Somewhere along the line, the fog had began to thin, likely when the run began to rise a bit more prominently into the sky, making it a little bit easier for him to navigate based on his sight. Not that, mind, Ragnar gave much insight to vision. It could be easily tricked, he knew, and it could fail him where his instincts, hearing and sense of smell wouldn't. He scented Thistle upon the borders before he saw her silhouette cut from the fog. Good morning, Drottning, Ragnar purled at her in a greeting, as he closed the distance between them with just a few strides.

Ragnar held obediently still for his Queen Wife when she nuzzled the fur of his unscarred shoulder, smirking beneath her tongue as it drew against his muzzle. It was no secret that Ragnar enjoyed the attentions of his wives and he gave Thistle a satisfied and contented rumble of a noise. It was a barbaric, neanderthal sort of noise, incoherent and wordless but it's meaning needed no translation. Odinn knows I am trying, The Jarl murmured before he peppered a trail of kisses on her muzzle, down her jaw, to her neck where he slyly nibbled, his tail wagging behind him for a few moments before he drew back. We have something we need to discuss, as Jarl and Earl of this pack, In a split second, the deviance of his playfulness melted away and in it's place he became serious, his focus shifting to his duty as (one of) the leader(s) of Stavanger Bay. It was important and he was determined not to let his Queen Wife's beauty (or body) distract him — though she was temptation incarnate, as she had always been for him.

A few days I was called to Gyrfalcon Keep by a stranger who called himself Adair, he smelled of the same pack as the male that attacked Julooke. It was not him, he did not have white eyes and our meeting did not...go over well. He was an old fool and spat words at me about how I have no honor, and that I do not deserve wolves to follow me all because he was insulted that I refused the gifts of meat that he had apparently prepared for us and that I acted like an infant, and that I should learn humility and courage and maturity. A snort of amusement left the Viking's nostrils. Yes, he had remembered the words the old man had said to him but not for the reasons that Adair had wanted him too, surely. He remembered them to mock, only. If those words were true, then surely his rule would not have been accepted in the wake of Pump's death. If those words were true, Majesty's wolves wouldn't have flocked to him as they had. That wasn't to say that Ragnar thought he was perfect because he wasn't. He was selfish, a Heathen, barbaric, even. Harsh and unforgiving. His ambition was dangerous in that it knew no boundaries. He desired to keep Odinn's favor and to reach Valhalla when Odinn came to claim his life. He put his faith blindly in Odinn and his Pagan religion despite that he accepted that there were other Gods out there for other wolves, and there were no limitations on what he would do to ensure that Valhalla was where he ended up.

But he wasn't as heartless as he came off, not nearly so. He was still canine, he still loved and felt pain, anger, sorrow. He loved his wives, his children and his pack unconditionally, and there wasn't anything he wouldn't do for them — which had been his one redeeming quality his whole life. He wasn't helpful, he is a traitor to the Spine pack but I wish to make a trip there, to speak with their leaders...to see if I can find the male responsible for nearly killing Julooke. Julooke, who was just as much apart of his family (Verrine and their soon to be children as well) as much as his own sister and children and wives were. He had promised Julooke he would kill who was responsible for it and he intended to keep his promise. He would bring her the man's bloody pelt as proof, if she desired.

I was going to ask Verrine if he would be interested in going with me, but he will be a father any day now and I can't risk that, He wasn't going to ask Verrine to abandon his wife and newborns on what might be a march to death when Ragnar...well sure he had plenty to lose but he didn't fear death and if that was what it came too he would accept Odinn and Valhalla with arms wide open. Not that he anticipated dying any time soon. Odinn had a promise to keep for Ragnar was fulfilling his end of their deal. I do not know how long that I will be gone, He drew in a soft breath, considering. but I trust you, Thistle, and I feel confident leaving things in your paws. He wished she wouldn't be quite such a bleeding heart but she wouldn't be Thistle if she was any different and it was that, something that was part of her, that he had fallen in love with.

This may be a stupid trip, But all he wanted was the white eyed man. He wanted him to pay for harming Julooke, and Ragnar was determined to get to him one way or another. Whether he had to go on a suicide mission or not. Do not worry, my love, Ragnar crooned to Thistle, placing a kiss and nibble on her jaw. Odinn will not let me die any time soon, Ragnar was so confident in that, that nothing could shake that firm belief of his. I will come back. He assured her in a husky murmur against her cheek.

He was being cruel and he knew it, but he took Thistle's question how he had, even if it had been a massive misinterpretation. Do you honestly think wife that I would have made you a Queen if I thought you would be poor at it? Ragnar inquired drawing a cruel, sharp 'hmm' in his throat.

Up north we did, Ragnar responded simply, still seething a little from what they had previously discussed. He took her nibbles in good face but he was still a little irritated. If it wasn't for him Stavanger Bay wouldn't exist, and Horizon Ridge might have well been dead, with the combination of the bear and Wheeling Gull Isle. Someone probably would have stepped up, no doubt (and it helped having core wolves that he relied upon like Julooke and Verrine) but even so would they have done as well? Maybe. Maybe they would have done better. But Ragnar had stepped up and led them away from the dangers, and while not kind to outsiders was not a tyrant to his faithful subordinates. Or so he thought, anyway, but then again his opinion of himself was bound to be incredibly biased.

I am not disrespecting them, He countered her quickly. I never said I didn't want to lead. Do you really think I am so selfless as to give up what I worked so hard for? I was bringing that up to make a point wife. I'm aware that someone would have said something long ago if I wasn't fit to lead. Do you really think my ilk would have let an incapable leader lead them? If Ragnar hadn't stepped up to Bjorn someone else would have. The Northmen looked for specific qualities in their leaders and they would rise up against them without so much as a second thought if it was what needed to be done. If someone wants to take this pack...my family from me, they will have to kill me. But she knew that.

Thistle kept back away from him and he just stared at her with stoic eyes, watching as she turned and began to walk away, his body ghosting forward as if she had a rope around his neck, tugging him after her. Why is it that you are allowed to be mad at me, that you are allowed to lie and hide things from me but the first time that I get angry at you I'm the bad guy, hmm? He asked her, with every intention to follow her and work this out with her. She should have known him better than that. Like he was just going to let her walk off. They were having a lover's spat (which they had a lot, frankly) but he loved her far too much to just let it go. Letting it go wouldn't fix the problem and he didn't want to part ways with her on these terms. Not when neither of them had any idea what would happen on his trip, or if he would come back at all. It was a horrible thing to be on bad terms with someone only to come to find out that they had died, knowing the last thing that had been said between you was said out of anger and not really meant.

You tell me that you are ok with Nerian but you are not. You think I can't see it? You think Gunnar keeps things from me? He is upset because you are upset and I don't want him to hate me for it Thistle. I don't want you to hate me either, It was hard for Ragnar to admit these types of things. It had always been said that a warrior never reveals his heart until the axe does but he was trying to be open with her. It scared the Viking — exposing his feelings, his fears to Thistle but it also proved that he trusted her. Why can't you share your feelings with me? I have always shared mine with you. We are together, Thistle. We are husband and wife, we are an Alpha pair. We are like Odinn and Freyja. Granted, Ragnar wasn't exactly sure if they shared their feelings or not but he didn't know why not. It seemed like a logical thing to him because Eitri and Kenna had often shared theirs and often had fights but at the end of the day they had loved each other. Kenna had loved his father even after he had an affair with a slave woman and produced Dagrun.

Ragnar watched Thistle turn away from him and for a moment the Berserker just stood there, staring at her back for a few, still and breathless seconds. When he finally did take a breath it was deep and expelled hard from his flared, black, leathery nostrils. He moved against her side as long as she didn't pull away, and murmured I am sorry my love, Whether she chose to accept it or not was up to her. This is not how I want to part ways with you, He admitted. He was fairly confident he wasn't going to die any time soon but he truly didn't know. He was no Seer, after all.

A soft chuckle left the Viking's lips when his Queen Wife's head turned so that she could look at him, her surprise at the words that he had allowed to leave his lips dominant. You deserve much more than flowers, Though, he half considered trying to find her some on his trip back. He wasn't so sure he would be able to find lilacs at this time of the year (but in reality he didn't know and Tokio doesn't know because she's allergic to them and stays as far away as she can). It wasn't often that Ragnar apologized for ...anything, at least in the verbal, crystal clear and concise manner. The most important thing I want you to know is that I love you, even if it doesn't always seem like I do. If he said nothing else to her before he died then he would die a happy man knowing that she knew that he did love her.

Keep the bed warm for me while I'm gone, He murmured huskily, moving so that he could run his tongue over the velveteen fur of her ear. Goodbye my Shieldmaiden. He offered her one last kiss before he detached himself from her side with a great reluctance and turned, his gaze fixated upon the free territories beyond the safety of their Bay. He had made a promise when he had first stepped up to leadership, even before he claimed the title of Jarl of Odinn's Cove that he would always protect those within his borders. Their lives were his responsibility, and he knew that this was something he had to do for Julooke — no matter the cost.

With a last glance back at her he offered her a wolfish grin before he crossed over the threshold of their borders, his direction North, knowing that he wouldn't stop hunting until he'd found the man responsible.