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Silhouettes [Pt. 4]
[X]
Lila considers it for a moment before shaking her head. "No, the Nixes can handle it. You can help by rallying the other dragons and riders and blasting the guards along the walls. They're grouped up right now, that's a problem for us. Go make it a problem for them." She says before adding. "Keep away from this gate. We have friendlies securing it."
Silhouettes, Part 7
Continued from this
Sven, Dagny, and Kari could only stare in shock at the sight of one of their beloved aunts falling to the ground with this mysterious new demon...grabbing at their aunt's chest.
"AUNT NALA!" Dagny shouted as she tried to run toward the former Warden...only to be held back by her brother and sister.
"Dags, no! There's nothing we can do for her!" Sven yelled keeping a firm on his sister's arm.
"We have to--" Kari tried to say before she was interrupted. She looked out of the corner of her eye only to see the Warden and the new demon falling to the ground.
"RUN!!" Sven shouted. He led his sisters, the dragons, Aria, Indigo, and his dragons away from the falling demon.
When she finally fell to the ground, the children of Chief Grey felt the ground shaking behind them before the demon made impact causing them to fall to the ground on their hands and knees.
"AUNT NALA!!" Sven, Dagny, and Kari shouted.
-------
Grey and Brandt flew back on Shadow toward the front gate through the clouds of dust. It was hard to see anything, but the water on her eyes definiitely helped somewhat to be able to see a little bitter in the large dust cloud.
It wasn't long before a loud noise was heard as Nala fell to the ground with the Glassmaker, which appeared to fall down next to her. However, Grey didn't care. Neither of them did as they urged Shadow to go faster.
There was dust everywhere, and she could smell the smoke that spread throughout the city. The Chief's heart pounded as she coughed trying to look for any signs of Sven, Dagny, Kari, or their dragons. All she and Brandt cared about was finding their three children. Both of them silently agreed that Sven, Dagny, and Kari came first. The Rebellion had to wait. She couldn't help but think about to when there were 2 other times she found a loved one lying down dead in a battlefield...Greg and her own father.
"No!" she thought to herself as she shook the head of the negative memories. "No! They're going to be fine!"
She was suddenly jolted out of her thoughts when Brandt placed a hand on her shoulder to get her attention.
"We'll find them, I promise," he said gently. "They're just like us. They will be fine."
Grey smiled in return gripping his hand in appreciation. "I know, I know," she replied, "but...I can't help but worry. I mean...I am their mother."
Brandt's smile widened. "Damn right, you are," he said, "and now let's make sure our kids are safe."
Shadow urged Shadow to go faster, and sure enough, they were able to reach the front. It was easy to see that Nala and the Glassmaker had fallen to the ground with a thundering boom.
"SVEN!!" Grey shouted.
"SVEN!!" Brandt shouted.
"DAGNY!!" Grey shouted again. "KAR!, WHERE ARE YOU?!"
"KIDS!!" Brandt shouted again.
This Will be the Day (Part 6)
[X]
Jari turned as her name was called. "Sven, do you think you'd be good for ground combat?"
Finding Lostpelt REDO (BOTGD 2)
Continued from this
"Okay!" Sven shouted back. "Stay right there! We'll be down in a bit!"
With that said, Sven led his sisters and the other rebels down the rope into the pit below.
"Man, who would've thought that Aunt Nala could do this much damage?" Kari said aloud.
"Well, she is a demon," Dagny said from below. "I just hope she'll be okay. She didn't look so good."
"I'm sure she's fine," Sven said. "Come on, this is Aunt Nala we're talking about. She'll bounce back. Right now, we need to focus on finding Uncle Vox."
They continued to scale the wall, but the teenagers widened their eyes at the sight before them. What they saw was like a hidden world under High Central..full of tunnels lining the walls.
"Whoa..." Sven breathed, "this is pretty impressive."
"Too bad it's all run by a fascist government," Dagny said raising an eyebrow.
They continued to scale the wall until they landed on the water line pipe down below.
Take Back What’s Ours, Part 2 (BOTGD 2)
Continued from this
@furibotgd @hubwalker1 @tree-the-cat @akkeyagentofhelheim
The Heir nodded as he caught the keys and quickly got to work on another line of cells. One by one, he worked his way down the line unlocking the doors for the soldiers. Needless to say, they were thrilled to see him just as he was thrilled to see him, but there was one in particular he was desperate to see. He came to a few more cells hoping that one of them would be his father, but so far no luck. He just smiled at the soldiers as they thanked him and complimented him for coming to bust them out with the Rebellion. As soon as he released them, he urged them over to Nio where they waited with the portal. He did this for about 4 more cells before he came to another one further down the line.
“Alright, your turn,” he said as he immediately grabbed the key to place it in the lock.
“Sven?” a voice said in shock and astonishment.
Sven stopped what he was doing as he realized that someone was standing directing in front of him behind the bars. He recognized that voice...that voice he’d known for years and wanted so badly to hear again after 16 days. The Heir looked up, and a smile splashed onto his face.
“Dad!” Sven said happily. He quickly stopped when he realized he spoke too loudly.
“Hey, buddy,” Brandt said with tears in his eyes as he reached through the bars and grabbed Sven’s arms. “W-What are you...what are you doing in here? How did you get in here?”
Sven could see that the two weeks in captivity were not too kind to his father. The man had grown a beard, and there were bags under his eyes. There was no doubt that he and Grey had been treated poorly as prisoners as one would expect, and if there was any indication he got from when Indigo told him about his chat with Grey, the two of them being separated for 2 weeks didn’t help either. Nevertheless, he was still looking into the hazel eyes of his father.
“The Rebellion, Dagny, Kari, and I are busting you out of here,” Sven said as he put the key in the lock. “Indigo and his dragons are creating a diversion outside, so we got to move quickly.”
“That...explains all the noise,” Brandt said.
“Yeah, I’ll explain more once we meet up with the troops on the evacuation island,” Sven said.
Then Brandt realized there were two figures who weren’t present, and when he didn’t see his wife...or her Night Fury, the same worry that nagged at him for two whole weeks increased tenfold as his eyes widened. “W-Wait...y-your mother...and Shadow...I-I don’t know where they...they put them, but--”
“Don’t worry, they’re both okay,” Sven said quickly. “Dagny and Kari are helping them escape with a few other rebels. Mom’s being kept in the house with their leader, and Shadow is in the stables. We’ll meet them on the island.”
Within seconds, there was a resounding click on the door of the cell, and Sven wasted no time in opening it wide for Brandt, and Brandt wasted no time...in gathering his oldest child...his son into his arms. Sven of course did not protest.
“I missed you so much, Dad...” Sven said as tears formed in his eyes as he buried his face in Brandt’s shoulder. It felt amazing to be embraced by his father again.
“I missed you so much, too, son,” Brandt replied as he hugged him tighter as his tears flowed as well. “I thought about you, Mom, and your sisters every night, and it ached to be away from all of you.” He kissed Sven on the cheek before tightening the hug.
A New Friendly Face (BOTGD 2 Oneshot)
Takes place between I Made a Mess and Last Game in Town
July 21, 1071
It had been about a week since Sven Felman joined the Grounded Dungeon Rebellion with his Monstrous Nightmare. Ever since he stepped foot on the Jaw, Lila made sure he began training immediately. He had to admit that Malak’s lessons seemed like dance lessons compared to the training exercises the rebels were expected to do. Sven of course was skilled in sword-fighting thanks to Malak and in dragon-riding with his Monstrous Nightmare, Pyro. Needless to say, he was thrilled to be doing it…not just to stop High Central but also for his mother.
It had been a week since everything went down…since the Rebellion took back Haligan Island from Ai Kauri and her band of pirates…since his cousin Lila discharged Grey from the Rebellion after the latter beat up Ai during an interrogation. He had never seen her so downcast…so defeated after everything Ai Kauri put them through. He didn’t have a chance to really confront the pirate herself, but he managed to catch a few glimpses of her when he came to the Jaw with Lila and the rest of the Rebellion. He had to admit that he thought that a lot of the rebels would’ve been against him joining after what happened with Grey and Ai or that they would’ve tried to get a rise out of him about it, but so far…no one had said a word about it, which made him feel beyond relieved. Maybe the Rebellion still respected his mother after all. It was easy to see that things were tense between his mother and his cousin when he left, but he hoped that time would heal that and that maybe Grey and Lila could find a way to make amends. Maybe there was still a way his mother could still help with the Rebellion, but he wasn’t going to tread in that territory yet. He needed to wait until things cooled down.
Until then, he was going to train as best as he could especially after Lila announced that High Central had put out a kill order for the half-breeds. For the past few days or so, half-breed refugees had been coming to the Jaw looking for safety. He had a feeling his cousins, Jari and Kettil were busy, but he felt it couldn’t hurt to find them with Pyro behind him. Maybe Jari could take a minute to spar with him and give him some more pointers for hand-to-hand combat.
He looked around with his Monstrous Nightmare trailing behind. “Hey, Jari!” he said looking around for his cousins. “Kettil! Where are you guys? I could use a—OOF!” He suddenly found himself bumping into someone in front of him.
“OOF!” The person said stumbling forward.
Sven was quickly able to see that he had walked into a girl. “Oh, I’m so sorry,” he said. “Are you okay?”
The girl laughed as she turned to look at him allowing Sven to see her. The Heir quickly noticed that she appeared to be around his age. She was about an inch or two shorter than him with blonde hair wrapped in a braid, blue eyes, and freckles on her nose and cheeks. “Don’t worry about it,” she said. “Although if you’re looking for someone, I would suggest you watch where you’re walking too.”
Sven laughed. “I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. “Thanks for the tip. Sorry…again…I was just looking for my cousins. I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. Are you new here?”
“Uhh…yes, I am, actually,” the girl said. “I just got here. I was hoping to find the Commander and discuss joining the Rebellion.”
“Well, you’re in luck,” Sven said crossing his arms with a confident smile, “because that happens to be my cousin.”
The girl perked at hearing that. “Really?” she asked. “Oh that’s great! You think you can help me find her so I can introduce myself?”
“Sure,” Sven replied. “Follow Pyro and me. We can take you to her.”
Pyro added to the conversation by gently blowing air in the girl’s air earning a giggle and pet on his snout from the girl.
“Thank you,” she said. She stopped when she realized. “Umm…sorry…I don’t think I caught your name.”
Sven stopped and shook his head. “Right, of course, sorry!” he gave himself a facepalm. “Uhh…my name’s Sven Felman.” He put his hand out for a handshake. “What’s your name?”
The girl smiled as she took his hand shaking it. “Nice to meet you, Sven,” she said. “I’m Phelma Ferguson.”
“Nice to meet you, too,” he replied. “Come on,” he began to lead her through the rebel camp, “I’ll help you find Lila and we’ll get you all set.”
“Lead the way,” she said as she followed.
The two teens and the Monstrous Nightmare began walking through the camp with Sven in the lead.
“So which side of your family is your cousin on?” Phelma asked as they walked.
Sven chuckled. “Well, we’re actually not related by blood,” he said. “My mom and her parents became best friends back in the first Rebellion, so…if you want to get technical, she’s on Mom’s side of the family.”
“Ah I see,” she said with a smile on her face.
“Yeah,” he replied, “they became really close…like siblings. After the first Rebellion, my cousins’ parents went to live on Haligan Island with my mom and her parents, and the rest is pretty much history.”
“Oh, so you’re from Haligan Island?” Phelma asked.
“Sure am, born and raised there,” Sven replied.
“So would it be wrong of me to assume that you know Chief Grey?” she asked raising an eyebrow.
“I do, actually,” Sven said. “She’s my mom.”
“Wow!” Phelma replied with a widened smile. “So I guess you’re following in her footsteps?”
“Yeah, I guess you could say that,” Sven said. “I mean…she’s not expecting me to be like her, but she learned a lot from the first Rebellion on how to be a leader. And she became a great Chief because of that, and I think I can learn a lot like she did and…you know…make a difference too…At least I hope so.”
“I get that,” Phelma said nodding. “It’s why I want to help too.”
Sven couldn’t help but smile even more. It was nice to see that he wasn’t the only one, who wanted to make a difference and to stop High Central once and for all. He was about to ask her where she came from, but he caught sight of a certain commander out of the corner of his eye. “Oh, look, there she is!” he said. “Come on! Hey, Lila!”
I Made A Mess (BOTGD 2 Oneshot)
Takes place immediately after What Were You Thinking?
“It’s going to be okay,” Brandt whispered in her hair. “It’s going to be okay. I promise.”
Grey continued to sob in her husband's arms for about a minute until she finally calmed down. Once she was calm enough, Brandt gently led her to the table and sat her down in the chair. He didn't need to ask what happened. He already knew. Lila discovered what happened to Ai and provided some sort of punishment to Grey. What that punishment was he wasn't sure, but he had a feeling that the consequences for his wife's actions wouldn't be favorable. However, as he boiled water in the pot over the fire pit to make her tea, he mulled over how he was going to broach the subject. He would have to handle it delicately without upsetting Grey further.
He took a deep breath and turned to face his wife, who was still sitting at the table.
"She discharged me," she said suddenly, "and...all ties between Haligan Island and the Rebellion have been severed...until further notice." It made her heart ache and her stomach churn having to repeat those words, but Brandt needed to hear it.
Brandt sighed as he took the pot off the fire and poured the necessary ingredients for tea into a mug. "I'm sorry, Grey," he said.
The Chief ran a hand over her face. “Just one day out of captivity and I made a mess of everything,” Grey said as Brandt brought over the mug of tea. She wiped the tears. “I lose the Rebellion, and my niece hates me.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” Brandt said as he sat down next to her. “She did what she needed to do, and you know you would’ve had to do the same thing if the roles were reversed.”
Grey nodded. She did, and she had done it in the past. When Milae murdered Magnus, she had to order them to be arrested and tried. “Yeah, I know,” she said.
Brandt sighed as he took Grey’s hand into his and brought it to his lips. “This will all blow over, Grey,” he said.
“Will it?” Grey asked. “The Chief of Haligan Island beats an unarmed prisoner and gets discharged in the process. How can it blow over? Lila will have to explain what happened.”
Brandt sighed and nodded. He knew that Grey was right in that respect. Now that Grey was discharged from the Rebellion...by her own niece, people were sure to ask questions. He had no doubt that the people of Haligan Island would stand by their Chief. Asha and Ander and their daughters would stand by her without question. Asha loved Grey as a big sister, and Ander of course was loyal to the Council and to the Chief. Siri and Katryn loved their aunt.
However, he...couldn’t say the same for Lila, Jari, and Kettil at this point...or the Rebellion. He would hope Greg and Warren’s children would never turn against Grey. If they were only upset, that was fine. There was room and hope to work things out, but the Rebellion...maybe Nala, Akkey, Vox, Treepelt, even Milae and Dario would of course be there if Grey needed anything, but as for the others...he couldn’t help but wonder. He remembered Grey telling him once how quickly the rebels...especially Greg and Seasick were ready to turn on Haddock for signing their souls over to Hel before Ragnorak. Who’s to say that if Haligan were to be attacked again...if they would be left to fend for themselves because of something that Grey did in a moment of clouded judgment?
“My point exactly,” Grey said clenching her fist in quiet fury.
“Even so,” Brandt said, “compared to all the stories you’ve told me over the years...this is like putting an eel in front of a dragon, Grey. You can bounce back from this.”
Grey sighed as she ran a hand through her brown-graying hair and looked at her reflection in her tea. She had never hated herself as much as she did now. “You sound so confident,” she said.
“Because…” Brandt began as he gently took his wife’s hands away from her face and placed his hand under her chin to angle her face so that she was looking at him, “I am. I’m confident my wife can bounce back from this. Grey, you’ve had your fair share of ups and downs. Even when I told you the truth about your dad…that was a low point…for obvious reasons, but you’ve always found a way to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward. You made a mistake…a bad mistake, but it doesn’t define who you are as a person…or as a Chief…or as a member of the Rebellion. You can still get yourself back on the dragon and try again.”
Grey smiled and leaned into Brandt’s touch. “How do I do that though?” she asked.
“You can start with me,” a voice suddenly said from the staircase. Both the Chief and her husband turned only to see their eldest son standing on the staircase.
“Sven...” Grey breathed, “h-how much did you hear?”
Sven sighed as he walked down the stairs. “Enough,” he said with a sad smile. “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop. I was coming down to talk to you both about something, and…given what happened…I think maybe this could help things.”
“What do you mean, son?” Brandt asked.
“This is something I’ve been thinking about since Malak ended our lessons,” Sven replied, “and with what happened just now…this might be a good opportunity.”
Grey and Brandt looked at each other with furrowed eyebrows and then back at Sven.
“What are you thinking, sweetheart?” Grey asked gently gesturing for her son to come closer and sit with them.
The Heir smiled when he saw that his parents were willing to hear him out. They always would. That was never a question, but he couldn’t help but feel nervous anticipating what Grey and Brandt would think of this idea. “Well, first, I was thinking that since I’m going to be Chief someday…I need more worldly experience…battle experience at least. But now…since Mom is…out of the Rebellion,” he began as he sat down and took his mother’s hand, “I was thinking…this would be a chance for me to help make things right…to smooth things over. I guess…what I’m saying is…I want to join the Rebellion…in Mom’s place…”
Grey and Brandt both felt their jaws drop as they looked at each other and back at their son…their eldest child.
“I…” Grey began to say.
“Please don’t be mad,” Sven said.
“Mad?” Grey asked with a small smile. “Sven,” she took her son’s hand pulling him closer to her, “w-why would I be mad? I’m just…so proud of you. Dad and I both are. That’s a big decision. W-What led you to decide that?”
“Well, it’s just…” the Heir sighed before continuing, “ever since Malak told me that I passed…I…I’ve been wanting to do something more than sitting here and waiting on the sidelines, and then…when Haligan was taken over and I had to step in as acting Chief, I really liked being in charge and talking strategy. I really liked working with the Council and Lila, and I want to learn more about that. And with what happened, I…I want to help make things right…help Haligan Island get back in the Rebellion’s good graces, you know? This way, I can learn more on how to be a good Chief like Mom and get more experience out in the field and use what I’ve learned so far. I mean, it is what I’ll have to do eventually, right?”
Grey‘s smile widened as she listened to Sven’s explanation. She couldn’t help but wonder if that was how her parents felt that one night when she explained why she wanted to help break the prisoners out of the Grounded Dungeon…one of the many dungeons that started all this. Now, it seemed like her son was starting to follow in her footsteps…in wanting to take her place in the rebellion, and she felt the pride swell in her chest.
Despite what he had been through, Sven was slowly healing from his ordeal with Rhenco, and he was growing…growing into a man, who was to one day become Chief of Haligan Island after her. It was just like she and Brandt said last night…they raised three amazing kids together, and just as she thought last night, if she was a failure as a Chief…and as a rebel, then she was glad to know that she was a good wife and mother. She looked to Brandt, who was wearing the exact same smile on his face and nodded. She then turned back to their son. “You’re absolutely right,” she said. “Are you sure you want to do this? It won’t be easy.”
“I’m positive,” Sven replied. “I really think this is the way to go. After all, you did it too, and it worked for you.”
“I don’t know about that,” Grey thought to herself. Nevertheless, the smile never left her face.
“Who knows?” Grey said aloud. “Maybe it will work even better for you.” She sighed. “I’ll miss my baby boy though. Both Dad and I will, and your sisters.”
“I’ll miss you guys too,” Sven said hugging his mother tightly before pulling away, “but it won’t be for long. Just until High Central is defeated, I promise.”
Grey smiled as she felt her heart break even more and realized something else. If she was discharged from the Rebellion and all ties with Haligan Island were severed, would she even have a chance to help defeat High Central once and for all? Nevertheless, she refused to even think about that right now. She needed to focus on her son in that moment. “I know,” she said pulling him into another hug. “I love you, Sven. And I’m so proud of you. Your dad and I both are.”
Sven wasted no time in returning the gesture. “I love you guys, too, Mom,” he said. “And…I’m proud of you, too.”
Grey looked to Brandt, whose smile never left his face. After a moment, mother and son pulled away to look at each other. Tears formed in her eyes as she looked at her son…her firstborn before kissing him on the forehead. “You’d better hurry up and pack,” the Chief replied. “I think…” she could barely say her niece’s name, “your cousin will want to leave soon.”
Sven nodded and quickly ran back up the stairs leaving Grey and Brandt alone in the kitchen.
Grey stared at where Sven went upstairs, and a mixture of sadness and pride formed inside her chest. She couldn’t help but wonder if that was how her parents felt when she left home to join the first Rebellion. She was jolted out of her thoughts when she felt Brandt’s hand rest on her shoulder, and she placed her hand on his. “I’m starting to wonder if this is how my parents felt when I left for the first Rebellion,” she said aloud.
“I’m sure they did,” Brandt said. “All three of them have had to do some sort of growing up during this whole thing. It looks like he’s finally getting a say in how he does.”
“Yeah,” Grey replied. “I still can’t believe they did what they did.” She thought back on what her mother told her...how Sven stepped up as acting Chief...how Dagny flew to the Jaw by herself...how Kari stood by Sven and helped...how all three of them helped with the rescue from Ai and her crew. All three of them helped in a huge way, and she couldn't be any prouder of them.
“Like I said, we’ve done a great job raising them,” Brandt added as he wrapped an arm around his wife pulling her close to his side.
“It’s the one good thing that’s come out of this,” Grey said lowering her head as the shame, guilt, and sadness came flooding back.
Brandt sighed sadly before he gently took his wife’s chin and angled it so that he was looking at her. “Listen to me, Grey,” he said. “You made a mistake…a bad choice, but that’s all it was. Like I said, you can bounce back from this.”
“And again I ask, how?” Grey asked.
“I don’t know,” Brandt answered, “but I know that you will figure it out. And no matter what happens, your family will be right behind you.”
“I hope so,” Grey replied. She then turned around and hugged him tightly. “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Brandt said hugging his wife close again. His heart ached seeing his beloved wife…someone who was so driven, brave, confident…being so heartbroken and despondent. He couldn’t blame Lila because he knew their niece was doing something that Grey would’ve been forced to do if the roles were reversed. The only one to blame was Ai, and somehow, even though she was imprisoned, she still managed to win. He hated it, but he promised himself that he was going to do whatever it took to help Grey heal from this. They would help each other heal…whatever it took.
———————
The Rebellion was ready to transfer Ai Kauri and her crew to the Jaw, and the Felmans knew that it was time for Sven to depart with them. Sven had talked to Lila, and of course, Lila agreed to her cousin joining. Once that was done, he came home to pack his things and made sure to say goodbye to Asha, Ander, and their daughters. Grey also made sure to inform her mother that Sven was leaving with Lila. When the time came for goodbyes to his parents, sisters, and grandmother, Ingrid, Dagny, and Kari along with the rest of the villagers said their goodbyes to Lila. However, Grey and Brandt kept their distance as the Chief made sure that Pyro and Sven were all set trying to not make eye contact with the Commander.
“Alright,” Grey said as she adjusted Pyro’s saddle, “that should be everything.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Sven said with a smile. His smile quickly fell when he saw his mother was trying her hardest not to look at Lila…as shame and guilt clouded her face. He then looked to his father, who maintained his distance from Lila as well. He didn’t appear as shameful as Grey did, but he had this protective air around him and was barely acknowledging the Commander. There was definitely some tension between his parents, mostly his mother and his cousin. “Uhhh…you’re not…going to talk to Lila?”
Grey took a deep breath and looked at her son with a small smile. “I don’t think so,” she said. “Li-The Commander and I…we’re not…I…I think it’s best that we keep our distance from each other…for now.” She couldn’t face Lila…not now…not after what happened.
“I can talk to her for you,” Sven said. “I can tell her to—“
“No, no, Sven,” Grey interjected gripping his shoulders, “I appreciate what you want to do, but this is between the Commander and me. You are joining this Rebellion as a soldier…not to get in the middle of a conflict. Promise me, you will not intervene.”
Sven sighed lowering his head. “I promise,” he said.
“Good,” Grey said squeezing his shoulders once more before releasing him. “Thank you, sweetheart.”
Brandt saw the sadness in his son’s face. He knew that Sven wanted more than anything to help his mother, but he agreed with Grey. Sven shouldn’t have to get in the middle of Grey and Lila’s conflict. It could have some negative consequences for him. So he simply patted his son on the head ruffling his hair. “We know you want to help, buddy,” he said gently, “but right now, it’s best to just focus on you and the Rebellion. Don’t worry about your mom and Lila.”
“Okay,” Sven said sadly, “but…what about helping with defeating High Central?”
The Chief sighed feeling the sadness weigh down on her even more. The very thing she wanted to do…ever since Lief died…ever since she found out King Haddock was arrested…ever since she joined the first Rebellion…might’ve just been stripped away from her, and she hated it. Nevertheless, she smiled at her son refusing to let him see how this was affecting her. “You let us worry about that, okay?” she simply said.
Brandt nodded to Sven emphasizing Grey’s point.
Sven looked at both his parents before sighing in defeat. “Okay, I’ll stay out of it,” he said.
Grey was about to say something else when…
“Sven,” Dagny called as she, Kari, and Ingrid walked over to them, “Lila says that they’re about ready to depart. You’d better hurry.”
Sven took a deep breath and nodded before looking at his family…his grandmother…his sisters…and his parents. “I’ll miss you guys,” Sven said.
Ingrid smiled with tears in her eyes as she stepped forward to her grandson placing a hand on his cheek. She couldn’t help but think back to the day her daughter…her only daughter left to break out the prisoners in the Grounded Dungeon. “We’ll miss you, too, my love,” she said, “but you’re doing a great thing. Your grandfather would be so proud of you. I’m so proud of you.”
Sven smiled. “Thanks, Grandma,” he said before leaning forward and hugging her. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Sven,” Ingrid said hugging him as tightly as she could. “Be safe, okay?”
“I will,” Sven replied nodding as tears formed in his eyes.
Grandmother and grandson finally released each other so that Sven could say goodbye to the rest of his family starting with his sisters.
“I wish we were going with you,” Dagny said sadly with tears in her eyes.
“You know why you can’t,” Sven said with a sad smile. “Besides, someone’s got to help Mom and Dad keep an eye on things.”
Both Dagny and Kari tearfully chuckled before pulling their big brother into a group hug. The Felman siblings hugged each other tightly. Grey and Brandt couldn’t help but feel tears form in their eyes as they watched their children. It was very rare that the three of them were ever separated. The only times they were separated were if one of them was sick, and if one or both of them went on a trip with or without Grey and/or Brandt. Sven wasn’t gone for long when he was kidnapped by Rhenco, and Dagny was gone for only 2 weeks when she flew to the Jaw or even when she flew to Peaceable to visit Havelock. It was never because one of them was going to join a war.
“We’ll miss you, big brother,” Kari said burying her face in Sven’s shoulder.
“I’ll miss you guys, too,” Sven replied, “but I promise it won’t be forever. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“You’d better,” Dagny said. “You’re supposed to run this place someday.”
Sven chuckled and sniffled as they pulled away. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I haven’t forgotten that. I love you guys.”
“Love you too, big brother,” Dagny and Kari said in unison.
“Good luck,” Kari added.
“Thanks,” Sven replied. Then he turned to his parents with tears running down his cheeks. “I’m really going to miss you guys too.”
Both Brandt and Grey had tears streaming down their faces as well, and Grey wasted no time in pulling their son and Brandt into a group hug.
“We’ll miss you too, buddy,” Brandt said hugging his wife and son tightly, “but you’re doing a great thing…both for Aidorin and for yourself.”
“And we are so proud of you,” Grey said. “Please…please be careful.”
“I will, Mom,” Sven said pulling away from the hug to look at them. “Don’t worry.”
“Honey, I’m always going to worry about you…you and your sisters,” Grey replied placing a hand on his cheek. “It’s my job as your mother.” She then kissed him on the forehead. “I love you so much.”
Sven smiled even wider through the tears. “I love you too, Mom,” he said before hugging his mother again. Then he pulled away and turned to Brandt hugging him as well. “I love you, Dad.”
“I love you too, son,” Brandt said hugging his boy tightly. It was hard to believe that this 18-year-old boy was once a baby he held in his arms on the day he was born. It was one of the happiest days of his life, but Brandt was always worried that he would turn out like his father and repeat the same cold and distant demeanor that his father gave him with Sven. After his parents disowned him, he promised himself that that would never happen with his kids should he ever be lucky enough to have them. He always made sure Sven, Dagny, and Kari knew how much their father loved them. Now, when his son was leaving to join the Rebellion, he prayed that his oldest child knew that. “Be safe, alright?”
“I will, I promise,” Sven said nodding. He and Brandt pulled away after a moment just in time to see Pyro saying goodbye to Shadow, SkySinger, and Scoot. Shadow and SkySinger were nuzzling the Monstrous Nightmare. He then reluctantly moved away from his family toward his dragon and pet his dragon’s head. “Well, boy, we’d better get going before they leave us behind.”
Pyro chortled and nuzzled Sven to confirm that he was indeed ready. So the Heir took his dragon by the saddle and gently guided him toward the Rebellion. The teenager turned back to get one last look at his family and smiled at them, especially his parents, and they all smiled in return despite the tears streaming down Grey’s face. He prayed that he would get to see them again real soon, and he had a feeling he would. As he walked toward the Rebellion, the villagers who gathered around to say goodbye wished their Heir luck and reminded him to be safe, and he smiled in return.
Once Sven joined up with Lila, Grey’s smile fell upon seeing the Commander from afar. The pride she felt for her son…was clouded by her guilt and shame resurfacing. She tried her hardest to keep her eyes on Sven as her hand began to shake. She was jolted out of her thoughts when a hand suddenly landed on hers, and she looked to see that it was her mother.
“Grey, darling, are you alright?” Ingrid asked with concern in her eyes.
The Chief stared at her mother for a brief moment before turning back to the Rebellion as her son waited to go through the portal and then turned back to her mother. She then remembered that her mother didn’t know what happened with her and Ai and then with Lila, but it was not something she was willing to discuss now. “Uhhh…” she said before sighing, “I’ll…I’ll tell you later, Mom. Just…now’s not the right time.”
Ingrid nodded and held her daughter’s hand tightly as they watched Sven leave. Whether it was to make sure she didn’t go anywhere or to reassure her that she was there, Grey wasn’t sure, but…between having one hand held by her husband and the other by her mother…Grey felt a little more grounded…more present.
“Please watch over him, Dad…” she thought to herself as Sven finally disappeared through the portal.
—————————
Not long after Sven finally left, the villagers dispersed wishing to return back to their respective jobs to get back on their feet after Ai’s attack. Ingrid gently but firmly took her daughter by the hand guiding her back to her house while telling Brandt to stay with the dragons and the girls and that they would meet them later. Thankfully, Brandt immediately understood that his wife needed some time with her mother and did as he was told guiding the dragons and the girls back to the house.
“Mom, when I said ‘later,’” Grey began chuckling, “I didn’t mean as soon as Sven was gone.”
“I don’t care,” Ingrid replied. “You may be a Chief, but you’re still my daughter.”
Mother and daughter walked until they reached the Bergman household-Grey’s childhood home, and they went inside. Ingrid immediately guided her daughter to the table and made her sit down. Then Ingrid took off her headband placing it on the table…and then her fur cape draping it over the chair before sitting next to her daughter. At that moment…Grey wasn’t a Chief…or a Lady… She was just…a woman, who needed her mother.
Grey couldn’t help but have flashbacks to the times when she sat down at this table with her parents for meal times or when her father came home from traveling with Chief Hroar or from a long meeting with the council. Life seemed so simple back then…before rebellions…before she became a leader of the Rebellion…before she became Chief when it was just her…her parents…and Shadow.
“What happened, my little Grey?” Ingrid asked running a hand through her hair.
“I…I…” she sighed, “I went to speak to Ai Kauri this morning, and…it…it didn’t go well. She was smug…and insulted me as a Chief…and then Brandt…and then…Sven. So…I-I snapped…and I beat her…punched her in the face…” she rubbed her bandaged hand, “quite a few times.”
Ingrid widened her eyes and exhaled. As much as she wanted to ask questions, she reserved them for later to allow Grey to finish saying what she needed to say.
“Lila…The Commander…found out,” Grey continued, “and…” she exhaled shakily as her hand continued to shake, “she…of course was upset…and discharged me…from the Rebellion…and severed all ties between Haligan Island and the Rebellion. So…” she sniffled…wiping her eyes, “I just lost the Rebellion…the very same Rebellion that Haddock and I once led together…and my niece in one day.”
Ingrid sighed. “I’m so sorry, Grey,” she said.
Grey closed her eyes as tears streamed down her face. “I’ve really made a mess, Mom,” she said sniffling.
“Come here, my little Grey,” Ingrid said pulling the Chief into an embrace.
Grey wasted no time in leaning into her mother’s warm embrace and sobbing. She didn’t fully realize how much she needed this…how much she needed to just release all the pain she had felt over the past few weeks…how much she needed hold onto her mother. She knew she could always talk to Brandt and cry in his arms as well. She had done that in the past, and she would continue to do so. He was her husband, and he loved her just as she loved him and never once judged her. However, knowing that she always had her mother as well…someone else who would never judge her…it helped to make things easier. Plus, there was something special about receiving comfort from one’s mother. It reminded her of the times when she was young…after the situation with the dragon hunters…when Leif died…whenever she had a nightmare…or was scared, and everything was made better because she was in her mother’s arms.
“Shhhh…it’s alright,” Ingrid whispered as she rocked them back and forth. “It’s alright, my little Grey. I’m here. I’m here. Shhhhh…”
Grey continued to cry until she finally began to calm down after a minute. “I-I’m sorry…” she said.
“No, no…don’t you dare be sorry,” Ingrid said rubbing her daughter’s back. “You needed to let it all out. You’ve been through a lot over the past few weeks.”
Grey took another shaky deep breath holding tightly to Ingrid and knowing that she was right. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Ingrid returned the gesture and embraced her daughter even tighter. “You’re welcome,” she said. “I’m always here for you, my little Grey.”
Grey held onto her for a few more minutes before she finally felt ready to pull away. She wiped her tears away and rested her elbows on the table caressing her injured hand. Then she took another deep but shaky breath. “How could I have messed up so bad?” she finally asked.
Ingrid took her hand into her own. She wasn’t sure if Grey was asking rhetorically or if she genuinely wanted to know. Either way it wasn’t something the healer could answer directly, so instead she asked the Chief a question. “Can I ask you something without you getting upset?” Ingrid finally asked.
“Sure,” Grey said shrugging.
“What were you trying to accomplish when you went to talk to her, Grey?” she asked.
The Chief sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. “I was thinking that I could get information out of her…why she attacked…who else she’s traded into slavery…” she sighed. “She gave me a little, but…that doesn’t matter now.”
Ingrid sighed as she gripped onto Grey’s hand even tighter. “Look, I…I’m not going to lie to you, sweetheart,” she began. “What you did was wrong. Lila was right to discharge you, and you will have to find some way to make up for it.”
Grey closed her eyes knowing that her mother was right. Like Brandt had said, if the roles were reversed, she would’ve been forced to do the same thing with the Commander. She messed up and now had to deal with the consequences no matter what she intended or not. “I get that,” she said, “but…h-how can I make up for this?”
“I don’t know,” Ingrid said, “but I do know that you will figure out a way because that’s who you are.”
The Chief sighed. “I hope you’re right,” she said quietly.
“I know I’m right,” Ingrid said firmly, “because I know my daughter.”
Grey looked at Ingrid and gave a small smile. “Thanks, Mom,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” Ingrid said. “I know it seems awful now, but…with time and healing, it will get better. It’ll be nothing more than a distant memory.”
“That’s what Brandt said last night,” Grey replied.
“Well, he’s right,” Ingrid said as she ran a hand through her daughter’s hair. “Everything that happened today…over the past few weeks will be a mere memory you think about every once in a while. You just need to give it time.”
Grey nodded. She hoped…prayed that everything that happened over the past few weeks…everything that happened today would be a memory that she occasionally reflected on. She wished more than anything that it would be forgotten, but that was just wishful thinking. “I guess this means…I won’t get to help bring down High Central,” she said. “I wanted to so bad…for Leif…for King Haddock, and now…” She sighed.
“I know,” Ingrid said. She was more than aware of her daughter’s desire to see High Central fall. It had been there since the day Leif was murdered in front of Grey when she was just 16 years old, and when King Haddock was killed, she wanted it even more so to honor him as the leader of the first Rebellion. “I know, sweetheart, but I also know that somehow…you will figure out a way to do just that.”
“Right now, I don’t see a way,” Grey said.
“Maybe not now because the wounds are still fresh,” Ingrid said, “but you will…with time and patience.”
Grey nodded. Her mother was right. The wounds were too fresh. It was why she snapped when talking to Ai earlier. She needed time to heal from today and from the past few weeks. Brandt, her men, and Shadow needed time to heal as well from what they went through in captivity. She wouldn’t be able to figure anything out now. “So…if I can’t figure out a way to make up for what I did…or how to help stop High Central…what do I do now…today?” she asked after a moment.
“The same thing you did when you came home from the first Rebellion…and whenever you found yourself in a rough spot…” Ingrid replied. “You take it one day at a time. You do the next right thing. Focus on yourself…your family…your people, and know that you’re not alone. Your people, your family, your husband, and I are all with you, and we will help you and support you however we can.”
Grey smiled as tears formed in her eyes again, and she leaned forward and pulled her mother into another embrace. “Thanks, Mom,” she said. Her mother was right. Even though it felt like it right now after what happened, she wasn’t alone. She still had her people, her family…Warren, Asha, Ander, Siri, Katryn, Kara, Shadow, Sven, Dagny, Kari…and of course Brandt and Ingrid.
“You’re welcome, my little Grey,” Ingrid replied returning the gesture. She kissed her daughter on the cheek. “I love you so much, and I’ll always be there for you.”
“I love you too, Mom…so much,” Grey replied, “and I’ll always be there for you too.”
They hugged for a few more moments before they finally pulled away from each other. “Do you feel better?” Ingrid asked.
Grey sighed. “Well, not completely,” she said. “But I think I’ll get there.”
“Yes, you will,” she said kissing Grey on the forehead, “and your family will make sure you do. Now, what do you say we find Brandt and the girls and then find Asha and her family and Warren and have a nice family dinner in the Great Hall, hmm?”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Grey said with the smile never leaving her face.
With that said, mother and daughter stood up from the table, and once Grey placed her fur cape and headband back on her head and shoulders respectively, she and Ingrid left the house to do just that. Grey knew that she needed to get back to work, but that was going to have to wait until tomorrow. Right now, she wanted to be with her beloved family. She still felt the guilt and shame regarding losing to Ai and beating her in prison, but she also knew that her mother was right. Her family would always be there to support her and help her no matter what, especially her mother and husband. She wasn’t alone. In fact, both Grey and Brandt would certainly have to work together to help each other and the rest of the island heal from the experience that Ai Kauri put them through, but the Chief had no doubt in her mind that they could do it with their family behind them.
Finding Lostpelt (BOTGD 2)
Continued from this
"Okay!" Sven shouted back. "Stay right there! We'll be down in a bit!"
With that said, Sven led his sisters and the other rebels down the rope into the pit below.
"Man, who would've thought that Aunt Nala could do this much damage?" Kari said aloud.
"Well, she is a demon," Dagny said from below. "I just hope she'll be okay. She didn't look so good."
"I'm sure she's fine," Sven said. "Come on, this is Aunt Nala we're talking about. She'll bounce back. Right now, we need to focus on finding Uncle Vox."
The Felman kids and the other rebels landed at the bottom of the pit where Indi waited for them.
