To Capture a Captain's Heart (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"No." Kayla said, looking at Christopher as she shook her head. "No war. That's final."

She stood from the table, finished with the conversation. She couldn't stomach sending good men to battle again, no matter how certain things looked.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher rose then to follow. He didn't want to upset her, but her ruling wouldn't be an option if Novgorod had their way. "And what if they attack us, Kayla? Or what if they kill Monomakh? They've made it very clear that if we're not with them, we're against them."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Then we will do what we have to do, but I do not want to run blindly into a conflict, Chris." Kayla said, turning to look at her husband as the door closed behind them, leaving her brothers in her office as they stood in their bedroom. "I cannot stand another battle right now, no matter how badly others want to force our hands."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I just don't want to wait to see what they'll do to us first," Christopher sighed. "That might end up more devastating than taking Monomakh's side outright." As Lord Protector, he had every right to overrule Kayla in military matters if he felt the danger was too great, but he didn't want to have to do that.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Christopher, we have time to think about this rationally." Kayla pleaded with him, her dark eyes full of worry and stress. "Perhaps there is a way around this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"There might be, but we need a plan if there isn't. We always need a backup plan. We have people on our borders who will suffer before we can do anything if Novgorod attacks. Sweden will always be our first line of defense by land, and Denmark by sea. I'm not trying to make this more difficult and stressful than it already is, love, but I can't stand to watch what happened to Inverness happen to border towns and innocent people if we don't have a plan."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla's face was strained as Christopher tried to make her see reason. Being a Queen was hard, especially when there was the possibility that she might lose some of her citizens. It was a difficult situation, made so much more uneasy by her want for peace.

"I can't do this." She murmured softly, looking down at the floor. "I can't, Chris."

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher could only step forward and hug her tight. He knew the strain was immense and he wanted nothing more than to make it easy and give her all the answers. But all he could offer was his advice and comfort.

"We can stay neutral for now, Kay... but let me at least organize a stronger border guard in tandem with Sweden and Denmark. At the very least, if they do decide to fight, we'll see them coming sooner."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla finally nodded, allowing Christopher the time to start building up the defenses at their boarders. She didn't want to see it happen, but she knew that they had to do something. She simply hoped that her people did not see it as an escalation to war, but a means of prevention.

 

[KieranSoares]

Christopher signed, pressing a kiss to her dark head. "Everything will work out, even if it isn't the way we want." He lifted her head and met her eyes. "I promise you I'll keep our people as safe as possible, and our sister countries too."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know you will." Kayla said, having no doubt that Christopher would keep their country and its people safe as well as their allies. "And I love you because of that."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And I love you for holding up under all this. I still don't know how Elhardt and Kjotva manage it, much less you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I haven't handled it well lately." Kayla admitted softly, looking up at her husband as she let out a long sigh. "My thoughts are all jumbled, Chris. I want a child so badly that sometimes it clouds my thoughts. I don't feel like I can do what's best for Norway sometimes because of my thoughts."

 

[KieranSoares]

"That's why you have advisors and a council and a Lord Protector, love. We're here to help you when things get too hard." He took her hands. "I think I'll talk with your brothers about the borders. You need to go enjoy your time with your family."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You're my family, Chris." She said softly, kissing his cheek. "And I want to spend time with you if I can."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You hardly need to ask, love," Christopher told her as a smile overtook his worried expression. "Just let me talk to Ulfric for a moment, and nothing else will bother us for the rest of the day."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla nodded, letting her husband go to take care of business so they could spend much needed time together. She found herself out on the balcony, curled until a fine blanket as she enjoyed the sunlight. There were few moments to sit and enjoy the silence of time alone. The dogs were snoring in a pile just beside her, the sun making them just as lazy as she felt.

 

[KieranSoares]

Hrolf and Skoll only lifted their heads once when Christopher returned and soon they went back to their quiet snoring while Chris joined Kayla's side silently to enjoy the quiet and the sun and the sea breeze too.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kayla snuggled up against Christopher's side as he joined her, enjoying the sun and breeze as much as she was. She let out a sigh and closed her eyes, letting herself relax with just the two of them.

"I think we should wait on trying for a child now that there's a threat of war." Kayla murmured softly, letting her husband know what was on her mind.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're probably right..." Christopher sighed. It seemed that any stress at all was a great detriment to their chances.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It's disappointing." Kayla said softly, admitting her true feelings to her husband. "And it makes me angry. I wish peace had held until after we had gotten what we wanted."

 

[KieranSoares]

"People like that Novgorodian Prince are pretty inconsiderate, aren't they?" Chris offered with a gentle smile that told her he felt the same, but he was tired of being sad. "So I guess long mornings in bed will just be for fun for a while."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They should always be for fun, Chris. If this becomes a chore then she need to stop and think about what we're doing." Kayla said with a sigh as Chris tried to cheer her up. "We want a child born out of happiness and joy, not one that we had for the sake of duty."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've never thought about this all for the sake of an heir to your throne, Kay. Though I think there have been a couple nights when worrying has kept us from having as much fun as we should've had." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You and I are old hands at worrying too much."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I worry about everyone. Just like Ma." Kayla said as Chris kissed her forehead and held her a little bit tighter. "The one thing that I want the most is the one thing that I want to stop thinking about. The stress isn't helping."