It must have been very shocking of her, Ragnar considered as he heard her sharp intake of breath at his conspiring whisper, to hear him speak in such a sinister manner when speaking of his favored God, but Ragnar knew of no other way to say it so she might believe him; that he would kill anyone who tried to take their children from her, including his own God. Odinn and Ragnar had already talked about what the Allfather had done wrong and the Viking was confident that the Allfather would not again take the lives of Ragnar’s children, yet it was good to remind even Gods of their wrongs so they did not forget. “If she inquires about my absence, you do not have to claim knowledge of where I have gone,” Ragnar understood that it probably would have been better if he just left without telling anyone at all and yet, he could not leave Thistle without saying anything, even though he fully intended for their parting to be only temporary. She deserved an explanation not just silence that would have likely looked like he abandoned her. “I had to tell you …I did not want you to think I abandoned you.” Because he wouldn’t. He wasn’t even gone yet and impossibly, he already missed her.
Ragnar made a contented noise - a soft groan that hung in his throat - when he felt her tongue glide across his muzzle and responded with a kiss of his own. There was a part of Ragnar that was surprised she was not fighting to go along with him, and yet another part of him that was intensely relieved that she was not gunning to go. She was too pregnant, and Ragnar only wanted her safe. He did not know the Plateau wolves, did not know if they would insult her, judge her, attack her even. “It is not that I do not want you by my side, Thistle,” He told her softly, just in case she had been considering that. “because it is where you belong. The journey may be too hard on you and I do not want them to hurt you.” He whispered before he peppered small kisses along her jaw, before letting his tongue graze over the velveteen fur of her left ear. Despite that she was his tiny Viking, with the heard and spirit of a Shield Maiden she was still young and in her own way innocent and he wanted to keep her safe. It was his job as her husband, after all to protect and provide.
