A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews, favorites and follows! I know you guys are all really Team Tom right now, but I hope that you haven't completely given up on dear Thorfinn. He is trying after all, but you can't expect him to just change overnight! Still, we've got a lot of story left to get you on team Thorfinn again! Did I mention that this will likely be 23 chapters? You can follow me over on tumblr (nauticalparamour) where I post sneak peeks, story updates, and answer questions! HUGE thank you to Ava Safari for beta reading this chapter!

Please let me know what you thought of chapter seven and be on the lookout for chapter eight next week!


Hermione had been overcome with nervousness trying to conjure up reasons why the King would want to speak to her. She hoped that she hadn't done anything wrong, something to offend the unknown and mysterious man. She knew that he had very strong feelings about the Danes, so she wondered if perhaps he also had negative feelings about the Britons, and wanted to make an example of her. Perhaps he wanted to banish her back to the place where her father had come from.

Theo hadn't been able to calm her shaking nerves, and in truth, he seemed completely unable to imagine his new wife's fierce friend looking so shaken up. Once they reached the hall, though, Hermione had taken a calming breath to collect herself before walking inside.

She certainly never expected that the King was the man she'd danced with the night before. Her heart stuttered when she remembered how open she'd been with her words when she thought he was little more than a member of some anonymous thegn's household. She flushed, thinking about what she'd told him about Ivar's family, and hoped that she didn't seem ungrateful.

His name had bubbled from her lips unbidden before she realized her mistake and quickly dropped to her knees to address him properly. He looked completely at home in the center of the room, seated in a rather uncomfortable looking chair, with his heavy crown resting elegantly on his head. He looked even more handsome today than he had the night before in the haze of mead, his deep blue eyes raking over her kneeling form more than once.

To her utter dismay, whatever it was that the King had wished to speak with her about had been settled when she was fiddling with her dress. Tom had seemed almost apologetic when he told her that the matter had been decided by Ivar, as was his right as her Earl. She was struck by the uncharacteristic kindness of that act, seeing as she knew the other Ealdormen in the room saw little use for a woman's opinion, let alone a woman like her. She knew then that his childhood, growing up in another Kingdom, had affected him same as hers had. He too knew what it was like to always feel on the outside looking in with these Saxons.

She sucked in an eager breath when he indicated his wish to see her again sometime in the future, and she hoped that he meant it true. Then she realized how ridiculous that sounded - if she could not marry Thorfinn, there was no way that she might marry a King. However, perhaps he would invite her to Hogschester, the great city in which he resided, which was said to have an amazing library. She could continue her studies there, and perhaps resign herself to friendship with the handsome King.

Whatever it was that he'd asked for had Thorfinn positively fuming, judging by the fierce look in his light blue eyes. She didn't care for the way that he manhandled her out of the hall, and it only stoked the fury she was feeling at having decisions made for her without her input. Knowing that she needed to put some distance between herself and Thorfinn before she said something that would further drive the wedge between them, she stalked off to her bedroom to pack her things.

This two-week long daydream of what life could be like for her was ending, and it was time to get back to reality.

Once their carts were packed and their horses saddled, it was finally time to say goodbye to Leoflaed. While the dear girl was obviously excited to start a new life with her husband, it would be impossible to suggest that the young woman wasn't affected by the distance between herself and her family. She sobbed into Ivar's tunic and promised Osthryth that she would write. She encouraged Thorfinn to continue his training and to remember that lands weren't everything.

However, it was Hermione that she wrapped into the tightest and longest embrace. "You are my sister," Leoflaed said to the shorter girl, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Hermione's ear. "And I will miss you with all of my heart. I can scarcely remember a time when you weren't with me."

There were tears in Hermione's big brown eyes at the sudden realization that she might never meet Leoflaed again, and she hoped desperately that that wasn't to come true. "I can't imagine not having someone to hide from Eadburg with, to laugh and plan our futures together," she said wistfully. "Now you have your own future to make," Hermione said giving the other woman's hand a squeeze.

"Never fear, Hermione daughter of Eni," Leoflaed said with a grin. "I am certain that you will also have your own future to make, certainly far more adventurous than mine. Perhaps, in not that much time, I will even be traveling to your wedding."

Hermione shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid that won't be in my future, Leoflaed," she said gently, knowing that the other girl hadn't meant any harm. "I'm not a good Saxon woman, and I doubt that anyone would want to marry me to one of their sons."

"No, you aren't a Saxon, but you have much to offer, Hermione. Never sell yourself short," Leoflaed responded, before pulling her in for one last tight hug. Her head dropped to Hermione's shoulder so that she could whisper into Hermione's ear. "And please, look after my brother. I know that he acts tough, but...well, you know that he never stops to think things through."

Hermione agreed, nodding furiously, even though inside she was selfishly wondering who would look after her. It didn't seem right that her heart should be damaged so much by someone else's happiness.

Then, they were leaving.

She sat proudly astride her horse, though her face was clearly showing how miserably she felt inside. As they started the long ride back home, she turned to give Leoflaed one last wave, only to notice King Tom staring at their party as they left. Hating the idea that he should see her pouting so much, she gave him a half-hearted smile.


The journey home was much slower than the journey to the wedding. There was no excitement urging them forward, Leoflaed reminding everyone of just how much would need to be accomplished in the short time. Osthryth was nearly inconsolable with the knowledge that her daughter was now someone's wife, and that the times they would see each other were to be few and far apart. The wagon carrying her moved at a glacial pace, and Ivar couldn't be so heartless as to ask them to pick up the pace, knowing that his wife was hurting.

Hermione was quick to realize that Leoflaed's absence was causing her indirect consequences, namely that it wasn't nearly as easy to ignore Thorfinn this time around. It had taken him exactly one day after they'd left to resume all of his flirty behavior, constantly trying to assist her with things and using any excuse to remove his shirt and show off his muscled form. It made her roll her eyes every time.

It quickly became apparent that she simply wasn't going to be able to ignore him for the remainder of their journey and after a night of tossing and turning, she decided that she would have to talk to him. She couldn't stand for him to act as though nothing had happened, but she knew that they needed to put certain feelings to rest if she was ever going to move on from loving the big blond brute. Steeling herself, Hermione prepared herself to set him straight when he rode his horse next to her the following day.

"You know you can't keep ignoring me forever, Hermione," he said, softly, so as not to alert his father to the nature of their discussion. "It hurts me that we've gone from being so close to you being so cold to me."

"I know," Hermione said, staring at the road in front of her, before turning to look at the man who'd been her friend first practically as long as she could remember. "You've hurt me, too, Thorfinn. But I don't want it to continue like this between us."

Thorfinn rewarded her with a sweet smile, as though he were genuinely surprised that she even acknowledged his presence. "I've missed you," he revealed. "I've missed the weight of you on my chest and the scent of your hair in my nose. The sounds you make when you let me touch you haunt my dreams. But, I've missed your kisses most of all," he told her seriously, bringing his horse to walk as close to hers as he dared, their legs barely grazing each other.

As cloying as she found his words, the memory of him assuring her that their physical relationship could continue if he had a wife quickly ruined the effect. Looking away from him sadly, Hermione knew that she had to be firm to get through to him. "You can't keep saying those things, Thorfinn," she scolded.

"Why not? They are true," he insisted fiercely.

Hermione shut her eyes to ward off any tears that would threaten to fall. "They might be true, but it hurts me too much to hear them," she answered. "You...you are going to have to marry someone. Someone who isn't me."

Thorfinn didn't say anything to counter her statement, though his blue eyes were looking at her with an aching sort of longing. Perhaps he wanted to say that he didn't understand why he needed a wife at all, but Hermione could at least appreciate that he wasn't trying to tell her pretty lies. He wasn't going to promise her something that he could never deliver. It would only hurt more the longer the illusion went on.

"I can't have a relationship with you, if you are going to marry someone else, Thorfinn," she continued, knowing that he was at least listening. "It isn't fair to me, to ask me to give you my heart when I know that you cannot return it."

"It isn't fair to me, for them to make me marry some worthless Saxon woman that I don't even know," Thorfinn groused, looking over his shoulder to where his mother was riding in her wagon.

Hermione let her gaze follow his, only to see that Ivar was riding alongside his wife, talking to her in hushed tones. Osthryth gave him a sappy smile, obviously still so in love after so many years together. It was heartwarming to see, and it gave Hermione hope.

"You could have what they have, you know?" Hermione asked, even though it hurt her to do so. "If you open your heart to your wife, whoever she is to be, you could have the same kind of love your parents do."

"And what about you?" Thorfinn asked, looking at her balefully.

Hermione caught herself from snapping at him, wondering out loud if he meant to imply that she'd never be able to love anyone but him. "And I might find the same, with a man of my stature. Maybe a farmer or a thegn with just a few hides of land. Perhaps I will return to the land of my father and he can find me a good Briton for me to marry," she said casually, wondering if Ivar would ever give her leave to return home.

Thorfinn gave her a dark look. "It tortures me to think of you with anyone other than me," he confessed, completely unabashed.

"I know," Hermione said, remembering the look he'd given her when she'd been dancing in the King's arms. "But that is how it will have to be." She hoped that she didn't sound as helpless as she felt, wondering if that really was how it needed to be with Thorfinn.

Silence stretched between the two of them for what seemed like an endless period. Hermione hoped that Thorfinn would finally understand why his relentless flirting couldn't continue and that she'd be able to heal her broken heart as time went on. Then things could go back to normal between them, to before stolen kisses and romps in the barn.

"We should start over," Hermione said cautiously. "Just be friends again, and forget that we've ever been lovers."

Thorfinn groaned next to her. "We've never been lovers, Hermione. Trust me, that is a memory that you could never hope to get me to part with should it be true," he said, sounding resigned. "Alright, we can try to start over. As friends. Though, have we ever been friends either? I seem to remember you being a thorn in my side, trying to braid flowers into my hair with Leoflaed."

Hermione laughed at his teasing, ignoring the flip flop in her belly from his admission about them being lovers. "Thor-finn," she drew out his name to show her displeasure. "You just agreed that we were friends," she admonished. "Don't annoy me so quickly into our clean slate."

The pair of them laughed together for a few moments, gaining the attention of even Ivar, who was surprised to see the two of them actually enjoying one another's company for the first time in what seemed like weeks. Biting her lip, Hermione knew that she needed to broach a topic that had been on her mind since they left, mostly because she knew that it had something to do with her.

"So, your friend would like to know how your audience with the King went," Hermione questioned, wincing at how blunt the question sounded. "Do you have your lands?" She wondered if their tentative friendship would be for naught if he was just going to be leaving the Rowle lands so soon after they'd made up.

Thorfinn snorted. "No, the King told me to ask him again in another year," he growled, looking at her face for any reaction. "I don't know why, though, when he knows that I am ready now."

A sinking feeling formed in Hermione's stomach when she remembered how honest she'd been with the King about Thorfinn's traits when they'd danced together. That was before she'd known he was the King, of course, and she'd been much freer with her words than she normally would have been. She didn't think she'd said anything damning about Thorfinn, but a part of her worried if she was the reason that Thorfinn had had his hopes dashed. Would he be able to forgive her if she was responsible?

"Well, he must have given you some kind of reason?" Hermione probed, only to be met with surly silence. She remembered how she'd been requested personally and wondered if the King's refusal had something to do with her. It seemed only logical that it did, but combined with Thorfinn's refusal to meet her eyes, she knew that it must. "Does it have something to do with what the King asked of me? What you and your father refused on my behalf?"

"Don't worry about that," Thorfinn snapped back at her, only piquing her interest further. She was endlessly curious, especially since it resulted in Thorfinn not receiving his lands. What could possibly be worth that?

"What did the King want with me, Thorfinn?" she practically begged, knowing that she would only grow resentful the longer that he kept the secret from her. "Please, just tell me."

He frowned. "What do you think that he wanted with you?" he countered, turning to look at her fully, to read her face. "You were cozied up to him enough at the wedding," he accused, not disguising the jealousy thick in his voice.

Hermione scoffed to see just how possessive he was still being of her. "I didn't know he was the King when I danced with him," she insisted, wondering if he'd believe her at all. "And I don't think you have any right to be jealous of that, Thorfinn. It's not as if I can't dance with whomever I please." This would certainly put a strain on their newly repaired friendship.

"Still, you danced with him the whole night," Thorfinn said, not removing his gaze from the blush that still lingered on her cheeks. "Are you sure he didn't spend the evening whispering all his little plans into your ears?"

"Plans? It sounds as if you are suggesting something nefarious," she said, pausing for a moment. She couldn't believe the vitriol that he had for the King, fueled by his jealousy. "If you must know, I wondered if he'd requested that I come study at Hogschester. It's no secret that I'm quite adept at learning, and I thought that the King might appreciate my strengths, in spite of my sex."

Thorfinn looked at her owlishly. "You want to study at Hogschester?" he asked, obviously thinking that it sounded preposterous.

That hurt Hermione, to know that he still didn't think much of her abilities. "Yes, I want to study there," Hermione insisted. "They have all sorts of books there, histories and more," she said excitedly. "And, I thought it would make things easier for me, if you had to move away and marry someone else," she revealed, in her anger. She hadn't planned on telling him just how much the thought of him marrying someone else bothered her, too.

He grinned at her, though, suddenly bolstered by her admission. "I knew that you'd miss my kisses, as well, Hermione," he said with a longing laugh.

Hermione let out a noise of frustration, irritated that he was so quickly returning to his flirtatious ways once again. Perhaps he wasn't interested in trying to start over. "You are completely infuriating. Perhaps we need to take our new friendship slowly, Thorfinn," she said, turning her horse back to where Ivar was riding. "I wouldn't want you to destroy it all in one day."