[M] IC. Through the ages. {Dark Pigeon & ScottishGal}

[Dark Pigeon]

Oh Marcus was so happy hearing he could join! "I have not been feeding from those slaves" Nicklas snarled, angry that anyone would ever think he had! He was more of a man than that. Ansgar shrugged "Needed to feed, they should not become slaves if they don't want to be one. I would rahter die in a fight than that" he said rather bluntly. He knew that Marcus had been a slave, but in Ansgar's eyes.. slavery was a choice, and not something that was forced upon you. It made Macus wish that he had the balls (hehe) to say something about it. But he did not see why he should, as he knew that Ansgar would hit him with logic, and he did not want this kind of conversation in the first place.

....

Christopher placed the bowls of stew down and sat on the bed where he waited for Lily to return. THis was strange really, she was with her husband now... and he had flonked his dick around that man just to tease him with the idea that Christopher had been there... and had done that. Yes he had ... promised... Lily that he would be more careful. THat he would not fight this man, that he would do nothing. But he could not do that, and he was pretty sure she wanted him to fight for her.. so he would...

[Scottie]

Donagh rolled his eyes back to Nicklas as the man snarled and let boredom flood over his features. Yes, he had not been. But his children had. Everyone else in this house had. "Yet you let your children feed from them...interesting." Donagh raised an eyebrow and flicked his eyes to Ansgar. Stefan seemed to tense up with his words and his fingers curled into tight fists. "You do not always get the choice of death, Ansgar...Surely you would understand that." Donagh responded to the man, not shying away from the man's accusations. "I would adore...truly adore to hear how the Elder Jada and her family would respond to that." Stefan continued to tense up and just stared into his bowl of food. Pedro was no longer focusing on Marcus but his brother instead. "S...Sometimes it is not as easy as dying in a fight." Stefan managed to let words drift from his lips. The accent oh so familiar to August and Marcus, yet he spoke with much more confidence than Emma.

"Sometimes...your death is what they want. Having strength...keeping that fighting spirit when they have dragged it from you over and over again...that is more worthy than just dying." Piercing blue eyes were raised to Ansgar and a small shrug was gifted. "Some peoples...don't see death during battle as the highest honour. The highest honour...is protecting your family." Pedro murmured a gentle agreement and moved back to the kitchen to get some more food. He becokened Marcus to join him so he could speak to him a little before the hunt.


....

Her eyes danced over his features, noting every new scar. Every part of him that she had missed. Her fingertips hovered over the scar on his cheek. That was not new, she had seen that before. Bredon smirked softly and brushed his nose against hers. "I....I want time Bredon." The man nodded softly, though he could feel how her thighs tensed under his touch. She wanted him...he could just tell. "W...We will need to discuss this more...G...Give me time." She stammered softly and Bredon brushed some of that wild hair back behind her ears. "Of course petal. We will talk. I am not going anywhere." She nodded in response and with a gentle tap of his shoulder, he sighed back from her. She could still feel the whisper of him pressed against her. Pink stained her cheeks and she let herself wriggle from the table. The tankard of ale was pressed into her palm and with a small swat of her backside, he sent her out the room.

Lily yelped gently but let her feet drag her from the room. Bredon stayed behind a little longer, he did not need to see her wander into the room where Christopher waited for her. Her fingers were tight around the tankard when she came back into the room, nudging the door open with her hip. She let her eyes drag over Christopher before handing him the drink and closing the door. She was curious to why he left, he wouldn't be able to feel someone else coming closer to her....she hadn't felt scared or nervous. Lily wrinkled her nose at the food and came to sitting beside Christopher. Taking his free hand into hers, fingertips dragging over the lines on his palm.[B][I] "Why did you come find me?"

[Dark Pigeon]

A good lesson for Ansgar, he should not judge so quickly over others. Nicklas did nothing to help him, and instead let the shame of what he had said flood over Ansgar. He had always learned, quite like most men in this North. That dying in battle was the only way for a man to ever dine with his gods. Nicklas shared that believe, as did Christopher. But what Nicklas did not believe, was that slavery was a choice. He himself had been treated like a slave, like something worthless by his sire for many a year. A experience that had tought him that such a life was not a choice, but that fighting to stay alive and become free one day was.

When Marcus and August heard that accent, they knew that this man came from the same North as Emma. What surprised them the most had to be that the man was as pale as Emma was, with the same white hair and lavender eyes. Oh if Emma heard about this she would be so happy! Someone to talk to in her very own tongue. If only she was here though, if only she was to hear this man speak now. Marcus nodded in agreement, yes! Slavery was not a choice, staying alive was! He himself was a good example of how a man could be free, how even slaves could earn their freedom. Even if his as short lived as a human. But never had he felt as free when he had met his sire, the man who truly had tought him to live. Only for him to become a strange hybrid between slave and free man when he came in the hands of Iuna. August was smart enough to say nothing. He knew he could be terible towards slaves, and how he had been worse to them when he was human himself. Or how he had inslaved his very own sire from the very beginning.

Ansgar seemed to be a little ashamed, he had forgotten he had been sitting at the same table with a former slave.. and by the sound of it a couple more. "It seems I have forgotten many a thing when I was deep under the ground. Manners is one of them, thinking another. My apologies for what I said, I should have tought of it more.. and will do so in the future" He said gently towards the speaker as he smiled carefully. "Have a lot to learn my friend, and I thank you for your wise words"

This made Nicklas smile a little smile. "Not everything is black and white. If Jada had heard you speak you would wish yourself back in that casket. She would make your balls feel like they burning to a crisp in a fire....... and that is when she's being forgiving" He said chuckling as he patted his oldest Fledging on the shoulder. Ansgar shuffered in fear and nodded, she would indeed make him suffer for his words. "I will pray to the gods that she will never find out. I do not wish to be on the recieving end of her anger" He said nearly whispering, fearing that the walls might have ears.

.....

Christopher smiled a little smile as he watched Lily come back to him in their room, carrying with her a tankard of ale that was clearly for him. "Because I knew he was following you, heard him peeking into our room when he past by" He said sweetly as he took a taste of the ale, while showing her that he had brought something to eat for them. "I brougth us someting to eat, I had taste.. its rather good"

[Scottie]

Stefan could see the surprise light up in Marcus and August's eyes but didn't comment on it. Nor did he respond to Ansgar's apology. It was Pedro who spoke for his brother, though he was now in the kitchen. "Everyone has a different path, young one. Every land has a different story. Be open minded." He said gently before becokening Marcus to follow him into the kitchen. He wished to talk to the man before the hunt.


Donagh raised an eyebrow at talks of Jada and then rolled his eyes. "I would put my money on Amare. Jada has her own story...but Amare would probably have you through a wall. No matter how jolly the giant may appear...everyone has a breaking point." Donagh said as he watched the man before him whisper. It always did amuse him how others were terrified of Jada. For out of all of his siblings children...he hated Jada the least. Mostly because she had that fire burning within her that not so many others did. "Brother." He said bluntly, his attention now on Seran. Seran wanted to knock his brother over the head but he flicked his eyes to Donagh regardless. "Are you gonna give us a show during our hunt?" Seran's eyes lit up with the thought. "Oh I don't think so...Don't want to singe any youngsters." Donagh chuckled. "Or can you not do it anymore?" Oh that started a brotherly argument about whether Seran was too old to properly hunt with them. Morag rolled her eyes and let the two bicker at each other as she sent a glance to Nicklas. "You realise that with everyone out hunting...Lily cannot go...she'll be left here. I am staying with Derren, he is not strong enough. Do you need me to look after her?...Stop her from escaping like the arse she is."

.....

Lily wanted to smile at him but her stomach dropped when he said he had brought food for them. Her fingers patted his arm. "I cannot eat Christopher....Remember." She pushed herself up from the bed and padded over to the small dressing mirror. She plopped herself before it and started to rake her fingers through her hair. Although she was here with him, her mind was spinning. Launching her thoughts in a million different ways.

[Dark Pigeon]

Ansgar nodded, he would try to keep an open mind more often. He had a lot to learn, and he would be the very last to say that he did not. So when Donagh said that he would worry more about Amare then Jada, Ansgar laughed a nervous laugh and nodded in agreement. "I would be very grateful of nobody was to ever tell them of the mistake I made. Even only mentioning it in whispers, will make them come for me. It is as Pedro said, I need to be more openminded, and learn" He said to the man as gently smiled at the one eyed vampire.

Marcus nodded and got from his seat when Pedro hinted at him that they needed to talk. Marcus needed to get on his feet either way, he had to ask his sire if he was allowed to leave the house. He knew that she would say no, come up with all kinds of reasons why he could not. But he so badly wanted to! If anyone had enough protection, even without all those vampires that wished to help him. He was well protected, and one of the few that would be very able to kill... anyone he wished to.

Nicklas was enjoying the childish bickering between Donagh and Seran. And he just knew they were enjoying it as well. Morag loved it, watchign them behave like brothers again. Kara wasn't so sure what to think if it, she was there as well.. nobody was really giving her any attention. SHe could go back to the up-side-down.. nobody would properly care. It was Mouse that broke the silence towards the favorite of the dark one. She gently coughed and started asking questions. Mostly about those other dimentions.. and what the upsidedown was like. THis made Kara feel less like the one left out, and soon the woman started to tell Mouse Everything she wanted to know.

...

"Oh.. fuck.. yeah" Christopher said as he looked at the stew. He had not thought of that. "I am.... shit.. forgot" He said to Lily as he put down his own stew. He would not eat in front of her, he did not want to do so before her. Instead he walked over to her desk and picked up her favorite brush before he walked back to her. "Here, sit still.. I used to do my nieces hair all the time" He said to her gently as he tapped on the matress between his legs. "She was this little thing, 8 years old when I left. Had lovely long blond hair, with this big dramatic curls. She was the child of my mothers brother, big guy! looked like he was angry all the time.. like Nicklas. But boy was he soft hearted. Anyhow.. She loved hanging out with her big nephew ... me. Made me brush her hair, but never braiding! No no, daddy had to do the braiding. " Christopher said chuckling.

[Scottie]

Stefan nodded towards the man and tried to gift him a small smile. But it came across strained. "I will not say anything to them. But you can never be sure what walls hold ears." Pedro raised an eyebrow but continued through to the kitchen with Marcus. "Marcus...If you feel upset or stressed at any point, you need to tell me. You and your brother will come with me. I will make sure you are safe. I need to know...that you trust me." He said softly. Pedro waited until Marcus had a moment to speak before he thought to add something else in. "I will answer any concern you may have. But I want you to know that you will be safe....and that I may have to use my powers...Is that alright?"


Seran continued to bicker with his brother, something about having to teach him a lesson on the true power in their family. Morag rolled her eyes but glanced at Jesse and Kara. Something was so similar about them and yet...their friendship made her stomach flip. Donagh noticed it as well and stretched out in his chair. His cloak seemed to flutter around him as if it was made in shadows. "You should give the little one a show Kara. Show her how you used to hunt." He said his eyes light up with glee. He loved being back around his family. But this was temporary only. They were here until this whole thing was solved with Bredon and Lilith. If that meant dragging Lilith back with them.

Bredon entered the room and dropped off the jug of ale...only to leave again moments later. A glance in his sire's direction was all that was needed. Adrian waited a moment before leaving to follow the bear. Bredon had 50 years on him...and he rarely met others who could shift and when he did, it wasn't for long. He missed spending time with Norin and Lajos. But they were warmer animals, they had a link that he did not. But bears and wolves stayed in the same forest...they were from the same land. Adrian hated Bredon...but he needed answers.

...

Lily knew he forgot. It was so easy to forget now. It had become such a thing of normality. She felt his fingers pick up the brush and she watched him wander away. He tapped the space between his legs and she padded back over to the bed. She rested herself down before him and let his fingers brush through her hair. Her mother used to do this for her. Her mother would braid her hair and add the correct beads and ribbons when needed. Her fingers brushed his thigh so her words could float to him. "My mother used to braid my hair. My father had fat fingers...he couldn't deal with my hair." She chuckled gently and sighed backwards into him. She could remember him teaching her brothers everything...but he could never properly do her hair. It was too wild, not even his strongest chains could tame it. Her fingers left his skin and she found herself lost in her thoughts. After the loss of...it was Bredon who used to do her hair. The one gentle moment they had...

[Dark Pigeon]

Ansgar nodded in agreement, these walls had ears. And knowing Iuna, she would use what he had said against him in the future. Not that he minded Jada or Amare hearing what he had said, they knew Ansgar longer than most people around this table. "If they ever find out, I am sure I get the beating I deserve" He said as he watched Pedro and Marcus walk off. "I t t ttt t tr ttrr trruust yy y you. B bb bbut but thee theee theer there isssssss issssss is nnnn nnn no nnee nneeed. I bb bbb bee been hhh hhhu hhunt hunti hunting bbb bbe bbefffff befffore" Marcus said gently. His true sire had taught him to kill, to do so swift and without suffering for those he fed from. How to remove their memorie, make them believe it was a dream, that they had been drinking to much. "Bb.. bbbb bbut I dd dddd dddo do not mmmmm mmin mind the bbbb bbboth off of usss hunting ttt tt togeth together" He said gently as he gestured the man to come and follow him, So that Marcus could ask premission to leave and go for a hunt.

Kara's eyes lit up when Donagh mentioned her showing Mouse how she used to hunt. She particularly loved to bring people to the up-side-down and make them believe they were being punished for something they had done. It worked best with criminals, or worse.. men that had forced themselves onto women. She truly loved making them suffer and beg. Morag noticed that look in the womans eyes, she herself had been in the up-side-down and dear lord.. she did not fear anything as she did that place. It was nothing but pure evil, the air was thick with it. "Don't, Mouse.. nor anyone.. deseves going there" Morag said with a slight hint of fear in her voice. Only Kara could go there and get out without being hunted down. "Oh come Morag, the child is tougher than she looks. I think she will like it there" Kara said as Mouse became a little unsure of she even liked this entire discussion. " We can find us some evil men, bring them to the upsidedown and make them believe we are the devil. Would you fancy coming as well Donagh, or was ones more then enough?" Kara asked as she remembered how he had begged her to bring him back to the normal world. A world he at least understood.

.......

"I could only braid my own hair, or I waited for one of the many women to do my hair. THey always fancied having their fingers brushing through my blond hair. And occationaly I met a men that wished for the same" Christopher said as he was gently brushing the knots out of Lily's hair. He knew she disliked him talking about the other men and women he bad been. But this was not about sex, this was just women from his village that loved spending time with him. There truly never been a soul in that village that disliked Christopher, each and every single person loved him as a friend.

[Scottie]

Pedro watched the man carefully, letting his finish each sentence before speaking. "I know you have been hunting before. Rarely are there any vampires that don't know how to hunt. I'm saying that I don't think you can...it's just..."He trailed off and gifted the man a small smile. "You are welcome to join me and my brother when hunting. It is just that we all hunt in our own ways. While Bredon shuffles off to bring down man as a bear...Stefon and I...we are more..particular in how we kill our prey. Donagh is one that you will need to stay clear of. When he hunts...he is an animal. I just want you prepared. You could have hunted hundreds...thousands of times before. But you haven't hunted with us." Pedro raised an eyebrow and let the man lead him off to ask for permission...which would be interesting. Pedro was no mere child....he was ages..or maybe even older than Iuna. So he would not bow to her weak attempts at trying to scare him.

Donagh dragged his eyes back to his sister and just blinked slowly. "No. You are not taking her either. Unless you have her permission and the permission of her sire. You can do whatever tricks you want if you stay in this world." His voice was not stern...but yet not kind. More like an older brother talking to a younger sister. "You thought I would like it there...You thought Seran would like it there...You were wrong. That young one does not need another place to terrorize her dreams. She does not need another face haunting her every waking moment." Donagh said rather matter of fact and turned back to Seran. "When do we leave? Daylight is creeping upon us." Donagh did not wish to speak more about Kara's special place. It was not for those of sane mind. He had himself watched men tear the skin from their face when they were faced with it. He had begged...hell he had cried to be freed of it. But he did not want that young vampire going there...he could already tell that she was haunted..he knew these things. He did not need another reason for a council meeting so soon after this one.

.......

Lily nodded softly, not too much as his fingers were still looped in her hair. Of course all the women wanted to braid such golden locks. Her eyes settled on the wall opposite her and she patted his thigh gently. She could sense that he was trying to be as polite as possible. "I know what that is like. I used to braid Bredon's brothers hair when he was younger...then I'd always braid Bredon's beard and hair before battle. You are meant to say words when you do the braiding....words for strength...for victory." She patted his thigh again, "Maybe I can braid your hair one day...I'll try and do a style from your North."

[Dark Pigeon]

Kara frowned, never had she tought that they would like it there.. not really. Maybe she did at the time, but now she knew the true effect of that place upon others. She could remember how they had begged, how they had cried out for help. Even brave Seran, who could have burned the entire place down was not even able to create a simple little flame out of fear. As Donagh reminded her that she could not just toy with the younger vampires like that, she was reminded of how badcrazy she now was, and that never sat well with her. "Lily did not seem to mind it there, she felt rather safe.. for as far one can with me around. It is a perfectly safe place to be. Of you know how to stay away from the monsters and dark gods that call the place home that is" Kara said to defend herself.. not truly realizing the deep hole she was digging for herself now she had told the others where she had gone with Lily.

...........

Marcus knocked on the door and patiently waited for Iuna to call out that he could enter. As she saw that it was Marcus she let out a small sigh and leaned on the desk. "What is it Marcus, what can I do for you this time. I.. hope you have done the tasks I have asked you to do. And have not been hanging out with ... oh..." She saw Pedro standing in the doorway as well and she let out another sigh as she leaned back. She was clearly not happy to see that Marcus had been hanging around with others, and not doing what he was told like she had. "I.. I ccc cccc ccom ccccome tttt ttt ttooo tttoo aaa aa ask iffffff I cca ccca cccaan huuu hhhh hhuu huunt ww wwwwi wwwith tttt tthe oo ooth others" Marcus asked, almost a bit to exited as he truly was looking forward to a hunt. " No need to hunt now is there, we have enough slaves. Of you want to run after your food.. just tell them to start running themselves." Iuna said as she looked over the many scrolls on her desk. She had more to do than listening to her Fledglings beg and ask for anything.

"Pp.. p.. please. " Marcus asked, as he stepped forward. He had not been hunting for a very long time. "Tttt tthe tthe aa aaa aan aancien aaanncients aaa aaar are ggg ggoing, aa aand sssss sss sso iss issss Eee eeeld eelde eelder Nnnn Nicklas" Marcus said gently, never raising his voice or sounding like he was begging. "I take it that August wants to go as well, but is to damn lazy to ask himself" Iuna said, now irritated that Marcus kept asking. THis put a little smile on Marcus his lips as he nodded. Yes, August wanted to go as well, of course he wanted! If anyone loved playing with his food.. it had to be August. (He even likes it more than Christopher!)

............

"I would love that" Christopher said as Lily offered to braid his hair. "Shall I do yours? " He asked her a she looked over her shoulder to her. As she nodded he smiled and gently planted a kiss on her cheek. He was brave enough to battle any army! HE surely was not afraid of her demonic hair. "I truly never seen anyone with hair like yours. IT lookes like a sheep is living on your head. I sometimes think I see it blink! Truly.. will it grow faster if we were to feed it hay?" He asked her, hoping that joking around would help.

[Scottie]

Morag was the first to react the woman's off hand comment. "You took Lily there...." She asked and only when the woman nodded did Morag glance at Seran. Seran took in a deep breath and it seemed like fire flickered behind his eyes. "You took a mind power into that world....you took a child who is not even 100 in that world....What the...I...." He didn't know how to respond. Donagh sighed deeply and kicked his feet out. "Let me guess hm?" He asked Nicklas, not Kara or the others. "Her mind has been unravelling. Angrier than normal. Seems like she is falling apart?" He asked Nicklas with a small smile. "I can remember a young man being dragged into that world. I can remember his mind slowly unravelling because of a punishment. I can remember anger being his only emotion...and he fought out against everyone...forgot his place didn't he Kara?" Donagh let his eyes finally flick to his sister. "You remember taking Caderyn to your world....as punishment. You remember the years I spent afterwards...stopping him lashing out. You remember surely, how he didn't wish to be in your presence after...how the mere sight of you made his mind unravel?" Donagh sighed softly.

"He was 150....imagine a what 80 year old....Imagine a 50 year old. " Donagh's eyes flicked to Mouse before resting back in his chair. "You remember how fragile the mind can be Kara. How even just a little bit of pressure can fuck you up for the rest of your life." He wriggled his fingers at her, showing her and reminding her of the deep scar that rested on the back of his hand. The one he gifted himself after the dark one first twisted his mind. When he was only 20...when his mind was forever placed in the darkness.

...........

Pedro was polite. He always was. He stood there with a neutral expression on his face, not a smile...nor a grimace. Marcus seemed to stutter more than normal, but Pedro listed to every single letter. Iuna so bluntly shot him down and Pedro raised an eyebrow. The thought of forcing slaves to run so they could have a hunt...made him sick to his stomach. Iuna was starting to get on Pedro's nerves, he could understand why so many others hated her.

"If I may." His voice echoed beside her ear as his lips remained shut. "All ancients are attending the hunt. Elder Nicklas is attending with two of his fledglings I am presuming. Ancient Donagh is leading the hunt alongside Ancient Seran. They will ensure that Marcus is safe." Pedro did not gift her a chance to respond. "I have requested to hunt alongside Marcus. He has agreed that if his powers were to take over or he was to feel overwhelmed that I may put him to sleep until we return home. I have interacted with his demons before, I can ensure his safety on this hunt." Pedro stopped and waited for the woman's eruption of anger. She did not strike him as one that did well with getting instructions from another or hell even hearing a plan that she had no part in.

............

She gave him a small nod, feeling his chin brush her shoulder. Lily sighed softly as his lips pressed into her cheek. She raised an eyebrow with his response. IT. Her fingers danced over his knee. "It. I will have you know that my hair is gorgeous." A gentle chuckle followed her response and she promptly turned herself in his lap and pressed a hand to his chest. Keeping her words trickling through his skull. "You better watch out golden man...It may eat you up in your sleep"