Acrylic painting on 24" x 36" (61x91 cm) stretched canvas, completed March 26, 2025.
Lord Aldhelm as the King of Mercia, what both he and the people of Mercia deserved. This is an idea that has been in my head for over 3 years now, and I finally had the time and courage to undertake it. I have lost count of how many hours I spent on it, but I started it late last year and worked on it in between pet portrait commissions.
More information and details below the cut.
Closeup views of the painting, showing off the details.
The golden halo behind his head was painted with metallic gold and bronze acrylics, and it shimmers and glows in direct light.
The crown is loosely based off of the Essen Crown, worn by the Saxon Germanic kings in the early 10th and 11th century. It was also inspired by King Alfred's crown in The Last Kingdom. According to Bernard Cornwell in the appendix of 'Death of Kings', King Alfred wore a golden crown inset with emeralds, but in truth I chose a golden crown with emeralds because green and gold are Aldhelm's colors. While there is no evidence that he would have worn a crown, I thought it would add to his regality in the portrait. Please note that gemstones of that time were cut into a cabochon shape (oval or circular with a flat back). Stones were not cut with facets until the 15th century.
The knotwork along the borders of the sleeves and down the center of the tunic were painted with details to suggest they are embroidered with golden threads, a technique called 'goldwork'. While this design is commonly referred to as a Celtic Knot, the proper term is 'interlace' and it is Germanic in origin. A good example can be seen on the Sutton Hoo belt buckle design. The Celts later adopted these interlace patterns from the Germanic peoples who invaded the British Isles in the 5th century; before that, Celtic Artwork consisted mostly of spirals and triskelions.
The sword was inspired by the Fetter Lane sword, an 8th century Anglo-Saxon sword. I modified the pommel to be thicker and have an emerald cabochon inlaid into it, along with an interlace pattern along the center. The blade is made of Damascus steel, with the beautiful wavy patterns characteristic of this type of metalwork.
The green and gold colors were chosen specifically based off of Aldhelm's 3rd season Mercian court outfit. I feel that green and gold are his colors, and suit him very well. The green of the background is a pale sage green that matches the color of his eyes. The gold color complements the golden hair in his beard. The cloak is made of wool, and painted phthalocyanine green to match the color of his cloak in the series. The tunic is a slightly less saturated version of that color, with more brown undertones. The high ornate collar is a callback to the ornate collar he wore in that season, with the leaf pattern and diamond borders similar to but not the same as in the series. It is a separate layer from the tunic, underneath of it, and does not connect to the knotwork below. And of course, his beloved brooch pins the cloak over his left shoulder.
Autumn Baking, all of the fresh flavours that only come around once a year. The warm, rich, delicious aromas that can only be found during the autumn months making these sweet treats even more delightful.
Baking can be an excellent way to unwind, a rewarding hobby, or even a great way to share your love with family and friends. Well that is...if you're any good at it. Not everyone is a master baker...
Uhtred
He would rather buy the pre-made mixes, add water and be done
The shorter time the better
No work, no fuss – all the reward!
Of course it's pretty – it came from the bakery. Shh!
Finan
He adores anything sweet. The sweeter the better
Baking? Oh he's just here to sample everything
He has never baked a single thing in his life
Except for the one time he helped Uhtred make a box mix cake
Sihtric
If it doesn't involve an obscene amount of cottage cheese, he's out
Pumpkin Spice Protein Cookies are the only way!
Three clean ingredients or less
No eggs, no gluten, no soy, no sugar, no ...
Osferth
He enjoys baking now and then
Perfect date night activity!
Nobody can make a chocolate cake like he can – ask Finan
If it's apple flavour then he is all in!
Aldhelm
Has mastered the quiche – especially one sourced from local ingredients
Savoury Baker all the way!
Rosemary and Cheddar short breads are his signature move
Thinks flavours like chocolate and pumpkin are overrated
Edward
Cute little Halloween themed cookies and cupcakes are his go to – he will deny it if asked
Caramel Everything! It's the best flavour, he will unleash an army if you disagree
Toffee Rice Treats were the first thing he ever made and has perfected them
Who the hell makes cookies with cheddar or cottage cheese? No!
warnings: gender-neutral reader, some parts are modern!au, talk of having children (no pregnancy mention), season 4 episode 5 + 9 spoilers only (spoilers start at the last three paragraphs for aldhelm's section.
included characters: leofric, osferth, and lord aldhelm.
length: 1.2k || read on ao3
⤷ if you want to be added to the taglist click here
part one || part two [you're here]
a/n: the creators of this show need to pay for my therapy or else.
⤷ Leofric
Leofric isn’t a man you’d expect to find in a jewelry store. The first—and only—time he would find himself inside one is when he’s shopping for an engagement ring.
If you’re not a ring person, he’ll buy you an engagement piece in whatever form of jewelry you prefer. Even if you dislike all kinds of jewelry, Leofric’ll find something to propose to you with. He could care less about what it is, as long as it’s something that makes you feel special.
Leofric is a dog person for life; one can change his mind. He’d love to have a couple of big dogs of his own, but as of right now, he’s too busy to take care of them properly. If he could choose, his favorite breeds are Irish Wolfhounds or any kind of Mastiff.
His favorite flavor of ice cream is definitely raspberry. His favorite fruit is raspberries; they’re easy to find and delicious. He doesn’t put anything on it, either. It’s perfect, just the way it is.
In a modern!au, Leofric would love to take you on dates to the zoo or the drive-through to catch a late-night movie.
When he takes you to the zoo, his favorite exhibits are the lions and snow leopards. He loves to see them slink around their enclosure or watch them sit and relax in the shade with each other. He could sit and watch them for hours; he finds them comforting.
Leofric enjoys taking Uhtred to late drive-in movies after a nice dinner date somewhere. Leofric drives a dark blue pickup truck with a big flatbed, which is perfect for this sort of thing. Once they park, he lines it with pillows and blankets so they can relax and watch the movie in comfort. Not wanting to keep his car on all night, Leofric sets up a small handheld radio so they can hear it.
⤷ Osferth
Osferth isn’t a ring person, so when he goes shopping for engagement jewelry for you, he gears more towards necklaces. Whenever you’re wearing one, he can’t help but look at how it sits on your neck and collarbones.
He enjoys buying jewelry for you, so he’d become a frequent customer in the local jewelry store. You’d have to ask him to stop because if he has enough silver, he will buy your more.
Unlike his uncle, Osferth is a cat person through and through. If he could spend the entire day with them, he would, in a heartbeat. He loves it when they sit on his chest and make muffins. Whenever Uhtred can’t find him, the first place he looks is the barn, always finding him curled up with the barn cats.
Osferth’s favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip. Literally, everyone thinks it’s horrible, but he doesn’t give one fuck about what they think about it. He will eat an entire pint of it without remorse.
When it comes to dates, he loves taking you on simple, domestic dates, like shopping or a farmers market. He loves to take you shopping, ‘specially for clothes. Seeing you model the clothes you picked out outside the dressing room for him makes his heart throb with affection.
Don’t even bother trying to pay for anything you want to buy. Osferth is paying for your things, and you don’t have a choice. But if you genuinely want to pay for something, he’ll agree to go half and half. He pays for the first activity, then you pay for the next, and so on, and so forth.
But his favorite kind is when you both stay in and watch a movie or TV show together, snuggled up on the couch. Ultimately, Osferth doesn’t care what the activity is as long as he’s with you.
⤷ Lord Aldhelm
When it’s time for Aldhelm to buy engagement jewelry, he’s more traditional about it. Of course, if you don’t like rings, he won’t get you one. But if you do like them, he’s through the roof.
He really enjoys ring shopping, don’t ask him why. He likes fantasizing about all the different possibilities that he could get, imagining what ring would look best on you. In his opinion, all of them would look stunning, but he doesn’t have that much silver, unfortunately.
Aldhelm is so excited to marry you that it’s not even funny. All he wants to do is live out the rest of his life with you in Mercia.
He’s the biggest family man you’ll find in all of England. He’d love to have children with you, but if you’re incapable to have your own/don’t want to, he will just as happily adopt children with you.
If you don’t want children at all, don’t be afraid to tell him that. He loves you, and you come first, so if you don’t want kids, he supports you. Sure, he’d love to have kids to call his own, but that’s not a must for him. His top priority is that you are the happiest you can be, and he’ll do anything to achieve that.
Aldhelm doesn’t see ‘family’ strictly as the traditional nuclear kind. Sure, a family can be parents and their children, but a family can also be a couple and their pets, a group of friends, or a found family sort of dynamic.
If you asked him if he’s a cat person or a dog person, Aldhelm wouldn’t be able to give you a straight answer. He can’t seem to pick between them! How can he be expected to choose between two fluffy, adorable creatures? If he could have a cat on his lap and a dog snuggled to his side at the same time, he’d die a happy man.
Ideally, Aldhelm would love to have a dog and a cat of his own. He could care less what kind of dog (he loves them all equally), but he’s always wanted an orange cat. He can’t get enough of how stupid they are.
His favorite flavor of ice cream is birthday cake. There’s just something about it that makes it better than any other kind for him. He’s a sucker for sweets, so it’s the perfect flavor. Don’t leave anything sweet where he can reach because it’ll be gone before you know it. Cookies, candy, you name it, he’ll eat it.
Aldhelm can be found snacking on something 24/7. This man is never not hungry. He always has a snack in his pockets, no matter where he is or what he’s doing. He’s like a walking garbage disposal.
After battles, you can find him sitting in a patch of clean grass, chewing on a strip of salted and dried beef. You don’t even need to ask; to have one; he’s already handing it to you. It has sort’ve become a silent tradition between the two of you.
Napping with him is a must. He loves his sleep, but sleeping with you is even better. He’s an amazing cuddle partner, causing you to never want to leave his embrace. Aldhelm is a walking furnace, so combined with the furs on your bed, you’ve never been this comfortable in your life.
After King Aethelred dies, Aldhelm is finally able to properly confess to the Lady Aethelflaed. Much to his surprise, she accepted his advances eagerly, sending him over the moon and beyond.
Once Aethelflaed is crowned Queen, she’s even more worn out than she was before, so the time she gets to snuggle up and nap with Aldhelm is her favorite.
Their alone time consists mostly of making out. Aldhelm can lay in bed and kiss her for literal hours and not get bored. There’s just something about her that’s intoxicating.
You see the way Lord Aldhelm yearns for Lady Æthelflæd.
Written for the @tlkfanficfest Prompts Challenge
Prompt 5- Aldhelm has a nice day for once
Fluff, Romance, Reader Insert
Word Count: 609
“You’re in love with her?”
Aldhelm pulls his gaze away from Lady Æthelflæd to look at you, “is it that obvious?”
You smile sadly, “only to someone who understands longing.”
He studies you for a moment, “surely you could win anybody’s heart.”
How wrong he was, “you flatter me but alas I am no stranger to unrequited affection.”
“In that case, perhaps we can take solace in each other’s misery?” he offers his hand to you and you accept it, letting him lead you onto the dance floor.
The dance is easy and Aldhelm knows it well, his steps never faltering as you twist and weave between the other partners.
“So, which one is he?” he asks when the dance is finished.
A surge of confidence overcomes your senses or perhaps its the glass of wine you had with dinner. “I’m looking at him,” you whisper, your gaze holding his.
How could it not be him?
How could Lady Æthelflæd ignore all the things you saw in Aldhelm?
If only he could show such devotion to you. You would never take him for granted. You would give your love to him freely. You already did.
At your words, his expression changes, his smile faltering to nerves.
“Fear not, Lord Aldhelm, I do not expect you to return my affections.” You force a smile and walk away, your heart pounding and embarrassment heating your cheeks.
You hadn’t planned on admitting your feelings to him. So you hadn’t given yourself any expectations on his reaction. But as the words had tumbled from your lips, you’d hoped for more.
Walking from the hall, leaving the music and laughter behind, you wonder how you will ever face him again. But your musing are short-lived.
Aldhelm hurries after you, his hand hooking under you elbow to slow your steps.
“I’m sorry if my reaction caused you harm, Lady,” he says, moving to stand before you. “I was surprised. After so long serving Lady Æthelflæd I think I seemed to forget that I could find happiness in others or that they might find happiness in me.”
“Then I am pleased to have shown you your worth, Lord Aldhelm.”
He smiles, “can you forgive me?”
“You have done nothing wrong.”
“I believe I have, I believe I’ve been blinded by my sense of duty to Lady Æthelflæd and ignored what is standing right before me.”
Hope flutters in your chest, “and now?”
His hands cups your cheeks, “and now my eyes are open and you are far lovelier than I deserve.”
Your heart was already pounding but at his words, it feels as though it might jump from your chest. If he kissed you now you would welcome it but he doesn’t. He’s far too chivalrous for that.
“I must prove myself to you,” he says solemnly, offering his arm from you to take. “But first let us dance again and I will enjoy your company in the way deserving of your loveliness.”
This was too wonderful for you to imagine yet it felt as though you were in a dream. Now when you danced his steps were just as surefooted as before but the air between you had changed.
Every touch melted onto your skin, every smile warmed your pounding heart and you allowed the feelings to consume you, instead of trying to push them aside.
To think you had almost allowed him to believe you merely took solace in his company rather than utter joy.
To think if you hadn’t admitted your true feelings, you would have been watching the way he looked at Æthelflæd rather than relishing the way he looks at you.
