A 21st-century woman is thrust into the past, where she meets Uhtred, a formidable warrior. She joins his band of warriors forming unbreakable bonds. Along the way, she finds herself drawn to Finan the Agile and the lines between friendship and some...
"I have seen what the future will hold for you, it is the least I can do,"
─── ✦⋅ ☆⋅✦ ───
We arrived at a village-like settlement after what felt like hours, and as I took in my surroundings, the contrast to everything familiar struck me. It was a scene from the distant past, an ancient world that stood in stark opposition to the memories etched in my mind.
As we rode into Winchester, the inhabitants gawked at me as if I were an alien, an outsider thrust into their midst. It wasn't entirely untrue, I did feel like a foreigner in this strange realm.
I dismounted the horse with little grace, barely managing to land on my feet. My ass felt sore, prompting me to twist awkwardly in an attempt to crack my back.
"Go get her new clothes, she's attracting more attention than required," Uhtred directed Iseult, slipping some coins into her hand before heading off in a different direction. Iseult gently took my arm, leading me away with a reassuring smile.
"This will get better," she said softly "and how would you know that?" I snapped, immediately regretting my outburst. Despite my lapse, she had been nothing but kind "I just do," she replied, and her words did little to soothe my anxious heart.
Iseult handed me a red dress, instructing me to change once we were indoors. Shrugging off my gold dress, I slipped into the long, modest garment. The top half clung snugly to my body, and the sleeves cascaded off my shoulders, while the flowing bottom added a touch of modesty.
Brown leather shoes followed, replacing the Versace heels that now seemed like a distant memory. As I carefully folded my prized possession, I couldn't help but feel a pang of loss.
It all felt like a dream, something that wasn't meant to be happening.
Gently, Iseult took the folded dress from me, promising to keep it safe. She instructed me to sit and braided my hair into a single plait throwing it over my shoulder and wiping off the remnants of makeup from my face acknowledging the stark contrast to the cosmetics I would never find in this era.
"Now you look like one of us" she whispered, and I stole a glance into a polished silver platter to behold my altered appearance. "So boring," I muttered under my breath.
Returning outside, we settled on a bench as the sky began to darken. A woman brought us a jug of liquid and cups. I eyed the unfamiliar drink with scepticism as Uhtred and another man joined us.
"Who is this?" the man asked, and I hesitated, glancing between Iseult and Uhtred. "What, she doesn't speak?" he teased, and I cleared my throat rolling my eyes. "I do," I asserted, earning a smirk from the man.
Uhtred explained my origin and identity to the man in a simplified version, prompting me to question the earlier directive to keep my origins secret. "I thought I was told to keep my mouth shut" I said with a firm tone crossing my arms as the men laughed but I didn't find it funny at all.
"Leofric can be trusted," Uhtred assured, pouring the liquid into cups. "What is it?" I asked smelling the contents of the cup and scrunching my nose in disgust. "Ale" Uhtred replied drinking from his cup. "Ale," I muttered swirling the liquid around, Iseult chuckled as I took a sip, squirming at the unfamiliar taste.
"Thank god our alcohol taste evolves," I muttered, watching the rest of them drink happily, already accustomed to the taste.
Throughout the night, they patiently and some impatiently answered my barrage of questions, unravelling the intricate tapestry of their world, the terminology, language, place names, and everything in between.
As my understanding slowly expanded, despite not wanting to I found myself entranced by the complexity of their customs.
"So, you two will fight to the death tomorrow over something that happened in Cornwall, sorry Cornwalum?" I inquired, bewildered "And now you're sharing a drink like the best of friends." Both men nodded in agreement like it was a daily occurrence for them.
"You people are strange," I remarked, sipping the ale and gradually acquiring a taste for it.
"So, what do you say you give this man his last night with a woman before I kill him tomorrow?" Uhtred suggested, earning a disapproving glare from me. "I'm not...engaging with anyone," I declared and Leofric raised an eyebrow.
"I have a boyfriend," I added, met with a sea of perplexed expressions from the group. "I am spoken for, I have a man," I reiterated attempting to find a version they would understand, my uncertainty palpable as Leofric grumbled and Uhtred chuckled in response.
"I suggest you forget him," Uhtred interjected like it was easy, his statement met with another sharp glare from me.
"There are plenty of men here, and your needs will be met just the same," he shamelessly added, leaving me flustered and unable to evade the rising redness that engulfed my face. The awkward tension in the air hung thick as their laughter echoed, making the already unfamiliar surroundings feel even more daunting.
I slowly felt my confident and bold attitude diminish with every passing moment, despite trying my hardest to muster up the courage and give these brazen men a piece of my mind I felt myself dwindling at the smallest remarks.
My mind was enveloped in a haze of memories featuring Atlas, and in that moment, the magnitude of how much I missed him struck me.
If Iseult's prediction was accurate, and the possibility of returning home was forever out of reach, I had to confront the harsh reality that I might never lay eyes on him again.
"It would be a noble act, my lady," Leofric flirted capturing my attention, "but if anyone needs a last night with a woman, it is you" he pointed at Uhtred, who set his cup down and walked away nudging his head for Leofric to follow.
Left alone with Iseult, she extended the invitation, "You can spend the night with me." I smiled gratefully, gently placing a hand over hers, feeling the warmth of her gesture. "I haven't said it, but I am immensely grateful for everything you are doing," I expressed, sincerity lacing my words.
Despite my bold and daring nature, I recognized the importance of expressing gratitude when it was due. I wasn't one to overlook kindness or generosity.
"I have seen what the future will hold for you, it is the least I can do," she said, and her words, well-intentioned as they sounded, left a lingering sense of unease in the face of the uncertain path ahead.
That night unfolded in a blur of introspection and quiet tears. Lost in the recesses of my own thoughts, I grappled with the weight of everything experienced. I clung to hope and whispered prayers, yearning for the comfort of waking up once more in my boyfriend's comforting embrace.
Desperate to brush aside the unsettling foresight as merely a figment of my imagination, crafted in the depths of a strangely vivid dream.
─── ✦⋅ ☆⋅✦ ───
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Leofric died too soon imo, but I think Finan filled the void he left both were sarcastic and funny asf 😭
