(no subject)

[thewidewideworld]

{from here}

Sinric leads Athelstan back to their room, stopping at the bar to have a quiet word with the bar before they go. When they arrive in their rooms, the bed has been spread with a large, warm bear-fur and draped with silk. There are candles on the table, at bedside, on the windowsill, bathing the room in soft, warm light.

Sinric smiles and leads Athelstan towards the bed. "This night is for you, beloved Athelstan. We'll go only as far as you're ready for."

Comments

[athelstanthescribe]

He hears it in his sleep, an incongruous background to the horrors of his dreams, and it helps lead him slowly back to waking.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric keeps stroking Athelstan's hair, in no fear of flailing fists as he eases his friend to comfort.

[athelstanthescribe]

Thanks in large part to Sinric's singing - and the fact that he isn't trying to hold Athelstan down - there are no flailing fists this time.

Slowly, he relaxes again, and his eyes open.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric smiles to see Athelstan's eyes open. "Beloved Athelstan." He greets softly.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Sinric", he murmurs back. "Your voice was in my dreams."

[thewidewideworld]

"Then I hope they were happy dreams." Sinric smiles, still stroking Athelstan's hair lightly.

[athelstanthescribe]

"It made them happier", is the best he can offer.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric knows how hard it is for Athelstan right now and is doing his best to keep things light and relaxed. "Would you like some water? I find some times it helps me to get up and move around before I let myself go back to sleep. To shake off the shadows."

[athelstanthescribe]

He considers this, and nods.

"For such a short walk, I might not even need my crutch."

[thewidewideworld]

"You will have me to lean on." Sinric helps him ease back the cover and stand. "And for once, being short is helpful."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Not short, my love", he says with determined lightness. "Small but perfectly formed."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric laughs softly. "No, I am short and will always be. The curse of my kind is that I will always been small. But I like my body. Even if I have to ask people to reach things for me some times." He guides Athelstan to the kitchenette, pouring him a glass of water.

[athelstanthescribe]

He walks carefully, putting as little weight as possible on the wounds in his feet.

"We'll be sure to put nothing important on high shelves."

[thewidewideworld]

"Can we trust Ragnar not to hide treats where I can't reach them?" He teases.

[athelstanthescribe]

"Only if he wants to save them to share later", he says with a slight smile.

[thewidewideworld]

"Ah." Sinric smiles, reaching to gently ease a tangle from Athelstan's hair. "Then we shall have to trust him to only hide the best treats up high."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Or fetch a ladder if we suspect him."

His hair tangles ridiculously easily. He tilts his head into Sinric's hand, sipping his water.

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric laughs and moves to work out the knots with both hands, massaging Athelstan's scalp in the process.

"Do you want to talk about the dream?" he asks softly, not pressuring if Athelstan doesn't want to.

[athelstanthescribe]

He perches on one of the kitchen stools to let Sinric work on his hair, and hesitates a little.

"...they say it's good to... it was that day in the meadow, but no one came."

[thewidewideworld]

Sinric breaks contact to fetch a comb, petting and smoothing Athelstan's hair with great care. He nods, his hands gentle to keep Athelstan grounded.

[athelstanthescribe]

"They had a spear. It was - it was going to be the Lance of Longinus."

He knew it was coming in the real world, and then he heard Ecbert's voice. Not in the dream.

[thewidewideworld]

"To add to your wounds as the Romans did to Christ?" Sinric asks softly, still stoking Athelstan's hair. "But you were saved from that wound and from the cross. And now you are here with me."

[athelstanthescribe]

"Sometimes I wonder. Sometimes, when I'm just waking or about to go to sleep, it seems to me I'm still there and this is the dream."

[thewidewideworld]

"I felt the same for the years that separated me from this place, and you. I sat on the palace wall to watch the sunrise and tried to remember every detail, just to hold it close to my heart."

He smiles and cups Athelstan's cheek, looking into his eyes. "And then I realised, I could never dream anyone as good as you and Ragnar. So it must be real."

[athelstanthescribe]

"But you have known goodness", he counters gently. "Your friends the other birds, and the captain of guards, and your emperor."