Blasphemy [Finan the Agile]

CHAPTER xvi. 'The Fairest Sheildmaiden In All The Land'

ﾟ❁ུ۪ °ₒ 𓂂 ˚ 𓂂 ₒ ° ₒ 𓂂 ˚˖⋆

CHAPTER xvi. 'The Fairest Shieldmaiden In All The Land'

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            With Finan on the ground and a blade pressed against the arteries of his neck, Freydis let out a clamor of excitement, stopping her feet on the ground merrily and lifting her sword off of his neck so she could use her other hand to clap. "I won!" She jeered, looking down at the fallen man. "I beat you, Finan!" Like countless times before, Finan and Freydis had spent the entire morningtime dueling to prepare Freydis for her eventual battle with Vikar. Unlike the many other practices, however, the Irish Rogue had finally won her first session against the sensational warrior and right-hand of the monumental Uhtred of Bebbanburg. It began with a small misstep in the agile Irishman, an irregularity in his warrior nature. Then, with his mistake, she directed all her strength in unarming his right hand as she twisted her body around to his back and kicked out his knee. As expected, the Irishman fell and Freydis was able to knock him down entirely and lie her blade against his jugular.

"Yu'r just lucky," he claimed, wincing as he sat up. "I'm still hungover, that is all."

Unfettered, Freydis raised a brow, "I have seen you drink yourself into an oblivion, Finan. And yet you still managed to beat me countless times, just admit it: I beat you, finally, because I am the fairest shieldmaiden in all the land!"

Finan stood up, wiping any dirt and straw off of his arse before smiling toward the Irish Rogue, "Never said yu' wasn't." He took a step toward her, gently placing his thumb on the brim of her jaw and caressing it over her lower lip, "but not even a God could beat me in battle, Frey. Yu' were just lucky."

Freydis took a step back, rolling her eyes as she wiped the sleeve of her tunic over her lip. "You've got mud on your hands, Finan. And mud over your eyes, because I clearly beat you, even a blind-man could see that."

Sihtric, who had been sipping ale with the monk at a table nearby chortled, "She did beat you, Finan. Do not be bitter, it is ugly on you."

"No-one asked, ya' rat-bastard!" Finan said, pointing a threatening finger toward the Dane. "Baby monk, yu'r always honest in the eyes of God, who won this fight? Who cheated?"

Osferth tapped his chin thoughtfully, "I don't know, Finan. I don't think anyone cheated, nevertheless, I do not think you won either."

"Ah-hah!" Freydis cheered, jamming her index finger into the Irishmans chest. "I won!"

Finan's cheeks grew red and he glanced pointedly toward the monk, "Yu' traitorous bastard!"

"It is not betrayal when you are wrong," Freydis grinned, "admit it, Finan, you are merely embarrassed you lost against a woman!"