Post by Queen Beathag Aberdeen on Mar 24, 2009 13:19:46 GMT -6
"I will give you safety against the demons by opening my Gates to you. It would seem, that really your gates are my own now, but there lurks something behind them that takes all the color from the bravest men."
Ireland
* Also appears in Chronicles, War Redux *
Jack: What would the Lady Griffin make of that the note that was ferried to her? It had been delivered by courier, a young midshipman from the Fleet, who hand delivered it. Given the message, there was little mystery to who had penned it. The message read: "I would speak with you on an important matter. I shall be accompanied. - Jack." (d)
Beathag:Little fan fare and a name signed 'Jack' gave way to who it was, unless the Duchess had suddenly become a fool during her reign. This was not the case, nor was it ever to be. So she remained in the Great Room a'waiting the Irishman while others were told to return later. How much later? The maids and valets were told that no other business unless it was that of family or the urgency of attack would trump this, on par with either. (d)
Jack:The maids and valets would be left to wonder, mystified, when the Lord-Admiral did in fact arrive -- with his accompaniment. Had the Lady Griffin - or her servants, for that matter? - to have expected the Irishman to be accompanied by his mistress, Maggie? They would be, no doubt, surprise with who accompanied the Lord-Amdiral: a group of men, each dressed in clothing that marked them out as either merchant (or sucessful privateers). The Lord-Admiral spoke them quietly, before informing one of the valets that he had arrived. Like the men who came with him, the Lord-Admiral was dressed in his navy uniform. While his left arm was still in a sling, that sling betrayed some of the reason for this meeting. The sling was made of green cloth, emblazoned by a repeating pattern of silver shamrocks. (D)
Beathag: Accompaniment or literal cavalcade? Beathag had expected him to arrive perhaps one or two strong, but the three and higher number surpassed expectation to make the Lady Griffin arch her brow in astonishment. It seemed as a called council were conveying at the castle at his insistance and the price of her curiosity would be required for admission. Now for the men, were they a'sitting or standing? Did they talk to her directly or merely look as if to prove some piece of story true that a powerful man lived here and his wife was truly on par with him in stature of the physical and government ruling? "Come then, wot be the tidin', Jack? Ye bring half o' the neighborin' ocean with ye must be some tae dae." (d)
Jack:Everyman present, from the Lord-Admiral to accompanying captians, would remain standing until given leave to sit. While they may have been pirates and privateers, they were not heathens or savages. The men that had accomapnied her bonded brother seemed at a loss to do, only bowing when the Irishman lead them to it. That, the fact the men had gone to Jack instead of another member of the Griffin Court, was telling. "Apologies, m'lady...." He rose from his bow, "These men 'ave come to ask a favor o' ye. Allow me ta introduce ye tae...." And he would introduce each man - nearly all captains - and anme the ship they captained. Jack met his bonded sister's eyes, saying, "Iffen ye remember, m'lady, the gentlemen were our allies durin' the Battle of Raamasy Sound...." (d)
Beathag: She bid them sit though it seemed men in anxiousness always stood, favoring the fidget of their boots to stand in for some sort of action until favor was levied. Unto each man she made do to remember his name by the name of his vessel. A mighty name went with the highest man among them. The name of a woman, one who seemed a lover. An ancestral hero, with a devoted native son. "Ah remember. Please, come tae sit." She acknowledged the seats posisitioned in a semi-circle before her own high backed chair, "Sit ye down n' tell me wot the matter is. Ye tae, brother. Wot e'ere it be I would venture it of importance if each man has a favor tae ask o' meh, which thye should feel free tae, heroes of Rassay sound." (d)
Jack:It was not odd that the men should follow the Irishman in their lead, they were well enough used to it. Ater a few moments pause, Jack said, "These 'ere are heroes o' more battles than just Rassay Sound, m'lady. They served m'self an' tha late Ceannfort faithfully durin' our trials in Ulster....." Ah. That already explained much of it. "What these men t'would ask of ye tis..." He paused, before motioning. One after another, in no particular order, the men would speak. Some would describe a mother and child sheltering a house inUlster, some only had the child and extended family. Others had no wives or children, but still worried for those older or younger than themselves. They all asked, however, for the same boon: that their families in Ireland be brought here, to the safety of Skye. (d)
Beathag: "Is tha' sae.." Her respect for them grew double in light of the call they answered to Jack even after the fall of Dunlace. It had happened so long ago now that they could have made their own way in the world, but did not. Loyalty was a thick, bull headed quality in Celtic blood that kept a person bonded to the landscape until they had all but to be pried from the foundation stones of a crumbling house. Man after man spoke of kin that were left on Irish shores and man after man asked that they be brought here to the safety of Skye. For the first time, the thought weighed on her that the Ceanfortt had died in battle for the safety of her people. The parallel between her story and Beathag's was no great distance, save in that Beathag forfeit her blade for the might of the proverbial pen. Mighter than steel, with ink to parchment she saw the spell-binding quality of history writ by the fingers of men who changed the course so that now these men asked Alba's daughter for salvation for the children of Eire. Mo'r Oukselo High Lady ...indeed. Sucking in a discrete amount of air to fill her lungs she gave a nod of head. "O'course, they are all tae come immediately. We are a haven fer any tha' seek it." Ireland was in the fight of its life as the war machine rolled to its near climax. If Turas Lan had been only briefly choked, and Scotland half free, than Ireland was both choked entirely and struggling all over. "Ye will see which o' fleet may accompany ye." The Gold fleet, the war ships, were in repair. Some of the protective black fleet might do it, but perhaps..hmm. "Take some o' the white fleet, from the shippin' lanes, tha' have repaired since the battle fer this venture. They are as heavily armed, n' have a guardian ships sail in discretion sae they are nay spotted. " Not only could they be brought over, but in a move that left some of the captains astonished the lady was offering the fleet's own ships for the Admiral's disposal."Make haste with them, at once, tae Ireland." (d)
Jack: The Lord-Admiral inclined his head, "As m'lady wishes..." When given leave, he rose. This was followed by his fellow captains. Then, one at a time, the Irish captains would offer a bow to the Lady Griffin before departing. The Irishman lingered a while, before he smiled and said, "Thank ye...." (d)
Beathag: "How could e're I say no, Jack." She said in earnest, brow furrowing in the wake of each man's absence until she turned to look at the great hall from the Great Room, where banner's hung until the doors were closed while the maids cleaned inside, preparing for the great exhange ceremony coming. "Ah realize tha' we will be takin' signs n' sigils from further away now, n' as such our reach is e'en further extendin' n' the world will want tae see wot can be done. Ah dun believe in sufferin' Jack. Ah think Eire of all has been strugglin' the hardest.....I read the reports they send Ahdam." (d)
Jack:The question was, had any of those reports found their way toward Jack's desk? There was a nod of his head, before smiling, "Tha Irish'll come out on top... they shall be whippin' tha English... er makin' tha English more Irish than tha Irish....." There was a smile as he went to stand beside the Duchess. He studied the banners that were displayed, before saying, gently, "Iffen ye t'would accept, I shall be givin' ye tha banner tha' flew upon m'flagships an' Dunluce...." Had either noticed that one of theolder veterans had paused, as the Irishmen had gone to depart? He walked back, slightly unsure, before saying, "Beggin' yer pardon, m'lady, dae tha reports say anythin' o'er tha new Governor tha' tha Anglish 'ave put inta place?" (d)
Beathag:"Ye may offer it, Jack, n' glady would Ah see it lifted with the others. Long is our reign's reach n' longer the lineage. Ah only pray tha' it will dae as good now fer this is the stickin place. How close to the end we are." Her voice grew distant as if gazing over the cliff to see what lay at the bottom of the ravine. Unknown to her was the final outcome but Adam had gone on about it for months by way of his dreams, and no one could quell him of it but Eirian. Even then, none would speak of what the seer foretold. To the matters at hand, she shook her head, "Only in tha' he is a righteous bastard o' a man. Think we may 'ave tae see him out o' his fine new esttae." She grinned, in that saying if they had such say, certainly no villian would govern the celts for they grew tired of villiany, tryrany, and vices. "Know ye his name?" (d)
Jack: Both, of course, should have been concerned when the old sea captain looked ten degrees of surprised. Without thinking, he blurted out, "Ya dun knae it?" An amused quirk of Jack's brow brought the man back to where they were. The man cleared his throat, "Apologies, m'lady..... I dae. I just assume tha'..... with tha Lord-Admiral bein' who 'e is an' all.. I figured news already...." He sighed. He looked at Bess and then Jack. It was while looking at Jack, that man, "Aye, m'lady. I dae.... Tha Governor o' Ireland, er sae tha Anglish style 'im, tis Sir Andrew Flynn." Jack blinked, then said, with certainty, "Impossible......." Jack looked to Bess, "Tha's m'father...." (d)
Beathag:"Nay, I dun. Sae if ye've news tae offer out with it! This isn't Ireland lad, n' Ah read scrolls nay minds." Even on parchment recorded first hand news could still miss details of importance, a name, a face, a place were often left out and thus left to supposistion. The man feigned that with Jack's posistion surely it was aware...so then was the man in question aware of Jack? Her concern grew with the utterance of the name Flynn, turning her head to reel at the Admiral. Knocked back, Jack conveyed relation that drew the woman from her chair in a slow way that emphasized every inch of her height, thus each inch of her displeasure. "Sir Flynn? Well, then we need news n' all matter of things on this...sae find me someone tha' has seen the man close up these last pair o' months and Ah want tae know exactly when he was installed! Can ye dae this?" She charged the Captain, and he, given official task, decided he would not fail! For her part she turned to the astonished Admiral for whom all color was leaving his face. "Jack, Jack ye alright?"(d)
Jack: The Irishman was, honestly, not quiet sure. "... I dunnae, m'lady..." He sat down. He took a deep breath, opening his heads. For most Irish boys, their nightmars had been of the Wild Hunt and the other fae of their homeland. For Jack? His nightmare had been a waking one. The walls of the house that he had grown up in had been thin, so even at night he'd been able to hear Andrew beat on Rachel. Jack blinked his eyes and a tear ran down his cheek. There was something heavy in his heart, when he at last spoke, "The fooker.... 'ow can 'e be alive after I marooned 'em on tha' island?" Even twenty years later, Andrew Flynn was still the blackhearted villian of Jack's past. (d)
Beathag: "Jack, ye must beh calm or ye'll make ye heart burst,"How many men and women out of shock and strong emotion had a heart that gave out on them? Still recovering from battle, she put a hand out over his chest to make sure the instrument of his life kept on, as if that action alone would will it to beat. His face was so ashen gray that she called at once for a healer no matter what the man would say in protest, if he could raise one! "Ah dun know, Jack, Ah dun know.." She took on a soothing, soft voice as her arms went about him. Looking to the fire she dared to imagine a man Jack's senior, for he was forty-five! This meant that this man, elder than perhaps even Maubrey, was in the same category of wicked, steeled evil that knew no age. Sir Flynn? The man must have had nary a soul for an Irish that sold himself to the English was damned as far any could foretell. "Jack, look at me aye?" (d)
Jack: As near as the healer could tell, the Irishman was - understandably - in great shock at the news. The remedy for thsi even would be time, but another was found at home: Jack's family. It t'was affirmation that Jack was not the same as his father. As the healer began treating Jack, he would nod quietly. He turned to meet Bess' eyes, to look her in them. He was shocked, aye. But there was something else beginning to grow there: a hatred of his father that would be quenched only his father's blood. Now, however, such an outcome was but the faintest of sparks in other wise surprised eyes. (d)
Beathag: I've seen this before.. the voice of the woman said I've seen this before and it drives men to the end.. The eyes darkening as the call for blood from the Morrigu thundered. If one saw a raven outside it would be no coincidence to children of olden ways that a blood pact with the Goddess would still be made and paid by those whom she favored teach her art of war. What story was this! Still, even if you weren't a heathen wild child, it was easy to know hatred among any thing else. Still, it even his breath and made his shocked gaze steady enough for the healer to say that he was not suffering from a ceasing of his heart, but it had gone too fast for his liking. Have a care, the healer, a man with grey hair in his black said ,"Ye are not a young fellow anymore. Any man with a face like that Mo'r Oukselo deserves a hard drink. Tell him to rest, this war will drive men to their grave long before the battle field." Nodding her head, she immediately sent for aged Irish whiskey that he might draw from his country's own succor as she knelt at his side "Ye frightened the 'ell out o' me. Dun nay look at yer woman tha' way nor ye daughter with such eyes. M'niece must not see such eyes!" She whispered low, shutting her own as she said. "It will be set to right Jack." (d)
Jack: The Irishman was quiet for a long while, listening to the healer talk about him - surely, the healer had tried talking to him ... but Jack hadn't heard - before the healer departed. What would Bess do, when Jack closed his eyes? To have a shudder run through him. It was not a sign of a medicial condition, for there had been some sound in his throat. Something that sounded like a sob. When the Irishman opened his eyes, he looked at Bess with new eyes. These eyes, while Jack's, didn't seem to belong to the man and station that Jack had become. There was something to these eyes. Something young, something vunerable. These were the eyes of a young Jack. One would had nestled into the arms of Lady Ciera, his true mother, who had comforted him those nighs when his father was on a tear. The eyes that needed to be comforted, that needed soothing. There was a bit of hope at her words. "Dae ye truly mean such a thin'?" But there was almost something heart wretching in those younger eyes: the hope was tainted... jaded... Many times before, had Lady Ciera or Rachel made the promise that everything be alright. It wasn't until Jack had gotten near two decades on the earth, that he was able to make things better on his own. Or so he had thought, until now. (d)
Beathag:"Aye, we will. We will! Twill be made better n' twill nay rise up after the end." Astonishment! Eyes of murder went now to the youth within who never had a chance to be appeased. A man's eyes could change with the tide, and none so true was those on oceans. What would he have done, had any other seen him this way? What would have had said to swallow up what made his heart stop, his body crippled? "Ye rest now, aye. N' the Griffin will set tae right wot could n'er be done before. The Griffin gaes tae Eire, n' she will be free again.....n' you, Jack Flynn, and you." She thought of her true half-brother, and her other, Caldean and Maahes Then came the thoughts to men like Kendrew who were older, and to the dead Jonas, once a friend. Things such as this could cripple a man at any age, had she not seen it? So sick with words that could not be said Eamonn nearly died. Kendrew had been beaten in battle but was close to surrendering as the world changed around him, and Maahes, Caldean? What of the others and by Gods what if such a thing happened to Adam? (d)