shatter me

Ragnar had became rather adapt at not using his native tongue around her, knowing that she would not understand the old norse words that were the first words he ever learned to speak. “I was counting. One and Two,” He told her, translating the words into the common tongue for her so she might understand what they meant too. She retorted, protesting against his validation that they were her children when they misbehaved, that their bad moods came from him justifying the fact that they would, indeed, be his children when they acted up. It made sense to Ragnar, but he was not ready to give her her victory over him yet. “Mothers are better at punishing than fathers, therefore they should be your children when they do not listen.” This was not strictly true, since Ragnar himself had been largely ignored by both parents for the majority of the time. Kenna favored the baby and Eitri favored the oldest. Nevermind that Ragnar was the best out of the three of them (as far as he was concerned anyway).

“They must be gentle with you always, even when they are born into the world,” He told her softly, not wanting his sons to ever cause her harm on purpose or accident. Most sons ended up rather protective of their mothers for even Ragnar himself had been protective of Kenna even if he had not been her favorite. “Not that you are not strong because you are, shield maiden, but because it is a male’s job to protect females, even if they do not need it.” This was general belief they tended to have (as far as free females went anyhow).

“It is more than that, you are beautiful always,” He had told her that before he felt sure (unless he had just thought it and it had never escaped his lips) but even if he didn’t it didn’t matter because he was speaking it now.