the last kingdom ♡ oneshots

the river | osferth x oc

Nairna shivered at the cold sensation of the water as it submerged her up to her waist, before she splashed some on to her arms and her face to get used to it. She was well aware that she couldn't swim, but the river was almost completely still, so she allowed herself to relax.

She hummed a tune as she washed her hair, the area quiet but for the sounds of leaves rustling and the men chatting in the distance.

Suddenly and without warning, the current rapidly began to quicken, causing Nairna to lose her footing. As it grew faster, she was mustering everything within her to try and remain above the water, but soon found herself weakening as the force of the current increased.

She started to panic, trying to reach the edge of the bank and grab on to it, but she was being swept too far to be able to reach.

"Help!" she gasped, fighting to keep her head above the water. "Someone, please!"

The effort soon became too much and Nairna was swept underwater, her outstretched hand breaking the water's surface as she desperately tried to signal for help.

She was feeling more hopeless by the minute as her consciousness faded. Her hand slipped under the water, until miraculously another hand grabbed it and pulled her forward, and an arm hooked under her shoulder and managed to pull her above the surface.

"Finan, Sihtric!" she dimly heard a voice yelling, before her world faded to black.

When Nairna finally came to, she found herself lying down, her head resting in Osferth's lap. She started coughing without meaning to, weakly sitting up and immediately being hit with a wave of nausea.

"You're awake!" he said, and patted Nairna's back while she coughed. "How are you feeling?" he asked once she was finished.

"Sick," she muttered, settling back with a sigh. She did look rather pale, and she realised then that she was shivering. Her clothes had started to dry in the sun, but despite the heat were still cold against her skin. "I was only going to bathe," Nairna added rather huffily, "the water didn't seem so deep. Then it decided to have a go at bloody drowning me!"

Osferth laughed and put his arm around her, drawing her close to him. "I'll warm you up," he told Nairna, rubbing her arm, and she gratefully settled her head on his shoulder, her hand resting on his chest. "Do you not know how to swim, then?"

"No," she sighed. "I never learned how to."

"Maybe one day I can teach you," he smiled, and she chuckled.

"That would be nice, I think," she said. "As long as you don't chuck me headfirst into the river and go 'swim.' "

"You'd kill me if I ever did that," he laughed. "I wouldn't do that, don't worry, Nairna."

She said nothing, but smiled at the way he said her name. She quite liked the sound of it.

At that moment, Finan came over, with Sihtric following close behind. "You alright there, Nairna?" he asked her. "We were seriously worried when we pulled you out the river."

"I'm alright," Nairna replied, turning her head to face him but other than that, hardly moving from the position she was in. From the grin spreading across Finan's face, she knew what he was thinking, but was too tired to dispel those thoughts. He wasn't completely mistaken, however. She had grown to like the man holding her, more than that even. She liked every aspect of him, from his gentle nature down to the kindness he always showed her, even on the days when she was being a little more difficult than usual.

"Good," was all Finan said in reply, snapping her out of her thoughts, but now, she saw, he was looking at Osferth.

"Shut up, Finan," he said, before Finan could even say anything.

"What?" Finan said defensively, putting his hands up. "I didn't say anything, baby monk."

"Well, it's obvious what you were thinking," Sihtric supplied, a small smirk emerging on his own face.

"And what was that, then?" Finan retorted, still unable to keep a straight face.

"That our baby monk fancies Nairna," Sihtric finished, leaning back against the tree with a smug look on his face.

"Well? Is it true?" Finan asked, folding his arms.

Nairna's eyes widened at this. She had never thought even once that he had liked her as anything more than just a friend... though Finan and Sihtric may well have just been teasing. However, both of them were looking expectantly at Osferth, so she supposed she would find out either way.

"Look, she's only just woken up, can't we leave it for a bit?" he asked them, clearly growing uncomfortable under the weight of their stares.

"Of course we can," Sihtric said quickly, cutting over Finan. "Come on, let's find Lord Uhtred. He should be here soon."

"Fine," Finan said, sighing exaggeratedly as he got up. "Try not to jump in any more rivers while we're gone, eh?"

Naina grinned. "I'll try not to," she told him, lifting her hand as the pair of them left. She turned back to Osferth with a little smile. "I'm sure they're just teasing you," she said, stifling a yawn.

"That's the thing, Nairna," he said quietly. "They're not exactly... well, lying."

"What d'you mean?" Nairna asked, her heart beginning to pound in her chest as she sat up and looked at him.

"I really like you, Nairna," he began, his gaze fixed on his hands, which were fidgeting nervously in his lap. "Well, I-I've liked you since we first met, 'course I have, but I mean... you, y'know, you're funny and you're an amazing warrior, you've always been really lovely to me, and... you're really- really beautiful, too," he finished shyly.

Nairna was unable to say anything for a moment, simply staring at him in complete shock before she remembered to speak. "Really?" was all she managed.

When he nodded, a smile began to blossom on Nairna's face, which caught him by surprise.

"Then, I like you too," she told him, leaning up to press a small kiss to his cheek. It was impossible to tell who was blushing more.

"You mean-?"

"Yeah," Nairna finished for him, laughing a little. "I do. I like you a lot, Osferth. Granted, at first I was a bit confused about you, but I've always thought you were the sweetest person I'd ever met. Plus, I've- y'know, I've been able to watch you grow into a fighter and a man, too. I wouldn't trade this for anything, really."

"Then, can I kiss you, Nairna?" he asked softly, meeting her gaze with a smile.

"'Course you can."

He tilted her chin up and gently kissed her, and Nairna felt like everything had finally fallen into place, the part of her that she had never known was missing was there, finally there. He pulled away soon after, trying to see what her reaction would be, and was swiftly met by Nairna with a second, more passionate kiss, her hand resting on his cheek.

When they finally had to pull away for air, it was with uncontrollable smiles on their faces. Nairna had almost forgotten how damp her clothes and hair still were, and she laughed as she realised. "I must look terrible," she said, still a little breathless.

"No, you... you're an angel," Osferth said softly, still transfixed, and she blushed.

"Even when I've just been dunked in the river?"

"Even when you've just been dunked in the river," he replied, and they both started laughing, before he pulled her in for another kiss.

Later that evening, as Nairna sat curled up into his side, she started thinking about her future. Wherever her path would lead, she thought, she knew it would be intertwined with Osferth's.