Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Somewhere

Posted by Civilian Karina Enger (Director of Education) in Earth - Somewhere

Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Somewhere
Posted by… suppressed (4) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)
“Aye… that’s part. Ya see… Michael’s parents… well, his da was the eldest son of Lady Tara, Chief of Clan McKenzie and my grandmother. But he was… well, I’ll never lie ta ya. He was a right bas^%$d and a terrible blight on creation. His ma, bless her… wonderful woman but not a speck of self respect in ‘er whole body.” He kept rubbing and working out the knots slowly encouraging her body to relax. He took a deep breath and there was pain in his voice when he spoke. “Michael’s da… I’ll nae speak his name again… he was a drunk. An abuser. A vile bag of filth. That’s why my Gran sent him to North America. He had got a reputation here… and it didn’t reflect well on us McKenzies, I can tell ya that. So she set him up with a business and off he went. Met Michael’s mom soon after. He was a good businessman, but still a piece of s%$t. He’d beat Michael and his ma, and leave ‘em bloody. Didn’t care… just did it. Dinnae even need a reason. Just to do it. Well… one day, ‘ol Michael he’s had enough, ye see… His da comes at him, drunk and mean and loud…” and Seamus’ voice cracked and tears welled up in his eyes. He moved his hands on Ragna so she wouldn’t see and continue. “And Michael… twelve year old Michael… lays the c^%t out on the ground. Knocks him cold and bloody. But he doesn’t wail on ‘em, no. He’s too good for dat. He looks at his ma and tells her to run, they can get away… and his ma just tends to that bag layin’ on da ground. She picked him over her boy… her son.” Tears flowed proper by that point, and the heartache Seamus felt for his cousin was more than apparent.

Her own Da and Uncle would never allow such a thing to go on. They’d found out about a similar situation happening with their own clan, years ago, when she was just little. She remembered though that he had sat Revna and Runa down and explained to them what was going on, how it had happened, and what he and Uncle were going to do about it. She remembered sitting out of the way, listening to her Da explain it to them, in detail. That when they were older it would be their job, Revna and Runa’s, to protect the clan, even from itself. The thought wasn’t a recrimination against Tara at all, just a perspective on events.

“So Micheal, he bolts. His da?… His da beats his mother to death and then kills himself to escape bein’ punished, f&^%ing coward.” He sniffed and paused in his administration’s to compose himself. He resumed and there was a calm in his voice but and edge slowly built as he spoke. “Now my Gran, she was booked to fly right over and scoop that boy up and bring him home. But her second oldest… Willam…” and he growled in his chest at the name, “… Willam threw a right fit. See, he had decided, even though the law didn’t agree, that with his older brother outta da way, he was now next in line. Had a team of solicitors and heralic experts at the shuttle port waiting for my Gran… and they were clear. If she brought Michael back, they’d drag the clan so far down that we’d never recover. So Lady Tara had a choice, and had to make it right then: Either save the clan and try to have something for Michael to take on and lead proper-like… or watch her kids destroy in ina fit of greed and jealousy. We have near seven thousand McKenzies in the clan… Ragna… and more than a few rely on us just to survive. So, she sacrificed the one for the many. And it broke her. Took her months to get back on her feet. But when she did? She made every effort she could to help him without setting off a Clan civil war. And now that Michael is old enough… and she thinks ready enough… she wants him to take over as Chief. But Michael, gods bless ‘em, he doesn’t want it. ‘Too much responsibility.’ he says. ‘Nobody wants me in that role!’ he says… well I bloody well do. And so does Lady Tara. And so do most of the clan. But my cousins… well… they take after their parents. And thank the Gods most of them were taken by the bloody war!”

She reached across herself to his hand working the knot out of her shoulder and squeezed, not even really aware that she did it, just that he wasn’t alone. But amidst her own shocking and terrifying revelations that she would not put voice to, another much more pressing thought needed addressing…

Without thinking, he leaned in and kissed her bare shoulder at the base of her neck. Just a peck, as if he had always done that and there wasn’t a second thought. “There… any better… Ragna?” he asked, totally unaware of what he had just done.

Seamus McKenzie, Stalwart Defender of the Rightful Chief

Heat and peace and rightness came with such a simple touch, and at the same time it was like a bolt of lightening going through her core. Better and worse all at the same time. She jerked and a flush, that he couldn’t miss, spread from her shoulder, up her neck, and to her face. And he said her name....like that…again. But the ache in her head was better. “Yes, thank you.”

There was a nervous catch to her voice that made her irritated with herself. “Umm…Seamus…does the clan have an archive?” A stead breath, another, and another. She moved away, and she ignored the fact it made her feel cold to do it. “So at the risk of that hot-headed, thick skull of yours taking this the wrong way…Willam can’t be chief. Setting aside Mike’s claim at the moment.” She picked up the etching, “When an heir isn’t found, the lineage is traced back to find the next legitimate line. In this case, it’s here.” She pointed at the crest. “Faolan McKenzie was widower and had heirs, leading all the way to your grandmother and Mike. But he remarried. Amalie Edman was also a widow, and had heirs. The two never had children of their own, but they took their clans as their own, claiming any future progenitor as their own. Amalie’s heir…is Revna. Your grandmother can take this and shove it so far up Willam’s backside it will forever etch it on his dark soul. But I need to find the corresponding documents in the McKenzie archives. Then it won’t matter what he says. Your grandmother can bring Mike here and scream it from the top of the highest moor if she wants, and Willam can’t do a thing about it.”
Ragna Edman, Harold with the answers, even ones you may not want

Seamus shook his head. “You’re nae listening lass… Willam is ded. Killed in the war, along with most of his siblings. But that sense of entitlement he had he passed on to all of my generation ‘cept me an ma sister. But here’s the biggest issue you are missin’, my love…” he said, again unaware of his own words, “… the cousins? They dunnae care about heirs and lineages and inheritances and genealogies. They… and swear to me right here and now you’ll nae say a word of dis to anyone, love… they’ve made it clear they will knowingly and intentionally bankrupt us by dragging us through the courts for decades to keep Michael from Chief. Because they know Michael won’t tolerate their s^%t for a second. And knowing that… and them knowing the MacDonald’s are just waiting fer us ta be vulnerable… they’ve already struck a deal with ‘em. They bankrupt us by dragging this out for as long as they need to… then they sell our land to the MacDonalds in exchange for title and standing with them. B^%$#rds would sell their name for a pittance… dunnae be deserving of the McKenzie name.”

Seamus McKenzie, Caught Between A Rock and A Vision

She began to rub her temples again…gods the man was hard headed. “hardhodet som væren hans, hører ikke, kan bare se det på en måte … (hard headed like his ram, doesn’t listen, can only see it one way…)” She breathed, her head was throbbing. “You’re daft. But yes yes I won’t tell. Okay let me spell this out for you and MAYBE you’ll understand. It’s all about legalities, doesn’t matter if they care for them or not. You said, and yes I know Willam is dead, but I don’t know nor care to know the names of his children, had solicitors and heralic experts to block your grandmother - legalities. What do you think I am? There is enough heraldic evidence here to stop them. Your grandmother could take these papers to the bank, to the estate lawyers, to the Lord High Marshal himself. Showing the lineage, and your cousins would legally be taken OFF the books and have NO ACCESS to the family money, estates, archives, properties, nothing. They won’t be able to sell it. Revna wouldn’t want to do it, but she would, for Mike’s family because they are hers now.” She paused thinking, “Actually it would be my Da, and he would do this to help Lady Tara and Mike. But he doesn’t know, Revna doesn’t know. No one knows but me and you…Seamus. Don’t you get it. If they drag McKenzie into the courts, Lady Tara has the FULL backing of clan Edman. Even without all that with Mike’s rightful claim and Revna’s to clan Edman, legally they can try, but they’ll not win. As for the MacDonalds they don’t have enough back bone to face both of us. At least give the information to your grandmother and let her decide what do with it.” She turned then and glared at him, “AND STOP CALLING ME LOVE!”

Ragna Edman, ‘Legal subtleties and Stomach Butterflies’

He looked at her and his face went hard. “And you are nae listening and being at least as daft as me, then! I’m telling you they dunnae care if they win! It’s not about winning… LOVE! It’s about attrition! YES, we can take ALL a tha to the Lord High Marshall. YES he’ll side with us. YES we can take it to tha courts. YES they’ll side with us too! But those little c&^%s will just keep on suing… over and over and over and over and over and over until we WIN OURSELVES INTO BLOODY OBLIVION!!! THAT’S the fight we can’t take on. THAT’S the reason Tara is shattered every. single. day. THAT’S the reason we are stuck and don’t know what our next step is! AND I’LL BLOODY WELL CALL YOU LOVE BECAUSE YOU KNOW ITS TRUE!” and he leaned in and kissed her, hard… but with so much emotion it almost blacked him out. He immediately broke it and stood up and said “SO THERE… AND I’M GONNA MARRY YA TOO, YA DAFT VIKING, BECAUSE YOU ASKED ME TO AN I SAID YES!”

Seamus McKenzie, So Much For Casual Dating

The anger was making her head pound, like the thunder rolling across an ocean with nothing to stop it. Then he kissed her and the worlds spun, there was a bowing and snap of reality, as the worlds righted themselves again. A shocked rush of air leaving lungs and her migraine gone, as if it had never been. She stood up, watching him, assessing him, she moved, bag and items in hand, and with quick deft movements threw the blanket over the line. “Bloody hard headed! If they don’t have the funds they can’t pay to fight in the courts, but forgetting that, McKenzie won’t fight ALONE, but you’re just so SURE that no one but you can find an answer you won’t even consider there might BE an answer you haven’t thought of. You aren’t dealing with JUST Scottish law anymore!” Tartan skirt off, but she couldn’t bring herself to throw his color to the floor. She folded it carefully, fingers trailing over the weave, while they argued, and set it carefully on the bed. Stockings and shoes on, his blue shirt, that tossed to the floor, underdress, apron dress, brooches, and she snatched up the sword and slung it across her back. “You won’t even GIVE it to her will you? This was just another way to ignore me, and brush me off!” She tossed the blanket on the bed, snatched up all the papers shoved them in her bag, spinning to glare at him, ice blue fire spiting at him. “YOU CAN SAY IT BUT IT DOESNNA MAKE IT TRUE. I DID NO SUCH THING AND YOU CAN FORGET THAT. I AM NOT MARRYING YOU!” She spun, flung open the door and disappeared into the storm.
Ragna Edman, I might be daft but not as much as him

Seamus was mad. Why wouldn’t she listen? Why did she have to be so damn stubborn? Why did she- And a clap of thunder shook the house and he looked at the door.

“Daft wench! Gonnae git herself kilt’d out in this!” And he threw open the door and followed her out into the raw elements.

With every step the wind raged and the lighting and thunder crashed. Rain came down in sheets and in seconds he was drenched to the skin. He could just make her form, white-blonde hair whipping around her in the storm. “Ragna! Ragna wait! Are ya that daft, woman? We’re gonnae die out here for your pride? Is that it? And it’ll be the both of us… ‘cause like it or not you and I are together an I ain’t leaving! You said so yourself! If not by word, then by deed, dammit!” The last sentence was spat out as they crested a large hill. Behind them, the rolling hills of the Highlands. In front of them; and long slope leading down to a rocky beach some three hundred yards away. Caught between land and sea and surrounded by wind, rain, lightning and thunder; he finally caught up to her.

The wind and thunder carried her screamed denial away, flung it hard into the ocean as so much floatsom, to sink into the depths and freeze there on the sea floor, whither and die. The lie in her denial having no life to keep it afloat. She did NOT! Not by word or deed…did she? She sent a prayer winging away with the storm, for clarity and calm. She looked out at the sea, white blonde hair and skirts whipping like they were part of the storm. The sea always called to her, but not today, today there would be no solace or escape that way.

“Come back… Ragna!” he yelled over the storm. “This is a waste! And you know what I said was true! Every word! If it wasn’t, call me a liar!”

Seamus McKenzie, Storm or No Storm

“You’re right it was a waste! You were never going to hear me out, never let me try to help Revna and Mike. You don’t see me! You don’t even see my title! You’re trying to confuse me! I did NOT ask you to marry me! I’m not marrying anyone!” She had her sword it was strapped to her back. She wasn’t giving it to anyone. She reached in the bag intending to use her comm to call her Da for a ride, instead her fingers wrapped around a smooth stone. Her eyes never left his. She pulled it out and glanced at it, a rune stone: Inguz. She chucked it at him. Frustration, disbelief, uncertainty all warred within her. Not the answer she’d prayed for. She roared it all to raging heavens and then out of seemingly nowhere, faithful Angus head butted her right into Seamus’ arms.
Ragna Edman, I Am The Storm!

First he caught the stone out of reflex… then he caught her out of instinct. The force of the ram’s head in her backside sent her hard into his chest and he grabbed her and picked her up off the ground and held her eye to eye with him, never wavering, never straining.

Her eyes went wide, fire flickering and turning into a deep smolder of blue heat as he pulled her to eye level. She was angry and she muttered something not being one of Angus’s ladies and having mutton for dinner.

He yelled over the storm “Yell at me all ya want… Ragna! Call me names… Ragna! And helping Michael and Revna is what ALL of this is for, right?! But you refuse to listen, you stubborn git! Ye think ya have all the answers wehn ye nae even know the whole problem!”

“Then tell me the whole problem you stubborn a%%. You asked me to trust you but you won’t trust me!” The storm raged a reflection in her eyes. Why couldn’t he see the rules had changed. The laws applying to the situation were different now, and the force of the Edman clan was nothing to scoff at…and…oh yes, she’d talk to her Uncle find out…he’d know if it would work. D#^& right b@%^$#@s wouldn’t know what hit them. Palms flat she smacked his shoulders hard, but couldn’t quite bring herself to hit the nerve point. “Put me DOWN!”

“And you can tell me all you want you didn’t BUT YOU DID! And you know you did! Meal… hearth… bed… ye know as well as I what tha’ means!” Rain poured down his face, but he never blinked, never looked away.

Ragna blinked hard, she went utterly still in his arms, the rain pelting them both, the wind stealing her voice, refusing to let her scream another denial. The truth of his words clear on her face. She knew, she knew very well what it meant. Why did he have to know too?

“And you told me ta hand. You. Your. Sword! YOU told me ta pick it up! And I did, even when I saw the runes og jeg visste pokker godt hva den sa!! (and I knew damn well what it said!)

“I said HAND it to me not TAKE IT!” Even if she could argue that little loop hole, it didn’t matter, she’d placed the handle in the palm of his hand and told him to draw it, she vaguely remembered, know through the pain hazed memory. He spoke Norwegian, she pushed against him, “Sett Meg Ned! (Put Me Down!)” That means he knew. It didn’t mean a thing to him…it was trick…He didn’t accept it. He’d put it back, with her things, he didn’t hang it with his or give her one of his own. Heartbreak filled her eyes, mixed with rain to disappear into nothingness.

And last night! When you hurt so much and it was a knife in my heart AND I DIDNT KNOW WHY… You called out to me! Not your mother, not your family… not the gods! YOU CALLED ME! THAT’S when I knew! And I’ll nae never forget that as long as my days are!” and he pulled her forward and kissed her there on the hilltop… in the wind… and the rain… and the lightning and thunder… but he couldn’t hear any of it over the pounding of the blood in his ears and the slamming of his heart in his chest.

Seamus McKenzie, The Gods Are On My Side

She shook her head, she’d been sick it didn’t matter what she said. He was the only one she could have asked for help. But oh he was the only one she’d wanted anyway, in the midst of the pain and the storm, but it didn’t matter....he kissed her, and what should have made them both whole, broke her heart. She wanted to hold on, but it hurt and it was lie, he’d rejected her. Her hands came down hard, right across the the join in the muscle, she moved away quickly. She didn’t say a word, she turned and disappeared down the slope and made her way towards the shore. She didn’t look back because she didn’t know if she wanted him to follow or not. Her uncle was fishing out there somewhere. She called him, gave him her location and then made her way to meet the boat…
Ragna Edman, Fate is Cruel

Seamus stood still as she fled down the hillside. Unnoticed… the rain slowed and stopped. Streaks of sun pushed their way through the clouds. He stood there for hours, watching her stand on the shore and wait for the boat he knew in his heart she had called.

A ship appeared on the horizon and made its way to the shallows by the beach. A burly man climbed over the side and splashed thigh deep into the water and waded up to Ragna. Seamus stood stock still, staring.

Ragna waited as her uncle made his way to her, “Ragna, what the bloody blazes, what’s wrong?” The big burley man pulled her into his arms, the silent tears turning to wracking sobs. “Girly you better tell me what’s going on,” he demanded after several minutes. Ragna stepped away from her uncle and in a smooth practiced motion she drew her sword from it’s sheath. “He gave it back…” her voice cracked and Oddvar Edman knew someone had broken his baby niece’s heart. He glanced around spotting the lone figure on the hill. “WHOA! Watch where you swing that thing.” He took the blade with a deft hand before she had the chance to really toss it out to sea. That was too final. “I don’t need it anymore, Uncle.” Oddvar snorted and led her though the surf towards the boat. “Dry that face Ragna or the lads will claim blood feud. Up the rope, go on.” Oddvar glanced back at the man, whose whole stance screamed of pain. Ragna’s sword still in hand, the truly massive man brought it up behind his head and foward flining it towards shore. Tip over handle over tip until it landed deep in the rocky shore, point down. No man who rejected a woman that harshly stayed to watch over her. He didn’t know what had happened, but Oddvar knew it wasn’t over. Oddvar stared a long time at the red haired man and then pointed at the sword, turned and climbed up the rope, taking Ragna home.

Soon, the two went out and climbed onto the ship. It backed away slowly, then turned and headed out to sea. Angus bleated loudly, the cry carried out on the wind. Seamus stroked his head and watched in silence until the ship vanished completely from sight. He stayed there for several hours more. He didn’t expect her to come back… he expected nothing. Noting but darkness… which fell on him and the ram, standing on the hilltop… watching the empty sea.

Seamus McKenzie, Fate is Wicked

Ragna Edman, Sometimes family needs to meddle