Lady Luck| Finan The Agile| The Last Kingdom

TWENTY-SEVEN

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"So good of you to join us." Oswald, the father, was exactly as Eldred had said he would be, round and dull-witted with Godiva whispering in one ear and Oswald the son whispering in the other. He sat beside a woman, slight and with a shrivelled face, dark hair, and an upturned nose; she had two babes on her lap.

"Good luck, pet," Eldred snorted as he left my side, his strides easy and sure despite his age as he crossed the now well lit hall. He made for one of the three long tables, seating himself to eat the food that had been served.

I had spent the better half of the afternoon talking to him in the alehouse, trying to gather as much information as I could about my family. He did not have many nice things to say about them, but he did warn me that they weren't in any dire poverty. They were simply less comfortable than they wanted to be.

That little revelation was also proven by the portions presented and the sheer number of dishes set on the tables. There was no limit to the meat and cakes and bread. It was greater than any feast I'd seen in Winchester or Aegelesburg.

"We're right behind you," Finan assured me, his own stance tense as the, at least, thirty pairs of eyes watched us.

"I find if you are nervous, it is best to imagine everyone naked," Osferth whispered softly, offering me a small smile.

"I am not nervous," I mumbled back, taking a slight step back so I was firmly planted between Finan and Osferth, "I am simply waiting to see if I shall fly into another fit of rage."

"If you do," Finan smirked slightly, "there are plenty of faces to insult here."

I nudged his side slightly as he sniggered, trying not to smile as he did, "Oh, hush you."

"And deprive you of my cunning wit and charm?" Finan countered easily, "Never."

I turned to him, my lips tilting up further, "You are absolutely—"

"Delightful?" Finan offered, wiggling his eyebrows at me, "Irresistible? Hilarious?"

"Annoying," I snorted softly, nudging his side again as my heart fluttered softly. I turned my attention back to Oswald, finding myself remembering that I had not, in fact, responded to him yet.

Oswald did not look pleased by my lack of attention, but when our eyes met, he forced a smile that was more of a grimace, and he nodded at me. Then, he raised his hand to a nearby empty chair beside Elfgyuu, "Come join us for dinner."

Elfgyuu looked as though someone had stuffed a lemon down her throat and tried to suffocate her with it. She bristled and turned, shuffling her chair closer to Burhtred's, raising her hand to cover her mouth and nose as though she thought I would smell.

I cleared my throat, "I would, but it seems you only have one seat open, and I will not leave my friends to stand." I motioned back to the three men with me with my head.

Oswald tried to laugh, but it sounded all wrong, "This is a family dinner. Perhaps they should better eat at the alehouse."

"Very well," I nodded curtly, turning around to face Uhtred, "Lord Uhtred, we shall retire to the alehouse for the night."

"Lord?" Oswald asked softly before he cleared his throat sharply, "Lord! Lord Uhtred, please,"

I turned to glance over my shoulder to watch as my father rose from his chair, dismissing his wife from her seat and motioning to it.

"Join us for dinner. You are a most welcomed guest."

Uhtred raised a brow slowly, his lips twitched up to the side, "I do not wish to impose. I have... silver to spend, so I shall take my men and retire to the alehouse."