Painted Blade || sihtric

15.

YEARS later, Bemia and Sihtric couldn't be happier with each other. The two were married, had their own home at the estate and they often went on ventures together.

Of course, they often tried to start their own family, even after many failures over the years, but no matter what, Bemia couldn't bear a child.

For a long while there, she grew depressed over the fact but with help from her husband and Gisela, she started to believe again, and she refused to stop any time soon.

Oh, and it seemed that Bemia and Sihtric had taken Osferth under their wing. Most nights the baby monk was eating dinner with them, even after so many years.

"Are you sure you like it?" Bemia asked Sihtric again as they stood with Osferth near the hall, her once long, silver hair now cut to the middle of her back. To think an hour ago it reached her feet, even while braided. "It's so short."

"Well, now I won't be tripping over it," Sihtric teased as she laughed with Osferth. "But yes, darling, I love your hair. I love everything about you."

Even after six years, his words still made her flustered and beyond happy just as much as his actions.

Osferth scrunched up his nose at the pair. "I can never talk with you two without you both looking like you're going to hump each other at any second," he muttered, walking backward. "I'll leave you two and see you at dinner." He turned away from the laughing pair, walking toward Uhtred. "A good morning, Lord?"

Uhtred nodded, looking at him and then his sister and Sihtric. "Ready yourselves and the horses. We leave before nightfall."

Sihtric furrowed his brows. "For where?"

"For battle." Uhtred sent them a smile, walking past.

"And not before time," he dreamily said. Bemia playfully rolled her eyes as she slapped his arm and he whirled back around to her. "I'm a warrior."

"As am I, you idiot," she laughed, grabbing his hand while walking back toward their home. "I need to redo your head again before we leave."

Years ago, she had suggested to him to shave both sides of his head and he surprisingly did just after their wedding ceremony, and now she regularly kept it cut. Once Finan had asked to do it and the big goof accidently cut her husband...Yeah, Finan hid in Uhtred's hall that night.

"And maybe we can redo last night—"

"I will wash your mouth out with coal if you say our business out in the open," she warned him with a smirk on her face.

"Oh, I don't doubt you will, my love." He let go of her hand, only to wrap his arms around her waist and throw her over his shoulder as she giggled. "Your brother said we leave before nightfall. We have plenty of time to roll around on our bed."

"You're a bastard, pretty boy." She lightly slapped his arse, bringing a deep chuckle to part from his lips as many faces held different emotions, watching the pair bicker with each other and laugh.

A day later, Bemia walked through a burned-down village with her husband at her back and her brother in front of her.

Danes spoke nearby to one another, unaware of the group watching them.

"She's in there, Lord, inside the church," a villager quietly informed them. "Am I still needed?"

Uhtred cocked his head. "Go find your family." And the man listened, scurrying away. Uhtred faced his sister and then pointed a finger at Osferth, and she thinned her lips.

"I don't like him being the distraction," she muttered, ruffling up Osferth's hair as Sihtric pushed him past. "That was my job."

"That was your job before you got married," Sihtric muttered. "I would cut off a man's hand if he ever touched you so best Osferth is the distraction now."