The Heart Of The Warrior (Rollo Lothbrok x OFC)

Chapter 23

Kari tossed and turned all night in a cold sweat, dreams of Siggy in danger and getting hurt plagued her mind. Rollo yawned and sighed to himself as he laid awake unable to sleep as Kari was moving too much. Reaching over her rolled her over to face him and Kari's eyes shot open as she took a deep breath, feeling as through she was drowning before breaking the surface and taking a breath of air. "What is it?" Rollo asked "What did you see?" he continued. Kari looked at him with dread. "I am worried about Siggy..." Rollo furrowed his brows "What? Why?" he thought Siggy was perfectly safe at home. "I just keep seeing her in my dreams, and... I keep seeing a man" Rollo looked confused "Who is he?" his curiosity peaked "I don't know, i feel like i've seen him before. But there's something else. In one of the dreams I, I think I hurt her" Rollo looked concerned and slightly angry. "It was just a dream" he said, sounding more like he was trying to convince himself than Kari. Rolling over he laid back down and closed his eyes. 

Kari sat up all night looking up at the night sky and praying to the gods that her dreams were just that, dreams, and that this did not mean anything. The gift she thought she had be blessed with by the gods was now a curse. It was as if the gods were angry at her, as if she had done something wrong. Kari felt faint and her vision blurred before she blacked out. 

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Rollo had spent the morning gathering all his and Kari's things onto the boat, she had gotten up and left last night and he hadn't seen her since. Wandering over to the camp he saw Floki "Have you seen Kari?" he asked, Floki shrugged "Not since last night" Rollo knew Kari loved to run away... perhaps she had? perhaps she had decided to stay in England. The thought caused a lump to catch in his throat and his eyes to water. He stumbled his was down to the waters edge and sat down on the shore line, gathering his thoughts. "Whats that over there?" someone from the boats yelled, pointing to a spot down the shoreline where what looked like a person was laid on the sand. They looked dead. Rollo's eyes raised from the sand and down the beach towards to person. They weren't moving, Rollo quickly noticed that they wore the shirt Kari wore to bed last night. and the red splatter on the sand was in fact hair and not blood. Jumping to his feet he ran over, Floki not far behind him having noticed what was happening. 

Rollo kneeled down beside Kari and looked at her, she was soaking wet, her lips blue. He grabbed her arms and shook her, yelling her name. She didn't respond for a moment before her eyes fluttered open, her eyes rolling forward. "Kari..." Rollo's voice broke as he pulled her into his arms "What happened to you?!" Floki's voice came from behind, relief filling his heart as he friend was alive. "I fell asleep, I don't remember anything I just remember sleeping, it was peaceful sleep" she said, her voice slightly muffled as Rollo held her close to his chest, Rollo stood up, Kari still in his arms he carried her over to boats, setting her down on the shore beside them he searched for dry clothes for Kari immediately while she squeezed her hair dry. Standing up Kari pulled the soaking wet tunic off her body and over her head, exposing her naked body, she struggled for a moment getting out of her leather pants but tossed them aside when she had finally freed herself. Rollo turned around and his eyes nearly popped out of his head, he quickly handed her a dress standing in the way of the gawking men by the boats. Kari couldn't help but enjoy his slightly jealous protective side. A whistle or two had come from the onlookers and Rollo turned to the group giving them a glare before they all went back to their business, he handed Kari his huge fur coat and her warm boots and ordered her to stay in their boat to avoid further chaos, which seemed to follow Kari wherever she went. Soon enough her lips flushed red again and her cheeks were pink with life. Floki had decided to keep his eye on her for the trip home, so he rode in their boat. Making sure she didn't catch her death sleeping soaking wet on the beach. 

Soon came the arrival home and Kari felt her stomach twist as they inched closer and closer. When they got within view of the harbour Kari's eyes searched the crowd for Siggy. She couldn't see her anywhere. She felt sick and tried to hold back the need to throw up. Dread overcame her and she felt horrible. Her dreams had been right. Pulling into the dock Rollo jumped off and walked down the boardwalk yelling for Siggy, guilt washed over Kari as she walked down the pier to help him look. She was stopped before she reached him however and Aslaug could be heard loudly "Siggy is dead." Kari froze and could not describe the pain she felt seeing the look on Rollo's face, he blamed himself, but it was Kari, she must be to blame. She had done this. Kari could not bare to witness this. This was no gift from the gods, looking out into the distance, on the forests edge she saw a cloaked figure, pulling back the hood the figure revealed his face before disappearing into the forest. The face, she finally recognised him... the man who pulled her from the ice, the man who had claimed to have been sent by the gods, his eye shone like a diamond while the other bleed blood red down his cheek. He was gone as quick as she had seen him. 

Walking away from the pier Kari went straight to the only person she thought could help. 

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"I had wondered when you would finally come to me... I never expected to see you so soon" Kari looked up at the Seer, she sat before him. "I have been cursed by the gods, they want to punish me" Kari cursed, anger in her voice. The Seer smirked "Cursed? oh but you don't see child, this is not a curse...but humans always beg to see, they beg to know, but they don't realise the pain of knowing. I know you, the gods speak to me about you often" he said with a smile. "When will this end? Must I die for this to end?" she begged for an answer "Oh but you don't see this my dear... the gods have great plans for you" the answer was not what Kari had expected to hear "but I know this isnt all you want to ask me. Ask me what you really want to know?" he grinned "Will Rollo ever forgive me?" she asked, her eyes watering "You want him to forgive you, you want to marry him, you love him. Right?" he laughed, causing Kari to get angry "I do love him!, but... do I? Do I marry him?" the Seer grinned a rotten smile "You'll marry a man, perhaps not whom you expect. You'll carry a child, perhaps not who's you expect... and hmmm your heart will always drag you home my dear" he chuckled reaching his hand out for her own. Kari was more confused than when she had walked in, reaching out she gave him her hand, his tongue sliding along her palm.