Eleanor Ch 03

The sun began to peek above the thatched roofs of Loch Carnach as Eleanor moved quickly through the village looking for Kate's thatch. Situated close to the other reach of forest, Kate's small tigh looked much like her own, outcasted, out of the community. The only difference was that Kate's brothers had 2 other small tighs meters from her's, their own little community. As she crossed the small expanse of empty grass, she saw her, carting her wooded bucket to get water for her brothers.

"Kate!!!"

"Good God, Eleanor!!" Kate whirled round and caught her friend in her embrace. "What on earth are you doing this far? Is everything ok?"

Eleanor released her friend when she realised she could not reach around her friend as well as she used to. Looking down, she saw the reason why.

"Kate! This is brilliant! When? Who???"

"Calm yourself and come in Eleanor, I will tell you, just not here."

Following Kate into the small warm tigh, they sat by the window close to the fire.

"What's wrong Kate? What happened? You weren't ..?" casting a worried look to her small friend,

"No no. It was consensual."

"Did he marry you?"

"No, he offered, but I told him no." Hushing Eleanor, Kate continued. "Listen, lets not mention this, my brothers know who it is, they are not happy. They will kill him. So. Let's just be happy about the baby, ok?" Kate's pleading eyes were enough to silence her on the subject of the father.

"When are you due?"

"Late winter, hopefully. Lewis said that Ma was three weeks late with me, so...Anyway Eleanor. As much as I love seeing you, you need to tell me why your here, you are stressed and you look like you have ran from Lean."

Eleanor told her all that had happened from midnight, desperately trying to remember how many boats had appeared.

"Is it obvious that I ran from Lean?" Eleanor blushed.

"Well, that water I'm brewing, that's for you" Kate replied, causing both to erupt in fits of laughter.

"C'mon girl, get out of your clothes, I will give you some of mine, and we will get you cleaned up before my brother's wake!"

"Agreed" Eleanor paused, turning to her friend as she walked outside, "Kate?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"No problem Eleanor. No problem at all. Enjoy your bath."

*********************

They were back. Kate's heart quickened, if Eleanor's description of the boats was correct, it was the Auden's boats. That meant he was here. Her brothers were going to kill him. More to the point, she was going to kill him. Pausing at the edge of the woods, Kate sighed as reality set in, she could not blame him, and this was her doing as much as his. Looking back over her shoulder at her brother's homes, she made sure there was no sign of life. Reassured, she disappeared into the woods.

Pulling her shawl closer against the morning chill, Kate crept carefully through the overgrown forest, wondering how poor Eleanor had managed to run through it. Even in her condition, Kate was as fit as her brothers, could still work at their crops, even as her brothers chased after her telling her off for lifting a finger. Poor Eleanor must be cut from head to toe on all the brambles. Moving past some large oaks, Kate saw a snagged piece of black fabric. Lifting it to her nose, she could smell him on it, beautiful, earthy, infused male spice in one torn cloth. It was all she could do to stop inhaling him.

"Ragnar. I know your there. I know you can hear me." She spoke softly to the quiet wood. Moving past the oaks, putting the torn cloth in her apron pocket, she was on the ground before she could scream in shock. A heavy weight by her side, strong legs over hers, and a beautiful mouth melting away her anger.

By Freya, he had forgotten how beautiful she was, how divine she tasted. Swirling his tongue in her mouth, Ragnar got lost in her taste, moving his hand over a body he had acquainted himself with seven months ago on his last visit. He had asked Kate to be his, to marry him, this she had agreed to. His other request, made after he had bedded her, she had refused completely. His Kate was not moving away from Scotland to Norway with him. He had been requested home before he could convince her to come with him. He would have carried her over his shoulder if it had not been for her two rather huge brothers standing behind her. Now, however, he would take her back...after all, he had an entire army at his disposal.

"Ragnar, Stop. Listen I..."

"Shhh. Kiss me woman. I've missed you"

One hand in her beautiful mahogany hair holding her head for his mouth to worship, Ragnar kneaded her full breasts with the other, marveling at their fullness in his palm.

"OHhh" Kate jumped, hand moving to her side.

Ragnar moved from her side, concerned he had squashed her onto a branch, until he saw the delicate swell of her belly hidden by her apron, and damn near fainted.

"Kate?" Ragnar's eyes met hers, unsure of himself, his anger raged for leaving her, and a violent protective rush swept over him all at once, rendering him speechless at a time when he actually needed his rarely used voice.

"Please Ragnar," Kate said, hating the look in his black eyes, "do not blame yourself for leaving. You were called home by your queen, you had to go."

"I should have dragged you with me Kate. You agreed to marry me woman, and you said no. I will not take no for an answer now!" Ragnar fell to his back as his angry Kate pushed and rolled him. With her sitting astride him, Ragnar cursed himself for hardening beneath her when he was trying to have a serious conversation with her.

"Kate, stop attempting to silence me...Oh god woman" Ragnar's eyes rolled and he saw stars as she ground her hips against him.

"Ragnar. Shhh. I wanted to marry you, but I did not want my brother's to kill you," She leant down over him, her heavy breasts pressing against his chest and whispered in his ear, "plus Viking, you were pretty fantastic in the forest, I wanted to keep you around"

The growl in his throat was warning the little hellion was warming him to a veritable death by fire, one that she swallowed with a gentle kiss, as she completely ignored him, and rose from his need fuelled body.

"Woman, I'm dragging your behind back on our boats, married or not." Raising his finger to her lips to silence her. "I will speak to your brothers."

"I wont go to Norway Ragnar, my brothers are wanting to settle here eventually" staring behind her, towards the sun reflecting upon the waking village, Kate sighed. "They are all I have now."

"You had me, you have me. What if I stay?" Shit, even the thought did not sit well with him, he hated this land. Too much disorder, discord, and greed fuelled stupidity.

Seeing the indecision on his face, Kate knew he would never be happy staying in Scotland. Had been one of her main reasons, apart from the thought of leaving Seamus and Lewis, for refusing to marry him. She had only regretted her decision as her belly had begun to swell, and she could no longer conceal her condition from her over protective brothers.

"You know you could not stay here. You hate it."

Pulling her back to him, Ragnar leant her against the tall oak, her height perfect for him, no neck ache having to look at her beautiful face, just a perfect fit, personality and all. Stubborn in equal quantities, proud with every ounce, each in love with the other, yet resistant for their own reasons.

"I would stay, wherever you were. As long, as we can visit my home." Ragnar stared into her deep blue eyes, as he brushed her curls from her eyes. "Now, I haven't had the pleasure of your touch for seven LONG months, are you to deny me?"

Kate did not have to answer, as her hand delved deep into his midnight hair, and his hands lifted her to rest back against the oak, baring her flesh to the cool air.

"No, Ragnar, I would not deny you."

*********************

Relaxing in Kate's fur covered chair, Eleanor marveled at how her brothers took care of their little sister. Enjoying the heat of the fire after her bath in the wooden stub in the recess of the window. Dressed in Kate's clean shift and tunic, Eleanor had not felt this content in a long time. Kate had reminded her that it was only what a friend would do for another friend, and she was to stay for as long as she needed too. Relieved was not a strong enough word for how Eleanor felt. Pulling her legs beneath her, Eleanor felt sleep wash over her, and she could not help but go with the tide.

*********************

Walking back out of the forest, Kate hoped to get Ragnar into her cottage before either Lewis of Seamus rose for the day. Easier, she thought, if they had attempted this prior to their coupling, no doubt the noise from the forest had been heard by every person in Loch Carnach. And when she had come, quite possibly beyond.

Taking a deep breath, Kate's grip tightened on his hand as she led him though the waking village, the early risen women whispering behind their hands about her condition, and then some, about the stranger she was pulling through the streets. "Devil" was one of the whispers that followed them as they broke into the grass and crossed over to Kate and her brother's homes.

"Kate, calm down"

"I, I Cant, Id rather like to keep the father of my child alive."

"Sneaking me in is not the way to go about it."

"I need you to meet her too you know!"

"Yes, I know, it's her Kate, I know it, and she even looks like Bjorn's mother." Their pace slowed as they moved across the grass.

"Well she was pretty terrified of you all Ragnar, that's why she ran. She knew that bastard would use her as a bargain." Kate paused. "What will happen if the contract is broken?"

"Hopefully nothing. He needs someone Kate; he has been alone too long." Ragnar brought Kate to a halt as Lewis grabbed his sword and moved towards them. As Kate realised the approaching brother, she moved in front of Ragnar.

"Lewis, put down the sword."

"SEAMUS, get your backside out here now!" Lewis roared behind him, advancing more with his sword ready for battle.

"LEWIS PUT DOWN THE SWORD!!" Kate moving towards her brother. "He is here to marry me."

If both male's mouths could drop any further, she swore they would become unhinged. Lewis from the shock of her defending the Viking, and that she would consider marrying him, and Ragnar from the shock that she had finally agreed.

Pulling her arm to swing her around to him, Ragnar took possession of her mouth, sealing her commitment. Raising his sword to her brother's throat as he came at Ragnar's back, not breaking his kiss, nor even opening is eyes to his attacker. Ragnar could feel it all on the breeze.

Releasing his Kate, Ragnar turned to face his future family, having seen Seamus fighting with his plaid and boots as he fell out of his cottage door.

"She has agreed. She will be my wife" Ragnar announced to them seriously, all the while his insides were doing a merry dance and wishing they were once more alone.

"I could not care less if she were demanding it Viking, you have already ruined her," Lewis raged, pausing as a rock hit him on the forehead stopping his speech.

"RUINED?? MY BACKSIDE LEWIS!! How dare you!!?? Need I remind you Da had not married Ma till she was pregnant with Seamus a good two years after you were born!! You gonnae leave RUINED at her name too?"

Kate was spitting fire, ready to battle her interfering brothers. It had taken all her courage to agree to marry Ragnar, she knew now he had every right to drag her off to Norway, she could only hope he would honor his word to her that where she was, he would be. She was more annoyed at the fact her brothers were ruining her happiness at her lover's return.

"You touch him, THE PAIR OF YOU LOOK AT ME PLEASE?? You lay one hand on him, and I will be on that boat to Norway quicker than you two can call my name."

Ragnar thought it was almost worth starting a fight, just so he could hold her to her word.

"Now get yourselves back inside, and Seamus? Get dressed, the lasses drool over you clothed, no point makin them faint." Kate was exhausted, and felt like lying down after all that male anger floating between them.

"But Kate, he is a Viking!" Lewis countered.

"And?? So was our Da!! You forget that!! And don't give me all that, Denmark and Norway Vikings are different rubbish Seamus, they are still Vikings!!"

Taking Ragnar by the hand once more, Kate dragged him passed her irritating siblings, and into the cottage.

Seeing the backside of a scurrying Eleanor attempting to climb from the rear window of the tigh.

Rolling his eyes at Kate, Ragnar took hold of Eleanor's slim hips, and hauled her back into the warm cottage, and dropped the squirming female into the fur covered chair by the fire.

"Why??" Was all Eleanor could summon within her to ask, as she looked between her friend and the Viking.