Sionnach (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"We'll see how long we can go before someone recognizes you," he chuckled lightly. "It's worth a shot."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Me? I'm not the one who is covered in distinctive tattoos." Riley murmured as she pulled the blankets up to her chins and stretched to get settled.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No one knows my tattoos. I never showed them til I was with you," he offered with a smile, leaning down to kiss her and nuzzle against her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, you would go to Scotland with me?" Riley asked as Andre settled back at her side and nuzzled against her like he didn't have a care in the world.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd follow you anywhere," Andre said simply, as if it were common knowledge. As he settled with his head in its usual spot on her shoulder, he let out a deep breath and hoped sleep would be easier this time around.

 

[heartofcourage]

Riley was quiet as Andre got settled, still thinking over everything that they had just discussed. She wouldn't sleep for the rest of the night and she was up before him the next morning. Going to find Jani and Ezra, she acted calm. She wasn't going to show them her hand immediately.

She had finished buttoning her coat as she came upon the two talking quietly next to a campfire. "How long have the two of you been up?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Ezra glanced up, in his full Rider armor and gear, grizzled and scratched up as both he and his armor were. Pushing back his damp, long dark hair in the early morning mist, he regarded Riley a moment, almost suspicious to see her awake so early.

Jani was only in partial gear, a cup of strong, hot tea in her hands, hair loose and unkempt. Both looked tired, but serious. "Morning, kit," Jani muttered, taking a sip from her cup. "Can you have gotten 'up' if you never slept?"

 

[heartofcourage]

“You should be use to long nights.” Riley said with a shrug of her shoulders as she sat beside Jani and regarded the both of them. “What’s happened to cause you both so much turmoil this morning? The same thoughts as everyone else?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We are used to long nights, boring patrols, watches, tense standoffs... But usually not long nights full of this kind of worry," Jani reasoned.

"This worry is foreign and strange," Ezra agreed quietly. "Jani and I are not Scottish. We loved it in the brief time we were there, but it is not home nor do we desperately want it back for ourselves. But your parents are our dearest comrades, and family to us. Therefore, we desperately want it back for them. And we long ago promised nothing would stop us pursuing that goal... til this came along. We don't want to fight Scots or former Imperials who just want to live free and in peace. But..."

"But we're of Clan Ghis now. Have been since we dedicated our lives to the Northern Riders for more than just our pay," Jani finished. "We want to go back. We want your family to go back. But this is complicated. I trust Sam, even Soma, could talk a lot of those idiots out of a fight, but there'll be those who die for pride, and your parents will be the villains."

 

[heartofcourage]

“But you are and always have been independent riders. You might fee a loyalty to my Ma, but she’s not your queen. She has no country. She simply has loyalty. You don’t have to fight if you don’t wish to fight and she would respect that.” Riley argued.

 

[KieranSoares]

"She is our Queen, and her title doesn't come from a crown or land," Ezra corrected. "In the past, the strongest Callers were equivalent to royalty to Riders and even some dragons. Even landless, penniless wanderers. But we don't hold onto that title because she's the most powerful Caller in the known world. We hold onto it because she's worthy. She's proven herself. But even beside that, our loyalty was never to a Caller or a Queen. It was to Fiona Blackstone, the person. Never a title. She's our sister most of all. We trust in her, not some high and mighty throne."

"It's hard to explain, little kit," Jani advised. "There are just some things in this world that you will fight for no matter what, even if you know it's gonna be tough. Hell, sometimes you fight even when you know you'll lose, like what happened with Inverness the first time. We kept fighting then, ever since, and we keep fighting now, because we want the ones we love to have what means the most to them. Be it heritage, home, or just resecuring the graves of their loved ones. I can't tell you how it gutted your Ma and Da to be unable to tend the graves of your great-grandparents. Not to mention Owen being unable to visit your Gran, and Dylandra being unable to take Ashien home."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Andre and I are going to Scotland." She said as she looked between the two of them. "To see if we can somehow set the groundwork to make things a little easier for Ma and Da."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Our little warrior, off to play diplomat?" Jani chuckled. "No offense, Riley, but you talk yourself into trouble, never out."

Ezra couldn't help a tiny crack of a smile, rare as it was for him. "Give her some credit, Jani. She has learned a lot this past year."

"I know, but what's the fun of taking everything seriously?" Jani set aside her tea and tied her hair back. "Alright then, kit. What's your plan? Need any help?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"No. If I know the Scots from being in my family for 20 years, they might better respond to someone like me. Someone who doesn't give a fuck about airs and graces or pretty words." Riley said as Jani asked if she needed help. "And I'm afraid that a lot of dragons would make them nervous."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're probably right. Riders and dragons haven't been seen much in the main isle since we got kicked out, save messengers. But I'm sure they'd welcome a scarred warrior like Marth, and a hardass like Gia."

"So what's your plan, then?" Ezra questioned as Jani went about putting on the rest of her gear. "How will you make them listen?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't know what I'm doing, honestly. I know that we can't go to Edinburgh and expect to be welcomed with open arms. I thought we would fly to Wick, which is still our ally. From there, we can see just how beloved these new rulers are." Riley said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I don't know that any of this will work and I'm certainly not going to tell my Ma and Da. They have enough to worry about."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And what will you do when they inevitably panic that you've gone missing, and start searching for you?" Ezra asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Listen, kit. It's more to worry about, yes. But them knowing at least that you went to Wick will keep them from panicking. You don't have to tell them why. I don't want to deal with a raging bear and his deadly Fox again. And they don't need that kind of stress either," Jani advised. "Mind that sometimes when you think you're sparing someone, you're really making it worse."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The panic would be for the both of you to deal with, which is why I'm telling you." Riley said as she got the darkest glares ever from Jani and Ezra. "Ma can barely look past what she's going through physically without breaking down. She would stop me from doing this."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She can't stop you, you've made that clear enough over time," Jani sighed. "You can go without telling them, kit. But the moment they ask, I won't lie to them."

"Your parents have been through enough," Ezra agreed. "Do as you will, we certainly won't stop you, but you know where we stand."

 

[heartofcourage]

"So, what? You want me to walk into her room and say thank you for fighting a war to have me and giving me a home and a good life, but now that you're incapable of doing this, I'm going to do it for you? She would lose her mind." Riley said as she rolled her eyes at them. "Da would be the same way."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why did you come to talk to us if you don't like anything we say?" Jani asked bluntly. "We're trying to take stress off your parents, not load it on thicker. And I can promise that you disappearing is a lot more stressful than telling them straight-up. Your Ma can't stop you in her current state, and your Da won't leave her side. You'd find a way anyhow because you always manage to get into the trouble you're set on."

"We're talking in circles," Ezra murmured. "Do what you want, Riley. We'll look after your parents regardless, and bring them home." He turned away then with a quiet, exasperated sigh, and Jani sat back down across from him.

 

[heartofcourage]

As the two of them effectively started to ignore her after disapproving of her plan, Riley left them in peace. She knew that they had strong feelings when it came to her stubbornness. She also knew that she couldn't just run away from her problems like she always had in the past.

It was quiet in the keep as she entered, making her way to her parents' quarters. She knocked softly to see if anyone was awake, waiting to see if they would allow her to enter.

 

[KieranSoares]

It took a long moment, but heavy footsteps shuffled around the room and finally Sam opened the door, looking still half-asleep and dressed in just dark trousers and a loose shirt that he was still buttoning.

Seeing Riley, Sam raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open fully. "Morning, love," he muttered, his voice low and ragged from sleep, and slightly questioning at her early arrival. Welcoming her in, he shut the door behind her and lumbered his way toward the cooling hearth to get the fire going again. "You only get up this early if y' didn't sleep, or if yer planning something," he commented, waiting for her to begin. Fiona was awake in bed, but only just.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona had taken a sleeping aid the night before to simply soothe her mind and help her sleep. She was barely awake, lying in bed as Sam got a fire going and Riley stood by with a slightly nervous look on her face.

"What's happened?" Fiona asked, pushing herself up onto her elbow as she stared at her daughter.

"Nothing. There's something I want to talk to the both of you about." Riley murmured as she moved to the edge of the bed and sat down.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam soon came to the bedside as well, settling into a chair by Fiona. "Must be somethin' important if yer up before the sun," Sam murmured, pushing his slightly-messy long hair back and trying to focus despite how tired he still was.