A Saint To A Sinner

3.2

Wack! Y/N managed to strike the wooden sword across Uhtreds leg, knocking him down to the ground. Uhtred grabbed her arm, twisting it before dragging her down to the floor, before getting up to plant his foot on her throat. Y/N twisted her neck, managing to bite his ankle. She got up and swung her sword to hit him. Uhtred retaliated and smacked his sword against hers, trying to weaken her position.
"A BOAT HAS ARRIVED! WITH MEN!" A villager called, stopping Y/N in her tracks, causing Uhtred to land a blow straight across her face.
"And that is why Cynlæf you do not get distracted." Uhtred said as he reached out his hand to pull Y/N up.

Y/N wiped her bloodied lip as she walked over to see who it was, but she had already heard Finans voice.
"Y/N of Cookham, we are back." Uhtred and Y/N laughed at Finans drunk voice.
"She knows Finan. She can smell you from here." Finan giggled like a child  when he saw her.
"Look at the state of you both!" Y/N shouted to them as she patted Cynlæfs head.
"What happened to my boat?" Uhtred shouted. The boat had come back with half of its side and completely covered in mud.
"That was Osferth." Finan said as he climbed out of the boat, grabbing the sack that Osferth threw to him.
"Father! Father!" Cynlæf shouted as he ran towards the boat, straight past Finan to Sihtric. Osferth laughed as he pointed at Finan, making Cynlæf jump. Sihric picked him up in his arms and shook him with a smile before putting him down.
"Did yu miss me?" Y/N stepped back with a look, "go and wash yourself first."
"Yu are a cruel woman to me?" Y/N blew Finan a kiss as she walked past him as she headed towards Sihtric.

Sihtric was too covered in mud from head to toe, along with Osferth. Y/N watched Cynlæf try and carry the sack that Sihtric gave to him.
"Be careful." Y/N whispered as she ruffled his hair.
"You look happy?" Y/N said as she looked at Sihtrics smirk. The woman shook her head, warning him not to come near her.
"One kiss." Sihtric begged. Clasping his hands together. "I will not touch."
"Bebbanburg?" Y/N asked, completely ignoring Sihtric.
"Is weakened for now. One kiss woman." Sihtric said as he leaned forward, keeping his hands behind his back.
"No touching." Sihtric nodded and leaned in closer to kiss her. Y/N watched him close his eyes before she attempted to shove him back into the water, but she was too slow. Sihtric managed to pull her into the water with him.
"You are too slow." Sihtric said with laughter, just before Y/N pushed his head under the water. Sihtric washed the dirt from his face as he watched Y/N swim away from him.
"I am clean. Now come and kiss me."  Y/N stopped and watched him swim towards her. Sihtric cupped her face in his hands, studying her face. His hand brushed her cheek, slowly going down to her neck to touch the necklace of Thors Hammer that he gifted her and their son. Sihtric brushed his lips over hers, flicking the swollen cut on her lip with his tongue. His other hand roughly grabbed her by the waist, pulling her towards him, as he placed his lips over hers as his tongue forced its way into her mouth.

"Eww." Cynlæf cried out. Y/N looked at her son, who scrunched his face up in distaste.
"Cynlæf has asked me to fight Uhtred since his mother could not defend herself twice today." Sihtric taunted playfully. Y/N shoved his chest in frustration. She knew she had gotten slower since she had given birth, but she was trying her best. It was like her body had gotten slower.
"Uhtred is an awful teacher." Y/N said as she climbed out of the water, an amused expression formed on her lips.
"It looks like we ride to Winchester woman." Finan shouted with a grin. Y/N knew that time would come, where they were to fight to Bebbanburg, but first, they must head to Winchester to raise an army.
"I heard, but how do we convince Edward for an army." Finan shrugged as he pulled Y/N into a deep kiss.
"When do we ride?" Y/N asked Finan.
"Now!" Y/N shoved Finan, causing him to laugh. She could hear Sihtric laugh behind them.
"Why now?" Cynlæf asked, causing Finan to grunt. The poor boy had started to pick up things and started asking too many questions that Finan did not have enough answers for.
"I'm only joking Cynlæf. We go tomorrow." Finan crouched down as he looked at his son, pulling at the two necklaces that hung from his neck. A cross and Thors hammer that represented both of his fathers.
"Me, yur mother and father have to go to Winchester to find some really strong men to get Bebbanburg." Sihtric held his sons shoulder as Finan explained why they were going to Winchester. It would be the first time that Cynlæf would be left on his own for a long time, but he was old enough to understand.
"You don't need that many. Mother will scare them off." They laughed while Y/N huffed at her sons words.
"Yu will stay in the Lady Athelflaed's estate with Stiorra while we are away. Yu remember Stiorra?" Cynlæf nodded.

Stiorra was living in Mercia with the Lady Æthelflaed. She had been living their when Uhtred returned from killing Æthelwold. Stiorra could have returned to Cookham, but it reminded her too much of her mother, so she resided in Mercia. Cynlæf had been introduced to Stiorra when he was a boy of three and just beginning to form sentences, but he was still too young.
"What if you don't get an army?" Cynlaef asked as he looked between his fathers.
"No what ifs." Sihtric said as Cynlæf turned his head back to look at his father. "If we do not get Bebbanburg, we will come straight back to you and try again."