Thistle attempted to say it again, this time the sound rolling off of her tongue in what Ragnar dared to call perfection. “Yes, like that,” He murmured, “Very good.” He praised her with a wicked little smirk tugging at the edges of his lips, curving towards the small scars that marred his muzzle. There was little to no doubt in the Viking’s mind that his wife would make an outstanding mother either by learned experience or instincts. He, however, remained inherently unsure about what kind of father he would be to the delicate newborns and infants they would be at first. His instincts were purely feral and savage - all ice and steel. Though he spoke the word ‘gentle’ as if he understood what it meant, in truth, he was not all that sure he could be gentle for his people were far from gentle. No one ever spoke of a gentle Viking and if they did they spoke of them in past tense because it was likely such a thing was long deceased. Their environment was harsh, their people harsher still. In truth, Ragnar had a hard time remembering to be gentle with Thistle, much of the time. He would not, intentionally, hurt her of course and it was a little easier to remember when he feared he might break her physically (ahah). Still. It was something he internally struggled with.
It made Ragnar’s chest swell with unbidden pride to hear Thistle so willingly call herself a Viking especially since she had held trepidation when they had first spoken of it the day she agreed to be his wife. Up until that point Ragnar had only been able to see the way he continued to fail Odinn, afraid that eventually the Allfather’s patience would wan thin and he would dispose of Ragnar, never stopping to see his successes which, obviously, pleased the Allfather. Though the Rites of Passage had yet to be performed for Thistle - admittedly it would be hard given how pregnant she was, likely, Ragnar would allow her to be apart of it when he performed them for their children, though it was likely Odinn had accepted Thistle as a Viking without the Rites. Thistle, at some point, had been successfully converted and welcomed by the Gods as a recognized Viking (even if she did not believe), though an idea occurred to him with abrupt suddenness then. “I know what your Rite of Passage will be, we should perform it before the children are born because it has to do with them still being in the womb,” Ragnar told her then, though he was confident Thistle already had Frigg and Freya watching out for her - sacrifices didn’t hurt.
“You will make two sacrifices, anything as small as a squirrel will work, one to Freya and one to Frigg for a successful birth and your and their continued health,” Thistle did not have to accept his Gods, but since Ragnar was devoted to them and it made him nervous to know he had yet to sacrifice to Freya and Frigg who were responsible for Thistle and their babes she carried it would soothe him to know they were appeased. “We should go to Ravensblood to make them, it is sacred to Odinn but they all listen there.” It was holy land to him and therefore the land he felt all his sacrifices should be made upon.
