a 'the last kingdom' fanfiction
ocxcanon book
warnings include: gore, sexist scenes, typical warnings for tlk
please proceed with caution, i will always put specific warnings before every chapter begins!
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"we are all museums of fear"
LEOFRIC had never believed a child would do him much good. He was too busy, being part of the Saxon Military was no easy fret with Scandanavian's attacking from Northumbria and gradually making their way down the country. According to hyperbolic letters they were rampaging and murdering innocent villages in their quest to conquer England - specifically Wessex. However, when his lover had birthed little Esther, Leofric hadn't thought twice about protecting and caring for his little girl. His first and only child. Her mother, Agnes, had died in childbirth due to unhygienic surroundings and blood loss and Leofric just couldn't bring himself to leave Esther alone. He certainly didn't want her growing up in some nunnery since it wasn't what her mother had wished for her.
So, seventeen years later Leofric was still caring for his daughter while trying to keep up his job. It was working - somehow - and they had grown to have a somewhat content life. There were a few close calls over the years, Leofric sustaining some serious injuries or Esther catching every common illness a child could get. But they managed.
Currently, Esther was sitting on a tree stump, watching her father talk to some Viking or other. She couldn't quite tell if he was or not. He had a slight Scandinavian accent whenever he talked but he spoke of his heritage to Bebbanburg a lot. No Dane had heritage to that place, it was just a bunch of despicable Saxon's running that place. But Esther wasn't about to ask. She was far more interested in the way the Viking-Saxon would make a shield wall instead of the traditional defence set up.
"Father, I believe this man is smarter than you are," Esther spoke up, her hands stilling on her lap. She'd been tugging at the fabric of her dress for the past five minutes or so.
Leofric and the other man turned to look at the ginger girl, her father raised a brow, "You think a Dane is smarter than me?"
"Most are," she stated, a small grin on her face, "I thought he was a saxon?"
Esther half asked, looking at the currently unnamed man before he spoke up, "No, no. Well I suppose I am, my parents were but I was raised by Danes," That explained at least some of it, or enough to satisfy her and not have to ask more questions. So Esther just nodded, humming slightly as if to say okay.
"Right, Arseling, get back to work," Leofric said, smacking the back of the man's knees with his shield.
"Your name is Arseling? That's quite unfortunate," Esther chuckled slightly, eyes squinting to block out the sun. The guy shook his head, Leofric was busy laughing to himself.
"My name's Uhtred," he said, almost sounding proud of himself for just being called 'Uhtred'.
Esther shrugged slightly, turning her attention back to the fabric of her dress, "I don't know if that's any better,"
♰
Their training seemed to drag on for far longer than Esther tried to care. By the time it was done the sun had fallen, giving Esther a perfect excuse to go home and rest. On her way home however, Esther stopped by the monastery, she wasn't really religious. It was too big a deal for ehr to deal with. Instead she was there to see her cousin, Osferth. A young boy, about the age of nine now. He was her aunt's son, born a bastard of the King and forced to grow up in a religious setting instead of with his mother or even Esther and her father. Despite that, Esther always made time to visit him at least once a day, it seemed to bring them both a bit of peace of mind.
"Osferth," Esther greeted, smiling as she saw him, "how has my favourite cousin been?" she asked, cupping his face gently before pulling him into a hug. Esther gave him a gentle squeeze as he giggled momentarily, looking up to his cousin.
"I've been alright, nothing too exciting," he said, slightly frowning at the latter part of his question. Esther frowned, looking down to him as she released him from the hug.
She shook her head slightly, "that can't be right, you always do something fun. Did you spend time in the gardens today?" she asked, sitting down on a pew chair. Osferth's face lit up, smiling as he nodded.
"I saw a little blue coloured bird today! No idea what kind it is though," he said, mumbling slightly before sitting beside his cousin, "it was pretty though,"
"Oh? Maybe you should name it," she teased, nudging his arm slightly as he grinned and almost went shy, "you never know, your bird could get you in the scriptures one day," she smiled, leaning back into the rather uncomfortable seat, "have they been treating you well?"
"As well as they treat every other person, cousin," Osferth responded, a small smile on his face although there was a hint of sadness to his eyes. Esther looked at him, ruffling his hair.
"Don't look so sad, cousin. I'm convinced my fathers thinking about taking you in," she said, smiling to him, "then you'll get to spend every waking hour with me,"
Osferth feigned a disgusted expression, "that sounds torturous,"
Esther laughed, shaking her head, "you're so kind to me," she smiled, thumbs rubbing her knuckles slightly, "I must go," she said, turning her head to look at him, "I'll come back tomorrow,"
Osferth nodded, standing up straight and shaking his cousins hand, "tomorrow then, Esther,"
She nodded, "tomorrow it is," she grinned, kissing the top of his head before leaving and heading out the church. She headed home finally, rubbing her eyes as she walked. The night air tasted rotten, Esther could almost taste how many drunk men were out and about - luckily for her she knew the alleys to her home that avoided most if not all the drunken soldiers.
Slipping into her house she makes her way to her own room. It was tiny, only just fit a small bed. Cozy some would say.
But Esther didn't mind. It was her little space, a little space she could spend by herself. She adored it, she loved spending time with people too but she largely loved staying alone. Doing some embroidery or reading some weird books that made little-to-no-sense.
♰
Many hours later her father returned home, half drunk but sober enough to mutter a goodnight through his daughters bedroom door. Esther sleepily responded, some incoherent sentence about sleeping well.
Leofric made his way to bed, settling down under his scratty covers and soon passing out.
a/n
oh i'm gonna regret writing two books at once oh well
