the invisible string. Sihtric Kjartanson

Chapter thirteen: love birds

"Good morning love birds" Finan said waking me from my slumber very suddenly. He must have a key for the door to Sihtrics house because the Irishman was standing at the foot of our bed. One of his brows was raised in confusion at Sihtrics naked chest and me just being in a nightshift. He must think we actually fucked. "I did not want to interrupt your beautiful slumber but we're going on honeymoon to Winchester"

"Ya" I said weakly as I turned around and buried my head in a pillow. Sihtric sat up. I was sure Finan relaxed when he saw that he was still half dressed and when he spied the bandage on my ankle. The tiny incision did not bother me when walking.

"Bro I thought I married Kendra not you but fine I guess" Sihtric told Finan after his wording of 'we'. I caught myself chuckling. It was disgusting, I never laughed at Sihtrics jokes. I got back into the dress from yesterday but I just crossed the yard to my dads house where I usually lived. Now I would have to move in with Sihtric. It didn't bother me because I think his little house is quite beautiful.

"Good morning Kendra" My father smiled at me when I entered his workshop in order to get to my chamber. I was immediately hit with a wave of hot air from roaring fire in the smithy. "How are you doing child? How was your night?" He inquired carefully.

"It was fine. I'll just quickly get changed. We are riding for Winchester" I told him before going to my chamber and quickly getting in my breeches with a neutral brown linen shirt and leather vest with mail over it. I looked like a true warrior and that was amazing. I put my sword on, I had worn it last night to, even if that was so unladylike. I quickly went to see Gisela who was already up and taking care of Stiorra and little Uthred.

"Kendra how are you?" She said in surprise when a smile already tugged at her lips.

"I'm fine. Our night was unexpectedly nice" I told her and a bright smile lit her face up.

"Really? I'm glad I was concerned when I saw you crying in the wedding dress. I hope that between you love will grow even if you don't feel like that right now" She said as she grabbed me and pulled into a tight hug.  I smiled into her hair. "I have something to tell you to before you leave for Winchester and then Lundene" I nodded expectantly. "I'm pregnant again" I squealed in excitement and hugged her so strongly that she stumbled a few steps back.

"I'm so happy for you" I said as I still held her hands. I gave her a peck on the cheek. I returned her the bright green gown she had borrowed me before leaving the house to see most of the men accompanying Uthred to Winchester had already sattled horses. Gisela would come with us as well as she was invited to Aethelflaeds wedding as well. I quickly stepped towards the stable but Sihtric called my name. He was holding a nervous grey horse and the biggest black horse I had ever seen. "Is that a gift?" I asked him as he held the reins of the black horse out to me.

"Well she was cheap because no one would ever want a horse that huge but you left your horse in Lundene and when you ride her you can spit people on the head if they annoy you" I laughed. "This one I called stormsky because they said he was mad like a storm cloud" I laughed again.

"But how am I supposed to get on that thing?" He signed for me to turn around and took one of my legs to throw me on top of the mare. I liked her. The view was indeed a little frightening but she was nice and round to wrap my legs around.

"How's the air up there?" Finan asked me. He rode a beautiful stallion as well but I looked down at him cockily.

"Nice and clear" I chuckled as Uthred joined us and looked up at my horse.

"Where did you find that?" He said, stretching every word as he mustered the huge mare. I decided to name her Beomia which meant something like battle maid even if I doubted I'd ride her to battle because she was far too tall but for transportation she was perfect because she moved quick like the wind and left even Smoca behind, Uthreds stallion which he took great pride in for his beautiful coat. When we arrived in Winchester it was already crowded. Nobles from all over the kingdom had arrived for Aethelflaeds wedding. So was I which was odd but I felt it was a controlling move from the king after what Sihtric had told me. So after all I was grateful that I was married now. Aethelflaed looked gorgeous in her blue gown and there was her husband. It was like a children's story I had heard once where a beautiful maid fell in love with an ugly beast. That was a good description for Aethelred. He was short and roundish with a mob of horrible red hair. I had met Aethelflaed when she was just a girl but now she had grown into a beautiful woman with the same colour of hair as I had. The horde of monks near the altar held a long service which I was happy to participate in. In Coccham no one ever held such beautiful mass even if this particular one was stretched to an unnecessary extent. My husband had disappeared because Sihtric is a pagan. It alarmed me because the king had to see us happy and in love. One look at the drunk fool that was Aethelwold made me realise how much Sihtric had saved me. The king could've used me to lower Aethelwolds standing even more because I was born a slave, the very bottom of the food chain. Now I was married to an equal. I found Sihtric quickly after the service and I sneaked my arm through his because I could feel eyes on me. I smiled to the friends he was talking to. Hild and Thyra were there and my face lit when I made them out. I had known Thyra in Dunholm. After the reclaiming of Dunholm we had sorta became friends but we weren't close. Same with Hild, I did like her but I barely knew her. I interlaced my fingers with Sihtrics which had him stiffen and look at me with confusion. I think he was afraid I was trying to show him off. His ego was incredible considering that he would think that I would show him off. He had been compared to vermin far to often to be that desirable.

"We are being watched" I whispered in his ear as I stood on my tippy toes. I was correct because over his shoulders I could spy some monks watching me very acutely. Sihtric nodded and suddenly turned around to kiss my cheek. I put on a forced smile.

"When did that happen?" Hild asked drawing my attention back from the spies.

"We recently married" I blurted out as Sihtric put his hand around my shoulder and pulled me closer. I awkwardly pat his chest. Jesus they would see right through this was not believable at all. "It's just that love suddenly struck us and we just couldn't stay away from each other" I said with a beaming smile.

"Well I'm happy for you. I just remember you two not getting along very well when I last saw you" Hild said with creased eyebrows. God she was already suspicious. Sihtric next to me burst out in laughter probably because this whole show was very amusing.

"Oh that was just childish shenanigans. Kendra is right, love really struck us" Sihtric told Hild with a beaming smile. Damn he was a better actor than me.

"Congratulations" Thyra said and smiled weakly. I fear both of us reminded her of the place that had broken her. I just nodded. We had dodged that bullet so far but I'm sure Alfred would find us later as well and we'd have to painfully pretend again. But perhaps the feast could be fun.

The feast was no fun. The food tasted stale and the ale was more similar to piss than to proper ale. You would think with all the gluttony in the gilded church, Wessex's royal finance could at least afford proper food but apparently not. I would eat a proper roast tomorrow when I had processed the low quality of this feast. Sihtric next to me must feel similar because both our plates sat empty and so did our cups. We had eaten a bite in order to avoid any more stares and not to seem rude but eating more than a handful of this shit was grotesque. We had rented a room in a tavern not far from the palace and I was dreaming of the bed right this moment but the kings approach pulled me from my thoughts. I bowed low and tugged on Sihtrics vest because he was oblivious.

"Lord King" I said before he motioned to us that we could return to standing positions.

"It's good to see you Kendra. I heard you married?" Alfred told us before mustering Sihtric like a convicted criminal. When he spotted his hammer amulet a visible look of disgust broke his usual neutral mask. Sihtric wrapped an arm around me in both a protective and claiming way. I was his. He wanted to let everyone know that.

"We have" I forced yet another beaming smile on my lips. My jaw was starting to ache from all the fake smiles I had put on today.

"A pagan?" Alfred voiced his disgust that the priests around him took a step backward in caution.

"I am Sihtric, Lord King" He spoke up from beside me. "I could not stay away from my Kendra. We've been destined for each others for I could not imagine a day without her by my side" That almost sounded genuine but I was probably imagining that because Sihtric was just a talented actor. He'd be a formidable spy to.

"I think love knows no religion. It was God who brought us together. It's all part of his plan" I said trying to let the piety the king knew from me shine through.

"Or Odin" Sihtric added and I saw the king physically recoil when he said that. Apparently Sihtric thought him not convinced because he turned to me and I felt his thumb on my jaw. "It's love and in the end it conquers all" He said quietly before he kissed me. Properly on the mouth. I was shocked but I relaxed after a second and grabbed his thick biceps. There was no passion and it was over before it even properly started but it still made my head spin and left me breathless. Sihtric was smiling at me yet his brows were a stark contrast because they were creased. We were successful in convincing the king and making him so disgusted that he left us with a curd nod.

"You made him spin in the head" I told Sihtric in Danish in order to keep our conversation privat. I spoke both English and Danish well but I had been raised in Danish because Kjartan had permitted no english speaking in his court.

"Oh he saw stars" He laughed into my ear which let a shiver run down my spine. I fear I truly did not despise Sihtric as much as I thought. "Go see your friend" He pushed me to go see Aethelflaed on head of the hall. He waited a few feet from us in a save distance.