Broken Crown || Finan the Agile || The Last Kingdom

03 || Ghost

"Ailis!" The Irishwoman stopped when she heard her name. She sighed. The meeting had been a disaster and she didn't want to deal with it for the moment. She turned around to face the man who called her. He was still walking to reach her. His raven hair was a real mess and his beard must have been cut not long ago. As he approached, her eyes slowly opened wide, as she just seen a ghost.

"Finan..." She murmured. He stopped a few steps away from her. For a moment she hesitated. But she could easily recognize his brown pupils, the shape of his nose and his small smile. God, this smile that she thought she will never see again. She ran to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Tears streamed down her face when she felt him tighten her waist.

After a moment, she moved away from his embrace. She took his face between her hands to stare at him closer. His eyes were also wet, but she knew it was of joy. There were new scars on his face, the one on his forehead was the only one she knew. He looked older too, but he was still the same.

"I thought you would be dead." She said softly, still uncertain of whether she should trust her vision. It's been so long since he was gone. After years, she had accepted the truth. He would never come back. But there he was. Safe and sound.

"I am pretty alive." He answered, smirking, ear to ear.

"Oh, God." She hugged him once more. She had so many questions. So much to understand. But for the moment she wanted to enjoy their reunion. She held him tight, almost scared that he'll disappeared if she didn't.

"Finan." Raised a strong voice further in the corridor. Her friend withdrew his arms from her waist and turned to the man who called him. He looked like a Dane with his long hair and the sides of his head shaved. "You know her?"

"I do. She's an old friend." He explained, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Ailis, this is Lord Uhtred. A great man."

"You made a big impression with the Witan." He said, almost amused. She rolled her eyes, wanting to avoid the discussion.

"Have you known each other for a long time?" She asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks. She was curious to know how Finan ended up here, in Winchester. For the little hope she kept of finding him, this was certainly not a place where she expected to see him nor in such good health.

"Too long to count." Uhtred laughed.

"Then where did you meet?" The two men faces became dismal. Finan's eyes met hers and she shivered. There meet wasn't a nice story.

"On a slave ship." Finan answered. She bit her lower lip. She felt her heart squeezing at the idea of what he has been through. The guilt made its way in her mind. But Finan spoke again, on a lighter tone and made it disappear for a moment. "We were rescued by Uhtred's brother. Since then, I am pledge to Uhtred."

"And now he is one of the three bastards who fight with me." Uhtred smirked as he wrapped an arm around Finan's shoulder.

"Bastards?" She frowned, not knowing if he was joking.

"Yes, all my men are bastard's son. Like that, I am sure they won't come back with an army if I don't pay them." He laughed.

"Yes, of course." She glared at Finan, a smile hiding his embarrassment.

"Well. Maybe we could talk outside." The Irishman declared. Ailis nodded and the three of them walked out of the palace.

The woman didn't have the time to enjoy the city. She had arrived late at night and had slept only few hours before the Witan, in a chamber that was loan to her in the palace. Her journey to Winchester had not been easy either. The two guards accompanying her died, killed by brigand on the royal road. Since, Ailis was alone and always on her guard. Now that she was at Winchester, she hoped that she could have some rest.