Crimson Storm: Ch 1. The Invitation
Sixty-Seven years ago Vul'kar and his minions revealed themselves and were defeated. That same year, however, Revica, Elizabeth and Alexandria were born into the world. Over the decades, the three women had been on many adventures. Traveling across the seas, fighting pirates, and even surviving the Frost King's invasions. Yet nothing was as personal as their encounters with the Dread Pirate Adda. As the mother of Liz and Lex, the Gerudo had terrorized the citizens of Uskar simply because of her relation with Seer and her daughters over the years. She had killed friends, taken lovers, and ruined relationships with her machinations. The final time that the three women had encountered her, they finally arrested Adda, delivering her to Hyrule, but not before Liz and Lex lost their biological father to cancer.
After so many years of strife, Adda's daughter's found peace upon the news that the axe was dropped down on Adda's neck. With her blood finally spilt, the air felt lighter for them.
Life still found change for some in Uskar. Seeking new adventures, Revy took up an opportunity to move to the Gerudo Desert to serve King Malik. For a while, she felt she was going nowhere in terms of advancements. Despite the fact that she would leave her younger siblings, parents, and Seija behind, they stood by her actions with love. Some years had passed when she decided to send her family and friends an invitation.
Landing outside Rat's house, a Rito took a breath of fresh air. "Mail gram for the 'Borgy' family."
The O'Malley House was still as loud and as rambunctious as ever, especially considering the fact that Rat, Borghild, and Scarlet, all together, had seven children. Even though Revy had moved out years prior, Trygve and Volcana still stopped by to visit their parents, having opted to stay in Uskar, but Lovisa, Greta, Sigrid, and Sylvi were still at home. Rat often joked that Trygve could not wait to get away from all of his sisters, being the only son in the family, but it seemed the boy still was ever watchful over his baby siblings. The children scrambled to the front door, all arguing over who should read the mail from the Rito. After all, it had to be from Revy! Ritos were native to Hyrule, not Uskar! The excited chatter instantly died down when Borghild took the letter from the Rito, earning a disappointed groan from the kids.
"All of you need to quiet down, your father is resting." Borghild chided the girls sternly, "You know he hasn't been feeling well today."
"But Mom, Sigrid got to read the last letter, it's my turn now!" Sylvi protested.
"Is not! It's mine!" Greta objected.
Before more arguing could start, Borghild held up one hand.
"If you continue to bicker, then no one gets a piece of the strawberry cake that Seer sent over for dessert." Borghild gave the girls 'the look' as Rat affectionately called it when his wife was meaning business. "Now, go back inside and get Mama, Mom needs to share this letter with her."
"Can one of us at least read it to Dad?" Sigrid asked with a tint of hope.
"I'll leave that up to Mama, now git." Borghild waved them off and then went in search of Scarlet, finding her patiently sitting beside Rat, who was asleep in his chair by the fireplace. "We have mail from Revy." Borghild leaned down and whispered in Scarlet's ear. "Come to the kitchen, we'll read it together. Rat will be okay by himself for a few minutes."
Scarlet turned slowly. In her age, she certainly didn't have the spry energy she used to hold. She gave Borghild a nod with a light smile. "We'll both be over in a moment.
Gerudos aged slower than Labrynnas, but Direnors had naturally long lifespans. Borghild had come to the realization long ago that she would most likely outlive Rat and Scarlet. Though, she had promised to watch over their children as long as she could. Even with her current age, she still had good energy and seemed healthy. Unfortunately, Rat's condition had depleted over the years. The cancer was eating away at him and no matter how many times Naira healed him, it kept coming back. After a while, Rat had gotten tired of the constant magic, making him feel sick and weak, and had decided to stop treatments. He wanted to enjoy what little time he had left with his family.
"You want me to make you some tea?" Borghild asked Scarlet, "We have some of that raspberry flavor leftover from Hyrule that Seer ordered."
"That would be lovely." Scarlet turned to Rat, gently nudging his shoulder to wake up. "Rennigan. Time to wake up."
Rat roused from slumber with a loud yawn, pushing his hair out of his eyes.
"Hrm... what time is it?" He murmured to Scarlet, "I need to bring in more firewood before it gets too late."
"Don't worry about the firewood, Trygve stopped by earlier to chop more for you." Borghild assured Rat, "He didn't want to wake you. He left the salmon he fished for us for dinner."
"Rennigan. We have a letter from Revy."
"From Reveka?" Rat's eyes lit up a little. News from Revy was few and far in-between with his daughter's busy schedule working for King Malik. "Oh, everyone will be delighted at the news. We need to relay to Seija what we've heard too, she has missed Revy terribly."
Scarlet nods in agreement about Seija. "Admirable that Seija is still waiting for Revy."
"I think the little owlet is still smitten with our girl." Rat grinned, "Though, what does the letter say? Is our girl doing well?"
"We'll the kids are waiting for us to join them so we can all read it together."
Once all the girls were in the living area with their parents, everyone was patiently waiting for the news to be read.
"Here, Scarlet," Borghild handed her the letter. "You have the honors."
Cutting the letter open, Scarlet opened up the letter. "I believe it was Sylvi's turn, Borghild. Next letter is yours, Greta. Here sweety, read this."
'Hello everyone. Revy here! I'm writing this letter in hopes that you are all well. It has been quite a while, hasn't it. My days in the desert are hot and taxing, but always keep me busy and excited. My work for the King as a guard has been a noble duty, but what's been truly rewarding is getting to know the people that live here. Gerudo culture is so lively and joyous! Fighting for them, protecting them, has caught Malik's eye. He has presented me with an honorary title of Champion for the Gerudo! I'm thrilled to have this honour given to me. As you may also know, Bomba's anniversary is coming up. I've been talking with Uncle Corsaire, and we think it would be wonderful to celebrate my future due to the sacrifice Bomba gave us. A memorial to Uncle Bomba that cherishes the past to walk through the future. I hope everyone can make it! We have so much to catch up on! Love you all. - Reveka.'
"A promotion for Revy and a memorial for Bomba?" Rat was glad to hear that Reveka was doing so well, even though he missed her presence here in Uskar. "Quite an odd a-combination for sure, but we must attend!"
"Don't be silly, there is no way you can travel like this." Borghild was always the voice of reason it seemed. "Revy will understand."
"Now, now, Borgie, me hasn't left the house in ages, and besides," Rat hugged the group of girls at his feet. "Me thinks it is high time for a family vacation anyhows."
"Urgh..." Borghild rubbed her forehead, "Scarlet, talk some sense into our husband."
"Well... a trip to Hyrule would be nice. Some of the kids have never been yet." Scarlet shrugged. "How about a vote? Who wants to go see Revy?"
After all the girls raised their hands, Rat alongside them, Borghild gave out a louder groan.
"Scarlet, going to Hyrule might be too taxing for Rat." Borghild sounded worried. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"If he feels this is what he wants to do with his energy, he can do so. So long as we're all together, does is matter? Life needs to be explored in order to live it to the fullest."
Borghild really did not like the idea of Rat traveling so far from home in his condition. While her husband was as stubborn as an old goat, and had lived longer than Naira expected him to do with the cancer, she still worried for him. The slightest cold could be lethal for him now since his immune system was shot and he could barely find energy to enjoy the day sometimes. Yet, at the same time, Borghild did not want to deny what would make him happy. It was a double edged sword for sure. Sighing, the grizzly Direnor rubbed the bridge of her nose and nodded her head in agreement with Scarlet's assessment.
"All right, all right... but the moment he starts feeling bad, we're coming back home."
~
"So, what does the letter say?" Seer asked Ocax as he stirred the pot of rabbit stew for lunch. It was the girls' favorite and both Lex and Liz had asked for the meal for dinner. Of course, Seer absolutely loved it when his twins visited for dinner, which lately, was more often than not. It seemed after finishing up duties, family time was the most important. While Ocax still diligently completed work for the High King and Queen, he too, liked to come home after a long day. Since Torbjorn and Brigritta had retired from the throne, it was now up to Ragnvald and Zolori to lead the Direnors. Ocax's only complaint was that Ragnvald was even more picky than Brigritta when it came to paperwork. Yet, Ocax was as meticulous as the old queen... though Seer would never say it out loud. "The girls will be delighted to hear from Revy."
“It’s a formal invitation to celebrate both a promotion and a celebration of life for Bomba.” Ocax took his glasses off, nodding to Seer. “Should we go?”
"I would love to go." Seer could not believe it had been decades since Bomba had passed. He was the little brother to the entire crew and had never been forgotten. It was painful for most of the crew to remain on a ship because of the loss. It seemed that even his late captain still had the sea blues from time to time, always listening for one of Bomba's horrid sea shanties. "Do you think we should take Magnus or ask Kanisa to watch him while we're gone?" He was a little skeptical of the raven Direnor traveling such a distance even though he was older now.
“Magnus is old enough to start knowing the world.” Ocax gave Seer a pat on the shoulder for comfort. “He should know his world doesn’t compose of just Uskar.”
"I suppose you're right." Seer was still a little iffy about Magnus being outside of Uskar. Here, their adopted son was safe and around a family who loved him. Anything could happen in Hyrule. Then again, Seer had always been the paranoid one after what happened with Liz and Lex being tormented by Adda. But, she was gone. It was time to try to let go of that fear. "How long do we have before we need to leave? I'm sure that Rat got a letter too."
“Well, we can discuss it with them tomorrow after dinner with Elizebeth and Alex’s families.”
“I guess we better pack what we can now, and find out if we’re riding dragonback or taking a ship.” Seer figured he’d have to pack half his kitchen if the whole family was taking a ship because, like always, he did all the cooking. “We need to get Revy a gift too. I wonder if she still likes cream cheese icing carrot cake… I could make her one once we’re in Hyrule.”
“Probably has been eating hard foods and fruits out in the desert. Anything that can melt will probably be a treat to her.”
“Oh? Like how you melt for me?” Seer grinned at his husband, still a cheeky flirt after all this time. No matter how old a Direnor lived to be, sex would still be on the brain. “Especially when I talk dirty to you.”
“How is your mouth dirty?” Little Magnus asked aloud. Ocax’s expression was rather alien in his mix of frustration and embarrassment at his partner’s loose tongue in front of their son. "You'll understand when you're older and have a spouse of your own, Magnus." Seer just laughed at their adopted son's obvious confusion. He could smell Ocax's embarrassment and thought it was very cute. Even after all this time, the blind man still jumped Ocax's bones when the two had a moment alone.
“It means your daddy needs to have soap put through his mouth if he doesn’t stop alluding to adult context in front of kids.”
Lex was quick to come through the front door first, cheering out, “Hey family! We received a letter from Revy! This is better than a pounding from downtown.”
Ocax shook his head as he was quick to cover Magnus’ ears the moment Lex burst in. She was anything if but predictable.
"Rather put you in my mouth." Seer murmured into Ocax's ear, close enough to feel the twitch from his breath being so close. As soon as Lex busted through the door, the cook had to bite his lip to keep from laughing. Ocax was so shy when it came to matters of intimacy. Even after all this time, all Seer had to do was say 'penis' and he could hear the blood rushing to his lover's face. "We did as well, Lex. I'm assuming Liz knows too?"
“She’s on her way with her kids and hubby to talk things over. Speaking of hubbies, mine needs to start gaining his second wind better after we start up the baby factory.” Quickly, she snapped her head back towards her husband, almost screaming out loud. “OY! YOUR PELVIS OKAY?!”
Dreng was not too far behind his wife, dragging behind him a pair of twin boys and a little girl. It seemed that Liz had taken to motherhood quite well and was already wanting a litter. Though her libido had never died, that much was for certain.
“When I asked if you wanted enough children to run a ship, I assumed you knew I was joking.” Dreng chuckled.
“Oh please. Look at them. I’m going to take over the world with them by my side.” Lex turned to dot on her toddlers. “They are just adorable, aren’t you?”
“So what’s this I hear about a trip to see your old captain?” Dreng asked Seer, “A memorial for an old shipmate and a promotion celebration? Quite a combination of you ask me.”
“Rat and his family are probably going too, and if I had to guess,” Seer gestured in the direction of the orphanage, “Seija got a letter too.”
“Oh I hope she did. Poor little thing needs to either get a new lover or find someone to look after the orphanage while she leaves for Hyrule.” Lex was incredibly blunt.
“Now, Lex, let me remind you how you pinned after a certain prince forever.” Seer reminded his daughter of her childhood crush. “I’m sure Seija will manage.”
“Prince Foxalant? Old news. Speaking of, where’s the fudge brown keeping us? We have this full family dinner or what?”
"Prince Gets-sex-a-lot, mind you," Halvar was right behind Dreng and Lex with Liz and Valkyrie in tow. The once lanky prince had grown into a brute just like his father before him. For a long while, the young prince favored his mother but it seemed as time passed, he only grew stronger and certainly more 'fluffier' according to Liz. Though, she seemed to be a huge fan of all the hair, especially the thick beard. "I'm assuming everyone knows about Revy's letter now."
Following behind her husband, Liz was wearing her military attire. She found it custom to wear a pelt of a great beast sewn into the collar of her suit, this time having a wolverine fur stitched to her black suit with golden strips around her shoulder. Finally, after working so hard up the ranks, she had achieved the rank of Admiral. Not that Uskar needed an Admiral. Truthfully, achieving the rank was almost like retirement. She hardly had to go out on a ship anymore or travel. Now, it was mostly the odd inspection and keeping documents in order. The most excitement she had was when she received a letter that the Kikai islands had been destroyed, but that just meant more drills for the Captains under her.
Turning, she made a hand motion for her daughter to hurry in as she looked to her husband. “Halvar. No need to boost your masculinity on my account.” Turning back out, Liz cleared her throat. “Come on young lady.”
"If you get sex more than I do, you two should have an army." Dreng gave a yowl when one of his kids pulled his tail, quickly yanking it out of reach. "But I suppose one can be just as much as a handful than three."
"Why deny it when it is true?" Halvar placed a kiss on Liz's cheek as Val gave an exasperated sigh at her parents' constant display of affection, her father more so than her mother. "I suppose you're going to Hyrule, Seer?"
"It seems that way." Seer had Magnus hugging onto his leg, happy to see his big sisters and cousins showing up at the door. The little boy always enjoyed company. "It's been a few years since the entire crew was together. Maybe longer." He missed being around his old crew mates, but was glad everyone had found a place which suited them in life. "Besides, this is for Bomba just as much as Revy. I believe it will be important to all of us, and well..." The blind man gave a small sigh, "It might be the last time we're all together before Rat..." Seer couldn't bring himself to say it.
"Before his cancer takes him, yes." Liz was rather blunt with the truth as she put her coat up. "I despise tip-toeing around it, Father. Best we accept the truth and embrace our time left with him."
Lex looked back and forth, hating how awkward the truth left her. There was no way for her to poke fun in such a dire situation. Instead, she chose to ignore it. "Well since we're all here! Let's get the kids settled in. Val, darling, why don't you help your auntie with the plates."
"Mom, don't be so crass." Val gave her mother a small look, as she started setting out the plates for the meal alongside Lex. "Uncle Rat has fought this for a long time to be here with us. We all know he's dying."
"Rat is certainly stubborn to have lasted this long." Dreng had to admit, "He's got some gumption. Not sure if anyone else would have made it through all those healing sessions and such bad symptoms."
"Rat wants to be here for his family, but I think we all know that he knows his body best." Seer stirred the rabbit stew his twin daughters loved, checking to make sure it was done with a couple of sniffs. "If he says enough is enough, then we have to respect his decision."
With them grabbing dishes, Lex gave Val a soft pat on the back. She had a fondness to dot and gossip with her niece, along with some light teasing. “So Val, you have your first boyfriend? Or is your mother still scaring them away?”
"The one time I tried to visit the Pleasure House, Mom dragged me away by my tail." Val gave a roll of her eyes as she started placing the silverware and cups. "Dad understands a little better with the rutting season coming and going, but Mom is terrified to be a grandma before the age of fifty."
“So still no cherry popping.” Lex sighed. “One day little niece. One day.”
"Eh, no one has really caught my fancy anyway." Val shrugged her shoulders, "Maybe I'll find me a handsome foreigner like you and Mom did."
"Well, she's not wrong." Halvar rubbed his beard with a grin. "My family always has had good looks."
"Oh please, you were smitten with Liz the first time you met her." Seer waved the spoon in the prince's direction. "I remember that little puppy love when you were kids."
“Ah yes. Nothing like a life threatening adventure to bind us to ever.” Liz chuckled a little.
"Life threatening?" Seer repeated, "This is just a trip to Hyrule, not Omisha."
At that, Liz sighed. “No. I think not.”
Lex was quick to start placing bowls of soup around the table. “Let’s all sit and dig in, yes?”
"So, you're not going?" Seer wanted clarification from Liz, "It seems you're the one dancing around topics. What's wrong with Hyrule, Liz?"
"After all this time, Grandpa still makes the best stew." Val sat down, ready to dig into the meal.
“No. I don’t think our family will go.”
Hearing that, Lex dropped her spoon in her bowl. “Oh why the hell not.”
“Because Hyrule is a land constantly thrown into calamities. Have none of you heard the news about The Kikai Islands being destroyed? The fact Revy left to go actually live in those cursed lands is insanity. She will have to understand I’m not going to bring my family to a land that might break out in war any moment.”
"You do realize that the Kikai Islands were destroyed by some horrors made by a deity of destruction." Seer told his daughter with a small frown. "Not to mention, Hyrule and Uskar are allies. If there's a coming war, then we'd be bound to help anyhow, but so far, no news of war so everything is fine."
"You know Corsaire is expecting us to be there for Bomba," Halvar told Liz, giving his wife a small hug around the shoulders to comfort her. "And Revy would be heartbroken if you didn't show up. Besides, we're all meeting in Taiyo Town anyway, aren't we? Not at the castle."
“I don’t want us to be caught with our guard down. Besides, monsters can show up anywhere. No reason to take the risk.” Liz brushed them off.
"And what makes you think I'm just going to stay here?" Val gave her mother a glare, "You know how badly I've been wanting to go and visit my other uncles and see Revy again."
"Dear, let's not---" Halvar started to try to placate his daughter too, but it was too late.
"And you know that I wanted to go to Danjur to study, but you axed that idea as well since the late empress or emperor of Kikai lives there."
"Honey---"
"You even discarded my books on Labrynna and Al-Daida too!"
“You have a perfectly good, perfectly normal, perfectly safe life here in Uskar!” Liz stared her daughter down with a fiery glare. “Besides, those countries have slavery. They aren’t good influences.”
"Oh, just like it was really safe here when the Frost King was alive?!" Val shot back at her mother. "The Frost Dragon?! Did you forget that we have ice trolls here too, or did that slip your mind as well?"
"Oh Rotar, here we go..." Halvar murmured under his breath.
“We worked hard to rid this land of that evil! To give you a safe place to grow up!”
“That was mostly Kanisa…” Lex muttered under her breath.
"And I'm glad I had a good childhood, but I'm an adult now!" Val argued, "Grandpa let you and Aunt Lex do what you wished when you were adults! He might have been protective when you were kids, but at least he had enough respect to let you pursue your passion as a member of the navy even when he was afraid for you!"
“You’re a teenager.”
"I'm an adult in this land," Val told her mother, crossing her arms. "And don't try to tell me different, I know you and Dad shacked up when you two were young."
Halvar nearly choked on his stew, and Seer started coughing, getting choked on his water.
She then added, "Not to mention, Aunt Lex was the sex guru after Uncle Angorn."
“We were forced to grow up given our circumstances. You should be lucky you didn’t have the lives me or your aunt led at your age.”
"You know I did not like it when you took up a position on your Uncle Corsaire's ship because I was worried for you, but I knew I had to let you live your life, dear." Seer reminded Liz a bit more gently than her sister. "Besides, we're not going to be sailing anywhere. We're just going to Taiyo Town for Revy's promotion, I think. Or was it on Corsaire's old ship?"
"I think the letter said on the ship." Halvar pulled out the post once more to read it over to make sure. "Yes, dinner on the Sea Witch... gosh, that ship is old now, but it's where it all started."
“It would be unwise to keep the world from your daughter Elizebeth.” Ocax spoke up gently. “Teenagers usually find a way of getting what they want. With or without resentment towards you.”
Liz found the words difficult to counter back. Holding her breath on the others, she turned to her daughter. “Do you really want to go?”
"Yes, I don't want to miss out on seeing Revy or a new place." Val insisted to her mother with an exasperated sigh. "I'm not going to do anything stupid like you and Aunt Lex did all those years ago to get hurt. I just want to go somewhere that isn't here."
Shaking her head, Liz let out a slightly exhausted breath, looking her daughter in the eyes. “Fine. We can go. But there are a few conditions you need to follow.”
"Oh, let me guess," Val rolled her eyes, and then counted on her fingers. "No flirting, no wandering off alone, no parties, no fun."
“You can tease all you like, but no sex. There’s no way you’re going to pull a Vidar and get pregnant with some sap’s child.”
"Unlike that situation, I know what a condom is." Val replied in a dry tone as she took a sip of her drink, earning a snorting laugh from Halvar. "And you're one to talk, Mom."
"How about we just all agree that you will enjoy yourself but be very careful and safe at the same time?" Seer was hoping to steer the conversation away from sex at the dinner table.
Liz calmed herself down with a deep breath. Her daughter had a way of making the fire in her face burn at times. "Second. You're going to clean the entire attic before we leave."
"...? There's no attic in the Ingeborg Mountain, Mom." Val played dumb, "Only Grandpa Seer has an attic, which who knows, he and Gramps Ocax might have turned it into a sex room or such during this rutting season. He's just as possessive as Dad is over you."
Now it was Seer's turn to blush ten shades of red, but knew that Val was not exactly wrong. During the mating season, it was true, he could not keep his hands off of Ocax.
"Oh no Attic? I guess you can clean the entire house then. No more embarrassing your grandfathers."
"We don't have a house, we live in the mountain with Grandma and Grandpa." Val was just as cheeky as ever, ignoring her mother's impositions like a pro. "Nice try, Mom."
When Liz glanced at him, Halvar kept his gaze away from his wife's piercing one.
"... she gets this from your side of the family, so don't go blaming me." Halvar was not about to be the source of blame. "She inherited all that from some of her uncles, not me."
"You can clean this house you smart ass."
"Oh, I don't mind help Grandpa Seer and Gramps Ocax clean." Val had a wide smile on her face, "At least they're nice and aren't so demanding of perfection."
"Oh, Rotar help us." Halvar muttered under his breath.
"Anyway," Dreng decided to interrupt, "When do we leave? Ship or dragonback?"
"It would probably be best to fly dragonback." Val did not want to sail for over a month on a ship with her overbearing mother. She went one time on an expedition with her parents and that was pure hell. Her mother always expected things to be her way and if it did not meet expectations, there was always hell to pay. "Faster and less traveling for Uncle Rat."
"It's more motion sickness on a dragon. We can take my flagship. It can get us to Hyrule in a week on nonstop travel." Liz smiled at her daughter. "You want to travel? You can do so like I did around your age. It has plenty of cabin room and those Danjur engines are incredible in their ability to travel the ocean."
"I'd rather shovel dragon shit all day than get on a ship again with you." Val stated rather bluntly, just like her Aunt Lex. "I'll get my own ride there if you and Dad are going by ship. Last time was pure hell---"
"Speaking of dragons," Halvar interrupted before a fight could start, "Na'seema is going to visit her parents in Hyrule, so why don't we ask her if we can just hitch a ride with her, Stra'tuso, and her hatchlings?"
"Grand idea!" Dreng agreed to keep peace at the table. "And less sea sickness too."
She almost purred at the sophistication of her own ship. So the idea of taking a dragon was a major buzzkill. “My ship barely rocks.”
Lex whispered to her husband. “You need to say at least one good thing about her boat.”
"Honeycakes, I'm your loving, adoring, insatiable kitty cat, but this big cat doesn't like water." Dreng told his wife with a shake of his head, giving a shudder at the thought. Even his tail was slightly poofy at the thought of having to sail out in the middle of the ocean. "I'm a scout, not a sailor. I work at the docks, but I don't swim in the water. I have to vote dragonback, even though your sister's ship I'm sure has all the bells and whistles, I'm not getting in something that could sink."
Liz gave Dreng a look. A look that told him he could kiss his bonus holiday Turkey goodbye. With a defeated sigh, Liz gave in. “Fine… we can take a dragon…”
“Thanks sis. We promise we’ll make it up for you.”
Dreng knew the look, but if it meant him being in the doghouse with Lex for a few days rather than getting wet in the middle of the sea, he'd gladly take her sulking.
"So," Seer then said, "Let's start packing."
“After dinner dear.” Ocax took a sip of his soup. “Then little Val, you grab a large bag. I’m sure you’ll have many Souvenirs you’ll want to bring back.” ________________________________________________________________
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