The Heart Of The Warrior (Rollo Lothbrok x OFC)

Chapter 25

The ships sailed west towards Ragnar's newest conquest. Paris. Franica was just close to England, Kari was surprised Ragnar hadn't stumbled across it earlier. The boats rowed down the river and toward a campsite, one not too far from the walls of Paris.

Kari wasted no time dropping her things and making her way over to watch the negotiations for plans, Floki had been put in charge, he looked quite proud as he sat in his chair, nose up in the air at all the others. The sight was enough to crack a smile, even on Rollo's face. "So... uh how do we best attack the city?" And so the argument between Lagertha and Kalf ensued. Kari shook her head at Floki trying to make sense of it all, her eyes wandering over to Ragnar's face, he himself saw the funny side.

Originally Kari had planned to fight alongside Lagertha, storming the gate, but everyone else would be scaling the walls, not many of the women were game to try, but Kari didn't want to separate from her friends and Rollo. Mostly Rollo, though. Remembering back to when they separated in Wessex and she saw him get trampled caused her to tense, she prepared everything she needed and wandered over to the comfort of Helga's happy face, only to see she was not so happy. "Floki is acting crazy" she paused for a moment looking at Kari worried "he told me something, something I think I've known for a while." Helga looked down and fiddled with a thread from her dress. "He killed Athelstan..." Kari said, knowing already what she would say. Helga raised her eyes to meet Kari's "Yes. I fear what he's becoming, what if Ragnar never forgives him? That would crush him" Helga rambled, Kari reached out and grabbed Helga's shoulders "It will all be fine. Do not stress, the gods have a plan for all of us" but deep down Kari was worried about Floki and his anger of late.

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Rollo walked over to the tent Kari was sharing with a few shieldmaiden friends, hoping to catch her alone, but Helga talking with her about Floki. He overheard something he was sure he shouldn't have, Floki was indeed the one who killed Athelstan. This didn't matter much to Rollo though, Athelstan was a priest, a christian, and he could never truly be viking. Walking into the tent, Rollo cleared his throat to announce himself and Kari and Helga turned to face him. Helga did her best to give a unflinching smile to Rollo in her worry, but she could not hide her feelings well. Making her way out, Helga left the two to be alone and went to continue her camp duties. 

Kari looked up at Rollo, his hair was tied up off his neck, his beard scruffy as always. "Are you ready for the fight?" Rollo asked "Ha! Are you?" she exclaimed earning a smirk from Rollo "At least you're confident" he chuckled, reaching out he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close to him, Kari resting her head on his bare chest. "Only a few hours until we raid, I want to spend them with you..." Rollo said, his arms tightening around her ever so slightly. Kari looked up at him concerned "You don't think something's going to happen do you?" assuming the worst before a fight is always dangerous. "Well" he paused "I saw those walls... Paris is going to be great triumph, but great wins come at a cost. What if-" Kari cut him off "What if it all goes well" she smiled at him, trying to avoid serious conversation "What if it doesn't" he mumbled, Kari frowned and studied his expression, he was serious "Then I'll be with you again in Odin's hall, one day..." reaching up she cupped his cheeks and kissed him, Rollo kissing back far softer than normal, being gentle with his touch. Kari pulled back and frowned "You aren't getting soft on me are you" she joked causing him to grin "Never" he retorted. 

Grabbing her hand he lead her away from the crowds of people around camp, into the forest line and toward a nearby creek, sitting beneath a tree he pulled her down onto his lap, her legs straddled his waist. Neither of them had dressed for the fight yet, Rollo wasn't even wearing a shirt, just his usual hide pants. Kari just wearing her simple everyday dress. "Shouldn't we be getting ready?" Kari mumbled, leaving a soft kiss on his lips "No, lets stay here for a bit, I just want this moment of peace with you" he kissed his forehead, his thumbs rubbing across her soft cheek. There was silence for a moment before Rollo spoke, Kari laying her head on his chest "Marry me?" his voice barely above a whisper, Kari swore she misheard him "Rollo..." she paused "Marry me. Please?" he asked again. Kari's lips pulled into a grin "Of course I will" lifting her head from his chest she looked into his eyes, she saw thing and thought it might have been a vision coming to her, a conflict in his eyes but it faded quickly as he looked away knowing well that she could read him easily. "What's wrong?" she asked "Nothing. I want this. I want you. I want to be able to make that choice. I don't want whatever fate the gods have in store, I want this one" He seemed afraid of something "Rollo what's gotten into you?" Kari pleaded for a real answer "I spoke to the seer" he muttered "why is it he never gives me what I want to hear?" he added Kari sighed, she had also talked to the seer, she knew it wasn't helpful to do so and that it would put doubt in your mind, but the urge to understand the future was too great. "Rollo, whatever the gods have planned, whatever they have in store for us, we have always gotten through. We find a way. So what if they separate us again, we always find each other, we always will" She'd say anything to get him to see reason, to see hope, she knew that the gods had always had bright plans for Rollo, and she'd always feared that perhaps she wasn't enough to fill those plans. "And why should they get to decide? I don't want what they chose, I want you" his voice was firm. Kari smiled and cupped his face in her small hands, kissing his forehead the lines formed from his frown faded and he became calm "You have me, always, I am yours" her voice was sweet and soothing, Rollo took a deep breath and pulled her close to him, nuzzling his face in his neck and hair, he inhaled her sweet perfume and savoured each moment. She was his. 

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The fight for Paris was about to begin, boats filled with warrior's sailed down the river, Kari among them, beside her, as always, was Rollo. Around her, all her friends and those she'd grown to call family, her mind thought of Lagertha and prayed she'd fight well without her friends beside her. That she'd fight as the valiant leader she was, and that things would run smoothly. Beside Rollo stood Bjorn, Lagertha's son and a brave leader in his own right. Kari was confident in the strength of Ragnar's forces, but the looming outline of Paris in the distance was an ominous and frightening sight. 

Before the boats even got close to the walls there was a rain of arrows across the sky, Kari hidden beneath her shield as a few others got hit around her. Kari felt Rollo's arm reach for her as he held his shield in the air. What seemed like seconds had passed and already warrior's were attempting to scale the walls, Kari had been separated from Rollo but they could still see each other across the crowds of Viking's scaling the ladders, Kari could not lie, she felt her heart pounding as she helped others board from the ships up the ladders, she knew she needed to climb up as well, and for once she was afraid of what awaited. Thing's already seemed to be going badly, she prayed Lagertha and Kalf had made more progress at the gate and that attention would be taken away from the onslaught of the walls. 

A stroke of courage overcame Kari as she saw the men fallen around her, they needed to cut the ropes for the ladders to allow men to cross from the towers to the wall. No one had made it yet. Looking over to Rollo he must have had the same idea, he looked to her and both shared a glance for a moment, adrenaline taking over as the two scaled the towers, dodging the fallen as they went, finally reaching the top Kari avoided the spray of arrows from the Frankian soldier's crossbow's, frantically swinging her axe through the air she cut the ropes on either side, turning to face those climbing behind her she reached to help them, pulling soldiers by the masses up and over to the wall, the odds were evening out now. Taking her turn, she climbed the ladder that connected the tower to the walls and cried out as she sunk her axe into the arm of a frankian shoulder, and then into his neck. Blood sprayed across her face as she moved to her next target, catching the glace of the Frankian commander Odo, who looked at her as if she was a monster, getting closer and closer to him. Tearing through warrior's, she and a few others had successfully pushed their way onto the barracks and were nearing the Count. Kari wanted to be the one to bury her axe in his throat. 

As she got closer her anticipation was getting too much, she was taking risks that were costly, she had earned a slice to the face from a Frankian sword, but she made quick work of the soldier and disposed of him over the walls edge. When the count seemed inches from her grasp she pulled her arm back, axe high in the air, and then, a burning sensation took over her whole abdomen, she felt the sting of the metal arrow head pierce her leathers and go straight into her side. Looking to the direction of the attack she saw a shaking Frankian soldier, shivering with fear. Gritting her teeth she ignored the ache and charged for him, sinking her axe into his skull, she felt the crush of bones beneath axe before losing balance, a soldier behind her shoving them both over the edge. Kari was sent crashing into the water, feeling like she couldn't breathe she was not sure she could pull herself to the surface. And then everything faded to black.