(no subject)

[athelstanthescribe]

The party is loud and raucous - but aren't they always? Even if this one is all the more so in celebration of the new child. Athelstan's come to enjoy it, all the noise and life that are so unlike anything he knew in England.

He makes his way among the crowds, drink in hand.

Comments

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Ragnar's main table is clear of occupants except for Floki and Helga sitting at one end, canoodling over a plate of roast chicken and mugs of ale.

They're engrossed with each other, as she leans against his arm and he feeds her morsels from his fingertips. They speak into each other's ears to be heard over the loud chatter, looking like a pair of lovebirds in the process. And they laugh, brightly and merrily.

Life is good these days.

Helga spots someone in the crowd and raises a hand to get his attention.

"Who are you waving at?" Floki asks her, his mouth half-full.

"Athelstan," she says, still waving and now giggling as she leans bodily against him, slightly off balance.

"Oh, now, why do you want to call him over for?" he gripes with a roll of his eyes.

"Because it's Athelstan," she chirps. "Athelstan! Come sit with us."

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan looks over, grins - at Helga more than Floki - and veers in that direction, only weaving a little bit.

"Hello, Helga. I will if I'm welcome."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Of course you're welcome," says Helga, patting the chair next to her. "Isn't he, Floki?"

"No," he says flatly, raising an eyebrow at him before he bites into a chicken leg. "But sit anyway," he then says, gesturing at the chair with the bone.

Helga looks positively delighted as she squeezes his arm.

[athelstanthescribe]

Floki isn't outright telling him to go away. It's good enough, and Athelstan drops into the chair.

"Enjoying yourselves?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Very much so," Helga replies, bringing her cup to her lips. "Ragnar always throws such wonderful feasts. I heard that the servants were told to set aside three chickens just for Floki."

Floki stuffs a piece of meat into his mouth.

"Four," he corrects her, his head ducking a little sheepishly as he munches away and washes it down with a gulp of ale.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan laughs amiably.

"Everyone knows Floki's appetite by now."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"I don't eat them all in one go," Floki insists, licking his fingers. "I pace myself! And the night is still young, after all."

Helga reaches over and plucks a bit of white meat off the chicken breast and pops it into her mouth.

"You do know how to pace yourself," she says slyly, looking up at him.

"When I feel like it."

"Other times you're as impatient as a mad hare."

"...I don't think we're talking about eating anymore."

She giggles brightly, and Floki glances over her head at Athelstan with a smirk and another raised eyebrow.

[athelstanthescribe]

He returns it, relaxed enough that he actually manages not to blush at the implications.

"He can hardly be blamed for being impatient in that case, Helga."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Why, Athelstan," she says, blushing and beaming at him, and she squeezes his wrist.

"Ooh, you grow bold, priest," Floki remarks, as he drains his cup of ale. "But you have a good point."

A slave girl unobtrusively comes around with a jug to refill all of their cups before moving on.

[athelstanthescribe]

"I'm not a priest any more", Athelstan says calmly. "Not as I once was."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"And is that what makes you so bold?" Floki says as he picks some meat off a bone. "That you can deny being a priest without having to prove it?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"How can I prove it?" He shrugs. "Nothing would convince you, Floki."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

"Eh, that is true, too," he concedes, popping the meat into his mouth and bobbing his head in a nod.

Helga tugs at his sleeve. "Ask him," she says in a low voice.

"What?"

"Ask him," she repeats, glancing at Athelstan with a mischievous look in her eyes.

[athelstanthescribe]

"What?" Athelstan echoes, confused - and entirely aware that Helga's up to something.

[gods_that_haunt_me]

It takes a moment before Floki gets what Helga is referring to.

"Oh, I see," he says to her in a sing-song voice, and she grins at Athelstan. Floki gives him much the same look, except on him it seems a lot more sinister.

He decides to let the question in question dangle for a little moment longer.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan trusts Helga. Floki, not so much, except in that Floki wouldn't knowingly do anything to hurt Ragnar more than help him.

"Have you two been planning something?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki snorts a giggle.

"No," she says abruptly, and he takes a hearty swallow of ale. "Not planning, no. Just talking."

He looks down at Helga; she looks up at him, and they share a smirk.

"Ask him!" she says, digging into his side with her fingers, and he squirms, laughing.

"All right, all right!" Floki gives in. And he picks up a piece of chicken, casually stripping the meat off and continuing to eat, as he regards Athelstan with a cryptic expression.

"You think Helga is pretty, don't you, priest?"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Helga is pretty." He glances from one to the other, getting the beginnings of a suspicion what this is about. "But why should it matter if I think so?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Floki takes his time to answer. He chews, swallows, licks his fingers, has a sip of ale.

Then he says:

"Do you want to have sex with her?"

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan eyes him, but his gaze keeps flickering to Helga in a way that makes his answer clear.

"And if I do...?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Though Helga still leans against Floki's side, her eyes are on Athelstan. She knows what he wants to say, and smiles at his roundabout way of saying it.

Floki wipes his hands on his trousers and takes up his cup of ale.

"And if you do," he says, "then what are you waiting for? I am not going to ask you again."

[athelstanthescribe]

This time, he looks directly at her, and holds out a hand across the table.

"Helga?"

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Under the table, Helga runs her hand along Floki's leg in thanks before she takes Athelstan's hand, a bright and eager smile on her lips.

"I have one rule for you, priest," Floki warns him. "Don't put your seed in her. And know this: if you fail to please her, you are not going to get a second chance."

[athelstanthescribe]

He looks to Floki and nods.

"If I fail to please her, I won't deserve one."

[gods_that_haunt_me]

Good. The priest understands. Satisfied, Floki waves them off with a flourish of his hand.

Meanwhile, Helga squeezes Athelstan's hand as if she'd just won a prize. More than a few heads turn as they make their way through the hall.