Fragile and Agile ~ Finan the Agile x Reader

⚓️ Ch.5 ⚓️

Y/n's POV

I loved the beach, loved the comfort, peace and tranquillity it shores brought me. Now, as I sit on the sand wrapped in the cloak the kind lady had given me nothing but bad memories and trauma flooded my mind.

I wanted nothing more than for the waves to take these memories with them and sink them into the deepest depths of their waters.

Yet I knew I would forever be haunted by them.

As the sun fell below the horizon and the last of my silent tears fell I realised I had survived something most people from my time would not and for that I thanked whoever was watching over me.

When the night sky blanketed the beach in darkness and I could feel the water touching my feet as the tide slowly came in, I stood up and began to walk back to where Uhtred and Finan sat with the people who saved, following the light of their fire as my guide.

~~~

3rd person POV

"Halig." Uhtred rasped into the silence of the camp who watched the crackling fire. The two broken men sat dazed as they too reflected on their longer months on the water.

Those who did not share in their experiences were too apprehensive to talk, wanting to tread lightly and carefully so as not to trigger the damaged people of their camp.

"He's been taken down, wrapped and buried
with shield and sword." Ragnar, Uhtreds adopted brother replied.

"You will say words for him, Hild?" Uhtred asks the woman in gray wearing danish chainmail.

"I have. I will, always." She says as she glances back down towards the beach where the girl sat alone.

"Northumbria is torn. Aelfric did not come to Guthred's side. Erik and Sigefrid and Kjartan, they do what they please." Ragnar began to inform his brother of what had transpired over the year he'd unfortunately been missing.

"You haven't asked how I came to be here." Ragnar then states remembering the last time he and Uhtred saw each other was behind the bars of a dungeon cell in Wessex.

"Alfred." The Dane chuckles.

"Alfred sent us. I believe the King of Wessex
cares for you." He tells his brother hoping to install something, anything, back into his brother who sat listening and staring into the fire.

"You're... Uhtred's brother?" Finan spoke cautiously, speaking up for the first time.

"I am!" Ragnar confirms.

"You look nothing like each other." Finan jests, earning a few chuckles.

"Uhtred, you should eat." Hild tried to offer Uhtred food but he made not effort to move.

"Finan." She then offers the bowl to the Irishman.

"Oh, we will eat, lady, but our tummies are small. And our feet have barely touched dry land. It'll take a little time to find them." He says politely declining the food.

"Are you his brother?" Ragnar asks the Irishman.

"We are..." He trails off, eyes casting to the girl on the shore standing and walking back towards their camp. "We are bound, I would say." He states now earning a glance from Uhtred.

"And the girl?" Hild finally voiced concern in her tone.

"And the girl." Uhtred whispers. "Iseult dreamt of her before she..." He trailed off.

"She's done nothing but sit in the beach since we freezer her." Steapa states.

"Leave her be." Uhtred whispered. "She's endured a lot, let her find her peace."