True north

I've walked the earth and there are so few here that know.
How dark the night, and just how cold the wind can blow.

His body hadn't adapted well to the sudden change of temperature and climate. From the moment he set foot in the heat of Ishguard, his body had made him regret every step he would set further in this cursed place. The busier street, the more flamboyant and outgoing characters that walked the streets in all the comfort of city life. Brann had learned to accept in Raveryn, many years of hard work on the freezing docks had made him resistant to it all. But down here- it was all so different...Brann hated different. Hated change, for all he wished now was to return home, and it struck him by surprise that for the first time, that wasn't the woods he had grown up in, but rather the comfort of the castle in Raveryn, the comfort of Ran's annoying presence near him.

The first weeks he had stuck by her side whilst his health had faltered, watching her closely, guarding her as her right man hand. People had looked upon him strangely- the big bear pauper, next to plain royalty. A righthand man taken directly off of the streets with little to nothing to his name. And a druid at that. He found it rather amusing if he had to be honest- humans and their pride, their royal bloodlines. Where he came from it was straight-up survival of the fittest, those who were stronger made it. Just as he had made to right hand by skill of fist alone. But just as everything- things were different within societies boundaries. He had taken to them rather well over the years without losing the spirit of his home..he was more bendable it seemed than a certain other druid . Brann clenched his jaw tightly as he thought of her whilst sitting on one of the many overly decorated park benches out on the courtyard, a warm sunset colouring the scene a beautiful orange. He had gotten better certainly- able to breath without coughing his longues up at last. And he balded his fists as the stories of that night from two days ago repeated within his mind. He had been too sick to attend that day- Ran had forbid him from going- 'u will sick up the place with that nasty virus of urs' she had sworn. And he had snarked, and he had stayed behind. Only to be woken up by her later that night, bringing him news that most definitely interested him. Freya was in jail, she fucked up again and this time- this time it would be final. A murderer she was. Brann had always known she had evil in her veins- she broke every law both Druid and Human. Kept dead animals as trophies, hunted for sport- for joy.

She had always made him sick...He hadn't known any other reaction than "Of course." Of course she would go as far. Of course she killed the prince and of course tried to do the same to his father- in public. It angered him knowing she had done it with no regrets. She deserved everything thrown at her.

+Ran

I've no more kept my warmth.
Than blood upon the snow.

Much thank Nien x

she laughs at fear, she does not shy away from the sword.

It had been quite some eventful weeks in Ishgard. And the longer it took, the longer she longed for home. Not long now, anyways. They had done what they had come to do and they would soon board that narrow riverboat again and sail home. She longed for a brisk wind again. She would personally ride up north until she saw the snow again, hunt for Northern Lights on dog sleds if she had to. Because she had grown sick of the comfortable summer nights here. Some of her staff really had gotten ill. Even her most dearest friend. His presence was missed by her side.

As she walked down from the castle for a last time - she had to tell everything she knew about Freyja. It was quite embarrassing that one of her citizens - well, she didn't live in Norwyn - had done such a thing. She felt responsible, even if it was completely out of her power. She could at least have noticed something, knew something. But she didn't. Nothing. Not even Brann, who reacted very breezy about it all. She suspected that there was more hiding beneath the surface, but she didn't press him about it. If he wanted to talk about it, he would. Maybe he would never. And she wouldn't think anything other about him.

But for now, finally, the parties and meetings had stopped. She had ordered her household to start packing everything. Norwyn had been empty of her presence long enough, and she would not have been surprised if everything had went to shit there too. But as she walked back down to the Trygg estate, her eyes just fell on the silhouet of a very familiar man, brooding on a park bench. A silent smile adorned her lips for a second, as she approached him from the back. She didn't hesitate long to rest her fingertips on his shoulder as she turned around to face him, looking down at his stark features. ‘‘Feeling better?’’

Rán took place beside him on the bench and looked over the courtyard clearing. Flowers in every colour you could imagine were blooming, insects were buzzing in the sunset sky and the wind seemed to be non-existent in this place. It was like it wasn't Ravaryn, but this place had sprouted from the pages of a storybook. She scoffed at the sight as she leaned back. ‘‘We'll be home soon enough, you'll be back to normal before you know it.’’

into the fray

The quiver rattles against her side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement she eats up the ground. She cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.

I've walked the earth and there are so few here that know.
How dark the night, and just how cold the wind can blow.

art by: faeily

For a moment he was home - as her hand slid over his rope-carved strong shoulder. A faint smile adorning his lips when the two faced each other once more. He did not spook, for he had sensed her before she made her presence known to him. The scent of true north ran clearer among the false summer around them. And the press of her fingers brought ease upon an otherwise often uneasy man.

"Am fine" he blurted, a cough followed shortly- after she asked how he was feeling, seemingly trying to move forward from their conversation just a week ago where he'd stated he felt horrible and everything sucked and everything was awful and he was just s o sad...a moment of weakness truly. And even though it had been a moment shared with her- he was still a bit embarrassed to have broken down like that beside her. Being sure she'd tease him about it forever. He wasn't quite ready to admit to himself how much he liked it when she did that, he had not yet accepted the amused smile on his face that'd show up. "Way better now that I can breath" he added, trying to emphasise once more how bad he had felt for himself. Just before she could possibly make a joke out of it.

The governess pressed forward, sitting down beside him amidst the orange garden. Somehow these moments still felt important to him, those where they'd just sit out the evening or night. They could spend an entire day together working, yet seeing each other after still felt like a treat somehow. He nodded his head when she spoke of returning home to their beautiful winter- their home. "God- I can not wait" he achoed her scoff as he looked around the place "This place feels off." The druid continued before resting his eyes on her once more, nudging his strong shoulder against hers "Sucks you got to be so bold and out there Rán " A mischievous smirk followed after his words.

" If you hadn't been, they might not have noticed if we just bolted off." he joked. Ran made her presence known no matter where she turned, she wore her boldness as a shining crown, her iron heart on her chest. Admirable, honourable- things that were easy for him to understand. She was easy for him to understand, a safe moment among the brawling wilds of Ishgard.

I've no more kept my warmth.
Than blood upon the snow.

Much thank Nien x

she laughs at fear, she does not shy away from the sword.

Rán smiled heartily when he coughed immediately after telling her he was fine. She tilted her head sideways for a bit, but she understood him very clearly. People like them would never admit they were under the weather. They would just endure it silently. And it was a bit embarrassing to catch a cold as a Northerner, just because it was too warm.

A chuckle left as he told her that he could breathe. ‘‘Well, I'm glad you can as well,’’ she mused as she slumped down into the bench. She could wholeheartedly be herself around him. They could bicker and tease each other endlessly, moan about their lives without filter, and laugh at the stupid people of the capital. ‘‘I missed having you around. I don't know how much longer I could pretend how honoured I was to be here,’’ she sighed dramatically. To be honest, it wasn't all that bad. But most of it had been. The crown princess had been the biggest surprise. That girl wasn't half bad. But most of them were.

So when the conversation withdrew towards going home, it was obvious how much he missed it as well. He even went as far as that this place was "off". She looked at him for a second and pouted her lips as she pondered over those words. Yes, this place was different. And she understood what he meant. But it was still Ravaryn and they shared their beliefs. It mostly was the air that was different, and why Brann had fallen ill. She understood why he disliked it so.

The governess was pulled out of her thoughts as he nudged against her and she rolled her eyes at his words. ‘‘I am a governess,’’ she said with a sarcastic undertone. ‘‘They can't do anything to me if I just decide to go away.’’ She turned her head to him and raised her eyebrows at him. ‘‘Do you want to go? Let's just do it.’’ Her eyes had grown sparks in them at only the idea of sailing down the river and entering their icy port, shining in the sunlight. She would get herself a horse and ride into the snow at the first opportunity. She desperately needed to empty her mind.

into the fray

The quiver rattles against her side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement she eats up the ground. She cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds.