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

Chapter 20

Nadia

My legs refused to move as I desperately glanced around for an exit. Anywhere would be better than here with him. He watched me intently, the same dark soulless eyes. I closed my eyes and prayed hard to the gods that this wasn't real. When I opened my eyes he was crouched before me, studying my face. I let out a small whimper and wondered why I was so afraid. What happened to my defiance? I cringed backwards against the cavern wall as he reached out to touch my cheek. His hands were ice. "This isn't real," I whispered to myself over and over again, shutting my eyes, willing it to not be real.

"I assure you, I am very real," he sneered. "Look at me."

I squeezed my eyes tighter and felt a slap jerk my eyes open. No, not again. I looked at him.

"Hello Nadia."

"You're dead," I managed to whisper.

"Dead in your world perhaps. But here, I'm alive."

"Is this Niflheim?"

He seemed to regard my question as funny and chuckled. "No. You're still in the in between." He stood and held out his hand to me. "Now, come."

I shook my head and watched the cruelness that gave him his name surface. "You will come with me by the end of this." I half expected to be struck again, but instead he settled himself down next to me. I shrunk away as he reached to brush my hair away from my face. "You wound me," he remarked, pushing my hair away anyway. "Now look at me." I felt his rough fingers pull my head to the side to look at him. "I've missed your face," he began studying me again. "Your spirit." I quelled the urge to empty the contents of my stomach. "Your body." His words sent chills through me and I instinctively lurched away. Now on my feet, I stumbled backwards, with him watching me. I looked around the cavern for an exit, anywhere.

"Now that's the woman I remember. So full of defiance," he sneered, somehow coming up behind me. I felt his breath on my neck and whirled around to stare at him. "Does Baby Ragnar know about the time we spent together?"

"You keep his name out of your mouth," I snapped back, starting to find my footing. You've beat this monster once, you can do it again. But had I really beat him?

"Does he know what we did together?" I felt bile building but refused to rise to his taunt. "The hours you spent in my bed?"

"He knows what he needs to know," I replied, my voice wavering. His face lit up, he'd heard what he wanted to.

"So, he doesn't know a thing. How his woman gave up? Allowed herself to be whored? For what? Measly scraps of bread? To protect her charge? How is Tyra?"

I could feel him breaking down my will. I staggered backwards. No this wasn't right. It suddenly dawned on me, this was the test. Facing Kjartan Kjartanson was my way out.

I felt a twinge of relief poke at me and I could sense he saw it too. Before he had time to react I launched myself at him, clawing at his face and smashing his head against the ground. A sickening crack echoed through the cavern walls. "You lose," I snarled in his ear, dealing him another blow to the head. I watched as he spit blood out. I stood back and waited for him to regain his footing. Fury stared back at me. "You think Baby Ragnar will want you if you tell him the truth?"

"Aye, I do," I replied, dodging a punch and tripping Kjartan.

He flew to the ground but was up again. "I don't believe you," he replied, tackling me. We slammed into the ground and I felt a painful stabbing sensation in my gut. I attempted to flip him off me, but found myself being restrained. "This looks familiar," he smiled cruelly. I summoned whatever strength I had left and drove my forehead into his nose. He reeled back in pain, releasing my arms. "I don't care what you think," I strained, bucking him off me. I held him in a choke hold. How I wished I had a knife to end him quicker, but instead listened to him choking on his own blood and my arm crushing his windpipe. "Go back to Niflheim," I shouted, managing to detach his spine from his head with an echoing crunch. I held on for a long time, not trusting he wouldn't spring back to life. After a while, I was sure he wasn't going to be moving and tossed him away from me.

I slowly rose to my feet and stared around the cavern. No exit showed itself. I cursed, kicked, and screamed until all of my energy had been expended. I crumpled to the ground crying. A gentle hand placed itself upon my shoulder and I looked to see Thyra smiling back at me. "It's time."

She led me to the edge of a pool that I was fairly sure had not been there before. She indicated I should jump. I hesitated, my fear of drowning gnawing at me. Well, I was already almost dead, what more did I have to lose? I plunged in, letting the icy water engulf me.

Ragnar

I returned to her side after another long day of being a lord. Uhtred and his odd band of men were going to leave in the morning. Where he planned to go, I did not know, and I am not entirely sure I cared. I had a hunch he was probably going to return to the Saxons. To my relief, Witgar had not yet decided that he should come after us. From what the Irishman could make out, he was busy dealing with the Scots. But nonetheless, I kept Dunholm on guard. Joining Cnut and Heasten in the south was looking less and less likely. I wondered if they had taken Mercia yet. Uhtred had no news, or none he could share with me. My eyes grew heavy and my thoughts continued to drift until I thought no more.

Nadia

I have never mastered the ability to open my eyes underwater, and despite potentially all of what I was experiencing not being real, was still unable to do so. I clawed aimlessly in darkness, aware that I had a very limited air supply. I struggled in the direction that I hoped was up. My lungs began to burn, and I knew I was running out of air. Desperation. Despair. I gave one last stroke upwards before feeling myself slipping back down. Water began to fill my lungs and I felt panic set in. So this is what drowning feels like.

I felt my limbs growing heavy and was barely aware of something touching my hand, pulling me upwards. I could feel air hitting my face as I broke through the surface of the water. I gagged and felt water spewing out of my body. I gulped air heavily and forced my eyes open. The light was blinding at first and I had to quickly shut them.

I blinked slowly and allowed my eyes to peep open. I welcomed the familiar sight of my room and soon realized that I was alive and in my bed. I turned my head slightly to the side and saw my dear Ragnar's head asleep on the edge of the bed, his hand clamped over mine. I silently studied his face, he looked haggard. His beard was unruly and desperately needed a trim.

A noise from the doorway caught my attention and I saw Finan staring back at me, his eyes glistened in the firelight. "Lady," he whispered, barely audible. I gave him a small smile and turned my gaze back to Ragnar who was now stirring. I gave his hand a gentle squeeze and watched his eyes whip up to meet mine.

"Nadia," he exhaled. Before I had time to react I felt Ragnar's head pressed against mine. I stared into his eyes and felt pins prickle my heart as I took in his pained expression. I gently brought my hand up to his cheek and stroked it with my thumb. I felt his hand clasp mine as he pressed my hand into his face. I ignored a sharp pain shooting through my body as I lifted myself up to meet his lips with mine. His beard tickled my neck, and I felt him carefully wrap his arms around me supporting my weight. "You came back," he whispered, pressing his forehead against mine.

"Always," I whispered back.

Our moment was interrupted by Little Ragnar bounding in squealing with joy. "Mama!" Before anyone could stop him he bounced onto the bed and had his arms thrown around my neck. I grimaced as I was jostled and the events before I blacked out rushed back. I had been shot. My hand instinctively went to my gut.

"Careful Ragnar," my dear husband gently chided our son, drawing him onto his lap.

Uhtred entered next and dropped to his knees by my side. "Nadia," he managed to get out before tears filled his eyes. "I'm..."

I cut him off, reaching out to touch his cheek with my palm. I felt his hand on top of mine and I gingerly told him "I know. I know."

I looked to Ragnar who was gently patting Uhtred on the back with his free hand. Little Ragnar stared at all of us. "Why is everybody crying?"

We all laughed at his innocent comment and cried some more.