#leofric

𝐔𝐡𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐝

・In the late afternoon sun, you were riding in the march towards the battlefield.

・Not far from Uhtred, you heard the gallop of someone approaching.

"Lady," a young soldier said.

"Aye, you have eyes. Good for you," you replied without looking at him.

"No, Lady, you've been summoned."

・You snorted.

・As did your horse.

Your voice fell flat as you spoke, "no one summons me."

・The young soldier looked around for help, and his eyes saw Uhtred, who broke from the formation.

"She is right, no one summons her-" Uhtred began to say.

But the young, and quite nervous, soldier, butted in "-sir please, can you tell your wife that she is needed elsewhere."

・You looked at Uhtred, who looked at the soldier than at you.

・Father Pyrlig had appeared from nowhere (he had been galloping behind the soldier trying to get him to stop before he reached you.)

"Did you not hear me, boy?" Pyrlig rasped from his horse.

"No Father Pyrlig, I had my orders-"

"You have been a soldier for all of five minutes and now look. You've made things awkward. And held up the line. Look! Anyway. I was trying to tell you...she listens to no one but Uhtred."

And without missing a beat, the boy-soldier said,

"Yes, like a good wife should."

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧

・You had been in a constant battle of wits with Finan all morning.

・The rule was that the first to break i.e., smile/laugh, would lose and have to do what the other says for the rest of the day

・As noon ticked by, Uhtred's men and yourself had reached your destination.

・Men nodded to one another, climbing off of horses and clasping arms.

・It wasn't until a young ... well you couldn't even call him a man yet, he barely fit the uniform...

・So the young man had approached you two, helmet still on and asked, "why did you bring your wife to battle?"

・Both, you and Finan blanched.

・You looked at Finan, who looked back at you and smirked.

"Aye, can't get rid of her. So, I just take her with me," and then the Irishman shrugged.

・Your nose flared.

・The young soldier nodded and disappeared.

・Finan started laughing.

・You were bright red.

"Finan...I win."

"What? No!"

"Yes! You smiled! You're laughing!"

"Only because -"

"No, Finan. Rules are rules. You must do what I say for the rest of the day, Husband."

・But oh...You have no idea what that word, coming from your mouth, does to him.

・He so desperately wants it to be true.

𝐒𝐢𝐡𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜

・You laughed along with Finan, spilling ale and wheezing at his jokes. A funny man became hilarious when drink had been drunk...

・Sihtric watched from the opposite bench, with stars in his eyes as he looked at you.

・He had barely drunk any ale, but still smiled, with everyone revelling around him; all he could think about was you.

・Truth be told, you were on his mind constantly.

・At night he lay with your smile in his mind. The way you rolled your eyes behind Uhtred's back. Or the way you pointed out cows when travelling.

・You hadn't drunk this much in a long while. But you wanted to celebrate with everyone else.

・But with Osferth gone to bed, Finan being hoisted onto the back of Uhtred, Sihtric was ... well he was your designated handler.

・Ushering you out the door, you walked ... well, you wobbled to your room

・Finan was nearly unconscious, but still making it difficult for Uhtred to carry him.

"I want another drink-" Finan began, and Sihtric laughed, "there is more in your room."

"Oh, is there!" You said, turning to face him. But the movement was too much and you tripped.

・Luckily Sihtric had caught you.

・Then an unfamiliar voice sounded behind you all, making Sihtric, Uhtred and yourself turn:

"Your wife seems quite the handful!" The man said and kept on walking.

"That was odd," Sihtric murmured.

𝐎𝐬𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐡

・You two had risen with the sun, unlike Uhtred, Finan and Sihtric.

・You decided to take a stroll with one another. It was a thing you did together often. Both close friends, having spent much time together, you grew to like his company...

・In the dim morning light, you walked through the edge of town, and came across two girls. Sisters. Not many years apart.

・They were both holding a bunch of wild flowers, and walked straight toward you two and looked at Osferth.

・It was the older girl who spoke, "Does your wife want a flower? They're pretty!"

・Osferth was shook to the core.

・But you just smiled and nudged him.

"H-How much?" Osferth asked, and the girls squealed. They had not approached you two for business.

・Osferth gave them more money than they had ever seen (which wasn't much in the big picture of things. But to two girls under ten, it was a lot.)

・They gave you half the bunch and ran home, giggling all the way.

・You looked at Osferth, and suddenly became shy. He looked at you and smiled, tucking one flower behind your ear and handing you the rest.

𝐀𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐦

・A month had gone by since the last time you saw Aldhelm and you missed him dearly.

・unbeknownst to him, he had missed you more than you could imagine.

・You finally had the chance to visit Mercia and so you went.

・Travelling the roads until you got to the gates.

・Lady Æthelflæd was glad to receive you. She knew the feelings Aldhelm had for you, but she never pried.

・After refreshing yourself, you walked to his chambers and knocked on the door.

"Just a moment," a called out. He was nearly completely dressed to walk out the door.

・You didn't say anything

・Aldhlem opened the door and his jaw nearly fell to the floor.

"Why didn't you tell me it was you!"

・His arms slid around you, pulling you flush against him.

"I wanted to surprise you!"

"Well consider yourself accomplished. Because I am."

・All you could do was smile. And hope that Aldhelm couldn't hear your thumping heart.

・He took you down to the alehouse; telling you this was a cause for celebration.

・The whole while, your arm was threaded through his, your shoulders bouncing against one another as you walked.

・Then suddenly an old, grouchy voice sounded -

"With that much touching, I do hope you are married..." the old man said. His skin weathered. Lips thin.

"Very immodest," another grunted.

They nodded along with one another, and you couldn't help but blush.

"Do not worry about them," Aldhelm said, still holding onto you, but the look in his eyes was all too obvious...to everyone but you.

𝐋𝐞𝐨𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜

・You both had been riding day and night to catch up to the King.

・News from Uhtred had shaken the very course of this war with the Danes.

・Arriving at first light, you both dismounted, and slightly grunted in doing so.

・Leofric helped you, and stayed by your side as you both searched for the King's tent.

・Just as you were about to enter, a guard standing at the entrance made a comment.

"Oh, so once Leofric humps a woman, he drags her with him, wherever he goes? I want a woman like her."

・Leofric turned slowly, eye twitching as the words hung in the air.

"Say it again," he growled. Looking straight at the man. He was shorter than Leofric, and was much stupider than he.

・The man mumbled something.

"Aye? What was that?" Leofric grunted, taking one step forward.

・You watched Leofric, who was the most mad you had ever seen him.

"I'm sorry," the man said. Barely above a whisper.

"Don't apologise to me, you ass. Apologise to the lady."

"I'm s-sorry m'lady," the man wobbled as he spoke and lowered his head.