the last kingdom ♡ oneshots

day out | aethelflaed x aldhelm

prompt: "aldhelm has a nice day for once" for tlk fanfic fest 2020

summary: When Aldhelm is given the day off, he decides to spend it with the person he loves the most.

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Aldhelm had once served Aethelred and only Aethelred, listened to his every demand without complaint, and schemed alongside him, but those days were over, and had been for quite a while. These days, it was all he could do to resist reaching over to his lord and giving him a well-deserved slap in the face. He had fallen in love with his lord's estranged wife, the lady Aethelflaed, during the time Aethelred had ordered him to arrange her death, and never once looked back at his old self, whom he rather despised. Aldhelm privately considered himself to be serving Mercia above all else, and if it weren't for that thought, along with the prospect of seeing Aethelflaed again, he wondered how he would have managed to continue serving as Aethelred's advisor. The man was unbearable to be around, he thought.

One morning, Aethelred, half-hidden behind his door and wearing only a robe, informed his advisor that his services would not be required that day, leaving Aldhelm perplexed for a few moments until he heard giggles coming from within the room, and immediately understood.

"Of course, Lord," he merely said, and turned away with a small smile as the door closed behind him. That left him free for the entire day, something that had not happened in a long time. He decided to head down to the alehouse for a drink and some peace of mind, which was well-deserved after all he'd been putting up with. It was still early, he thought, the regular drunkards wouldn't be there yet, making a racket like they always did by the end of the night.

It was just as Aldhelm had predicted - the alehouse had only a few patrons scattered around, some nodding their heads in acknowledgement as he passed them and stood at the counter. Aldhelm was glad of it - he could do with some peace and quiet. He slid some coins across and the barmaid poured him a mug of ale, which he gratefully took, and was about to find a table to sit at when he saw Uhtred and his men trooping in. Aldhelm groaned and turned away immediately, hoping they would not notice him. Was he never going to have one good day?

"Is there anything else you would like, Lord?" the barmaid asked him, raising an eyebrow. He shook his head.

"No, thank you," he said, and forced himself to turn around and find a table, preparing for his name to be called. When that never happened, he found himself turning to see where they were. The four men were standing together at the counter now, laughing with each other, having plainly not spotted Aldhelm, who took a swig of his ale and smiled. His luck seemed to be improving by the minute, especially when the men seated themselves as far away from him as possible, still not having noticed his presence.

As soon as Aldhelm finished his drink, he decided to pay Aethelflaed a visit at her estate in Saltwic. It was only a short distance from there on horseback, but even if she was many miles away he still would have made the journey that day. In any case, it had been several weeks since he had last seen Aethelflaed in person and he had missed her badly, though Aethelred could not know it.

Aldhelm felt slightly bad about the fact that he had not written to Aethelflaed prior about his visit to her that day, but as he rode into the gates and saw Aethelflaed outside with her young daughter Aelfwynn, he forgot all about it. She looked up and was pleasantly surprised to see him there, and without Aethelred anywhere in sight.

"Aldhelm, what are you doing here?" she asked, picking up her daughter and walking over to greet him. He beamed at them both.

"I thought I would pay you a visit," he said, "if it isn't any trouble for you, Lady." The smile on Aethelflaed's face made him wonder how on earth Aethelred could hate her as much as he did, for she was the loveliest woman he had ever known; beautiful, smart, brave and vivacious. She was everything her husband was not, and Aldhelm loved that about her.