It's never over // Sihtric Kjartansson

Chapter Six

Change
It was a comfort to be back in Winchester, a comfortable bed and a door that locked. Tove had woken early to have breakfast at the inn before the drinkers came for their morning ale. She and Sihtric sat across from each other quietly eating. Clapa and Finan insisted on sleeping late and Uhtred had gone with Gisela to the lake. The early morning sun kissed Sihtric's skin and made his green eye even more beautiful. Tove hadn't realised she had stopped eating.
"What?" He chuckled, now looking at her.
"Nothing, sorry." She said quickly, her cheeks turned pink with embarrassment and Sihtric laughed. They talked for a while but there wasn't many stories to be told. Ever since Coocham ham there hasn't been a day they didn't spend together, which was both a privilege and a tourture.
"Hello Uhtred." Tove said as he sat at their table closely followed by Gisela.
"Morning."  she smiled as Gisela sat opposite her husband.
"You look lovely today Tove, don't you think Sihtric?"  She exchanged a smile with Tove as Sihtric became flustered.
"Oh yes of course, well, Tove always looks beautiful but yes especially today."  He quickly changed the subject:
"Your looking more angry than usual Lord."
Uhtred grunted a reply,
"We ran into the...delightful Aethelred earlier."
"Oh what happend?" Tove asked.
"Just proving my point he's a horse shit and nothing more."
"Fair enough."  Tove shrugged.
Sihtric once again went to wake Clapa and Finan, this time they prevailed. It was time for a wedding but not a royal one, the ceremony was small, only Uhtreds men with the exception of Hild and Gisela. Finally Beocca and Uhtred's sister were married. It brought great joy to Uhtred, his smile wide as he carried out the binding ceremony. It was the first time Tove had been to a wedding. Many times during the celebration she caught sight of Sihtric's eyes on her. He would be looking down at her then quickly avert his eyes when caught.
Not long after, they attended the real reason they were in Winchester, Aethelflaed and Aethelred's wedding. It was a long and more boring ceremony. But Tove was once again next to Sihtric. Her view was partly blocked by Uhtred's broad shoulders but there wasn't much to see. Somehow once again they were stuck with Aethelwold, he wittered on about the dead man they had seen, getting quickly shut down by Uhtred. But there was one sentence that snapped her back into the conversation.
"And he gets to hump the kings daughter all night."
What a horrible man, Toves eyebrows narrowed in disgust.
"Aethelwold you will be quiet!" Gisela whispered harshly. He ignored Gisela, carrying on.
"But it's true."
Tove opened her mouth to make a rude remark but was beaten to it by Finan.
"You will be quiet."
"Or what irishman." he said mockingly,
"Or I will kill you in your sleep."
A banging ended the conversation, the doors opened to reveal Aethelflaed. She began to slowly walk down the isle. She looked beautiful.
"She's so beautiful." Gisela said as if reading Toves mind.
"She's too good for him." Uhtred added.
"Why are we delaying? Did Sihtric see something-"
Aethelwold started again. Finan yanked him back into the second row next to him.
"Sihtric saw nothing."

With celebrations comes ale, with ale comes fights. The streets of Winchester were full of them. Uhtred and his men found peace on the palace steps. Uhtred sat in the middle of the steps arguing with Aetholwold, Clapa and Finan sat at the bottom of the steps laughing at the fights. Peacefully, Sihtirc sat with Tove the step below in between his legs, he used his fingers to comb her hair. He gently smoothed her dark hair out, loosely braiding it before undoing it and restarting somewhere else. But there was no peace with Aethelwold wittering on about the wrath Uhtred could behold if he listened to the dead Dane.
"Should I hit him?" Finan finally groaned.
"Yes by all means strike me but in your heart you know I speak the truth."
"Yes hit him." Lord Uhtred agreed following orders Finan jerked forward as if to strike Aethelwold making him jump backwards but Finan was only joking, laughing at Aethelwold's fright. Through the drunk chaos came a monk, a young one. His blonde hair cut into the usual bowl cut, he had a sharp jawline and pointy features but his eyes were kind. The monk had already caught the attention of Tove's watchful eye, but not everyone was so interested
"Lord?" He asked politely, he was ignored and talked over by Aethelwold with more conspiracies.
"Lord?" He tried again louder. Just as Tove extended her arm to tap Uhtred the monk spoke once again not allowing himself to be ignored
"Excuse me, Lord Uhtred. I am Osferth."
"Go away." Aethelwold wined as if he was even wanted there.
"You are a monk, a baby monk." Osferth was rejected again this time by Finan.
"Go away." Aethelwold repeated.
"Lord you.. you knew my uncle Lord, his name was Leofrich." this caught Aethelwold's attention.
"Leofrich was a great man." Uhtred responded at last. The monks nodded.
"You are Alfred's bastard son." Aethelwold pointed out revealing what caught his attention. This was true by the way it flustered Osferth. With his mouth open he searched for words.
"B-but I-I wish to join you, Lord, be by your side as my uncle was."
"No. We have no need of a monk." Finan replied for Uhtred,
"As a warrior." Tove furrowed her eyebrows. A warrior? She thought, how could a boy who was intimidated by the likes of Aethelwold who was 2 heads shorter than himself possibly want to be a warrior? Before Osferth could explain himself Steapa approached.
"Uhtred you are wanted." he said, standing over them.
Uhtred looked at Aethelwold with a moody expression.
"Uhtred, the king." Steapa said, as if that would make Uhtred care any more.
"Enjoy the wedding feast." Aethelwold murmured before walking away.
"You, find me again, find a sword and loose the cross."
"Thank you my Lord I-I will." the monk's face was plastered with a large smile. Uhtred stood and followed Steapa.
"I would say peace at last but Aethelwold will find a way to end up with us again." Tove groaned, closing her eyes enjoying Sihtric playing with her hair. She heard a sudden hush over the group and Sihtric's fingers stop moving. Tove opened her eye that faced Finan a tiny bit and caught him mouthing words and using hand movements communicating with Sihtric.
"Something you want to share with the group?" She accused.
"No." Sihtric replied first, suspiciously quickly.

Uhtred joined them at an ale house later in the evening, once again he complained about Aethelred and Aldhelm who tried to make him look bad infront of King Alfred. The complaining turned to drinking but Tove didn't drink and Sihtric stopped after 2 seeing how she sat quietly and observed. He watched her in the candle light. For Sihtric he loved these moments, where he could sneak a look at Tove. A long look where he wouldn't have to worry about her looking over and catching him. He watched her smile grow and decrease with the jokes, he watched as her dark eyes mostly stayed on Finan as he was constantly talking, he watched her eyes find him in the group and her smile broaden.
Many hours passed until a rather drunk Finan, and sober Sihtric and Tove remained.
"We better go now, if we are to be travelling to Lunden and have to put up with Aethelred then we need rest." Tove said as usual the voice of reason.
"We can put him in his room and I'll walk you to yours." Tove nodded, taking one of Finans arms, Sihtric under the other.

They dumped him on his bed and shut the door firmly behind them. They walked in silence, their arms touching whilst they walked through the narrow halls. Tove stopped outside her door and unlocked it but didn't go in. She turned her back against the door, she looked at Sihtric, the corridor was quiet.
"What?" Sihtric spoke quietly just above a whisper. His eyes hopped from one eye to the other, hers did the same but made a third stop. His lips. Sihtric couldn't take it anymore. He took her head in his right hand, his fingers round the back of her head with his thumb infront of her ear caressing her cheek. His other hand across her jaw, he pressed his lips to hers hungrily, breathing in deeply through his nose. Opening his eyes as he pulled away, Sihtric promised himself he wouldn't be flustered, though sorry was the first word to come out.
"Sorry Tove, I just had to atleast once I-"
His words got in the way, Tove returned the kiss putting both her hands on his cheeks. The kiss Tove gave to him was longer and more passionate. When she pulled back she didn't stutter once:
"Sihtric I yearn for you, for your hands on my skin, your fingers in my hair. I yearn for your lips against mine." It was all he wanted to hear. His body pressed closer to hers. He could feel her hips as they rolled against him and the door. They continued to kiss, Sihtric moved one of his hands down to her waist. This made her eyes open, she looked at him still with a longing in her eyes.
"Are you sure?" He questioned not wanting to pressure her or move too fast. Tove nodded, their faces still touching. Sihtrics hand moved from her waist to the door knob swinging the door open, returning his hand to her waist as he guided them inside, swinging the door shut. Their lips didn't part once, Tove once again found herself pinned. Now against a wall. Sihtric pulled her up so her face was now level with his, her legs wrapped round him. He took off her leather then the fabric beneath it. He smoothed his hands against the bare skin of her chest. Sihtric removed his clothes swiftly. Putting Tove down he allowed her to completely undress. He couldn't contain the smile that toyed with his lips. They rolled onto the bed but this time Sihtric kissed her other lips. Tove had never been touched this way by a man she loved, Sihtric's arms wrapped round her legs holding her in a comfortable position. She felt her breath quicken and heart race, her hands found Sihtric's head grabbing on to the braids on his head. Sihtric then kissed all the way up her body, making a special detour for her breasts. Again his mouth was to hers. It all happened so fast. His remarks of her beauty never ceased. The touch of love, the feeling of his warm hands that made the hair on her legs stand on end when her touched her. It was all she wanted and more.