#eadith tlk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

He smiles before pecking a warm kiss on your forehead. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You giggle softly to yourself.

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

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

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

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

~~~~~

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

~~~~~

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

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

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

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

“Not now!” You snap cautiously.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Yes.” Eadith tells you. 

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

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

Not if I have anything to do with it…

~~~~~~

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

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

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

You smile coyly, then grip at your stomach slightly.

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

Your own ideas of religion have never joined up with hers but today is not the day to argue that idea.

“Oh, ow!” You cry out quietly.

“Oh no, what is it?” Eadith asks concerned.

“It’s alright, I’ll be fine.” you try to convince her.

“Are you sure?” she asks, peering over trying to read your face.

“Yes..” you tell her with a sigh.  “I’m fine, it seems to be passing already..”

Eadith keeps her gaze on you cautiously, her brow squinted up as she does looking over a new patient before her. 

“Their many Gods..” you remind her, rubbing at your stomach still.

She hesitates, but begins to delve back into her ideas of the Danes' multiple Gods. 

“It’s just madness, how can more than one God rule? What is the hierarchy of them? How do they keep them..”

“Ahhh, Christ!” You cry out from your seat.

“You’re not alright!” she demands.

This time you have drawn the attention of the others in front of you. Eadith halts her horse and helps you down as you groan in pain. She yells to the others to stop and wait for them as you are ill.  You grip your fists as you sit against the ground against a tall tree, heaving in pain waiting for the others to stop and assist. 

Within moments the group has circled back and gathered around you. Sihtric stands with the horses and gestures for Finan to help lead them to the nearby field of grass to graze and rest in. You notice the urge in Sihtric’s eye and encourage Finan and Osferth off with him as they are no help to you anyhow.  

“I believe it's just something I ate..” you tell Eadith through clenched teeth.  “I’ll be fine I'm sure. Just let me rest for a moment.”

You grasp at your belly, Uhtred stands guard nearby as Eadith kneels down next to you trying to comfort you in your time of need. You gasp again as another wave of pain strikes through you. She holds your hand tenderly and patiently talks you through the fit. 

“It’s alright, it will pass…” She tells you calmly. “You’re stronger than this!” she reminds you brushing her thumb over your knuckles. 

Suddenly… finally, she raises to her feet and stands before you. 

“I know what you need!” She tells you excitedly.  “Remember Madam Elles cure all for food poisoning?!” 

You blink back through squinted eyes up at her, still holding your belly as she gleams with the bright idea.

“Violet and clover!” she shouts out. “I’m sure I can scavenge some up for a hot tea from these woods…” 

Eadith merrily prances around gathering her pouch for collecting herbs. 

“You stay put, I’ll have you back on your feet in no time!” She cries joyfully.

“Eadith, no it's fine!” you cry out grasping at your stomach.

“Nonsense, stay put..Uh…

You cast her a knowing look..

“...Finan and I will scour the woods and I’ll prepare you the Violet and Clover tea. You’ll see! We’ll be on our way in no time.”

You reach out grasping her through her long red hair. 

“You are too kind to me, Eadith.” You tell her graciously. 

She smiles and hugs you warmly before getting back onto her feet and running over to Finan and the others in the field. 

You watch carefully as she paces amongst the trees and through the leaves towards the field; then cast your gaze up at Uhtred who's all too worried about you.

“Get down here!” you tell him in an anxious whisper.

He peers down towards you but kneels graciously beside you.

“Are you alright? What can I do to help?” he asks sweetly.

You roll your eyes in disgust. 

“I’m fine you twit!” you tell him in a ragged hush. 

He looks at you wide eyed.

“I just.. I just needed to speak to you alone..”

His eyes turned softer and a smile curled up on his lips.

“No, not for… I mean perhaps… No!” you cry playfully swatting at him.

He chuckles and sits comfortably down beside you. Palming his face carefully he looks back up to you still humming with laughter. 

“I just wanted to speak to you…without raising suspicion..” You add, trying not to show him your own smirk emerging from your lips.

He reaches out and clasps your hand in his gently. Peering over his shoulder to ensure no one is around. 

“Well… we are indeed alone now…What is it you wanted to speak of?” He asks you, squeezing your hand a bit. 

You peer up into his icy blue orbs and freeze for a moment. The words fleeing your mind as you stare blankly into the little crystal worlds that remind you of all your dreams.

“Hmm…Oh, um.” You take a moment to gather your thoughts and shake your head with a giggle.  “I’m sorry, ..it's just that…” The words are all too eager to jump off your tongue, you swallow them back down your throat and conceal them more than ever before. “...Morall…my lord…” you stumble over the words as they come to you in a panic.

Uhtred looks confused as he tries to decipher through your panicked mess of words.

You reach up, rubbing harshly at your brow.

“Let me start again..” you tell him before clearing your throat and sitting up a little straighter.

He smiles and turns his body towards you, propping his head carefully on his wrist staring deeply at you.  You exhale heavily and watch as his eyes pace back and forth between yours. 

“You know, it's really hard to have a meaningful conversation with you when you look at me like that.” You tell him through a thick grin.

“Like what?” he asks you, sarcastically.

You roll your eyes dramatically and poke him playfully in the chest. 

“With your….look Uhtred..” The words begin to roll easily now. “It has been noticed by the group that we are near ending our…trip around the cities of Wessex…”

He nods, listening eagerly to your words.

“..And they seem to be..down about that…” You add trying to word things carefully but truly. “..and I would be lying if I too, said I was saddened about..this time of ours together…” 

You look down to your lap, awaiting a response of some sort as you feel you have let too much out.

“Our time…?” he asks, raising his brow.

You whip your head up casting him an annoyed look with a smirk.

“Our time…and all of our time..times…” You foolishly try to correct yourself. “You know what I mean!” you add smirking up at him.

You both sit laughing for a moment with each other enjoying the freedom from others for a brief moment. It’s times like these that you know you will miss most of all…

Uhtred sits back against the tree wiping at his forehead with his thumb and avoids your stare for a long moment. You take a sharp inhale in and pat your other hand over top of his, reassuringly. 

“..Our time as well..” You add quietly.

He turns and smiles at you, giving your palm a slight squeeze. 

“Slow down..” He says calmly. “You want me to slow down the traveling?” 

“..Yes? I suppose.” You tell him shyly.

“Arrive back to Wessex later than expected?” He adds submissively. “Even after all I’ve pushed us through on this journey to be early? What a waste..” He says biting back his bottom lip.

“Why look at it as a waste?” You ask graciously. “You’re simply trading being on time for a few more memories, is all.” You stare down at his huge hand between your little ones; afraid of his reply. Your eyes dart back and forth between you and him trying to blink back the wetness growing heavy in your eyes.

He remains silent for a moment. You finally look up and see he is staring out at the field just ahead, where Sihtric and Osferth stand with the horses. You admire his large head; his long hair pulled back behind it, and the faint scars that mark the sides of it. Desperately you swallow the want to reach out and graze them softly.. He looks back to you and then down at your hands again.

“I shall consider it..” he says calmly in a stoic tone. “But only if you can make me an offer, right here right now that only entails us…not the others.”

He stares deeply into your eyes and you feel your insides melt as he studies you.  Your smile turns a few times as the emotions rise and you suppress them.  You sniffle and then laugh abruptly, unsure of what to tell him. For so long the truth has remained locked in your heart for fear of breaking the dynamic of the group, for fear of him turning his back and refusing to show any more interest. Yet here he sits beside you as you’ve faked an ailment and begs for you to make a vow to him, and only him.  A vow that somehow will tie you two together, for better or worse, at least for the remainder of the trip. You blink your eyes hard and a tear emerges from the edges. 

“Uhtred…” You tell him calmly.

 I love you. I love you. I love you!

You Swallow hard and blink again, trying to erase the wetness from your eyes. 

“...Will you please delay our arrival back to Wessex, so we can have more time together?”

…

When she was bandaged to the best of his ability, he left her with the baby monk while he headed into town to find a suitable room for rent. The one he found wasn’t much. But it was reasonably clean and had a comfortable bed so after paying the landlord he went back to collect her.

“I can’t afford this,” she complained as he scooped her into his arms to carry her up the stairs.

“Don’t worry about it.”

She winced as he lay her on the mattress, looking even weaker now than he’d first thought. She needed food, water and he began walking away to find both.

“Finan,” she called after him.

He turned to look at her, “what’s the matter?”

“Don’t leave.”

A smile quirked at his lips, “I’m not leaving, I’m just gonna find something for you to eat.”

She nodded, sighing as she closed her eyes and settled into the bed.

When he returned she was sleeping so he placed the food and ale on the table and made himself comfortable on the floor. After so much stress and worry over the past few weeks, he welcomed sleep and fell into it easily.

It was just before dawn when he heard a soft voice whispering his name, lulling him gently awake but his dreams had not been so peaceful. They never were. He ripped himself from sleep with a start, hand reaching for his sword. He was on his feet and prepared to fight before his eyes had barely opened. 

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” Eadith said, her voice no longer a whisper. 

“It's a force of habit,” he replied, dragging his hand over his face and rubbing his eyes. 

She watched him nervously and with a yawn he replaced his sword in his belt, “how are you feeling?”

“Sore,” her eyes flicked to the bowl and cup on the table, “hungry.”

“Winchesters finest,” he said, smiling as he handed her the ale. The bowl he kept, stirring the contents before settling beside her and offering her a spoonful. 

“I’m not completely lame,” she laughed, looking at the spoon of food in his hand.

“Of course not.” What was he thinking? Blood rushed to his cheeks as he quickly handed over the bowl. 

“So where will you go now that the fighting is over?” she asked, picking at her food.

“No plans as of yet.” He laughed nervously- “are you trying to get rid of me, Lady Eadith?”

“No, I-” her gaze focused on the bowl, she seemed to be trying to find the right words to say and he had time to wait. He had all the time in the world for her. 

“I suppose, I’m wondering how long you will stay. I do not wish to be here alone.”

“You’re one of us now, you don’t have to be alone again. Not on my watch.”

She nodded, meeting his gaze, her hand stretching across the bed towards him. 

Was it an invitation? 

He swallowed the nervous lump in his throat, his fingers tentative as they brushed over hers. She didn’t move away, her hand clasped his and held him tightly. “I care about you too, Finan. I should have said it yesterday and I regretted not doing so.”

“You never have to do anything you’re not ready for with me.”

“I know,” she smiled, her hand slipping from his and her attention back to the bowl of food as if her words hadn’t changed everything.

He wanted to say more but he didn’t know what or how to say it. So he just smiled, resuming his place on the floor and staring at the ceiling as she ate her food and drank the ale. 

Over the next few days, her injuries healed while Finan spent night after night laying on the floor beside her, wishing he was in the bed. 

Now it was dark outside and before settling down for another night on the floor, he lit the last of the candles and took a seat on the bed.

“We’re thinking of heading back to Coccham soon, if you’re wanting to join us?” he said.

“Without you here, there’s no reason for me to stay in Winchester.”

He smiled, “I’ll have to tell Sihtric to find you a horse then.”

“And where will I live in Coccham?”

He knew what he wanted the answer to be and said it, even at the risk of being shot down. “You could live with me...”

“Good,” she said.

“Good,” he replied, surprised but pleased.

She looked like she was going to say something so he watched her with interest. But she changed her mind and soon they were both merely staring, silence filling the air. He opened his mouth to speak and shut it again when words wouldn’t form. The silence was beyond awkward now yet he couldn’t look away. 

He wasn’t sure who made the move, maybe it was both of them, leaning closer and closer until their lips were in reach and they settled into their first tentative kiss. Kissing was certainly better than talking or not talking. Kissing said everything they needed to say and it felt right.

Eadith was everything he dreamed. Her lips were soft and inviting and when he tilted her head to deepen their kiss she moaned happily, her arms wrapping around his neck to pull him closer.  

“Be gentle with me,” she told him and he swallowed hard.

Finan had been content enough just to kiss her. But her fingers began pulling the fastenings of her dress and it seemed she wanted more. Much more. “Always,” he managed to say, unbuckling his belt and letting his sword clatter to the floor. 

It was no secret Eadith had spent the night with Aethelred and it was no secret the former Lord of Mercia was a monster and a brute. Finan would never be like that, not with her, not with anyone.

Slowly they shed each other's clothes and he admired every inch of Eadith’s skin with fascination. So creamy and soft, barely a freckle or scar and her nipples delicately pink. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen and perhaps he didn’t deserve her but he could not deny himself this treasure.

He let his calloused warriors touch stroke across her body, eliciting sweet sighs and moans. He hardly knew where to start, so he started at the bottom. His lips gently grazing her foot, her legs, her stomach, her breasts and then her lips. He could get lost in her sweet, perfect lips. 

“You’ve no idea how much I’ve wanted you,” he told her, cupping her breasts, his tongue swirling around the outline of her nipples before sucking them. 

They had all night and he intended to use it. He wanted to feel every part of her, to know every inch had been covered in the scent of his skin and the feel of his lips. With every kiss and caress, she grew more and more needy, writhing on the bed, gasping at every touch.

“I need… more. Please Finan.”

It wasn’t every day he had a woman begging for him and he wasn’t one to deny a Lady. He sank between her thighs, spreading them over his shoulders, angling her body so he could taste her sweet, wet cunt. He’d bet gold she’d never been kissed here before and he would be the first. Not some Lord or a King, him. 

“Finan,” she gasped as his tongue pressed against her. Swirling, flicking, settling into a torturous rhythm. 

The noises she made urged him and he couldn’t wait to feel how ready she was to take his cock. He slipped a finger inside, pumping in and out, in time with his tongue. She was deliciously wet and his cock throbbed desperately to replace his fingers.

With every flick of his tongue, he could feel her drawing nearer and nearer to climax but he denied her, he wanted to be inside when her walls tightened with pleasure. 

She moaned when his tongue stopped its rhythm and he smiled, crawling along her body to kiss her.

“Are you sure you want this?” he whispered, his heart hammering in his chest and his cock almost ready to burst with desire.

She opened her eyes and panted a breathy, “yes, yes, please.”

He smiled, kissing her again. It might have killed him to stop but he would have done it. For her. 

He rubbed his cock over her cunt, coating himself in her slickness before slowly inching inside. 

She was so soft and hugged him tightly, drawing him in. After he was fully sheathed he pulled himself almost all the way out so he could take her again and it felt just as good as the first time. 

“Jesus, Eadith,” he groaned, every thrust coiling pleasure tighter and tighter within him. Already it was almost unbearable to stop himself from releasing but he wanted it to last. He wanted her to feel better than she’d ever felt before.

Eadith’s legs wrapped around his waist and her arms clung to him as he drove into her over and over again. Delirious with the sounds she was making and the feel of her tight wet cunt. 

He kissed her, stealing the moans from her lips before commanding her to come for him.

She arched her back, her legs squeezing him tighter and her climax shuddering across her body with his name on her lips. 

He couldn’t stop himself now even if he wanted to, pressure released, his body jerking, squeezing every ounce inside her.

Breathlessly he settled his head onto her chest and she cradled him. It had been a long time since he’d felt this content. 

“Well that was a grand old time, wasn’t it?” he joked after a while, making light of the mass of butterflies he felt fluttering in his stomach. 

“Don’t feel you have to owe me anything now, Finan,” she said, worry creasing her brow.

“I don’t,” he replied, quickly, foolishly. “I mean-” he took her hand, “there’s nothing you’ll ever want that I won’t wanna give you.”

She smiled, her cheeks tinged with pink, “then perhaps… we could do more…”