>>5221900>>5221909>>5222678It's snowing lightly as your party approaches the hold, and a small group of mounted guards rides out to meet you. Your personal banner flying alongside the Order's, it is a simple matter for the escort to bring you all inside the walls. The horses and carts are once again put to order and quarters found for the initiates and knights. You are dismounting yourself as a group of guards approach you, one leading your horse away. A familiar voice meets your ears.
“Welcome home, my Lord.” You turn to find Elpest, now accoutered in your house colors. He gives a quick salute. He seems to have adjusted well to his new circumstances as it appears he is already in charge of some of the other men within the garrison.
“Elpest. I take it you are well?”
He gives a sad smile and nods his head. “It was hard at first, Lord, but I have managed. I want to thank you for what you did for Aeflyn and I. I was surly with you before and it was unbecoming. We owe you.”
You look him in the eye. “Do your duty well and you owe me nothing besides that, Elpest. The Lady Moira is in the hall?”
“Yes, Lord. She sent me to fetch you after you made your way inside the walls.” He is dismissed with a nod as you go to find Alys, who had returned to the carts as you rode in from the rise. She's securing her tools and tinctures as you approach.
“Alys, where's the child? I think we should get this over with.” She places the last of her items in her satchel and drops down from the cart she was rifling through.
“With the nursemaids in the next cart. He's doing fine. I can have them bring him with us. You came to a decision then?”
You look around for a moment, and no one is nearby. “Mother will figure it out on her own. But that's it, otherwise we go with the story.”
She sighs. “Alright Will, let's go then. It will be good to see Lady Moira at least.” The two of you proceed to gather the child and place him with one of the hold's nursemaids, the one who had cared for him on the road clearly relieved to have a much needed break after the journey. They then follow you to the central keep of Hold Campbell. The iron studded, heavy oak double doors that lead inside are slowly pulled open by two of the garrison troops as you approach. The familiar interior of the keep is revealed, the audience room warmed by two fireplaces and lit by numerous sconces set into the stone walls. The wooden chair is in the back of the room, the chair you still finding yourself thinking of as belonging to Father all these years later. And gathered before it, your last remaining family in the world. You stride across the furs spread across the cold floor to greet them.
