#sihtric oneshot

[icarusignite]

Hey Author, I wanted to ask if you could maybe write a story about ! Sihtric x reader! Could you perhaps write something where the reader is the younger sister of Ragnar, Uhtred and Thyra. In sihtric's age.

Maybe she could have met him in the forest when the two were children and became best friends from that day on. Nobody knew about it because the families are no longer good. Years later, when Kjartan kills the parents of the reader and Uhtred. the reader goes with him and Brida. She is younger than Uhtred and brida maybe Uhtred could teach his little sister to fight and she will be a shieldmaid maybe even the best!!!

When sihtric joins uhtred, the reader is very happy. Sihtric loves the reader, but thinks she would never want anything from him, so he marries his wife from the series

The relationship between the reader and sihtric becomes very bad due to the married

The reader is angry because she doesn't like his wife, she’s jealous and she is very hurt. And she makes him feel her anger!!! Maybe we could have a little fight with his wife, that would be cool.

At some point I don't know how they could confess their feelings for each other.

I love drama in story’s like that. I hope you like it too and it gave you ideas to write it. Maybe you could say if you write it.

Thank you, your reader 🫶❤️

#drama #brokenheart #anger #bestfriends #love

I am so jealous that she is his wife. I just don't like her😑

I have to put my cell phone away, otherwise it will be broken later

I wrote a similar request to another author, but I thought I could also ask another one, hope it doesn't bother you! 🫶

Heyyy finally got this done. It is longer than I expected lol cuz I wanted to give them a shared background story lol. I tried to add all the requested components but his wife just isn't his wife yet so he was planning to marry her but then ofc he changes his mind after the reader rages at him. I love angry confessions lol.

Cheers, hope you enjoy the story 🫶

Word Count: 4.8k | AO3

In the heart of the forest, the sun shone through the canopy of leaves and the birds sang a merry tune. A group of children ran through the underbrush, their laughter echoing through the trees.

"I saw a wolf, Uhtred, I saw it, it had sharp teeth and yellow eyes!" Brida shouted excitedly, brandishing the branch she held in her hand as a pretend sword.

"Brida, Uhtred, don't let them get to me," Thyra shouted from the platform the children had built in the trees. "And protect my little sister!"

"I am a warrior like Father and Young Ragnar. I don't need Uhtred to protect me!" you shouted back at Thyra, who only rolled her eyes at your childish antics. 

"Father and Young Ragnar are much bigger than you, you cannot possibly be like them!" Uhtred laughed.

You crossed your arms and glared at him until he raised his hands placatingly.

"Now then, what shall we do about the wolf?" you grinned. "I say we skin him and gift his pelt to the lady of the hall."

Your hair whipped around your face as you fought your imaginary foes, eyes bright with determination and a fierce sense of bravery. You took careful steps, your feet moving in sync with your makeshift sword, as you circled around the supposed wolves who were coming for your sister. Suddenly you heard the sound of branches snapping and twigs crunching underfoot, signalling the approach of another person to your little corner of the forest. You instinctively raised your branch in front of you, ready to defend yourself and your friends against any potential enemies. 

"Did you see that?" Uhtred's voice wavered and everyone's necks turned in the direction the noise originated from. 

A figure stepped out from behind the trees, making Uhtred and Brida freeze. 

"Uhtred?" Thyra's panicked voice came from her spot in the trees. "What is happening?"

"Stay up there!" he warned, grabbing your hand along with Brida's and pulling back a few steps. 

 "It's Sven, Kjartan's son," Brida breathed.

"Sven?" Thyra's voice shook.

"He won't hurt you," Uhtred reassured.

You pushed Brida and Uhtred forward, "But he'll kill you, so go!" 

"What, we're not leaving you!"

"And I will not leave my sister. Just go, please."

Several other young boys, Sven's friends presumably, tore out of their hiding places, giving chase to Brida and Uhtred as they sprinted away. One of the larger boys made his way toward the tree Thyra was in. You ran after him, hoping to get to him before he reached your sister. You tackled him to the ground but he easily threw you off to the side before going to haul Thyra out of her hiding spot and toward Sven.

"Don't touch her. Don't you dare touch her!" you shouted, and another boy grabbed you by the hair and yanked your head upward.

"Shut your yapping mouth or you'll be next bitch," he murmured into your ear.

Thyra whimpered as Sven cornered her against a tree, sword in hand. 

"Uhtred! Uhtred!" she wailed and it made your heart race. 

You knew Sven was going to do something to her, you could see it in the smirk he sent your way just before he reached forward and ripped the top half of Thyra's dress off her shoulders. A broken sob escaped her mouth and she squeezed her eyes shut, trying to make herself small. The sight set your nerves on fire. With an animalistic screech, you headbutted the boy who was holding on to you. When you slammed your head against his nose, you heard a satisfying crunch and he howled in pain as blood gushed down his face. You gave another holler before you ran and threw your entire weight onto Sven, forcing him away from your sister and managing to knock him onto the ground.  You watched out of the corner of your eye as Thyra fled the scene, screaming for Uhtred and Brida to come to your aid. One of Sven's friends pulled your small frame off him easily, and dragged you deeper into the forest, pinning you against a tree with his arm across your neck, suffocating you. You twisted in his hold and kicked him between the legs, making him drop you so that you could crawl away. Sven was right there though, and he grabbed your jaw, turning your head so that your eyes met his. He was several years older than you and now you were frightened. 

"Hmm, you're not as pretty as your sister, but I suppose you'll do," he snickered.

You closed your teeth around his arm, biting down until you tasted blood. He swore and when he went to pull you off, you drew back to punch him. And then you were raining blows down frantically upon him before he had a chance to get up. His hand scrambled around for his sword and brought it up in a deadly arc across your face. You flinched at the burning sting and he used it to his advantage in order to throw you off him. He stood there frozen for a moment, just watching your crouching form on the floor, your hand pressed tightly to your cheek as you took in deep shuddering breaths and blood seeped from between your fingers. Perhaps he then remembered who your father was because he turned and ran, his cruel friends following close behind. 

"Are you...are you alright?" came a timid voice after a while, and it made you jump. 

"Who-Who's there?"

You blinked through teary eyes to spot a young boy around your age step forward from behind a nearby tree. He looked at you with concern, his eyes taking in your injury.

"Are you okay?" he asked again softly.

You shook your head, fresh tears streaming down your face. You were terrified, hurt, and you couldn't quite remember the way home so you were also lost. 

The little boy took a step closer, his eyes reassuring, "Don't worry, I'll help you."

You cringed away from him, "Who are you."

"I am Sihtric. I won't hurt you."

"Can you help me find my way back home, I don't remember the way," you whimpered.

Sihtric took your hand and started to lead you out of the forest. You clung to his hand tightly as he led you through the forest. You were still scared, but somehow his presence brought you a sense of comfort and safety. As you emerged from the dense cluster of trees, you could see your home in the distance. Your heart leaped with relief, and you began to quicken your pace, Sihtric keeping pace with you, never once letting go of your hand. As you drew closer, you saw both your parents standing at the door looking out anxiously. When your mother caught sight of you, her eyes lit up and she rushed towards you, scooping you up into her arms. You winced, your left hand still pressed up against your face. She let out a gasp and carefully pried your hand away, and showed the angry red line, that ran from your cheekbone to your chin, to your father. Earl Ragnar swore loudly before taking up his sword and leaving the house in a fury to confront Kjartan and his son, already having been told the story of what happened by the other children. 

"Is-is Thyra okay?" you whispered to your mother, making her smile affectionately.

"Oh my darling girl, look at the state of you, and you're still worried for your older sister. Thyra is perfectly fine, she just had a bit of a fright, now let's get you inside and cleaned up hmm?"

Sihtric lingered outside your door, uncertain of what to do. Your mother noticed him standing there and approached him, still clutching you in her arms.

"Thank you for bringing my daughter home," she said, her voice kind. "You're a very brave young boy."

Sihtric just shrugged, looking a little embarrassed, "It was nothing, I'm just glad she's okay."

As he turned to leave, you grabbed his hand. 

"Wait," you said. "Will I see you again?"

"If you like...?" he gazed up at your mother in hesitation. 

Your mother nodded, her lips turning upward, "You are welcome here anytime."

You grinned shyly, the memory of your adventure already fading into the background, "We can explore the forest together then, just like real warriors."

With a wave goodbye, Sihtric turned and disappeared back into the woods, leaving you with a newfound sense of wonder and the excitement that comes with making a new friend. From that day forward, Sihtric became one of your closest companions, spending endless afternoons exploring the forest and getting into all sorts of adventures. You always looked out for each other, and the bond you forged that day in the woods never wavered. Even though his father had been banished by yours, he continued to find ways to meet with you in the forest, a place where he didn't have to be Sihtric Kjartansson, a bastard child of Kjartan the Cruel. He was just Sihtric, your friend, and perhaps more, judging by the lingering glances you both often exchanged.

This continued up until that fateful day when your entire world was burnt to the ground. You had lost everyone, your parents, your grandfather, and your beloved sister. Your older brother Ragnar the Younger had been away and you felt yourself all alone in the world, that is until Uhtred and Brida took you in. Uhtred felt a strong sense of responsibility for you, being one of the last surviving members of the family that had so lovingly raised him. He had been unable to save Thyra from being taken but he swore to himself that he'd never let harm come to you. 

As the years went by, your childhood wish came true. You had indeed become a fierce warrior, and Uhtred made sure that you knew how to protect yourself and others. You fought in the Battle of Edington against Skorpa and made a reputation for yourself, but the young boy with whom you had spent your childhood days remained a fond memory you found yourself often reminiscing. 

______________

It was in King Guthred's camp in Cumberland where Sihtric finally found you again. He had been sent there to infiltrate the camp and abduct Uhred but when his band of spies attacked, you were the first one there to save your brother, along with Hild, Halig, and Clapa. He had recognized you immediately, the fierce young woman with sharp piercing eyes reminded him of the little girl in the forest whom his half-brother had maimed. However, when you first saw him, you had only looked at him with disdain. He was just another miscreant to you, sent to harm your brother, and you could not imagine him as your childhood companion. He felt his heart sink at that, at the malice in your eyes, at the fact that you did not seem to remember him at all. 

Once he had sworn his allegiance to Uhtred, he made his way to the great hall, where you sat conversing with Gisela. He wanted to talk to you, to hear you speak. Gisela caught sight of his yearning gaze on you and gave him a knowing look. She excused herself and left you sitting there all alone, giving Sihtric an opportunity to take her spot. He settled himself beside you, taking a moment to map out the planes of your face. He had waited years for this moment, to see you again, but now that it was happening, he was unsure how to proceed.

You looked at him and raised an unimpressed eyebrow, "I hear that you will fight for Uhtred now?"

Sihtric nodded.

"You better not betray him, or I'll stick a knife in your throat while you sleep."

A laugh burst out of him and he looked at you with soft eyes, "You are exactly as I remembered."

"Am I now?"

"Do you not remember me?"

You sighed, "Of course, I remember you. How could I ever forget?"

"Well the way you were looking at me like you wanted to take my head off, certainly didn't feel like you remembered me."

"You know you did try to hurt my brother."

"Right...I'm sorry for that by the way. You have my word, I will never betray him."

You twirled your dagger between deft fingers, "I'll hold you to that."

Sihtric laughed again, "Gods, I've missed you."

Your heart skipped a beat. You had always felt something for him but never dared to act on it.

"You did?" you asked, surprised.

He nodded, "I thought about you all the time, wondering where you were and what you were doing. If you were well. And then I heard the stories, of your brother's victories, and they always spoke of his brave sister who fought beside him."

You felt your heart swell with happiness. For the rest of the day, you and Sihtric continued to converse, your exchanges growing more relaxed as you fell back into the familiar comfort of knowing each other. You both shared stories of what you had been doing since you last saw each other.

Sihtric hesitated for a moment, then gathered up his courage to ask you the question that had been weighing on his mind ever since you had been separated, "Are you perhaps with someone now?"

"Why, are you asking because you're interested?" you gave him a playful smirk.

Sihtric's cheeks flushed red as he stumbled over his words, "I... well... I mean... that is to say..."

"Relax, I'm just messing with you. And gods no, me with someone? What an absurd idea. Although... I might be open to offers."

You winked at him.

His eyes widened in surprise and he cleared his throat nervously, "I, uh, I wasn't... I didn't mean..."

"My brother does enough of that for the both of us. Someone's gotta stay sensible and keep him out of trouble, especially since Brida isn't here to do it anymore."

You chuckled at his discomfort and reached out to touch his arm. 

Relief washed over him, and he smiled shyly, "That's good to hear."

You shoved his shoulder, "Good to hear? I am glad my lack of companions brings you such joy Sihtric."

"That is not what I meant and you know it."

"Oh really, so what did you mean then?"

You bat your eyelashes playfully and he rolls his eyes. 

"You haven't changed one bit."

"Perfection doesn't need to change Sihtric."

"Oh very funny."

What he didn't say out loud was that you were indeed perfect. To him at least. He had spent the past few years of his life missing you and he couldn't bear the thought of losing you again. He kept his admiration to himself as he listened to you speak, feeling a deep yearning in his chest. He wanted nothing more than to tell you how he felt, to take you in his arms and never let go. But he was afraid. Afraid of ruining the friendship he had just rekindled. Afraid of the disappointment he would feel if you rejected him. He wondered if you knew how he felt. Did you have any idea of the effect you had on him? He doubted it. After all, you had been children when you had last seen each other. Maybe you had moved on and found someone else. Maybe you didn't even remember him the way he remembered you.

As the next three years went by, you fell into an easy routine with Sihtric. He was part of Uhtred's inner circle and you were his beloved sister so the two of you were seldom separated. Your teasing banter and friendly competition entertained everyone in the group and soon they were all making bets regarding which one of you would be bold enough to confess to the other. The feelings you two had for one another were obvious to everyone, everyone except you and Sihtric it seemed. Even your brother often sent teasing smiles your way when he paired you with Sihtric for tasks. Perhaps this was why the entire group was flabbergasted when Sihtric asked for Uhtred's blessing to marry. 

Uhtred had mentally prepared himself for Sihtric to eventually ask for your hand. He would ask you for your opinion of course and if you were agreeable, he would have been more than happy to bless the union. 

"Who is it that you wish to marry Sihtric?" he raised an eyebrow.

Finan sniggered behind him, sure that his companion would utter your name. You were all on the road back to Winchester and it had been a dull journey so far so he was curious at this new turn of events. You had to admit, you found your heart racing at his request as well. You held your breath, not daring to hope. 

"Sidgeflaed, Lord," Sihtric replied.

"Sidgeflaed? The whore in Winchester you've been spending a lot of time with lately."

"She says she loves me, Lord."

Finan snorts and Sihtric squared his shoulders defensively.

"I swear, she says she loves me!"

"She would. Sihtric she's a whore," Finan chuckled. "What she loves is your silver."

The entire group burst out into laughter.

Sihtric kept his attention on your brother, "I wish to marry her. She says she loves me and I love her."

Uhtred noticed your rigid form out of the corner of your eye. Your knuckles were white from how hard you were gripping your horse's reigns and your jaw was clenched tightly. He could tell that something was bothering you and he had a feeling he knew exactly what it was.

"I will speak to Gisela when we arrive at Winchester and then perhaps I will let you marry your girl. But in the meantime, you are to give her no more of your silver."

You felt a pang of jealousy and sadness at his words. He had chosen someone else. You thought that perhaps now since you had been reunited, he might've chosen you. You kept your emotions in check long enough to flash Sihtric a strained congratulatory smile, but inside you struggled to hold back tears. And then your sadness turned to anger, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of betrayal. How could he marry someone else when you had loved him all along? You wanted to scream at him and ask him why, you wanted to beg him not to marry this other girl, you wanted to run away and never see him again, you wanted to see him every day of your life. Instead, you kept a placid smile on your face and once you all reached your destination, you were the first one to bolt home, leaving your brother to deal with your horse. 

Gisela looked up in surprise when you burst through the door and rushed to your room, the door slamming behind you. Once you were in the private confines of your chambers, you let the tears flow freely. A few moments later, there was a soft knock on the door. You quickly wiped your tears and tried to compose yourself as your brother's wife, entered the room. She had been there for you ever since she married Uhtred, almost like a second mother. 

"Oh, my darling, what's wrong?" she asked gently, placing her arm around your shoulder.

You sniffed morosely, "Nothing, I'm fine."

"Well, you don't look fine."

"It's really nothing. I am just being immature, it's no big deal."

Gisela's lips turned upward as she ran her fingers through your hair, "I have two kids under the age of seven. I think I can handle immature."

You just shook your head and leaned against her, allowing her to pull you into a tight embrace, her comforting scent calming you down. Just then, someone cleared their throat loudly and Gisela looked up to see her husband smiling down at her.

"Am I interrupting something?" Uhtred asked.

She shook her head, "No, your sister is just upset, but she refuses to tell me why. Perhaps you can shed some light on this matter?"

"No, you can't tell her. She's going to think I'm being childish," you whined from the crook of her neck.

Uhtred sighed in fond exasperation, "Sitric has asked for my permission to marry."

Gisela's brow wrinkled in confusion. Shouldn't you have been happy if that was the case? She had watched you become close to him over time and she knew how fond you were of him. 

"To marry someone else," Uhtred clarified.

Her eyes widened in understanding as she rubbed soothing circles on your back, "It's okay love. It's okay to be upset. You are a strong and resilient woman and you can get through this." 

"Shall I refuse him?" your brother asked, making you shake your head frantically.

"No, I am just being selfish. I want him to be happy, and if... if that other girl is the one he loves, then I will try and be happy for them. I don't want to get in his way."

"If you say so."

After Uhtred left you alone with his wife, you wrapped your arms around her once more.

"Thank you, Gisela. You're always so kind to me."

Gisela smiled at you warmly, "Of course, my dear. That's what family is for."

Over the next few days, you made it your priority to avoid Sihtric at all costs, going out of your way so that your paths didn't cross, and when meeting him was inevitable, you made sure that you interacted with him as little as possible. Your tone when addressing him was cold and clipped, only saying what was necessary. It was obvious to everyone that you were trying to distance yourself from him and eventually even Sihtric picked up on your strange behaviour.

He had been trying to find a chance to talk to you alone ever since his first announcement regarding his matrimonial plans. He sensed the strained tension that lingered in the air whenever you were around him, and it filled him with a sense of despair. He was doing this all for you and now you wouldn't even look at him. He thought that by marrying someone else, he would be able to take his mind off you. He didn't want to push you into something you did not want and ruin your friendship by confessing his feelings but now it seemed that he had only made things worse. He had to make things right again somehow. As luck would have it, he spotted you walking down the street alone one day. He called out your name, hurrying to catch up to you. 

When you turned around and saw him coming towards you, you tried to quicken your pace, hoping to avoid him, but he was much too fast. He grabbed your arm and pulled you into a nearby alleyway, away from prying eyes. You aggressively yanked your arm away from him and glared. 

"What are you doing, Sihtric?" 

"I had to talk to you," he responded, his voice low and urgent. "You've been avoiding me, and I need to know why."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," your voice was flat as you fixed your eyes on something over his shoulder, avoiding eye contact. 

"Damnit would you at least look at me when I'm speaking to you."

"No."

"Why are you acting like this? Would you please talk to me."

"Just leave me alone Sihtric. Go spend time with that whore you've been humping. You should get to know your future wife some more," you spat out.

Sihtric flinched at the venom in your words. Your entire body was tensed and you blinked rapidly a few times as if to hold back tears.

"I can't leave you alone," he said, his voice rising. "You're my friend. I care about you. I need to know what's going on."

"I am not your friend, don't you dare call me your friend. You do not care about me at all!"

"How can you say that? What have I done? Would you at least tell me?"

Your face hardened, "If I was really your friend, you would have told me about Sidgeflaed. You never even mentioned her."

"Is that what this is about then? You're upset that I told your brother before I told you? If that's the case then I'm sorry you had to find out like that," he approached slowly, arms reaching toward you.

You shoved him away, "You don't get it, do you? You still don't get it."

"Then explain it to me... please."

"You're marrying her! How could you marry her? If you really cared about me, you wouldn't be breaking my heart like this!" you screamed at him then, and tears streamed down your face. 

"What?"

"How could you marry someone else Sihtric? How could you do that to me when you know how I feel about you? Do you expect me to attend your wedding with a smile on my face? Congratulate you for every child you have with her?"

"What do you mean I know how you feel about me?"

You turned to walk away, and Sihtric couldn't hold back any longer. He grabbed your arm again and spun you around to face him, pushing you against the wall, his face inches from yours. 

His voice rose in anger, "You know what, no! You don't get to say something like that and walk away from me. What did you mean when you said I know how you feel?"

"You know very well what I meant. Do not humiliate me any further," you gave him a weak laugh.

Realization dawned on his face as his eyes widened.

"You have feelings for me?"

You shrugged nonchalantly, "What does it matter? It's not like you feel anything for me."

Sihtric scoffed derisively, "That is the furthest thing from the truth."

"Huh?"

"Don't act like you don't see it. Like you never saw the way I've always looked at you."

Your eyes narrowed in anger, "How dare you? You never once told me how you felt. How dare you blame this on me?"

"I'm not blaming-" he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry okay. I'm sorry I hurt you."

"That doesn't change anything. You're still marrying her."

Your voice broke at the last word and Sihtric's heart clenched at the sight of your melancholy expression.

"I'll try to be happy for you. I swear it. You-you should be able to be with the person you love most and I will make my peace with the fact that it will never be-."

"I don't want to marry her!"

"But-"

"I thought that by marrying someone else, I could forget about you. I was wrong. I can't forget about you."

"Oh don't pretend to care now."

Sihtric tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear and ran his fingers down your jaw. 

"I care about you more than anything," he whispered, stepping infinitesimally closer. "I love you."

"You do?"

"Weren't you listening silly girl? It's you I love, it's you I wish to choose."

"I don't appreciate being called silly," you sulked. "And you're really not going to marry her then?"

"No. No, I can't keep lying to myself."

"You really hurt me you know."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Sihtric begged, his voice pleading. "But please, just give me a chance to make it up to you. I love you. I always have, ever since we were children, and even when I couldn't see you, I never stopped thinking about you. I just didn't want to ruin what we had by telling you."

Your heart skipped a beat at his words. You had always secretly hoped that he felt the same way, but had convinced yourself that he didn't. Now, standing in front of him, you could feel the tug of your shared history and the depth of his emotions.

"Please, just one chance. Let me show you how much I care about you. I promise to never take you for granted again," Sihtric continued sincerely.

"Okay," you murmured, your voice softening. "Okay, I'll give you a chance but if you hurt-"

"Never. I will never hurt you again."

Sihtric brushed the remaining tears from your eyes tenderly and smiled, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He couldn't resist the pull he felt, because then he was leaning in and pressing his lips gently against yours, unsure if you would reciprocate.

You were caught off guard by the suddenness of the kiss, but as his lips moved against yours, you felt your heart stutter in your chest. You closed your eyes and kissed him back, allowing yourself to be swept away by the rush of affection you felt for him. 

You both stood there for a few long moments, lost in each other, oblivious to the world around you. When he pulled away, Sihtric grinned.

"I suppose I'll have to ask your brother's blessing again," he looked into your eyes hesitantly. "That is if you would do me the honour of allowing me to be yours?"

"Yes. Yes of course."

"Thank you."

He pressed a delicate kiss to your scar and then you were pulling him back towards you by his collar, mouths pressed in a passionate embrace as you both gave in to the undeniable attraction that had been simmering beneath the surface for years.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," he mumbled against your skin like a prayer. 

[justanoasisimagines]

Preference - First Kiss

Requests are open! Credit to @cafekitsune for the banner and the divider!

Osferth; Osferth is a nervous wreck for your first kiss. He doesn't know what to do. Where does he put his hands? How does he know you want to kiss him? He's also terrified it's going to be bad. The last thing Osferth wants is for it to be a bad experience because if it is you're not going to want to do it again.

Sihtric; Sihtric's first kiss with you is a long time coming. It occurs spontaneously; neither one of you see it coming. It's sloppy and messy, but it's perfect for the two of you. Most likely to happen after a battle, as emotions are running high.

Uhtred; Uhtred and your first kiss is after an intense moment. Both of you have been skirting around each other for a while. Both of you are smiling like crazy afterward. Uhtred immediately goes in for another kiss. It's soft, it's tender but still as passionate and meaningful.

Finan; Finan and your first kiss is intense. You are both in denial about your feelings, Sihtric dares you both to kiss each other if there's nothing between you. Except there is. The second your lips touch each other neither one of you can find the ability to stop. Which is a relief to Ulhtred, Sihtric and Osferth. They've all known you've both been harboring feelings, but too stubborn to admit it.

[freakynote]

ABOUT ME ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

eighteen years old | she her hers | intj-t

THINGS I WRITE

( favs are also written in purple )

female oc x male character

female oc x female character ( depends on the request )

different types of headcanons

oneshots ( fluff ,angst… )

fanfictions

how characters would react to

nsfw alphabet

sfw alphabet

chats

—> request are open!

FANDOMS / CHARACTERS I WRITE FOR

I also write for other fandoms and characters, just send a request <3 My favorite fandoms are written in purple!

death note — l lawliet ,light yagami ,near ,mihael keehl ( mello ) ,teru mikami ,mail jeevas ( matt ) ,misa amane

alice in borderland — shuntarõ chishiya ,ryõhei arisu ,suguru niragi ,daikichi karube ,morizono aguni ,õki yaba ,sunato banda

game of thrones — jon snow ,jaime lannister ,robb stark ,viserys targaryen ,oberyn martell ,tyrion lannister ,podrick payne ,eddard stark ,bronn ,petyr baelish ,ramsay bolton ,daenerys targaryen ,sansa stark

house of the dragon — daemon targaryen ,aegon targaryen ,aemond targaryen ,jacaerys velaryon ,cregan stark ,lucerys velaryon ,benjicot blackwood

vikings — ragnar lothbrok ,bjorn lothbrok ,ivar the boneless ,ubbe ,rollo ,harald finehair ,hvitserk

the last kingdom — uhtred ,sigtryggr ,aethelstan ,edward ,aethelred ,finan ,sihtric

gladiator I & gladiator II — commodus ,maximus ,lucius ,acacius ,emperor geta ,emperor caracalla

cobra kai — miguel diaz ,robby keene ,eli moskowitz ( hawk ) ,kwon jae-sung ,axel kovačević ,sensei wolf

karate kid — daniel larusso ,johnny lawrence ,terry silver

the walking dead — daryl dixon ,rick grimes ,negan smith ,carl grimes

lord of the rings — aragorn ,legolas ,boromir ,faramir

the hobbit — thorin oakenshield ,bard ,thranduil ,legolas ,kili ,bilbo

the boys — homelander ,the deep ,soldier boy ,billy butcher

troy — achilles ,hector ,paris

true beauty — han seo-jun ,lee su-ho

squid game — thanos ( player 230 ) ,salesman ,hwang in-ho ( front man | player 001 ) ,lee myeong-gi ( player 333 ) ,hwang jun-ho ( policeman )

all of us are dead — lee cheong-san ,yoon gwi-nam ,lee su-hyeok ,han gyeong-su ,jang woo-jin

kakegurui — kaede manyuda ,ryota suzui ,mary saotome ,yumeko jabami ,kirari momobami

jujutsu kaisen — satoru gojo ,megumi fushiguro ,choso ,mahito ,sukuna ,toji fushiguro

RULES

Do not copy ,translate or modify my content without my permission! All rights ( except for the original characters and plots ) belong to me. Everyone who does one of the things above will be reported and blocked!

I have the right to deny or ignore requests I am not comfortable writing

I won’t write specific kinks or themes and nsfw content ( for some characters ). It depends on the request. If I am not comfortable with your request ,I‘ll decline so you don’t need to wait unnecessarily <3

Do not interact with me if you spread hate and disrespect towards me or any other creator / user, or you will be blocked!

If I accept your request ,give me time. I am still going to school and don’t have much free time. I am just writing for fun ,so please respect that

English isn’t my first language ,so you might find some spelling or grammatical mistakes. You have been warned

[loveslibrarywp]

Requests open. Fanfics are posted on wattpad: @LovesLibrary. Likes, comments, and reposts are very appreciated.

Requests are open. I will pretty much write for anyone if you ask. I highly recommend requesting so I have the opportunity to write more!

House of the dragon

Aemond Targaryen

Fanfics/mini series

Salvatore - wattpad fanfic

1.) Prologue/teaser +NSFW

2.) Chapter 5 teaser +NSFW

Oneshots

Aemond Loves his pregnant wife! +NSFW

- Aemond Targaryen x Wife!reader

Little red +NSFW

- Aemond Targaryen x Stark!reader

Tis the season +NSFW

- Modern!Aemond Targaryen x reader

Sharing is caring +NSFW

- Aemond Targaryen x wife!reader x Helaena Targaryen

Aegon || Targaryen

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

Oneshots

Ataraxia; freedom of worry

- Aegon Targaryen x wife!reader

Helaena Targaryen

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

Oneshots

The secrets we keep +NSFW

- Helaena x fem!reader

Sharing is caring +NSFW

- Aemond Targaryen x wife!reader x Helaena Targaryen

Jacaerys Velaryon

Fanfics/ mini series

None yet

Oneshots

None yet

Lucerys Velaryon

Fanfics/ mini series

None yet

One shots

None yet

Cregan Stark

Fanfics/ mini series

None yet

Oneshots

Marriage for duty

- Cregan Stark x Strong!reader

The Last Kingdom

Osferth

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

Oneshots

Too good

- Osferth x fem!reader

Worship and Desire +NSFW

- Osferth x fem!reader

Finan

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

One shots

None yet

Sihtric

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

One shots

None yet

Æthelstan

Fanfics/mini series

None yet

One shots

None yet

[angelsworks]

Escape Yandere! Uhtred Ragnarsson x reader

Type: Oneshot

Summary: You try to escape Yandere!Uhtred

Warnings: Yandere theme, face-slapping, violence, death, controlling relationship, toxic ness, etc

You leant against the horse stables. Mouth tightly forming a line, forehead creased with worry. Your stomach in a tangle of knots as you watched the guards at the gate. Guarding the entrance to Cookham. The longer you lived here the more you realised they guarded it as an exit. Trapping you in the town you’d grown to hate.

Finally your eyes saw the guards rotate. You’d watched them long enough to know they got distracted. Long enough at least for you to make your escape.

Swiftly, you climbed your horse. One prepared for you by a stable boy. A boy a little older than you, but still much younger than Uhtred and his friends. You’d build a relationship with him for many months now. Slowly convincing him to help you. You knew the risk. You knew what would happen if word got back to Uhtred.

The stable boy, Thomas, was more than happy to help after listening to you tell him of your woes living trapped in Cookham. Although you knew his desire to help wasn’t completely selfless. He had developed some affection for you. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t exploit that to make your escape plan.

Your horse trotted through the gate slowly. Not a guard in sight. Your heart beat like a drum in your chest and filling your ears. As the horse rode on down the path to a new town, you thought of how still the air was. How the night seemed eerily silent.

You’d left Uhtred and his men drinking heavily in the local tavern. You’d made some excuse earlier that night about being under the weather. He sent you to his quarters with a kiss on the cheek. Only that’s not where you went.

The horse started to whine as it approached a bridge. After crossing the bridge you’d reach a fork in the road. From there the stable boy had told you you could get to any town in England. Including your home town.

It felt a world away now. All those months ago where Uhtred had won you over and taken you back to his home. How wrong you had been to fall for his charms. It quickly became clear he was not all he seemed.

It wasn’t just Uhtred though. He was surrounded by people who had no problems with his obsessive behaviour towards you. In fact then endorsed it. Often helping in keeping you in town and with Uhtred.

When your horse reached the middle of the bridge you heard a voice. A familiar voice. It was no surprise who it was.

Finan, a friends of Uhtred’s who was more like family. Many times he’d snitched to Uhtred about you. Stoping any attempts to escape the lord of Cookham.

“Come now Lady, your Lord will surely worry to have you out at this time.” His voice is annoyingly condescending. Like everyone around you he treats you like a child, with little capability.

You shake your head, “Move aside Finan. I want to leave. You, nor Sihtric, nor Oesferth can keep me here with your Lord. So move aside.”

He laughs at you, which boils your blood. “No can do Lady. You will return to Cookham with me or I will inform your Lord. He will be much displeased to hunt you down.”

While your body begins to shake from adrenaline, your voice stays firm. “So be it.”

In a bolt you snap the reigns of your horse and it takes off. It’s an especially fast horse, the fastest in the stable. Picked for this purpose. In combat you don’t stand a chance against Uhtred or any of his men. Speed however, you could gain the advantage.

You pass Finan with little struggle. He makes no move to reach for you or stop you. That should have been your first sign something was wrong.

In the dark you didn’t see the rope tied between two trees. Unable to see in the dark the horse tripped and threw you off. Effectively sending you hurdling towards the ground with great force. That same force winded you and brought tears to your eyes.

“Is it so awful in Cookham lady?” Uhtred asked as you gasped for breath.

“Am I so awful lady?” He taunted coming into view from the treeline.

Still gasping from your winded state on the ground, you could do little to respond. From your eye-line you could see someone help your horse up and lead it away. The long robe suggested it was Oesferth.

Uhtred roughly pulled you to your feet by your arms, dragging you to a kneeling position. You could see now Finan’s face, still smug. Next to him was Sihtric, face cold and stern. But it was the person between them your attention fell to.

Thomas the stable boy.

In the little light and next to two warriors like Finan and Sihtric, he looks especially young and boy like. He looks like a child. Guilt fills your stomach. You knew he would most likely be blamed for your escape. You shouldn’t have involved him, but you were so desperate.

“This boy, he helped you?” Uhtred asks you. You don’t respond, looking down at the dirt floor.

You feel a sting on your cheek before you realised you’ve been slapped. The sound echos through the small clearing.

“Answer me girl, or I’ll do worse than slap you.” He threatens, gripping your jaw and tilting your face so your eyes would meet his own.

“Yes.” You voice weakly.

“Do you know what I do to traitors in my village.” You did know what happened. What he did to anyone who spoke to you, flirted with you, touched you. Nevermind anyone who got close enough to help you.

“Uhtred no, he’s just a boy.” You plead.

“By my count he’s man to try and take my woman. Man enough to conspire against me,” he pauses, “Man enough to face my sword.”

He goes to swing his now unsheathed sword against the boy. Yet your words stop him.

“Please Uhtred, leave the boy. Punish me instead and I’ll never leave you again, I’ll never try.” You beg.

He sighs, “You’ll give me that anyway.” His disappointment is clear. You’ll be his regardless if this boy lives or dies. It’s non-negotiable.

You cry out as he swings his sword, causing Thomas’ head to roll from his shoulders.

[witchofthevale]

☾ ⋆*･ﾟ the witch's dewey decimal ‧⁺ʚ₊˚✧ ﾟ

. . . ⇢ ˗ˏˋ library is now open. to heed direction, please check the tags below. this is mostly for myself, but you're free to roam around to seek what might entertain you for today. ·˚ ༘₊· ͟͟͞͞꒰➳

+ further curation might mean the use of 'search' instead of 'tagged', i.e. if you're looking for angsty aemond fics, you'll have to search #rainstorms tag + #reading for: aemy.

SEEK FURTHER?

{ TOMES } series collections | in construction { THE A-TO-Z AISLES } faves display | in construction

MAIN ;

#pikībagon 🔥💭. . .house of the dragon fics #elle reads !! . . .fics by other fandoms #elle is authoring . . .works written by the witch

LENGTH ;

#series . . .chapters/parts from a series #pieces . . .oneshots/long fics/full fics #shots . . .drabbles/blurbs/headcanons

GENRE ;

+ some piece that aren't tagged with #rogue tag might still contain nsfw content. I only tag nsfw when it's the primary focus/heavy with nsfw.

+ for #darkened halls tag it might depend more on what i personally consider as potentially dark/triggering. please read the TWs for your own curation, & do not community label. just skip if it's not for you. much easier for everyone involved.

+ there are no tagged genre for series parts to better curate anticipation for a piece.

#fluffernutter tag . . .fluff (comical, lighthearted, ease, sweet). #rainstorms tag . . .angst (tear-worthy, has a lot more hurt in hurt/comfort). #rogue tag . . .smut (mainly fics with smut, a hefty portion of smut). #darkened halls tag . . .dark (dark, potentially triggering). #dead flight tag . . .dead dove (dark fics that have definitive triggering content. please read TWs before reading).

FREQUENTLY TAGGED CHARACTERS ;

#reading for: [insert nickname here]

aemy (aemond targaryen) / rhae (rhaenyra targaryen) / aeg (aegon targaryen ii) / dae (daemon targaryen) / jacey (jacaerys velaryon) / creggy (cregan stark) / oberyn (oberyn martell) / vizzy t (viserys targaryen i) / maegor (maegor targaryen) /vizzy iii (viserys targaryen iii) osferth (osferth) / eddie (eddie munson) / tom benny (tom bennett) / ettore (ettore) / sihtric (sihtric kjartansson) / billy taytay (billy taylor)

[breanime]

Would you ever write for Sihtric?? No pressure or anything!! I got into the show from the sets you've reblogged, buy hardly anyone writes for him😫😫

Oh ho ho hooo, now that someone asked I'm kinda like.... Yeah.... Yeah I should write for Sihtric, see how it goes....

I honesty wanna give a Sihtric oneshot a try one of these days. Just need the time, energy, and inspo to hit all at once! 💗

[thecocchamchronicle]

Title: Down at the River

Summary: Suggested by @scionsofterredange,Sihtric and Y/N clean up together after a rough battle

Words: 1048

Warnings: descriptions of blood and injuries, nudity

Tags: @valhallasubstitute, @ivertha, @scionsofterredange​ @sihtric

A/N: @Sihtric, I tried to tag you but it wouldn’t let me!

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

The chaos of battle had finally ceased and by the grace of the gods, you were not among the dead that littered the battle field. You checked yourself for any severe wounds and found none. The only damage you came upon was a cut that ran across your cheek bone.

   ‘Just another scar to add to my collection.’ you thought.

You ran your fingers over the thin, horizontal wound. There you found tacky blood, that had already began to solidify. Pulling your hand away, you casually wiped the blood onto the side of your trousers. 

Being a battle hardened warrior should have caused you to grow accustomed to blood, but for some reason you had never grown fully comfortable with it. For whatever reason you couldn’t get used to the sensation of blood coating your skin. It was supposed to be on the inside of the body after all. Nevertheless, you tolerated the feeling until you could wash.

The next task was locating your love, Sihtric. You surveyed the field and started to panic when your eyes could not find him. Fear settled in and you began searching for Sihtric’s face among the fallen warriors that scattered the blood soaked earth. 

   “Y/N!” a familiar voice called from across the field. 

You knew it instantly, for it was Sihtric’s. You both broke out into a jog towards one another, dodging the bodies of the dead as you went. Sihtric slammed into you, pulling you into his embrace. He pulled your body close to his and cradled your head against his huffing chest. Sihtric’s presence never failed to sooth you. It was perhaps the place you felt safest in this world. 

His eyes glanced over you and quickly found the cut on your face. 

   “We should get that cleaned up.”

Sihtric knew how you felt about being bloodied up during battle.Therefore, he always made a point to make sure you were able to get cleaned up as soon as possible. Sihtric, himself was splattered with the enemy’s blood. He had speckles of blood caked on his neck and on the shaved part of his scalp.

   “Looks as though you could use a wash too.” you smirked. 

After finding the rest of your cohorts safe and sound, you and Sihtric headed for the river near the army’s camp. The river was unusual in that it ran straight through the forest. During your travels you’d found that most rivers flowed through open fields and streams slithered through dense woods. 

At the river’s edge, you quickly found peace. It was an incredibly beautiful forest. The surrounding woods were lush with bright green vegetation. Ancient trees towered over you and Sihtric, creating a leafy canopy that sheltered you from the blaring midday sun.

Sihtric stood near the bank and silently offered you his hand.

You took his outstretched hand and he pulled you into his embrace once again. Sihtric pecked a soft kiss against your forehead before he started to undress. He wiggled his feet from his tall boots and began to undo the cords of the leather armor around his forearms. You assisted him with the extensive task by removing the lacing at his sides that held his chest plates together. What felt like quite some time later, he was finally free from his battle gear, which he placed in a neat pile on the ground. 

Both of you then repeated the process, while removing your armor. Though Sihtric’s hands were roughly calloused, he was still able to untie the delicate pieces of your armor. He took care to not loose any of your belongs as he helped you remove them.

Armor off, you and Sihtric promptly removed your regular clothing and stood naked before each other. Your husband took your hand once again and led you into the river. The water was clear and surprisingly warm. He pulled you along until the water reached your breast bone. Sihtric dunked himself under the slow moving current, running his hands through his dark curls below the surface. You followed suit and mirrored his actions. The water surrounded your body, lifting the dust and dirt of battle drift down river. You stood, emerging from below and wiped the water dripping down your face. 

Sihtric’s lips curled into an loving smile. He always found you most beautiful this way. Not because you were nude, but rather that he was able to experience your natural beauty. It was the way your hair fell around your face, the way the thin rays of sun shown across your skin. 

You suddenly remembered the cut on your cheek and cupped a handful of water, splashing it against the wound. Luckily it was not a deep gash and therefore did not sting much while you rinsed it. Next, you moved your hair to rest on your collar bone.

   “Will you rinse my back for me?” you asked Sihtric. 

   “Of course.” 

Sihtric ran his large hands over the skin of your back, removing any remaining battle debris. His motions were gentle and soothing. Your husband’s touch never failed to calm you. Sihtric’s hands moved up and down your arms, brushing over the many scars that resided there. He repeated this until he was satisfied with a job well done.

Sihtric finished up his own bathing by scrubbing his face and underarms as you waded back to shore. You let the heat of the day and the slight breeze dry your body before redressing. Clean and clothed, you and Sihtric sat together enjoying the serenity of the woods. He sat up against a thick tree trunk as you laid your head on his chest. Sihtric leaned over to his side, reaching toward a nearby bush. He plucked a small white flower from its branch, tucking the flower behind your ear. 

   “You know, you are a impressive warrior, though I know battle is something you do not care for. I wish to someday give you a life where you do not need to see and feel such things."

You smiled at his optimism. “I’d like that.”

   “We could have a house and a few farm animals of our own. We could live a quiet, enjoyable life.”

   You glanced up at him. “Perhaps someday, but I can enjoy anywhere when you are by my side.”

[icarusignite]

Hey,

Could you imagine doing an Athelstan x reader. Where the reader is the daughter of Sihtric.

Maybe the reader could be the first child of Sihtric and his first wife (I know he only has one but his wife from the series could be the second). When his wife from the series met him, he left the readers mother and got together with his new wife. Unfortunately, the readers mother died shortly afterwards.

The reader's world collapsed but she still has her best friends Athelstan and Sophia, who is Finan's daughter. (I just like the name Sophia, I hope it's okay that Finan also has a daughter in this story. Of course you can change the name)

It would be cool if sihtric's new wife doesn't like the reader because she looks like her mother.

(So she is almost the evil stepmother, but the siblings are sweet)

Of course, Sihtric loves his daughter the reader more than anything but the reader distances herself because she blames him and his new wife for the fact that her mother is gone. Maybe she could also be jealous that sihtric also spends a lot of time with his other children and his new wife, because normally it was always only her and her father against the rest of the world.

Athelstan and the reader have always had feelings for each other. They didn't want to tell the other because they were afraid to destroy the friendship.

Sophia and the reader are like sisters, the two are inseparable and do everything together. When the reader was getting worse and worse, because she became more angry because of her father and their relationship got worse and worse, Sophia made a suggestion to go away. Sophia and the reader are both shieldmaiden and always wanted to travel over the world and make a name for themselves. Even if it is difficult for both to leave their family and Athelstan behind, they go away. Sophia, of course, finds it difficult to leave her father because she has no problems with him, but for the reader she would do it.

When the fight for Bebbanburg takes place after years and Sophia and the reader hear about it, they come to help. The two have a great army. The warriors and shieldmaiden wanted to follow them because they were impressed by their fighting skills.

In the end, there might be a conversation between the reader and Sihtric and that she tells him how she feels. And of course, Athelstan and the reader confess their feelings to each other, which became even stronger than they were not together.

I'm sorry it's so long but I wanted to write down all sorts of thoughts I hope you like it.

Your reader

Go ahead and cry, little girl

A/N: Heyyyyy, I am back from the dead. I am SUPER sorry for the massive delay. I've just been off Tumblr for a bit, but I am back. This is quite possibly the longest oneshot I've written so far lol. The Aethelstan bit doesn't quite start until the end but I do like how it turned out and I hope you like what I've done with your prompt <3 (could you tell that I was listening to Daddy Issues on repeat while writing this lmfao)

Disclaimer: I haven't watched the TLK movie (and I've been avoiding spoilers lol) so I have no idea what Aethelstan is like in that one, this is just based on what I know about him in season 5. Also, I was super done with this story by the time I was done with it so it's not really proofread. If you see any typos feel free to point them out so I can fix them lol, or just enjoy it as it is ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Word Count: ~8k

Pairing: Aethelstan x Reader.

The air was crisp and filled with the scent of pine and earth, invigorating the senses. In the heart of Rumcofa, a small clearing had been transformed into a makeshift training ground. Sihtric Kjartansson stood in the middle of the clearing, his battle-worn sword resting on his broad shoulder. Across from him stood his young daughter. Although you were only a young girl of seven winters, your hands tightly gripped the wooden sword in your hand as you stood tall, shoulders set and feet wide apart as you tried to copy your father's stance. 

"Hold your sword higher, bend your elbows," Sihtric called out, circling you, and gently nudging you to correct your stance. 

"Yes, Father," you nodded. 

Once Sihtric was satisfied with your pose, he turned as if to walk away, only to lunge forward, swinging his sword with calculated precision. Your training sword met his attack, weapons clashing with a resounding thud. Father and daughter moved in harmony, your steps an intricate dance. SIhtric would feign an attack, allowing you to then parry and counter, your small frame mirroring your father's every move.

As the training session drew to a close, a beaming smile stretched across Sihtric's face, as pride swelled within him. He extended a calloused hand and ruffled your hair, affectionately mussing it. 

"You fought well today, my little shieldmaiden," he grinned. 

"Thank you, Father!"

The sounds of whoops and cheers filled the air. You turned your head toward the two children standing on the sidelines, watching you with keen interest as they clapped. There was Sophia, with her fiery red hair cascading down her shoulders, bouncing on her toes as she waited for you to approach them. The mousy-looking boy standing next to her, Aethelstan, rolled his eyes but his shy smile as he met your gaze gave him away. 

Once you were within a few paces, Sophia launched herself at you with a squeal of delight, throwing her arms around you. 

"You were incredible!" she crowed. "You'll soon be even better than Aethelstan here."

Aethelstan scoffed, "She still has a long way to go before that."

You rolled your eyes, "You know I can kick your arse right now if I want, right?"

"Cannot!"

"Can too."

You stuck your tongue out at your friend, and he returned the gesture, causing Sophia to laugh.

Sihtric cleared his throat to interrupt the bickering, "Alright, alright kids, off you go. The hour grows late and your parents must be expecting you home."

"It's alright, Father knows where I am," Sophia responded cheerfully. 

Sihtric chuckled, "Yes well I don't know about Finan, but Eadith will surely have my head if I don't send you back before dark. Off you go, you can see each other tomorrow."

Sophia gave you one last hug before departing, and Aethelstan settled on a wave of his hand which you mimicked. After they had gone, Sihtric took your hand, gently leading the way toward your own home. 

"Did you see that, Father? Aethelstan denies it but I could definitely kick his ass, couldn't I?"

"Language, little one."

"You use it all the time Father."

"Ah yes, but you know your mother doesn't like it when you use words like that."

"Your mother doesn't like what?" came a frail voice from the doorway of your house.

You looked up to see your mother leaning against the wall, arms crossed and an affectionate smile playing on her lips. There were shadows under her eyes and her skin looked sickly pale but at least she was well enough to get out of bed today. 

"Mama!" you let go of your father's hand to rush up to her, wrapping your arms around her waist and burying your face in her warm dress. 

Your mother laughed, "And what was my mischievous girl up to today, hmm?"

"Father is teaching me how to spar. He says I'm getting better every day!"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, she is," Sihtric came over to wrap an arm around your mother's shoulder and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

She smiled and leaned against him with a sigh. 

"How are you feeling, love?"

"A lot better now that you're both here. Eadith was here earlier. She...she says that..." your mother sent a cautious glance your way.

"What did she say?" Sihtric prompted. 

Your mother was quick to flash him a reassuring smile, "Nothing too noteworthy. All is well."

"If you say so."

"Now go wash up, both of you!" your mother laughed, pinching your cheeks and gently pushing Sihtric further inside the house. "You both smell awful!"

"Mother!"

"You know I love you darling, but you need a bath."

"Get the fuck out of my house!"

You had never seen your mother this angry before. Her rage was a tangible thing, large and looming as she raged. The object of her wrath was your father, who stood there in your mother's room, eyes steeled with determination, even as she threw things at him. 

"I-I can explain," Sihtric began, his voice faltering as he ducked to avoid the book she threw at his head. 

"Explain?" your mother roared, her voice echoing through the chamber. "Is there any explanation for such treachery? After all these years of devotion, I am met with betrayal?"

Her normally gentle demeanour was replaced with a fiery fury that demanded attention. Her throat was raw and her voice cracked. Her eyebrows furrowed, knitting together in a mixture of anger and disbelief. The delicate curve of her lips, once known for only speaking words of grace and tenderness, contorted into a stern line, a testament to her righteous fury. Her complexion was paler than usual, and all colour drained from her face as tears streamed down, betraying her vulnerability. 

You watched your parents argue from the doorway, eyes darting between them. Your hands clenched, nails digging into your palms hard enough to leave marks. You would have much rather left to be with your friends, but you stayed because you worried for your mother. Your parents were not the type to fight, not explosively like this anyways. Sure they had petty arguments, they were human after all, but those were always resolved soon after, with your father bringing your mother flowers and an apology that would coax a smile from her. You worried that they might not recover from this, and if they did not recover, you wondered how your mother would even survive it. She was already so weak. These were the thoughts that consumed you, as you watched silently. You did not even dare entertain the other thoughts that whispered at the edges of your mind, thoughts about your mother's allegations against your father. 

"I offered you my love, my trust, and this is how you repay me?" your mother continued, her voice quivering with emotion. "You have shamed not only me but our entire family!"

"Listen-" Sihtric tried again, avoiding her eyes in shame.

"No you listen! If you wanted to be free to hump all the whores you liked, you shouldn't have married me. Now go. Go back to your harlot and do not let me see your face here!"

Sihtric's eyes widened with disbelief, "You...you do not mean that."

"Oh, I mean it with all my heart."

"It was a mistake. I swear it was a mistake."

"No, it wasn't." 

Your mother's voice cracked with grief as more tears flowed from her stricken eyes. She suddenly rushed up to her husband, grabbed his chin with surprising strength and wrenched his face up to meet her gaze. 

"It was not a mistake," she hissed. "You have already dishonoured me enough, do not make it worse by lying to me as well."

"I didn't mean to hurt you," was all he said, his voice small.

Your mother's hand fell away and she took a trembling step back. 

"What was it then? What was it about me that was not enough for you? Was it my sickness? I admit that I have not had much energy for anything these past few months but-"

She was then unable to finish her sentence, a choked sob escaping her lips as she clapped her hands over her mouth to stifle it. 

"Was I so awful that you had to seek out the company of another woman? Did you find my company that repulsive?"

"That...that's not true..."

"Get the fuck out of my house. I never want to see you again!"

Sihtric opened his mouth to protest but she held up a hand, silencing him. His shoulders slumped, and with tears in his eyes, he turned away from her. He brushed past you on his way out and something in your heart cracked just then. You had to stop him somehow, you thought to yourself. You had to fix this. You had to fix them. 

You sprinted after him, stopping him just as he was about to step out the door, tugging on his hand. 

"Father..."

Sihtric's eyes softened as he took in your forlorn form. 

"I-I'm sorry darling."

"Father, don't go. Please, please, please, don't go," you tugged on his hand more insistently, eyes beginning to well with tears.

"I'm sorry."

"Apologize to her. Please, just apologize. Say you didn't mean any of it. She'll forgive you, I just know she will, she loves you. Just, please don't go."

"I...I can't, I'm sorry."

"Is that all you can say?" your voice rose in frustration. "Is that all you can do? Apologize? If you're really sorry, you'd try to fix it! Please...please, please, please fix this."

Sihtric smoothed a hand through your hair, his touch tender. He brushed the tears from your cheeks and you shook him off angrily. You felt like you couldn't breathe and the walls were beginning to close in on you. Everything was falling apart and you had no idea how to fix it.

"Father, please. Please don't go. Please don't leave her, don't leave us."

"I'm sorry, but I have to go."

With one last solemn look and a pat on your head, he was gone, and as you stared dejectedly at his disappearing back, you felt as if the world had been pulled out from under your feet. You wondered if he'd ever return.

Suddenly, you were interrupted by a pained wail and your head snapped in the direction of your mother's room. Fear seized your heart as you hastily made your way back to her side. She was slumped on the floor, curled in a fetal position, hands wrapped around her knees as her body shuddered with sobs. 

"Mama!" you ran to her side, gingerly putting your hand on her shoulder.

She didn't seem to acknowledge your presence, a low keening sound coming from her throat. 

"Mama!" you shook her shoulder a little harder. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick? Should I call for someone?"

 Your mother shook her head, still wailing. You waited a few moments, before wrapping your arms around her frail shoulders and helping her sit up. You were just smoothing her hair back when suddenly she turned her head to the side and retched, emptying the contents of her stomach right there on the floor of her chambers. She groaned in pain then, clutching her stomach wearily. 

"Shhh, it's okay. You'll be alright, mother. Let's get you to bed," you whispered. 

You had already put down your own grief, locking it away somewhere unreachable. You had to take care of your mother first, and you couldn't afford to be distracted. You allowed her to take deep shuddering breaths before wiping at her mouth with the back of your sleeve and helping her to get settled back in her bed. Almost all her weight slumped onto your small frame when you moved her, and you grunted with the effort. Then you ran to fetch a bowl of water to clean her face with, pressing a cold cloth onto her forehead to ease her suffering a little. She seemed to vibrate with pain and you didn't know if it was the emotional toll of your father leaving or the physical pain of her sickness. 

Eventually, she drifted off to a troubled sleep as you continued to run your hands through her hair. You kissed her forehead and felt her relax a fraction and you felt your heart lift with hope. You left her side only to clean up the sickness from her floor, before returning to curl up in bed beside her, wrapping your arm around her waist as you held onto her tightly, as if afraid she'd disappear. 

The next morning, she was running a fever. Her skin was scalding and she only opened her eyes for a few moments to mumble something incoherent to you before drifting off again. That is when the panic began to set in. You were just about to head out to fetch Eadith when she arrived at your door herself. She had a sympathetic smile and pitying eyes as she let herself in and set about checking up on your mother. She had heard about yesterday's commotion, almost everyone in Rumcofa had. It was a small town after all. 

"She'll be alright in no time, love. Don't you worry about her, she is a very strong woman," she told you kindly. 

You nodded, and then hesitantly, you asked her the question that had been plaguing your mind. 

"Where's Father?"

Eadith's lips thinned, "He...he has gone with Uhtred and the others."

"Oh."

"I can stay here until your mother feels better," she offered. "You are much too young to care for her on your own."

You were just about to nod when your mother chose that exact moment to wake up. 

"No!" she blurted out, her voice hoarse. "I-I would not want to impose."

Eadith squeezed her hand gently, "It would be no trouble at all. Please."

Your mother shook her head weakly, "It is just a little fever. I'll feel better in no time. You have children to take care of, and your husband isn't even home. You must go back to them. I'll be just fine."

"But-"

"Please," your mother pleaded. "I'm no invalid. I can take care of myself just fine. And besides, I have my darling here to keep me company."

She stretched out her hand which you took immediately, letting her pull you close. 

Eadith looked unconvinced but after your mother insisted several more times, she nodded. She left you with a few herbs and medicines to give to your mother depending on her various symptoms and promised to return the next day to check up on the two of you. 

"Mother..."

"Yes, my love?"

"You'll be alright, right?"

You were cuddled up next to her, but still, the house felt strangely empty. She felt like a wraith beside you, like she could leave any minute and then you'd truly be left alone. You could feel her bones through her thin nightgown and you clutched her tighter, as if you could hold her together. 

"Of course, I'll be alright, my love," she pressed a kiss to the crown of your head. 

"Promise me. Promise me you'll be alright. That you won't leave me!"

"Oh, I wouldn't leave you for the world. You mean too mu-" her words were interrupted by a fit of coughs. 

She pressed her sleeve to her mouth and it came away tinged with blood. She pulled it away quickly, folding the sleeve up so that you could not see and you pretended that you hadn't. The two of you spent the rest of the day in bed, with you reading to her as she swam in and out of consciousness. Every time her eyes would flutter open and see you, her face would relax and she'd kiss you, as if trying to impart a lifetime's worth of affection. 

Her health took a turn for the worse later in the night. Her fever had greatly worsened and although you had given her all of Eadith's medicines, nothing seemed to help. She was still awake though, so that was some comfort. 

"Let me go get Eadith please," you begged her. 

"No. We will not bother her now. The hour is late and she said she'd come by tomorrow anyways."

"But Mother! You seem to be getting worse. Please, please you need to see someone!"

"I will not make a fuss at this hour. I'll be just fine. I just need to-"

A fit of hacking coughs overwhelmed her once again, blood pooling at her lips. She was too weak to hide it and instead allowed it to trickle down her chin. You wiped at it hastily, eyes filling with tears of frustration. You yearned to rush out and fetch someone right away, but your mother kept a vicelike grip on your arm. 

"Mama, please," you begged again. 

"I-no-"

She was having trouble breathing. You could tell. She sucked in air through her mouth and it rattled painfully in her chest. Every breath hurt her and all you could do was helplessly watch. 

"You...you know I-I love you right?" she wheezed suddenly. 

"What?"

"I...I said I love you, my darling girl."

"I love you too Mama," you whispered. 

She pulled you close and you rested your head on her chest. She massaged your scalp with her fingers, whispering more sweet nothings into your ear. You felt her voice grow softer and her breathing slow down. Perhaps she'd sleep it off, you thought to yourself. Yes, she'd sleep off her fever and be right as rain in the morning. You entertained yourself with such thoughts as you drifted off as well. 

You jolted awake sometime later in the night, some unknown panic clawing in your throat as you bolted out of bed. 

Your mother had stopped breathing. You had felt it. You had felt the stillness of her next to you. You shook her, slowly at first, and then more frantically.

"Mama! Mama! Mama wake up!"

She remained listless, her limp frame rattling like a bag of bones as you shook her harder. Your pleas grew louder as well, your voice rising with every moment that passed. 

"Mama, please. Please, please, please. Please don't leave me. You promised! Remember, you promised that you wouldn't leave me!" you screamed. "You can't break your promise. You'd be a bad mother if you broke your promise...please, I am begging you don't go."

Reality set in soon. Her skin had grown cold. It was clear that she had been gone for a while. You swore at yourself for not waking up sooner, for not going to someone for help earlier, for not doing something. Eventually, you slumped down, throat raw from screaming. The house was indeed empty now, and your mother was a wraith. Your grief was your only companion and it was a quiet needling thing, stripping you raw and ragged from the inside. you wanted to scream but no more sound would come out. You would have to fester in dark silence it seemed. 

In a daze, you wondered if you should go get someone now. It made no sense to, not anymore. What could anyone do now? They'd just come to take her away and then you'd never see her again. You saw how what they did to the dead. They were often burned. Soon there would be nothing left of your mother but ashes. Your mouth tasted like ashes and you had the sudden urge to throw up. Seven years was not nearly enough time to spend with one's mother. You thought you'd have a lifetime. 

You decided not to bother anyone then. You wiped your own tears and lifted the blankets to curl up next to your mother's body, clinging to her, perhaps to share your own warmth with her or perhaps hoping that she'd share her cold emptiness with you. At least then you would receive some relief from the burning agony that lit your heart. With broken syllables, you hummed your favourite lullaby to her, the one she always sang to you, and in that moment, pressed against her ribs, you could pretend that the hollow thud in your own chest came from hers instead. 

You did not know how long you remained there, in the space between wakefulness and sleep, the space where dreams felt like reality and your mother's arms wrapped around you almost as tightly as yours were around her. You did not notice the sun rise in the morning or set again the next evening. The only thing that jolted you out of your reverie was the sharp knock on the door. 

"Anyone home?" 

It was a familiar voice.

"Hello? Sophia's mother sent me with some things," Aethelstan called out from the door, knocking again. "She apologizes for not being able to come herself but something urgent came up."

He said your name a few times too, puzzled at the lack of response. 

You ignored him. There wasn't anything he could do either, and Eadith's medicines would not be of any use anymore. You burrowed deeper into your mother, raising the covers over your face. If you ignored Aethelstan for long enough maybe he'd leave, and then you could be alone with your mother again. 

It worked for a while and no one else bothered you for the rest of the night. However, the next morning there was a larger commotion at the door. Several fists pounded on the door until eventually, they had to break it in. It gave way with a loud crack, and still, you did not acknowledge their presence. The loud voices were inside the house now, as they rummaged through all the rooms of the house, the heavy footsteps growing closer until they finally reached your mother's room. Still, you did not acknowledge their presence. 

Someone said your name, softly at first, and then more insistent. You ignored them. Then suddenly, the covers were ripped off the bed. The sunlight accosted your eyes and you winced. Someone swore and the room burst with activity. 

"By the gods, is she alright? Are they both-?"

It was your father's voice, you realized indifferently. He was finally back. 

He said your name again, more insistently, and you shook your head listlessly, face still tucked into your mother's neck. That minuscule movement was enough though, to confirm that you were still alive. Strong arms peeled your mother's arms back to lift you out of them. It was at that moment when you truly came alive.

"NO!"

You screamed, a terrible ear-piercing shriek. They were your father's arms, as they pried you away from your mother and you shrieked even louder, flailing about desperately. You were downright feral, clawing and biting to get back to your mother. 

"No. Let me go! Let me go back to Mama! I want Mama!"

Several other hands joined your father's in pulling you away. All your father's friends were there, Uhtred and Osferth, and even Sophia's father, Finan was there. They all looked at you with pitying eyes as you thrashed harder, body contorting wildly. Your mother's fingers were clutched tightly in yours and it took several minutes for them to peel you off.

"Don't take her away!" you howled. "She promised she wouldn't leave me! You can't take her away. She wouldn't break her promise, she's not a bad mother!"

"Shhh, darling, she's gone," it was Eadith's gentle voice that broke through your frenzy. 

Sihtric handed your writhing form to her and you immediately slumped in her arms. You did not have the heart to bite and claw at her, not after all she had done. She smoothed her hands over your face gently. 

"Oh, you poor darling girl. I'm so sorry, I should have come earlier," she mumbled softly. 

The time after that was a blur to you as well, lost in your grief and rage. Your mother had only been dead a month before your father married again. You were almost certain it was the woman he had been seeing when your mother had caught him, but you couldn't bring yourself to care anymore. The true fury came when he moved her into your house. The house your mother had died in, the house that you had died in. At first, you refused to live with them. It would be a mockery to your mother's memory, to live in her house with your father and his new whore. That was what she was to you anyways, you never acknowledged her as his wife. Eventually though, even you felt bad imposing on Sophia's family. Despite Finan and Eadith repeatedly assuring you that you could remain with them forever if you wished, you allowed your father to take you home. 

The next few days passed by in a haze and you barely recalled any of it. In the days leading up to and after your mother's funeral, you stayed with Eadith and her family. In any other circumstance, you would have been delighted to spend your days with Sophia, but you spent most of your days curled up in bed. You refused to eat anything, despite Eadith's best efforts and you never spoke a word. You especially refused to see your father, turning your head away from him every time he came to visit and speak to you. 

The next few years passed by quickly as well. Once a lively and energetic child, you withdrew into yourself, but the silent simmering heat burning you from the inside remained. The only people who could ever draw smiles from you were Sophia and Aethelstan, and try they did. They had made it their collective mission to see you in happier spirits. You no longer took fighting lessons from your father, instead joining Sophia's lessons with Finan or Aethelstan's with Uhtred. The chasm between you and your father grew as he began to have more children with his new wife. You watched him be affectionate with them and the bitterness began to poison you from the inside out. You made your disdain for his wife very obvious and the feeling was mutual. You looked too much like your late mother for her to be comfortable in your presence. That paired with your constant reminders that she was the other woman and had only been able to acquire your father because your mother had died, meant that she went out of her way to make things difficult for you. As your father was often away fighting, she ran the household. She made you clean up after your younger half-siblings and do all the chores in the house. Often you escaped, slipping out to spend time with Sophia and Aethelstan, but that meant another screaming match when you returned home. 

Despite your bitterness, you couldn't find it in your heart to hate your half-siblings. By the time you were twelve, you had three. Two brothers and a sister. Your brothers were timid and easy going while your sister was a spitfire. She reminded you of yourself sometimes, often when you sat down to brush the tangles and mud out of her hair as she returned from another grand escapade. You were afraid of yourself sometimes. You were afraid that the poison inside you would come spilling out and taint them. They were innocent, blameless in their conception, and you could not blame them for the sins of their parents. Still, the resentment was difficult to erase. Watching your father spend time with his new family, you felt like an outsider. it felt like watching someone else's happy family through the window, watching how the warmth lit up their eyes while the wind hollowed out your bones and filled your lungs with ice. 

Your father was patient with you, painfully tender as if that would make up for what he did. He never raised his voice at you, even as you threw fits and screamed at both him and your stepmother in the first few years you lived with them. He was kind to you, just as he was with your half-siblings, but the distance was there. He'd avoid looking at you for too long because looking was a painful reminder of what he had lost. Everyone had always said that you were almost an exact carbon copy of your mother, and that was both a comfort and anguish. He treated you as if you were fragile, prone to breaking at any moment. You supposed you were. You felt it yourself sometimes as if you were on the precipice of doing something terrible, of releasing years' worth of resentment in one explosive moment. Your grief walked hand in hand with madness and buried things had an awful way of haunting you. 

Your breaking point came when you were just shy of your fifteenth year. Your stepmother had made you scrub the entire house clean to prepare for your father's return from yet another fighting season. You had done just that, but after you had finished, your sister had run into the house, tracking in mud and debris from the outside. You hadn't been able to clean it up again in time and when your mother returned from her errands, she screamed at you for being lazy and irresponsible as usual. She screamed at you all the time, so that wasn't what made you lose it. It was when she raised her hand and slapped you. The blow came as a surprise and you tasted blood. One of the rings in her fingers had cut you, and your lower lip trickled with crimson. You saw red then as the blood roared in your ears. You let out a string of the worst profanities, calling her all manner of insults. It was your unfortunate luck that it was at that moment that your father chose to return. 

"You will not speak to your mother that way!" he roared. 

"She is not my mother!" you screeched. "Do not ever disrespect my mother again by comparing her to this whore!"

Your father uttered your name, his tone tinged with a warning. 

"Apologize to her," he muttered. "You do not get to speak to her that way."

"Do you even know what she did? Do you even care? No of course you don't. All you care about is your perfect new wife and your perfect new kids. You don't give a fuck about me, just like you didn't give a fuck about my mother!"

"Mind your manners! I am still your father!"

"I'd rather have no father at all than one like you! You killed her, you killed my mother. I wish you had died instead. In fact, I hope your next fight kills you!"

Your stepmother gasped dramatically and your father flinched. His expression grew thunderous and he lifted his hand, almost instinctively. He pulled it back down to his side almost immediately but the damage was done. You looked at him incredulously. 

"You would raise your hand at me?" you whispered in disbelief. "Your whore already hits me at every opportunity, and now you would do? Maybe you should...maybe you should just beat me to death. Maybe it's me who should have died with my mother so that I could at least be with someone who cared about me."

"I-no...I didn't mean-" Sihtric stumbled over his words.

You didn't wait to hear his explanation, stomping out the door and sprinting away. You took refuge in the forest, slumped against your favourite tree as you sobbed. Your wish to remain alone went ungranted as you heard the sound of leaves crunching as someone approached you. A familiar voice mumbled your name. 

"Go away, Sophia!"

"You can't just push people away when you're angry you know."

"I can, and I will."

"Not me," Sophia came over and knelt on the ground next to you. "You can't get rid of me!"

You raised your head to look at her, eyes still swimming with tears, "Why are you here?"

"I saw you run out of your house and head this way. Seemed wise to follow you."

"You can't follow me forever."

"I can certainly try. Now tell me what happened."

You sighed and then straightened up, recounting your story to her, your voice taking on a sharp edge. Sophia nodded sympathetically, and then she pulled out her handkerchief to dab at your lip gingerly. 

"I'm going to leave!" you said suddenly. 

"What?"

"I'm leaving," you said again, more firmly. "I can't stay here anymore."

"You...you can come to live with my family? You know my parents adore you."

"No. I can't stay here, in Rumcofa. I can't watch my father live happily ever after with her new family and I can't watch that horrible witch erase all signs of mother from that house. I can't do it, I won't."

Sophia's brow wrinkled in concern, "Where will you go?"

"Anywhere has to be better than here. I know how to fight, I can go anywhere."

"I don't think-"

"Don't try to talk me out of it Sophia, I've made up my mind. I'm going to go and I'm going to leave tonight?"

"Tonight?" her eyes widened. 

You nodded, "They won't be looking for me for a while. They'll think I got angry and stormed off to your place as usual. That gives me some time."

"What'll you do if they do look for you?"

"I'll be long gone by then."

Sophia was silent for several long moments, pondering something in her head. Then, her eyes lit up and you recognized her expression as one she usually had when she had an idea.

"I'll come with you!" she blurted excitedly. 

"What? No!"

"Yes!"

"Sophia, no!"

"Come on, it'll be perfect! We'll explore the world together. And besides when have I ever not been by your side? Trust me, you need me."

You gaped at her as if she had grown a third eye.

"Are you insane? You have a family. A family who adores you and they would be extremely worried if you just disappeared like that."

"Technically I could say the same about you but it's clear that you're in no mood to listen to anyone. It's final, I'm coming with you!"

"No, I can't let you do that."

"Well, I can't let you go on your own."

"But...your parents...?"

Sophia looked pensive for a moment, "They'll understand. And you're like a daughter to them too. They'll be worried about you so I'm sure they'd be happier knowing we're watching out for each other."

"But you can't leave them!"

After several more rounds of back and forth between the two of you, Sophia jutted out her chin stubbornly. 

"If you refuse to let me come with you, I am going over to your father right now and telling him you're planning to run away!"

"What? You can't do that!"

"Watch me!"

You were silent for several minutes, and then you nodded hesitantly. Sophia's face split into a grin immediately. 

"What about Aethelstan," Sophia winked. "Can't leave him behind. Who knows which fair lady of lovely Rumcofa he might take as his companion if we're not here to keep him company."

Your face warmed immediately at the thought of your friend. He had been one of your best friends but in the past years, your feeling for him had grown into something else, something more. You were too much of a coward, and too consumed with your bitterness to examine those feelings. You had simply buried them somewhere deep inside where they'd never see the light of day. You shook your head frantically.

"We can't tell Aethelstan!" you whisper-yelled. "He's the son of the king and Lord Uhtred's ward. There'd be a whole search party after us if we take him."

Sophia's smile dropped as the reality of what they were about to do set in.

"But...but we can't leave him behind. Should we at least tell him where we're going?"

You shook your head again, "No. He'll only try to talk us out of it."

"But-"

"If you're coming with me, we have to do things my way."

"That's not fair!"

"Then stay here. Where it's safe and familiar, and things are fair," you shrugged. 

Sophia sighed and nodded eventually, "Alright, we'll do things your way."

And that was the beginning of a different life. The two of you left that very night, creeping out of Rumcofa using one of Sophia's father's boats. You had insisted that she write her family a note, telling them that she was safe. you also forbade her from mentioning you in her note, although everyone had known the two of you long enough to know that where one went, the other surely always followed. 

The next few years passed quickly, and both you and Sophia had made quite a name for yourselves and had amassed a small army of sorts. You had formed your own family of sorts, a band of fellow women who had run away from varying circumstances, brought together by fate. Your group of shieldmaidens was famous for protecting villages from raiders. You had taken care to travel far enough that you never ran into your father or any of his men, and over the years the fear of getting caught had worn off. 

You had first heard about Lord Uhtred's fight to retake Bebbanburg through one of your messengers. After much deliberation, you and Sophia had agreed that it would only be right if you joined the fight. Lord Uhtred had always been kind and had taken care of your family ever since you could remember. You remembered him visiting and asking after your mother's health and it was your duty to help him retake his birthright. 

Your army of shieldmaidens did not hesitate to volunteer to fight by your side. They trusted you to lead them and they would stand with you no matter what. You wondered if you'd see your father there. He had to be, he was one of Lord Uhtred's closest friends and if he was still alive, he'd be right there by his side. With a pang of regret, you remembered the last words you had said to him. You had wished for his death and you desperately hoped that the gods had not granted your immature selfish prayer. The years had cooled your anger and you were no longer as bitter. All the women you had met and the stories you had heard made you realize that there were worst fates out there and the sting of poison that ran through your veins became dilute. 

The fight itself was long and hard and you lost quite a few women, all cherished friends and companions. Everyone lost someone in the fight and after all the brave warriors had been honoured and sent on their way to Valhalla, everyone gathered within the newly conquered castle walls to celebrate Lord Uhtred's victory. You had been able to avoid facing anyone you knew so far, but now, as you sat in the corner, allowing Sophia to bandage your injured arm, you could see Lord Uhtred and his men make their way toward you both. 

Finan greeted you first, with a broad grin and a clap on your shoulder. Sophia turned around at his presence and when she saw him she squealed with pleasure.

"Father!" she crowed, throwing her arms around him.

He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her, twirling her slightly, like the used to when she was a child. 

"My girl is a warrior now," he boomed with laughter. "And leading your own army too."

Sophia's smile turned sheepish and she let go of him and lowered her gaze.

"I...I'm sorry Father. I'm sorry for leaving..." she muttered. 

Finan took a deep breath and then exhaled, sighing. He shook his head and patted his daughter's shoulder gently. 

"We will speak of that another time. For now, it is enough that you are safe and whole, and that you're home. You had us very worried you know, your mother especially. She was inconsolable."

"I am so sorry, Father."

As you watched Sophia and her father walk away, presumably to go see her mother and the rest of her family, your eyes stung and you blinked quickly, holding back the sudden onslaught of tears that threatened to spill. You felt bad that Sophia had to leave because of you, but more than that, you felt a pang of hurt at the thought of no one missing you. You had no mother who would be inconsolable at your loss. You busied yourself with the bandage on your arm, not realizing that Uhtred had left as well, leaving you alone with your father. 

Sihtric cleared his throat and you looked up at him in surprise. Both of you were silent for several long moments, neither knowing where to start. Your eyes charted the planes of his face. He looked older, with tired lines around his eyes and mouth. He seemed to have a perpetual furrow in his brow. Now that you had seen him, you were hit with an overwhelming wave of relief. His battles had not taken him from this earth, he was still alive. 

"I...I am sorry."

It was you who had mustered up the courage to speak. You looked him in the eye as you did, shoulders back, eyes blazing with defiance as if daring him to rebuke you. You waited for him to turn his head away, to make some sort of cold remark or something of the sort. He didn't though. He just stared at you and you felt rooted to the ground. Then, wordlessly, he stepped closer and pulled you into his arms. You froze in his embrace and he just held on tighter. You could not see his face but you felt his shoulders tremble and you wondered with some disbelief if he was crying. You patted his back awkwardly. 

"I'm sorry Father... for everything."

Sihtric shook his head and when he pulled away you saw the tears that had tracked down his face and soaked into his beard. He cupped your face with aching tenderness and pressed a kiss to your forehead. 

"I thought I had lost you forever," he whispered. "I thought I would never see you again. You didn't even leave a note."

The tears you had been holding back fell now, and you forced yourself to harden your eyes. 

"I didn't think you'd care," you shrugged.

He thumbed the tears from your face, "I am sorry. I am sorry I ever made you feel that way. I understand if you can never forgive me but you have to know how truly sorry I am. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me. Please let me. Please come home."

You avoided his pleading gaze, instead letting your eyes fall on your fellow warriors. 

"I have another family as well now. They need me."

Sihtric's face was crestfallen but he nodded, "Of course. I am proud of you, you know, more than you can imagine. You have become a most fearsome warrior and I am proud to call you my beloved daughter."

"I have another family...but you will always be my father," you finally said. "The first family I ever knew. You will always have a part of my heart."

It was you who fell into his embrace this time and you could feel his joy in the way his arms wrapped around you. 

"I understand that you have another place now, but know that you will always have a place with me, should you ever wish to return," he mumbled and then he hesitated. "And...you should visit. Your siblings have missed you dearly."

"I suppose a visit won't hurt."

Sihtric chuckled and pulled away, clapping your shoulder, "We have much else to talk about, I have much else to apologize for...but for now, I think there is someone else who wishes for your attention."

He gestured toward the tall boy watching you from across the courtyard and when you caught his eye, his eyes turned cold and he turned away. 

"Ouch," you muttered.

"The two of you left him behind," Sihtric explained. "You cannot blame the poor boy for feeling hurt. Now go, make things right."

He nudged you toward Aethelstan's disappearing form with a wink and he was gone before you could question his action. You turned around to make your way toward your friend, waking fast to catch up. 

"Aethelstan!" you called after him.

At first, you thought that he didn't hear you because he didn't turn around, but then he started to walk away faster. He walked right out the front gates and into the field beyond. You dropped your sword in the grass and chased after him.

"Damnit Aethelstan, slow down!"

Your words only spurred him on, but by now you were fully sprinting after him. You caught up in a matter of moments, grabbing his arm to pull him to a halt. He kept his back to you so you circled him, meeting him face-to-face for the first time in years. His eyes remained glued to the floor you crossed your arms in frustration. 

"You won't even say hello?" you asked furiously.

He did not respond. You pinched the bridge of your nose and sighed. 

"Go away," he finally muttered, his voice sharp. "I don't want to talk to you."

"No, I will not! Why are you running from me? You were my dearest friend, and now you won't even look at me."

Aethelstan's eyes finally met hers, burning with emotion, "You're no friend of mine!"

You flinched, "Hey...that's not fair."

"Friends don't do what you did. Friends don't abandon friends!"

"I never wanted to hurt you," you pleaded, reaching out to him but he took a step back, avoiding your touch. "I had to go."

Aethelstan shook his head, "I don't want to hear your excuses. You told Sophia and took her with you, but you didn't even bother leaving me a note? You clearly didn't think of me as a friend so why should I?"

"I couldn't take you with me. You know that."

"You could have at least asked. You could have at least let me know!"

"It all happened so fast, I didn't get a chance. I-I am sorry."

"Don't bother apologizing. You don't owe me anything," he shrugged. "It won't change the past."

"No...but it's a start. I should have told you that I was leaving. I should have explained why I had to go. I never meant to hurt you, and I'm truly sorry for the pain I caused."

"You treated me like I meant nothing to you. Now you have to accept that you're nothing to me."

Tears welled up in your eyes, "You mean everything to me, Aethelstan. You're my dearest friend, and I never wanted to lose that."

"You left without saying a word. We were supposed to share everything. But you abandoned me, just like that. How dare you say that I mean something to you?"

"Please..."

Aethelstan shook his head, his eyes firm, "We are not friends. Not anymore."

"That's not fair!" you protested, voice breaking. "After all these years, after everything we've been through together, you're going to dismiss our friendship like it never meant a thing?"

"It's the truth. I can't forget the way I felt. Do you even know what I went through on my own, without you there."

The two of you stood there, locked in a tense silence. You refused to give up, your determination fueled by the urge to make things right with him, no matter what it took. You felt desperate. You couldn't lose him. Not when you had spent every day of the past few years thinking about him. 

"Fine," you said finally, voice steady and shoulders slumped. "If you don't want to call me your friend, then I'll respect that. But I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me one day. Please, give me a chance to fix this."

Aethelstan did not respond, expression guarded. You nodded, mostly to yourself and turned around, starting to walk back to where the others were. Disappointment churned in your gut and you felt sick. You had quite possibly ruined one of your most cherished relationships due to your own stupidity. You pressed your lips tightly against each other to prevent them from trembling. You knew that he did not owe you forgiveness. Whether or not an apology was accepted was entirely up to the person one had hurt and if Aethelstan decided never to forgive you, there was nothing you could do about it. Just the thought of it made your heartache.

Just then, a hand landed on your shoulder, making you stop in your tracks. You turned out, bewildered. Once Aethelstan caught sight of your reddened face, his eyes widened.  

"What's wrong with you? Why're you crying?"

You hastily swiped your hands under your eyes, shaking your head, "I'm not."

He raised an eyebrow sardonically, "You have always been a terrible liar."

You shrugged. 

"I don't know if I can forgive you," he admitted after several seconds of silence. "But I'll try."

Your eyes brightened and your lips lifted upward. You weren't a hopeless case after all.

"But I don't think we can ever be friends again," he quickly pointed out, making you deflate again. 

"Right. Of course. I understand. I'll take what I can get and you are under no obligation to...to be my friend. Just your forgiveness alone is enough."

Athelstan watched you with a peculiar expression, halfway between amused and concerned. 

"I don't think I can go back to being just friends with you."

"By the gods, I know! You don't have to keep saying it like it'll hurt any less."

He outright laughed then, and you bristled. You glared at him.

"What I meant, silly girl, is that I can't go back to being just friends when I think of you as more than that."

Oh.

Oh.

"Yeah," he reached out to brush the tears from your lashes. "So stop moping about like it's the end of the world."

He turned around and jogged back to the courtyard where everyone was gathered, leaving you to marvel at the latest development of things on your own. 

[magravenwrites]

Sihtric Masterlist:

Oneshots:

The Ugly Duckling (Sihtric x Fem!OC)

Part 1 | Part 2

My Lady? (Sihtric x Fem!Reader) [Coming Soon]

[artemiseamoon]

The Last Kingdom (new)

It’s official. It will be a slow start as I navigate the characters and find my writing voice. Any works will be added to this masterpost.

The characters I’m most likely writing: ✅

Erik, Ragnar the Younger, Sihtric, Finan

Characters I’m not writing: 🚫

If they are not mentioned above. I may add people later but that’s it for now.

Uthred - 😤I can’t fucking stand him. He’s a brat, full of himself & I feel like he exists just to hook up with as many woman as possible. I’m so tired of seeing him get laid and drooled over - like I’m over it. 😒 anyway, rant over.

TLK

Drabbles & oneshots

Sihtric

Haunted house

Also a character in…

Riders on the Storm - on hiatus

Finan

 A cup of ale 

Vikings & TLK

Riders of the Storm - on hiatus

more to come! 

MASTETLIST 1 | MASTERLIST 2 | TAGLIST FORM

[lazypeachsoul]

Hello beautiful people!

This is an announcement that I finished writing the requests I had and that they will start rolling out soon. Bare in mind that I work so it might take me sometime to upload them.

And also:

I write for Marvel, Vikings and The Last Kingdom. Both oneshots and headcanons. If I'm really inspired I might turn your request into a multi-part.

I'm especially inspired to write for Loki, Sam, Bucky and the women (Marvel); Ivar, Alfred and Hvitserk (Vikings); and Sihtric and Finan (TLK).

This doesn't mean you can only request for those characters, it means that if you have a request for those characters I will fangirl with you about the request.

Have a lovely day,

Lalla 🌼

[solinarimoon]

helloooo <3

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Hello 👋🏼 thanks for asking Lau!

I most certainly do have some. The struggle is which to do after I finish up Fields of Wildflowers.

I am assuming you’re interested in multi chapter pieces.

After the response I got from my Osferth’s twin oneshot, A Place in the World, I am trying to plan out a story around that OC. Not sure if or who will be a love interest in it.

Then I am excited about a Sihtric x OC that is an enemies to lovers trope with the OC being a long thought dead relative of a character. It involves her being a spy similarly to Sihtric and having a nickname after one of Odin’s ravens, Muninn.

And then a very looooooooose idea of a fantasy world AU but no real plot lines or characters flushed out yet. But it will definitely have animal familiars/companions.

[angelsworks]

Can you do imagine x Uhtred x a Time travel reader like she’s from 21st century and is struck by lightning which send her into the past and she meet Uhtred who becomes obsessive with her and they are like bound by fate ?

Time traveller Yandere!Uhtred x Time Traveller!Reader

Type: Oneshot but parts are a little headcannonly

Summary: Uhtred is convinced the girl that fell from the sky was meant for him.

Warnings: Yandere themes, etc

You’d been ‘adventuring’ in the countryside. Well adventuring in the sense that you were lost. Wandering aimlessly, picnic basket in hand over the many hills the English countryside had to offer.

It started with rain, grey clouds rolling in from nowhere, filling the sky and creating darkness. Then the wind, as strange as it may started to circle where you stood.

Then you heard it, a loud crack of thunder and suddenly blinding light engulfed you. You felt it warm your body and send tingles shooting throughout your skin. Almost electrifying you.

Your vision was completely stolen for you. Replaced with a blinding white.

It felt like you’d been spinning and falling for hours when you finally stopped. The ground hit you and you felt winded. Your vision returned slowly, gradually becoming clear and free of the many black spots that littered it.

When you could see clearly you saw a man, more like several men. Looking down on you questioningly.

You raised your eyebrows and jumped up. The sudden action caused one to pull out his sword.

“What the fuck?!”

Regardless of how friendly the men tried to be their Initial metallic greeting did little to settle your nerves.

You ran off spouting something about them being crazy and that you’d phone the police.

Of course they’re confused. They’ve just seen a girl fall from the sky with a strike of lightening. Sihtric and Finan are convinced you’re some kind of witch. Oesferth is more inclined to believe you are an Angel. Some message sent from god.

Uhtred on the other hand feel more swayed to agree with the monk. You are clearly special and unlike anyone he’s ever met.

It takes almost an hour for them to get coherent words from you. Making you sit down and tell them just what you think had happened.

Afterwards they aren’t sure what to think. For one they think you’re crazy at first. But the more you explain, the more they try to understand.

Uhtred’s first instinct is to go to Brida.

During the ride you try to make peace with your circumstances. Thinking of ways to get back home. Unaware of a certain Danes growing interest.

When you reach Brida she had a different narrative entirely. She believes you are a gift from the gods. A gift for Uhtred. She sees “strings of destiny” tying the two of you together.

From then on it’s fruitless trying to get anyone to believe you or even consider helping you get back to your own time.

They all believe Brida and therefore want Uhtred to be able to follow his destiny. He hasn’t had the best of luck with destiny.

Spending time trying to understand you is one of his favourite things. It makes him laugh when you tell him of all your favourite shows, modern living and historical events.

“So this Robin Hood, is a fox?” He asks confused.

“No,” you laugh. “Disney just chose to portray him that way. He was a real man who lived in sherwood Forrest.”

He hums, “And he’s famous for stealing.”

Your knowledge of the future does little to warn them of dangers. However you are able to provide more modern medical in-sites. Simple things really like knowledge about germs and diseases.

These ideas help Uhtred and his friends in many ways.

“Typhus?” Finan asks you.

“Yes. I read it was common in this time. With the lack of medical treatment available it could be fatal.”

“Well how can we prevent such a thing?” Sihtric asks you, mildly interested.

“Well you can start by changing clothes at least once a week and bathing frequently.”

They all warm up to you eventually. You become an important part in their group. So when you bring up trying to go back to you’re own time, they’re all quick to shoot you down.

“We can’t risk you getting hurt.”

“You could die.”

“Like you say, we have no way to help you if you get injured.”

“You belong here, with us.”

You’ll have to come to terms with the fact you’ll never go back to your own time every again. Uhtred believes you belong to him. Sihtric, Finan and Oesferth believe your in-site is important to their survival.

You can’t leave them. Not now you’ve found them.

[osferth]

righting wrongs

summary: Set after season 4. Alfred the Great is sent back one last time in the dead of night to visit four very important people.

a/n: so this started originally as a dumb idea but somehow spiralled into a 4000-word oneshot, i hope u all enjoy <3

tagging: @minimartian @sihtric @othermoony @geekandbooknerd @lauwrite1225 @maggiescarborough @beowulfsdottir

"My England… my love."

The kingdom of Wessex had lost King Alfred in 899, the Great as he became known, the root of much of their stability and without whom the world had turned upside down. He had been an influence in many lives, whether as an attentive or absent father, a stern but loving husband, a great leader of men, or as the bane of a certain baptised heathen's life. 

At that moment, the whole of Wessex came to a halt. For others, it was a new beginning. A new king, a new way of life. For Alfred, it was the end of a long, accomplished reign. Many held him in respect, whether grudgingly or lovingly, attending his funeral, his burial.

During his lifetime, and indeed on his deathbed, Alfred had thought about the afterlife. As a pious Christian, he believed in a heaven and a hell, and prayed hard to not see himself in the depths of the flames that would plague his dreams. 

As he lay dying, he hoped he had repented enough for the sinful ways of his youth, hoped to find the gates of heaven opened to him. He left the earth with no fear left in his heart. Whatever God had planned for him, he would take it. 

But he would never have expected this.

"Where am I?" 

"You have certain things that must be done."

"Yes, I dreamt of a united England, and I wanted to see to it that-"

"Not England. Not what you are thinking of. Your descendants will see it done. Uhtred will see it in his lifetime."

"Oh. Then what?" 

"You will know." 

"What do you mean? Who are you? What-?" 

Alfred awoke with a start, on what appeared to be the floor of the palace he had lived in for so long. Something felt wrong as he slowly stood up, brushing down his robe, before he remembered the conversation he had had. His head felt like it was spinning as he tried to take everything in at once. 

Am I dead or alive? 

It was not often that Alfred felt completely helpless and confused, but this was not an ordinary situation.

He looked down at himself, and saw that the robe he was wearing was a plain white, presumably what he had been buried in… so he had to be dead. Except he felt very much alive, more so than he had felt in the final stages of his life. His hand was not placed over his stomach, aching with pain, he had no difficulty standing up and walking at all. This newfound freedom, as he liked to think of it, brought a rare smile to his face. 

Alfred looked out of a nearby window and saw it was around nightfall, or at the very least early morning. The only people on his mind were his beloved wife Aelswith and his son Edward… who was now king, he reminded himself. He felt an uncontrollable urge to visit them one last time, and his legs started to walk in the direction of his old room without him really thinking. He only stopped when he recognised the two soldiers stood guard outside the door… who were looking directly at him. 

However, they did not seem to be able to see Alfred, and he tentatively walked towards the door, pausing when he grasped the handle. He slowly turned it, pushing the door until there was a gap large enough to slip through, and quietly shut it behind him. The sound of faint snoring peaked his attention, and he turned around to see Edward lying fast asleep in his bed.

Edward's hair was slightly longer than Alfred remembered it to be, but, he thought fondly, it suited him and his new position as king. Alfred was lost in thought for a while, only jolted back to his senses when he saw Edward shift, and suddenly sit up. 

"Who are you?" he said brusquely, rubbing his eyes to see better.

"You do not recognise your father, Edward?" Alfred asked quietly. 

Edward's eyes widened. "Father?" he asked nervously. "Is that really you? Or am I dreaming still?" 

Alfred gave an almost imperceptible smile. "No," he said, walking over to sit at the chair beside Edward's bed. "In truth, I do not know why I am still here. I have been told I have certain things to do, things left unfinished."

"But England-" 

"Not England," Alfred said. "That is not for me to attempt to finish now, but for my descendants, but something else. Perhaps a last goodbye, I do not know."

Edward sat in silence for a few moments, a tear leaking from the corner of his eye. "I am King now, Father," he said after a while. "I hope I will be as great a leader as you were."

"I have raised you to be one, Edward," Alfred told him, a faint note of pride in his voice. "I have every faith in you. The Witan shall also put their trust in you. And your mother… I know she is proud of you. But you must also remember that I will always be there in spirit with you."

While Alfred had never shown many outward signs of affection to his children, he could not stop himself from reaching out to hug Edward, who clung to him as fiercely as he had as a child.

When Edward finally pulled away, his face was red and streaked with tears. "I will keep your dream of England alive, Father," he promised. 

"That is all I ask," Alfred said. "How is your wife, Lady Aelflaed?" 

"She is healthy," Edward said, managing a smile. "And she is with child. We think it will be a boy."

"Then I pray he is delivered safely when the time comes," Alfred said. "But what of your first wife, Ecgwynn? And your son, Aethelstan?" 

Edward shifted uncomfortably. "As far as I know, she took holy orders and resides in a nunnery. She can see our daughter but Aethelstan… he is confined to a monastery. She has not seen him since he was taken from her. He remains safe, Father, it is for his own protection." 

However in Edward's eyes, Alfred could see clearly the longing to see his son, to raise him as his own, because he too had suffered that way when Osferth was born. 

"I will tell you this only because it is what I wish I had done while I still had the chance," Alfred sighed. "Go and visit him if you can, be it in disguise if you must, but do not ignore the boy. He is still young, and every boy deserves a father who loves them. Let him know that he is loved, albeit from the sidelines. But do not forget about him. It is different for you, however. Technically the marriage was valid. Aethelstan is legitimate, and when you choose, in time, who to make your heir, do not leave him out of your consideration."

Edward was conflicted, and Alfred understood this, but it was imperative that he heard it all, because Aethelstan could be the future of England as he imagined it to be. 

"I will try, Father," he said finally, "I swear." 

At that, Alfred stood up, albeit reluctantly. He wanted more than anything to stay, but he couldn't remain hidden forever. To take the crown back from Edward was not what he wanted. He was not here to stay, even though the prospect of leaving broke his heart. 

"You may choose to ignore what I have told you and you are well within your rights to do so," he said, "but I hope you do not forget any of it. I must go and find your mother now, for my time is running short. Rule wisely, Edward of Wessex." 

"Goodbye, Lord King," Edward said quietly, as Alfred made his way to the door. "Goodbye, father." 

Alfred looked one long, last time at his son, before he turned and slipped through the door, leaving a shaken Edward wondering whether he was still dreaming or not. 

Alfred could not stop replaying the meeting with Edward in his head all the way to his wife's room. Once again, he slipped through the doors and sat beside the sleeping form of Aelswith. 

Her hair had more streaks of grey than it had had when he had left her, but asleep she looked far more peaceful than she must have felt in those last few months. 

She did not immediately awaken at the feeling of a presence by her bedside, but the sound of someone shifting in the chair caused her eyes to flutter open. She looked to her right and saw, in utter shock, her late husband seated in her chair. His complexion was no longer waxy and pale, but he looked as alert and healthy as he had before his deterioration. 

"Lord King?" she whispered. "Is it really you? Or am I simply seeing what I wish to be true?" 

"It is true, Aelswith," Alfred replied, reaching out to take her hand. It was warm against his cold skin. "Though I am no longer king, of course. Now I am only Alfred." 

"No," Aelswith said softly, "you will always be a king in my heart and in the chronicles. But if you are alive-?" 

"I have been sent back here," Alfred told her, "though what exactly for I do not know. I have already seen Edward, and as I told him, perhaps as a last goodbye. Although you were with me during my final moments, for which I will always appreciate you." 

"Forgive me," Aelswith said, as tears began to roll down her face, "forgive me for doubting you about Uhtred. I should not have berated you, I should have-" 

"It does not matter now," Alfred said quietly. "I am here, my love. One more time." He kissed her forehead gently, warm against his cold lips.

Aelswith sat up, her back resting against the elaborate headboard. "What did you speak to Edward about?" she asked. 

"I advised him," he replied simply. "On what to do about Aethelstan." 

"His first child," she sighed. "I see." 

"There is time for that still," he said. "He is only a small boy, he does not yet know of his true birth. When the time comes, however, you must speak to him, aid him, however you can. He will be important. I do not yet know how, but I have a strong feeling he will be." 

"I will do everything I can," Aelswith whispered. 

Alfred was surprised to see that her attitude had changed since last time, that she had not argued against it at all, but perhaps she had seen a new light since he had left her. 

"Thank you," he said, smiling a little. "You are being treated well?" 

"Yes," Aelswith said faintly. "Though Edward would do well to rely less on Lord Aethelhelm and to listen to his mother more often. Perhaps he will grow wiser in the future." 

"Lord Aethelhelm advises him now?" Alfred said, frowning.

"Primarily," Aelswith said, and sighed. "In truth… it was me who sent Beocca away after your… passing. It was wrong of me, I know now, and I regret it more than anything. You know of his…?"

"I do," he said, "sadly, I do. But he is reunited with Thyra now, and they are very happy together. They have found peace at last. "

Aelswith smiled sadly. "Yes. And for that, I am glad."

"Uhtred must not have taken his death very well," Alfred commented, remembering how close the warrior had held Beocca to his heart. "I know of his desire to retake Bebbanburg. It must only be fuelled even more now that he has Beocca to avenge." 

Aelswith hummed in response. She did not hate Uhtred as much as she once had, but still she did not necessarily like him. "Will you see him?" she asked. 

"I could not go back without seeing him once," Alfred sighed. "It must be tonight."

"There is not long left before dawn," Aelswith said. "You should find him now. I am… grateful that you have come to see me tonight. My heart can finally be at peace." 

"I had to, Aelswith," he said, and she smiled at the sound of her name. He lifted her hand and kissed it again. "I must go now."

"I shall see you again one day, my Lord," she murmured, the tears threatening to fall from her eyes again. "Until then, I shall keep you in my prayers." 

Alfred stood up. "And you in mine," he said, a hint of a smile on his face. It took everything within him to turn away and walk out of the door. 

Uhtred was now the person in mind, as Alfred thought about where he would be. It was a time of peace, as he had discovered, so most likely he was residing in Coccham with the rest of his men… including Osferth. 

But how to get there? 

Alfred closed his eyes, picturing Coccham as best as he could remember it, and only opened them when he heard a distant yet loud peal of laughter. 

He was no longer standing in the hallways of the palace, but was in a smaller room than the ones he had visited Aelswith and Edward in. The laughter seemed familiar, and Alfred realised with a start that he had somehow managed to travel to Coccham in the blink of an eye. 

Before he could even begin to wonder how this had happened, the door to the room opened, the noise becoming louder as it spilled inside. Standing there was Uhtred, the smile on his face slipping off as he saw Alfred.

"Alfred?" he said quietly, shutting the door behind him. The room grew silent. "Am I drunk or is that you?" 

"Perhaps both, I would say," Alfred said dryly, sitting down in the chair near the window. He motioned for Uhtred to join him, and Uhtred sat on the edge of the bed opposite him.

"You're supposed to be-" 

"Dead, I know," Alfred said. "I will not be here for long before I go back. I have already spoken to Edward and my wife Aelswith at the palace."

"You have?" Uhtred asked, unsure of what he was seeing. 

Was it a hallucination, like when he had seen Leofric while suffering with a fever? Or could it truly be the former King of Wessex, returned to bother him one more time? 

"It seems you have not tired of tormenting me, even in death," he added wryly. 

Alfred chuckled. Though he would never admit it, he was glad Uhtred had not reacted the same way his wife and son had. His heart had felt heavy when he had left them, and for a reason he could not quite understand, he knew he would not be able to bear it if Uhtred too wept in front of him.

"I am sorry about Beocca," he said quietly. 

"You don't need to be," Uhtred said, exhaling heavily. "I know he is with Thyra now. They are at peace, are they not?" 

"They are," Alfred confirmed, smiling slightly. A silence fell between them, before he spoke up again. "How have you been, Uhtred?" 

Uhtred fixed his piercing gaze on the ex-king. 

"As well as I can be, Lord," he replied tightly. 

"And your men?" Alfred pressed, his searching look conveying more than could be spoken at that moment. 

"They are also well," Uhtred said, frowning slightly. Some of his awkwardness faded, to be replaced with curiosity.

"This must be one of your men's rooms," Alfred said, looking around and noticing a cross on the table, something he knew Uhtred would never have owned. 

"Yes," said Uhtred, his frown deepening. "It is Osferth's."

At the mention of his son's name, Alfred looked down at his tightly-clasped hands as a wave of regret washed over him. 

Alfred heaved a sigh. "I have never… properly reconciled with Osferth. Never acknowledged him."

"Never even spoken to him, I believe," Uhtred said, and though he had not meant it to guilt Alfred, it certainly felt that way. 

"It was not that I did not want to," Alfred sighed. "But for his safety. Surely you know this?"

"Everyone knows, Lord," Uhtred said. "Perhaps you should speak to him, before Finan convinces him to get drunk." 

"I would like that more than anything," Alfred agreed, "though I feel… worried. What if he does not wish to speak to me? It is a cowardly thing to think, I know, but-" 

"None of us were blind, Lord," Uhtred said levelly. "He wanted you to acknowledge him more than anything." 

"Is there a way you can bring him here?" Alfred asked, the clear desperation in his eyes and his voice betraying his serene exterior. Uhtred nodded. 

"Shouldn't be too hard," he said, smirking a little. "I'll order him to bed, before Finan pours too much ale down his throat and it all comes back up again."

Alfred smiled at that. Osferth had grown from the newborn baby he had held that day in the room above the alehouse all those years ago, and he wished again that he had been there to see him grow up. "Thank you again, Uhtred," he said quietly.

"It is nothing, Lord," Uhtred said, standing up, "nothing but something I should have done a few hours ago. You should pray he is still able to stand." 

Alfred, too, stood up. After a lengthy pause, Uhtred spoke up. 

"This will be the last time I see you, won't it?" he asked. Alfred nodded. 

"It was a pleasure knowing you, Uhtred," he said, extending his hand to the warrior. 

"I thought your God told you not to tell lies?" Uhtred retorted, and both of them openly laughed as he clasped Alfred's hand tightly. 

Both were reluctant to let go, before Uhtred finally withdrew his hand and made for the door. "Farewell, Lord," he smiled, before he walked through the door, leaving Alfred alone with a sad smile on his own face. 

Waiting felt like agony. For Alfred, the time was passing slower than usual before the blessed door finally opened once more. Alfred looked up and saw his son staring back at him, a mixture of shock and sadness on his face. 

"Am I drunk already?" Osferth asked shakily, backing away towards the door. 

"Uhtred asked me the same thing," Alfred said. "It is me, Osferth. Truly." 

At the sound of his voice, Osferth visibly flinched a little. He had not heard it for some time now, and never had it been addressed to him either. "Why are you here?" he asked, his voice a great deal quieter than usual.

"To right a great wrong that was done to you," Alfred replied, stepping forward. Osferth's back was pressed against the door, and Alfred sighed. "You do not have to be afraid," he told his son. "Come and sit down. I wish to speak with you." 

Osferth looked as conflicted as he felt, though he did as he was asked, sitting in the same spot Uhtred had occupied minutes earlier. "What do you have to say to me… Lord?" 

"To grow up without a father in your life is a terrible thing," Alfred said softly. "I did not wish to deprive you of that love, but I had to."

"I know," Osferth muttered sullenly. "It was either that or being killed as a baby. I've been told that before." 

"If it was up to me I would have accepted you as my own at once," Alfred continued, his eyes pleading with Osferth to listen, to believe him. "But I couldn't."

"I didn't want you to acknowledge me publicly," Osferth said, trying to hide the bitterness in his voice. "All I wanted was for you to speak to me just once, in private. Couldn't you have managed that at least?" 

His voice was trembling as he fought to keep himself steady, and Alfred felt his heart break at the sight. Though Osferth was angry, he was also hurting, and he roughly brushed away the tears pooling in his eyes before he continued. 

"All the years I spent in that monastery being told I was doomed to hell because my father had sinned, all that time I spent being shunned by everyone because of who my father was, and all for what? To watch you fawn over your two legitimate children while you completely ignored me? You've never spoken a word to me in my life!" 

Osferth had not meant to shout. He pressed his lips tightly together as he realised what he had done, but a part of him felt glad that he had finally gotten to say what was on his mind. He looked down at his hands, refusing to let Alfred see his tears. 

Alfred felt more guilty than he had ever felt before. He had known during his lifetime that Osferth must have been unhappy with essentially being ignored by his own father for his whole life, but to hear his pain broke Alfred's heart. 

"I'm sorry, Osferth."

Osferth wiped his face and looked up at him. "Are you?" he asked quietly, and that was when the tears finally fell from Alfred's eyes. 

"I am," he whispered, reaching forward to take his son's hand. "I swear it." 

He was relieved when Osferth did not pull away, but instead held on to his hand tightly. "Then I forgive you, Lord." 

"I am no longer king," Alfred reminded him with a little smile. "You may call me father if you wish." 

The way Osferth's face lit up warmed Alfred's heart. This was all the two of them had wanted for so long - to be reunited as father and son in peace.

"Thank you for coming back to see me, father," Osferth said, hesitantly testing out the word. He had never had the chance to call anyone 'father' before, and he couldn't keep the broad smile from his face as he said it. 

"I was sent back for a reason," Alfred said warmly, "and I think this was it. To reconcile with you. I have wanted nothing more than to speak with you for so long, but I couldn't… and then when I could, I was too cowardly. I will never forget the day you were born, ever. You were my first child, and holding you that day… I thought you were the most beautiful child I had ever seen. You were named after my mother, your grandmother, you know. It broke me when I had to leave you and return to the palace like nothing had happened."

Osferth was close to tears again, but the smile did not leave his face. Completely overwhelmed, he couldn't find the right words to say. When Alfred released his hand and stood up, he did the same, before he hugged his father tightly, conveying his feelings in a way words could not.

"I am proud of you," Alfred said finally. "I have watched you fight and become closer to Uhtred and his men. You have found yourself quite the family, haven't you?" 

Osferth smiled. It was all he had ever wanted to hear. "Yes. I'll always be grateful to Lord Uhtred. Even if it was originally to spite you."

The two of them chuckled. Dawn was breaking, the first rays of sunlight streaming through the windows, and Alfred looked at his son. 

"I must go back now," he said reluctantly, "before I am seen." 

"Wait," Osferth said quickly. "Do you… do you know how my mother is? And my uncle Leofric?" 

"They are at peace," Alfred said. "They are happy, and they are proud of you too." 

Osferth smiled at that. "I'm glad."

"You must rest now, Osferth," Alfred said, squeezing his shoulder. "I shall pray for you when I go back."

"I will do the same," Osferth said, willing himself not to cry. "Goodbye, father." 

"Goodbye, Osferth." 

If Alfred had found it hard to leave before, it felt almost impossible now. It was the ray of light that fell across the door that finally incited him to walk through it, after taking one more look at his son. 

As soon as he shut the door behind him, his heart feeling lighter, he felt the world fade to darkness once again. 

"That was what needed to be done, was it not?" 

"It was. Do you feel at peace?"

"Yes. I will see them all again one day, won't I?"

"One day."

[breanime]

Breanime’s Masterlist

Collage created by the fantastic @songtoyou

New and (hopefully?) improved masterlist of all of my series, oneshots, and drabbles. I’m going to try to keep this updated, so... wish me luck!     * =sexual situations (read with caution, chapters are marked for series)

Billy Russo Oneshots (The Punisher)

Billy Russo Series Masterlist (The Punisher)

Logan Delos Masterlist (Westworld)

Jax Teller Masterlist (Sons of Anarchy)

Sirius Black Masterlist (Harry Potter)

Caspian X (Chronicles of Narnia)

Diego Hargreeves (The Umbrella Academy) 

Sam Adams Masterlist (Sons of Liberty)

Luther Hargreeves x Reader (The Umbrella Academy)

Nick Amaro Masterlist (Law and Order: SVU)

Miguel Galindo Masterlist (Mayans MC)

Coco Cruz Masterlist (Mayans MC)

Angel Reyes Masterlist (Mayans MC)

EZ Reyes Masterlist (Mayans MC)

Rio Masterlist (Good Girls)

Johnny Tuturro Masterlist (Graceland)

Chris Zapata Masterlist (Undrafted)

Manny Masterlist (Mayans MC)

Tommy Shelby Masterlist (Peaky Blinders)

Evan Buckley Masterlist (911)

Robb Stark Masterlist (Game of Thrones)

Jon Snow Masterlist (Game of Thrones)

Aemond Targaryen Masterlist (House of the Dragons)

Bre's Random Thots: HOTD and TLK Edition (Aemond Targaryen, Sihtric Kjartansson, Finan the Agile)

Bre’s Boys Preferences Masterlist (Billy Russo, Logan Delos, Jax Teller, Coco Cruz, Rio, etc.)

Crime Family AU Masterlist

Prompt Drabbles (Coco Cruz, Nick Amaro, Miguel Galindo, Billy Russo, Logan Delos)

200 Prompts Drabbles (Billy Russo, Coco Cruz, Caspian X, Nick Amaro, Logan Delos, Miguel Galindo)

BreAnime’s 800 Followers Event Blurbs Link (Billy Russo, Logan Delos, James Potter, Caspian)

Breanime’s Drabble Event (Logan Delos, Billy Russo, Sirius Black, Caspian X, Nick Amaro, Miguel Galindo, Coco Cruz, Jax Teller)

Breanime’s Drabble Event Part Two (Billy Russo, Caspian X, Logan Delos, Sirius Black, Sam Adams, Jax Teller, Angel Reyes, Coco Cruz, Nick Amaro)

Breanime’s 2000 Followers Event (Billy Russo, Sirius Black, Logan Delos, Caspian X, Coco Cruz, Angel Reyes, Jax Teller, Rio)

Bre’s Prompts Drabbles Event (Billy Russo, Jax Teller, Coco Cruz, Angel Reyes, Rio, Johnny Tuturro, Chris Zapata)

Bre’s Prompts List Drabbles Event (Billy Russo, Jax Teller, Coco Cruz, Angel Reyes, Rio, Johnny Tuturro, etc.)

Gif Drabbles (Jax Teller, Angel Reyes, Rio, Tommy Shelby, Pietro Maximoff, etc.)

Gif Drabbles (again) (Daenerys Targaryen, Rio, Frenchie, Buck, etc.)

***For character specific drabbles, search that character’s name on my blog (ex: Billy Russo x Reader, Miguel Galindo x Reader, etc.)