The Forgotten Princess | Avery x Leofric x Uhtred | The Last Kingdom

Bloody Beamfleot

It took another day of riding for them to all arrive and when they all set up camp, the lack of shelter made Avery grow nervous. They had barely three hundred men with them and if the rumours were true, Haesten had a thousand hiding behind the impenetrable walls. Finan found her pacing around the camp which seemed to amuse him.

"Are you worried about dying, Princess?" He teased as he stood by one of the many fires, warming his hands near the flame.

She instantly stopped in her tracks, not wanting to give him the satisfaction or watching her stress as her hands settled on her hips and she glared at him through the flames.

"No. Death does not scare me. If we cannot win back this fortress and help to defeat the Danes. I worry for where they will go next. How many villages they will plunder. How many innocent lives they will claim and how many women and children they will rape or imprison as their own entertainment." The thought of it truly lit a fire in her. She would fight until her last breath if she knew it would make a difference and someone else would be safe because of her sacrifice.

"If only everyone had your heart and spirit." She could feel him smiling at her now, but her eyes were too scared to meet his. Knowing how he truly felt about her had confused her. "Try not to die though. I do believe Sihtric is quite attached."

There it was. The mere mention of Sihtric had brought her back to reality and she knew that she could no longer afford to be distracted. They were on the eve of battle.

"Goodnight Finan. Get some rest before tomorrow. I do not wish for you to die either." She went to walk off from him but before she even managed to take a couple of footsteps she felt a hand wrap around her left wrist, pulling her back until she was face-to-face with Finan and in that moment she was speechless, unable to question his actions.

"Sihtric is not the only one who has grown quite fond of you." Her eyes finally met his, but it was a mistake, she could see how he looked at her – how he admired every inch of her face as if he was trying to memorise everything that he could. "You cannot ignore this forever."

"No. But I will not be the reason for the fallout. I care for you both and I do not wish to hurt any of you." A soft sigh left her lips as her right hand gently settled against his cheek, a small smile appearing as she felt him lean into her touch. "One day, you will find the person you are looking for and she will be the luckiest woman."

"And you are sure that you are not that person?" He questioned with one of his trademark grins and she chuckled softly, giving his cheek a gentle pat at his response. "I will win your heart. It is only a matter of time."

"You are always so sure of yourself. Or are you expecting me to get some kind of head injury and fall madly in love with you?" She chuckled again as she heard him laughing at her response, before leaning closer to place a gentle peck against his cheek. "Goodnight Finan." There was a warning glare this time, as she walked away from him a second time and this time, he let her go.

It was a short walk to the middle of the camp, she knew Sihtric and Uhtred would have their tents in the middle of it all. She hid beneath her hood and in the shadows as she managed to find Sihtric who was sat inside his tent sharpening his axe's. A smile growing on his face as he spotted her as she removed the cloak.

"I was hoping to see you. I have something for you." When he moved to stand up, he nodded over towards the cot for her to take a seat and she did, her curiosity already getting the better of her as she watched him searching through his many bags.

"We could die tomorrow. There is no where else I would rather be." She was nervously playing with the ribbons at the front of her dress, wondering if she should tell Sihtric about what just happened with Finan, or would it just distract him from the battle?