Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Yes, milady!" Cole called back, and roared the orders. It took four men to lift Brogan, and one more took hold of Kate, taking her blade. But just as Brogan was being taken away, the Erygonians pulled back into the mist, but they could see the flash of eyes every so often, watching. Archers came to take up all high positions and a solid vanguard boundary was formed all the way around the town. The palisade that Brogan had built five years prior was sealed up and all suddenly fell silent. In the distance, out of range, the Erygonians made a massive bonfire and howled and roared and played drums, making all the noise they could to frighten the Invernessians. They even set off gunpowder charges that they'd stolen from past enemies, just for the terrifying booms. Many warriors that had survived the war with Sarah were haunted by such sounds from the cannons, and flinched terribly each time.

Brogan was brought in to Valentina, who had long since taken over most of her aging father's duties, though he was still a fine healer. He joined her as they saw to Brogan's neck, but they could hardly touch him or move him without him roaring in pain. Normally he was stone-faced in the presence of pain, but this was just too much. But finally Valentina brought Theo and a couple werewolves in to hold Brogan down, and with an awful crack, she set his neck back in place and he shuddered terribly before simply passing out. The one who'd bitten him had caused a temporary dislocation and it'd be fine now, but Val was more worried about Brogan's head and brain. The fangs had punctured very high up his neck and could cause brain damage. They wouldn't know until he awoke again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia watched her husband and daughter being pulled from the field of battle. She had great faith in her sister-in-law's healing prowess and she knew that he was in the best hands that he could possible be. Still, she herself could not leave the battle sight. Her men were frightened, nervous, and although they tried to keep themselves in good spirits, she knew that they were on edge.

She called together her commanders, Cole, Kreston, Ruben, and Gabriel among them. Her nephews had grown into strong men, more than ready to fight for themselves. Ciaran and Lir were there as well, but she did not want him involved.

"I will not leave until this is done. I want that to be known right now." She said in her soft way, looking at all those gathered. "Kreston, I would like you to send word to your tribe that we need their help. Same with you, Lir. Gabriel, I believe that you are in a fine position to take over the archers. Cole, I would like you to focus on our infantry. Spread the word that we will not bow or break."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben, who'd long since undergone his werewolf transformation, was a lean, proud wolf whose fur was the color of his mother's hair, and after the others had gone to complete her orders, Ruben took up his broad axe and stood on guard at Julia's side. It'd always been his wish to be her defender.

"Uncle will be wantin' you by 'is side when 'e wakes..." Ruben said softly. After coming to Inverness with his parents, his accent had become deep and rich as his wonderful voice.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know he would, dear." Julia said as she looked up at Ruben, giving her nephew a smile. "But he has Kate. That's just as good."

She reached out and tenderly touched his cheek. "My place is here, Ruben. Your Uncle would much rather have me in his place if he couldn't be here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know... but you're li' a second mother t'me, Aunt Julia... I jus' don' want t'see you hurt." Ruben met her eyes with his own deep amber gaze. Another powder blast went off and Ruben looked to the horizon from where they stood above the gate. The Erygonians were coming back, but only a small few.

Seven all counted, three were restraining a monster of a black werelion covered in banded white tattoos. He was clearly insane and unstable, so he was kept as a war machine. The other three were their leader and his two bodyguards who were heavily armored in bone and iron. Their leader was unarmored, but rather decorated with bone and ruby in an impressive cloak of bearhide with the head as a hood. There were more than just werecreatures among tribes, but it was incredibly odd to see a human as a tribal leader. This man was average height, lean, almost thin, but he looked agile and robust. His skin was ebony and his eyes were strange amber, hinting that he might be the human son of a werecreature.

The group approached, and the human pulled back his hood to reveal a white-tattooed face in the torchlight of one of his guards.

"Aalai!" He called in his native tongue. "I call leader of Inverness, come speak for peace!" His English was a bit broken, but understandable.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I won't be hurt, love. I promise you that." She murmured to Ruben as they got the call that someone was approaching.

Moving to the front of the ranks, she watched as the men approached, calling for the leader of Inverness to step forward. She took in a deep breath and with Ruben and Cole by her side, she walked out into the field. The men around her dwarfed her by feet, but she was capable of holding her ground.

"I am Julia, Queen of Inverness. And you are...?" She asked him in that quiet, welcoming tone that she always took with a new guest.

 

[KieranSoares]

The sight of Ruben caused each of the Erygonians to cringe almost like the sight of a living Lunar hurt their eyes, but their leader held them back. "I am Tidannon, High Shaman of Ha'ann Tribe. We come for Lunars and Lunasians only, others go in peace. We find all Chloe-followers and take, leave town and Cross-followers be."

This put everyone on edge. With only a fifth of the town being Christian and the rest, including most of its chief leaders and its King, was Lunasian.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I cannot let you do that." Julia said softly as the man set forth his demands. "We can give you goods and provide you with some riches, which I assume you won't want, but I cannot let you have the people of Inverness."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Gold and silver mean nothing to follower of Lord Hellemachus, we want only serve him, make proud. Give Moon-followers, or all die in fire of Underworld, lion rip open gates!" He motioned to the beastly werelion, who snarled in retort. He was a tortured creature, it was clear.

And then Ruben acted, taking up his bow, and he fired, killing one of the lion-handlers. With one less wolf to hold him down, the werelion ripped away and killed the other two instantly before retreating toward the Inverness gate as if seeing refuge from Julia.

Tidannon was furious, cursing at them in his own language before he stated, "Last chance!"

"It's yer own las' chance t'turn tail an' run, Erygonian," Ruben growled darkly. "Before the wrath of the Mav Ro an' their brothers falls on you."

That clearly shook Tidannon, the name Mav Ro struck fear into his heart. But he quickly schooled his features. "You die before they come." As he turned to go back to his men, Ruben shot an arrow past his ear as a final insult, and the three fled toward their new camp.

The werelion placed his massive hands on the gate and looked up at Julia and Ruben and Cole, growling a soft askance for entry.

"Don' let 'im in, milady..." Cole said quietly. "'E's mad..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia looked down at the tortured creature and saw the need in his eyes. She let out a soft sigh as she nodded towards Ruben to open the gate. "That's never stopped us before, Ruben. Besides, everyone needs a chance to prove their worth."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben stepped down from the threshold and helped open up the door, but he kept everyone back from the lion as he slowly entered, afraid despite his superior strength and size. He walked slowly, crouched and on all fours. Ruben approached him on all fours, slow and close to the ground. He knew the way of the much wilder native creatures, they understood body language and simple gestures best. Ruben came toward him and bowed low to the ground, and the lion mimicked him, and Ruben reached into his belt for the venison jerky he often carried with him. Food was the greatest maker of friends in the wild.

Ruben took a bite to show him it was okay, and then offered the rest to him. The lion took a tentative step forward, sniffed the jerky, and then reached out to gingerly take it. It was gone in two bites and Ruben motioned him forward. When the gate closed behind him, the lion was made more nervous, but Ruben kept him calm. The lion kept looking up at Julia, and he climbed up onto the wall to crouch down beside her. He was so huge that she only stood head and shoulders above him when he crouched. He was truly a giant from the wildest forests where such massive people still lived.

"Dazu..." he said softly, touching his chest to tell her it was his name.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Dazu." Julia said softly, nodding towards him. "I'm Julia. It is a pleasure to meet you."

She made no other move, knowing that she might startle him if she did such. "You are safe here, my friend."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I help fight," he said simply. In return for their kindness and for Ruben freeing him, he would defend them despite being Erygonian himself.

It was a few hours later that small Erygonian campfires went up and it became clear that they would not attack that night, not to mention Ruben forced Julia to go in and see Brogan and rest. He'd just woken, but he was incredibly dazed and was just whispering that he wanted Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia reentered the keep when word came that Brogan had come back to them. When she entered their chambers, she saw Kate standing by the bed, a dazed and frightened look on her face. She had been crying, but those tears seemed to be gone at the moment.

"Kitten." Julia said softly and she was surprised when her daughter suddenly wrapped her up in a tight hug. "It's alright, kitten. It's going to be alright."

She felt her daughter tremble and knew how watching her father almost die effected her. "Go get out of those clothes, kitten. Ruben is making you a meal in the kitchen."

She kissed her daughter's forehead and sent her on her way, turning back to her husband with a long sigh. She took his great hand, kissing his knuckles gently before she took a seat beside him. "What am I going to do with you, love?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan finally seemed to truly relax with Julia's hand in his own. And when Kate was gone, Brogan whispered, "Julia... I can' see, love..."

It was one of Brogan's deepest fears in life, losing his sight. She could see that his half-open eyes just wouldn't focus despite how they slowly searched the room off in the direction he lay facing. And as she held his hand, she could feel a trembling that he'd hidden from Kate, and his hand was cold from fear.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We just have to give it time, love. You were only injured this evening." She said softly, both of her hands warming his as she leaned in and pressed her head against his chest. "And even if you do lose your sight, you know it won't change anything."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe... maybe not..." he whispered. "Kate'll feel e'en worse when she finds out, though..."

Down in the kitchen, Ruben awaited Kate with a meal for each of them. He could only imagine what she was feeling and he wanted to talk with her. Perhaps giving her a moment to spill her sorrows would help.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Kate has a lot of things she needs to think about right now." Julia said softly as she lifted her head and pressed a kiss to her husband's lips. "Not least of all what has gotten into her head thinking that she could go to the front line like that."

Kate felt miserable as she walked into the kitchen. Her eyes were tired and gritty, her spirits were done, and most importantly, she couldn't get the image of her father being attacked out of her head.

"Hi, Ruben." She said in a small, confident voice.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It won' be the las' time..." Brogan muttered. He simply knew.

Ruben came to sit before Kate with their plates, and he gave her a concerned, but soft smile. "Evenin', love. How're ya feelin'?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know." She sighed softly as her husband murmured that it wouldn't be the last time that Kate did something so dangerous.

"I'm not sure." Kate said softly, looking up at Ruben as he placed the plate down in front of her. "What I saw...well, I'm not sure that I ever want to see that again."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ruben shook his head, "Y'may not have a choice, love. Inverness is a target, Scotland as a whole is a target." He reached out for her hand, "Even though I don' like what y'did, I'm proud o' you. Y'faced th'beasts like yer Ma once faced hordes o' Wick an' Norwegians."

With a smile, he rose to get a drink, "Yer Da'll be furious, but proud."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm more worried about Ma." Kate mumbled as she watched her cousin. "She's not like your Ma. She worries so much about all of us. You get to do whatever you want."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I get t'do what I want now b'cause I'm twenty-nine, love. Yer seventeen an' yer Ma doesn' know where yer goin'. She's ne'er dealt with a person like you but yer Da, an' 'e's still a hard time fer her. She's a worrier, but tha's because she loves you. Y'should be worried for 'er. She's raised a family despite war an' a marriage tha' almost didn' work out. An' now war's threatenin' her family again."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I know, but Da is the only one that seems to understand. Ma...I just wish Ma would let me be what I want to be." Kate lamented, sighing softly as she watched her cousin as he spoke. "She doesn't need to worry so much about me.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'know yer Da worries more about ya than she does," Ruben said softly. That was something no one ever thought. "All yer life, since y'were born, 'e's been worryin' fer every reason under th' sun. Worried fer yer health, future, yer relationship with yer Ma..."

Ruben came around the table to hug her tightly. "An' rightly so. 'E's scared you'll be jus' like 'im in every way. He doesn' want you t'be him, he wants you t'be her own person, even if y'are a bit like him."