Case 004- Journey to Midvinter

[Seamus Valik]

The starlight-class light freighter exited hyperspace with a flash as stars shone through the infinite black like pin pricks in a backlit curtain. The man's azure eyes reflected the lights from the ship's consoles as he peered out the view port at the galaxy that had birthed and held them all. It was breath taking, these small moments, and they were worth the time to pause and enjoy.

His hands moved across the console and activated his transponder to broad cast his information. He had nothing to hide and he knew all too well the force would see its will done regardless of his own actions. This was an investigation, but unlike most he was here, not for criminals, but to learn from a people alien to him. The people of Midvinter were unlike most in many ways and as a part of his great journey he had decided to learn from them.

He would freely admit his choice was due in no small part to meeting a Jedi from this world. He was curious about the people that had birthed such a strong woman as she and he found no shame in that truth.

He moved his ship along the transmitted routes and landed at the designated place then began the process of shutting everything down. He had no idea as to what the reception would be or how long he would take here. And he was decidedly fine with that lack of knowledge. He would accept what came and take as long as was needed. That was his path and he walked it gladly.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Mysa had not been back on Midvinter for long.

Though it was not her place of birth, it was the world which had allowed her to grow into the woman she was today, it and its people had accepted her as one of their own from the start, and though she stood in stark contrast to the tall men and women there was no doubt that she was one of them even if in spirit alone.

Her reunion with [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] had been everything she had needed. A return to normalcy, the shedding of all of the uncertainty and the pressure she had put on herself to be something she was not. To play dual roles within their family. Without such hanging over her head she felt considerably more free, at peace within herself, and while she no longer sought to walk the path of a Jedi she could feel the light returning to her.

Almost as though it had never left.

Down at her heels Felix yipped. The little Frir cub had come along leaps and bounds in her absence, yet he had returned to his kitten like state at her return. Following her around like a lost pup. She had missed him just as dearly.

Pulling the sled which carried the carcass of an älk, with enough meat on its bones to feed a great many mouths for weeks to come, Mysa neared the Great City of Thainbroek. Soon she would be leaving this place, heading North with Théo as he began his position as Warden of the Northmark, and after informing the High King and Queen of her decisions to step away from them she could not help but think that that time could not come any sooner.

She loved them dearly, but they were not her parents. Even if blood dictated it. All that remained now was awkwardness whenever they were in the same room.

Her commlink buzzed as she approached the gates, and with a huff of hot air she set down the rope which she had been using to pull the sled and answered the call. Something about a foreign ship landing... It was typically down to one of the Heavenshield-Hearthfire clan to look into such things, after all most Valkyri were still ignorant to the ways of the greater Galaxy.

"Looks like dinner will have to wait, 'lix," she said, glancing down at her hungry companion, "Lucky for us the damn thing's already frozen."

Altering her path she continued to heft the sled by its rope and ventured toward the land surrounding the City itself, where ships were typically cleared to land. Mysa knew that the Queen had her own set of hangars within the mountains nearby, and there were others for Royal use, but an actual starport? Thainbroek didn't boast such a thing, and Mysa did not know if Fridheim or any of the other new settlements did either.

Not that it mattered, she could see the trail from where the ship landed blotted against the unpolluted sky.

Soon enough she was trekking through the snowy plains toward it, the visage of the City at her back. Her free hand had already begun to lower to her belt; who knew who it was that had come here... So often Midvinter had been attacked by Offworlders. Hopefully the transmission had reached more than just her, she didn't like the thought of dealing with a Sith singlehandedly again.

[member="Seamus Valik"]

 

[Seamus Valik]

He cycled down the engines and made certain all unnecessary systems were offline. The importance of this for him personally could not be overstated. He was here to learn, immerse himself in the foreign and grow closer to the force as a result. This was the path he had always sought and now that he found it he would not stray.

He took his lightsaber from his pocket and held it in both hands. His eyes traced the simple lines of the weapon. He turned it in his gloved hands, noted the weight and shape. He had wondered for months now if it was truly his anymore. It was as if he had become someone else and this tool belonged to a young man who no longer existed. It had been that way since the netherworld had taken him and he couldn't help but feel disconnected from the person he was before.

He turned it on with a snap-hiss and stared into the yellow light of the blade for a long moment before turning it back off and walking down the ship's corridor. He stopped at his quarters and dismantled the weapon, removed the crystal and put it in his pocket. He would start over. Until, he was finished he would simple keep the crystal as a reminder of his past.

He packed little else into a bag, credits, comlink, and datapad at the bottom with a change of clothes in small rolls on top then sinched it tight. He took a heavy parka and slipped it on and put extra gloves in his pocket before he did a last check of what he needed then headed for the main hatch.

He pulled open the heavy lower hatch and lowered the ladder by hand before climbing out into the cold air. A brisk wind bit at his exposed face almost immediately and he found himself nearly blinded by the shear whiteness of everything as he walked out from beneath the old ship. He held a hand up at an angle to block the glare from the snowy ground as he moved and soon noticed he was no longer alone. A man, tall and heavily built stood to meet him and women nearly the same size stood to his left. They did not look overly welcoming and he couldn't help but wonder if he had already made a blunder of protocol.

"Hello," He said as he tried to remain calm and nonthreatening, "I'm a traveller, my name is Seamus, I was hoping to find a place to eat and maybe rent a bed for the night. Could you tell me where to go?"

He had to admit he wasn't confident in how well this would go but he was confident that the force would guide him to what it chose. It always did.

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

"My people do not trade with coin," came the voice of a young woman, with tone and accent that the inquisitive man may recognize from a world systems away, though there was a grin upon her lips and humour in her tone, "We barter for equivalent goods or services. I hope you brought something worth trading for that bed..."

As she came upon the group of men who had come out to inspect the docked ship, Mysa had immediately recognized the vessel and by association its Captain. She had been eager to approach, but had forced herself to refrain from running so as not to seem too eager or abrupt. Besides she had hefted a heavy sled of Alk remains all the way out here, and that was no easy feat. Usually she would not have interrupted, but in this case she felt it prudent to inform him before he got himself mixed up in something he couldn't get himself out of.

"I've got this," she said to the Valkyri men, who hastily bowed toward her though she waved them off and could not keep the blush from rising in her cheeks and the tips of her ears, "I'll be sure to bring you all some of my hunt later this eve' once it's been butchered."

Then she looked back to Seamus, ignoring the stares she got. The stares she always got here in Thainbroek. Most of the Royal Family were easy to tell apart from the rest of the natives, on account of their small stature and stark white hair. As though kissed by the snow itself. Of course Mysa had recently renounced any Royal ties, proclaiming herself of the Heavenshield branch not the Hearthfires, yet that did not matter to most. She was the blood of their King, and that mattered more to them than given names.

"This is the last place I expected to find you; come, I'll find you somewhere to stay."

Down at their heels Felix yipped. The young Frir cub was a bundle of energy even after several days of laborious hunting, and he was always happy to meet someone new. With a chuckle she reached down and fussed him behind the ears, he had grown a lot in her absence but he still couldn't be considered an adult of his species. If she had to put it into human terms she supposed he was nearing adolescence, he was beginning to fill out and lengthen but he still had that babyish look about him.

"What are you doing on Midvinter?" Her tone was one of curiosity and excitement... Oh the things she could show him!

[member="Seamus Valik"]

 

[Seamus Valik]

He turned as someone addressed him. The voice and accent one that was familiar from their brief acquaintance. He had to admit he was happy to see her. He had hoped he would eventually but so soon was not something he had expected.

His mouth fell open as he saw her, and he quickly forced himself to close it for fear of looking any more foolish than he felt for staring. He swallowed and gave his best smile, as hiding his happiness at seeing her again was as senseless as anything else he could have done. She had been lovely when he had first seen her but the slight colour in her cheeks from the cold air and exertion of pulling the sled behind her seemed to double that beauty. However, it was that strength she had that would always stand out to him. When he had first met her she was filled with determination, doubt yes, and fear also, but unwilling to be bowed by either. It was a wonderfully beautiful trait to see in any being, strong in the force as she was or not.

He watched as she told the others who met him there, that she had the situation under control and noted curiously the looks they gave and the difference they showed. He would have to ask about it later.

"This may be the last place I expected to be." He said as he blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "That is to say, I meant to come here but I..." he paused unsure of what he even intended to say and had to scold himself for losing focus, "Anyway, I would appreciate the help, thank you."

He thanked the force silently for the small feline that bounded and played at their heels and took the time to let his surprise fade slightly. She rubbed the animal's head affectionately and he couldn't help but smile at the interaction.

"You're why I'm here." He said immediately regretting the choice of words, "Well not to see you, but because of you. Not that I hadn't hoped to see you again, of course, but I hadn't expected it so soon. I'm bumbling this, hold on."

He took a breath and calmed his thoughts.

"I came here to learn the ways of the people here." He said more calmly, "I'm walking the path that the force has lead me too and I chose to learn about Midvinter because of our meeting. I'm hoping to stay as long as they'll have me amd draw closer to the force by learning more about another culture and way of life."

There was more, musings and reasons why he felt this part of his journey was important but he didn't want to fill their reunion with any more stammering than needed. It was odd. He did so much better when there was a more direct purpose at hand.



[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Mysa did not interrupt him as he spoke, though she did turn and begin to lead him away from his ship with Felix running on ahead after he'd gotten a good whiff of Seamus' scent. There were times when the cub looked almost invisible against the snowy plains, though that was to be expected. How else would his kind survive and hunt in so stark a landscape?

Her gaze shifted across to him as he blundered his way through an explanation, and the smile which formed upon her lips was both sincere and encouraging without even an ounce of judgement. Truth be told she was extremely glad that he had chosen to come to Midvinter of all places, and that they had run into each other on the eve of his arrival.

"I am glad you have found a path," she responded, with the wind and the crunching of snow beneath their boots the only real accompanying sound. Last time they had seen one another, well the first time in truth she supposed, he had seemed a little unsure of his place within the Galaxy. Today though he felt a lot more certain, and she was happy to notice the change.

She realized in that moment that he was likely feeling the cold a lot more than she was. Reaching down to the sled she pulled one of the extra furs free from the bundle, after all hunting so far from home meant meant nights out in the elements and without such abundance of furs she'd have frozen to death. Handing the cloak across to him, a somewhat thoughtful expression came upon her face.

"Is this something you would rather do without assistance, or would you welcome my help? There is so much of this world that I would love to show you, so many experiences you could be taught that the rest of the Galaxy takes for granted..."

[member="Seamus Valik"]

 

[Seamus Valik]

He shivered despite his attempts at preparing for the cold and accepted the cloak with his best smile. The snow crunched beneath his boots and the air felt as if it froze in his nostrils with each breath. The immediate warmth added by the extra layer was welcomed and impressive. He would have to make a note later that the furs of local fauna were superior for warding off the cold when compared to synthetic jackets. To him, it was a testament to the wisdom of the force that bound all life together. But that was just his belief.

"No path needs to be a solitary one." He said in an effort to not be too eager, "And I would be lying to myself and you if I said I didn't need help. And I can't think of anyone I would be happier to learn from than you."

He didn't mean to be overly complimentary or insinuate intentions beyond learning from a friend, even a beautiful one. He simply spoke what he felt and hoped his earnest manner would be received well. He took a moment to look around and appreciate the architecture, the layout of the town and the activities of the people.

"I'm here to learn." He said with calm determination, "Together strong...as always."

He smiled again and tried to take in everything he could. Including the sled carrying her kill. He could feel the enormity of his task here, but again, he felt up to the task, and being guided by Mysa, what could be better?


[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

Mysa had come to realize, during her time away from her snowy home, how much of her worldly knowledge she took for granted.

So much of the Galaxy lived within a consumerist society, where anything could be bought if you had the credits for it. Many of those products were processed and manufactured within Factories, where machines and droids did much of the actual assembly... Though areas in the Outer Rim and Wild Space no doubt lived similarly to the Valkyri, she had realized how few and far between they were. Hunter gatherers, craftsmen and women, individuals who utilized every part of an animal they hunted, who constructed their homes by hand and passed them down over generations.

As cold and inhospitable as these lands must have seemed in the eyes of an outsider, to one who knew its secrets it was a treasure trove of untapped potential and cultural wonder.

"I was hoping you might say that," she responded with a gentle smile, "Tonight you shall be my guest, but tomorrow... Perhaps we shall find less of a roof over our heads."

Already her mind was traveling at lightspeed, thinking up all of the things she could show him, teach him, reveal of this land she called home. Yet something he said pulled her from those thoughts as they approached the City and walked through its streets. The largest settlement on Midvinter, yet in the eyes of many it was barely even a dot on the map compared to much of the Galaxy. She preferred it that way.

"A three fold cord is not easily broken," came her response, as they approached a small yet well kept home on the edge of the City boundaries. Felix had already fun ahead of them, scampering up the wooden steps where he sat waiting beside the door. Her eyes lingered up the main road to where the Great Hall lay, the home she had known since first coming to Midvinter. She would always have a place there, she knew, but she felt it best to give the King and Queen space after her decision to return to the Heavenshield clan had been voiced.

That was where this place came in.

Instead of walking after Felix up the steps she dragged the sled down the side of the building where basement shutters lay at ground level. A gentle tug through the Force threw them open at her approach, and a shallow ramp gave them access into the interior, far easier for her to lug the carcass inside this way than up the steps. Almost as if it had been built for that exact reason...

"It will be warm soon, I just need to get the hearth started."

Most refused to let their fireplaces burn out, yet heading out on a hunting trip with a live flame in your wooden home was... Foolish to say the least.

The basement was simple, with a low ceiling where Valkyri were concerned but for Mysa and Seamus it would be perfect. A set of stairs in one corner led up to the main level, while a butcher block lined the wall to their immediate left. Slight blood stains which never really came out marred the wood. It was toward this that she dragged the sled, before she knelt down to try and remove the alk carcass off it. A hatch in the ground led to a sub-basement of ice which would keep it frozen for many months to come, yet she actually needed it to thaw out a little so that she could skin and butcher it.

A lot of people could be fed from the meat it provided, and perhaps she could teach Seamus how to turn the pelt into a cloak if he remained on Midvinter long enough.

[member="Seamus Valik"]

 

[Seamus Valik]

He followed her to the well built home. It was simple and utilitarian but if fit the the people from what he'd seen so far. The rough cut wood sanded and stained by either a compound he didn't know of or an aging process he hadn't read about. It was a nice home, sturdy and strong.

He followed her inside and watched as she made ready the hearth. The small amount of the cold that subsided was welcomed but he shivered despite himself. He could use the force but it wasn't a toy for comfort, it was a gift. He noticed, also, that she didn't seem to be using the force for the cold either. That told him that it was bearable, survivable, and likely just needed better preparation to handle.

"Take your time, Mysa." He said as he realized he didn't know the proper formalities if address here either, "I hope you don't mind but I have many questions. Do you use the force for the cold or to start fires? Do your people have a force belief or a pantheon that you could tell me about while you give me something more to do than watch you work?"

He gave a smile and hoped she took his desire to be useful with the smile he had hoped to solicit from her. He was truly, unequivocally, happy to see her. Beyond words.


[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

With the alk set down to begin defrosting Mysa set about lighting the first of many hearths, that which would bring heat up from the basement and through to the rafters above. The heat which washed over the immediate vicinity was welcome, casting out the metaphorical cobwebs which had come to linger over her home during her absence.

Then she made for the stairs, urging him to follow as she ventured up into the humble home above. Another hearth sat along the same wall as the lower, sharing a chimney, and it was toward this that she moved as she heard him speak and question.

"You're eager," she quipped with a soft grin, honestly grateful for that fact. There was no worse company than someone who had nothing to say, who did not wish to expand their minds even a little. Life was all about growth and advancement, yet so many refused to press on. Stuck in their ways, with their prejudices and rose-tinted glasses. Mysa had never been afforded such a luxury. Adaptation had been a requirement since she was but a tiny child in that laboratory.

She would likely not have survived those trying times had she been stubborn or ignorant.

Setting about starting the secondary fire she pondered on his question for a moment, after giving him one tiny, almost silly, task. "You could let Felix in, if you'd like. Silly cub only uses the front door."

With some dry kindling from a small pot beside the fireplace and her usual - and admittedly primitive - tool, the fire was soon roaring which left her with no real time left to think. Part of her was concerned that he would think their beliefs silly, beliefs she wholeheartedly shared with her people. After all she had seen and experienced on Midvinter, how could she not believe?

"I have used the Force to battle the chill on occasion, though mostly when traveling through the mountains or after extended periods away. An adapted body can handle such things, but you must give yourself time to adjust even with the proper attire. There's no shame in utilizing Tapas to begin with, just try not to rely on it. As for starting fires, most definitely not. Even when I had wet firewood I found a way around it, but... That's personal preference."

She stood and turned to face him, having made the fire starting process seem far easier than it really was.

"My people have no real knowledge of the Force, so they have no beliefs where it is concerned, however we do have Gods. A pantheon of six, though... Only five are openly worshiped. Odiir, High God of Wind and Sky, Runa, his wife, Goddess of Land and Sea, originator of the Valkyri tongue, Teign, brother to Odiir, God of Smithing and Crafting, Helm, child of Odiir and Runa, God of Justice and War, Éar," at this, Mysa's whole visage seemed to glow with something akin to pride, her cheeks took on a warm shimmer and her eyes lit up, "Goddess of the Hunt and Fertility, she's the daughter of Odiir and Runa. Lastly is the God of Mischief and Fire, lastborn child of Odiir and Runa, though his name is not spoken. At least, not in decent company."

A tremor ran along her spine at the mere thought of Velkar. She could not say why, but ever since her and Théodred Heavenshield 's near-brush with death she felt particularly repulsed and horrified by the thought of him. If he had the memory for it, Seamus might recall mention of two of those names - specifically Odiir and Éar - from their misadventures on Erida. Quiet prayers intended for Gods who held no power over such a foreign domain.

"Come, why don't you help me prep dinner?"

[member="Seamus Valik"]

 

[Seamus Valik]

​

He smiled and nodded. A pantheon was extremely interesting and the idea bred more questions than he knew how to express coherently. He pulled off his jacket and gloves to begin helping. His mind slowly churning over where to begin. Blue eyes looked at the woman with even more interest than he had allowed himself before. So many unseen layers to his new friend. It was at once intriguing and concerning. He didn't know why it would worry him to get to know someone better, but it did. Perhaps it was that the majority of his acquaintances passed away, but he could barely think that.

"I'd really like to learn about your Gods, when you have time." He said as he decided questions would be answered in time. For now he would be patient, that was always the best way.

He walked over to her and rolled up his sleeves despite the chill in the air and decided to let the cold bolster him. He would simply not think about it for now and activity combined with the hearth would handle the rest. He reached for a heavy wooden board for cutting and got brief flashes of sadness and doubt. Her face lined by tears of some now distant pain flashed in his vision and he paused to catch his breath.

"What should I do first?" he asked forcing himself to avoid hugging her out of respect. Compassion could be hard to push down in times like these. "I'm happy to say, I know my way around a kitchen."

[member="Mysa Snowstrider"]

 

[Lief]

​

​

"You're free to ask whatever you like, about them, about my people and their world, about myself, anything you need to help with this journey of yours. It will be nice to have company that isn't a frir cub for once."

The smile she gave him at that comment was a little forlorn. Moving toward the door moments later she opened it so that Felix could enter before locking it shut behind himself. Naturally the cub was drawn toward the fire, for as much as he was a creature of ice and snow he enjoyed the warmth it provided all the same. She watched him for a few moments, and he shook off the cold and settled down, before finally turning back to the kitchen. Compared to modern standards she supposed it could have been mistaken for a workstation - there weren't any fancy gadgets after all, just a simple set up.

"Well, you can clean and cut the potatoes if you like? I prefer to keep the skins on, I don't know why people insist on peeling them... Most of the nutrients are in the skins!"

And in a place like this, any extra nutrients you could get would go far.

She quickly cleaned off her hands before stepping up beside him and opening up the storage container which held a couple of pieces of salted meat. The best way to keep meat preserved short of freezing it, and she had enough frozen meat to contend with in the basement.

"Vegetables are in the pantry, just over there."

With her free hand she gestured to a door that lay on the other side of the kitchen space, the pantry itself was actually rather sizable considering she lived alone.

"I figured we'd make a stew, how does that sound?"

[member="Seamus Valik"]