The Heart Of The Warrior (Rollo Lothbrok x OFC)

Chapter 30

The boat bobbed back and forth as some of Mikkel's men worked to tether it to the dock of Frankia's shores. A nauseous bubble rose in Kari's throat as she tried to stop herself from being sick. Mikkel holding her firmly in place so she did not tumble. "It's alright love, you'll be on solid ground in just a moment" Mikkel soothed her. The trip to Frankia was not pleasant, many nights she had terrible dreams of travelling by boat with unfamiliar faces, the skies thundering and crashing, the dreams only soothing in occasional glimpses of another holding her close. Their face a blurred memory. The panic of those dreams were too much for her, she would wake up crying and Mikkel held her sleeplessly many nights. The baby she carried was restless and causing her to be sick so often she hardly kept down food, she was in dire need of rest and a meal.

Lifting his wife from the boat, Mikkel wrapped his arm around Kari, helping her to walk up the dock and towards the cities glorious castle. Many Franks had stood by and watched the foreigners arrival, welcoming the allied visitor's in a friendly but distant way. As was the reputation of the Franks.

Making it inside the enormous walls of the castle did not offer any warmth but it did blow Kari away, the inside was glamourous. This was a wealthy country with many beautiful castles for their nobles. Kari thought of her home with Mikkel and how different it was, Mikkel was of noble blood but their wealth was no where near this magnitude. Not that it mattered to Kari at all, she felt safe and that was a good thing compared to the fear of her only other memories on the beach, stranded and cold.

Mikkel stood beside Kari in the welcoming throne room, his arm around her waist supporting her, she felt heavy with fatigue. Once the Emperor entered Mikkel made sure to bow, helping Kari to do the same, her eyes were heavy and took this chance to relax closed as her head bowed down towards the ground. Looking back up she saw an old man in the lavish throne that was empty a moment ago, a young women sat beside him in another chair, and a man in another beside her. Kari's eyes focused as she tried to perk up from the fatigue, in an instant they glued to the man in the far throne. Her eyes locking with his. An overwhelming feeling rushed over her and then darkness.

Mikkel grabbed Kari before she could fall, his face red with embarrassment "Your highness, please, forgive us, My wife is pregnant and the journey was not easy, she needs rest" he tried to hide the worry in his voice. Holding her tightly in his arms, he was knelled slightly to support her. Looking up in search of a response the Emperor was wide eyes and worried, he waved a hand at a handmaid close by and his shaky uncertain voice came out, not quite the strong commanding voice expected of a ruler of such a land, "Help them to their room at once, Don't fret Mikkel we will do whatever we can to help you both rest and get well. There is no rushing these things you know" he sounded nervous. Mikkel would have questioned it but thought not to, pulling Kari into his arms he stood and noticed the man sat to the far right, looking shocked, but overall concerned. The man whom Mikkel had heard of, but never met, was Rollo, a new Frankian Duke who was a Northman that Charlemagne had offered his daughter to. Mikkel felt sick at the thought of a man giving a women away as a gift. But part of Mikkel didn't pity the heir of Charlemagne, he might have been a Northman and a brute but he certainly was fit.

Kari awake to an unfamiliar bed canopy and warm blankets wrapped around her. "It's alright dear, just rest. We're in our room" Mikkel soothed Kari, she looked around and saw handmaid's looking worried and became uncomfortable "It's alright ladies, you can leave us be, she just needs rest" and with that, the women all left. "What happened" Kari asked with a groan, stretched her legs and arms. "You collapsed, you were so exhausted" Mikkel answered in a concerned tone. Kari rubbed her face and felt all the fatigue come back "I'll leave you to rest dear, I need to go and speak with the Emperor, if you need anything just let the guard at the door know, nobody will disturb you" He left a light kiss on her forehead and tucked the blankets back up over her. Kari nodded and smiled, too tired to even respond, she hoped it was enough as her heavy eyes closed and she drifted off.

Rollo could not believe his eyes, and if he was not sure enough of who the women before him was, she collapsed. How typical of Kari. Though he knew it wasn't funny, she did often black out, but it wasn't tiredness, it was visions. Looking around the room as his mind thought to the believed tails of Kari's visions, a Pagan belief and not one that anybody around would understand. Was Kari having a vision when she fainted? or was she actually unwell. Rollo grew worried. Another part of his chest panged with a pain hearing the man beside her speak. "my wife" stab to the heart "pregnant" another stabbing pain and as his eyes glanced back to Kari, another stab as he saw her stomach swelling beneath her dress. She was very pregnant. He dared not, but could not help himself from glancing over the man holding her, well groomed, obviously not Saxon, but nothing like himself, this man towered over her like Rollo but he was the same build. He was smaller, he did not carry much muscle, but none the less made Rollo feel inferior. He was well groomed, dressed handsomely, and obviously had a title to offer her.
Once they had gone his mind was still racing with so many thoughts, he was so distracted he had not noticed his wife speaking to him. "I'm going to accompany father to the meeting with his foreigner, are you coming?" she asked again "No, I... No I'm not feeling well" he mumbled "You look pale, like you've seen a ghost" she joked, a horrid memory returning to his mind as she said the words to him. He blinked them away "It's probably nothing, but I want to go get some fresh air" he said reassuringly, he leaned forward and left a soft kiss on her cheek, turning to walk towards an exit, taking him toward their bedroom.

Walking into the room he shared with his wife Gisla, he shut and leaned against the door with a sigh. After everything, he had spent months dreading that Kari had died, he could not have imagined her survival. He had mourned her, come to terms with her death and carved his own path. Rollo ran his fingers through his hair, walking out onto a balcony off their room and taking a deep breath. His eyes glanced to the horizon before shifting to the left. Candles flickered in a room that was always unoccupied. That must be their room, he thought.
Everything in his mind was telling him no, but he had no control over his movements. Rollo found himself walking in long strides, in quick pace, to the room he had see across from his own. Wandering down the long hall he came into view of a guard, who seemed shocked. "My lor-" the guard began before Rollo interrupted. "I did not ask you to speak, I am here to deliver a message to our guest, on behalf of the emperor." Rollo didn't have time to think before the words spilled out, the guard immediately stepping aside and allowing him to walk in. He practically stormed through the door and forced it shut behind him with force.

Rollo's eyes immediately locked on the sleeping figure in the bed, she was fast asleep. He felt a nervous shake come over his hands. Kari. She was alive, and sleeping peacefully in front of him. He couldn't stop himself from walking closer, getting a clearer view of her face, peacefully resting. It was definitely her. She was alive.
Perhaps she could sense his stare because she stirred and her eyes fluttered open and then went wide, she seemed shocked. "Kari" Rollo couldn't help but blurt out. She let out a soft shriek "What are you doing in here, Where is Mikkel?!" she sat up confused, holding the blankets up to cover herself "Kari I'm sor-" he was cut off "How do you know my name?! Get out!" she yelled. Rollo's eyes widened and he froze with confusion. How could she not remember him. It was clearly her, she said it was her name. He could not mistake those Icey blue eyes.
Confusion covered his face, he stuttered a bit stepping back. "Sorry, I'll go" slipped out before he could question anything else and he turned to leave.
"Wait... Do you know me?" she asked curiously, realising that was actually wonderful news she had lost all the fear in her voice. Rollo turned on his heels and looked back at the women he met so many moons ago, the young women who had grown and matured, she was so different from that first day in England. So much of the time they had spent together had blurred the change but he saw it so clearly now. She was stronger, wiser, her face was more angular, she had fine lines but they did not take away from her gorgeous features, her fiery hair had grown even longer, She swept him away, as always, even if she shouldn't.
He thought of what he should say, he was so confused, but she actually didn't remember him. Had he traumatised her that much? That thought sent a pain to his heart and he felt an overwhelming guilt. If she truly didn't remember him, was that a good thing?
His eyes were painted with pain and he looked to the women he had thought he ruined.
"No. No I uh, they told her your name, I just wanted to check to see if you needed anything" he said in a low, sad tone. Kari was confused, she couldn't read him, what was he hiding. She stayed quiet. "So do you? need anything... I mean" He said looking out a window.

(A/N I am so sorry for how long it's taken me to write more, I promise I'm doing my best x I just have a lot going on. I hope you're liking the direction of the story, this new path is really breaking me out of a writers block from hell. Any feedback is appreciated x and as always thank you for reading. )