Sinric the Wanderer

Athelstan moves around to find the clasps, dropping a kiss on the back of Sinric's neck in passing.

"What craftsman made this?"

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The kiss makes Sinric smiles and duck his heart sweetly. "An Italian merchant brought it to us, made by the finest craftsman in his city. Such decedent things can belong only to someone like my Lord."

He giggles, "And it matches my mask so well."

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"It does", he says with a smile. "They could have been made by the same hand."

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"They were made in the same city. For all I know, it may have been the same craftsman." He lifts the collar off with a sigh. "It is beautiful, but very heavy." He offers it to Athelstan to feel.

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Athelstan weighs it in his hands, eyebrows rising.

"Not something for every day, for its preciousness and its weight."

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"No. This, all of this." He gesture to the mask and gold silk wrap, "Is for parties only. The Frankish ambassador is in the city. He is a bore but he brings with him the very best musicians and the finest wine."

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"The best wine is Frankish", Athelstan agrees. "And he sounds like a man of taste, if nothing else."

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"The best white wines are from Frankia but the best reds are from the Greek lands."

Sinric giggles, "He is a man surrounded by taste but has no culture or wit of his own."

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"A shame", Athelstan says, making a face, "that he's risen to such a position. But then, there are worse things to be than boring."

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There's a knock on the connecting door.

Ragnar had talked with Sinric about coming to their rooms together, but still, he won't just barge in on them.

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Sinric smiles to Athelstan and bounces to the door, looking to Athelstan for permission to open it.

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Athelstan smiles and nods to him.

"The door's never barred to him or to you."

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Ragnar comes bouncing into the room, carrying bottles of beer.

"Good job, Athelstan," Ragnar declares. "Now we can do what we plotted."

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Sinric smiles and shakes his head. "Not yet. I will need your help for that."

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" - have you been plotting as well?" Athelstan asks, amused. "Ragnar and I have plans for you."

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"I have plotted with each of you," Ragnar says, "and I fully expect you have plotted as well."

He grins.

"And we'll do all three things."

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Sinric laughs warmly. "You have plans for me? Now I'm curious?"

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"It was Ragnar's idea. And Sinric and I have done no plotting together, we're entirely innocent of it."

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"We have plans for you," Ragnar grins.

He puts the beer down, and then gathers both of them into his arms, and kisses them in turn.

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Sinric laughs and falls into Ragnar's arms, making the most of the kiss. "I have missed you both. There were dawns where I found myself fearing this was all a dream."

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Athelstan takes full advantage of it too.

"It must have seemed very like one, as it did for us in the four years."

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"I'm glad you got us back," Ragnar says. "And yes, the four years weren't fun all around, but at least Athelstan was there, and we got away on small journeys or hunting trips from time to time. We went to Ribe once -- you know, where I'm going to have met you."

He kisses each of them yet again.

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