Work Text:
The fire in the hearth cast a golden glow across the hall, its warmth could be felt throughout the room.
Finan relaxed back into his chair, letting the heat and contentment settle in his bones. It was nice to experience some peace for once. Particularly after their year of running up and down the country, losing loved one's, fighting in battles and evading the dreaded sickness.
Now, it was a time for peace, before Uhtred undoubtedly dragged them all into his mess once more.
He would take what he could while he had the chance.
It was nice for everyone to be together, laughing, drinking and feasting with their families.
While Uhtred was Pagan, he had still agreed to host a feast for Christmas. No doubt persuaded by Hild, who may or may not have threatened him had he not agreed to host the celebrations.
Uhtred had argued he would host the feast to celebrate Yule, rather than the Christian celebrations, but they all knew he did not need an excuse to hold a feast.
Finan gazed around the room, taking in the sound of laughter from the far side of the table where Sihtric sat with his wife, entertaining their many children.
Osferth had not long arrived after praying in the makeshift church with Hild. He now sat next to Sihtric, throwing the occasional comment here and there while eating his fill of the feast.
Aethelstan was sitting next to Finan; it would be the boy's first Yule with them and Finan was intent on making it a good one.
He knew what it was like to grow up too quickly, to have so much responsibility forced on his young shoulders. He'd be damned if he didn't let Aethelstan enjoy just one Yule as a child should.
With fun. With a family.
It was heartwarming to see the young boy sat at the table with a smile on his face, laughing at the stories Sihtric was telling, and eating his fill of the feast. He was slowly but surely coming out of his shell.
"Once you've finished your plate, you can go and listen to Sihtric's stories with the other children." He told him gently. "-and if you have a second helpin' of vegetables then I'll tell ya how to beat Young Sihtric in your next sparring match." He winked, chucking when the young boy immediately reached to spoon more of the vegetables onto his plate.
Osferth sent him a shrewd look from across the table "Are you not above bribing children Finan?" He teased.
"It's not bribin' - more… gentle persuasion. Besides, the boy needs feeding up if he's to be a big, strong, warrior one day." He argued lightly, ruffling Aethelstan's hair.
Finan's eyes moved past Osferth's shoulder, and settled on the latest edition to their ragtag group - Eadith, where she was sat warming herself in front of the fire.
If it wasn't for her bravery, they would all be dead. At first she had intended to go to Frankia, she had some family there. Finan was only glad when she had decided to return to Coocham with them instead.
He had not trusted her at first, but over the months he spent in her company he had grown to admire her. More than admire her, if truth be told.
She was sat by the fire, her gaze lost in the dancing flames. Finans breath hitched at her beauty. The golden glow of the flames shone off her hair and dress, making her look as though she were an angel. A fallen angel just for him.
Eadith gracefully rose from her seat, making her way for the door and exiting without even looking back at them once. She hadn't even taken her cloak with her.
Finans eyebrows furrowed in concern at her sudden exit. She had been relatively quiet all evening, but he thought that she was just enjoying the peace of the festivities.
He felt a sharp boot kick him from under the table, looking away from the door, he turned to glare at the offender.
He saw Baby Monk giving him a pointed look, inclining his head toward the door.
"Go after her, you know you want to. I'll keep an eye on the boy." He said.
After debating it a while in his head, he nodded in agreement, standing from the table to rush after her.
"Bless ya Baby Monk".
He only made it to the end of the table before turning on his heel back to Aethelstan's side.
"Make sure he finishes his plate." He warned, pointing a threatening finger between Osferth and the boy.
Osferth only rolled his eyes at his antics.
"I will, now stop stalling and go!"
Finally satisfied, Finan swiftly marched to the door, grabbing his cloak before heading outside.
Letting the door fall closed behind him, Finan was surprised to see it was still snowing outside. His breath instantly clouded in front of his face.
He spotted Eadith not too far away, sat on the bottom step to the hall, staring up at the snow. Her arms were wrapped around herself, shielding her from the cold.
He usually hated the cold. He had spent too many winters freezing his arse off at sea to hold any love of it now.
But he had to admit, there was a beauty and a stillness that snow brought like nothing else could. Or perhaps that was just the effect Eadith had on him.
As he descended the steps, getting closer to her, he noticed how the snowflakes settled on her hair and eyelashes, making her look even more beautiful.
"May I join you?" He asked as he stood a step behind her, not wanting to intrude.
Eadith looked over her shoulder at him, giving a small nod of her head with a gentle smile.
Finan gave a smile in return, glad she hadn't turned him away. He settled himself on the step next to her with a groan, making sure his cloak was securely around him to fight off the chill air.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a little while. Neither one of them wanted to break the peace.
Finan felt like a fool. He came out here to woo her. Now he couldn't think if a single thing to say.
He blew warm air into his hands, rubbing them together to keep them warm, in an attempt to stop fidgeting from nerves.
"Are you alright?" He asked, cringing internally at how awkward he sounded.
"I mean - you left the hall in a hurry - I just wanted to make sure you were alright?" He stumbled, by way of an explanation.
He wanted to kick himself. He prided himself on being able to be confident in any situation, particularly when it came to charming the ladies. So why was he now struggling to string two sentences together, as if he were a boy with his first crush?
Eadith, either oblivious to his awkwardness or choosing to ignore it, simply smiled lightly, taking a deep breath of the night air.
"I just needed some air," She replied quietly.
"You don't have ta hide things from me. There is something bothering you. If you feel ya need to talk, then you can always come ta me. If you want to. You're safe here."
"I fear that is part of the problem. I find that being here… I have never known such security before. Such comfort. Such peace. I am unused to not having to look over my shoulder, or not being seen as an object to use. It can be so…" She vaguely waved her hands in front of her, as if wanting to grasp the right word from the air.
"Overwhelming." Finan finished for her.
"Exactly." She gave him a puzzled expression, surprised he had managed to sum up how she was feeling so simply.
"I have never spent a Christmas amongst people I feel at home with. It is a foreign feeling. I always had my brother by my side, but we were always jumping from one court to another, trying to redeem our family name. It was never a happy time for us, and now he is not here either." Her arms tightened around herself, though whether it was for warmth or to comfort herself, Finan couldn't tell. He guessed it was probably a little of both.
He remained silent, letting her work through her thoughts and feelings, before he comforted her. He knew the importance of needing to process things first.
"I know he betrayed us. But I still miss him. He was the only family I had left." She sighed, holding back tears.
He shuffled closer to her, getting so close that their knees were lightly brushing together. He reached over, taking her hand in his.
Her hand felt like ice in his own, she had goosebumps raised on her arms, and he only just noticed how her teeth were beginning to chatter.
"Good God woman, you're freezing!" He exclaimed, immediately moving to cover her with his cloak. Shuffling closer still so they could share its warmth.
"I am fine," She protested lightly, giggling over his fussing.
"Don't be so stubborn, you'll catch your death in the cold like this." He enclosed his hands around her own, rubbing them to instill some warmth, trying to ignore the way just holding her hand made his palms tingle and his head spin.
"Thank you." She relented, sighing at the warmth he provided.
Unconsciously, she leant closer toward him, leaning on his shoulder.
Finan smiled softly at the weight of her pressed to his side, glad she was comfortable enough with him to be so close.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a moment, each enjoying the other's presence, but as the minutes passed by, Finan felt he had to broach the subject of their conversation once more.
"I understand, y'know - about not having a family or a home ta call your own. Probably better than most." He started.
"Of course, you have been away from your homeland for so long. You must miss it dearly."
Finan huffed a laugh at that. If only it were so simple.
"Not quite. You may not know this… but I first met Uhtred on a slave ship." He told her looking her in the eye, watching the suprise cross her face.
"I am so sorry, I did not know…"
He shook his head, not wanting her sympathy. He swallowed thickly, attempting to hold back the tumultuous array of emotions that were threatening to burst from him. It was important she heard this.
"I was a foolish young man and I made mistakes. I spent three Winters pulling at the oar in payment for those mistakes.
My life in Ireland - it was not my own life. Everything was planned out for me, and I wanted to escape. It has been a long time since I have considered Ireland my home." He admitted.
Eadith listened in silence, her heart heavy knowing he had been through such torments.
"It took me time to adjust, but my home is now here." Finan continued, looking over their shoulders at the doors to the hall with a fondness in his eyes.
"Home is not always a place, Eadith, it is the people that make it so. Uhtred, Sihtric, Osferth, and the children… As long as I am with them, I know I am home. It is why I would follow them anywhere. It is my wish that one day, you will come to see this - us - as your new home too." He turned back to face her, their eyes meeting.
"I think I am already beginning to see it as one." She whispered, a small smile pulling at her lips.
Her eyes darted down to his lips before darting back to meet his gaze once more.
A smile grew on Finans own features, happy to hear the news. He leaned in closer to her, his smile turning into a smirk as a thought crossed his mind.
"You know, back in Ireland, to kiss an Irishman during a Christmas festival is considered good luck".
"Is it indeed?" Eadith laughed.
Finan beamed, adoring the sound.
"Well then, I am in need of some good luck." She leaned forward.
Finan closed the distance between them, his lips meeting her own. It was sweet and tender, and everything else around them seemed to disappear.
Eventually the need to breathe overpowered their ability to keep kissing, causing them to separate, their breaths heavy.
They shared a smile, letting their foreheads rest against each other, their fingers lacing together. Their breaths mingled in the cold air between them.
They sat there together in the quiet of the night, taking in the moment and considering what lay ahead of them in the future.
"What are you both doing freezing your arses off out here?" A voice shouted, startling the pair apart, both clearing their throats acting as if they had been caught doing something they shouldn't.
Looking ahead of them, Finan saw Uhtred making his way over to them, ascending the steps past them and to the doors of the hall with a grin on his face.
"Just takin' in the night air, Lord," Finan replied, getting to his feet and sending a scathing look to his friend at his untimely interruption.
"And will you be rejoining us in the hall, or will you be taking the fair lady home for the evening?" Uhtred smirked, eyebrow raised in question while he opened the door to the hall.
Finan looked to Eadith, unsure if she would want to return to being in company just yet. He could always offer to walk her home if she did not. Though not in the way Uhtred had surely intended it.
"We will rejoin the party Lord, I am not finished listening to tales of all your past misadventures yet." She giggled.
Finan offered her his hand, helping her to her feet. Not letting go even once she had caught her balance.
"I am happy for you both." Uhtred said seriously, before disappearing inside, leaving the door open for them.
Finan and Eadith shared a last breathless smile with each other before making their way up the steps and back to the feast.
Whatever had happened in their pasts, Finan was sure that they would continue onwards, able to finally find a home in each other.
Home was certainly where the heart is.