Jedi By Dawn (Théodred Heavenshield)

[Ylva Heavenshield]

New Himmeldal - Norvegr-fen ​

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"]​

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The Morn' light had yet to rise and already the Red Wolf of Midvinter had found herself afoot and standing outside of their hearth of Norvegr-fen looking too the last of the dying stars blanketing the sky and thinking of the past. So much had changed over the years that followed her leave of Nirauan, whisked up by a love least expected, Théodred and his bewildered look of surprise the day that she had put him to his back and near bloodied his nose for simply touching her knife; now they were wed and [member="Thora Heavenshield"] born of the blood of two great clans of the Valkyri. Born of Fire and Ice. Life within Norvegr-fen was good, theirs was a house respected by the people whom called the capital of Northmark home.

Married to a Lord, a younger version of herself would have laughed at the prospect, let alone the fact that [member="Coci Heavenshield"] presided over her training under the Dawnguard. Once a Jedi Grandmaster, the Heavenshields had returned to Midvinter and it was there that Ylva learned of the Force and of her ability to wield it. Much alike the weather of the frozen world, the Force was a torrent of power not to be trifled with, something that she might have recognized in stories were her younger days spent like the typical girl or boy growing up among her people; had she harnessed the Force like she could today, her past would have looked so different to what her memories whispered in the night.

Her Mother-in-law wasn't there now where Ylva could have done with her advice however. Where questions of Ylva's path arouse and led her to wonder why it was that the Force called out to her and what seperated her from the average woman of her age and height, her blood could be traced back many generations of Valkyri and yet hers was the blood of the usurper, where mixed loyalties had rendered her clan nameless, the Solveig cast out until the unusual manner of her return and the way of which the Heavenshields had come to learn of her true origin. Truth be told, there were parts of Ylva that still confused her, still lacked understanding in.

Such were the longing thoughts that crept over her in the silence of the night where only the sound of her sleeping husband could be heard nestled against her shoulder, gently left to his slumber so that she could try to find solace in the cold outside air, draped in a robe of fur, serenaded by the first of the light to top the far mountain range.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

There was a chill in the air, and in the bed in which he lay that stirred Théo from his sleep. Long had the fire in the hearth gone out, only cool embers remained in the grill not even enough to ignite fresh fuel. As naked as the day he was born, he threw back the covers of the bed and dressed, it was still dark outside and Ylva was not here. You could not see the snow at night as it fell from the thick cloud that clung to the mountain ranges of Norvegr-fen, and the mists would forever swirl over the waters and among the long tall reeds that choked the banks. It is a strange life up here in the Northmark, so different to the rest of Midvinter, but the rest of Midvinter could boost the same. From the North to the South, East to West and the small realms shrouded in it's own magic.

Nothing was ever alike on this jewel planet.

There was nowhere she could go to hide from him, her presence through the force like a beacon of light to him and he would 'see' it no matter where he was, no matter how far away, he could always turn his head for home just by searching for her. Théo did not know how long Ylva had been out here in the cold, nor her reason but she never did anything without purpose, so there had to be one. As he reached her side, his hand raised to caress her long red hair streaming down her back before wrapping his arms around her waist and drawing her close to him. "The bed was cold", he simply said to tell her she had been missed.

There were no stars to witness this, the clouds made sure of that but even still the dawn poked his head over the far mountains and a soft yellow light tinted the mists of the fens. For a long moment, Théo stood with the girl of his heart in his arms enjoying the simple pleasure of it but something had drawn her out here in the cold and even though she smiled up into his face, her eyes gave away the mind. "What is on your mind?", he asked gently and of course tried to second guess it. Which never works, any man could tell you and red heads are even more unfathomable.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

Ylva had been so distracted in her thoughts that she hadn't heard [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]'s approach, before long his hands were upon her sides and slowly moving forward in his embrace of her, Ylva's gaze being drawn away from the skies above to her Husband's silhouette in her peripherals, a smile creeping over her as she enjoyed both his touch as well as the sentiment in his words.

"What is on your mind?" he asked, as if being able to read her like an active holo-book. "I couldn't sleep" she admitted, turning on the spot to face him front on, feeling no apprehension when it came to voicing her thoughts with Théodred; "I've been thinking about my training. Your Mother's taught me so many things..." she said with a reserved and quiet tone, as though she needed to apologize for not being there with him. She smiled up at her husband, her eyes seemingly searching his for some form of reassurance and sign that he would understand what she were trying to express to him.

"I know that I'm still learning, but I can't help but wonder what it all means for me" Ylva's brow flattened a little in her wonder, her search for identity and purpose within the force and what she was meant to do with her newly discovered power and ability. "Does that make any sense to you?".

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

His hand raised and caressed her wind swept hair as he looked down into her eyes with a smile. "A person could spend a life time trying to figure that out and never find the answer. As a Jedi that is part of it, that is the journey one takes when they study .. if they study it". Théo let out a long sigh, how does one explain what to do when confronted with the question she posed. "You have always had the presence of the force within you from the day you were born. What makes you think that because you know now that it would change you?". He knew she had, everyone changes over time and life experiences, but he wanted her to think about how she had.

"When I was little, not much older than Thora is now I began my studies in the force. Did not truly understand what it was or let alone what my part in it was. I think that you decide that, the force gives you another option in life that very few have". He put his arm around her waist and turned himself to walk along the street away from New Himmeldal and made their way to the docks. Already some of the boats were preparing to depart along the fens to the river and beyond laden with goods to trade.

"Mother ever taught you to meditate?", he turned to her face as they walked slowly to the waters edge. "I would be surprised if she didn't, she loves it so much", he on the other hand could never sit still, still can't. Théo looked around for a quiet spot and found one up the docks, "Come lets sit". He pulled her down to the wooden surface, and sat opposite his wife taking her hands in his and allowing the force to flow between them warming her to the core, sharing energy and power along force tendrils.

"You want to see something?", he smiled teasing, "Something beyond the edges of the city?". He knew she had it in her, the ability to see beyond the veil of the eyes, she just had to believe she could.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

It was interesting to hear Théodred talk about what it was to be a Jedi, or at the very least part of what they were about. In all their time together, it was quite rare for the subject to come up between them. Partially, she felt, was that he knew that Ylva didn't understand or know much about the Jedi and their history or role in the greater Galaxy, instead her focus being so present in the moment and so focused upon their life there on Midvinter. Like it had been on on the world they'd first met, Nirauan had been it for her and she hadn't expected to find a life beyond that. It had been an existence raised upon boundaries, where as the Force introduced a sense of freedom and limitless potential the likes that she failed to comprehend.

"I'm not as ignorant as before" she admitted, in response to his question about a change in her. "I've learned of things I've previously thought impossible. I've seen the very Gods of this land, and not just felt but learned to control this power of ours...", power that she thought was simply myth, a story made up of fictions for the imagination of younglings. Power that was also a weapon if used against others, a dangerous thought were she not someone with a good heart. Ylva didn't exactly think highly of herself, but she at-least liked to believe she was a woman who lived with integrity in her heart.

"Coci did teach me, yes" she confirmed, though something in her voice had changed and hinted at a potentially frustrating sense of apprehension over the subject. "It wasn't exactly my finest hour" she added, offering Théo a slight glare as if daring him to make a smart remark, she moving to take her seat opposite him, holding hands together whilst her piercing blue eyes landed upon his gaze and she watched him inquisitively, wondering why he had led them both to the docks of all places.

"I'm not sure what you're expecting me to see from here...-And at this hour".

[member="Théodred Heavenshield"]

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

He could not help laugh and could only imagine what must have happen between the two strong women when they locked heads over something. "I wish I could have seen, I am sure mother is learning too", the differences between the two women worlds apart but strangely similar when it comes to family and the defense of them all. The docks were not necessarily the best place for this exercise but they were alone and would be for a little while and it was quiet here, save for the lapping of the waters against the poles of the docks, and maybe a splash in the water from some of it's more interesting life.

"You will see everything you wish to see, if you focus and listen to my voice", it is a starting place to focus on something while searching for another, over time Ylva will not need this to cling to, to achieve anything through the force. "Close your eyes and relax, breath deeply and with purpose and then focus on me, then the docks and the waters". This would be the first step, and once reached he will push her beyond and into the surroundings away from the city.

He would do the same, as easy as breathing to him now, it was one of the skills he had studied from first entering the Temple on Voss under his master a life time ago. It seemed that way, 'a life time ago', even though Théo is still a young man approaching his thirties. Voss seemed like a dream now, he knew every part of it especially the Temple, and so many people that would come and go, not just Jedi, to apart of something special.

Théo could see below the waters, below the docks on which they sat, and watched the water creatures busy with hunting for food, some prey, some predator. But in each one of them, the force was present and strong providing life and it's strength to them. The living force.

"Look down into the waters", he said in whisper inviting her to join him. "Reach down into the waters".

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

Meditation had never been Ylva's strong-suit; For that, it required patience where as she was an impulsive woman whom was so often driven by that impulse and her emotion. The only time that she had ever truly shown real patience was during a hunt, stalking or waiting out her next kill, but with even that there was the adrenaline that rushed through her blood and heightened the senses. Meditation required patience, and isolating one's self from everything in search of inner-peace. Ylva hadn't yet achieved that, nor did she think it was possible with the life that lay behind her.

Still, she wished to humor her Husband's wish. She trusted in him, enough to give him the benefit of the doubt. "I'm not sure your Mother would call it that" Ylva glanced back to Théodred with a telling smile before turning her attention first to their surroundings, and soon closing her eyes. [member="Coci Heavenshield"] had taught her the physical aspects of meditation, these were the easy part. Inhaling deeply and holding it for three seconds, then releasing. Rinse and repeat until finding one's mind and body at ease. Without sight came less distractions from one's connection to the Force, and without a busied mind it would be easier to read or feel out that which the Force sought to convey or whisper through the veil.

For now, the only whisper of words she could hear were those of [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]s. They were warm and gentle, and she could feel his desire to guide her; Ever so willing to do whatever he could to keep her mind at ease and her heart content. Gently, Ylva lowered her gaze and opened her eyes to stare lucidly down into the water below, her mind still in a state of mental calm, her sense drifting out across their surroundings, feelings reaching to touch upon every living creature within range, without having to stress her limits in doing so.

"What am I looking for?...".

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Ylva was doing well, he could feel her stretching out through the force and he smiled to himself. "Whatever your heart desires", he replied to her question and his smile grew. What Ylva needed to do was trust herself, and stretch beyond her limits and simply see what turns up. Théo was sitting there doing absolutely nothing, in the ways of the force that is, but watched her face as it twisted with thought. He loves her face with all it's features and subtle gestures, not that he could read them most of the time. He knew his answer would prompt more doubt and in part that was the purpose, but it was also a tease.

He lifted his eyes from her face to the tips of the mountain ranges that surrounded the capital of the Northmark, as if looking beyond them to a place that still haunted his dreams, which in a way they did. There was something out there that is left hidden that did not wish to be so any more, but with two failed missions he wondered if he was being mislead by something else, someone maybe that wanted nothing more than to mess with him. It could have been the force too, everything was so unclear and no amount of meditation was going to fix that. Images flashing in his mind through the dreamscape, in the quietest hours of the night, that was all he had to go on.

There is always a semblance of truth behind legend.

Maybe he should go alone. Or maybe he should go with her.

Théo's eyes dropped back to his wife's face, studying it with an intent and with purpose. I had the wrong piece of the puzzle with me before, Ylva is the key.

A splash in the waters below the docks on which they sat from some water creature, snapped Théo out of his revere. And looking around he realised they had been sitting on the docks for some time, people of Norvegr-fen had well and truly left their beds and had started the day in their work. The sound of voices filling the docks with shouts of commands as each long boat was loaded or unloaded with trade, he could hear the giggling of children with mischief in their hearts and the smell of the hearths laden with pots cooking.

Ylva and Théo must have looked a strange sight to them, sitting on the docks in their nightgarments. He started to laugh.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

"Whatever your heart desires".​

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[member="Théodred Heavenshield"] wasn't exactly much of a help, though Ylva had always appreciated his teasing. Fortunately for Ylva, she was able to maintain her connection to the Force despite the moment of humor. Life on Midvinter was forever on the move, and through life the flow of the Force ever present.

Letting her consciousness drift away from her Husband, Ylva sought to delve deeper into her connection, her mind being drawn elsewhere though she didn't recognize the location itself. Her vision seemed to wash over the mountains, flowing along the wind itself as it carried her to where the Force wished her to see. Northmark wasn't far from there, she couldn't see the settlement but she knew it, somehow. It was an inexplicable feeling, almost instinctive, obviously a result of the Force and not of her own knowledge for she found herself surrounded by trees in the wilderness, and the sight of a wolf moving through the snow. The animal so close that it didn't seem to realize Ylva was there beside it...

Her eyes opened suddenly when she heard Théodred begin to laugh. "Hm?" she frowned, taking a moment to come back to the present, "Did I do something to amuse you?" she smirked a little warily, wondering if she'd made a face while concentrating so hard.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

Her husband gave his wife a gentle smile, "No, but I think we amused them", he nodded over his shoulder toward the gathering crowd on the docks watching the pair. "They probably think we have both run mad sitting here like this". There was simply no point to continuing as the connection to the purpose of this exercise was broken, so Théo stood, and held out his hand for his wife to take and they would walk home this way if she permitted.

"I want to talk to you about something when we get back", he turned to her, "It needs to be in private". It was not so much a secret, but he had to explain to her some things that had been plaguing his dreams and he wanted her take on it. And as they walked, they did receive the strangest looks, and even the more brave would shoot them a comment about their bed attire, some made even Théo blush.

As they approached New Himmeldal, and climbed the steps he looked forward to the warmth of the hearth feeling the chill run through his body and yet, it was not a particularly cold morning. Maybe it was just the thought of the visions, he had not had them in ages not since a young lad, but now they revisited him. And like then, the lack of understanding of what they might mean, was confusing and disturbing. He waited for Ylva to enter first, and already he felt at ease being here with her and about to share his concerns.

Already there was food on the far end of one of the long tables in the main hall, all warm and ready for them to break fast. Théo thanked their house staff and took his place very hungry now as the smell of the food filled his senses. The caf was the first he took, warming his insides and settling him down somewhat before catching Ylva's eye again. She looked so beautiful with her hair out and trailing around her face, and her cheeks still rosy from the cold when touched by the heat, her lips as red as the summer rose and as soft.

He could not help but smile, and wonder how he had been so lucky.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

She hadn't realized the crowd that had gathered around them, not a great crowd but a few figures dotted around them, all with questioning and amused looks on their faces. 'How long have we been here?' she wondered as she took in each of their intrigued and judgmental glances, likely thinking the pair of them were a little mad for being out in the cold air wearing their night garments. "Point taken" Ylva replied plainly to Théodred, seeing no reason to argue and suddenly feeling the need to be back within the warmth of their hearth.

Taking his hand, finding her footing and beginning to walk side by side was made all the more easier by some faintly heard comments from behind them, something about her backside and Théodred's masculinity. Truth was, they had every reason to be jealous, both she and her husband were warriors with the physique you'd come to expect had you heard the rumors surrounding their battle prowess and their recent history and accomplishments in combat.

"How private are we talking, exactly?" Ylva smirked, leaning into [member="Théodred Heavenshield"]'s side with enough weight to cause him to stumble in his step, her cocky and amused gaze watching him and looking for that joyous reaction of his, in the typical expression he made when he caught on to her dirtier remarks. It wasn't exactly difficult to twist his suggestion around to hint at a certain kind of play that happened only behind closed doors. Much to the likely disappointment of the crowd they'd left behind them.

Reaching New Himmeldal shortly thereafter, the smells of freshly cooked food found her senses before they'd managed to step into the warmth of the firelight room, the table within the center of the hall decorated in linen and dishes all boasting foods that seemed far too much for just the four of them. One of their assistants would no doubt be seeing to little [member="Thora Heavenshield"], while only the Force could know where [member="Boo Heavenshield"] had been lately.

"It's not just us...Is it?" Ylva asked, a little wary of all the work the cooks had gone to the effort of making for them.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

A grin at his wife for her playful comment, before he sat down at the table and began eating without ceremony. Théo looked at her mid chew when she spoke of the amount of food prepared for them. Being up early and already seen a good part of the morning, Théo was certain he could eat the lot without trouble, so as his wife noticed this he slowed down and put the bread back on his plate to eat with measure. "Sorry", he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"No not just us, to household will join us soon", he added and moved closer to Ylva. "While we are alone I will speak to you quickly. I did not want to say anything out there because I don't want the people thinking their lord has run mad". He threw his leg over the long seat, his knees on either side of her as she sat picking at her food. "I have been having visions, more and more of late. And .. well .. I think I am being guided by the force to something and I am not sure what it is yet".

He moved closer still, leaning forward as if telling a secret. "You remember I went with a group up to The Falls of Crystals some months back, well we failed to get up there to see anything". The weather had closed in and stopped them in their tracks. "I was having visions then, but now .. they are stronger and more vivid and I have to go again. But this time I want you to come with me".

"We can take Thora and Boo to Fridheim, they can stay there while we are gone. It might take a few weeks ...". He pressed Ylva's arm, gaining her attention to see if she too, thought him mad. Théo wanted to see her eyes and wanted her opinion he so valued.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

Her lips curved into a cocky smirk as he watched [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] come to realize the error of his ways, "By all means, help yourself Husband" she goaded him, soon giving him a bow as though she were the help whom had committed to the prepared feast and he some pompous lord being served by a slave-wife. Laughable really, if ever she were to serve someone in such a way, they'd be eating her blade.

Shaking her head with a quiet laugh, she waved him off dismissively as though to say 'suit yourself', though he knew well the banter between them and she expected Théo to know better than to take her play to heart. Seating herself at the table, she began to collect a few things for her dish. Meat was always on the menu, even during the first break of day for it was her preference over the horrid oatmeal porridge concoction that the boys of her household seemed to enjoy. 'Heathens' she goaded them inwardly, having a bit of a chuckle to herself.

"Thora had best wake soon, I've promised the butcher a fresh kill for the day and she knows well I'll have her hide if she doesn't live up to our name" Ylva glanced back across the table to her beloved, whom also seemed to be a soft ol' fool when it came to being won over by their Daughter's puppy eyes and guilt-tripping tone when she wanted something and knew better than to go to her Mother for it. She loved them all, really. She would and on more than several occasions had killed for them all before, but as the Lady of the Hearth, it was her privilege to be hard on them at times. Sometimes it was called for, other times Ylva just felt like reminding them who was boss.

Théodred moved closer and took his place beside her, Ylva's face softening as she realized that look on his own, something serious had come to mind and he wished to share it with her. "I'm listening..." she replied a little apprehensively, as though she might not like what he had to say. She was wrong to expect there to be any trouble concerning their daughter, for he had something entirely else on his mind, and apparently coming to him in visions.

Ylva's brows furrowed as she kept eye contact with him, listening and trying to understand why this place was so important to him. It was when he said that this place was up in the mountains near crystal falls however that she had what was akin to a moment of nostalgia. The image she had seen in her meditation that morning..."The Northmark came to me, while we were together at the docks. Or rather, I was brought to the mountains surrounded by tree's where I found myself standing beside a Wolf" she frowned, not intentionally having been whispering her response yet the image had come back so vividly; "It didn't even notice me, but kept looking on ahead..." Ylva blinked a couple times, before turning to glance back at her plate for a moment as though she'd just woken up in a haze.

"It had felt like a dream, the kind you forget when you awaken..." She turned to look back to Théo, knowing how silly they must both have looked in the moment; "Perhaps we're both losing our minds".

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

"But you didn't forget it", Théo said his thoughts with a furrowed brow and it was clear that Ylva was experiencing visions as well. They had little time to speak before the rest of the household would join them. "Do your hunt as promised, leave Thora with me. But tomorrow we ready for the Falls of Crystals and... into the mountains". He would prepare Thora and Boo to travel to his parents and transport them by his ship. Time was of the essence, he could sense it, it was like the mountains or what was in them was telling him 'it is now or never'.

He leaned closer and kissed his wife fully and strongly for her understanding of this strange mission they were both entwined in.

As their kiss ended, the rest of the household entered and sat with them to partake in the morning meal. It was not custom for them to do so, but Théo has never really been one for custom and although they worked here in the grand hall of the Northmark, he considered them just as important to the Mark as their leader. A leader is nothing without the respect and love of his people. Théo also possessed the ability to do his duty and hand down justice if called upon even though it is hard and hard choices must be made, but it doesn't mean he has to like it.

Both Ylva and he were met with 'good mornings', as they sat along the long table and had their breakfast. And the noise from the upper levels told them all that the children were awake.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

Ylva frowned to her husband as he told her to take care of the hunt herself; In most cases she'd gladly do so, though this one was meant for Thora to learn how to take a clean kill, to skin and gut it so that it could be given to the butcher and subsequently the people of Norvegr-fen. "If you keep making excuses to baby her, the girl's never going to learn Théodred" Ylva replied, shaking her head though giving no actual disagreement to his suggestion. [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] knew Ylva's mind on the matter, though he also knew how much Ylva appreciated the fact that their Daughter had a Father whom loved her more than life itself; Something that Thora's Mother had never had, yet deep down always wished to experience the love of caring parents. Something she had not found until coming to know Coci and [member="Thurion Heavenshield"], who were still growing on her as role-models, something that came easy in life for most folks she assumed.

A telling look would inform her Husband not to further the subject as they were soon greeted by the rest of the house-hold. The two of them were never the pair to discuss their private affairs in front of company, or atleast Théodred had always done well to respect Ylva's wish for privacy when it came to more personal discussions of their family. Between the two of them, they had never yet found argument with each other in any real aggression, her husband was ever the loving husband despite the warrior within him. He'd never shown her anything less than his respect and honesty, and though there were times they might disagree, her love for Théodred was not so easily dismissed, even though he could be frustrating at times. In most cases, the best answer was to be an equal pain in his backside, and in this there was at-least some amusement to be found from their bickering.

"Good morning, everyone" Ylva smiled to their house staff, all people true of heart and reflecting the Heavenshield virtue in their own form. Integrity was something most valued by she and her Husband, especially when it came down to those whom would be in the company of their Children. The roof of the ground floor creaking and a dull thud sounding the end of their slumber, Ylva turning to glance back to Théo briefly, brows lifting in wonder of which of the two had gotten the jump on the other this time. "You think you can manage the two of them?" She gave a half smirk back at her Husband, as though he'd put his foot in it and taken on an endeavor more than he could handle.

 

[Théodred Heavenshield]

He looked at this wife a little incredulously and a little confused. "You can take Thora on a hunt, I am babying her. Just not today, we need to go and while you hunt I will take them to Fridheim". He was not that convinced Thora wanted to learn how to hunt or skin a beast, but it was a good skill to have and so he was not going to stop his wife doing so. But she is only five years old and maybe a bit young for it, he also understood that his wife would disagree that it would provide Thora with a skill needed to survive out there in the wilderness but Thora is not Ylva, nor is she in the same circumstances in which his wife that grown up.

As the breakfast began to wind up, Théo stood and prepared to leave for the upper levels to gather the children to pack. Both of them would be happy enough to go see their grandparents, it would not be much of an argument from them to leave. Boo least of all, his relationship with that young boy was the longest Théo had ever had outside of his own parents, it was a strange relationship considering it started when Théo was a boy himself and Boo was the leader in that dynamic at the time. That has changed of course, but the pair of them are thick. Thora, would do as her papa said and she loves her grandpapa and grandmama and she would be first out the door.

"I wont be long", he was taking them by ship and would be back in a couple of hours. "Went I get back I will ready us for the journey".

He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss on the top of her head, before bidding good day to the rest of the staff at the long table. "Good hunting". He realised it had been quite some time since he had hunted, duty did not allow time for such activities and he missed it.

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[member="Ylva Heavenshield"]​

 

[Ylva Heavenshield]

Ylva's eyes closed as Théodred gave her a parting kiss atop of her head, every show of affection from that man was a heartfelt one and regardless of circumstance, he never failed in making certain that Ylva knew his feelings for her. "Don't sink out there" she spoke after him as he moved for the upper floor to gather the kids, her tone half out of jest and half out of snark towards his stubbornness. Truth be told, she wouldn't have it any less, [member="Théodred Heavenshield"] always stood by what he believed in and his back-bone was something to be admired when it came to knowing where one stood. They both had their ways, and his was a father's love that Thora was blessed by the Gods, to have in her life.

Leaning back into her chair, she looked to meet the glance of one of the maids, a wary smile upon the woman's face that caused Ylva to chuckle and shake her head slowly. "Men..." She remarked, to which she was met with a bit of a snicker from the maid, their house staff were always so easy to get along with, a compliment of Théodred's decision to treat them like family rather than like slaves the likes of lesser men might do. "Well then...-I guess I'll be fetching Bjomolf..." she spoke her thoughts aloud and eventually found the motivation to stand from the table, requiring her leathers for proper out-door wear before also fetching her bow.

The outskirts of Norvegr-fen had plenty of potential hunting spots, Midvinter not lacking when it came to forestry and woodland area's fit grazing. Deer were the regular kill for Ylva, they were graceful creatures and there was little to no risk of retaliation unlike the bear, ursine creatures that roamed some of the denser forest-lands. By midday, she'd have a fresh kill returned to the butcher, as well as Bjomolf feeling pleased with himself for the full stomach he had earned in his own hunt out there in the wilds with her.