The North (Closed)

[KieranSoares]

Steris was conversing quietly with some of the more agreeable Judges, commending Xia Hou and speaking hopefully of the future. Despite his own dedication to tradition, Steris seemed on the side of moving to the Rus and opening up. When he faced Fiona and was offered the book, Steris stared down at it dumbfounded.

"You may be disappointed in me, then," he joked softly with a melancholy smile. "I never quite understood my brother. I think only Eshai and Odessa did, and his mate. I loved him. I still do. But he was as much a mystery to me as he is to you."

He accepted the book with a small, grateful bow. "I need no repayment for coming here. While I have often battled with myself over my reasons and whether or not this was all a good idea... I know I made the right choice. The way the dragons trust and revere you is proof enough. They need you to fight on for them while they gain their own foothold in the face of empires and greed, much like we werefolk need our human allies. We must stand together or fall alone."

 

[heartofcourage]

“While I’m flattered that you think the best of me, I have to say that I’m selfish. Without you, I wouldn’t have been able to return to my family.”

She looked up at Sam with a soft smile on her face, reaching out to take his hand in her own in a rare display of public affection.

“Lord Steris, this entire unruly lot of Scots cannot survive without me.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam lifted Fiona's hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles with a silent, content and relieved sigh, letting the action speak louder than words. Steris let out a rusty chuckle. "I can see that. They all waited on you with bated breath and lined up to see you the instant they could. And this one had to be dragged from your side. You are beloved, to say the least."

"Hey, Mama Bear," Andre's voice reached them as he approached. He gave a respectful nod to Steris as well. "Ma's been cooking all day with the palace staff to feed everyone, guests included. We're laying things out in the dining hall for people to come grab food whenever they like." Looking to Steris, he added, "And my partner Rikke made sure to provide for Lady Odessa too. Some of the staff just went out to start roasting meat in the courtyard."

"She will be grateful. Stoic as she is, I think she was too tense to eat beforehand." Steris turned back to Fiona, adding, "One more thing... regardless of decisions made by the other Judges, I wanted to ask your permission to stay temporarily along with Lady Odessa, and any Judges who see fit to lend their aid. We... Our brothers and sisters in arms want to help us see you to Inverness, so that we might go to Ephriam to pay our respects. We would lend our blades and minds and pull our weight, of course. But only with your blessing."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona’s smile fell slightly as Steris mentioned his want to help in their fight for Inverness. “That is a question for Soma. I only command my riders.”

“But I do warn you, my lord, that there is a brutal fight coming for Ararat. A civil war, if you will.” She squeezed Sam’s hand as she spoke. “A remnant of Hesperus has left me with…strange and violent dreams. I think you know I’ve always dreamed. I’m like Ephriam in that regard.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ararat is dying," Steris nearly whispered, letting the Rider Queen and her husband in on a carefully-guarded secret. "We who have been her caretakers for decades have seen the land grow barren and crops yield less and less. Our villagers have grown fragile and sickly. It seems every third newborn dies before their first year. We have to leave."

Sam's brows furrowed slightly, and Fiona could feel the still-new Caller within him stir. His deep connection to the land around him made his heart ache for Ararat, and he grew even more silent and pensive as his mind raced and began to reach toward the barren land without Sam realizing what he was doing. Steris watched his gaze grow distant, and only nodded slightly in understanding.

"I am the eldest Judge aside from Lord Eshai," Steris stared quietly. "And I fear I will be crossing blades with not only my brothers, but my former students someday very soon. People I've known since the day they were born... But the greater good must win out. We cannot stay where the land is dying and entire armies of Christians assault our walls every few years. We have to go."