"What are you planning, Trouble?"

Harald looked over at Kari, fondly watching as she tied one of the ropes to the mast of the ship they were readying for their voyage to Kattegat.

The waters were calm that day. The sun was not too hot, its rays merely reflecting in the soft lapping of the waves like molten gold. The people of Tamdrup were peacefully seeing to their goods, a peaceful sort of emotion coming over everyone.

They had not felt this way since Ivar the Boneless arrived and everyone was grateful for the respite. Although Vikings loved the adventure, one cannot deny the simple pleasures of life like the cool breeze and the warm sun, accompanied by laughter and light feeling instead of lingering trouble.

Even now, after endless days of preparation and planning as well as some sidelined scheming, Harald and Kari are able to spend the day together. For the past few days, they have both been so busy with weapons, battle strategies, and ships. They only saw each other at night, siphoning pleasure from one another's touch.

It was only today that they are able to spend time together truly while the sun still reigned in the skies. He must admit that he missed her, missed them like this. After they had gotten married, it had been the most bliss he had ever experienced.

"Well, I was planning on finishing off this ship and then moving on to the next one." She thoughtfully said, checking the strength of the ropes she had done.

He struggled to contain the groan that threatened to escape him. "Not about the ships, Kari. I meant with your brothers and the bishop."

"Oh." She scrunched her nose at the reminder. She had been hoping to go the rest of the day without having to think about that.

If Kattegat and Norway did not mean so much to Harald, she would have been perfectly content kicking Ivar and his men off Tamdrup. Hvitserk would be the exception.

Alas, she was exhausted with her own schemes and machinations. Having to speak to Heahmund every day and help around with her people was taking a toll on her. Not that she would tell Harald. He had enough on his plate.

She couldn't put all the blame on him though. She had chosen this life when she chose to marry him. Being married to him was to take on the life of a queen, a queen who was ready to do whatever it takes for her people and her king.

"Oh? Is that all you have to say?" He remarked, stopping in his task to sit on one of the empty barrels.

"What do you want me to say, Harald?" She sighed, leaning against the mast

"What you're doing with Heahmund for one." He glared, hearing the rumors of all their deep conversations. He had fully trusted her, of course, but he didn't trust that man with her.

She returned his dissipated look, her lips forming a frown. "Are you serious right now? I already told you that everything I'm doing with Heahmund is for us, so we can overpower Ivar."

"But I-" He attempted to say, remorseful but she was not yet finished. In fact, him acting that way gave her the perfect opportunity to let out everything she had been feeling.

"So don't you dare look at me like that, Harald. Because I am doing this for us and if you continue glaring at me, then you can sleep alone for the next five moons." She threatened, her eyes fiery as she breathed heavily.

At that, Harald burst into laughter, mirth filling his entire being. Her mouth dropped open at his reaction, not expecting him to find such joy in her anger. He continued laughing, tears filling his eyes from cackling so much.

"It is not funny." Kari deadpanned, kicking at the barrel he was sitting on.

"I know. I know it isn't." He breathed in deeply, composing himself as he reached for her hand. "I love you."

"I hate you." She stuck her tongue out at him, smacking him over the head with a rope.

"Let's not say things we don't mean, Trouble." He caught the rope right before it could hit him, dodging the rest of her attacks. He captured her by the waist and hoisted her over his shoulder, ignoring her distressing complaints.

The people of Tamdrup looked over at their king and queen, smiles forming on their faces before they looked away. They were already used to the two's antics, having had their fill of it from the moment they returned.

At first, they had been worried that their king and queen would kill each other until they realized how normal of an occurrence it was and how their king usually had a smile on his face while they fought. It was not something they could understand or even try to understand.

All they knew was that the two often had their own world and they shouldn't really interfere. One of them had learned that lesson the hard way when they caught the two in a compromising position.

She pulled at his hair before hitting his back, trying to coerce him into putting her down. "I hate you so very much."

A smirk pulled at his lips as he spun around, making her dizzy. "I love you too. More than anything."

Unfortunately for the two of them, when Harald spun around, his foot caught in the rope that they had dropped and he lost his balance. The boat tilted slightly from the uneven weight and they found themselves falling over the edge.

The two hit the water with a loud splash, earning gasps and laughter from all their onlookers. Kari emerged from the water with an affronted expression on her face as Harald followed after her, laughing his head off.

He tried to swim over to her only to be met with a large splash as she sent a wave in his direction.

"Look what you did! It's freezing, Harald!" She exclaimed, eyes wide as she wrapped her arms around herself. Her teeth were beginning to chatter from the low temperature. "Forget the five moons. You're sleeping alone for the next five years!"

Shaking his head in amusement, he advanced and caught her by the waist. "I've got you. You're right, forgive me?"

Although he said that with a smile on his face, she knew that he was asking her for her forgiveness for the things he said prior. When it came to him, she could read between the lines especially when he was too proud to say it straight up.

"There's nothing to forgive. Just trust me, alright?" Kari said, staring at every part of his face, every part that she fell for. "I've got you too and I love you. More than anything."

His gaze softened at her words, his arms pulling her closer. He held her to him, internally thanking all the gods for giving him a wife such as her.

Harald opened his mouth to respond when a rope hit him in the face. Kari laughed aloud, finding his shock hilarious.

He turned his head to the direction of the dock furiously to see a sheepish child, looking at him apologetically.

"Sorry, King Harald."

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Kari watched on with a stoic expression on her face.

She would not make a single move nor utter a single word, not until she got what she wanted. Her fingers reached out, holding on to Harald's hand tightly. He did not need to turn to look at her to know that she was nervous.

In turn, his thumb stroked over the back of her hand, assuring her that everything would be alright. She had told him what would be happening today, that the bishop would be made to choose.

Death or subjugation.

She had not said any more than that but her husband was not a fool. He knew that she was planning something.

The bishop was pushed to the ground, his face hitting the mud. Someone who was once known as a great warrior, diminished into a filthy prisoner.

All were shouting for his head, calling for his death. It must be a terrible thing to be in a place where everyone wanted you dead.

Bishop Heahmund slowly went to his knees, his eyes first landing on Ivar who had a victorious smirk on his face. Then his gaze went to Kari, the queen who had shown him kindness. He remembered the conversations they shared and the hope she had given him.

With newfound strength, he slowly stood up, approaching Ivar with an amused expression. It seemed to make the vikings angrier and he liked that.

Kari watched as Ivar made a gesture to make everyone silent. Her eyes shifted from person to person, watching their eagerness. There was nothing she could do now but wait.

"Now we decide whether you'll fight with us or whether I kill you." Ivar spoke, his fist clenching around the hilt of the knife before pulling it out of the wooden table.

Harald found his hand drifting to his own sword, not knowing whether or not this could turn into all-out bloodshed. There may be gears turning in his wife's head but worst comes to worst, he would be prepared to kill anyone that could put her in harm's way.

His slight movement caught her attention, eliciting a smile on her lips. It made her feel safe as the mood felt tenser by the second, like an unstrung bow.

"Nothing is keeping you alive but me." Ivar warned, pointing the tip of the blade to the bishop's chest, hovering right above where his heart is.

"Why don't you give me the knife?" Bishop Heahmund offered, a dark grin being flourished on his face.

Ivar's eyes shifted, not at all expecting that answer. Noting that everyone was watching him, he kept up his amusement, turning the hilt of the knife for the bishop to take.

Kari suppressed a disappointed sigh when the bishop turned the blade to his chest. Oh well, she would just have to create a tweak in her plans. Only, she decided not to start yet, noticing something strange in the bishop's actions.

He had the blade turned to his chest but he kept walking nearer and nearer to the viking taunting him.

"Die! Are you afraid?" The viking mocked at the same time as everyone around him shouted the same words. "Do it! Coward!"

Hearing those, even if he may not have understood, the bishop's eyes flared with a wild, primal look, turning the blade up so quickly and embedding it under the person's chin. Not content with simply killing the man, the bishop even spat in the man's face before letting him fall to his feet.

With the knife still in the bishop's hold, Ivar began to laugh and applaud, thinking that he had brought the proud man to his control. "I think he will fight wi-"

In a surprising turn of events, interrupting Ivar in his speech, the bishop fell to his knees in front of Queen Kari. Everyone gasped, all eyes turning to the king and queen.

Kari looked to Heahmund, not saying a word as Ivar looked at them, feeling dread and almost betrayal creep into his being. Heahmund remembered the last words they had exchanged, hearing it in his mind's eye.

"I could never fight for such a man. I would rather die."

"You don't have to fight for him."

Remembering those words, he held the knife he used to kill the viking and offered it to her. "Queen Kari, I swear allegiance to you and to your cause. My blade is yours for you to command as you see fit. My life is yours and yours alone."

Finally, Kari allowed herself to smile. In her peripheral vision, she could see Ivar glaring furiously and Hvitserk looking on worriedly. The only one she valued was Harald's impressed look, not expecting such a grandeur display of who was in charge but being proud of it just the same.

"I accept your allegiance to my and my husband's cause." Kari said, taking the knife from him before raising it in the air. "He will fight with us!"

Cheers erupted in the air as all who called out insults and threats began calling out the bishop's name in glee at having such a man fight with them. Kari gestured for the bishop to stand and handed him back the knife as he did.

"I promise you glory." Kari whispered just as the crowd began to surge forward.

Heahmund nodded his thanks, trusting in the woman fully. He could not help but glance at her husband who glared at him but he chose to nod his respect as well. If he was to fight for her then he would have to fight under her husband's banner.

It was no matter, he thought. His God would guide him into what should be done. For now, he was to follow her. Before he could get lost in the crowd, he murmured in reply his own vow.

"I promise you victory."

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Hello everyone! And Kari's plans begin wahhh it's all so exciting. I love writing a strong female character :)) Harald has plans of his own, to be sure but let's leave that for another chapter :>