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1. Darkest Before the Dawn by LadyAldhelm

   Fandoms: The Last Kingdom (TV)  

   • Explicit
   • Graphic Depictions Of Violence
   • F/M
   • Work in Progress

   28 Dec 2025

   Tags

   • Graphic Depictions Of Violence
   • Aethelflaed Lady of Mercia/Aldhelm (The Last Kingdom)
   • Aldhelm (The Last Kingdom)
   • Aethelflaed Lady of Mercia
   • Aethelred Lord of Mercia
   • Original Characters
   • Alfred the Great (849-899)
   • Aethelwold (d. 902)
   • Enemies to Friends
   • Falling In Love
   • Unrequited Love
   • Blood and Injury
   • Blood and Violence
   • Childbirth
   • Canon-Typical Violence
   • Post-Season/Series 02
   • Missing Scene
   • Temporarily Unrequited Love
   • Mutual Pining
   • Friends to Lovers
   • Forbidden Love
   • Sex
   • Explicit Sexual Content
   • Body Worship
   • Vaginal Sex
   • Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence
   • Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con
   • Implied/Referenced Abuse
   • Battle Scenes
   • True Love
   • Slow Romance
   • Slow Burn
   • First Time
   • Romance

   Summary

   The story of how Aldhelm fell in love with Aethelflaed, and how she fell in love with him. Not REALLY enemy to lovers, as they were never truly enemies, but that is the closest I can fit. It takes place starting at the end of Season 2 during the Battle of Beomfleot, and continues into the time in between Seasons 2 and 3, and concludes with a Season 3 rewrite. Aldhelm has a different backstory as well.

   Language:

   English

   Words:

   156,751

   Chapters:

   33/?

   Comments:

   189

   Kudos:

   30

   Bookmarks:

   10

   Hits:

   1,843