A Saint To A Sinner

3.21

The following morning, Cynlæf was up early with Æthelstan, showing his sword skills to Finan, while Y/N helped Stiorra in the kitchen to prepare food for them. Young Uhtred was sat at the table teaching Ælfwynn to read a holy scripture.
"Uhtred, how about some Pagan stories." Y/N said with amusement as she looked at Stiorra who grumbled something under her breath.
"Stiorra, go and see if Finan will teach you how to fight!" Y/N said as she watched the young girl become frustrated and bored.
"I don't want to fight with children. I hate them." Y/N sighed as she placed the cutlery on the table, calling them all in.

Cynlæf came running in with Æthelstan straight to the table, almost pushing Stiorra out of the way. Stiorra grunted and threw the cloth down before storming off, making Y/N laugh.
"Let her calm down." Y/N said as she put some food in a bowl to give to Sihtric, who was still asleep on the chair.
"Siht?!" Y/N said as she shook him lightly. Sihtric looked at her with a tired look as he tried to sit up and take the bowl from her hands, diving into the food that she offered.
"I have more food." Y/N offered as she took the bowl from him, but he stopped her. His hand pulled at her wrist to sit down beside him.
"I heard you." Sihtric said as he looked at her. "When I gave up on the battlefield. I heard your voice. You prayed to Odin." Y/N was confused as she looked at Sihtric his hand reached up to cup her face as he smiled.
"The God's heard you! They protected us. All of us!" Y/N smiled at Sihtrics words as she leaned into kiss him.
"Who's the boy?" Finan asked as he walked into the room with a handful of food, looking at Y/N with a confused expression. Just as Y/N was about to speak, Stiorra and Cynlæf walked into the room with a bored expression on their faces.
"We picked a child out from the Monastery for Y/N." Stiorra confirmed with an amused expression, making her husbands look up. "Y/N promised me when I was younger that we would pick out a child at the Monastery, so we picked one for her. Y/N also said I could live with you, too!"
"What?" Sihtric said with a confused expression.
"He's one of Edwards bastards." Y/N said as she looked at Sihtric before she explained how the Lady Ælswith could not bare to leave the boy on his own after he was separated from his mother.
"That does not explain why he is here." Finan questioned.
"The boy is forbidden to see his mother and had no home. Does it matter why he's here?" Finan and Sihtric looked at each other, knowing that look in her eyes.
"No! We're not taking responsibility for him." Finan said as he handed Sihtric a cup of wine.
"Why not?" Cynlæf asked. "He is my friend." Finan huffed as he looked at Sihtric, who shook his head, telling Cynlæf he can always visit the boy when they leave.

Stiorra sat down on the floor with a pillow on her lap as she looked at Finan and Sihtric with an amused expression.
"Tell us a story!" Stiorra said eagerly.
"What are yu five?" Finan joked as he looked at his wife, who told him to go ahead. "Alright? What story?" Finan said with a sigh as he looked at Stiorra and Cynlæf who looked excited.
"Tell us how you fell in love with Y/N. How did you know?" The two men looked at each other with an amused expression at Stiorras' question.
"Uh. When I met yur mother in Northumbria." Finan said with a smile. "Where Y/N and her sister came to find us." Finan said awkwardly. He did not want to share his journey to Iceland with his son just yet. He did not want him to know of the hardships he faced before Y/N.
"Did you like her before then?" Cynlæf asked. He wanted to know what his mother was like before them.
"I did not know her that well." Finan said with a smile before he pointed towards Sihtric, "though Sihtric knew yur mother first, and I heard she was terrified of him." Sihtric laughed and clinked his cup against Finans with a laugh.
"I wasn't the only one." Y/N said as she scratched her eyebrow, "Halig was too."
"But why? Father is scared of you now, though." Cynlæf asked as his excitement increased, making Finan and Sihtric laugh.
"He was a Dane." Sihtric and Finan laughed at her. It was true. That was the only reason she feared him and for nothing else.
"After we took Dunholm." Finan said as he pointed his finger at her.
"Are yu sure? Not before then?" Finan questioned as he looked at Sihtric.
"The woman hated me. I could barely get a sentence out of her." Finan coughed up his drink at Sihtrics words.
"She only started speaking to me when you spoke to me." Sihtric stated as Finan held his stomach with a laugh as he remembered, while Y/N sat there with an awkward smile as Cynlæf and Stiorra watched the two men.
"Alright. It was after Ragnar killed Kjartan when she came and sat with me when I knew she wasn't afraid anymore." Sihtric said with a smile as he winked at Y/N, who clicked her tongue.
"Uh! I was still afraid." Y/N said. Finan held his hand over his mouth to prevent himself from laughing. "Clapa sent me to go and find you because he made a bet that I couldn't say three words to you."
"Poor Sihtric!" Finan said as he slapped Sihtrics thigh as he laughed.
"It was not my fault, Sihtric had a scary face." Sihtric made a noise as he looked at her with curiosity. Y/N pulled at his chin as she looked at him, "I love that scary face of yours now!"

A/N: It is my birthday today, and I am privileged to spend it in India this week with friends 🩵🫶

Thank you all for reading, commenting, and voting!!!

And thank you to everyone for their patience in updates for the next few days 🩵