement. Then back to the men with long faces.

“We’ve traveled three days, on many occasions!” You cry out not understanding their words. “Oftentimes even longer! I don’t understand what the..”

Eadith cuts your words off by handing you the canteen of water.  Sihtric clears his throat and begins to chime in on the others behalf.

“Y/N, you see, on most occasions of three or four days' travel, is followed by a bigger town which results in several days of staying.”

“So, Corfe is also a small town?” You mention trying to grasp their understanding. 

“These small towns scattered together, are just the beginning of a long and treacherous journey back towards Wessex.” Finan adds, his accent thick and charming as he speaks quietly beside you.

“The beginning of a very long end?” you ask almost childishly.

“Yes.” Eadith tells you. 

You let out an all too obvious sigh, your heart collapsing into your lap realizing what their words truly entail. 

“The beginning of the end…” You repeat softly to yourself.

Not if I have anything to do with it…

~~~~~~

You spend the next few hours pondering in your mind how you will approach Uhtred, without suspicion and ask him to delay your arrivals in the next town….as well as the following and so on. Ideas of how to persuade him pass through your mind like ships in the night… The groups morale, early arrival to other towns and cities allow time to roam, you simply are not ready to return back home yet… but your mind and heart settles on telling Uhtred the real reason you’re not ready for this time to end; because you love him and cannot put words to that …yet. Now all there’s left to do; muster the courage to approach Uhtred, get him alone and confess your feelings, and all within the short ride to the next day break…

Eadith and yourself remain in the back as the group carries on through the hours. The sun is steadily above you, midday and you know Uhtred, though not a creature of habit normally, will be stopping soon.

“I still have such a hard time accepting so many Gods in one religion, I'm not sure how they do it.” Eadith tells you deep in conversation.

You smile coyly, then grip at your stomach slightly.

“How can there be more than one God?” She asks with a cackle.

Your own ideas of religion have never joined up with hers but today is not the day to argue that idea.

“Oh, ow!” You cry out quietly.

“Oh no, what is it?” Eadith asks concerned.

“It’s alright, I’ll be fine.” you try to convince her.

“Are you sure?” she asks, peering over trying to read your face.

“Yes..” you tell her with a sigh.  “I’m fine, it seems to be passing already..”

Eadith keeps her gaze on you cautiously, her brow squinted up as she does looking over a new patient before her. 

“Their many Gods..” you remind her, rubbing at your stomach still.

She hesitates, but begins to delve back into her ideas of the Danes' multiple Gods. 

“It’s just madness, how can more than one God rule? What is the hierarchy of them? How do they keep them..”

“Ahhh, Christ!” You cry out from your seat.

“You’re not alright!” she demands.

This time you have drawn the attention of the others in front of you. Eadith halts her horse and helps you down as you groan in pain. She yells to the others to stop and wait for them as you are ill.  You grip your fists as you sit against the ground against a tall tree, heaving in pain waiting for the others to stop and assist. 

Within moments the group has circled back and gathered around you. Sihtric stands with the horses and gestures for Finan to help lead them to the nearby field of grass to graze and rest in. You notice the urge in Sihtric’s eye and encourage Finan and Osferth off with him as they are no help to you anyhow.  

“I believe it's just something I ate..” you tell Eadith through clenched teeth.  “I’ll be fine I'm sure. Just let me rest for a moment.”

You grasp at your belly, Uhtred stands guard nearby as Eadith kneels down next to you trying to comfort you in your time of need. You gasp again as another wave of pain strikes through you. She holds your hand tenderly and patiently talks you through the fit. 

“It’s alright, it will pass…” She tells you calmly. “You’re stronger than this!” she reminds you brushing her thumb over your knuckles. 

Suddenly… finally, she raises to her feet and stands before you. 

“I know what you need!” She tells you excitedly.  “Remember Madam Elles cure all for food poisoning?!” 

You blink back through squinted eyes up at her, still holding your belly as she gleams with the bright idea.

“Violet and clover!” she shouts out. “I’m sure I can scavenge some up for a hot tea from these woods…” 

Eadith merrily prances around gathering her pouch for collecting herbs. 

“You stay put, I’ll have you back on your feet in no time!” She cries joyfully.

“Eadith, no it's fine!” you cry out grasping at your stomach.

“Nonsense, stay put..Uh…

You cast her a knowing look..

“...Finan and I will scour the woods and I’ll prepare you the Violet and Clover tea. You’ll see! We’ll be on our way in no time.”

You reach out grasping her through her long red hair. 

“You are too kind to me, Eadith.” You tell her graciously. 

She smiles and hugs you warmly before getting back onto her feet and running over to Finan and the others in the field. 

You watch carefully as she paces amongst the trees and through the leaves towards the field; then cast your gaze up at Uhtred who's all too worried about you.

“Get down here!” you tell him in an anxious whisper.

He peers down towards you but kneels graciously beside you.

“Are you alright? What can I do to help?” he asks sweetly.

You roll your eyes in disgust. 

“I’m fine you twit!” you tell him in a ragged hush. 

He looks at you wide eyed.

“I just.. I just needed to speak to you alone..”

His eyes turned softer and a smile curled up on his lips.

“No, not for… I mean perhaps… No!” you cry playfully swatting at him.

He chuckles and sits comfortably down beside you. Palming his face carefully he looks back up to you still humming with laughter. 

“I just wanted to speak to you…without raising suspicion..” You add, trying not to show him your own smirk emerging from your lips.

He reaches out and clasps your hand in his gently. Peering over his shoulder to ensure no one is around. 

“Well… we are indeed alone now…What is it you wanted to speak of?” He asks you, squeezing your hand a bit. 

You peer up into his icy blue orbs and freeze for a moment. The words fleeing your mind as you stare blankly into the little crystal worlds that remind you of all your dreams.

“Hmm…Oh, um.” You take a moment to gather your thoughts and shake your head with a giggle.  “I’m sorry, ..it's just that…” The words are all too eager to jump off your tongue, you swallow them back down your throat and conceal them more than ever before. “...Morall…my lord…” you stumble over the words as they come to you in a panic.

Uhtred looks confused as he tries to decipher through your panicked mess of words.

You reach up, rubbing harshly at your brow.

“Let me start again..” you tell him before clearing your throat and sitting up a little straighter.

He smiles and turns his body towards you, propping his head carefully on his wrist staring deeply at you.  You exhale heavily and watch as his eyes pace back and forth between yours. 

“You know, it's really hard to have a meaningful conversation with you when you look at me like that.” You tell him through a thick grin.

“Like what?” he asks you, sarcastically.

You roll your eyes dramatically and poke him playfully in the chest. 

“With your….look Uhtred..” The words begin to roll easily now. “It has been noticed by the group that we are near ending our…trip around the cities of Wessex…”

He nods, listening eagerly to your words.

“..And they seem to be..down about that…” You add trying to word things carefully but truly. “..and I would be lying if I too, said I was saddened about..this time of ours together…” 

You look down to your lap, awaiting a response of some sort as you feel you have let too much out.

“Our time…?” he asks, raising his brow.

You whip your head up casting him an annoyed look with a smirk.

“Our time…and all of our time..times…” You foolishly try to correct yourself. “You know what I mean!” you add smirking up at him.

You both sit laughing for a moment with each other enjoying the freedom from others for a brief moment. It’s times like these that you know you will miss most of all…

Uhtred sits back against the tree wiping at his forehead with his thumb and avoids your stare for a long moment. You take a sharp inhale in and pat your other hand over top of his, reassuringly. 

“..Our time as well..” You add quietly.

He turns and smiles at you, giving your palm a slight squeeze. 

“Slow down..” He says calmly. “You want me to slow down the traveling?” 

“..Yes? I suppose.” You tell him shyly.

“Arrive back to Wessex later than expected?” He adds submissively. “Even after all I’ve pushed us through on this journey to be early? What a waste..” He says biting back his bottom lip.

“Why look at it as a waste?” You ask graciously. “You’re simply trading being on time for a few more memories, is all.” You stare down at his huge hand between your little ones; afraid of his reply. Your eyes dart back and forth between you and him trying to blink back the wetness growing heavy in your eyes.

He remains silent for a moment. You finally look up and see he is staring out at the field just ahead, where Sihtric and Osferth stand with the horses. You admire his large head; his long hair pulled back behind it, and the faint scars that mark the sides of it. Desperately you swallow the want to reach out and graze them softly.. He looks back to you and then down at your hands again.

“I shall consider it..” he says calmly in a stoic tone. “But only if you can make me an offer, right here right now that only entails us…not the others.”

He stares deeply into your eyes and you feel your insides melt as he studies you.  Your smile turns a few times as the emotions rise and you suppress them.  You sniffle and then laugh abruptly, unsure of what to tell him. For so long the truth has remained locked in your heart for fear of breaking the dynamic of the group, for fear of him turning his back and refusing to show any more interest. Yet here he sits beside you as you’ve faked an ailment and begs for you to make a vow to him, and only him.  A vow that somehow will tie you two together, for better or worse, at least for the remainder of the trip. You blink your eyes hard and a tear emerges from the edges. 

“Uhtred…” You tell him calmly.

 I love you. I love you. I love you!

You Swallow hard and blink again, trying to erase the wetness from your eyes. 

“...Will you please delay our arrival back to Wessex, so we can have more time together?”

…

Tags:@osferthsworld @emily-forever75-blog @sirenofavalon @rrtxcmt @cosmosworldd @elbereth-bluebird @chemitaromance @deadstarkblacksoul @kimi240302 @buglyberry

[itsthestutterforme]

“Friend of Eadith” 2/2

Summary: You sought out to find Eadith when she goes missing. Thankfully, you find her just in time- her and a few others.

Notes: GIF is not mine, all mistakes are my own, sexual themes (morning sex, sub!Osferth, dom!reader), mentions of past relationship with Aemond Targaryen

**

“You must join me,” “Aemond, I can’t.” “You said until death do us part, did you not?” “I did, but-“ “Then you must do this,” your eyes narrows at the dagger in his outstretched hand. “Please, don’t make me do this-“ “Do it! Now!” “I won’t!” You yelled back at him, slapping the dagger from his hand.

He lunges at you and you awoke with a scream. Your eyes snap open, frantically searching for a weapon until you realizes you were in the confines of your hut back in Mercia. Your chest heaved with heavy breaths. The door bursted open, earning a sharp inhale from you.

It was Osferth holding his sword as his eyes searched the room. “Is everything alright, Lady Y/N? I heard screaming.” He states, continuing to analyze the room. “It’s alright.. I was just having a bad dream.” His face falls when he sees you wipe the tears from your face. You must have been crying in your dream.

He retires his sword and closes the door behind him. “Do you want to talk about it?” He asks, sighing when you shake your head no. He sets his sword on the table and sits next to you, cupping your chin to press kisses to your temple. You’ve been seeing each other for a week. It’s been the longest Uhtred has stayed in one place, and you’re not ready to see him leave.

“Come,” He lays with his back to the door, protecting you from any harm and you laid down facing him. “I fear I’ve grown attached to you, Osferth.” He blinks softly at your words. “And I you, lady.” “That can’t be good for either of us, is it?”

“It feels right. That’s what matters.” He presses a kiss to your forehead and you wrapped your arms around his neck, the side of your face resting on his. His soft breaths tickled your neck and your eyes naturally closed, feeling the safety in the warmth of Osferth’s body.

Sunrise came and Finan went into Osferth’s tent to see it empty. He huffed in annoyance and made his way over to your hut where the two of you were fast asleep. Finan knocks on the door of your hut, startling you both. “Put your clothes on, you rabbits. Prince Edward has arrived and wants to meet with us.” Finan announces through the door. You groaned as you sat up, smoothing your hair down with little progress.

“You look beautiful,” Osferth says, gently pulling at one of your smaller curls. “I look like something exploded in my face,” you say, causing him to chuckle. You both stood from the bed and you grabbed a brush on your vanity table. Osferth watched as you brush your hair down with some tree oil.

You caught his gaze in the mirror and a revelation came to mind. “Osferth,” “Yes, beloved.” You heart fluttered at the pet name. “If Uhtred stationed you on the other side of camp, how did you hear my screams?” “I.. w-well, you see..”

You turned to face him, setting the brush back down. “You came in seconds later. Which meant you were right outside when you heard them. What were you doing out there that late?” His adams apple bobbed anxiously as you neared him.

You walked him to the bed, he sat at the edge and you stood between his legs. He looked straight up at you with the most innocent of faces, but you knew better. “Tell me,” you said with amusement. “I w-wanted to check if you were awake,” “To do what?”

“To hump you,” he said softly, his gaze falling to the swells of your breasts in your night gown. “Hm. You would think you would get tired of me by now.” You state. “I could never get tired of you, lady.” You slowly piled yourself in his lap, he leans on his back with his hands holding your hips.

He whimpers when you rolled your hips against him, he takes the fabric of your night gown to pull over your head. “Oy! I’m still here. Go bathe in some holy oil, you heathens and get your arses out here. Jesus Christ!” Finan exclaims. “I mean it!” He adds.

“Alright, alright. Osferth is going. I still have to put on my dress.” When you try to slide off his lap, he holds you steady. “We have a problem,” he whispers when you raise a brow at him. You follow his gaze to the tent in his gown and bit back a smile. “We’ll be right out, Finan. I promise.”

“Jesus,” you could practically hear his eye roll from where you were. You waited to hear his descended footsteps. “Aw, you needy boy. I barely even touched you and you’re already this hard.” “Please,” he ruts his hips into your hand. “Guess we’ll have to make this quick then.”

**

Since Prince Edward arrived to Mercia, things have been odd to say the least. Osferth has been distant. Finding excuses why he couldn’t see you. You were a bit confused and a little hurt.

Edward hasn’t been shy with his interest in you, but that’s never been new. Men haven’t wanted to pursue you since before you turned 18. The only man that succeeded in winning you over were Aemond and Osferth. You had no interest in Prince Edward.

Osferth glanced over at you and Eadith walking your horses back to the stable. He looked away once he saw Prince Edward approach you. “You’re just going to give up a woman that has your heart so easily?“ Uhtred asks him. “There’s no comparison, Lord. I’m a mere bastard. He’s next in line to the throne.”

“Lady Y/N, may we walk through the garden together?” Prince Edward asks once you reached the stable. You and Eadith shared a look and she gave you sympathetic eyes. “I have some business to attend to with Lord Uhtred, your Grace. Perhaps later?”

“Of course. I’ll be waiting.” You walked away with Eadith and she falls into stride with you. “So what are you going to do?” “I’m going to get to the bottom of what’s wrong with Osferth.” You approached Osferth and he stands from the table. “Sit.. down.” You commanded, holding his gaze until he sat back down.

His embarrassed gaze fell to his hands folded in his lap. “Can you gives us a minute?” “Of course,” Uhtred says with a smile, standing from the table. Sihtric and Finan follow him to the alehouse, you smiled when you Finan nudged you as he walked by. “Go get ‘em,”

You sighed as your focus settled back on Osferth. Sitting on the bench in front of him, he refused to meet your eye. You leaned forward and lifted his chin until you saw his sky blue orbs. “Talk to me, please..” “He’s interested in you. He’s the better choice.” “And you’re willing to give me up at the sight of a challenge?”

When he doesn’t respond, you scoffed and stood from the table. You turned to find Eadith when you felt a hand on your forearm. “Of course I’ll fight for you. But why would you want me as your..” “Your what?” “I want to be more than your lover. I want to be your partner, your husband.”

“You wish to be my husband?” A wide smile making its way to your lips. He takes your hands into his and pulled you to where he was sitting. “I do, Y/N. I-If you’ll have me.” “Then why have you been avoiding me whenever Prince Edward nears?” He squeezes at the name.

“I’m a bastard. Prince Edward and I share a father. And if he’s interested in you, there’s nothing that can stop him from having you. He can give you things I can’t even fathom. He’s… better than me.” He pulls away from your hands. “I see.. you think that because your father chose him over you, that I’ll do the same?”

You took his silence as an agreement. “I never cared for status or money. I care about who makes me feel safe and wanted.” You added. He grew confident in your words, his eyes narrow when he saw your lips twist into a mischievous smirk. “Tell me when he’s looking,” you said. Osferth looks to the table across the walkway to see Edward staring at the two of you with a bewildered look on his face.

“He’s look-“ you held his face and pressed a warm kiss to his lips. You chuckle when he moaned into the kiss only to whine after you pull away from him. “Where are you going?” “Taking a bath,” you made your way to the lake, stopping to look over your shoulder. He scrambled to his feet when you beckoned him over, nearly losing his footing on the way to you.

[warriorabbesshild]

As Uhtred makes the rounds, notifying everyone of the plans to return to Rumcofa, he searches for Hild. He smiles when he finds her sitting by the oak tree on the grounds. Sitting down beside her, he gently takes one of her hands in his.

“Thank you for protecting my wife and the boy. I’m not sure what the King would have done if he would have seen her here. Things might have turned out differently. As it stands, Alfred has released me and our men from our oath to him. I have sworn my sword to Lady Aethelflaed and accepted the Lordship in Rumcofa. We will be returning there as soon as everyone is ready.” 

Uhtred looks into Hild’s eyes. “I know things have been strained between you and Finan, but I hope that doesn’t discourage you from joining us in Rumcofa. The village could use an abbess, and I could use the council of my dearest friend to help guide me as we make our new home.” Uhtred gives her a soft smile as he squeezes her hand. “We need each other to heal and become stronger as a family.”

-Uhtred @askuhtredragnarson

"Praise God, I am glad to hear prayers have been answered! This will be a good thing, Uhtred." She smiles at him. "I did what was asked of me, nothing more and nothing less. You asked me to watch over them, so I did."

Her smile fades as Uhtred continues. Hild takes a deep draw of breath and her gaze drops to the ground as she leans forward slightly.

"I believe that, in some way," her voice is quiet, "what happened between he and I was part of a bigger plan. While it was not pleasant, I hold nothing against Finan. It is just unfortunate that it had to hurt, especially Revna, though I hope Finan has finally learned to believe his own worth."

She looks up at Uhtred. "God works in mystery ways, you know."

Hild straightens and sighs. "I do not have a plan, though I do not want to cause any strife if I accompany you to Rumcofa. There is...an abbey in Northumbria that I have considered joining... though I would miss you if I were to go there."

@askuhtredragnarson

[ewanmitchelll]

Imagine you are Osferth's childhood best friend and you two finally admit the feelings you have for each other.

Inspiration: "Don't Go Away" by Oasis

***

You hate to be hurried, to make your tasks in a pace that is more that you can handle. You are a peasant who happens to hate when people tell you what to do in a frequency that makes you somehow doubt yourself.

Or maybe that is just the chaos your mind plagues you after feeling like you haven't given your best. You wish you could just run away, stay silent without wishing to please every one around you.

To worse matters, you are a damsel and unmarried. As you sit by the lake hugging your knees, you don't see him coming. Osferth was looking for you in this day he managed to come back to the capital and he wanted to visit you. He came to realize in the days he went off with Uhtred how you have always been his sweetheart.

You two were raised together in a monastery, but you did not feel like becoming a nun so you asked Osferth to help you find a family who would take you as you were--an orphan who was most likely an illegitimate child of a nobleman like Osferth was a natural son to King Ælfred.

Well, he did. And you were raised decently well, even he knows that. He always thought you of sweet disposition, often cheerful and funny, pious...and beautiful. Gorgeous, truly, with your y/c skin, y/c hair and those y/c eyes!

Osferth at first hesitates in telling you how he feels, but Uhtred encouraged him ("What is the worst that could happen?", he said, "If she is sweet tempered as you claim, she will not be unkind"). He even feels like going back home until seeing how upset you look.

Now he is leaving aside the desires of his heart for you. He wants to see you well, to make sure that whatever is distressing you shall pass.

"Oh hi Osferth!", you smile instantly when seeing him there. Your heart skips a beat. You often asked yourself if you were too deluded for nurturing the hope of being loved in return, because yes you love him. "What are you doing standing there? Please have a seat."

You pat the grass for him to sit and Osferth hates how easily he blushes at every word you say. But he sits with you nonetheless and is taken by surprise as you hug him.

"I missed you", you tell him.

Osferth smiles, holding you back, tightly so.

"Did you?"

"Aye. You took a very long time to come back, Osferth", you blush when realizing how obvious you sound. Yet when you look away, Osferth is inspired by you--and Uhtred's urge to be finally bold--and gently makes you look at him.

"Do excuse my behavior, dear Y/N. I should have sent you a letter but... I was afraid you'd not read it."

He too blushes. You, however, are slow to understand what is going on.

"What are you talking about, Osferth?"

"I was afraid you'd be...married when I returned", he whispers shyly, looking down at his hands and praying you'd not listen.

But you do.

Could it be?

You beam. It's your turn to make him look at you.

"If there is someone God allows me to marry, and please excuse my forwardness, sir, this ought to be you."

As Osferth looks up at you and finds a smile on your face, his heart skips a beat. He gently takes hold of your face, resting his forehead against yours.

"Be my wife and I swear to God that your days will no longer be disappointing."

"Being your wife is the holiest gift I could ever feel blessed, Osferth. Silly man, I've been waiting for so long."

"I love you, Y/N."

You smile at each other.

"And I you, Osferth."

It is then he finally takes the courage to pursuit your lips and never again unhappiness found solace in your heart.

[asa-writes]

An Eye for an Eye - 04

“Sinful Confessions”

Osferth x F! OC - 18+ MINORS DNI

Word Count: 2.7k

Warnings: period accurate gender stereotypes, fluff, sexual innuendos, adults talking about sex, just general saucyness

Chapter Summary:   Aemma and Osferth make their way up to their camp halfway to Cirrenceastre, getting to know each other better. Much better, in fact. ;)

Aemma nodded and spurred her horse on, letting Osferth overtake her, as they made their way onwards, just as Uhtred had commanded them. "You know the way and you can read the signs, I'm without letters". 

As they left the village, she nervously scratched her head, opening her heavy braid. "I'm really not that creative with horse names. What should I call her? Maybe Hooves?"

"Hooves is a good name, my Lady. I have never thought of giving mine a name," he chuckled and pointed ahead, over the grassland that stretched out on his left and the forest and hills on their right. "What can you tell me about yourself my lady? Do you have any siblings? We can play twenty questions along the way if you'd like to get to know me as well. We shall travel most of the day."

She nodded gently as she levelled her horse to ride on the same height as his. Hooves farted loudly and neighed. "Sweet Jesus, maybe I should've called her wind." She paused for a second and rearranged herself in her saddle. "Sure, but I'm really not that Interesting. I'm Aemma, daughter of the gruff Paega, Coccham's alehouse master. I have no siblings. What about you, if I may ask?", she asked nonchalantly.

Osferth chuckled and smiled at her. "Hooves is a great name, please do not change it. But let me tell you, I think I could hold conversations with you for days without getting bored," he said with a grin. He paused before saying, "My name is Osferth, the illegitimate son of King Alfred. My mother was Lady Ecgwyn – she was such a kind woman. My father had two legitimate children with his wife – Edward the Aetheling and Aethelflaed of Mercia."

Aemma gasped, realizing she had ventured too far. "Oh, I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to..." she stammered apologetically as she shrank back. He registered her expression in a split second, his face contorting with confusion and concern. "What is it?" His eyes were wide with fear that he may have said something to offend her. "Please, tell me my lady, what is the issue?"

"I didn't offend you did I? I just... I mean, it makes sense... why else would the king send you to go to a monastery when you're a small boy...", she sighed and shook her head. "I'm so sorry, I really didn't know."

Osferth shook his head and smiled. "No, you couldn't offend me my lady, it takes very little to actually offend me." He sighed, relieved at her words. "There's very few who know my story, I've never really thought it important." He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, looking at Aemma. 

As they rode together, Osferth took in every detail of Aemma's countenance; her lightly tanned skin that seemed almost untouched from years of hardship and a strength he observed in the way she sat atop the horse. He was mesmerized by her composure even amongst adversity – her lips would curl when she chuckled, a hint of melancholy barely perceptible in the crease between her brows. Her demeanour spoke of hope and fortitude; a courage that inspired him and had him watching with admiration as her thick hair swayed against her back with each powerful canter of their horses. They journeyed on, until the long grass began to whisper secrets only the wind and hooves could understand.

"Would you like me to speak as we ride or when we are at camp and have more time? I would not wish to trouble you, my lady," he said shyly, seeing as Aemma had noticed him staring at her. 

She blushed and bit her cracked lip. "Uhm, I don't mind talking to you at all right now. Riding in silence would be more fitting to a nun, would it not? So back to the twenty questions, I guess. Uh .. what is your favorite time of the year?" she asked, scanning her eyes over Osferth's body. He looked better than any man she had seen in Coccham, she thought to herself. 

Osferth grinned and turned onto another road once they had reached a crossroads. "Alright, let us continue, then. My favourite time of the year is early summer, the warmth on my skin, the fresh flowers, the brightness of the sky and the sound of the birds. I love watching plants grow, it fascinates me, especially as I love the forest. What is your favourite time of the year my lady?”

Aemma puckered her lips into a coy smile, a look of discomfort flashing over her face as she steadied herself in the saddle; her back injury had begun to flare up again. "Winter is my favorite season," she said through fluttering eyelashes. "Everything just looks so spooky and deliciously mysterious under the darkness. Plus, it's much easier to sneak away unnoticed in the cloak of night." With a slight giggle and playful blush, she pointedly ignored his gaze.

"Sneaking away, you say?" Osferth asked with a mischievous glint in his eye, giving her a teasing smile. "My lady, I do hope you weren't getting yourself into any trouble that could potentially taint your virtuous reputation!" 

"Oh, no need to worry about that," Aemma cooed, leaning closer, grinning widely. "I was always quite the good girl...at least until someone came along to corrupt me." She gave him a sly wink before turning her attention back to the road ahead. 

Osferth raised an eyebrow. "Care to tell me about your misadventures? I'm sure it's far more interesting to hear of your past rather than talk about who has the better horse name."

Aemma winked at Osferth, her eyes sparkling with mischievousness, as she slid off of Hooves. "I just need to stretch first," She said, allowing herself to fall onto her knees and giving a deep bend to her back before quickly springing up again. "Ahh, that's better."

"Sure," she continued, her voice taking on a honeyed tone. "How much detail do you want? It's quite juicy, you know." She gave him a flirtatious smile and cocked an eyebrow.

Osferth blushed lightly, his smirk widening as he met her gaze. "I'm a big boy my lady, and I'm confident I can handle it. Lay it on me..."

She spurred Hooves’ on and grinned. “So… there’s a saddler in Coccham, Leofwine, right? He’s about one or two years younger than you. He must have known I needed someone to show me the ropes when it came to certain activities,” she said with a sly smirk. “He used to ride me like a horse! But he seemed to like the oral one the best, so that quickly became our favourite pastime.” Aemma blushed furiously, not quite sure how Osferth would take this admission.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. “You did WHAT!?”

Aemma tried her best to maintain her composure despite the heat of crimson embarrassment flooding through her veins. She shrugged coyly and offered him a mischievous smile. “I’m no saint! I thought you knew that by now. Why else would I be running around town in the dead of winter?”

“How did you like your lessons?” he asked suggestively, his lips curling into a mischievous smirk, still facing the path in the path in front of them. “You’ve certainly given me quite the story to think about with your escapades my lady, bravo.” 

Aemma blushed even deeper, her eyes widening at the implication of his words. “I had to learn it somehow, Osferth. Don’t tell me you’ve never indulged in such temptations? Or… indulged yourself?” 

Osferth pretended to be scandalized and feigned shock. “You’re asking me such things my lady? Never would I!” He shook his head in mock disapproval before a devious glint appeared in his eye and he let out a shy laugh. “If I were any other man I’d call for a duel! Now that you have exposed such private matter, I can never look at you the same way again!”

She bit her lip and grinned, watching the trees and hills pass by while one of the horses neighed. After a few minutes of silence where the both of them were grinning and blushing, Aemma suddenly twisted around in her seat, lowering her voice into a shy whisper. "Ugh, usually I'm not so... Sinful but something about you and this whole new situation just flipped a switch in me, I'm sorry."

Osferth smiled at her words, finding her mischievious side a welcome aspect of his new companion. He chuckled as he turned to face her, "There is no need to appologise my lady, I find your 'sinful' side quite appealing."

Aemma looked up at him and gave him a quizzical look. "May I ask about your sinful side? What... What activated it and ... What.. Uhm, do you think about?", she asked, slightly embarrased yet cheerful.

Osferth was taken aback by the sudden question, his cheeks turning a bright red as he stuttered for an answer. “Well, uh... I sometimes think of a girl I knew…” He paused for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts before continuing. He hoped that she didn't notice that he was lying; he had thought of her, in the last few days, at least. “I mean, I’ve had some experiences and all but I’m still technically a virgin. When I’m in private though… well… you know what they say about idle hands. So… yeah there is that," he finished off with a shy smirk before looking away in embarrassment. "I'm a man and have a man's... Desires. I hope you know what that means my lady, do you need me to elaborate further or shall I leave it at that?"

Aemma blushed heavily, her cheeks nearly matching the red of Osferth's. She knew exactly what he meant and was surprised at how forward and frank he had been with her. She couldn't help but find it cute and a little hot, even though she was awkward about the whole thing. “No, no I think I got the gist of it," she replied softly, still blushing as she looked away from him. After a few moments of silence she timidly added, “But… if you wanted to… I mean… if you have any interest in me… would that be okay?”

The corners of Osferth's mouth started to twitch as he tried to hide a smile, yet the amusement and embarrassement he felt at her words were clearly showing on his face. "I suppose you already know my answer to that question but yes I am very interested in you. I must admit my lady you bring out the devil in me."

He paused, straightening himself in the saddle. “My lady, tell me: have you always craved for freedom? Or does your wild side come from a desire to escape your mundane life?”

Aemma exhaled and patted Hooves' neck. "I guess you could say that working at the alehouse since I was ten gave me an appreciation of freedom. Serving my parents only to get food and shelter – being made to feel like I owed them something – that's when I realized I wanted more. But becoming a housewife with a bunch of noisy kids in Coccham... that would have been worse than anything."

Osferth's eyes widened at her words. "I'm sorry my lady, I can only imagine what you had to go through growing up, you're a stronger woman for it." He paused and smiled, looking up into the stormy skies. "So what's your plan for your future? What do you wish to do with your freedom?" he asked quietly, his eyes gleaming curiously. A distant clap of thunder rolled over the hills. The sun disappeared behind the thick blanket of clouds ahead of them, turning the previously lush green nature into a dreary scenery.

"I will probably fight for Lord Uhtred with you until... Until... I don't know yet. As long as he needs me," Aemma said quietly. She had a small, almost secret smile on her lips, barely visible from the corner of her mouth. Her hair framed her face in a gentle wave, the wind gently lifting it and blowing it behind her back.

Osferth couldn't help but marvel at the beauty of the woman in front of him. She had a fuller figure than the women of Uhtred's tastes - her dress hugged her body tightly, highlighting each curve and angle. Her dark hair hung down to her waist, accentuating her delicate features and making her look even more alluring than before. He was drawn to Aemma's strength yet there was also something vulnerable about her which made him want to protect and care for her. 

He sighed quietly in admiration as they continued riding on. The wind blew stronger as they neared their destination, bringing with it a coolness that reminded Osferth of the battles that awaited them in the coming days. Yet despite the chill in the air, his heart felt warm as he watched Aemma ride alongside him; he was proud that she had chosen to fight for Uhtred and himself, understanding what kind of risks she faced. He truly admired this courageous woman who had thrown away everything she had known to pursue freedom instead - he could only hope that with his help, she would find it one day.

"What are your hopes and dreams when you fight and win against the danes? What would you wish for? Would you like to live somewhere in particular, have a family?," he asked shyly, hoping not to overstep Aemma's boundaries.

She blushed and looked to the side, hiding behind her dancing hair. "I'll Probably... Start a family with... Someone that... loves me," she muttered and avoided Osferth's gaze. 

"That's a wonderful thing to wish for, my lady, a family that will love you. Is there anyone in particular that you have your eye on? Any gentleman in our company that you have your hopes set on?," he said in a gentle, yet teasing way, slowing his horse down as they neared a small valley, the thunderstorm still raging in the distance. The valley was nestled at the entrance of a forest, nestles between steep cliffs and dark trees. In the distance a towering storm cloud could be seen, its lightning flashing across the sky. The thunder echoed through the air as cold winds blew, bringing the smell of rain with it.

Aemma playfully rolled her eyes and rode towards a group of trees which grew closely together. She jumped off of Hooves and tied her and Osferth's steed to the trees, before helping him descend as well. "Don't tease me Osferth! You already know my answer. I get a serious expression and sigh once more. I just hope that you.. I mean, my gentleman, will be patient with children. I don't want to leave you as fast as I joined you."

A wide smile spread across his face, and a soft laugh escaped him. "I've heard that one could... be close, without having to fear pregnancy. We shall see when the time comes."

Aemma's eyes widened at Osferth's suggestion, her face turning bright red once again. She fumbled with her hands, unsure of how to respond, but the thought of being intimate with Osferth was also enticing. "I...I don't know about that, Osferth. I mean I've heard of it too but I don't know if it's safe," she said softly, looking down at the ground beneath her feet.

Osferth stepped closer to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We don't have to do anything you're not comfortable with, my lady. I want you to feel safe and loved with me," he said in a gentle voice, his eyes searching hers.

Aemma looked up at him, feeling her heart swell with affection. "I do feel safe with you, Osferth. You make me feel like I'm not alone in this world," she said, placing her hand over his on her shoulder.

Osferth smiled at her, feeling a warmth spread through him. "I will always be here for you, Aemma. I promise," he said, leaning in to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

They stood there in silence for a few moments, the only sounds coming from the wind rustling through the trees and the distant thunderstorm.

[nellyharrison]

“ M'fhíorghrá ,” I heard from behind me, my heart skipping as I turned from the touching reunion.  Finan was sheathing his sword as he closed the distance between us, my quaking hand releasing my dagger to embrace him when he lifted me into his arms.  I buried my face into his neck, tears springing to my eyes as I felt him rubbing my back.  “I have you now.  I have you.”  I exhaled shakily before I started crying, softly and silently, still trying to find my voice again.  He brushed his hand along my hair, kissing the side of my head and my cheek before I turned to meet his lips with mine.  A soft sob escaped me when he pulled away, his thumbs brushing away my tears as his nose nuzzled mine.  “Are you hurt?” I shook my head, taking a slow breath before pulling away slightly to look at him.  I gently tilted his chin up, checking his neck where the Dane had held an ax.  Finan chuckled and grasped my hand, lifting it to kiss my knuckles.  “Worry not about me, mo laoch álainn .  I had you to protect me,” he recalled, holding my hand against his heart as his other hand settled on my waist.  There was some scuffling nearby, causing us to both turn towards it, our expressions blank as Osferth, Sihtric, and Uhtred stood watching us.  “Am I not allowed a moment with my wife?”  They bumped into each other as they went to leave, my forehead falling against Finan’s chest as I laughed.  It had been so long since I had laughed that I could not help but cry as I did so.  He must have heard the hitch in my voice or the slight gasp at the end of my laugh, his arms wrapping around me to hold me tight as long as I needed him to.

Chapter 8 of "My Heart Is In You" by NellyHarrison

[all-that-is-gold-is-now-gone]

X @tessastormrp

Finan took hold of Sihtric's hand and gently lowered it from his face, "don't worry about me. I can handle a scrape, I barely even felt it." He confessed. In truth, his concern had been with Sihtric. Finan never questioned Uhtred, but he nearly would when their Lord was so hard on Sihtric. Perhaps Uhtred did not think it did any damage, but Finan always worried about what feelings it would bring up for the Dane.