#finan fluff

The sound of a horse galloping towards her had her feet stopping, her heart pounding in her chest, turning around she saw Ragnar slowly approaching her. “It is time to come back now.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I haven’t searched the whole woods yet.”

Sighing as he hopped off his horse, he slowly approached her only for his heart to squeeze painfully as she took a step back from him. “It is getting too dark now, we will search tomorrow.”

“I can not give up on him, he is my brother.” She says wrapping her arms around her, the cold air started to hurt her bones. “Please Ragnar.”

“I promise we will continue looking for him, I give you my word.”

“He is all I have, I can not and will not give up on him.”

It was Ragnars turn to take a step back, recoiling as if she had stabbed him with the sharpest blade known to man. It wasn’t true. She had Brida even if they didn’t always see eye to eye, sometimes arguing with each other until their throats were sore - and nine out of ten times they would then team up and argue with the person that was stupid enough to try and get in the middle of them. But she had him, she was his baby sister - it didn’t matter that they weren’t related by blood, she was his sister. He remembers the day that his father brought back the two children, he had just turned twenty when the scared siblings were brought into his family home. A seven year old Y/n took to him instantly and absolutely loved running circles around him - she was the only one that could have his full attention whenever she demanded it, happily playing the games she came up with and not even caring when she changed the rules just so she could win. She had him, she always did and will do until it was his time to go to Valhalla. “You know that is not true.”

“I- I know, but-but…”

“It is not the same.” He finished, a small smile tugging at his lips as she nodded. “I am here, always.”

“Always?”

Nodding, he opened his arms for her, stumbling slightly as she collided into his chest. “Lets go back, we have a long day tomorrow.”

When morning came, Ragnar handed Y/n a pile of stones he had found, watching as she laid the stones out in a symbol as a sign for Uhtred if he somehow stumbled up on them - letting him know that she was looking for him. It had been something they had done since they were children. Following closely behind Ragnar they made their way to Wessex.

A not so subtle grin on her lips as the three of them slowled their horses down, walking through the streets of Wessex, the crowds gasping in horror at seeing three Danes walk carefree. Brida had been taken away, Y/n had to grip Ragnar’s arm to keep him from attacking the king - who had ordered one of his men, Steapa, to help the siblings look for the man. Hild happily joined too.

Making their way to Eofwic, they meet with Guthred who informs them that he sold Uhtred and Halig to a slave trader, both Ragnar and Steapa had to grab ahold of Y/n as she launched forward trying to attack the weasel - calling him every insult she could think of as Steapa carried her away on his shoulder.

“Calm down.”

“Calm down?” Her face scrunching up in disgust. “You want me to calm down, when that… that prick has sold our brother and friend?”

“He may be a prick but he is a king.”

“He is not a king, he is a toad and a weasel and-and a coward! Ragnar he has sold our brother!”

“I know! But we will get Uhtred back.”

“He could be anywhere, or worse, he could be dead.” Not interested in what her oldest brother has to say back she walks past him, knocking into him as she did so.

As spring finally arrived, they waited near the beach for the sea trader named Sverri - who had brought Uhtred and Halig - to come back, when one of Ragnar’s men told them that a ship was near by Y/n’s heart skipped a beat - or two. Whilst they waited, hidden away she couldn’t stop pacing up and down, going from biting her nails to her lip, tying her hair up only to undo it and do it again, to even practicing how she was going to greet her brother - much to Ragnar and Steapa’s enjoyment, she finally settled on nodding her head and waving at him.

When it was time, Ragnar gave them the signal, they rode in on horseback swords drawn and ready, she was right behind her brother - her eyes searching for her other sibling. Then she sees him doing a double take because he didn’t look like her brother, weak, disheveled and broken, that wasn’t the man she knew but then she saw his eyes, jumping off her horse and running straight towards him, she dropped to her knees her hands shakily going to his face whispering his name before wrapping her arms around his boney form and pulling him into her, crying as she does.

Ragnar’s heart broke at seeing his siblings clinging onto each other, like Y/n he couldn’t believe what his brother had been reduced to, a strong man beaten and broken. Slowly approaching, he fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around them - not caring at who was watching. “Sweet girl, go and free the men.” He whispered into her hair, smiling softly as she kissed Uhtred’s dirty forehead.

Making her way over to where the men who had been subjected to the most unimaginable abuse, she pulled her dagger out and began cutting the thick layers of rope that were binding their wrists tightly together. “You are free.” She told them.

Getting to one man she faltered, his watery, pained brown eyes broke her heart, as she cut the rope his eyes went from hers to the sword on her hip to a man that was being held back by Ragnar’s men then back to her, despite no words being exchanged she knew, she knew what he wanted, handing her sword - that was gifted to her by Uhtred many years before - she watched as he limped over to the man. No one moved, no one said anything as the man pulled her sword up, shivers went down her spine as the only sound was the man strongly yet heartbreakingly whispering. “Pull.” Before the blade went through the traders throat.

Her sword, now coated in blood, hit the ground with a soft thud, she approached him as his legs began to buckle before he could hit the ground she grabbed ahold of him, slowly and carefully bringing him to the floor, bringing him into her chest she held him as his body shook. “You are free, you are free.”

When Uhtred broke the news to her that Halig had died, she choked back a sob, hoping it was a lie but seeing his body finally being removed from the bow of the ship she held Uhtred’s hand, her other hand holding the other mans, she cried as her friends body was wrapped up - his sword in his hand. A grave was dug for him by the Danes, one of them even creating a cross out of two sticks. Her sweet, annoying, loyal Halig had lost his life in a brutal way, she didn’t want to imagine the pain he felt or how scared he must have been, she didn’t want to imagine how life was now different without him, she didn’t know who she was going to now trust other than herself and Ragnar with the only important thing in her life - Uhtred. “Goodbye, my friend. We will meet again one day I promise, thank you for everything.” She whispered as she laid a flower Hild had picked for her, on his grave.

That night everyone was sitting around the firepit eating the many rabbits one of the men had caught and cooked, Y/n kept handing Uhtred meat even when he insisted he was full, Hild watching with a subtle smile on her lips as her friend was oblivious to the fact that she had gained someones attention because she was too busy staring at Uhtred - too scared he would disappear again.

“You should have seen her brother, pacing up and down, practicing how she was going to great you - she settled on a wave, did you not Y/n?” Ragnar the Younger chuckled as she stuck her tongue out at him.

“I do not think she has ever hugged me that tightly before.” Uhtred laughed, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and pulling her closer. “However, I will not complain.”

As the brothers retold the stories of growing up with Ragnar the Fearless as a father, and stories of the havoc the youngest of the children would get up to, she noticed the man whose name she didn’t - Uhtred had told her but she wasn’t listening - get up and move away, choosing to sit closer to the sea. Hild nudged her leg and gestured to the man, understanding what her friend was silently suggesting she slowly approached him. “Hi.”

“L-Lady.”

“I am not a lady.” She laughed. “My name is Y/n.”

“Finan.”

“May I sit?” He nods, keeping his eyes on her as she sits next to him. “Will you be joining my brother?”

“If he will have me, I will be honoured to serve him.”

“He trusts you.”

“How do you know that?”

“I saw the way he looked at you when you killed that bastard, he trusts you.”

Picking up a stone, Finan looked over at the ship that was still burning thanks to them. “Your brother and Halig spoke fondly of you.” At the mention of her friend unshed tears began to burn her eyes, he noticed as a tear fell down her cheek. “I-I did not mean to upset you.”

“You have not, I miss him already.”

“Aye, I did not know him long but he was a good man.”

“That he was.” She agreed, smiling as memories flashed in front her eyes. “He could be annoying sometimes, and he would always eat my food if I was to slow.”

Finan chuckled. “He kept winding Uhtred up by telling him that he was going to marry you.”

“No he did not!” Y/n burst out giggling imagining her brothers reaction. “He would have to get the permission from both of my brothers, which he would not have gotten.”

“How come?”

“There is no man worthy of you, Y/n.” She says imitating Ragnar’s voice. “Or as Uhtred would say if he can survive me killing him, then he can marry you.”

The Irishman burst out laughing, he couldn’t remember the last time he laughed, honestly. “They are protective I see.”

“Annoyingly so.”

They fell into a comfortable silence watching as the waves went back and forth, until Finan spoke back up. “C-Can I borrow your dagger?” Without questioning why he needed it, she handed over her favorite dagger. “It is so I can shave, thank you.”

Watching with a baited breath as he attempted to blindly shave the thick bush of hair on his face, wincing as he got too close to his skin. “Do- would you like me to do it?”

“Will you?” She nods. “Thank you.”

“It is okay.” Moving to rest on her knees smiling shyly when he spread his legs open so she could rest in between them, she carefully began shedding the hair - the whole time Finan couldn’t take his eyes off of her. “There.”

“Thank you, I feel like myself again.” Handing over the stone he was fiddling with to her. “As payment, my lady.”

“I have told you, I am not a lady.” Laughing as she takes the stone, she already knew she was going to treasure it forever. Handing him her dagger, he gave her a questioning look. “For trusting me bring a blade close to your face, no one has ever do that before.”

His eyes open comically causing her to fall into a fit of giggles.

Ragnar watched the scene before him, jaw clenched tightly as he heard his sister giggling - a sound he hadn’t heard in such a long time. Uhtred sat beside him, a grin on his broken lips.

It’s now been three years since Ragnar, Y/n, Steapa and Hild rescued Uhtred and Finan.

The Irishman was currently watching as Y/n played with a young Stiorra, a lovesick look in his eyes as he does so, everyone knew how he felt towards his lords sister - everyone but her. He couldn’t help it, not that he tried to stop it, for falling in love with her, from the moment they met she treat him with nothing but kindness and respect, she defended him whenever it was needed, she held him close at night when he had nightmares either from the torture he enduered on the slave ship or the images he saw on the battlefield, she fattened him up by piling his plate with food - watching and waiting as he ate every bite only for her to then put more on, she was the one who brought the spark and fire back into his eyes, the determination to survive each battle was because of her, he truly believed she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on - he would start fights with men who stared at her far to long for his liking. For Finan falling in love with Y/n was easy as breathing. It hurt, her not knowing how he felt, but he didn’t want to lose her so he kept quiet.

Sihtric knew how his friend felt, and because he was fed up of hearing Finan moaning and complimenting Y/n, he decided to tease him. “Lord, the man Y/n will be marrying, is he a good man?”

Uhtred’s eyes went wide. Y/n marrying? Since when? Frowning as he looked at the Dane, who nodded to the Irishman to his left - who was still yet to take his eyes off of Y/n. That’s when it hit him, he too decided to tease his friend by playing along. “Yes, he is.”

“Do you think he will treat her right?”

“Of course, or she would hurt him.” The two men laughed whilst Osferth sat there really confused to what was happening. “But yes he will treat her right.”

“Wait… what?” Finan’s eyes moved away from Y/n to Uhtred. “Who will treat who right?”

“The man marrying Y/n.”

“Oh.” All three of them felt instantly bad as Finan lowered his head, shrinking into himself as he gripped his cup tightly. “I did not realise she was marrying.”

“You have my blessing.” Uhtred said before his brain could catch up. Everyone knew that he didn’t want Y/n to marry, he knew how his friend felt, but he also knew how she felt for him; he honestly couldn’t hear her talking about him or how attractive the man is, or her telling him every single detail about the day she had with him one more time. But he knew in his heart that he didn’t trust any other man - aside from himself, Sihtric, Osferth and Ragnar - to protect, care and love her, and if they got married it meant he didn’t have to lose her and never see her again. He couldn’t think of a better man than Finan to marry his little sister, so giving the man his blessing he didn’t need to think about it. “I know she feels the same.”

“W-what? Ye can not be serious!” Finan stuttered. “I- she feels the- is this a joke?”

“I am not joking unless you do not wish-”

“No! No I do.” Downing the rest of his mead, he jumped up fixing his clothes - nearly tripping over his own feet as he did so, he made his way over to where Y/n was still happily playing with Stiorra. “Lady Y/n, c-can I speak with you?”

“You do not have to ask.” She chuckled, gesturing to Stiorra to go to her mother. “What is it?”

“Will- do you- erm.” As he stumbled over his words, his cheeks going even redder than they already were due to hearing the trio chuckling from their seats on the bench. Blurting out. “Will you marry me?”

“Yes.”

“What? Really?” Sihtric and Uhtred doubled over with laughter, Osferth rolled his eyes.

“Do you not want to-”

“I do! I want to marry you.” Pulling her closer by her waist, he searched her eyes for any doubted - finding none, he placed his lips on hers, both sighing in content.

The kiss comes to an end when a non subtle cough comes from the side of them.

“Go away Uhtred!” Y/n rolls her eyes as her brother stands there with his arms crossed and a disapproval look on his face, taking a hold of Finan’s hand she begins to drag him away, leading the Irishman towards her home.

“Where are you doing?”

“To celebrate with my fiance.” Finan’s eyes were practically bulging out as he registered Y/n’s words, a tent already forming uncomfortably in his trousers. Sihtric sat there choking on air. Osferth was gripping his cross and muttering a prayer. And Uhtred? Well he stood there stumbling over his words, whether in shock or horror she didn’t know nor care. Giggling as she shouts. “Do not disturb us!”