The North (Closed)

[heartofcourage]

As Shani and Brogan enjoyed time together, life returned to Windsor Castle. After a rest with Tati, Fiona made her way to the courtyard where she introduced her youngest to Royse before turning the two over to Ezra. Tati seemed calm and collected as Ezra explained the finer points of dragon riding to the young princess, the two young girls becoming fast companions. Fiona watched with a small smile on her face, impressed that Tati seemed so comfortable in her skin suddenly.

A solitary figure caught her attention and Fiona looked over to see Prince Vincent, by himself with a look of quiet contemplation on his face. She quietly made her way towards him, pausing a short distance away.

"Good afternoon, your highness." She said softly, drawing the young man's attention as he sat on the low stone wall. "You look a bit...lost."

 

[KieranSoares]

Prince Vincent was growing into a handsome young man, the family commenting that he looked far too much like Ashien all his life growing up. Bearing Ashien's slim, handsome features, a name borrowed from Ashien and therefore Vincenzo Ambrose as well, and wearing the mantle of Crown Prince, Vincent had always been an old soul who understood the gravity of such things. Like Edward, he tried to be stoic and sure. Like Ashleigh, he tried to maintain an air of grace and hospitality. All of that had culminated in a very quiet young man with the weight of the world on his shoulders.

When Fiona addressed him, his posture immediately straightened to perfection and he stood to give her a respectful bow. "Your Majesty," he spoke very clearly in a mixed English and French accent, his annunciation perfect as well. "I'm just keeping an eye out for my sister, milady," he tried to convince her, motioning toward the young princess.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona turned to glance at Royse who seemed perfectly content to be on her own with Tati and Ezra. Looking back to the young man, she knew that he was keeping his own secrets, but she didn't say as much as she motioned for him to have a seat while she sat beside him. He was like Soma, too stoic and proper for his own good, but Fiona could also feel the inner turmoil inside the young man coming off him in waves.

"It must be strange to be here in England." She said as she glanced over at him. "Your mother and father kept you well hidden in France. I even heard that you learned from King Louis when you could."

 

[KieranSoares]

Sitting on the low wall beside Fiona, Vincent maintained a perfect posture, his hands clasped neatly in his lap as he gave her his full attention. "It's... different," he admitted quietly. "It's strange how it feels like a completely different world, but France is so close by. The land and the people are so... strange to me."

At her mention of the King of France, Vincent nodded slightly. "He's been a good friend to our family. I know most people would think it's just because he wants to secure Father as an ally, but that's not entirely true anymore. It began that way, certainly... but he became a good friend to Father over time, and like an uncle to me and my siblings."

Looking up at Fiona, Vincent tried to steer the conversation gently away from himself. "And what about you? It must be quite something to be back in the isles. But I've seen it's equal parts joy and dread among the Ghis Clan thus far. Everyone's excited, but terribly worried."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I agree that it's strange." Fiona said as she gave him a soft smile. "I've been gone so long that I wonder if I'll recognize it. Will it still hold the same wonder and memories that it always did when I was younger?"

"You are in a delicate position, Sir Vincent. You have had a life to prepare for this moment, but not that you're here, it's hard to imagine how you might make an impact. Its enormous." Fiona glanced over at him. "But you have to remember that you aren't your grandfathers and you aren't your father. You are your own man."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'm afraid that only makes me more nervous. I stand on the shoulders of great men going back much further than them." Vincent sighed deeply. "I also never really expected we'd come back. Even if I studied hard and took the possibility seriously, I never believed it'd be possible til the day we heard the plague was tearing through half the Empire and Joachim Hendrik was on our side."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I never thought it was possible to call a dragon until I brought Invah from the loch at Inverness. However, I did and she is a vital part of my life now." Fiona countered as Vincent seemed to sink under the weight of his new role. "My boy, there is nothing to fear here. You have the sword of many families at your disposal should you ever need it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I appreciate the support, but it's not swords and soldiers I fear. It's the mounting task of rebuilding a kingdom, and everything that comes with it." Vincent shook his head slowly. "And even when that task is considered done, there will always be more problems, more delicate situations, and more threats."

 

[heartofcourage]

"You sound like a Ghis." Fiona said as she looked over at Vincent with a smile. "It's all that my son thinks about since he chose to take up his mantel has a crowned prince. I hope that you know peace that your parents haven't known, but we have to be realistic about our challenges. You can only do the best that you can do and nothing more."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I am a Ghis, even if not in name. My mother made sure of that." Vincent nodded slowly at her advice. "Honestly, at this point I'd rather be a Ghis than a Beauclerc... Not to insult Father, but England is... Complicated. He's already worried about balancing England's relationship with the Church against his alliances and protections for those the Church doesn't approve of. And if they don't support us, neither will any other nation loyal to the Pope."

Sighing, Vincent shook his head. "It can't be helped, though. Father won't abandon dragons and werefolk for the sake of the Vatican's approval. That would be betrayal of his own family."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They fear what they don't understand. I wouldn't feel ill will towards him for doing what he needed to do." Fiona looked over at Vincent as he seemed to have his own convictions about matters of state. "Sometimes you have to make sacrifices to have security."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll try to keep the balance as long as he can," the young prince said confidently. "And I intend to do the same. No religion is worth treating people as beasts and possessions." Looking to Fiona, he added, "Father has always looked up to the Ghis. Considering you're a Fox and the Prince of Scotland is a Wolf, he could never turn away from you all. I only worry it'll bring so-called 'Christian' nations our way someday. Thankfully with the Empire on our side, we won't face such a massive threat again anytime soon."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona listened to the young prince speak about what he wanted or what he saw for the future. He had a level head on his shoulders, but in a new land she knew he would have a hard time adjusting. However, Ashleigh and Edward had raised him well.

"We are family. It's that simple." Fiona said softly. "We know where our loyalties lie with one another."

She reached to her hip and unbuckled her dagger, slipping the entire sheath free from her belt before offering it to the young man. "My gift to you. Considering it something from someone who knows what it feels to be an outsider with the world on their shoulders."

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincent looked down at the dagger as she placed it in his hands, quietly struck by the gesture and the beautiful item. Sam's work was unmistakable even when he was mass-producing things like knives and tools. But it was even more striking when he personalized an item. All of Fiona's gear was painstakingly made with attention to her preferences, her fighting style, even down to her hand shape. Her weapons were fitted for her hands, the handles even wrapped with grooved leather that would give her the best grip. The sheathe was leather decorated with silvery thread and an embossed image of a sleeping dragon, and the pommel was rounded with a B stamped into the top.

Vincent was slim and lean, and as he took the dagger, it seemed it would suit his hand almost perfectly too. After a long moment, he looked up at Fiona. "I can't possibly accept this... Your husband must've slaved over such a personal piece."

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona laughed softly at Vincent as he tried to protest the gift and she shook her head, placing her right hand over his hands to encourage him to take it.

“Do you see this?” Fiona asked, showing him her left hand with her wedding bands and Sam’s anniversary emerald ring. “I have the most fearsome warrior in the North wrapped around my finger. Whatever I want or need, he provides.”

“Besides, Samuel loves his forge more than sometimes.” She said with a chuckle. “A passion of his that gets him through the hard times.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincent slowly drew the dagger back to himself and looked over the careful details and the little nods to Fiona's life and career stitched and stamped into the sheathe and blade. "From the looks of your armor and arsenal, I'd say he loves you more," he murmured with a smile. "And his forge is one of the avenues by which he shows it. I think that's clear in the details. Any blacksmith could make a knife. But only Samuel Ghis could make one like this."

Fastening the dagger to his own belt, Vincent looked up at her. "Thank you... As much for this gift as the solidarity. It's... good to know I'm not the only one that feels like an outsider sometimes."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Stand firm in what you believe in, young prince. The rest doesn't matter." Fiona said as she squeezed Vincent's shoulder. "Now, instead of spending the entire day here brooding, go off to the dragon nests and find Rory. Tell him I send you. There's a dragon there he is nursing back to health and I think it's the perfect opportunity for you to learn how to do the same. Avfairn can be a bit.... challenging when it comes to treatment."

 

[KieranSoares]

Vincent nodded and rose as she asked, straightening his jacket as he did so. "Your Majesty," he bowed respectfully before he left her side, headed for where Avfairn was resting. Even if he did brood and worry, he was glad to learn and help where he could.

 

[heartofcourage]

Fiona remained seated and watched him go, a long sigh issuing from her lips as she took up his mantel of quiet brooding contemplation. She watched over Tati and Royse as they worked with Ezra, proud of her little girl for overcoming so much to be a fierce and proud young rider. Quietly, Fiona pulled the image of the mysterious Scottish rider from her pocket and smoothed it out over her lap. She stared at the younger woman's features, struggling so hard to see past the similarities and decide for herself if this was a sister or an imposter. She just hoped the truth wasn't going to tear her and her father apart.

 

[KieranSoares]

As the end of the three-week postponement came to an end, Soma began to mobilize the ground forces first so they'd get a head start on the dragons and navy. By this point, medicines and additional skilled healers had arrived to help Avfairn. While his health was still tenuous, he was improving a small bit and Jani being healthy enough to be at his side more often certainly helped. Rory updated Fiona regularly, and he estimated that Jani and Avfairn might be strong enough to take on at least scouting and messenger duty by the time they were ready to attack the border. Then hopefully they'd be ready to fight in Edinburgh if all went to Soma's plans.

In the meantime, Kell's focus on the mysterious Rider turned up a name: Blair Dyne. Owen didn't recognize the name, but didn't rule it out either, reasoning that it was still a Scottish name like his lost mate wanted. The name Dyne, Kell learned, was not a family name, but a sort of honorific given to Royer's hand-chosen warriors, which certainly confirmed that the girl was close to the king.

As the armies cleared away from southern England and things settled, the Ghis Clan prepared to follow close behind with Soma in the lead beside Sam. The Riders, meanwhile, spread out to the flanks and to keep overwatch, and a couple stayed behind to run messages for the Beauclercs and families, and to keep an eye on the wounded who'd catch up later.

Sam had Fiona direct flying scouts north alongside some of Kell's agents, and had the navy quietly creep up the coastline to ready to move on Edinburgh when the time was right. The land troops marched through friendly English counties with excited civilians all along the way tossing flowers at their feet. Chester gave the warmest welcome, Maxwell and Beth hosting a feast for their long-lost family and allies. While Maxwell had managed to hold his title under Imperial and rebel rule, Chester had been struggling for years and the feast was modest, but life seemed to have breathed back into the county finally. And even more heartening was the arrival of secret letters from Wick, the Council of Mull, Skye, and Glasgow all welcoming the Ghis back and pledging what they could to the fight. But with this also came the warning that Scotland was well and truly under Royer's thumb, including smaller Clans and lords who'd thrived under him and didn't want the Ghis back.

The day Fiona landed within sight of Hadrian's Wall, she found the old ruins had been reinforced with palisades and barricades and a sizable army was staring across at the Northern Alliance. It was a larger resistance than Soma had expected, causing him to call more of their forces in before chancing an attack. And with the rebels having the high ground and having had more time to dig in, Soma wanted to be careful. Massive anti-dragon weapons protected by stone and wooden shields threatened the skies, keeping any Northern Rider from flying too low or close.

But as Schaller set Fiona down just outside Sam's section of the camp, a dragon came gliding slowly out from the Scottish side of the border, circling almost lazily as if perusing the Northerners. Soldiers hurried to defensive positions just in case, but the Rider never came within a dangerous proximity. Even from below, Fiona could see the Rider was leaning out to the side and looking down, and the dragon seemed confident but still wary. They didn't look ready to fight. And after about ten minutes, the dragon finally glided down into no-man's-land and came trotting to a halt a respectful distance from the Northerners.

 

[heartofcourage]

The wedding of Riley and Andre had given the families a much-needed moment of joy, combined with reconnecting with Julia's Chester family as well. It did much to lift the spirits of northerners as they started to approach Hadrian's Wall. However, it was becoming clear that not all was well with the queen of the Riders.

Distance in London had provided a buffer, but pushing north was making things extremely difficult. A full fledge attack was happening within her, something that Fiona chose to suffer in silence. It was already known that they had Callers in Scotland that were behind the interruptions, but there was little to be done about the effects on the person they were targeting. She slept little. She distracted easily. She retreated within herself more and more. As stoic and strong she had always been, chips were starting to appear in her well curated armor.

As Schaller dropped into the camp below to reunite her with Sam, she glanced up at the dragon flying overhead. It was clear to see the rider looking over the camp below, before dropping into a field between the wall and the camp. She didn't need to say a word as she climbed back aboard and directed him towards the duo. As she was sliding off his back into the tall grass, she heard the sound of another dragon landing and turned to see Marth joining them.

"Riley, you stay there." Fiona called, her daughter glaring at her under the visor of her helmet for a moment before giving her a nod.

"I'm just standing guard." Riley called back, pulling Marth's reigns to bring him into a more fearsome position.

Fiona looked Riley over for a moment and nodded, patting Schaller's leg before she stepped away to approach the Scottish rider.

 

[KieranSoares]

As Fiona drew nearer, the other dragon loomed above his Rider protectively, fixing Fiona and Riley with a stern glare. The Rider approached fearlessly, their features hidden under a visored helmet. Their armor was leather and metal plates much like Fiona's, clearly influenced by the Northern smiths and tanners who supplied their Riders. The main chest piece was embossed with a map of Scotland, and the helmet had a ridged crest with a thistle flower stamped across it.

Pausing some fifteen feet away, the Rider radiated a familiar aura of power that Fiona could often feel from her children and father. This Rider was no doubt a Caller, but they had strong walls up that kept other Callers from looking in. They reached up to remove their helmet, revealing fair skin and long blonde hair in a tight bun. Her eyes were a striking green, but a strange shade that verged on teal.

Looking Fiona over, the Rider held her helmet against her side and settled her weight onto one leg. For Fiona, it was like looking at her younger self. The woman was a bit taller and broader, but her face was incredibly similar.

"Your Majesty," she said softly in a heavy Scottish brogue. "Welcome back."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Blair Dyne." Fiona murmured as she removed her helmet as a sign of respect and disarming. "We finally meet in person."

Holding her dragon scaled helmet against her side, she stared upon the young woman and took in every detail that she could about her. Dyne's hair was darker than her own, held in a bun while Fiona braided hers for battle. Their eyes were different, Fiona's the pale blue of a true white were with Dyne veering towards a mixed heritage like Andre. They shared features, it was true, but she wasn't ready yet to declare that this woman was her sister.

"Forgive my daughter's intrusion. She feels the need to protect me from time to time." Fiona said as she glanced over her shoulder back at Riley and Marth.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd be doing the same if my mother was standing in front of an entire army ready to attack," Blair murmured. She seemed fixed on Fiona's face, studying her. "Your people have been asking about me. The king told me to stay away from you in particular, but I think we have things to talk about before one of us falls in this war. Rumors have begun to spread, and I imagine they're... difficult for you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As they are probably difficult for you." Fiona said, as stoic as she'd ever been. "I've spoken to the other person involved in this situation at length and I might have some answers for you. We can speak, but first, you have to call off whatever Royer has attacking me. I don't care if the information is used against me, but I'm not going to go into this discussion with a clouded mind and my defenses up."