Painted Blade || sihtric

66.

     ACROSS the vast seas in Rumcofa, many faces were smiling and cups of ale were being filled in celebration of Blood Month festival.

Standing in the middle of the crowd, on a small dais, was Aethelstan, Sihtric, and Cynlaef with a young woman beside them, her long chestnut hair free, dressed in a beautiful emerald green gown that complimented her tanned skin.

"Tonight," Katja started, her voice like honey and full of excitement as she looked around at the smiling crowd watching her while her father sent around glares to anyone who stared too hard, "we drink till our feet trip over! Tonight, we fight for fun! And we bloody make sure we can't remember it tomorrow!" She cheered, lifting up her cup of ale. "Skol!"

Sihtric deeply laughed, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder as they all drank deeply.

Katja giggled, wiping her hand over her chin while she stepped back to Cynlaef's side, the young man throwing an arm over her shoulders while Sihtric and Aethelstan chest bumped.

Aethelstan then turned to Katja, his smile growing as he bowed. "Wonderful speech, princess," he mused, sending her a wink.

Katja laughed, playfully slapping his shoulder. "I am no princess here, prince."

"Aethelstan!" a deep voice called out.

Aethelstan's eyes widened for a second, causing Katja to snort, looking over his shoulder to see her uncle Uhtred walking onto the dais just when Aethelstan whirled around.

"Why have you left your post?" Uhtred demanded, tilting his head.

"It's his first hunt, uncle," Katja softly said with an innocent smile like her mother's.

Sihtric faintly smiled at his daughter, also seeing Bemia in her. From her attitude to her looks—everything about Katja reminded the older men of the woman they all grew with and loved in their own ways. Not having Bemia around truly felt odd, even many years later.

The amusement had left Aethelstan when he lowered his head for a moment. "It's good luck for Blood Month, Uhtred."

"You think you're ready to slaughter a beast?" Uhtred raised a brow.

Aethelstan couldn't help but smugly smile when he looked back at a grinning Katja and then faced back to his Lord. "You know I am."

Uhtred chuckled, facing the crowd. "Aethelstan says he's ready. What do you say?"

Katja looked around the crowd, nodding her head and waving her hands up, making the people cheer with her.

"Yes?" Uhtred faced back to Aethelstan and then threw his arms open. "For Blood Month!" he cheered.

"For Blood Month!" Katja spilled half her ale in the crowd that cheered, making her burst out in a fit of giggles.

Uhtred pointed at Aethelstan with a firm look. "Be careful. The animal will fight to the death."

"Or try to hump you," Finan teased, standing beside a laughing Osferth.

Sihtric made pig noises, holding a torch up while walking past his daughters and down the steps. "Let's go kill the swine! Kill the beats!"

Before Aethelstan could follow after Sihtric, Katja reached out, grabbing his hand and forcing him to stop, facing her with a lazy smile. "I need to talk to my uncle, but don't kill the beast without me."

The pair grew up together under Uhtred's and Sihtric's care and over the years, it was obvious that something more than friends grew between them. Half the damn village believed they would be married within the next few years, but neither of them had ever spoken on it or confessed anything to each other.