A/N : Hello guys I am back with a new chapter. Hope you guys like it.

A Love Lost

Caroline touched her abdomen lovingly as she dressed. She was beginning to show just a little. It suffused her with pride, love and nerves. With each passing day she could not shake the feeling of foreboding, of some impending disaster.

Niklaus had grown just a little distant. He kissed her, held her but she felt him withdrawing little by little every day. He had begun coming home late and often left early. During the day he visited her less but made sure she did not have want for anything. He took care of whatever she might need but spent less time with her. However his lovemaking was as ravenous as it had been the first time.

Frustration coiled inside her. Her heart twisted at the thought of him perhaps not coming to terms with the changes in her body.

He walked in and predictably avoided her gaze. She called out to him. He halted.

"Yes."

"Is it an opportune time for us to talk?"

Klaus knew he had been trying to distance himself so it would not be so excruciating for him when she left. He did not love her less in fact with each new sun his love for her grew deeper. He felt like an absolute arse for putting the shadows of sadness in her beautiful eyes.

"I shall always have time for you, min skat."

"Does my growing body displease you?" she cut to the chase, her voice faltered a little.

A thousand swords slashed his heart upon hearing what she had been distressed about due to him.

"I am not a fool. I can feel you distancing yourself. Oh it is not like the last time. You touch me but you hold yourself back, look at me but not long enough. You take care of my food but sit with me not." She went silent wiping her tears.

Klaus turned to face her. The remorse in his eyes as evident as was the love he harboured for her. He dared not stay away from her. Her vulnerability and innocence was killing him. "Min skat. Your body grows more beautiful each day for it bears the proof of our love." He brushed one loose tendril away from her face.

Before she could say anything else he kissed her with all the love and passion he felt for his wife. She shivered then responded kissing him with a fierceness that shook him to his core. Lust clouded, love flowed she wound her arms around his neck. His hands kneaded, caressed and tormented her all at once. Her kisses intoxicating making him forego his resolution to distance himself. Her scent and her body, her passion filled eyes and her soft lips unconsciously Klaus was imprinting everything about her within his mind.

Clothes came off. Moans and sighs echoed. He swallowed her lusty mewls with his mouth. He lifted her, her legs wrapped around his waist. She breathed his name as he traced kisses down her neck. Then he had her on the table, her name a groan as he entered her and rode them both to ecstasy.

He pressed small kisses on her bare shoulder when they lay after the lovemaking. "So this was to shut me up about my concerns regarding your behaviour about my body?" she asked turning and facing him. A small satiated smile on her face.

"Yes with the added advantage of hearing you scream my name when you came." He joked and Caroline stuck out her tongue at him like a cheeky child. Klaus couldn't help but laugh.

"I am anxious about the battle with Albert. Some of my men are opposed to me sending women and children to Marcellus." He stated growing serious. Still agitated he got up and covered himself. "You are to go with them." He ran one shaky hand through his sun kissed blonde hair.

"Why?" Caroline was putting on her chemise and frock when she paused. Something twisted in her chest and knotted.

"For your safety, Min Skat." He faced her then betraying none of the sentiments that whirled within him.

"And what about you?" She felt like sobbing and yelling both. She chose anger.

"What is it you mean?"

"What about your safety? Who will keep you safe?" she tied her frock.

"I am warrior Caroline do you reckon I shall stay back like a coward." He felt his temper rising. He yanked on his breaches and put on his shoes.

"No. But you want me to stay back. I shall not leave. Why do you want me to leave? Tell me the truth."

He closed his eyes in exasperation and sighed, " Do not make this difficult. You are to leave and I shall not listen to another word." With that he left the tent.

"Men are restless Commander. Some fools want to put their families at risk." Dagfin spit out in anger.

"If they defy me they shall face my wrath but by Odin I shall not put women and children in harm's way." Niklaus himself was frustrated. His fight with Caroline had left him with a bad temper. She was being unreasonable. He was an absolute fool that he used to find her stubbornness endearing, he berated himself.

He entered the tent where his leading warriors sat.

An angry debate was going on.

"Enough!" his booming voice brought about the much needed silence.

"Now I shall listen to what you all have to say. Speak on your turn."

One protested, "We know who wants our women and children away from here, that Saxon bitch of yours." he yelled and Klaus lept and had him by his throat.

"She is your Lady. Be respectful. And if you are a fool who wants his woman and son slain in war then be my guest." The angry warrior gulped backing down as Klaus shoved him away.

"Whomever amongst you wants your family in battle is more than welcome to do so but make no mistake their army is double the size of ours. This war is for survival and land. It would not hinder them from taking the lives of your loved ones. The blood of your families shall be on your hands not Albert's." His devotion and concern for his people making him passionate.

Warriors seemed speechless, all contemplating his powerful words. "I, myself am sending my wife away."

"Is she to join our Danish clan?" one asked still a little hesitant about Niklaus's plan. A few of his people resented that Caroline, a Saxon stayed safe among them when Saxons were killing their people left and right.

"No she is to return to her family." Klaus's declaration appeased them.

"Kol is to take your families to Marcellus once he returns from West. Dagfin and I shall accompany Caroline to her family's estate." Klaus stated and with Dagfin in tow left.

Caroline agonized over Niklaus's words. A sharp stabbing pain pierced her each time she wondered about him sending her away. Tilda had relayed her his reasons about how he was sending her away to assuage his people.

It was no secret that a few of his men were not pleased about a Saxon being their Commander's wife and now Niklaus was catering to their wishes on her behest.

How could he do this? Send her away when she was with child. Send her away when he had vowed to love and protect her. Were his vows false? Were his promises empty? Doubts reared their ugly head but she squished them.

She needed to remind him of their love hence she dressed up in the gown she knew he liked best on her and went looking for him.

She found him standing atop the hill. He looked majestic in his leather jacket and his sword slung across his waist. The light breeze blew his braided hair. Her heart leapt towards him as always.

"Nik." Her voice almost a whisper.

He turned and saw how she stood just a few steps away, apprehensive and dejected. Agony filled him knowing he had hurt her. She looked magnificent in her light blue gown. His love for her all encompassing.

He realized she was waiting for him to take a step.

He lifted his hand to take hers. She grasped his then rushed in his arms. He crushed her in his arms. He hated himself for his harshness towards her.

"Nik. Please do not send..."

"Do you love me, min skat?" he interrupted her.

"More than I can say in words."

"Then do not argue. Do as I say. If you love me then leave for Bettlehelm."

All her well rehearsed speeches wasted. She had wanted to ask will he come back for her, how long was she to stay, would he return for his child's birth but she was afraid that the answers might crush her.

What was she to say when he asked her to prove her love for him. He kissed her as if saying goodbye.

Both held onto each other desperately. Two hearts breaking not knowing both were fighting for each others preservation. Both battling for each other's love.

He rode on a horse and insisted she travel in a cart. He ordered to slow down the cart each time a rocky road came. Ever vigilant to her needs he stayed by her side. Caroline kept her eyes fixed on him. Unconsciously memorizing every little feature of his winsome face.

They hadn't said much to each other. Last night both had turned to each other again and again. Making love in the darkness and silence of night. Words had failed them both. But love, it had reared need, desire and want.

He had kissed her abdomen and her eyes had watered. Fully aware he loved both her and their child hence him giving into his people's nonsensical wish of getting rid of her was excruciatingly painful.

He knew she loathed him for returning her to her family in Bettlehelm. His love and adoration for her commanded that her safeguard come first before his own selfish emotions.

Anything could surpass in a battle of this magnitude. He could lose or die and her association with him did not earn her the privilege of protection not even amongst his own people. She had not said a word to him since he had asked her to leave. Unbearable as it may be her loathing was a thousand times acceptable to him than any harm to her or their unborn child.

He reminisced about the day she had come into his life. At first he had regarded her as a challenge to be won but her sharp wit and innocence had quickly made a home in his heart.

Her light, her laugh and her mischievousness all had endeared her to him. Love for her, a frightening and potent emotion had gripped him by his throat.

"Have you ever lain like this and admired the stars?" she asked as he lay beside her at the edge of the pond. She had all but dragged him to admire the full moon. No one who knew him would ever believe that he lay under the stars like a blithering love-sick little cunt.

Men who admired poetry were simply soft cunts in his opinion.

Caroline glanced in his direction and saw the scowl on his face.

She laughed. "It seems I have given you the worst punishment."

"A sword match would be more enjoyable than lying in the dirt and gawking at the sky like a soft cun... I mean butthead."

His annoyed expression and his explanation made her laugh more."You seem to be enjoying my discomfort."

He observed.

"Yes more than gawking at the sky actually." She used his expression.

Her laugh infectious he smiled in turn. "It really is beautiful though." He remarked surprising her, not looking away from her face.

She could not look away the intensity in his eyes had robbed her of coherent thought. "Yes it is." Then it was her turn to surprise him when she held his hand and combed her fingers through his.

The flashback pleased and disheartened him simultaneously. She had been so pure under the moonlight holding his hand, expressing her trust.

His gut twisted, pain throttling him at the prospect of betraying that trust and being away from his family. He had other family members but they did not have the bond that he had with Caroline nor the love he felt for his child.

Her electric blue eyes had lost their usual animation and it thrashed at him to realize he was the cause but this was the only way.

He was not allowed inside their so called mighty and scared hall, insulting as it may be he did not wish to be there in any event either. At any other instance he would have had Alfred's head for the insult but he held himself back for Caroline's sake.

Her uncle King Alfred conducted his business with Klaus in the main courtyard. The cold encounter was nothing surprising. Caroline's mother ushered her inside. Caroline glanced at her husband needing his assurance. He nodded and she left.

In no nonsense terms an agreement was drawn up.

She knew he was leaving and might head to battle straight afterwards. Ire and agony still resident in her heart but, he was leaving for battle and God forbid if anything happened, no she did not have the heart to even think it.

From the corridor she saw Dagfin and others leave, Klaus stood there, craving one last glance of her.

Klaus kept looking for his heart and his soul, his Caroline. He needed to see her one last time.

Her mother was saying something but Caroline was oblivious. Klaus was about to get on his horse when she yelled his name, "Nik!"

Klaus turned and saw her rushing towards him, then he caught her. "Min skat." He whispered, hugging her tight, his face buried in her hair.

A few disgruntled gasps and a seething Alfred objected but he did not pay mind to them. "I love you, min skat. Now go before they kill me." He joked.

"I love you." She wanted to be one with him but alas fate had other plans. She kissed him them much to the chagrin of her people, "Come back for me, Pagan."

Klaus poured his passion and love in that brief kiss. Then mounted his horse and with one last glance at the love of his life, rode away.

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