The Heart Of The Warrior (Rollo Lothbrok x OFC)

Chapter 1

Kari watched the strong warrior men use their axes to destroy the Hexam guards, the last of them fleeing. These men spoke in her native tongue, they must have been Northmen, tucked behind a tree, she peaked at the vikings, watching them as they began to bury their dead. 

Entranced in their conversation Kari did not hear the footsteps behind her, though she felt the fastened grip around her forearm, and the drag towards the beach. A huge man with dark long hair and a full beard dragged Kari to the beach, she squealed and tried to free herself from his grip. "Ragnar! This girl was spying on us. She may have been sent by their king" Another tall man with ice blue eyes turned around, looking at the small girl struggling in his brothers hand. "Rollo. Let go of her arm." Ragnar made his way over, kneeling down to the girl. "Who are you?" he spoke in the Saxon tongue "why are you spying on us. Who sent you?" he asked her. Kari remained silent, rubbing her arm that was now red and ready to bruise. "I will not ask kindly again." Ragnar continued, Kari spoke softly, her voice barely loud enough for anyone to hear. In Saxon she replied "I am not a spy... just a wanderer. I planned to leave Hexam, and then you all showed up, I was just curious" She lied, daring not to speak norse to them, not wanting them to know she was from the north too. "Where have you been? Anywhere else here in the west?" Ragnar's eyes lit up at the chance to learn of more places to raid. Kari nodded "I have been many places, all over the world, I've traveled since I was born with my father"  she explained. Ragnar nodded "You will come with us, you are going to be of great use to me. I shall leave you in the care of my wife Lagertha till we return." He got up and motioned to the beautiful blonde women towards Kari. 

She had a pretty face, but she could very clearly kill even the strongest viking men. Lagertha motioned for Kari to follow her, taking her over to one of the ships, getting her set for travel home. Kari could not keep her eyes off the man who had dragged her from the woodlands. Rollo, the blue eye'd man called him. He had the build of a strong warrior. He was mesmerizing to watch. Rollo noticed the staring very quickly and snarled at the wanderer, causing her to giggle. Lagertha laughed at them both "She must like you Rollo" she spoke norse Rollo, Kari blushed having understood what Lagertha had said. 

The travel home proved boring, Kari had taken to staring at the horizon, sleeping every so often. "Ragnar should not have kept the wanderer, she will just end up a slave" a dark looking lanky man spoke to Rollo who just rolled his eyes "Even if she does, Floki, Ragnar thinks she will be useful. I think not... She does not seem right in the head" Rollo joked with the man named Floki, causing them both to laugh. "You do not seem right in the head yourselves, You, lanky one have no hope of sanity, and Rollo... well, good thing you're strong, there isnt much else though..." Kari retorted in norse, watching their confused faces as she spoke their language. "How..." was all Floki mumbled before Kari turned around and rested her head on the side of the boat, trying to get some sleep. Rollo's eyes widened and he motioned for Ragnar to come over to him, explaining what had just happened. 

Kari was shaken awake at the swaying of the boat, a storm had caused the sea to churn, thunder cracking as the men roared, cheering on their god Thor, Kari rolled her eyes at them all. A large hand latched firmly onto Kari's shoulder and she felt herself being pulled away from the edge of the boat as it almost tossed her to the sea. Kari turned to see the long haired man Rollo's unamused face. "Even Thor thinks she should not have come with us, trying to throw her over board." Kari stared daggers at the remarks of Rollo. "You're a small pricked bastard..." she mumbled in Saxon so he wouldn't understand, causing Ragnar to burst into a fit of laughter and Rollo to growl to himself. 

Once the storm had calmed Ragnar exclaimed in happiness how they had almost reached home, Kari couldn't help but wonder where home was. Ragnar made his way over to the new slave "What is your name, Slave?" he spoke in saxon. "Kari..." she spoke softly enough for only him to hear. Ragnar furrowed his brows "You are norse... Kari is a norse name. Rollo was right" blushing a dark red Kari nodded lightly "Where is home?" she asked finally speaking norse. Ragnar's eyes widened in shock before answering her "Kattegat. Have you been?" he awaited her response with bated breath "Yes, with my father, when I was very young" she smiled. Her father had retired to the forest lands not far from Kattegat, maybe the gods brought her back for a reason. 

The boats pulled up to the beach at Kattegat and Kari made her way onto the dock and towards the small village, she must find a horse and begin her search for her father. As she began to walk away Ragnar's firm hand caught her shoulder. "Where do you think you are going?..." Kari froze and realized she was still a slave and would have to work for the Earl. "Nowhere" she sighed "what should I do first Earl Ragnar" she mumbled, Ragnar smirked and looked over at his brother Rollo "Well... I have many slaves. So you shall serve my brother. As well as answer to me when I need answers about the west. Understood?" he grinned, pleased with himself. Kari narrowed her eyes at the long haired man helping unload the boats, he didn't know yet but she was about to make his life hell... until he free'd her of course.