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virgoisqueen11 · 5 months ago

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Stranger Tides | Chapter I

Hey uh I'm back? I guess? I don't know if anyone will be interested but after almost a year of complete writer's block/trying to finish my degree I have found a new addiction in the name of Baldur's Gate 3. More precisely with this little guy above. Which has led me to finally write something new, featuring my OC Alys. I might be a bit rusty, but I'm happy enough with it to share the first chapter. So here goes. Enjoy!

Alys Vaelthorne never stayed on land long enough to grow roots. The sea wasn't home either - you can't make home of something boundless and turbulent - but it accepted her. Let her breathe, let her escape. Cleaned off the sins. Carried her away.

Now Alys can't run anymore. There's a worm gnawing away at her soul and its voice murmurs promises of absolution.

And, on top of it all, him.

That strange, cunning elf who always watches too closely. Who lies and charms and kills with a grin. And who, beneath it all, understands.

That scares her more than the end of the world.

A story of survivors. Of loss and grief and monstrosity. Of two circling each other until teeth and claws and bones clash. Until humanity starts to bloom again, in the places that used to be barren.

Pairing : Astarion x f! OC, Astarion x f! Tav

Rating : Mature

Warnings : Canon-typical violence, mentions of trauma and PTSD, explicit sexual content (eventually)

Additional tags : slow burn, hurt/comfort, angst, arguing as a form of foreplay, healing but making each other very angry first, enemies to lovers (kinda), Astarion and Tav are terrible at feelings, they both need a hug, true neutral tav (but leaning good), canon compliant with some divergence, eventual romance, eventual smut, i hate you because you remind me of myself vibes, but i also feel safe with you, but please stop seeing me like that, author is losing it

Chapter 1 : Beginnings (AO3)

Read an excerpt below !

She didn’t look in the faces of corpses she robbed. Didn’t take note of the colour of their eyes, of the pattern of their hair or the slope of their nose. Because that made it all wrong- gave her something to remember them by. They became people again, taken cruelly and unfairly, when they were simply means to an end. She moved swiftly around the beach, plucking gold from pockets, prying a wooden staff from broken fingers, untying leather armor from a caved-in chest and slipping it over her tunic. She was detached, methodic - heartless, an onlooker might have said. Force of habit.

Her pack filled once more, she fixed her sight to the smouldering wreckage, its bloated and greyish tendrils draped over the cliffside. She would start there.

She tied her hair above her neck and took her first steps towards this newfound purpose. Chin up, steady-legged, not a pause to mourn for the existence she was leaving behind. She’d always been good at that. Leaving without ever looking back.

Even when it ripped a piece of her she could never replace.

She didn’t get very far.

A brutal feeling of being watched, of being hunted, made her stomach drop to her heels. Up to her right, needles rustled under boots - just once, before retreating. A misstep. She halted, blood thumping at her temples, and tilted her head slightly towards the sound.

There was someone on that hill, near a patch of sickly, short conifers. She could only make out their silhouette, crouched by a gnarled trunk, sticking to the shadows - nearly blending with them. A rogue, without question. She darted behind the nearest boulder.

Do they know I saw?

Alys didn’t have much time to wonder. There was a flash of white against ocher - and then she was pulled down, a yelp caught in her throat, a dagger under her chin and a dangerous voice in her ear. “Don’t. Move.”

She went very still, back flush to this stranger’s chest. Her head spun, stars danced in her vision. But what stunned the sorceress wasn’t how quickly he’d sneaked up on her, or the blade an inch away from her artery. No, it was the icy sting of the assailant’s fingers tightly wrapped around her arm. They were freezing. Colder even than hers when she summoned the skies.

For a moment, she was taken by the sensation. His touch almost felt inhumane, as if no blood pulsed beneath the skin.

“I saw you on that ship,” he hissed, cool breath tickling her neck. “You’re in league with those… those things, aren’t you?”

“Get off of me,” the sorceress retorted, voice trembling with fury, and she dug her free elbow into the rogue’s stomach.

As she rolled away from the man, only one thought remained.

There was something deeply wrong with him.

She jumped to her feet, thunder fiercely crackling in her chest, ready to strike.

Her assailant followed suit, coughing, a hand clutching his middle. Alys looked him over, her sight narrowed by adrenaline. The rogue was an elf, tall and thin and pale. Paler than anyone she’d ever met. Almost translucent in the harsh sunlight. He was all angles and long, sharp lines, except for his hair - a mop of curly silver, unruly like the fur of a lamb. He donned elegant clothes, but the velvet of his coat was worn, the gold motifs tarnished as though he’d mended them a few too many times, to give the impression of nobility. And he was scowling at her, eyes blazing with hatred.

But, gods, was he beautiful. A preternatural beauty that drew one in and spurred obsession. Hypnotic.

It made her anger dissipate in volutes.

Alys stared for a second too long, and the elf lunged forward. It shattered those wholly unbecoming feelings.

“Back off!” she shouted, drawing her staff.

"Oh," he sneered, tone laced with venom, "you filthy little - ARGH!"

He doubled over, his dagger clattering to the ground, and, a heartbeat later, Alys’ knees buckled as her skull split in two.

A pain greater than she'd ever felt seared through her brain like wildfire. Her tadpole writhed, burying deeper, biting through matter, destroying nerve endings and connecting…

Her vision went black, and then her eyes weren't her own anymore.

The rest is crossposted on AO3!

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virgoisqueen11 · 5 months ago

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~I Care~

An Osferth fanfic 🤎🕯️

Author note: welcome to my Osferth fanfic! This one is full of fluff and is a soft fanfic. No smut this time, I wanted to write something different and sweet 🤎

Enjoy! ✨

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Life with Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his sea of friends and followers, or better yet, defensive warriors, was never boring. One day after the other, there were always conversations about war and other matters amongst the Danes and Saxons, two sides of the same rusty coin. Of course, being a servant girl, you weren't too involved with the politics and culture shared between Uhtred and the opposing side, but you were always aware of the seriousness of the situations, no matter what they were.

Uhtred and his men found you chained and beaten down, left starving and emotionally destroyed in a pool of your own distressed tears and vomit next to a family of lambs that you only slept next to for warmth, the animals' coats being the only source of comfort you had on the most brutal of nights.

When Uhtred found you, he immediately had Finan and Sihtric tend to your aching and broken down body, which you didn't even have the energy to object to. They took you in, and since then, you've been forever grateful, constantly repeating to Uhtred how you are in debt, which he would always nod off with a smile and tell you to "pay no mind to it, love" in that sweet and husky voice of his that could melt the harsh climates of the continent.

However, Uhtred's kindness wasn't the only type you were met with that night. Finan and Sihtric took you in, but the man who was in charge of taking care of your aches was a man who was simply called Osferth. He was a quiet, and very gentle monk who took care of you better than any other healer you have ever met, treating you like a wounded deer when he patched up all your cuts and bruises with a certain kind of care you never knew a man could possess.

He fed you, kept you warm, and even kept watch over you as you slept to make sure you stayed safe and well-rested. Of course, he always insisted this was all because of Uhtred's orders, which you believed at first, but you began to feel his kindness and generosity was uniquely his own and wasn't just a simple order given by a man of higher power. Osferth had always been an enigma to you. No one could really figure him out, but that's just one of the many reasons you became very fond of him.

You pondered on this many times before, but your mind would always end up turning itself inside out the longer you tried to understand why Osferth did the things he did. He was always the gentlest one out of Uhtred's men, so you weren't too surprised by his nature, but still. You wouldn't ever stop wondering about his motives until you found a sure explanation.

As soon as you were healthy and vibrant again, Uhtred and his men celebrated yet another victory against the Vikings, having a feast and party with everyone who would participate. You cleaned up the inn they had been staying at and cooked most of the food with the help of Finan's lovely wife Ingrith, busying yourself until you could finally sit down and sigh with relief.

After sundown, the inn was packed with many of Uhtred's warriors and friends who joined the party to celebrate the victory. They all ate, drank pints and pints of ale, sang drunken songs that sounded more like slurs, and overall it was all a good time.

That is, until Uhtred drunkenly put you on the spot.

You were the new servant girl, one whose beauty wasn't overlooked by any man who had eyes, so of course, he decided to put you out there for attention you did not ask for, nor did you want it.

He put you on center stage, expecting a sort of speech from you, but your tongue became numb and your limbs turned to frost. You were never particularly good with crowds, but this one made your heart race in all the worst ways imaginable. All those men staring up at you.... The testosterone was so strong, you could practically smell it from their intoxicated lips. You did not like being the center of this type of attention.

As you froze up, Uhtred noticed and gently led you off the stage. Of course, that would've gone smoothly had he not been drunk off one too many pints of ale, but since that wasn't the case, you ended up falling on top of him instead of simply being guided off that stage.

You landed face down onto Uhtred's chest, thankful his body had broken your fall. It wasn't too bad up until Finan tripped trying to help you up. He clumsily spilled his pint of ale all over your dress, which now became wet and sticky. Overall, the situation not only frustrated you, but caused your cheeks to heat up with embarrassment after hearing the roar of laughter that this clumsy mess elicited from the crowd of men. You wanted to curl up and die.

No longer wanting to be a part of this disastrous and chaotic episode they called a celebration, you brushed your dress off and hurried your way out of the inn. You needed to be somewhere alone, somewhere quiet, somewhere that didn't involve gawking men. Somewhere you felt safe.

Uhtred and his men noticed your absence, which worried them greatly, but they didn't want to be pushy. They knew what happened must've overwhelmed you, so Uhtred stopped Finan and Sihtric as they were about to make their way towards where they saw you walk. You needed space, so they'll give it.

The monk called Osferth, however, did not stay in one spot while he knew you were upset. He set his pint of ale down by the table, then quietly left the celebration as well, searching for where you had went to hide.

He checked the gardens, the washing station where you do the laundry, and even the quiet corner of the inn where the nonalcoholic beverages were kept. When he didn't catch any sight of you, he frowned and decided to check one final spot where you could potentially be hiding.

The stables.

You had always loved the company of the horses, plus the stable where they kept the mounts was quite a big part of the inn. Not only that, but you even decided to sleep here some nights, as it was close to the river in case you needed to wash up the next morning. This was your quiet little hideaway when things became too overwhelming for you.

You were sitting next to a grayish brown steed, the same one Osferth himself rides when it's time for Uhtred and his men to prepare for battle. You brushed the beautiful mane, doing literally anything to take your mind off of what just occurred.

As you sat there in silence, you suddenly heard a knock on the closed door of the stable, causing you to pause your ministrations of brushing the horse's mane to listen in on who was behind the shut wood.

"Y/N?" You heard a soft voice from behind the door.

"...yes?" You replied, though you kept your eyes on the horse.

"May I enter? I-...it is Osferth...." Osferth.... The only man among the many others in that crowd who didn't frighten you with his overwhelming amount of strength and intimidation.

"Yes, you may come in." You allowed him to enter, continuing to brush the steed's mane as you sighed.

Osferth entered in the stable with a soft smile, closing the door shut behind him before pulling up a chair to sit next to you. The stable was a humble size, but it wasn't claustrophobic. There were bushels of hay and wood scattered in the corners, along with a small bed made of cloth and straw that you'd retire to whenever the night became too wearisome.

You shared many nights with the five horses you were in charge of taking care of. One may wonder how you could sleep in such a place, given this is where the huge steeds live, but being a servant girl for many years meant you were used to scents that were often considered to be very unpleasant to the senses. It was like living with brothers and having spent so much time with Uhtred and his men, you were sort of used to that too.

After a moment of quiet, Osferth spoke up to make it less awkward. "I um... Uhtred sent me here to check up on you.... He said you were very upset...."

He was going to wait for you to reply, but when he heard a sniffle, he frowned and looked up as you brushed his horse's mane.

"....you were crying...." Osferth spoke very quietly, worry evident in his tone.

"No I wasn't...." You denied, but no one can ever successfully lie to Osferth.

"You do not need to pretend, Y/N. I can hear it in your voice, as well as I can see it in your eyes. You were crying.... Is everything alright?"

There's no point in denying it now that he's obviously caught you in your lie. "I'm alright, yes.... But you are correct, I was crying...."

Osferth's frown only became more apparent.

"Oh...." Osferth took a good look at you and saw a few tear stains on your cheeks. Not only that, your dress was still wet, as was your hair. Your hair was starting to stick to your skin. Ale must've gotten in your tresses too.

The monk scooted a little closer to you as you took care of his steed, then positioned himself so that he'd be sitting behind you. There was a bucket of clean water nearby, as well as a spare brush and a sponge. He felt the need to help somehow.

"What are you doing...?" You inquired as you noticed him sit behind you.

"I'm going to try and clean you up." Simple as that, really.

"You don't have to do that...." He really didn't, but a part of you hoped he would anyway, despite your objection.

"I know I don't. I want to." Osferth grabbed the brush, which had rough bristles to do the job of untangling matted hair. "I'll be very gentle. I promise."

At first you were confused as to why he wants to help you so deeply, but then again, this is Osferth. He's naturally caring and loving, he never really needed a particular reason to want help somebody. As long as he's being helpful, he feels happy.

You nodded to show consent to him touching your hair and when he understood, he began to softly brush your soft hair with the bristles to get all the tangles out. Not that you had many, your hair was beautiful and flowing, but the ale stuck to the tresses in ways that couldn't possibly be comfortable, so he did what he could.

He massaged your scalp with the bristles, which made you sigh and shiver a bit at the relaxing sensation it sent down your spine. Osferth noticed that response and smiled as he continued to gently brush your hair.

"Your hair is very soft." Osferth whispered as he got the final knots out, which made you blush a little.

"...thank you...." Osferth smiled at your shy response, then dipped the sponge into the clean water. He squeezed out the excess, then slowly brought it up to your head.

"This is gonna be a little cold, okay?" When you nodded, he gently brought the sponge to your head and scrubbed at your hair to get the stickiness from the ale out. You shivered as the water trickled down your neck.

He continued to wash your hair and smiled with each shiver and sigh he elicited from you. He has his own personal reasons for wanting to do this for you, but you were blissfully unaware. He secretly wanted to hear every gentle breath and sigh that came from your lips, as it's the most beautiful sound in the world to him. He found every little thing you did to be absolutely endearing.

"May I ask what happened? Lord Uhtred said you were rather upset." Osferth cut the silence after a long moment.

You explained what happened, blushing as you remembered just how humiliating the moment was for you. Osferth couldn't help but smile at the story. You didn't need to explain it to him in such vivid detail since he saw what happened, but the way you worded everything gave him another reason to find you to be absolutely endearing and adorable.

"Mhm, I saw."

"If you saw, why did you ask me what happened?"

"Because you're funny when you're embarrassed." He chuckled softly, which earned a scoff out of you.

"Oh, ha ha. I don't suppose the real reason you came here was because you wanted to laugh at me for what happened?"

Osferth would continue the playful banter, but he feared he was crossing a line. He wants to comfort you, not upset you further.

"What!? N-no! No, I promise I came here to check on you.... Honest...." As he spoke, he finished cleaning your hair with the soft sponge. You only sighed.

"I know, I know.... I'm sorry, I'm a bit sensitive tonight."

Osferth noticed that you were particularly quiet tonight and it worried him. If you were having a bad night, he wanted to make it better somehow. He finished washing your hair and after he was sure he got all the ale out, he brushed the wet tresses to smoothen it out.

"Did you get anything to eat at the celebration?" Almost immediately after his question, your stomach grumbled loudly. You blushed and Osferth playfully smiled.

"Ah, I see I have my answer." The monk chuckled.

"Yeah... I didn't really get the chance to eat anything." You were too busy cleaning up and serving ale. You never once took a break to eat a single crumb.

"That just won't do, honey...." Osferth's sweet voice was like a balm to your soul, especially when he calls you things like "honey".

"Stay here. I'll be right back." Osferth got up from his stool then exited the stable temporarily. As you waited, you got up from your own stool and sat down by a pile of hay. You were getting sleepy, possibly from your empty stomach.

As you waited, you removed your sticky dress and put on your nightgown, which was more like an old dress than it was an outfit you actually wear to sleep. Still, it did the job. You then ran your fingers through your hair as you sat down. Osferth did an excellent job at getting the ale out of your strands. It was like you had taken a bath.

Just as you were about to start drifting off to sleep, Osferth returned to the stable. He noticed you were now in your nightgown. His cheeks became a bit warm at the sight of the tight material hugging your curves, but he didn't say anything about it. He chose to be a gentleman.

Osferth had two plates of food in his hands, as well as a pint of ale. He sat down beside you on the ground, then set the plate of food by your leg.

He had brought you some fresh salmon, mashed potatoes, and a variety of vegetables. If there's one thing Osferth was great at, it was making sure you and the others ate well. He was like the group's mother, despite being the second youngest (the youngest being you).

"Here you go, love. Eat up!" Osferth smiled at you as he helped himself to his own plate of food.

"Thank you, Osferth... but I don't think I really have an appetite right now." Your stomach betrayed you. As soon as you said that, another loud grumble came from your digestive system, causing you to clench your teeth in mock anger at your own stomach sounds.

"Lying is bad for the soul, my lady." Osferth smiled playfully as he heard your stomach growl.

"And for the stomach too, apparently...." He chuckled again as your stomach let out another grumble.

"If you don't eat that food, I'll shove it down your throat." Osferth's playful threat colored your cheeks red. He wasn't being serious, you knew that, but he did want you to eat something.

"Okay, I'm kidding. But please eat. It'd make me feel less guilty for stealing this from the banquet table...." Osferth smiled shyly as he continued to eat. He didn't necessarily steal the food, as it's free, but you knew what he meant.

Without another word, you began to chow down. You cooked the food with Ingrith, so you weren't at all surprised when the flavors danced on your tongue in all the right ways. It was like a lovely caress to your tastebuds.

The salmon was cooked with rosemary and other herbs and spices to bring out the flavor, the mashed potatoes were seasoned just enough to keep its perfect texture, and the vegetables were fresh and tenderly cooked. You were now more grateful than ever that Osferth brought you dinner.

"Thank you for cooking the food tonight, by the way." Osferth spoke softly as he wolfed down his own food. "It's delicious... I don't know what we'd do without you."

His praise colored your cheeks red again. Of course it did, because you know he means it. Still, you didn't feel like you deserved all that credit. You had the tendency to downplay your own work.

"I'm sure you guys would fare just fine without me.... You're a great cook too, Osferth."

"But I mostly cook soups. Lord Uhtred gets sick of the soups." Of course he does.

"Well, Finan, Sihtric, and I love your soups."

"Now you're just being nice." Osferth chuckled, then took a sip of his ale. He offered you a taste too. "Wanna try?"

When you took a sip of his ale, you made a face that showed great disgust and astonishment at such a strong flavor. It was like Osferth had squeezed a lemon onto your tongue. Your expression made the monk smile and laugh.

"What's wrong?!" His stomach was in stitches from laughing too hard.

"I don't like it. That's what's wrong." You're not particularly lightweight, but the ale was just too bitter. It tasted like burning rubber.

"Mm, I see. The ale was simply too strong for you, my lady. Got it." Osferth nodded and continued to laugh as he drank his ale.

"Hey, at least I don't start vomiting after two pints!" You playfully shoved him, which resulted in more giggles.

"I do not vomit after two pints! Three maybe, but not two!" He playfully shoved you back, but ended up shoving a little too hard. The impact pushed you down into the hay, which made you both laugh uncontrollably.

"Ah! I'm sorry, my lady!" Osferth's cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling and laughing too hard. Whether it was a genuine reaction or a drunken one, you didn't know. What you did know was that his laugh was one of the best sounds you've heard.

Osferth offered a hand to help you back up, but just as you took it, you pulled him down so he'd meet you on the ground. You both hollered with laughter as he fell face first into your chest. He was on top of you as you both giggled uncontrollably.

"Hey, this is what you looked like when you fell on Lord Uhtred." His teasing remark made you gasp, but you couldn't resist laughing too.

"Oh, shut up!" You playfully slapped his arm. You were both giggling like children. It was honestly a breath of fresh air.

You laughed and teased each other until your sides were literally starting to feel like someone was stabbing them. You knew you had to calm down soon before the laughing literally stopped your breathing.

As you paused to take a breather, you and Osferth both sat back up and wiped happy tears away from your eyes. You were laughing so hard that you didn't even notice how you and Osferth were apparently still holding hands. When you finally did notice, there was a moment of silence before you both blushed and slowly pulled away.

His hand had felt so warm against yours.... Even as he pulled away, his pinky still grazed yours, which made your heart pound a little. His hands were so large, one of them compared to yours was like comparing a kitten to a tiger. Again, that was making your heart pound. Your cheeks were starting to heat up.

After slowly pulling away, Osferth rubbed the back of his neck and awkwardly cleared his throat. Little did you know, he wanted to hold your hand just to feel your little palm against his again. Your heart may be pounding due to the contact, but Osferth's heart was literally running laps like an excited jack rabbit. You even saw hints of pink showing up on his cheeks, but you assumed it was from the alcohol. Only partly true... he's mostly blushing from your contact.

You also turned away, feeling slightly embarrassed and nervous from the sudden moment you two just shared. He just fell onto your chest and then you held hands after... that's bound to make someone blush and get nervous, especially when there's definitely stronger forms of attraction hinted somewhere in those instances.

To make things less awkward, you both decided to speak, but it only resulted in more awkwardness when you spoke each other's names at the same time. You exchanged chuckles at the coincidence, your hearts were palpitating all the same.

You couldn't take the awkward tension anymore. Neither could Osferth, so he decided to be a bit daring.

"Y/N...?" His blue eyes bore into yours, which made your breath hitch for a moment. Gods, he's gorgeous.... His bone structure was so defined and had features that were so sharp and masculine, yet so soft and feminine at the same time. It was like this man was fictional, you couldn't help but stare, no matter who you were. And his eyes... oh his eyes.... His eyes were like two oceans. As they stared back at you, you felt like you were drowning in their waves as they surrounded you in their undeniable power. If this was drowning, it wasn't so bad.

"Yeah....?" You replied, your heart beating faster and faster as the seconds went by.

Osferth sat down with his back against the wall. His legs were spread a bit to make room in the middle. "Come here.... I'd like to try something."

You were seeing static. You had to do your best not to start shaking as you slowly approached him. You crawled over to his side, sitting just by his right leg. He then patted the empty spot between his legs, hoping you'd get the gesture.

When you did, your heart did backflips. You sat down between his legs, your back to his chest. Your body was slightly tense, as you weren't sure what to make of this moment. It was so sudden, so bold.... You couldn't help but wonder if this behavior was a result of the ale your favorite monk had consumed.

"There we go...." Osferth smiled softly and placed respectful hands on your thighs. You curled up instinctively, as this was quite a vulnerable spot for you to be in.

You aren't the best when it comes to men. Not that you're frightened of them, but they tend to intimidate you, so you try not to approach them. If Osferth were like any other guy, you'd have turned down this offer and probably would've ran away. Any other man would take advantage of you in this position.

Luckily for you, Osferth is not like any other man.

He's kind and respectful. So kind and respectful, that you started to feel a bit more comfortable and relaxed when he began to rub your leg. He's obviously doing that to help you feel more at ease, but there's also a deeper reason behind his movements. You just know it.

"I um... what am I supposed to do now...?" Your question made Osferth smile and chuckle softly.

"Just get comfortable. Lean back, okay? I'm not going to do anything to hurt you." And he's telling the truth. He won't hurt you, he won't take advantage of you in this position, hell, he won't even touch you if you're uncomfortable with the thought. He just wants to hold you for a minute.

You sighed and decided to relax further by leaning your head back against his chest. You could feel his heartbeat against your back, as well as his soft breathing against the back of your neck.

Those weren't the only two sensations you were feeling, however....

As you leaned back against Osferth's chest, you felt something hard press against you. Your cheeks became warm and red at the realization as to what that particular something was....

Osferth is a little too excited. Still, despite feeling hormonal attraction towards you, he kept things polite and respectful. Instead of acting on his body's reactions, he instead wrapped his arms around your middle and hugged you tightly from behind. He then nuzzled his face into your neck, closed his eyes, and sighed deeply.

"You smell nice...." Osferth whispered as he kept his nose in your neck. You felt heat rising in your core, as well as a new pulse in a place that's starting to ache for some friction, but you dared not think too much on your own body's responses either.

"I um... thank you...." Osferth hummed as a way of saying 'you're welcome', then what he said next nearly made you lose control.

"May I kiss you....?"

You swear your heart nearly gave out on your poor body.

Still, you responded as calmly as possible. "You may...."

With your consent, Osferth kissed the side of your neck very gently. It was almost reverent. To add to the feeling, he then kissed your jawline, then asked permission to kiss your cheek as well. When you gave consent to that too, he kissed your cheek, and then cuddled you even tighter.

You knew that your feelings for Osferth began a while ago. It happened not too long after Uhtred and his men found you chained and beat up, it had to have been only a few full moons after that time. You love Osferth, you know you do. You just never knew Osferth may even feel the same way about you....

He's so damn good at hiding his feelings and it's frustrating sometimes. If he had liked you this whole time, you never would've noticed. Still, this could just be from the alcohol. That's why you're not letting yourself get too excited yet.

"Osferth....?" Your voice brought him back to earth, but he still didn't remove his face from your neck.

"Yes, my lady?" My lady.... The way he says that will always make your heart flutter.

"Thank you for checking up on me.... Tell Uhtred I appreciate his concern."

Had it not been for Osferth's response, you would've still believed he was only holding you like this because of the alcohol. What he said next made your heart skip several beats.

"About that.... Lord Uhtred didn't ask me to check up on you."

"....pardon?"

"Lord Uhtred didn't ask me to check up on you.... He wanted to give you space. I came here on my own accord.... I wanted to make sure you were doing okay...."

You could've died right here and you'd be smiling. You know if you go, you'd make it to heaven as the happiest woman who ever lived.

"That's... that's sweet, Osferth.... Thank you...."

Osferth only shrugged. "It's what a decent human would have done.... I care about you, Y/N. I care a lot."

Osferth kissed your neck again, caressing your thigh as he did so. He still kept his touches respectful, though. He's mostly teasing sensitive parts of you.

You shivered as he touched your thigh, then you leaned back further and said, "I care about you too...."

Osferth smiled, then hugged you so tight that you couldn't escape if you tried. He then laid you down alongside him, holding you in his arms so that your back would still be pressed against his chest.

"Then let's hold each other... maybe even fall asleep in each other's arms.... Does that sound good?" He tilted your head up so he could look into your eyes. His grin was soft and loving.

"Mhm.... That sounds lovely." You nodded and upon seeing you nod, Osferth kissed the top of your head.

"Perfect.... Relax, my lady. I've got you."

It was as if his voice was a soothing lullaby. As soon as he began to caress your hair and hold you tighter, you began to drift off into sleep. You never thought you'd be falling asleep in the arms of a holy monk, yet here you are.

He may be a man of God, but you were his heaven. Right now, in this very moment, Osferth wanted to worship you and no one else. You were his angel.

"Have the sweetest dreams, my lady." He whispered softly, kissed your head, and with that, he continued to watch over you as you slept. You were the most perfect creature in his eyes. He would now let you know that every single day, even after the ale that blessed him with this sudden confidence starts to fade from his bloodstream. He loves you. He really loves you.