War and Fire

- Chapter Two-

The rising sun had cast a rosy hue across the morning sky, and the light from it had seeped in through the window and shone upon Odetta's sleeping figure, waking the girl. She sat up in her bed, listening to the birdsong in the early hours of the day.

Odetta had spent another of her days in the flower fields, humming softly as she gathered flowers to make flower chains. She did this often, even making smaller ones to fit the children; she had been doing this since they were born.

Flower chains were something everyone loved receiving from her, even though Uhtred acts as if he doesn't need one, but he secretly loves them and will never admit it to anyone. He keeps every simple one given to him, though most have dried up.

It was now mid-afternoon, and Osferth had not seen nor heard from her; he had hoped to talk to her this morning to better get to know her. He thought for a moment and decided to go for a walk, where he ran into Uhtred walking in the other direction. 

"Goodmorning, Lord, have you an idea where, lady Odetta might be, I haven't seen her since last night"

Uhtred slows and turns to face him, saying, "At the moment, she's most likely in the fields; she rarely leaves that place."

"Thank you, Lord," Osferth says quietly as he walks toward the fields.

Osferth approached the fields, his gaze taking in his surroundings. It was beautiful. The field was lush, with green, mid-length grass. It extending into the countryside—residing outside the gates, and a river and docks that surrounds the whole of Coccham. The vibrant display of flowers covered the ground with blues, soft pinks, lavender, yellow, and whites. There was a few wild mushrooms and at least three or four larger trees—plus a few smaller ones. The sound of bees buzzing fills Osferth's ears—there must have been thousands.

His gaze falls back to Odetta under one of the large oaks. He observed her for a moment. She was truly beautiful. Her long, brown hair fell in soft waves midway down her back, swaying slightly in the breeze, and to her face, which was kissed with freckles, hazel eyes, and rosy lips.

To Osferth, she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen.

He had seen her concentrating on something. He made his way towards her slowly, and as he did, he let his fingertips gaze at the tips of the flowers as he moved through the field.

Odetta was working on her flower chains; she hadn't heard the soft footsteps that were headed her way. Someone's fingertips were softly resting against her shoulders. She tenses up at the touch and lifts her head and turns it, and she gasps. 

She relaxes once she sees who it is.

"Osferth, hi" she says softly sounding almost out of breath

"Sorry for scaring you, my lady," Osferth said apologetically, and he sat down in a space next to her.

"No, it's okay," she says. "I was too busy concentrating, I'm afraid." She laughs and looks down at her flowers.

"May I ask, what are you doing, Odetta?" Osferth spoke, looking around her at the various types of flowers and the currently small pile of flower chains.

"Making flower chains," she says happily,

"w-would you like one, Osferth?"

"Yes, my lady" Osferth replies

"Pick out the flowers you would like, and I can teach you." Osferth picks out the whites and lighter violets, watching as she begins the first few loops, then measuring the base of his head. Osferth blushed slightly at this motion. 

"Then you tie the end of it like this," she explained; in all truth, Osferth was only half listening. He was busy admiring her. The way the light had highlighted honey flecks in her hazel eyes and her blush had lightly stained her lightly tanned cheeks