[ Book 1 of my "The Last Kingdom" Fanfiction series]
Khaana was a rare find and a wild prized gifted to Earl Ragnar as a slave from a wealthy ruler who once considered her a prized pet.
The Danes have never laid eyes upon a Black African, and figure...
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Ragnar paced near the shores where his ships were docked, lightly biting his finger, it had been days since he was able to tap into the connection with Khaana. All he could think of was the worst. His lung tightened as he tried to remind himself to breathe. "You're sure you want to join Guthrum's men?" Brida asked, walking up to him. She dropped her travel sack on the ground, "we could just stay here, you've conquered half of this territory we don't need Guthrum." Brida tried to reason with him.
"Guthrum is planning a return to England to claim Wessex," Ragnar spoke under his breath. "I have not heard or felt Khaana in days, I need answers. If I go back and I can get them." Ragnar sighed, he turned to Brida and rested his hands on her shoulders, "Maybe even talk Uhtred and Khaana into joining with us again. If we can take more ground from this Alfred....they may come to see we can help them with what Uhtred seeks and get revenge for my father." said Ragnar.
Brida gave a faint smile at the hope in Ragnar's eyes, but it was a bittersweet taste on her tongue. "Ragnar, Khaana's cut the tie to you for a reason. She doesn't want to come back. You've been left behind too." she said.
Ragnar scowled, "She would never, I know your heart is bitter for the choice she made. But she sent you here because she could not torment you to a life you hated to follow a cause you did not believe in. " said Ragnar. His mind took him to his last moments with Khaana, even now his body still felt the closeness of intimacy like he'd never known, waking him in the night with a cold sweat as mind and body relived it, only without her.
"She would not do this to me," he whispered. "But she has, it's been six days Ragnar and nothing. You've boasted about your night of 'magical' humping as an unworded promise, but how are you so sure it wasn't a goodbye?" Brida ranted.
Ragnar turned his back to her having heard enough and Brida sighed. "look," she said his tone softening, "I'm sorry....but you can't deny what's true." she said. Walking to him, Brida slipping her arms around Ragnar's waist and rested her cheek against his back. "Khaana is blindly loyal, but you can't be loyal to many people and things at once - She sees her chance to kill what remains of the bloodline of the man who took her wings, and in doing so she can help Uhtred. She sees him as her own, more than she's ever seen any of us as hers." Brida spoke quietly.
Ragnar shook his head, "even if you are right." he murmured, "You were her own. You will always be. You forget that now, but you will remember. Hopefully, before you burn too many bridges." Ragnar warned turning to face her.
"so what will you do now?" Brida asked. "I will keep my promise, I will not give up on the hope that Khaana and I will be together, I will go to Guthrum because I still need answers," said Ragnar. Brida gave a small hopeful smile, "You will....keep your promise?" she asked, Ragnar gave a stiff nod. "But you will know if ever she returns, I will go to her," said Ragnar. Brida smirked and wrapped her arms around Ragnar's neck. No, he didn't look thrilled about any of this, but she knew her own charms and he would learn to love her as more than a little sister, and he would do so quickly.
