A Saint To A Sinner

3.20

Without a worry, she sent Cynlæf off to sleep, much to his dismay. He wanted to be here when his fathers returned, but Y/N promised he would return in the morning.
"Go with Æthelstan and Ælfwynn." Y/N said as she kissed her sons head and patted Æthelstans lightly. Ælfwynn followed silently, avoiding the woman's gaze, just like her mother.
"Thank the God's they are going to sleep." Stiorra breathed out as she placed her head on the table. Y/N thought the sight was funny, Stiorra hated babysitting them.
"Do you not wish to be a mother." Stiorra looked at Y/N as if she just said the most ridiculous thing to her. Y/N poured her some wine before looking at the fire, a feeling of strength arose in her chest.
"I think they have won." Y/N said slowly. Stiorra sat up and watched her closely. "No. I know they have won. I can feel it."
"I can feel it too." Stiorra said as she downed her cup before pouring some more, drinking the whole jug until they fell asleep in their chair, until they were woken up by the sound of banging against the door.

Y/N looked after Stiorra with a strange look. They had not expected anyone at this time of night.
"Who do you think it is?" Y/N said as she placed her back against the wall as they listened. Stiorra shook her head nervously before they heard Uhtreds voice. "Stiorra, it is your father."
"Stay back and name yourselves." Stiorra said with a laugh, "my father calls himself Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Who are you?" Y/N shook her head at Stiorra as she heard the tired voice of her brother claiming it was them.
"Let them in they are probably tired." Stiorra opened the door slifly to peak her head out with a smile. Y/N did the same with a smirk as she saw Finan and Sihtric. Y/N walked over to Finan with a smile. She noticed his tired eyes as he held out his arms to her.
"You are well?" Y/N asked as she looked at him before seeing Sihtric, who looked completely dishevelled.
"Where is Cynlæf?" Finan asked as he looked around.
"Asleep. Come. Let me take a look at your wounds." Y/N walked over to Sihtric, giving him a gentle hug as she saw him holding onto his abdomen.

Sihtric wrapped his arm around Y/N as she dragged him inside the house with Osferth and Finan following.
"CYNLÆF! ÆTHELSTAN! You can come down. Cnut has been sent to Hell." Stiorra called as she took the stuff of the table so Sihtric could sit. Finan and Sihtric looked at the boy who appeared with a confused look.
"I will explain later. Æthelstan can you go and find a needle and a knife." Æthelstan nodded and ran off up the stairs to go and look for it. Sihtric tried to push her off gently, telling her the wound wasn't that deep.
"Uh yu better show her." Finan said as he sat on the chair with a humorous look in his eye. Sihtric grunted as he lifted up his top to show her the wound that appeared.
"Father! Father!" Cynlæf came running down the stairs, waving the needle and string in his hand. Finan got up to bring him into a tight hug as he asked him how he was, while Y/N looked at Sihtric with an amused expression.
"Finan!" Sihtric called as he watched his wife take the needle.
"Just bite down on this! You've done it to me many times." Finan laughed at her words as he watched her push him back down.
"Right! Yu outside. Yu can come and tell me what yu've been up to." Finan said as he took Cynlæf outside so he wouldn't see his father in pain.

"Stiorra, can you hold him down." Y/N said as she put the blade over the candle. Stiorra rushed over, shutting the door behind her, while Y/N wiped as much blood off the wound as she could.
"What will that do?" Stiorra asked, as she looked over to her father, who walked in with an amused expression.
"To stop it from not healing." Y/N said as she placed the hot knife over his wound, holding her free arm across his legs. Once she took the knife off she looked at Uhtred to hold his legs down so she could push the needle into his skin, threading it through until it was stitched.
"It seems Y/N has been waiting to do that." Uhtred said as he tapped Sihtrics leg. Y/N laughed as she cleaned over the stitch gently, trying to stifle a laugh at her poor husbands face.
"Hey!" Y/N said as she stroked the side of Sihtric's face before leaning down to plant a kiss on his lips.
"Drink this." Uhtred handed Sihtric a cup of wine who took it instantly, drinking the liquid as if he had not drank in weeks.

Finan opened the door to being his son in to see his father before alerting them that Lord Aldhelm has approached.
"Go look after yur father." Finan said as he ruffled his sons hair. Y/N smiled, leaving her Cynlæf to see his father as she approached Aldhelm.
"Lady. Æthelred is injured." Lord Aldhelm worriedly looked at Æthelflaed with concern in his eyes, "some are saying fatally. That he will not last a week."
"We must go to him." Æthelflaed demanded. "We must speak to him. No plan has been made for the succession."
"Lady, the mood among the Ealdormen is ugly. Those who survive the massacre blame Æthelred for deserting them and denounce your brother for not coming to their aid." Y/N looked at Finan and Osferth. That wasn't a good start and potentially could mean another war.
"Does this anger extend to Æthelflaed?" Uhtred queried.
"I don't know?" Aldhelm said, making them breathe in.

Y/N shook her head as she walked back inside to the living area, shuffling the blankets and pillows across the floor.
"Good night, mother." Cynlæf bid his mother goodnight before hugging Finan.
"Be good. We will be here if you need us." Y/N assured as she watched Sihtric stumble in with a grunt.
"Let Sihtric sleep up here." Y/N said as she helped Sihtric lay down across the chair, pulling a blanket over him. Sihtric shuffled the blanket up to his chin before closing his eyes, letting him rest. Finan slid down against the pillows as his wife slid beside him, her head falling onto his chest.
"Did Sihtric put himself at risk?" Y/N asked worriedly. She wanted to know the details of the battle. She had never seen them in so much pain and exhaustion that it worried her.
"No. He fell and caught his stomach in the rubble." Finan chuckled slightly at her worry. Even though it was a lie, it wasn't enough to do damage. He would let Sihtric tell her in his own time.
"Finan?" Y/N whispered as she felt his stomach tense.
"The battle was hard. There were only a few of us at the start. Jesus, Y/N, none of us thought we would make it. God forbid I'd never seen the man cry till he realised he was going home to yu!" Finan whispered as his eyes started to water as he held her tightly, "I did not think we were going to make it. Any of us."
"I know, Fin." She whispered as she wiped his tears, but he took her hand from his face as he looked at her. "I wanted to give up. I thought we had no chance. You were safe with Cynlæf and I was tired."
"Shh. Just rest, Fin. You're safe. You're here with Sihtric and Cynlæf." She placed a kiss on his lips as she looked at his eyes. "You're home."