The Heart Of The Warrior (Rollo Lothbrok x OFC)

Chapter 33

"Kari" Floki's voice stammered as he held her up, Kari feeling faint for a moment before recovering. Resting her back against the tree her old friend held her cheek "I thought you were dead! I thought Rollo had..." he almost cried. Kari blinked back tears as the memories of Floki flooded her mind. "Rollo" she mumbled, the man from the castle.. Rollo. The sounds of crossbows firing and screams erupted in her memory. Kari felt her chest heaving as she cried out, holding her hands over her ears, unable to stop hearing the screams of merciless slaughter.
Floki held her close and tried to soothe her "Did you join him? did you abandon our people?" he asked, his voice shaking. Floki could not believe Kari would turn her back on her people, on the gods... but she was here, she was alive, how else did she survive...
"He... Rollo, he went for a meeting with the King. He came back with soldiers... they surrounded the camp" Kari's eyes watered "it was a massacre..." Kari spoke the words as the memories glazed across her eyes, Floki seeing her fear reflected in them.
"How did you escape?" he asked "I don't remember" Kari cried. Floki raised an eyebrow "You don't remember?" he asked "I woke up on a beach with no memory...no idea who I was"
"You forgot who you were? you forgot me?" he acted insulted "How could I be so foolish as to forget you Floki... I have never had a more loyal friend" Kari smiled through the tears, it seemed as though every moment, every pull of emotion on Floki's face sparked a memory. They came back in blips and blinks and the emotions attached to those memories washed over her like waves.

"Helga..." Kari mumbled, "Helga is at camp, come see her..." Floki asked. Kari nodded trying to stand up, using the tree and Floki's help.

Floki's eyes widened "Kari, are you..." he paused "Pregnant? yes" she laughed. Floki blinked a few times in awe. "You're huge" his eyes were wide as he giggled, Kari laughed "Wow. Thanks" Kari giggled sarcastically. Climbing onto her horse to save her walking, Floki lead the horse towards the camp, walking it along the road.

Kari and Floki had been talking when she heard the sounds of horses running in the distance.
"Floki. Shh" Kari insisted as she listened for the sound again.
"They are coming... Floki.. get into the forest! Hide!" Kari insisted, panic in her voice. The two of them were both dead if they were caught. "But... they will take you back with them" Floki frowned "I will sneak out tonight. Meet me right here when the moon is directly above us" Kari insisted. Floki didn't waste time disagreeing, running toward the forest line and hiding amongst the trees. Kari turned around and made her way back towards the city when a convoy of horses came charging past, stopping to offer assistance, insisting they accompany Kari back to the castle.

Kari arrived back at the castle, greeted by an angry princess "Lord Mikkel has been worried sick! how foolish of you to wander off when there are savage Northman on our shores" she scolded. Mikkel walked into the room with Rollo at his side.

"Kari! Darling, where have you been?" Mikkel rushed over, checking over Kari for any signs of injury. Kari's eyes locked on Rollo as one look at his face was enough to trigger the wave of memories. Some were cut off and broken like she would not allow herself to remember. Others were beautiful, painless, but nonetheless wounding to remember...

Rollo noticed the change in Kari's face, the way she looked at him, she hadn't looked at him like that since the slaughter... she knew. He couldn't help but look at her icy blue eyes as an ocean churned behind inside them, crashing waves of memories causing them to water.
"Kari, KARI" Mikkel clicked his fingers in her face. "Mikkel... I want to go to my room" Kari said looking down at the floor. Her tears threatened to spill.
"Come on dear, I'll take you" Mikkel putting his arm on Kari's lower back, guiding her to their room. Once through the doors, he closed them and turned to see her sitting on the bed, her head in her hands.
"What's gotten into you" Mikkel asked confused.
"I finally remember..." Kari sobbed. "Remember? your past?" he asked intrigued, sitting beside her. Kari nodded her head "You're not going to like it" she tried to crack a smile.
"You've never judged me, darling, I'm not going to judge you" he insisted with a smile.
"I came to Paris with Ragnar Lothbrok's army... I... I knew Rollo" she explained.
"Knew him?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.
One memory, in particular, played over and over in her mind.
Before the raid on Paris, before the battle, a peaceful moment by a creek, leaned up against a tree with Rollo. His lips were all over her neck as they made love before the war.
"Maybe a little more than just knew..." her eyes watered.
"What do you mean?" Mikkel asked.
Kari looked down at her belly, rubbing her hand over it and back at Mikkel.
"No way..." Mikkel said in disbelief "Kari, are you serious or have you gone crazy?" he asked.
"Serious...at least I think so. He is the last person I ever... did that with" she blushed.
"My god... w-what do we do?" Mikkel asked, still trying to wrap his head around the truth.
"I made a promise to you, I have a duty as your wife" Kari spoke with a hint of sadness but she tried to hide it.
"But that was when you didn't remember... now you do. You must have people... family you want to see" Mikkel spoke with a smile.
"I do..." Kari's lips curled into a smile.
"Well... how unfortunate that my dear wife Kari will wander off again tonight... only to be killed by savage Vikings" Mikkel smirked.
"Only a husband as amazing as you would help me fake my death" Kari giggled.
"You gave me everything Kari. I needed a wife to become King someday. My father would never have allowed it otherwise... but as a widow, I will have everything, and so will you" Mikkel smiled. Kari leaned over and kissed his cheek. She would miss him so much, but she was grateful.