[center][h2][color=f26522][i] SHIPS AFIRE[/i][/color] [/h2][/center]

After talking to Harek and checking in with Aksel, Reidun was helping gather the weapons and shields from the dead when she heard a familiar voice.

Conall had been helping with moving some of the wounded and the dead and whatever else he could do to help.  After helping some, he saw Reidun helping with the dead.  Approaching he said in a caring tone[color=green] “Glad to see you’re alright.  Do you need any help?” [/color] As he finished he motioned to take the weapons she was carrying to lighten her load.      

Reidun let him take some of it from her and she smiled. [color=f49ac2]“No, this is the last of it. Aksel will split the monetary treasures accordingly and we will re-arm those that lost their equipment in battle.”[/color] Reidun glanced up at Conall. [color=f49ac2]“At some point it might be a good idea for you to check up on Harek. I spoke to him earlier and he seems a little off down. Maybe it’s just the battle today, Maybe not. How are you faring? Any battle wounds to heal up?”[/color] She asked as she casually looked him over for injuries.

Conall let what she had just said about Harek sink in.  It was odd as he never remembered him being this way after combat.  Then again it had been a long time since their last raid together so something may have happened since then. [color=green] “Ay I’ll make sure to check up on old fool.”[/color]  Conall looked down at her to see her looking him over with a hint of fear that he might be hurt.  This made him smile at the thought of someone caring so much for him.  [color=green]“I should be fine I only got glanced in the shoulder by a arrow.” [/color] he said using his thumb to point to his left shoulder.  [color=green]“What about you?  Did someone dare lay a hand on you?” [/color] He said with a serious tone like he was ready to kill someone but held somewhat joking tone.      

Reidun chuckled at his question.[color=f49ac2] “Oh they dared but they did not succeed in stopping me and some lost a hand for it, others lost a life. I’m not so easily killed as that. Just a couple of scrapes and cuts to clean up. There is nothing serious to worry about.”[/color] Picking up the last of the weapons she carried them to a stack they had piled up just inside the castle. 

Reidun got to the edge of the castle and looked up at the sky towards the water. Smoke? Why would there be smoke? Oh no! The ships! Racing out of the castle and towards the water she could see their ships on fire.  Rushing past Conall she yelled, [color=f49ac2]“They’ve set the ships afire!”[/color]

Conall had barely entered the castle when he saw Reidun rush past him in a fit of anger and surprise.  After hearing about the ships Conall dropped what he was holding and rushed after Reidun making sure to keep and eye out for the culprits of burning their ships.  

Staring at what little was left as the ships blazed like an inferno Reidun’s heart raced. [color=f49ac2]“They must have gone around and-”[/color] Reidun’s eyes widened at the thought of those at the outpost. She reached down and grabbed her axe from her waist and headed towards the outpost at a full run towards the woods. Aksel saw Reidun and Conall ahead and turned towards the outpost assuming that they would have gone there next. His war cry sounded in Reidun’s ears as she reached the outpost.

Conall had for the most part zoned out only seeing red from his anger at letting the enemy sneak past him and burn their ships.  This anger fueled his sprint to the outpost as he sped past the other raiders.  Finally arriving at the outpost what he saw enraged him, 5 fellow raiders lay on their backs with lifeless faces.  Conall let out a roar that would have scared death itself.  Conall ran at a full sprint in the direction that the bodies had pointed to.  Entering the forest Conall had lost all sense in what was happening all he could focus on was finding who did this and tearing them limb from limb for what they had done.

Reidun watched Conall and heard his anguish. That scared her more than anything she had seen thus far. He was faster than she was and he had much longer legs. When she caught up to him it was to find the outpost empty of soldiers and all that was there were bodies of dead vikings.  She ignored Aksel when he got there and started yelling orders and curses. Conall looked to be losing his mind with grief. He darted into the darkness of the woods.

Reidun ran into the woods with a little more caution than Conall did. She wasn’t sure what animals lived in these woods and she didn’t want to run off of a cliff because she didn’t see it. [color=f49ac2]“Conall!” [/color]Hearing him barrelling through the trees up ahead she sprinted after him. She knew the English soldiers wouldn’t stick around. They were vastly outnumbered it would be suicide to stay and fight the vikings.[color=f49ac2] “Conall please! They are gone!”[/color]

Conall’s sight had finally come back to him at the sound of Reidun’s voice.  Conall slowed down to a stop as he finally got his senses.  Conall stopped for a moment before finally dropping to his knees letting out another roar full of anger and despair.  Finishing the hellish sound Conall slammed both of his fists into the ground.  He kept seeing flashes of his past and of the events of that night in his village.  He was using all of his will to stop from entering into a blind fit of rage again or from breaking down into a crying infant. 

Reidun finally caught sight of him and slowed to a walk. She saw him on his knees and it tore at her heart. Figuring that this brought back old memories she put her hand on his shoulder and walked in front of him and dropped to her knees. Reaching out to him she pulled herself into his arms and when his arms wrapped around her she could feel the weight of the world on his shoulders. [color=f49ac2]“Everything will be okay. We’ll find them and then they will die. This is not our fault. It’s not your fault. It just is...the gods’ will. We don’t have to understand it. Maybe Odin wanted them to fight and punished them for not doing so.” [/color]

Conall could barely keep the tears back when he felt Reidun slip next to him or when he heard her reassuring words.  Conall honestly tried to take her words to heart but he couldn't deep down he thought that he could have done something.  Conall sat for a moment in silence trying to gain his baring in the swirl of emotions he was feeling.  [color=green]“Whoever did this had to have been in the city and ran making it my fault so don't dare tell me it is the way of your gods”[/color] he said in anger snapping at Reidun as he unintentionally threw her away from him.  Once he had finished his head slumped back down at the realization of what he had just done.  Tears began streaming down his face as he yet again buried his face in the dirt. [color=green] “What a monster I have become that I would hurt the people I love most.”[/color]  He said to himself in a low voice that unbeknownst to him she had heard.  What he said next he made sure was loud enough for her to hear. [color=green] “Reidun you need to run and get away from me I'm too much a danger to be near you.” [/color]    

Reidun had only fallen backwards but she stared at him as she heard his words. She picked herself back up and went back to him.  [color=f49ac2]“I’m not leaving you. Let me help you.”[/color] Gently she sat next to him and rubbed his back hoping it would help him to know she was there for him. [color=f49ac2]“I’m not so delicate as all that and I know you won’t hurt me. I know your heart.”[/color]

Conall was touched that she was trying to help him but was worried that he would hurt her or worse she would die because of him.  [color=green]“But you don't know what I have done, the things that been caused because of me.” [/color] He said feeling the floodgates opening. [color=green] “It feels like i'm constantly followed by death itself as it takes from me everyone I hold dear.  And what about just now?  I hurt you out of a small anger.  What happens when I completely lose it when I'm near you?”  [/color]

Reidun thought for a moment and said,[color=f49ac2] “You did not hurt me. Death follows all of us, it is not just you. I’ve lost all except you and Aksel. If you think that you just hurt me you must think I’m as frail as a flower. I am not and if you started fighting with me I would kick your arse. Don’t even think twice about it. You are no monster. If you were I could hardly love you now could I?”[/color]

Conall had been shocked at her statement.  Sure the part about beating him was a stretch but he would let it slide for now.  He chuckled at the thought of him actually losing to her.  But then Conalls thoughts went back to her statement.   He had thought he had the same feelings for her otherwise he wouldn't be opening up this much.  It also seemed as though the weight he carried with him was less when around her.  He sat there for a moment just thinking about everything that was happening and contemplating how much he should tell her of his past.   

Reidun smiled at the look on his face when she told him that she loved him. Taking his hand in hers she wondered where they would be in a year or so.[color=f49ac2] “What is on your mind that has you so upset? Your old village? That was not your fault either. You can’t save everyone Conall.”[/color] Reidun leaned into him.

[color=green]“Aye it is my old village.  Well what's left of it anyways.” [/color] saying those words hurt Conall to his core.  [color=green]“And I know I cant save everyone but that is how I was brought up since I was a lad in me tribe.”[/color]  Conall looked down once again, he hated opening up these old wounds. [color=green] “And it's more of what I did that night that tears at me heart every night.” [/color] Holding her hand tight he felt fresh tears roll down his face. [color=green] “That was the night you could say I truly earned my title of Berserker as your people call it or as mine called me.  ‘Demon of the Wolves’.”[/color]

Reidun wiped the tears from his eyes softly.[color=f49ac2] “Tell me what happened that made you so fierce.”[/color] She said quietly seeing his grief. 

Conall could still see the events as clear as day.  [color=green]“My clan was one of many in our homeland.  While our island was full of many tribes ours was considered to be one of the forces in all the lands.  We would raid the english coast and be feared when ever we stepped foot on the beaches.  However we were different from most clans.  Unlike most we were not savages.  We never killed the civilians or burned down their houses.  We also would make sure to leave enough supplies for the surviving families to live off of until they got aid from their king.”[/color]  Conall took a breather letting Reidun soak it all in.  Beginning again Conall started.  [color=green] “Unlike yours and Aksel’s homeland were the tribes for the most part stay out of each other's way, my lands are in constant war with each other and constantly trying to strike the others down.  While this rarely happens in full effect i've seen it happen twice in my time on this earth.  Once my clan utterly decimated one of our southern neighbors for betraying us.  To some it may seem harsh but to our clan where loyalty is everything this is the gravest of sins.  The other time was a group of clans that formed together because they feared my people.  They are known as Ulster.”[/color]  Conall’s breath hitched a bit at remembering his clan's greatest opponent and unknowingly at the time, their last.      

Reidun listened intently and nodded in understanding. [color=f49ac2]“Alright. Keep going.”[/color] She said seeing him upset by the memory. She rubbed his upper back softly as he spoke to her. She wanted to calm him.

Finding it easier to continue with her support he continued with the tale.  [color=green] “When there was another clan that wiped out another i was talking about the Ulster clan.  One night we were celebrating and preparing for  a raid on the Coast line of these here isles.  However that raid never came.  Come the morning my home was a wasteland of fires and of dead bodies.  We had been attacked in the night by the Ulster clan.  They had hoped that we would unprepared but luckily because we were expecting a raid most of the men had their weapons handy.  The battle was intense and furious unlike any i have seen to this day, and it only got worse.  In the middle of fighting i heard my name called out in pain.  When i turned to look i saw my mother....”[/color]  Conall took as quick pause this was the moment that changed his life forever, this solid moment was the event that lead him to this point.  [color=green]  “I saw my mother being cut down in front of me.  The last thing i remember was seeing nothing but red and entering something like most berserkers do but many times stronger.  I completely lost it killing anything that moved in my path.”[/color]  he buried his face in Reiduns shoulder.  [color=green]  “I wouldn't care if it was only the enemy but i can see the faces and the voices of those in my tribe.  Those i fought with and would've laid down my life for all dead by my hand.  When I came to I was the only living thing left.  The village was a mass of dead bodies and burning buildings.”[/color]  Conall stayed quiet for a moment.   [color=green] “I am the last of my people, the last of the MacTyre tribe.  I guess that is my curse from my gods,  to be the last of my kind and to be haunted by their faces and screams every night.”[/color]

Conall stayed quite waiting to see how Reidun would react to this story.  He in all honesty didn't know what to expect he had never let out that information before to most he just said he left his tribe long ago.    

Reidun felt her own tears well up and she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly. She let him cry and get his feelings out. [color=f49ac2]“It’s over now. You are not cursed. You are just a man with a lot of terrible pain in his past. Most men are not strong enough to stay pure of heart after something like that. You are. I think that makes you a man that you can be proud of. A man that I am proud of.”[/color] She reached up and kissed him softly. 
[@sly13]