amnesty | the last kingdom

four

"Good to see you alive, Arsling," Esther said, lifting the drink to his lips, "though I hardly recognise you,"

Uhtred merely grunted, too parched and upset to form words. Ragnar just kept holding him.

When Uhtred stopped drinking, Esther stood back up, looking back to the other man. He was almost laughing, or crying. It was hard to tell. While a man lay dead on the floor with a sword through his neck - no doubt Sverri.

"Are you alright?" Esther asked, taking a somewhat hesitant step forward with the water still held in her hands, "would you like something to drink?"

"Yes." he answered quickly, an accent Esther couldn't place entwined in his words, "yes please," he repeated, gratefully taking the drink with shaky hands. Esther helped support him and the drink.

"Not too fast," she murmured, "you'll cause yourself to choke," Esther almost seemed concerned, why she couldn't quite tell you. But she felt bad for him, perhaps more so than she did Uhtred.

"Thank you," he eventually breathed out after he'd stopped inhaling the water. His grip on her forearm remained however, just to stay steady.

"No bother," she smiled, but suddenly became very unsure of what to do with herself, "you're not from here I take it," Esther eventually said, "your accent is interesting,"

"Oh, no, I'm from Irland," he said, almost chuckling, "some way that way," he gestured in some random direction.

"Sounds thrilling," Esther almost grinned, "long way from home I suppose," she said, shifting her hand a bit to support his back better, "you're friends with Uhtred?" the man nodded, "alright, you're with us now. Don't really get a say,"

With that, she helped the still unnamed man onto her horse, climbing up behind him. He slumped slightly, leaning back against her as she gripped the reins of her horse, able to keep him upright on her horse by doing so.

"Who is he?" Osferth asked, to which Esther shrugged, "Esther you can't just kidnap a man,"

"I'm not, he's Uhtreds friend. I'm bringing Uhtreds friend with us," she hummed, lightly kicking her horse into a slow walking speed.

♰

When the Gaelic man woke eventually, he was around a fire. As was Uhtred and the make shift group of religious folk, Esther and Ragnar. He was lying on his front before he attempted to get up with a grunt, until a hand gently guided him back down, "don't, you're in no state to get up,"

"I was standing just fine before,"

"Mhm, sure," Esther chuckled, "well you aren't anymore," she gently pressed a damp cloth to his back, which caused him to bite back a wince, "i know, sorry. But these whip marks have gotta get cleaned or they'll get infected,"

"Right," he mumbled, resting his head on his arms, "your name is Esther? Like that Queen in that Book of Nehemiah,"

"Yeah, guess so," Esther murmured, "though I hope to be less tragic," she joked, laying the damp cloths over his back, "yours is?"

"Finan,"

"Like the Saint, huh?" she asked, somewhat scolding herself internally for her knowledge of religion. Something she'd tried not to obtain despite her teachings.

Finan nodded in response, reaching for some bread on a plate not too far away. He scuffed it into his mouth, humming at the taste despite it being quite bland.

"How come you are here?" Uhtred suddenly asked, causing Esther to look over. He was looking at Ragnar.

"Alfred sent me," he admitted, "though I feel like revealing why isn't wise right now," he said, passing Uhtred some more bread.

"Why is she here?" Uhtred asked, gesturing to Esther.

The latter rolled her eyes, "your brother asked me oh-so kindly, so I agreed. Thought you'd miss my face,"

Uhtred almost snorted despite his weakened state, which caused a large number of people to smile to see him so happy once more. Even if it were just for a brief moment.

"Very funny, woman," Uhtred chuckled, shaking his head, "you sound like your father,"

Esther smiled, nodding a slight bit before she shifted to lay down near her cousin. Finan wasn't too far either.

♰

"Esther?" a quiet voice asked, a hand finding its way to her face to wake her. It was the middle of the night, everyone had been asleep for hours by now.

Esther groaned, turning her face to look at the man, "Osferth,"

"Are we joining Uhtred?" he asked, voice still hushed so he wouldn't wake anyone, "or are we to go back to our religious teachings?"

"Both are fool options," she muttered, "but I suppose the first is a better one," she sighed, opening her eyes to look at Osferth, "why?"

Osferth shrugged, "I think it would be fun, or more fun than being a monk," he shrugged, "pretty sure you're only agreeing because of a certain Gaelic man though,"

"Shut your mouth," Esther whispered, smacking his arm, "in only agreeing for our own good," she replied, a smile on her face despite her attempted harsh words, "now go to sleep will you? If were to join Uhtred you need your rest,"

"Yes mother,"

A/N
why is writing names of places in old english so weird
i feel like an idiot spelling things like that 💀