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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xxvi. Redemption of Rain
As much as Kari would like to say that it got easier every time, it didn't.
Running away this time was as difficult as it had been the first time she had tried to escape her little village. Whereas before she only had so little and was forced to go back, this time she was well equipped.
Maybe her heart was the only one that felt at home at Tamdrup. Her head certainly felt that she was meant to leave all along, the mental list of all that she would need had been ready at her disposal.
Nothing should have tempted her to return. She had nothing there. Only painful memories of what could have been if she had been born a different woman. She had always thought that beyond the raging seas, there was a better life for her.
A life where she was a viking, the daughter of a renowned man. She did not even stop to think that it would be that same reason that would lead to her not being able to settle down anywhere.
Maybe her leaving would be the best thing for everyone. None of her brothers would know any better. Bjorn would probably think of her from time to time and maybe one day, she would reach out to him. As she would to Halfdan.
As for Harald, he would probably find a strong beautiful viking woman who already knew how to use a sword like a warrior and who didn't need saving from every little thing. She would be fierce and she would be his queen.
They would probably spend their days looking for towns to raid and enjoy the thrill of warfare. She would get him to laugh and smile and finally be happy. She wouldn't argue with him and she would love him.
She would love him because how could she not? He was brave and strong, ready to fight anything that comes his way to protect those he loves. Kari only wished that she could've been one of those things that he loved.
Kari heaved a sigh, surprised to find wetness pooling down her cheeks. She did not realize that she had begun crying. With a last look back at Tamdrup, she carried on her way to the dug-up road, not knowing where it went.
She knew that she should probably be worried but she couldn't bring it in herself to care. She would figure it out. She would survive. She had done it on her own for so long now.
Her feet had seemed heavier and she found herself dragging each footstep. Maybe she could camp by the road or find a fresh clearing and stay there for the night. It was unsafe but what choice did she have?
She would need to travel over to another village to catch passage on another ship. She could travel to any place, start anew with none the wiser.
She scoffed, Harald probably wouldn't even notice that she had gone. He would throw a fit and then go on his merry way drinking.
What was she doing, Kari thought to herself. That wasn't who Harald was, at least not the Harald that she loved. She was just fooling herself into thinking that she was better off leaving when her heart was telling her to run back from whence she came.
