Old Wounds
Joint IC with Bishop and Greatslayer
Snowflakes covered Varian’s hair and fur coat as he exited the carriage, his guards saluting as he went past them. Auril wasn't too far away from Azeratii, but the trip had felt like an eternity. His mother, stubborn as always, had crossed into Ecclestius and demanded his attention, threatening violence should anyone attempt to move her, with Narien next to her. He had expected his mother to act eventually, but he had expected her to bash down the doors of the Royal Palace to speak with him, this was different.
This was not at all changed when Eklow informed him of the events that transpired in Saxon, upon Eklows arrival to escort the Queen Dowager south. His mother of course had resisted, and his sister alongside her had taken up arms against Eklow. Varian had supported her every step she had taken since she left, sent her money, men to protect her, sent letters often with barely any reply. Then for her to return and turn her sword against him, it hurt him, it hurt him more than he thought it would. The illusion he had of his younger sister, the little girl always up for a fight, them sneaking it out of their rooms at night to steal lemon-cakes from their father's desk, later to play tennis against one another several times a week. Perhaps now was the time to bury that girl. She had been gone for six years, six years of change for the both of them, was she still the sister he had sent Eklow with an army of rangers north to find those five years ago? Together they had wounded, with varying degree, a dozen soldiers. Varian worried what might have happened had Eklow not already been in the area, hunting down the deserters.
As Varian’s sat in thought, waterdrops began falling from his hair, the snow melting from the heat of the candlelight. The more he had sat in his thoughts, the more his eyes were alight with rage as he held a goblet of wine in his hand, trying to calm his nerves. As Varian’s mother and sister entered the room, they stood in chains before him, which was a handy work of Eklow to ensure that no more of his men would be hurt.
“Long time, brother,” said Narien in a cold greeting, a bruise visible across her forehead.
“Sit down.” he said short as he looked at her. Eylinn was remarkable with her silence, looking down at her chains with an empty stare, life bereft from her eyes. She looked worn, and aged, despite her youthful appearance.
Complying, Narien sank sullenly in a chair across from Varian. “Dark times for our family in the age of peace.”
“Perhaps strife is what keeps our peace.” He said as he nodded to Eklow who brought Eylinn forward to the chair, before removing her chains as well as those of Narien. Eylinn rubbed at her wrists, and gave Eklow a defiant look, as she sat down.
“I managed almost forty years without a Man putting me in chains. I now know the feeling.” She glared at Varian. “But for that Man to be my own son? That I couldn’t have foreseen.”
Varian looked back at her, not much compassion in his eyes, “You act as if I personally gave that order.” He said before looking at them both, “You did not need to fight my soldiers, you made that choice, Eklow acted to ensure that no more of his men needed suffering due to this.”
“I never asked for struggle. I waited for you in Saxon, yet you would not come. Instead you send an army to fetch me. Perhaps this is to be taken as a compliment.” She grinned. “A thousand men needed to bring your mother to heel? Worthy of songs by the skalds if I ever saw it.”
“You did not just wait, you demanded, mother, demanded. You threatened violence from the start.” making Eylinn roar back.
“That is not true. I was met with threats of punishment and imprisonment the moment I stepped into your borders. What was I supposed to do? Diligently placed myself under some ranger guard’s power with the promise of death in Azeratii?” She snorted. “You know me better than to start a struggle. Never did I threaten anyone of them with harm. I said, would they make a move on me or my daughter, I would take their precious weapons away. That is all.”
He considered his response as he drank some wine while looking at Narien’s bruise, “A worthy struggle no doubt.” turning his attention and just staring at his mother for some time, “You arrive in Saxon, you defy the local authorities, you threaten my soldiers in even escorting you to Azeratii. After I sent Eklow you still fought, even after you were to be brought here and not Azeratii, you still fought. You risked the lives of twenty men.” He said as he drank some more wine, it was quick and in anger, “Fuck the men, worse yet you risked your own life, you risked Narien’s life, for what?” He yelled “To show that you were defiant, to try and show you where in command, that you could fight. What in all the Creator’s power got into you?” Eylinn’s tears could not be stayed any longer, as her face twisted in sorrow.
“To see if my own son would strike the head off my shoulders! I didn’t defy anyone! I dared you. To see how far you’d actually go to exact your hate upon me. To not only take away my home, but also that of my children, to banish us from your door and have us hung upon return. I gladly surrendered my life to your mercy the moment I stepped before those guards, and resisted nothing!” She wiped the snot from under her nose, shaking with grief as she blocked her damp eyes with her fists. “And for what?! For inviting the world to what was supposed to be a day of joy, Light, and unity? A day to celebrate peace and venerable love? Who then cares a fucking shit?! How was I to know you’d hate me so?! Or us?! Who?! Whatever did we ever do to you?”
Narien placed a consoling hand on her mother’s shoulder. “This has all gone too far. Had I known what a precarious place we now find ourselves I would have breached the Dwarven vales for home long ago. Surely your intent isn’t to kill your kin, Varian. Are you so ready to take up the mark of kinslayer?”
“That I hate you?” He said as he stood up from the chair, leaning over the table. “You abandoned me! You abandoned me and your home! And you wonder? You think I hate you?” He said in anger, not just for now, but for all the time that he was painted as the ungrateful son, the unworthy brother. “You left me, mother. You used us as pawns, you did not stop once to reconsider, and now. Now you invite my father’s murderers to dinner, they killed him! You think you are the only victim, you think you are innocent of where we are? They killed my father and you invite them to dine, you didn't even bother informing me!” He said as he began shifting towards Narien, looking her directly in the eyes “And why is there even coming a quack from you? You left us six years ago, you ran away. I supported you every single step, even in defiance, and the first thing you do upon your return is to attack men sent under my command only to then come here and accuse me. What gives you the right.” He said as he slammed the table while Eylinn looked at him with her eyes peeled open.
“Pawns?” She looked over at Eklow. “Have they not told you what they planned to do with you when you were but an infant? I asked Asharian why, and all he could answer is how much it would hurt your father. My husband!” She snorted, and whimpered. “Your father was my husband, Varian! You had already made up your mind, and he as well. What could I have done? What would you had wanted me to do? Since I was a child, fighting was all I was ever good for. I could smell war a mile away, and what your father did was practically oozing of it. I didn’t want my children to live through that. And then he left me aswell…” She gritted her teeth. “For that is all war ever does, boy! Haven’t I taught you anything?! All war does is make people leave. For good, and to never return!”
Narien watched her mother in wonder, gleaming insight she had never considered, and a side of her father she hadn’t seen. “Curse Westmarch for taking father away too soon,” she said finally. “Curse father and his hubris that led him on that path. Are we to shun the peoples of Westmarch forever for the banners they fly? What’s done is done, atrocities on all sides from my understanding. Varian, do you not entreat with Kalarians, or is that false news in my ear? Why is it so unforgivable when done in Galadriel yet accepted when from your envoy?”
Varian looked at Eklow, who clearly could see the message in his King's eyes, before quickly nodding and leaving the room. “I do not invite them for bread and drink, to share laughter as we raise our cups in cheers around a campfire. I treat with them as far as I must, because it is my duty to maintain the interests of Ecclestius, but I will not sit and drink with those fuckers, to pretend to be merry.” He responded swift, in quick pace of words before turning to his mother, “You could have stayed, you could been my mother. I don't care if my grandfather was an ass, you left me, you ran away.” A shake in his voice as he uttered the words, he had never forgotten that night, or the following year. He had felt so lonely then, his entire family gone and his father fighting a war. For his mother to call it a choice, it was his home, his inheritance, his life.
“Father?” A weak voice called out, it was dark, the rooms and corridors only lit by the candles. It was overall very dimmed and several of the candles had burned out already, all but the ones around the oak desk. His father’s face was buried in papers, his adviser standing next to the desk with a stack of papers in hand. The advisers face was hidden behind his long hair as he bent over the desk, instructing the old king of the content within. Varian however could recognize the voice, no matter how hushed, the hair, always somewhat greasy and clothes, Rodney.
“Varian? Why are you not in bed?” his father asked, a soft caring voice with a small smile. They hadn't spoken nearly as much since their return, either because of Varian’s anger, or the King’s busy schedule in the face of rebellion.
“P-please make them come home.” Varian said hoping that his father would finally give in.
Ra’Gru sighed and frowned as he looked upon his son, “I’ve told you, your mother will come home when she feels ready. You want to send her another letter?” He asked, trying to make the young prince feel better.
“Please?” Varian asked, a flicker of light from the candle revealing his face to his father properly for the first time, making the old king tilt his head slightly to the side, grinding his teeth.
“Varian, come here.” he said as his son walked forward, “no over here.” He said, directing him to come over to him behind the desk. The old king placed his hands on son’s cheeks, wiping away the tears. “Varian, please.” His father just pleaded.
“Please.” Varian once again pleaded, tears now streaming down as he cried, his father pulling him closer and hugging him, trying to comfort Varian, to little avail.
“-proudly too.” Eylinn sniffled, bringing Varian out of his memory. “If I couldn’t bring in all four, I had to at least protect your sisters from it. I’m not asking you to understand, nor forgive.” She stated as she stared at her knees. “I thought that at least my husband would keep our son safe.” She quivered. “And to see that never happens again, what happened to him, what happened to you, I would both break bread with those fuckers and drink the piss of their wine! I would even pretend to be merry! But it wasn’t just lords of Westmarch. I would break bread with the Norse, even with Kalare, who slaughtered our people and bound them in chains. So tired am I of war and conflict. That is the decision I made.” She crossed her arms. “And had you bothered to help with the wedding preparations, you would had known of my decision and the reason for it. So saw both me and my queen fit the responsibility of a step closer towards healing a world in rifts and marred of the Dark One’s onslaught.”
“I'm not you.” He said short as he sat down. “I'm not your double, I am not a different you, you may sit with them, that does not mean I can bring myself to it.” He said as he just looked at her with a hint of sadness in his eyes before he sighed and continued. “Not once did it cross your mind, did it? To ask about how I felt about it, to even inform me. You may have forgiven, you might have been willing, Im not, had you just sent a letter you would have known.” Eylinn sobbed, albeit calmer than before.
“You seemed uncaring, Varian. I thought such matters had become below you. This last year I can hardly recognize you. Rude, mean, and even insulting to your family. You spite your aunt for no reason, and make your sister feel like nothing but a tool in your pocket. She gladly accept her duty, and you write it on her face? Then you banish us under the pain of death!”
“You think I was happy with what happened?” he asked her “My sister may feel like a tool, and I am sorry if she feels as such, but as for my aunt, dont. Anwën should not feel as a tool, but that does not change that we are all just tools at one point in life, Evhana made sure of teaching me that, and I will not sit and be preached about love by her.”
“I care not what you want to hear. It is a matter of concern I’ve yet seen from you. How callously and easy it seem to make the most cruel comments upon your family, that is my concern.” Eylinn rose, and stretched over the table to look him in the eye. “So if you intend to stick to your fucking decree, then strike off my head here and be done with it! For the Creator’s mercy, I do no longer wish to suffer hearing my shortcomings one after another if I’m to die anyhow!”
“This is getting is nowhere!” Narien put in, her eyes telling of the fear of what may come next. “If we let circumstances drive us apart so, there’s no telling where it might end up, what consequences that not only we will face, but all of Agorath! Varian, I urge you, in the name of Light and crown, rescind your decree. We have real problems ahead of us that we will be unable to face if we allow grudges of the past dictate our actions,” She pleaded, trying to sound sure of herself.
“If you are about to say that you found Duncan in the wastes and religion in your trials, that you have found a greater calling, i'm smacking you.” Varian sighed and looked at his mother “I wont have you killed, don't be dumb, but if you wish to speak with me, you will have to care. You say I am the only to exchange cruel gestures and rude comments not to mention being sick of hearing your faults, yet it has stopped no one in this family to constantly return the favour.”
“Dumb?” Eylinn said as she looked around. “What is this? A jest? You deal death penalties on a jest?”
“For the sake of the creator, you are my mother.” She shook her head in disbelief.
“At least of that we agree.” Eylinn said as she sat back down. “I cannot recall a single moment I’ve been either cruel or rude to you, Varian. I will say my peace, whenever, but I would never treat you ill. If you cannot see that, I have failed in my role for a very long time. Frankly, I do not know which is worse.”
“Mother, we have done what we set out to do, have we not?” Said Narien. “We have defied the vile clutches of Eklow and secured our lives from the decree of the king. I swear Varian, if you ever set that man upon me again I’ll visit a fate upon you so bad the minstrels will shy from singing of it! Clearly there is much to mend, but can we at least find some common ground to move forward, a goal that we can set our minds to?! I believe Anwen is in very real danger!”
“In that case I shall not restrain him again.” Varian merely responded. “As for Anwën, I know, I felt it as well, marriage can be truly dreadful, apart from that I see no reason to think she would be in danger.”
“You’re reign will be short, Varian, I swear it!” Narien said with a cautionary finger, allowing the hint of a smile. “But it’s funny you should mention religion…” She hesitated. “I had a dream, no not a dream. A vision, more like. Well I don’t know what to call it, but it's something that Anwen and I both shared, and I saw her death.”
Varian just looked unimpressed, “And you want me to?”
Narien sighed. “I don’t expect you to believe it. You’ve always been a man of facts and figures, yet I tell you the danger is real, and there is Darkness at work.” She raised her chin confidently to face Varian. “Lend me the services of Sir Lucias of Eklow and his knight errants. See to the safety of your sister and by the Light, let’s be a family again!”
“Fine, just don't get him killed, or yourself for that matter.” Varian sighed and looked at his mother, “So mother, where do we go from here?” Her eyes were still tired, yet her sobbing had stopped.
“I never intended on stop being your mother. What else can I offer?” She wiped her nose. “In a political sense, it’s not well. With good conscience to my people, I cannot accept concessions in regards to mending our relationship by any pardon. It looks bad enough a Human outlawed an Elf from his domain. Revoking the banishment seem the most logical.”
“You wish to return to Luríen in that case? To protect your daughter from this perceived threat?” Varian asked as he sipped some more wine. Eylinn shook her head.
“She must go on this quest alone. I still have our domains to watch over. Irritable Nords to stand vigil against, and our dear Dwarves in upheaval. I need to look over both mine, and the kingdom’s troops as it stands.” Eylinn nodded towards Narien. “Her sister will take care of her.” She smiled. “Finer, or crazier, swordswoman would be hard to find in Ecclestius.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Narien grinned.
“With any luck the Dwarves will just kill themselves, saving us later trouble.” Varian said with half a smile, half a hope. “But as you wish, do however send a letter next time you want to contact me, it would be best to avoid more skirmishes.” Eylinn raised an eyebrow.
“Should that be necessary? I thought this debacle was over and done with.”
“Rather be clear than waking up to another suprise. Don't worry, it's jest.”Eylinn sighed, but pulled the corners of her mouth into a smile. She stood and walked around the table towards Varian, opening her arms.
Varien looked at her with a slight sigh before tilting his head in acceptance, they may be happy, contend, but he was not. They made have made their peace, settled their newest dispute, but this would take longer time to heal, at least for him, but he would not deny his mother this as she pulled his head into an embrace, without taking a no for an answer.
“Now bring us food and drink lest we think you rude,” quipped Narien, “and let’s be content to think that this ugliness is behind us, and I hope it is.”