Aldflaed

"Lady... you have my heart. I fear that I love you. If I can't say it while I'm dying, when will I?"

- Aldhelm to Æthelflæd after being stabbed by her husband

Aldflaed is the het ship between Aldhelm and Æthelflæd from the The Last Kingdom fandom.

Canon
Æthelflæd and Aldhelm meet when Aldhelm guides Lord Ceolwulf to meet with King Alfred, Æthelflæd’s father. A year later, he is present at the wedding between Æthelflæd and his lord Æthelred. Their marriage is not happy and soon they stop living together. One day Æthelflæd’s husband decides to get rid of her and calls for Aldhelm, his loyal adviser, to order him to kill Æthelflæd. Aldhelm finds her but instead of carrying out the order warns her and asks her to flee. She is doubtful at first, calling Aldhelm her husband’s “hound”, but then agrees to believe him. Aldhelm mentions that Æthelred is neither a good king or a good husband that Æthelflæd deserves.

Later, Aldhelm tries to convince Æthelred that Æthelflæd should live. Aldhelm tries to subtly defend Æthelflæd in private conversations with her husband, and that doesn’t go unnoticed as Æthelred makes a comment on it. Later Æthelred orders Aldhelm to seduce Æthelflæd so he could divorce her officially. Aldhelm tells Æthelflæd about that plan and jokingly asks if she would like to hear him sing her a song. She seems humored. Aldhelm also defends Æthelflæd when her husband tries to disparage her and makes fun of his lord right in his face, which amuses Æthelflæd greatly. Æthelflæd’s husband accuses Aldhelm of disobeying him as a result of him having feelings for his wife. When Æthelred stabs Aldhelm for his disloyalty, he goes to Æthelflæd’s chambers where she finds him. She treats his wound and he confesses his love to her. He doesn’t seem to expect any kind of response, but only asks her, as the lady of Mercia, to protect his homeland.

After that Aldhelm becomes Æthelflæd’s closest companion and advisor, following her on all of her quests and keeping her most dire secrets. When Æthelflæd is to fight Cnut, Uhtred, scared of their failure, asks her to find a man she trusts who would kill her kindly before she is taken prisoner. She says has she already found the right man and looks at Aldhelm who stands beside her. When during the fight they are cut off from the main group by the Danes, and there seems to be no hope left, Æthelflæd begs him to kill her. He holds a dagger to her throat but cannot do it. They are saved by Edward and continue to fight.

When her husband dies, Æthelflæd is left with no choice – she is cast aside and her only daughter is to be betrothed to a man she doesn’t trust. Aldhelm tries to console her and tells her he will bargain their way out of this situation. Later, when Eardwulf confines Æthelflæd, she breaks free and runs away with him to seek help. While on the road, Æthelflæd tells Aldhelm that they are outlaws now and if they are caught, she might be spared, but Aldhelm’s life will be at risk. Calm, Aldhelm only says that he knows that.

Quotes
"All our hearts are broken, Lady. This news is... unbearable."

- Aldhelm when Æthelflæd confirms her illness is uncurable.

Fanon
is relatively popular among the fans. It is Aldhem’s most popular ship and Æthelflæd’s second most popular ship after Aethelrik on Archive of Our Own. One third of the fics is Modern Setting AU, that take place in current times. Pining and Angst are the most popular tags. Aldhelm's selfless and pure love for Æthelflæd has been the cause of great joy to the shippers thrughout the last three seasons. Aldhelm believed Æthelflæd would make a better leader for his home kingdom Mercia rather than his initial master, cruel Æthelred. Started as strangers, turned to unlikely allies, then to friends, Aldhelm and Æthelflæd's dynamic seems rather interesting and is generally welcomed by the fans. When Aldhelm eventually shifted his allegiance from his cruel and unjust master to his wife Æthelflæd as he believed she would make a better leader for Mercia.

Fandom
FAN FICTION 

TUMBLR