He was the conqueror. She was the sacrifice.
He was powerful. She was unexpected.
He was certain. She was uncertainty.
He formed a nation. She formed his world.
Together they would make history.
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xxi. Hidden Motives
"Kari, you're alive!"
Harald exclaimed, the smile threatening to break across his face. He was so happy to see her that he could not properly articulate his words. He settled for crossing the boat to pull her into his arms.
They departed from Kattegat as he stood there, embracing her and swaying side to side to assure her and himself that they were alright. Or at least they're going to be.
He pulled away to look at her, expecting to see his glee reflecting back at him. Only, it didn't seem to be pure unadulterated joy shining from her face.
Kari drew her hand back before punching Harald across the face. He wouldn't usually have fallen from such a blow but after being starved, beaten, and restrained, he fell down like a sack of food.
He stared up at her, looking betrayed by her actions. The others in the boat let out a series of coughs, trying to hide their laughter and amusement at the sight of the girl leveling their king with a mighty punch.
They had seen what she could do with a wooden plank and they knew that even if they hadn't arrived, she would've done well enough on her own with her escape.
"I thought you were dead." She glared down at him, both angry and relieved upon seeing him alive, albeit a little roughed up. She almost felt bad for leveling his face with a punch.
To be fair, he deserved it and much more. After bringing them to the place where there were a lot of people who wanted him dead and revealing her parentage to everyone, she was entitled to a little of her anger.
He rubbed his hand across his face, pulling himself up into a sitting position, his joy more palpable than the pains still lingering in his body. "Me? I thought you were dead! But you're alive! Are you alright?"
One of the men swung by, handing the two of them blankets. "She was mighty fine on her own, King Harald. Almost beat us all up with a plank."
"Kari?" Harald wrapped the blanket around himself, looking at the girl in wonder.
There he was, worrying out of his mind if she was alright and apparently, she was going around Kattegat beating people up with large pieces of wood. She may have thought herself a Saxon woman but she had more Viking in her than anyone had thought.
"You are the most infuriating person I have ever met," Kari stated, sitting down beside him
"Now, let's not say things we don't mean, Trouble." He tutted, looking over at her with a satisfied smile on his face. She may be angry at him but at least she was sitting beside him.
She retorted, her hands on her hips. "You let me rave on and on about Kattegat while you had your little malicious take-over plan. Now, you didn't know if it was successful and you brought us to the place exactly where we would have gotten caught and killed."
