Wolf-Heart (The Mórrigan's Wolf, Part 1)

Chapter 29

He sighed, and his face softened slightly. "Ya sure? Uhtred would understand if-"

"Finan, love," she interrupted him as her head began to ache, "it is only a few stitches. I am fine. Go on, I will find ye when I am patched up. And noe covered in mud."

Settling his hands at her hips, he reluctantly nodded. "All right, m'chroí." He squeezed gently as he pulled her closer to press a soft kiss to her forehead. "I would hug ya, but...you are kind of a mess." His eyes regained the mischievous glint she loved so much as he smiled at her.

Faoladhean started laughing as she looked up at him. "Oh aye, of course. Cannae get ye all muddy. It would certainly be unbecoming for the lord's second-in-command." She scoffed as she patted his cheek. "Go on." She jerked her head toward the field, her hand caught in Finan's as she began to walk away.

He reluctantly let go of her fingers and watched her walk to the main street, then turned back toward the field with irritation rankling under his skin. Finan stopped next to Uhtred, who stood with his arms crossed over his chest, watching the sparring with a sour expression plastered to his face.

"Tell me it is not my imagination that these new men are hopeless." Uhtred spoke with his gaze set on the field.

Finan snorted. "No, it is not." Mirroring Uhtred, he crossed his arms over his chest, a frown pulling his brow low again. "Especially that big lummox Faoladhean was paired with. Too cocky for one who knows so little. Can't train that out of someone."

"Mm," was all Uhtred said as his gaze fell on the man in question. "She is all right, though?"

"Aye, she will be. Sent her to see the healer for stitches." He sighed with frustration. "Idjit didn't even have decency enough to check on her or have one bit of concern for her. Seems he only wants to wield a sword, not be part of a unit and work with others."

Uhtred was quiet as he watched Grimmundr make yet another would-be-fatal mistake with his inability to shield himself. He knew Finan well enough to trust his judgment, though he did take a moment to ponder if his friend was overreacting because his heart was involved. Just as he started down that line of thought, he watched as one of the other hopefuls got a strike in on him again, to which Grimmundr became angry, threw his shield on the ground and gripped the staff with both hands. He was about to swing wildly at his partner's head until Lanferth stepped in and disarmed him. "He will be let go then. I have no patience for that behavior."

Finan nodded and gazed out over the training yard. "And the others?"

Shaking his head, Uhtred looked at Finan. "Arselings. All of them."

Finan chuckled. "Well...perhaps, if an army could win by farting alone, we could take them all into the guard."

Uhtred scoffed and put his hand on Finan's shoulder. "If only it were that easy, hm? Go to your woman, I will deal with letting them all know they are hopeless arselings. Except for maybe that one," he jerked his head toward the stable wall where a scruffy, pathetic-looking dog sat, drenched and covered in mud.

****

After changing out of his soaked clothes, Finan set about stoking the fire and heating water while he waited for Faoladhean to finish with the healer. He had seen the mud caked into her plaited hair and knew she would, no doubt, want to wash it out; being able to get water warmed up for her made him start thinking that maybe it was time to invest in a large tub for her. Afterall, she couldn't go bathe in the river in the winter without risking catching cold. What a wedding gift that would be, he thought with a chuckle, but doubted that he would be able to get one in time - especially with river traffic soon coming to an end for the winter. For now, the small basin would have to do.