Dark Pools and Fleeting Eyes (Fintric)

Chapter Four

They had started building in the late spring. Finan, being Uhtred's second in command and closest companion, had gotten the resources to make a home. Uhtred had given the Irishman a decently sized plot of land, it included a small to medium sized harvesting field, and a hill with a trail to it, which was where his house was to be built.

The plot was most definitely beautiful, when the sun rose and set each day, the sky was filled with golden light. There were a few trees and bushes near the trail and the hill, which made a certain someone quite happy. The trees were good for climbing and a few even grew apples.

After just two or three weeks of building the entire frame had been assembled and set into place. There was a nice rock foundation and the walls we're almost completely up. They would next finish the roof which made Finan prove to be quite bad at balancing on the support beams. Osferth and Sihtric found this quite funny considering his nickname of 'Finan the Agile'.

By the time mid-summer came along the exterior of the entire house was finished, this meant most of the time it was just a few people working. Finan was not only a highly known person in the town but also a war hero. This made people want to know him and get on his good side. The Irishman was very grateful to all the townsfolk who helped build his house, but he would say with ease he enjoyed it more when it was just him and his closest companions.

During one of those days when it was just the four the sun was setting, the golden hue illuminating everything in sight. They were all working on the interior, Finan had wanted a home big enough for a guest, a master bedroom and a few other things. Uhtred and Osferth has decided to retire for the night and said their goodbyes. Sihtric was slightly different.

Finan and Sihtric had been fighting for a few minutes over weather Finan's room should be the slightly larger room or the room closer to the fireplace. Secretly Finan wanted Sihtric to move into the other room. It was then that Sihtric asked, "Why does the other room need to be so nice?"

Finan was dreading this question, he knew it would come but he still wasn't prepared for it. "I just want the lad to be comfortable!" That wasn't what he wanted, he was supposed to tell Sihtric it needed to be nice so he would want to move into it.

"Who are you trying to get to stay here? Why must you make it so comfortable for someone who isn't staying?"
Sihtric knew that the bed and furs coming for the room were nice, both rooms would be extremely comfortable. The question had been floating in his head for days. It made him slightly jealous, was Finan trying to impress someone?

The question had finally come and Finan knew it was time. He had to ask him now. It was now or never. "I was thinkin' you'd want to stay. You don't have to of course, but if you'd want to..." Finan looked up to try and figure out what he could gather from Sihtric's expression. He was terrified, the man could easily say no. There was no real reason he would want to continue staying at the lowly inn the men had been living in for months, but he could.

Sihtric has never been good with words, he hadn't talked much in his childhood, especially after his mother died. He stuttered trying to figure out the right way to phrase his sentence. "You mean you want me to stay here? You mean only until I get permission and land from Uhtred to build my own," he was internally hoping the man would say he wanted him to stay permanently. "That is what you mean, correct?"

Finan was slightly taken back, was that what Sihtric wanted? To only stay until he had is own home? If that was what he wanted, then he'd let him. "If that's what you want lad, you can stay as long as you'd like," Finan smiled at the Dane, he enjoyed spending time with him. So he'd take as much as he could get. "You've worked just as much if not more than I, you deserve a proper place."