Always Be By My Side - Sequel to Always Return to Me (The Last Kingdom Fan Fic)

Chapter 10

Ragnar

Nadia and I snuck down the stairs as silently as we could and down into the kitchens. Little Ragnar groggily clutched to my neck and thank the gods our little bundle of joy remained silently bundled in her mother's arms. The Irish man and his two companions were alert and ready to go. How Uhtred had united such an odd bunch was beyond me. An Irish man, a monk, and a Dane who happened to be the bastard son of our once great foe Kjartan. If Uhtred trusted the bastard, then I suppose I must as well.

I kissed my son's head and handed him off to the bastard Dane. We exchanged a look, and I knew he understood that if anything happened to my son it was his soul, I'd come hunting. I looked at my dear wife who looked the closest to crying I'd ever seen her in public. She buried her face in my chest and let out a little sigh. I felt her free arm tightly clutch my shirt. I rested my head on top of hers. At last I felt her pulling away. She looked up at me and I pressed my forehead against hers. "Be safe," I whispered to her.

"You too," she whispered back. I stared into her eyes and engraved her face into my mind. She would be back in a few weeks' time, but that already felt like eternity away. We exchanged our goodbyes, and I assured her I would make the proper excuses, but it was important they got on the road before the war party. She nodded and I watched her turn towards the three men and walk with them to the door leading out the back of Dunholm. "Irish man," I called out. He turned. "Keep them safe."

"I swear on my life lord," he bowed his head slightly at me. His promise was comforting, and I knew he meant it. I silently waved them off and watched them disappear into the early morning fog. "May the gods be with you," I whispered before closing and relatching the door. I turned to the empty kitchen and felt loneliness creep around me. I exhaled deeply and quietly practiced the story I was to tell Cnut and Heastan.

Nadia

The morning air was chill, and I worried about Little Rangar catching a cold. I looked over my shoulder at Sihtric who was carrying a still sleeping Ragnar. Little Ragnar may be a bundle of uncontrollable joy and energy when he's awake, but that child is one sound sleeper the minute his head hits the pillow. I made a note to myself that we would have to work on training him out of the habit when he's older.

Finan and I walked in the front, with Osferth, Sihtric and the children behind us. Against my every instinct, I handed Hilda off to Osferth. Finan had reasoned that should a fight ensue I would fare better at protecting our party than "poor Osferth". Unfortunately, I couldn't argue against that logic and freed myself to defend our party, though we all hope that things would not come to that.

We continue to quickly make our way towards the coast where Finan said a boat was waiting for us. After walking for what felt like forever, we finally made it off the main road. We steadied our pace and at last stopped to rest a bit. Little Ragnar had awoken and Sihtric was now free from having to carry him. I broke off some bread and passed it around. We all ate in silence. I was surprised that Little Ragnar wasn't asking questions, but he seemed to sense that now was not the time.

When we had finished resting, we continued walking and by the end of the day had reached the coast. Little Ragnar begged me to let him run in the sand. I relented and watched him charge up and down the beach with poor Osferth chasing after him.

With Hilda once again in my arms, I sat comfortably in the grass with Sihtric and Finan. "How long will the journey take?" I asked nervously, for I had never been much of a fan of leaving solid ground.

"A few days, and then we'll be up the river and arrive at Cookham," Sihtric replied.

"Scared of the water lady?" Finan teased.

"I just prefer land," I replied calmly.

"A boat's faster than riding," Sihtric replied. "Besides, we wouldn't want to run into the Danish army now, would we?"

"No one said anything about an army," I replied.

"And I wasn't born yesterday," Sihtric laughed.

"Easy Sihtric," Finan lightly scolded him. "You know she can't say anything one way or another."

I rolled my eyes at the two of them. Little Ragnar and a heavily panting Osferth came crashing down near us. "Have fun my little love?" I asked my son, pulling him closer to me with my free arm.

"Yes mama. Uncle Osferth is slow," he laughed, prompting Finan and Sihtric to join in at poor Osferth's expense.

"Yes, well he's a very energetic child," Osferth retorted.

"Aye, that he is," I replied, grinning ear to ear.

We finished our supper, and the three men took turn taking watch throughout the night. We were to begin our journey over water at dawn. Little Ragnar snuggled closely against me, and Hilda slept soundly in my other arm. Osferth laid a blanket over us and I whispered thanks to him.

The next morning the dreaded time had come to climb aboard what the three of them were calling a boat. I stared at the low sided very think looking craft. "We're going onto the ocean in that?" I asked in disbelief.

"Better believe it lady," Finan smiled deviously at me.

I stared at the flimsy one masted vessel and silently prayed to Ran, goddess of the sea that we would survive this journey. Little Ragnar, having never seen a true Danish ship before happily clambered in. I gulped and accepted Sihtric's hand as I less enthusiastically followed suit. Finan handed me Hilda once I was seated in the middle. I held my breath as we pushed off from the shore and closed my eyes as I breathed in the fresh sea air and desperately tried to ignore the feeling of the ocean moving below us. May Ran have mercy on us.