The Last Kingdom One-Shots

Sihtric- The Trader's Daughter

Warning: Attempted sexual assault.

Scene: I feel like I do a good job setting this one up, but Sihtric is very protective of the OC, Cwen, and there's some angst and cute fluff.

Word Count: 4,080 (omg, but it's so worth it)

Summer was always Cwen's favorite time of year. It was when she was allowed to travel the rivers of the Saxon lands alongside her father, outside the walls where her mother lived in Winchester.

She had started accompanying her father when she had just been 11 years old, and now that she was older, she knew that her time to be married and settle down was coming, so she savored what might be her last voyage with her father.

They had just finished their trip to East Anglia and were sailing down to a small, but well-known estate called Coccham, the estate of Lord Uhtred and his godless warriors. Cwen had been there each year, but only briefly, but it appeared that this year, their stop would last a few days, as they were carrying an important messenger to the lord.

Cwen looked over at the man and wrinkled her nose. He was a burly Saxon man, one she would not like to speak to, and the way he looked at her made her skin crawl. He was very disapproving of her and had muttered under his breath many times about needing to remind her about her place as a woman. She took a deep breath and turned to the bow of the ship, her hair blowing slightly with the light breeze. She heard her father come up behind her, his slight limp giving away who it was.

"Only a half-day's sail away from Coccham, my dear. Then we'll have a place to sleep and warm food in our bellies," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Cwen looked up and smiled at him.

"I will miss this, father," she said, thinking wistfully of her future. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "When I am married, I will miss this. I know you and mother speak of it often."

Her father simply gave her a sad smile, squeezed her shoulder, and placed a kiss on her forehead before turning back to speak with a few of his men.

Of all his children, of which there were 5, Cwen was his favorite. Her older brothers had gone off to be warriors and fight in the King's guard instead of following in their father's footsteps. Her little sister was her mother's favorite, and their baby brother was still too young to be of any use to her father. From a young age, Cwen had followed after her father, toddling onto the boat and trying to help row when she was barely old enough to speak.

Her mother had not been happy about it, having finally gotten a little girl, she had hoped for someone to keep her company, but Cwen had the heart of the sea. Her mother loved her dearly, but she was her father's daughter.

Within a few hours, Cwen prepared herself to approach the small estate of Coccham. The sun had just begun to set, but they were expected, that much she knew. As they neared to dock, she went to the bow and grabbed one of the ropes, preparing to jump up onto the dock and tie up the boat.

As they neared, a few faces came into view. There was Lord Uhtred, with his righthand man, who Cwen had heard was a rough Irishman with a love of women and drink, and his lefthand man, a Dane who, from Cwen's brief glance, was very attractive. Besides the three of them stood a monk. It was an interesting sight to see, but Cwen was focused on the landing.

As soon as they were within reach, she jumped from the boat up onto the dock and pulled the rope tight, quickly tying it to one of the wooden posts.

As soon as she had done that, she brushed her hands together and looked back to the boat as the others began to store away things. She could feel the gaze of the men on her as she stood there quietly, waiting for her father.