You were one of the few women in Uhtred’s group, fierce and capable, a warrior in your own right. And though Osferth had never been as bold as the rest of them, you never made him feel lesser for it. If anything, you were kinder to him than most.

That kindness had been his undoing.

He had been raised to believe that desires of the flesh were temptations, things that led men astray. And yet, every time you smiled at him, every time your hand brushed his in passing, he felt his resolve weaken. He tried to tell himself it was innocent. But he knew better.

The thoughts of the day lingered in your mind as you stepped into the river, sighing at the cool relief. The night was quiet, the world still as you bathed. You had stolen a moment for yourself, certain no one would come looking for you.

But you had miscalculated.

Osferth had been restless, unable to sleep, his thoughts tangled as they always were when it came to you. He had wandered away from camp, hoping the night air would clear his mind. He hadn’t expected to stumble upon you.

And yet, there you were.

The sight of you in the water, bare and unaware of his presence, sent a shock through him so strong he felt rooted to the ground. He knew he should turn away, should leave before you noticed him, but he had frozen, panic holding him in place.

Then you turned.

Your eyes met his, and in an instant, you both understood what had just happened.

“Osferth!” you gasped, instinctively sinking deeper into the water, your entire body flushing with embarrassment.

He recoiled as if struck, his whole face going red. “I—I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to—I wasn’t—I didn’t know you were—” His words tumbled out in a panicked mess as he spun away, his entire body rigid with shame.

His heart was racing, a cold dread settling over him. He shouldn’t have seen you like that. He shouldn’t have felt what he felt in that brief moment before he looked away. Guilt clawed at his chest, a deep, suffocating weight.

“I—I’m sorry,” he said again, his voice strained. “I didn’t mean to.”