The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

“Locke will stay with you.” Inga said, not backing down from her husband. “He’s made it clear that he’s loyal to you until the end. The rest of the children will come with me.”

“Artair, I have never asked you for anything. I have played my part dutifully. I gave you the children you needed and I became a queen against my will, but I did my best with this role. What does it matter who will protect us in the end? They have promised the children will be wards. Can you guarantee they won’t be in chains or worse if we stay here?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you leave, your father will withdraw his men and his support," Artair growled in a whisper, as if afraid to say it aloud. "You'll doom me, Locke, and everything we have here. Inverness was a burnt-out husk by the time the Imperials finished ransacking it. The lord they installed here took what little was left, and then Royer came along and razed it all again, just like the rest of fucking Scotland!" His temper was flaring, but so was his fear. His volume had begun to rise, but he was trying to keep it together.

Rounding the table to face her directly, he motioned toward one of the windows of the tower that faced Inverness. "Everything out there, that was our work. I dealt with Royer's fucking nonsense to save this place! When I got here, everything and everyone was emaciated. I funneled everything I had into this place! And you want to walk away?!"

Artair had never hurt Inga, but in that moment, he looked like a beast ready to lunge. He saw nothing but betrayal in her desire to flee. Her father might've married her off for a strong alliance, but now Artair didn't have any other allies left after the Ghis Clan's return to Scotland. If Inga and her children left, her father's men would abandon Artair and report to the Jarl that Clan Ferngill no longer held any value as an ally. The walls were closing in.

 

[heartofcourage]

Inga knew in the moment that Artair rounded the table and loomed over her that she was nothing but her father’s money and men. Something in her chest painfully clenched and she knew that there was nothing for her any longer.

“Then let me take the children to safety and I will return. I will not let you harm them in this battle.” Inga murmured, her voice low and dangerous as he threatened the only pure things that she had in her life. “Artair, if you hold any love in your heart for me, you will let me take them to safety.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"This isn't about love, Inga. This is about survival," Artair growled lowly. "I can't trust that you'll return. Either you'll flee too, or whoever's coming to help you will take you captive. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole lot of you were taken for ransom. Your father would spend his entire fortune to get you all out, and call off our alliance."

Artair turned to head for the door, but he hesitated briefly. His temper still flared, but he was rarely one for blind rage. The wheels were turning, looking for a way to get the best of all worlds in his impossible situation.

"... I'll let you go, but on my terms," he muttered, slowly turning back to her with furrowed, worried brows. "You may take all of the children with you... but Dunn will escort you with his chosen men. And when he's confirmed that the younger children are safe, you and Locke will return with him."

Artair trusted Dunn and Locke not to let the family end up in chains. And Dunn would be there to make sure Inga actually returned. With Inga and Locke still by his side, Artair could maintain his father-in-law's support.

 

[heartofcourage]

Inga was silent as he laid out his conditions. There was a cold rage in her eyes when he mentioned Dunn, the man she hated most in this world.

“I see you think so little of me as to send your lapdog.” Inga spat. “But so be it. We will leave within a few days time.”

She pushed past her husband, her anger palpable, but the deed was done. Her children would be safe even if she died in the ruins of Inverness.

The sun was high and hot in Wick as work continued to provide for the citizens. Fiona had taken supplies Sam had sent and started smithing odds and ends. Sitting in the shade of a tree, she looked at the piles of nails, hinges, and other pieces that could be used in the rebuilding. They were ugly by Sam’s standards, but she had learned enough from her husband to hold her own.

Wiping her face of sweat and soot, she caught sight of a familiar figure coming up the hill. Her smile stretched across her face when she saw her husband, welcoming him into her space with a deep kiss. Her hands cupped his jaw, a long sigh issuing as she instantly relaxed.

“I stink of smoke.” She murmured against his lips, stealing another kiss before he moved away.

 

[KieranSoares]

Walking confidently with his continually-improving knee brace and a simple walking stick instead of the cane he'd been using, Sam met Fiona without hesitation, kissing her like they'd been apart for weeks instead of days. When she draw back, he chuckled deeply and cupped her cheek.

"Smells like home to me," he rumbled gladly before making himself let go of her, even if he didn't want to. He dropped a pack on the grass beside all her work, and leaned down to inspect a few things she'd made. Picking up a hinge, he smiled to himself as it moved smoothly.

"Nice work, love," he commented fondly, obviously proud of her work. "How's it going so far? Soma caught me on my way in and said things were pretty well in hand between you and the local tribe."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Oh, the master approves.” Fiona teased as she mopped her neck and let out a sigh. “We have bread in bellies, seed in the ground, and enough fish brought in by the dragons to trade. The dragons are handling some of the heavy lifting and I have Andre on patrol with Rikki. Schaller and I will take a turn after dusk.”

“Once we get a few things around the keep and the village finished, I think Wick will be ready for its own dragon.” She rested her arms on her knees, thinking over all of her plans. “I’d like to have a small house built for Ezra before he arrives but that’s the least of my worries.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I brought some backup, don't worry about night patrol," Sam assured her with a knowing grin. "I figured you'd be overworkin' yourself."

Leaning on the tree beside her, he reached down to brush a few blonde strands behind her ear fondly. "Just tell me how I can help, darlin'. I'm under strict orders from my Da to make sure you get back in time for a big family meal before we make our final push toward Inverness."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Well, I am his favorite.” Fiona said with a grin as she leaned her head into Sam’s hand as he brushed her hair aside. “I have some plans in the work that I’ll tell you about once I’ve spoken to Andre. Otherwise, it’s simply us and this forge you sent. I’m sure that breaks your heart.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Sounds to me like Wick needs a new resident blacksmith," Sam chuckled. "Maybe I ought to see where the old forges were and salvage 'em. See if I can't build up a new shop for someone to move into."

Sam had built his own forge in Trondheim with help from his uncles and father. Building a suitable small forge for someone else to get a head start wouldn't be too tough considering how many shops and workplaces had been abandoned. All of the materials he'd need were simply waiting to be recycled.

"By the way..." Sam slid down to sit beside her, stretching out his bad leg with a sigh. "Got a letter in from Rhett. Sounds like Invah's new hatchling is steady enough to travel now. They might even be in Edinburgh waitin' for you by the time we go back. She's apparently been chompin' at the bit to introduce you to your little dragon brother."

 

[heartofcourage]

“A new baby brother.” Fiona said with a chuckle. “I suppose it’s better from Invah instead of my Da.”

Fiona got comfortable with her husband, resting her head in his lap as they waited for the heat of the day to disappear. She told him of her flight into Inverness and the stealing of the steeple pole. Then she turned towards the confrontation with Locke Ferngill.

“The young pup thought that he might convince me to call all of this off so not to uproot his family and those that reside in Inverness. As if we hadn’t been uprooted ourselves.” She murmured, her fingers twisting a long blade of grass as she spoke. “I know we are the enemy, but were we really as naive when we were his age?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Absolutely," Sam muttered with a nod. Giving a small smile, he looked down at his wife. "I seem to remember someone havin' pretty hopeful ideas. She went on to hold onto 'em fer two decades."

Sam let out a long sigh and let his head rest against the bark again. "I only hope we can spare most of 'em... Artair Ferngill's the only one who needs to be completely removed. I'd gladly let him go peacefully, even help him buy an estate somewhere for his family, and let all the civilians just live their lives while we bring folks home. But every time I've sent a letter offerin' peace and mutual benefit, Artair's either sent back the letter in shreds, or ignored me. The one time he did respond, he only told me that he earned and rebuilt Inverness, so he's the one who deserves to keep it... Well, by his own logic, that means I'll 'ave earned the right to keep it when I pry it away from him."

Sam's words were even and gentle despite the hard subject. He didn't relish in the idea that he would likely kill or be the cause of Artair's death. He didn't want to attack Inverness and cause mass fear and unrest. But he knew that under Artair, Inverness wasn't thriving. Her werefolk were being badly mistreated and their former safety was destroyed. And Artair had been a supporter of Royer, regardless of their current lack of connection. Artair had won Inverness practically the same way the Empire had, and never brought her back to her former glory. Sam knew he could do better. He knew his clan was best for the job. They had governed and loved Inverness for centuries, and knew best how to work with the land instead of just using it. And they knew how to make safe havens for dragons and werefolk alike. If Scotland was ever going to be truly safe for everyone again, it would start between Edinburgh and Inverness.

"I think maybe I've become more naive," Sam chuckled to himself after a long, thoughtful silence. "Here I am dreamin' of Inverness being better than her old, shinin' self ever was. I think... I know, between you, me, an' the kids... We can do it. Jus' like my Ma and Da did. Just like old Aodh and Dianh did. Clan Ghis and Inverness will always find each other again."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona had gone quiet and slightly pensive as she carefully looped the blade of grass around itself to form an intricate knot. She was lost in her thoughts of life in Norway and all of the struggles that she had gone through for what most saw as a fruitless endeavor.

She remembered the one time she got any representative of a foreign court to the negotiation table. It had been shortly after Riley was born and the poor kit was teething. Fiona had left her in the care of a palace nurse, but her tiny howls echoed through the hallways, stabbing her in the heart. She was distracted as talks had droned on, her daughter on her mind as she kept glancing towards the door.

“I believe we should come back…when Lady Ghis is feeling better.” The German envoy had politely suggested, Fiona furious at the implication that she was ill instead of simply a concerned mother.

“I’m perfectly well.” She had countered back, but the door had already been pried open and the envoys took their leave.

She had brooded for so long at that table that Kayla had brought Riley back herself, the little kit finally appeased with a teething ring made of wood.

“I’m sorry, Fiona.” Kayla murmured as Riley squealed and fretted, the Queen of Norway bouncing her on her hip. “I admire you for trying.”

“Trying isn’t good enough.” Fiona had said, finally standing and gathering back her daughter. “And one day you all will be following behind when I take action.”

Fiona sighed, her hands dropping to her belly as she looked up at Sam. “You all stopped me from coming back years ago. I hate to admit that you might have been right in doing so.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We weren't ready, darlin'," Sam agreed softly. He knew the familiar look of his wife lost in thought, and had waited quietly for her to resolve it. "I know y'were ready to start fightin' again almost as soon as Riley could be away from you a while, if only to get your dragons back when they were missing. I don' know that anyone else but Da an' his brothers would've been ready when you were. It took us nineteen years t'get everyone stable, strong, and a new generation raised. But we still weren't ready til our hand was forced, no matter how much the kids wanted to help."

Sam then offered a gentle, reassuring smile. "How 'bout we call it even, hm? You were always right that we could make it home. And I was right that we weren't ready for a long time. You're a damn big part of the reason we could even respond when the Empire came knockin' again. And you brought up all those fine young Riders leadin' the charge today."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona sat up, staring off towards the woods as Sam talked about the generation that she had helped to raise. She had also helped to kill just as many, which her enemies endlessly reminded her of. Kings, family, and strangers had all fallen at her hand or at her command. For her and because of her. What Locke Ferngill had said to her struck deeper than she cared to admit. She did think about those that had made Inverness home in the time that they had been gone. She knew that there were those about to be forced into an impossible choice, but she also knew that she still felt she was right in her wish to lead the Ghis home.

"I'll give them the chance to parlay." She murmured, turning to look over her shoulder to her husband. "I will give deference to those that will have to make an impossible decision, but anyone who keeps business with Royer will be our enemy. Not just for Inverness, but for Edinburgh and the many tribes of were that have been made to suffer."

She stood and stretched, reaching up to unwind her braid and let the breeze cool her as her hair whipped around her face. "In a few days time, I will fly to Inverlochly with a small group. We will wait for a determined number of hours to see if Inga Ferngill takes me up on my offer. If so, we will fly to Edinburgh with the Ferngill children as our wards. I'll send them across the sea to the Rus with the Judges."

Hostages. It wasn't the first time that she had taken a hostage, but it would be the first time that she had gone so far to send them to unreachable territories.

 

[KieranSoares]

Sam gazed up at her, growing stone-faced and serious as she explained her plan. It was a risk to everyone involved, but one worth taking if it saved lives and put Artair Ferngill under more pressure. Sam only had one question.

"D'you need me with you?" He asked softly. "Or would you rather I join my Da?"

Inverlochly would be taken as soon as Fiona was done there. And once the Axemen marched toward Inverness, an overwhelming force of Northern soldiers would follow. The Axemen would have a chance to start their guerilla tactics and put fear into their enemies, hopefully making as many as possible surrender or flee before the real fighting started. When the Riders arrived shortly after them, the real attack would begin. The gates would be broken open if necessary, the city would be spared as much as possible, and the keep would be assaulted from all sides. Soma wanted as much quarter and mercy to be given as possible, but he had made it clear that no officers or nobles would go without vetting and consequences once Inverness was won.

 

[heartofcourage]

“What I need from you is to go to Edinburgh and buy me the prettiest dress that you can find.” She said as she turned towards him with a small smile on her face. “It’s been years since I’ve been able to dress as a proper queen of Inverness. And if your Da is insisting that I attend a family dinner, I ought not to disappoint him.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You know any o' those old bears would be glad t'see you, rags or finery." Sam picked himself back up, having far less difficulty than he had in some time. Soon he was leaning on his walking stick again, giving a smile.

"But for now... I came to help get this city back on her feet."

Sam, accompanied by Dzana, would head into Wick proper. With projects in mind, he offered work to civilians who wanted it, having smithing materials and reclaimed building supplies brought from abandoned parts of the city. Within the day, Sam would have an old smithy cleaned out and repairs starting on the forge and exterior, and he helped organize teams of builders who could assist folks in repairing long-neglected homes.

 

[heartofcourage]

The sun was fully overhead as the sounds of the smithy’s shop rang out. Fiona’s nails were put to quick use as she turned her attentions to helping Schaller finish the new well. The rocks were sturdy enough to withstand a few centuries at the very least. She got to work creating a metal grate to go over the top, keeping the water safe and keeping curious children safely out.

“Lift it higher.” She called as her dragon held the heavy grate with ease, her gloved hands twisting and pulling at the stout wire that held it all together. “Oh come on, old man. You can hold it steadier than that.”

She huffed and glanced up at her dragon, giving him a grin. She felt alive for the first time in ages. They were building something that would benefit their neighbors. There was no better feeling.

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you'd rather have the much steadier hands of four men to help you, I'll gladly drop this," Schaller teased back with a smirk. Once the wire was secure and Fiona's hands were clear, he let the grate go. It didn't budge, speaking to Fiona's careful craftsmanship. Turning to one side where a pile of salvage and supplies laid, Schaller picked up a post. With one great claw, he dug a small hole to one side of the well and planted the pole in it, and did the same on the opposite side as evenly as possible. A metal winch and slanted covering would be installed between them when supplies could be spared and the first forge was up and running. Til then, a simple counterweight would do.

"There. That should help tremendously with the clean water issue," Schaller grunted as he looked over their work. With the aid of dragons, the well that had already been under construction had been finished in record time. Glancing around, Schaller took note of a few other projects now benefitting from new arrivals. Sam had been somewhat understating the "backup" he'd brought. While he'd brought about a dozen smaller dragons and their Riders, each of them had also brought an extra passenger and their own supplies so not to be a strain on the locals. With all the extra help from strong soldiers and volunteer craftsmen and builders from Edinburgh, existing homes were being restored faster than recycled materials could be gathered. Those who met bottlenecks and had to wait ended up picking up other small projects, from making wattle fences for future livestock pens, to mending clothing and helping process lumber.

The tip of Schaller's tail curled slightly as he looked over it all with his partner, and he took in a quiet, deep breath of satisfaction. "This is what it's all for, my love," he muttered to her. "And soon, we'll be doing the same for our own home."



At that same moment back in Edinburgh, the old Ghis brothers were ready for what would likely be the final battles of their warrior careers. While most of the Axemen and some Riders were already on the move with Durban, Boar, and Kreston at the head, Brogan had delayed a day, promising to catch up via dragon with a second wave of Riders.

After finishing final checks and donning part of his heavy armor for travel, Brogan found himself hesitating to leave. He had been a bit pensive lately, quieter than usual, but always warm and gentle with his family. Many had noticed the change, but only Julia knew what was on her husband's mind. He had confided in her that he'd been having odd dreams lately, lost in mist and fog, occasionally seeing glimpses of those long-gone. While he was in good health and still incredibly strong and energetic for his age, Brogan couldn't help worrying. Not so much for himself, but for his wife.

Unable to shake yet another misty dream he'd had the night before, Brogan quietly sought out the private chambers he and Julia shared in Kate's palace. He had already said his goodbyes to everyone, but he couldn't help returning to Julia once more.

Knocking lightly on the doorframe as he stepped into the parlor, Brogan stopped in the doorway with a solemn but warm smile for his wife of many decades. "Hey, darlin'," he murmured. His dark eyes were filled with love, and just a little apprehension, even guilt. "I, uh... Couldn't make myself leave jus' yet."

 

[heartofcourage]

The knock at the door had startled Julia, the older woman looking up from her sewing with a frown. Seeing her husband, she gave a concerned look, setting aside the soft linen she had been working on and standing to greet him.

"Love..." She murmured as she came to him in an instant, her hands finding the light armor at his shoulders.

He had been restless recently, telling her that he was plagued with visions of darkness. While she never truly understood most of what her family saw, she did understand the mist. It was the beyond, the place where they all went to wait for the next chapter. It didn't bode well, but he was adamant that his brothers would not go alone. The same fears plagued them now that had plagued them at the beginning of their marriage: namely that she would be alone in the world without him.

"I'm fine here, love. I am. I have Kate to keep me from worrying too bad. I have your sister if I need someone to talk to. Tati is still around, of course, and I have my hands full with her." She tried to convince him, knowing that he hadn't come back because she would be lonely. "You could stay. We could use your health as an excuse."

Her green eyes found his and she couldn't help the tears that were suddenly shed. She was grasping at straws.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan pulled his battle-worn gloves from his weathered hands, lifting them to cup her cheeks with the same care and reverence she'd known since they first fell in love. His forehead touched to hers and his smile warmed in spite of the difficult emotions building between them. "My darlin' Julia," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her lips with all the tenderness of tried and true love. "Look at you... beautiful as the day I first saw ya. Mother an' grandmother to some o' the finest people I've ever had th'honor of knowin'. And in a couple weeks, ye'll be walkin' back into our keep, matriarch o' those lovely old halls again jus' like the queens before you."

His arms looped around her, hugging her tightly to his armored chest like he'd done countless times in the past. Whether he'd gone off to fight, to settle tense relations, or just to patrol, he had never left the old keep or any of their homes since without holding her one last time before he walked out. The life of a warrior king- even a retired one- was unpredictable at best, and even though he was in fine health at the moment, he knew any day could be his last if his luck finally turned.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia pressed her cheek against his armored chest as he held her tightly, her chin trembling as she struggled to control herself. If she fell apart, she would be of no use to him.

“Just promise that you’ll wait for me.” She murmured. “No matter where you end up.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Never gone far without you, love. Don' plan to start." Brogan laid his head against hers, exhaling quietly as he felt something settle in himself. Whatever happened next, he finally felt ready to face it.

The march to Inverness was steadily underway. Edinburgh slowly drained of Northern soldiers, leaving behind Kate's personal armed forces. While the North was moving its operations again, the High Throne was firmly in power and well-armed and defended against any desperate attempt against House Aleister. And with the heir to the throne coming into his own, and the next Protector beside him, the future of Kate's realm was suddenly more secure than it had ever been. Despite troubles with food shortages, having to place new families in charge of many towns and estates, and plenty of worry from the general population, it seemed that the civilians felt safe again and the soldiers were in good spirits.

As Northern forces approached Invernessian holdings, allies from Ireland and various clans were already setting up blockades and a wide perimeter around Inverness and Inverlochly. The towns were essentially cut off from all else but one another by the time the Ferngill children arrived secretly in Inverlochly with their mother and several guardians. Dunn had made sure they all dressed as plainly as possible, traveling in wagons under the guise of being a small group of itinerant workers and their children. Despite being so close to the Ferngills' seat of power, few in Inverlochly knew any of the royal family's faces. That was for the better, as while Inverness had been the focus of rebuilding and growth in past years, Inverlochly had been left mostly to its own devices. Compared to its state before the Ghis had lost it, it felt older, quieter, and rather unkempt. But its lack of importance politically had saved it from the ravaging places like Inverness and Edinburgh had once undergone.

As their wagons rolled into town late in the afternoon, Dunn sat in the driver's seat ahead of the children and their mother. Another wagon followed behind full of junk made to look like their camp supplies and belongings, driven by two men. Three other men on horses rode alongside, one ahead and two behind. Dunn gazed around casually as they came to Inverlochly's open main road and passed under an archway marking the boundary of the city proper. Dunn's eyes were secretly searching for any sign of ambush, having little to go off of other than what Artair had said. He had been told that his mission was to see the children off to the queen's contact, and bring her and Locke home immediately after. They were the two that Artair needed to keep in order to maintain his alliance and his hold on the throne. Despite overwhelming odds, he still wouldn't give up. Even Dunn was starting to see that they were in a bad position, so he had agreed that the children needed to be sent to safety immediately.

As they stopped in the city's small main market to get a meal and wait the hour til sunset, Dunn helped the children and Inga down from the wagon with a contemplative, serious look firmly on his face. Two of his men went to purchase food from the vendors, and Dunn came to stand beside Inga while Locke kept his siblings in order and gently encouraged them to move around and get their minds off the worry for what might be coming next. The tension was palpable in all of them, not knowing what their mother had planned, but trusting her to keep them safe.

"Are you finally going to tell me who we're supposed to be meeting?" Dunn muttered quietly to Inga beside him as he watched over the Ferngill children. Cold and callous as he could be, he did feel a certain protectiveness over them, having been around most of their lives and taught them all here and there. "I don't think I have to tell you how much it grates on my nerves not to know what you're getting us all into," he added. It was less chastisement, more an admission of how stressed he felt in the moment.

 

[heartofcourage]

Inga had remained aloof when it came to Dunn, refusing to let him in at all. He didn’t deserve to know her worry or heartache and he certainly didn’t deserve to know any of the plan.

“If I knew, I would tell you.” She murmured, pulling her cloak around her as the sky threatened rain.

In truth, all she knew was the time and place. Everything else had been kept from them in an attempt to provide safety to all parties involved. The less anyone knew, the better.

As dusk approached and the children ate, an older wagon lumbered into the town with supplies escorted by a tall man on horseback. In the front of the wagon, a werewolf guided the team of dark horses in front of the inn. An older woman carefully stepped down from the seat, leaning heavily on a carved cane as she got her bearings. Her curly hair was wild and streaked with thick grey strands, held back with a piece of tribal weaving that matched the shirt she wore beneath her cloak. The pin at her shoulder was a bear with its paws stretched towards the sky.

“I believe…that’s them.” Inga said softly to Dunn.

“Unload what we have and escort it inside.” The woman called as two more were appeared from the back, one a dark colored fox and the other a white wolf. “Ciaran, I believe you have someone to meet?”

Selena Ghis was still a commanding presence despite her age. Though she used a cane more often than not, she had insisted on being useful to her brothers in this battle. When Fiona had reached out for a family member to take on this task, she had accepted immediately. With Ruben, Luna, and Riley, she had no doubts that they would be back successfully. Her gaze settled on her eldest nephew, acting in his sister-in-law’s stead as he led them to Inverlochly on horseback.