Chapter Text
“Lord!” Uhtred was gathered with some of the men of Coccham in the yard and they were planning for the coming hunting trip when Osferth’s voice reached him. He looked towards the gate where the voice was coming from and Osferth was rushing towards the small gathering with Finan in tow.
“Uhtred.” Finan called his attention. “Riders.”
“Sihtric?” they were waiting for Sihtric to join them before they were to head out hunting. Winter was close and Uhtred wanted to make sure the stocks would hold through the storms. Sihtric was sent to the market in a nearby Dane hamlet just up the river to gather the supplies they could not find in Coccham. Uhtred sent Sihtric because a Dane will not cause trouble with a Thegn if arrived uninvited like he was. But they did not have time to send word before they realised that they needed the supplies fast. Uhtred did not want the people of Coccham to suffer for his lack of planning. So it would be a nice surprise if Sihtric was actually done and back already.
“No, Lord.” Finan answered casually. They had no need to worry about Sihtric. He was only gone for a few days. “Just riders. Two of them.”
“Danes.” Supplied Osferth. He put on a brave face, but Uhtred knew of his still lingering trapedition.
He excused himself and rushed towards the top of the gates. There were two riders indeed. One of them was holding a large branch high above his head. They were here to talk. But Uhtred had no business with them. He ordered for the gates to be opened and for their guests to enter without weapons. They did not object and entered the gate with confidence.
“Welcome to Coccham.” Uhtred greeted pleasantly.
“Lord Uhtred.” Greeted the man who was not holding the branch earlier. Clearly the man in charge. “We have a matter to discuss with you, Lord.” he said grimly.
“Urgent?” Uhtred asked. He had an uneasy feeling. And so had Gisela, for a day now. Just this morning she was lost in thought and he tried to calm her before he left. But she was still uneasy and urged him to be cautious just until the feeling passed at least. Uhtred knew enough to heed the Lady of Coccham’s warning.
“Not to us. Food, ale and rest will be appreciated.” the other man replied uneasily. “We did not have a long ride. Lord Bjarne wishes to be done with this quickly.”
Uhtred heard Finan asking in a low voice “Lord Bjarne?” and Osferth replied just as quietly “The Thegn where Sihtric was sent. A warlord.”
Uhtred gave them no attention and waited for the visitors to clarify.
“Then say your peace. You’re welcome to stay and rest as long as you need afterwards.” still cautious. The feeling in the pit of his stomach only grew colder.
“Thank you lord.” he glanced around and saw that only the Lord and the two men who greeted them at the gates were close enough to hear. Others were watching but from far enough away that he can say what he came to say with no worries.
“As the Thegn of Coccham--” he started.
“Ealdorman.” Finan’s sharp voice interjected. And Uhtred let it. This was no Dane village. Yes they had a Pagan’s hall, but most of the villagers were Saxon.
The man only looked at Finan with a hint of hatred, but quickly schooled his face and looked at Uhtred again. “As the Thegn of Coccham, Lord Bjarna wished to let you know of an unfortunate occurrence. You sent someone to gather hunting supplies.” he said uneasily
“And?” Uhtred urged.
“There was an incident, Lord. In the alehouse. He struck Lord Bjarna’s son.”
“An alehouse brawl?” Finan said incredulously “You rode all the way here for an alehouse brawl?” he snickered. “You’ve just had a wasted journey my friend.” he shook his head with the smile still on his face.
But Uhtred still had a bad feeling about all of this. Had it been anyone, it would have been over before it even began. Finan was right. There has to be something else. He glanced back at the longhouse and he saw Gisela standing in the upper floor’s window. Worry was etched on her face and reflected in his.
“What of it? An alehouse brawl is an alehouse brawl. I’m sure the Lord’s son made it even and it was over quickly.” he tried to ease the tension.
“Lord. He struck Lord Bjarna’s son.” The man spoke with all seriousness. What was he missing?
“You said that already. Did he not make it square?”
“This is why I’m here, Lord. as a courtesy from Lord Bjarna and in respect of who you are. Lord Bjarna hereby informs you that he will be held for three days to receive his punishment from Lord Bjarna, after which he will be returned, escorted by men to observe your punishment for him. To make sure it is carried out justly.” he said in a way that made it feel like he was bored already.
Uhtred feared this moment for such a long time. But they were very far away from Dunholm. How did this happen? His thoughts were interrupted by Finan’s loud voice.
“-onesence! You can’t just march in here and claim that you’re holding him hostage! “ Osferth was trying to hold Finan back but he was struggling.
The man in front of them was confident in the fact that there was nothing any man standing there could do. He did not even flinch.
“I am only here because Lord Bjarna wished for peace just as Lord Uhtred. It is a courtesy. In three days, he will be returned and punished by his Lord. In the presence of a witness sent by Lord Bjarna.”
Uhtred finally found his voice. Playing the fool may act in his favor this once. “Why did he not just strike him back and be done with it?”
The man was getting impatient. “Sihtric Kjartanson” - Uhtred knew that he has lost the argument already. If they recognized who he was, then there was nothing he could do for him now. He could only hope that it was over with as minimal damage as possible - “Has struck Lord Bjarna’s son, a free man.” he took a breath before asking “Or is he not yours to claim?”
Finan struggled harder in Osferth’s grasp and Uhtred has had enough “Clapa! Get Finan out of here!” He barked harshly and Finan’s struggle was overrun by confusion when he was dragged by the large man. “He is mine. You’re welcome to rest. And tell your Lord that I will be waiting. Three days.” he said and turned to leave as quick as his legs could carry him.
When he returned to the longhouse Finan was there with Gisela. He must have told her of what happened already and he was staring angrily at her.
“Why am I the only one who thinks this is wong!” He yelled at Uhtred. “It’s a small hamlet! We can raid ! we do not even need all of the men. I’ll pick them myself and we’ll have Sihtric here by tomorrow.” he said resolutely and was heading for the door again when Uhtred’s voice stopped him.
“No.”
“No?” he asked in a dangerously low voice. Uhtred really did not want to deal with Finan’s anger now.
“We can’t. And I forbid it.”
“So now you want to play Lord? Your man is a hostage and you do nothing?”
“There IS nothing i can do. You do not understand.” he tried to calm his friend, but he knew it would be hard for him to understand. “The man knew him from Dunholm. He knows what he is.”
“So what if he’s a bastard.” Osferth only flinched slightly, and Uhtred wanted to be happy about that. But he needed Finan to calm first.
“Kjartan’s bastard. Whelped on a slave girl.”
“So? He’s still the Lord’s son.”
“Whelped on a slave girl.” Uhtred repeated. He did not wish to explain further. He could still remember the day Sihtric held a sword to Halig’s throat just to be given a chance to serve Uhtred. Just to be claimed by Uhtred.
“What are you saying?” Finan asked and his anger was rising.
“I am saying that he will be held and punished by Lord Bjarna for three days and he will be sent here with a witness to be punished for three days.”
Finan’s head shook slowly and his voice was shaking with anger. And it was so low Uhtred had to strain to hear. “You bastard. Tell it to my face.” Uhtred did not reply and Finan was back to yelling “Say it to my face you bastard!”
Gisela rushed to finan’s side and held his arm gingerly. Uhtred could not bring himself to say it but he owed it to Finan. He tried to assuage his guilt.
“If I do not claim him, Bjarna will. It is the only way.”
“Say it!”
“I claim Sihtric, Finan. As a slave.”
Finan knew it, but hearing it was harder than he anticipated. Anger burned everything else. He reached Uhtred and punched his stomach with all the strength he could muster. Clapa and Osferth reached for their swords but Uhtred only halted their movement with a small one of his own.
“I struck you. Am i to be punished now? Will you claim me now?” he goaded, but Uhtred said nothing.
“You. Are. Worse. Than. Them.” and with that Finan left. And if he struck a table and splinters flew everywhere on his way out, no one mentioned it.
Uhtred did not need to be told who Finan meant. It was why he did not mention it to him earlier. They were both held as a Dane’s slaves for years and he never wished to revisit those years. Finan had a right to be angry. But he would not understand. He was not a Dane. He did not understand that this was the only way Uhtred could help Sihtric.
Finan refused to step foot in any of the houses in Coccham. He never entered the longhouse, or the Lord’s hall. He carried out his duties respectfully and called Uhtred nothing other than Lord.
He slept in furs by a fire in the yard. It was cold, but Finan did not take shelter anywhere. He avoided Lord Bjarna’s messengers during their whole stay.
Finan only Spoke to Uhtred once and it only served to anger him more.
“He is a free man.”
“Not to the Danes.” Uhtred was as honest as he could be “Not to the Gods.”
Finan still slept in the open yard. And if his nightmares woke him up, the others acted like their nights were not distrurbed by them either.
Osferth was praying for Sihtric’s safe return and Finan was leaning outside the window when he heard Uhtred’s voice from inside their smallhouse - not a church.
“He will be back and he will be whole.”
“How are you certain, Lord.”
“Because I claimed him. To do anything else to him is to insult me. And if they had wished to do so, they would not have given me the courtesy of a messenger.”
“And if you hadn’t claimed him?”
“Then he would not be returned. And he would not be whole. His hand will have been taken, the one that struck the lord’s son. And he would have been claimed by them.”
“Why?”
“That is the way.” Uhtred replied like it was the truest truth. “It is the way.” he repeated.
Finan still slept by the fire when the third day arrived.
“Riders approaching!” was the morning greeting that woke coccham up after the three days’ mark.