#aalys x aelflaed

[aadmelioraa]

It's almost 2023, so I figured I'd share my updated The Last Kingdom fic recs since I have been meaning to do that all year. Below the cut you will find some shippy stuff, some introspective pieces, and a variety of characters featured (several of whom rarely get fanfic). I hope if this post crosses your path you may find a new favorite! I did limit my selection to complete fics, but you can find more recommendations, both works in progress and complete, under my ao3 tlk bookmarks. Happy New Year, and happy reading!

the leap by @irisdouglasiana

Season 5 cottagecore nuns fixit for Aalys and Aelflaed. Fixit fics are not usually my vibe tbh but this one is perfectly complex and bittersweet.

A Hard Story to Know by @wildwren

Post Season 5 fic. Aelfwynn processes her grief at the loss of her mother with the help of Aldhelm and Eadith. This fic broke my heart and mended it several times over.

no escape by @volvaaslaug

Wonderful Eadith character study and I adore the prose style as well.

come go with me by @wendy-daahling

Aethelflaed x Aldhelm political marriage (for MERCIA of course), slow burn with lots of delicious pining.

the drowned and the damned by @irisdouglasiana

Canon divergent AU centered around Osbert, Uhtred's youngest son. Addresses family trauma, cycles of violence, and legacy within the world of the show and does it in such a thought provoking way.

and, lord, she found me just in time by @jeynepoole

Hild x Iseult hurt/comfort bathing fic...so tender and so lovely.

a rope in hand for your other man by @jeynepoole

This fic is definitely for a niche audience, but if the idea of an Aethelflaed/Aldhelm/Aethelred threesome intrigues you, check it out...and there's more where that came from.

Meanwhile in Mercia by @skatingthinandice

This series is an absolute staple of Aethelflaed x Aldhelm fanfic and I am very grateful for it. Essential reading!

Daughter of Darkness by @ulfrsmal

Gen fic focused around Brida and Thyra's relationship and trauma that I, for one, desperately needed. *this fic is locked, you will need to be logged into your ao3 account to access...I still have a few invitations to send, if you need one feel free to DM me!

I go you go, my dear by alittlebitalexis

Two Osferth x Eadith fics for the Eadsferth truthers among us (no for real they were cute). Fluff and smut.

When the Party's Over by @wildwren

Aethelflaed x Erik College AU. Part of a series, read Part 1 first, I am just particularly attached to this part for...reasons.

The Maiden by @wildwren

Pirate/Witch AU for Aethelflaed x Skade. This fic is HOT and creative and HOT and gorgeously written and HOT.

To Curse a King by @pokeasleepingsmaug

Skade x Sihtric smut fic featuring magic and knife play. Very fun and sexy.

Saint of Shitty Reasons by @volvaaslaug

Edward Modern AU character study that hits 95% of my kinks.

Most CURSED among God's kin are aethelings by @wildwren

Aethelwold character study. A masterpiece though and through.

Lay Down Your Arms by @skatingthinandice

Aethelflaed x Aldhelm post Tettenhall smut, and a most worthy entry for the #GET IT AETHELFLAED tag.

clever-tongued by @tsukkinami

Aethelflaed x Aldhelm smut with wonderful tension and intimacy, it's just top tier! A classic.

in my dreams we survived by @irisdouglasiana

Hild character study, really lovely angst that makes me tear up every time.

poison by @irisdouglasiana

Brida x Skade enemies to lovers...need I say more?

fortune cookie by @jeynepoole

Competent stepdad Aldhelm, Modern AU Aldhelm & Aelfwynn bonding. A warm blanket of a fic.

[ladyfenring]

heaven is here (if you want it)

for @aelflaeds

[ivarthebadbitch]

The life of a queen can be somewhat lonely...

(for @aelflaeds) 

[muddleofnervouswords]

The Last Kingdom Affirmations

~* reblog to claim *~

screencap of Aelflaed is from kissthemgoodbye

inspired by this fic by @ivarthebadbitch

[aelswiths]

thoughts on aelflaed x aalys

I LOVE THEM. I appreciate anything that makes my baby girl Aelflaed happy, hence my username. They’re so cute, and regardless of what’s in canon TO ME they are in Lindesfarne living their best lives and feeding chickens together with Aelfweard 😌.

[osferth]

no but honestly it is so sad how aelflaed finally escaped what must've been such a constraining situation at court and a husband who dislikes her, to go on a simple pilgrimage with aalys only to be killed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time :(

[wildwren]

Listen I know there’s a lot to process right now, but I think the most important thing to talk about is the crackships. new crack ships left and right here you guys, like we are feasting right now. in truly no particular order, my favs are: 

TLK Season 5 Spoilers!!!

Aelswith x Eadith: I’m sorry but you cannot convince me they are not fucking. Is this even a crackship when they’re clearly fucking? (I know, i know, they’re not fucking. i know) STILL. they killed that guy together and Aelswith was SO HORnY afterwards, and also she’s gonna move to Bebbanburg because they’re girlfriends.  Aelswith x Uhtred: honestly they had good content this season and it really just went to prove that this was the Wessex royal he had chemistry with the whole time. Their scene together in Episode 4 is probably my favorite scene in the entire season, mostly for Queen-related reasons but the Uhtred stuff was good too. I ship it.  Aldhelm x Eadith: the head shake. the head shake. that little head shake. the one Eadith gave to Aldhelm after examining Aethelflaed? WE ALL SAW IT. anyway. case in point.  Aelflaed x Aalys: This isn’t a crackship. This is canon. As @aethelreds says, they are currently on the Isle of Lindisfarne feeding chickens. It’s real you guys. Edward x Aldhelm: I was a little dismayed and confused when Aldhelm seemed to just team up with Eddy in about 2.5 seconds after Aethelflaed’s death. BUT. Then Aldhelm got to do some tearful expostulating about Aethelflaed and I just feel like there just some stuff to unpack there. 

Stiorra x Wolland: I mean. Obviously. Like. Come on. C’mon. I was digging how Wolland could be formal and professional one moment and then unleashing pure hype the next. I bet he’s so weird in bed.  

Edward x Constantin: TELL ME WAS THERE nOT A LOOK. TELL ME. it was very sensual. no i’m not changing my mind.

Aelfwynn x Whitgar: okay so i know this is not real. please know that i know that this is not real. Were there vibes? absolutely not. Do I ship it? no. Would I write it? ..... ....

........ maybe 

what are you fav crackships of the season??? who did i miss???? i want to knowwwww

[ladyfenring]

Sleepover Saturday -

The last kingdom fic recs!!

ohohohoho

I don't read as much as I should but my all-time favorite is this eadflaedhelm piece by @aadmelioraa, it is my comfort fic that I read whenever I'm sad

I also really love these two Aldred pieces

this Aelflaed x Aalys piece by @ivarthebadbitch lives in my mind rent-free

@volvaaslaug wrote this really soft Eadith piece for me and I think about it a lot

if you aren't reading The Trouble With Paper Houses I strongly urge you to fix that

and anything you see in my #fic by others tag has my stamp of approval ✨

[aadmelioraa]

edward

My NOTP for them: I mean…Aelflaed I guess. They were interesting and they could have been very different, but…as it was. 

My BROTP for them: Osferth! I get why it wasn’t really a thing. But I still lowkey want to write a role reversal fic for them (I never will, but I want to).

My OTP for them: The relationship between Edward and Ecgwynn is super intriguing to me, even if we mostly got allusions to it. 

My second choice pairing for them: Eadgifu and Edward are truly a power couple.

My fluffy pairing for them: Edward x Conditioner.

My angsty pairing for them: Uhtred could be GOOD, ok???

My favorite poly ship for them: I had to think about this one for a minute, but I’m gonna say Edward x Aelflaed x Aalys. Don’t @ me.

My weirdest pairing for them: Idk how weird it is, but I wholeheartedly stand by Aldhelm x Edward. It just makes sense to me on a spiritual level.

[ladyfenring]

for @emilyhufflepufftlk’s 300 Followers Challenge!

Aelflaed gets some pre-wedding jitters. Aethelflaed knows exactly how she feels.

read it on ao3

“If Aunt Aelflaed was married to your dad and now she’s getting remarried, what does that make Aalys?” Aelfwynn asks Aethelstan in the backseat. “Your step-stepmum?”

“My stepmum once removed?” he guesses.

“You only say ‘removed’ when there’s a generational difference,” Aldhelm says. “Like how Aethelwold is your first cousin once removed.”

“Okay, nerd,” Aelfwynn says, kicking his seat.

The car’s bluetooth picks up a call from Aethelflaed’s phone, the word “MUM” flashing across the screen.

“Five quid says it’s about the catering,” Aethelflaed says before she accepts the call. “Hi, Mum.”

“Aethelflaed! Did you know this wedding isn’t catered?!”

Aethelflaed and Aldhelm trade a look.

“I had a feeling.”

“They’re grilling for dinner! Grilling! Someone named Root has brought vegan burgers and gluten-free buns!”

“Well, that’s what they want to do,” Aethelflaed says calmly. “Aelflaed has already done the big church wedding, now she and Aalys just want to celebrate with a few loved ones in the privacy of their backyard.”

“But burgers, Aethelflaed!”

“We’ll be there soon, Mum, so unless there’s something else–”

“Oh, just hurry, I can hardly keep these friends of Aelflaed and Aalys’s straight.”

“I don’t think any of them are.”

“What?”

“Nothing. See you soon.” Aethelflaed ends the call.

They pull up in front of the house a few minutes later, parking on the country road and letting themselves into the backyard.

As soon as they lay eyes on the informal wedding setup and the mingling guests, most of whom are Aelflaed and Aalys’s queer art friends, Aethelstan says, “It’s giving cottagecore.”

Aelswith rushes up to them, looking stunningly out of place in a not-inexpensive dress and heels. “Thank God! I’ve just discovered the wedding cake is chocolate– made from avocados! Is nothing sacred?!”

“I’m actually morbidly curious about that,” Aldhelm admits. “How does one get the chocolate flavor from an avocado?”

“One doesn’t!” Aelswith snaps.

“Mum, please,” Aethelflaed sighs. “Just…let them have their wedding.”

“Where’s Aelfweard?” Aelfwynn asks.

“He’s inside, getting ready,” Aelswith says. “Edward’s here, too; come say hello.”

They follow Aelswith into the house, where Edward is indeed in the living room, looking at all the books Aelflaed and Aalys keep on their bookshelves. He looks up when he sees his family enter, pointing at the books.

“They sure have a lot of books about being a lesbian,” he jokes.

“Well, you have to take a course,” Aalys says, appearing in the doorway. “Otherwise they don’t let you do it.”

“Aalys, you look beautiful,” Aethelflaed says, coming forward to kiss the other woman’s cheek.

Aalys does look beautiful in a white cotton maxi dress, a flower crown sitting on her head. She smiles serenely at Aethelflaed, squeezing her hands. “Thank you, Aethelflaed. I’m so glad you were able to make it today. Root is going to make vegan burgers, it should be a treat.”

Aelswith offers a pained looking smile. “How special.”

While they all politely discuss the wedding, Aelfwynn excuses herself to the bathroom…and then reappears at Aethelflaed’s side a moment later, whispering urgently, “Mum, Aunt Aelflaed’s in the bathroom, crying.”

Aethelflaed looks at her sharply. “What?”

“She was crying. I didn’t know what to do…do you think we should tell Aalys…?”

“No.” Aethelflaed glances at Aalys, who’s talking at length about the avocado cake, and then whispers to Aelfwynn, “Keep everyone in here, if you can, or get them outside, but whatever happens, do not let anyone know that Aelflaed has been crying, especially Aalys.”

Aelfwynn nods, remaining behind while Aethelflaed slips away to the bathroom.

She can hear Aelflaed’s muffled sobs from the other side of the door. Taking a deep breath, she raises her fist and knocks softly. “Aelflaed? It’s me. Aethelflaed.”

The sobbing stops.

“Aelflaed, can I come in? Please?”

There’s a long pause, and then a moment later, the lock clicks and the door opens.

Aelflaed’s eyes are red, mascara running down her cheeks. Thankfully, none of it has made it onto her lace dress, but Aethelflaed steps inside and wets some toilet paper, wiping the other woman’s cheeks and eyes to prevent any accidents.

“What’s going on?” she asks softly.

Aelflaed shakes her head, sniffing. “I’m just, you know…having a little panic attack.”

Aethelflaed closes the door behind her. “Wanna talk about it?”

Aelflaed breathes deeply. “I just…I’m worried I’m making a mistake. I love Aalys,” she adds quickly. “But I loved Edward too, you know? And then we got married and it was like…we became different people. And I’m afraid…maybe the same thing will happen to Aalys and me.” Tears fill her eyes again. “Maybe even though we love each other more than Edward and I loved each other and even though we know each other better, the same thing will happen.”

Aethelflaed rubs her arm. “You know, I was worried about the same thing the morning I married Aldhelm.”

Aelflaed stops crying. “Really?”

Aethelflaed nods. “I’d made such a huge mistake with Aethelred, and even though I was sure about Aldhelm, the morning of the wedding, I was suddenly full of doubts. I almost called it off.”

“What made you decide not to?”

Aethelflaed thinks for a moment. “Because…I knew that even if we changed, our love for each other wouldn’t…if that makes sense.” She flushes a little at the uncharacteristic sentimentality, but plunges ahead, “I think it’s normal for people to grow and change throughout their lives, and sometimes the people you and your partner grow into are nothing like the people you were when you first met. And maybe you and Aalys will become different people, but…I don’t think your love for each other is going anywhere.”

Aelflaed’s eyes fill with tears again. “That’s beautiful.”

Aethelflaed smiles. “You love Aalys, and she loves you, and if you are scared and you do need to call off the wedding for today or for a year or even fifty years, she’ll understand…but I think you’ll be okay.”

Aelflaed nods, sniffing. “I think so, too.” She wipes her eyes, giving Aethelflaed an abashed smile. “I wish you were still my sister-in-law.”

“I’m still your sister-in-law. I’m not going anywhere, either,” Aethelflaed promises, hugging her.

.

When the two women reemerge from the bathroom twenty minutes later, Aelflaed’s makeup has been so successfully reapplied that no one would know she’d been crying if they weren’t looking. In fact, no one even seems to notice that the two women were missing; Aalys is still extolling the virtues of unconventional cooking while Aldhelm listens politely and Aelswith and Edward look as though they’re watching their dreams being dashed.

“Ready?” Aelflaed asks, slipping her arm through Aalys’s.

Aalys beams at her. “When you are.”

.

The wedding is beautiful. The ceremony is short and simple, but Aelflaed and Aalys’s vows still manage to make everyone tear up. After, they play music over just one speaker for those who want to dance and set up a separate area with mismatched chairs and benches for those who’d rather just sit back and relax. A person named Root does indeed prepare vegan burgers and there is an avocado chocolate cake, which Aelswith reluctantly admits is “not that bad.” Later, Aethelflaed pretends not to notice when her mother furtively pulls out her phone to search for the recipe.

When Aelflaed is dancing with Aelfweard, mother and son beaming at each other, Aalys approaches Aethelflaed, squeezing her hand.

“I know what you did for Aelflaed today,” she says softly. “And I want to thank you.”

“Oh,” Aethelflaed says, flushing, “it was nothing.”

But Aalys shakes her head. “It wasn’t nothing. It meant a lot, coming from you.”

Aethelflaed’s flush deepens, touched by the kind words. “Well…I’m glad I could help.”

Aalys smiles, squeezing her hand again before she goes to check on her friends.

Aldhelm comes up beside Aethelflaed, glancing after Aalys. “What was that about?”

“Aelflaed had a little panic before the wedding, and I talked her down, and I guess she told Aalys about it.”

“Really?” he asks with interest, looking at Aelflaed. She seems calm and happy now, not panicked in the least. “What was she panicking about?”

“Oh, you know. What if she and Aalys became different people after they got married, what if they fell out of love. That sort of thing.”

He considers this. “Did you panic before our wedding?”

“Yes. I think most brides panic before their weddings.” She glances at him. “Does that bother you?”

He shakes his head, taking a swig from his water bottle. “No, because I also had a panic before our wedding.”

“You never told me that!”

“Well, it was a bit embarrassing, to be frank with you,” he says drily. “I seriously considered Gone Girl -ing myself.”

“You could never.”

“I really couldn’t.”

She turns to fully face him. “What did you panic about?”

He shrugs. “I just wasn’t sure if you were making the right decision.”

“If I was making the right decision?” she asks in surprise.

“Mm; I was afraid that I’d tricked you somehow into believing I was a better person than I really was.”

“And what got you out of it?”

“It’s disgustingly sentimental, I warn you.”

“Go on.”

He fiddles with the cap of his water bottle. “I didn’t want to live without you, so I decided I’d simply try and become that better person until it was true.”

“That is disgustingly sentimental,” she says, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and kissing him. “Do you want to sneak off and have a quickie?”

“Need you ask?”

She smiles, kissing him again. “I love you.” Her arms tighten around him. “And I always will.”

[aelswiths]

For @saint-helga 💕💕

As usual I have many other version I can share if interested :)

[aelswiths]

I decided to post more anyway because I love them ❤❤

For @saint-helga @aethelreds @aadmelioraa @wildwren

[ladyfenring]

✨just gals being pals ✨

[aelswiths]

For @aethelreds @aadmelioraa @wildwren @volvaaslaug @catherinesvalois @saint-helga

I know I promised to do more Aethelred edits but I got distracted, there are more of this edit to come...

[aelswiths]

THEM ❤❤❤❤❤ for @aethelreds 

[osferth]

Aelflaed or Eadgifu?

AHHHHH this is so hard 😭

i love eadgifu!!!!! but honestly i think ill have to choose aelflaed only because ive known her for longer and i love her storyline with aalys, they were definitely girlfriends. her taking aalys' place and getting killed instead was so sad, they deserved to run away from court and live together :((