A Tale of Two Queens

The cool wind quietly sang through the branches and turning leaves of the trees in Fiodha Forest, peaceful and serene. It spoke of temperate fall days and cool nights spent around the fire, retelling tales of victory and valor. Fallen leaves in bright colors skittered down the cobbled streets of Sprùilleach in the morning breeze, dancing as they passed Dearcan Hall.

The hall stood tall and proud among the trees with its aged timbers and ancient slate shingles. A heavy oak door, carved with intricate patterns of wolves and deer, stood as a barrier between the warmth inside and the cool autumnal air outdoors.

Inside, the sound of footsteps on the smooth stone floor could be heard over the crackling of the hearth in the middle of the room. Bathildis walked into the main room of the hall, smelling food cooking. She was wearing her usual barbarian-esque fashion and looked like she was all geared to go hunting and wanted to get an early start. First though, came breakfast. She followed the scent of potatoes and sausage until she reached the rather large dining room which was only a little smaller then the main hall even though it was typically only Scylla, herself, and her siblings who ate there along with the rare official or noble.

Bathildis poked her head into the room, braid falling over one shoulder as she looked to see if anyone else was already in there. When she didn't see anyone she helped herself to a heaping plate of sausage, eggs, and potatoes while still making sure there was enough for everyone else before sitting down to eat.

The food tasted delicious like it usually did. Due to the forest's proximity to Aiteach they were always provided with fresh food expertly cooked up. Or cooked by Bathildis herself if she was in the mood. So far she had proved to be an expert when cooking meat over a fire. Or at least she thought so.

Bathildis quickly continued eating, hoping to get out to hunt before it got too late in the day. Maybe she could get out before anyone else was awake and wanted to tag along.

Scylla awoke to the sound of singing birds and the relative quiet one could find in the morning's even in a busy household like this one. There was still a quiet chatter in the kitchen, whispered words among the first to wake up, but there was yet to be the screaming and laughter that spread through the halls later in the day and onto the evening.

Hauling herself to her feet, she quickly put on a robe over her pajamas. That was going to have to do to make herself presentable. If any official was going to come knocking this early in the morning, they were just going to have to deal with it. Everyone knew she didn't like meetings too early in the morning.

Stepping out of her room, the scent of breakfast was already beckoning to her. Smiling at the thought, she followed it. There was nothing she liked quite as much as a quiet breakfast in the morning.

Not that the loud and happy dinners where there could be many more visitors and something to celebrate were great too, but there was something magical about mornings that even the homely comfort of a big dinner couldn't quite match. She'd never quite been able to fully explain it.

Making her way into the dining room, she saw Bathildis already there, nearly finished with her plate that had no doubt started out quite well stocked. She smiled gently, reaching for her own plate and sizing up the incredible spread of potatoes and sausage along with eggs done in three different ways. Salt and pepper was off to the side along with fresh toast and butter that must've been churned up this morning or the knight before.

"Good Morning Bathildis! Looks like you're all ready to head out already!"

Bathildis looked up from her plate of food when she heard Scylla enter the room. She smiled a bit back. "Morning, and yep, hoping to catch something early and make it back before it gets too late." She explained before taking another bite of sausage.

Bathildis' hair was a little unruly today and it looked like she had just left the braids from yesterday in slept on them, not caring to re-do it today. She wore a bit of leather armor over a wrap style top with her brown pants and boots. the most decorative thing she wore was probably a leather belt with bits of gold on it that her axe was already tucked into on one side and her quiver attached to the other.

"Maybe I can find you a fox or something fuzzy for the winter." She hummed. "What's your favorite color?" She took a bite of egg before pulling an arrow from her quiver and touching the tip to see how sharp it was.

Scylla nodded. "Ahh. That's a good plan! The earlier you go out the better the chances of us having a good dinner." She smiled slightly. "Or even lunch depending on just how fast you get back sometimes."

She wandered over to Bathildis, setting her own plate down for the moment. She could eat in just a moment once Bathildis was done and on her way. Beginning to pull at the braids to get the unruly mess back into some semblance of order, she answered Bathildis' question.

"Something fuzzy would be great!" Scylla mentioned, untangling a particularly messy braid from Bathildis' hair. "I like green. Just green."

Bathildis nodded as she finished her food and set the plate aside. "Exactly. Or both depending on what I catch." She shrugged a bit.

"As for something green and fuzzy," Bathildis raised a brow, "I'm going to have to look long and hard before I find that."

She was about to say more when she paused with a grunt and frowned a bit. "Ow? Can't you do that when I get back? Its just going to get leaves and stuff in it." She tried to protest.

"Hmm well you're the best. I'm sure if anyone would succeed at finding something green and fuzzy it would be you." Scylla continued her attempts to untangle the hair. "I'm going to at least untangle it before you leave. Lest a bear mistake you for one of its family."

Bathildis grinned a bit. "The best, huh? In that case, I have to find you something green and fuzzy." She stayed still surprisingly enough and let her untangle it even though she complained about it. "A bear's not going to mistake me for one of its own. If anything, it would be scared of me."

Scylla rolled her eyes. "As much as I don't doubt that a bear might be scared of you, I'm still not taking that chance."

She finished up her little untangling session, smoothing out Bathildis' hair into something a little more respectable albeit still a little messy.

Bathildis huffed and sunk slightly in her chair as Scylla continued to braid. “Why?”

Before Scylla could answer however, a boy who looked like he was in his later teenage years if not about young adult age entered the hall with a bow slung over his shoulder. He blinked when he saw them both there then smiled “Good morning.”

Scylla shrugged. "I generally prefer to have you uninjured and not covered in the blood of a curious bear."

Scylla smiled gently at the boy. "Good Morning!"

Bathildis simply huffed and didn’t argue any further, turning her attention to her brother. “Going somewhere, Tieran?”

“Yeah, I’m going hunting.” The boy, Tieran, replied, sitting down at the table and filling a plate with breakfast foods.he had the same green eyes as bathildis and was close to her height, standing at a towering 6’10 with a promise to continue growing. The only thing that was different was his light brown hair and he appeared a bit more on the lean side compared to his sister.

“Alone?”

“Well, not alone, I’ll have Lander with me.” He explained, taking a bite of his eggs.

“The horse doesn’t count.” Bathildis replied sternly. “I don’t want you going out hunting by yourself without me or someone else there with you. There’s no way you’d be able to fight off a bear on your own.”

“I’m almost twenty, you can’t treat me like a child forever. And that’s why I have Lander.”

“No.”

“Okay, I guess I’ll just go with you then.” Tieran replied coolly.

“That was NOT part of the deal.”

Scylla giggled a little at the exchange. "Being a little careful when hunting never hurt anyone. Besides I'm sure the two of you together would be able to cover a lot more than just either of you alone. Right?"

“I suppose…” Bathildis replied, still not seeming too terribly pleased about the idea.

Tieran sent Scylla a grateful smile though. “Exactly my thoughts.”

Bathildis huffed. “Fine, we’ll go together but if you see something green and fuzzy it’s my kill.”

Tieran raised a brow. “Does something like that even exist?”

Scylla giggled. "Trust me Tieran. Out in the woods, especially the darker parts you could find just about anything you want. Green and fuzzy or red and scruffy. Or at least Bathildis can."