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[athelstanthescribe]

It's almost time to leave their little hunting cabin and go back to the town, much as Athelstan and Ragnar might wish they could stay... but Athelstan's dog is nowhere to be seen.

Athelstan stands in the doorway, looking and calling for him, and finally he reappears, carrying something in his mouth.

"Fiachra? What have you got there?"

He crouches for a better look, frowning as it strikes him that doesn't look like a deer bone...

Comments

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"Yes," Ragnar says. He carefully goes through the loose earth and the gold, to make sure they have all the bones.

"Now, coin. Can you put some in your belt pouch? I will as well."

[athelstanthescribe]

"There's always a bit of room in there, in case I find something..."

He wraps the boy's bones in the jerkin, then reaches for a handful of coins.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar picks some as well -- a not so small fortune, in fact -- and then starts carefully covering up the rest of the hoard again.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan joins the effort, sweeping carefully with his bit of wood.

"If it hadn't been for Fiachra, he could have been here forever."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"He deserves a treat when we get home," Ragnar says. "A fresh, juicy animal bone!"

[athelstanthescribe]

"And he'll get one. Won't you... oh, where's he gone now. Fiachra!"

There's an animal scream from the wood, and Fiachra reappears shortly, looking even more triumphant, with a freshly dead rabbit.

"...shall we let him keep that one?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar laughs.

"Yes, of course!" he says.

[athelstanthescribe]

"For this day's work, he's earned it." He looks at the dog and says simply, "Eat."

Fiachra doesn't need telling twice.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar stands, and wipes his hands on the bottom of his trousers.

"Come here," he says to Athelstan, holding out a slightly less grubby hand.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan takes his hand without caring if there's dirt on his, and steps closer to him.

"At your command."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I know you are," Ragnar says. "Until the very moment you're not because you know better, but then you're right, as a rule."

He pulls Athelstan close and smiles down at his face.

[athelstanthescribe]

"And then it's for your own good. As I've told you, I serve your interests."

He turns his face up to keep looking at Ragnar.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Of course, Ragnar kisses him, because how can he not? How can anybody expect him not to, here in the middle of rocks and wilderness?

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan steps further into his arms, and doesn't even try to pull away from the kiss, because why should he?

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"As so many things," Ragnar murmurs against Athelstan's lips before the next kiss, "I am glad we can do this together."

[athelstanthescribe]

"I want everything I do", Athelstan returns, "to be with you. With you, and for you."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

Ragnar looks at him, fully aware that nobody else loves him this selflessly and absolutely, or ever has.

For once, he's at loss for words.

[athelstanthescribe]

Athelstan reaches up to touch his face.

"What is it?"

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I'm a bad man, and don't deserve you," Ragnar says.

[athelstanthescribe]

"You're not a bad man." It's instant, and it's firm. "A bad man wouldn't care if he hurts others or tramples them as he goes."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"I trampled enough," Ragnar says. "Including all your fellow monks."

Pause.

"And for all that, you have only love for me -- and such shining love!"

[athelstanthescribe]

"Did you, personally, kill even one of my brothers?" Athelstan asks softly. "You wanted the gold, not the blood, and for that I forgave you long ago."

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"No," Ragnar says. "But I brought the men who killed them. And the gold -- the gold is here."

He looks at the stones and earth they've covered it with.

[athelstanthescribe]

"You didn't know we were a peaceful community when you landed. How could you, never having seen such a thing before?"

He doesn't spare a glance for the place where the gold lies.

[bigarmy_strangepants]

"But I love you," Ragnar says, "and I can never show it enough."