To Capture a Captain's Heart (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Talk with Kjotva after dinner tonight. I'm sure she has all kinds of plans in place for just this sort of thing. I won't let her lose the man that loves her to something as silly as this." Kayla said softly as Ashien talked about taking Ulfric's place. "And I won't let you take his place either. Nor Christopher."

She was quiet for a moment before she let out a long breath. "I will."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Kayla," Ashien said quickly. "Like hell. You've only been training for a month, and you only have basic fencing experience. I fought him, little sister, and he fought like a demon. If not for the men around me who got me out of there, I'd be dead. You wouldn't last ten seconds."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Ashien, I have to prove myself to these rulers. I can't hide behind advisers and lord protectors for the rest of my reign. I will confront him and I will defeat him." Kayla said, staring at her twin brother as he looked at her with such a dark passion at the suggestion.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Absolutely not. You've proven plenty. No one is expecting a young queen to fight to the death against a warmonger in an unfair duel. This is what your great Viking warriors and your defenders are for, to fight for you so that Norway isn't left without a ruler again. Ma would never forgive me if I let you die, and she'd never forgive you for being so reckless."

 

[heartofcourage]

"And she would never forgive me for letting you die." Kayla said, throwing the argument back in her brother's face. "So, then where does that leave us?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"I made Ma a promise that I'd protect you. I know I was only five when I first made that promise, but I meant it, with every fiber of my being. Chris might be your Lord Protector and Ulfric might be your Grand General, but I was there from the beginning and protected you from the worst we've ever faced, far more terrifying than this foreign Prince who wants to own the world. Your battles are mine and I absolutely refuse to let you fight such impossible odds. Maybe one day when you're a master swordswoman I'll back down, but not this time."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla felt sick to her stomach. Trading Ulfric for Ashien didn't seem like such a good trade to her. Ulfric had a baby on the way and Ashien had a young woman at home waiting for him to return safe and sound. None of it seemed very fair.

"You are too stubborn, Ash." Kayla growled. "Too stubborn for your own good."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yeah, well... did you ever meet our family?" Ashien gave her a weak smile. "I learned from the best." He knew she'd hate him for it for a long time.

But the next day while Ashien was out on a horse he was beginning to train, the beast was spooked by a dog that came barking at it in the streets. He was thrown off and ended up with a dislocated right shoulder, leaving him unable to use his sword arm only two days before Monomakh arrived. The mantle of Kayla's champion would've fallen to Christopher then, but he'd gotten quite ill after all the stress and lack of sleep and was useless in a fight. So it was left back to Kayla or Ulfric again, and Ulfric was still having trouble breathing when he underwent any kind of exertion.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla knew that her destiny was to take on the king of the Rus. Ashien was hurt, Ulfric was hurt, and Christopher not able to take up her mantle. Christopher might not have liked the idea, but he did help her to train in the little time that she had left.

"You've been surprisingly alright with this." Kayla murmured as they rested on a stone bench, sweat beading on her brow and face.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I most certainly am not," Christopher told her firmly but quietly. "But... Much as Ashien and Ulfric don't want to risk you... And neither do I, I think you have a fair chance at winning. I saw Monomakh fight. He's a powerhouse and he doesn't show pain easily, but he puts far too much energy into constant wide swings and trying to bash through defenses. With a good steel shield and quick footwork, you could tire him out and still be fresh and ready when he gets sloppy about his attacks and defense. Your fencing training will really come in handy. My best advice is to run him in circles, parry as much as possible, and make small lunges. Hit him a bit at a time. Blood loss will take him down, and it's much safer and easier than trying to get one or two harsh hits in like he'll try to do."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla took in Christopher's advice and nodded. She had a plan of attack, but she was still worried that she might actually have to kill the other man when the time came. That wasn't something that she was sure that she could actually accomplish.

"If I let him leave the arena, do you think all of this would stop? Chris, I don't think I have it in me to kill him." She said softly, taking his hand in her own and squeezing it gently.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You don't have to kill him unless he doesn't give you a choice. When he really starts to get hurt and looks about ready to collapse, you can offer him mercy. And during the course of the fight, either of you can call for a respite to catch your breath so it's skill alone and not exhaustion that makes one of you win. If he's too proud to accept mercy... You can call on someone else to take his life. If you need to do that, give the blade to me. You don't need to be a killer."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla looked at her husband and saw the displeasure etched in his features. He was trying so hard to not break down for her. She respected him greatly for what he was doing for her, not just as queen of Norway but as his wife.

"Thank you, Chris." She said softly, bringing his hand up to her lips to press a gentle kiss against his skin.

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's no need for thanks," he told her with a weak smile. "It's my job as your husband, more than anything else. And when this is all over, you and I are going to host a big feast in honor of the men we lost And for the heroes who made it home." He couldn't let himself think that she might lose.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla gave him a soft smile in return. "Then we shall take a trip to the coast and relax. Relax, enjoy each other, and perhaps start that family we both desperately want."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I look forward to it. So don't go getting yourself hurt," he murmured before stealing a kiss. They were soon interrupted by a serving man coming to tell them that Monomakh's ship had been sighted on the horizon with its white banner just as Ulfric had ordered.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Inform Ulfric, please." Kayla said as the man nodded and moved on to spread the word.

She let out a long sigh, looking at Christopher as that news sank in. "I promise to stay safe, Christopher. There is a lot more life that we have to live together."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You'd better. I don't want to be King of Norway," he murmured before kissing her one last time. They headed inside to change into more formal attire, and Monomakh soon arrived with his twenty men, all only lightly armed except for Monomakh whose squire brought his light leather dueling armor and longsword. Monomakh once again proved he was not a man for fantastic luxury, coming dressed in subtle colors and simple but elegant lord's attire rather than all the trappings of a great Prince.

He came to Kayla's court and bowed before her. "My Lady Queen." He might've insulted her on their first meeting, but it seemed he'd gained some respect for her after seeing her in action and seeing her successfully thwart his plans.

 

[heartofcourage]

"My lord." Kayla said as she stood beside Christopher, watching Monomakh as he made his way into the keep.

She was surprised to see that he had agreed to the terms that had been set forth by Ulfric. She had demanded that Ulfric and Kjotva stay hidden in the keep until the danger was over with. There was no force in heaven or on earth that would compel her to let them watch her possible death.

"I had hopes that perhaps this situation would be resolved peacefully." Kayla offered to Monomakh, giving them both a chance to back down while saving face.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you have a solution that will not make my journey for nothing, then let's hear it. But, your Majesty, I'm sure you know as well as I that too much has come to pass between myself and the Triad to simply go home and never speak of it again. At the very least, I expected Queen Kjotva to recover and come to challenge me for the remains of her husband and son. I have brought their ashes just for the occasion."

All of the attending Swedish warriors suddenly became very restless, and it was up to the Norwegians in Kayla's court to usher them out peacefully so that the war didn't start again right then and there. Monomakh watched the Swedes leave, then looked back to Kayla. "If I'm being perfectly honest with you, Kayla Ghis, I have come to see whether your Triad has any backbone left. I killed a King and a Crown Prince, and Sweden did nothing. I took Sweden's Queen, and all the rest of you did was fetch her back without any real fight. I've come to your court for a duel to end the hostilities, and yet you still hesitate. What happened to the Vikings? Did William of Normandy wipe them all out? Did a young and gentle queen dull their blades? My people once feared and deeply respected your own, milady, but now they dance on tables in taverns with fake horned helmets and make a laughingstock of what were once the most feared fighters in the north, and rightfully so."

 

[heartofcourage]

She refused to be bated by a brute that hid behind the might and power of a king. Her father had been the same way and she had grown up in his household, frightened and unsure. Now, she was strong and confident.

"I do not believe I would be so flippant about the situation, Monomakh. Your people, the ones who you say mock the Triad, allowed us to enter your lands unharmed. Your guards allowed us to escape with little harm. Are you so certain that you do have control?" Kayla asked him, her voice calm and gentle still. "If you are so certain that you can win a duel, then so be it. I am prepared to fight you myself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"General Moor accepted my challenge, milady," he said quite calmly, ignoring her slight at the breach of his country and badly-trained patrols. "And I will not fight an untrained foe, woman or not."

"The General is in no condition for a fair fight," Christopher spoke up calmly. "Unless you wish to fight a man who can't breathe and win by his pain rather than your skill. Her Ladyship is well suited to fight you and has plenty of training to give you a fair battle."

"Surely it should be you that I'm fighting, Lord Protector. Of all people, I would've expected you."

"I would have, but I have confidence in my wife, and she would like the chance to prove her strength once and for all."

Monomakh seemed pleasantly entertained at the notion, though he didn't make the mistake of underestimating Kayla or assuming his victory. If she was going to fight him, surely she did have a chance and he would be a fool to disregard her. "Very well, I am honored to be her first real opponent. My Lord, what are the conditions for the fight?"

"Either fighter may call for a respite to keep the duel a matter of skill rather than stamina. The fight will be to the death. Either may call for mercy, but their life will be placed into the hands of the winner. The winner will decide the fate of Queen Kjotva Arslansdottir and Sweden. The loser's life is forfeit and their country shall surrender to a peace treaty made solely on the winner's terms. And, seeing as you brought them, the winner will take the ashes of King Sigmund and Prince Kollr."

"Fair enough. Are you prepared to become a King, should I manage to win, Lord Protector?"

"I will never be a King," Christopher murmured. Even if Kayla did lose, he'd give up the throne to Elhardt's protection.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You forget, my lord, that I am the daughter of Tamblin Ghis. He never lost a fight, save to my brother. Do not let my calm and gentle exterior fool you. I am his daughter through and through." Kayla said, looking every inch the capable soldier even if she was silently quaking inside. "That same temper and same need for vengeance runs deep. No one shall take my throne from me today or any other day except death. I do not believe that you are death, my lord."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You are certainly not your father, Kayla Ghis. I knew the insanity of Tamblin well, calling on my people to snuff out Olaf for him when he feared imminent attack. But enough of this banter, we are very busy people, and the greater part of Europe is watching to see whether the Triad will survive against the Rus." He turned, going to his squire to get his blade. Kayla's attendants all came to her to place the last bits of her light leather armor. Christopher was checking over the cuirass himself to make sure there were no flaws to give Monomakh an easy stab at her chest or belly. His greatest fear was that Monomakh could probably cleave right through leather. But he kept a stern, confident appearance for Kayla's sake.

Before she went to face the Prince, Christopher met Kayla's eyes, giving her his own light blade. "You can make it, love," he whispered. "I know it."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Do not let Ashien see this." Kayla murmured softly as she took Christopher's light blade and tested the weight. "And if the worst happens, please make my death quick."

She looked into her husband's eyes, trying so hard to not show him the fear that was slowly creeping around in her belly. There was so much at stake, not just for her but for all of northern Europe.

"I am planning on making it back to you, Chris." She murmured even softer. "If I don't, Brogan will allow you to live in Inverness. If not there, then go back to Monaghan and find a sweet Irish lass that will make you very happy."