home is where the heart is

baelfire

the sun was shining and the birds were singing as a gentle autumn breeze blew across the endless plain. baelfire watched the tall grass sway to and fro in the wind while his white pelt ruffled uncomfortably at the all too familiar scent.

home.

this was where he belonged, where he yearned to be, but he could not bring himself to stay thanks to the memories of his parents that plagued him. he wanted to remember the good times he'd had with his family, but lately all he could recall were visions of his father's bloodied body and his mother's heartbroken stare. they haunted him at night and kept him from getting any sleep.

it's all your fault.

he flinched, then shook his head as he tried to shake the feeling off. his father had died due to his own convictions— he had said so himself. and yet, baelfire couldn't help feel responsible. if he had not gone off alone that night, if... if... he froze, pupils dilating as his mind threatened to take him back there again.

a low growl began rumbling in his chest and his lips curled as the pain encroached upon his mind. he clenched his jaw, green eyes shifting to focus on a parting of grass. someone else was approaching.

it took everything he had to focus on that instead of the memories.

@Sorcha

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sorcha kinnaird

“I thought I would find you here.” She spoke softly as she came up on Baelfire’s right side, a habit she had developed quickly when they had met as yearlings. She knew that he would recognise her on more than just sight alone but accommodating his injury was second nature to her now.

It was here in Edinburgh that they first met, the grim look on his too-young face as he tried to barter for something to eat. Luckily she had been with Iona - on one of her first merchant trips outside of the highlands. Her mother took one look at the child and took him under her wing.

“Come back with us, you will have a warm bed and plenty of food.”

She wondered, distantly, if Iona would have the same hospitality towards a stranger today, child or not. Since the war, she had restricted the tavern to Highlanders only, and was begrudging in trading with the lowlanders - Sorcha was fearful to even mention the mainland to her Jacobite mother.

She shook her head. She was getting distracted when she should be focused on the male before her. Sorcha settled down by his side, pressing herself gently against him.

@Baelfire

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baelfire

he was not alone for long and when sorcha appeared, he was grateful for the distraction— and the company.

as must as it hurts, i can't seem to stay away from here.

his admittance was accompanied by a sigh before he turned his head slightly to look at sorcha as she leaned into him. the pain began to recede as he started to relax; she always seemed to have that effect on him and that was perhaps one of the biggest reasons he stuck around. despite their political differences, he felt like he couldn't live without her at this point and he hoped that she felt the same and would not change her mind later on.

he leaned against her slightly, brushing his muzzle against her cheek as he drew in her comforting scent. so what are you doing here? stalking me? he asked playfully.

the grass swayed around them as they sat together and baelfire was able to forget about the horrible things that had happened here. it was nice to be home without the pain of the past pushing him out.

@Sorcha

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sorcha kinnaird

A small smile pulled at her lips when she felt Baelfire relax against her, the tension leaving his body in waves. She knew that being here was hard for him, the pain of reliving the loss of his family - or recalling the more bittersweet memories. She felt it herself, now. Her home was no longer the same, without Fearghus’ booming laugh or Shaw’s exasperated expressions. In a way, Sorcha was thankful that Iona had her doing market runs. She needed the distraction.

“You wish.” She retorted with a grin, bumping her shoulder against his as she pushed the depressing thoughts to the back of her mind. “Mum still won’t leave Perth, so I’m the one who has to run her errands. I’ll be heading to the market later.” She tilted her head towards him. “Come with me? Maybe mum’s herbs can get us a nice cut of stag.” She knew that he was heading south to Yorkshire, with plans of joining the army. Baelfire knew that she wasn’t too happy with his decision, but they had already had that argument and she wasn’t about to bring it up again. Sorcha just wanted to spend a little more time with him. Who knows where he could be stationed if they accepted him?

@Baelfire

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baelfire

"you wish." she said, her words accompanied by a playful bump. he chuckled and nudged her back, a smile on his face.

his ears perked when she mentioned her mother still wouldn't leave perth; sighing, he wished that the strife within their country would vanish and everything would go back to normal. he supposed that wasn't going to happen anytime soon and he wished he could do something about it but what could he do? he was just a commoner with no nothing and no name.

of course i'll come. it'll be nice to see her. he said warmly.

baelfire didn't see things the way sorcha and her mother did, but he was glad they hadn't completely cut him off. he didn't want to have to be forced to choose but a part of him feared that he would some day. he just hoped things smoothed over sooner rather than later.

he opened his mouth to mention his trip, but then closed it again as he decided against mentioning it at all. he did not want to spark another fight and he knew she would not go with him. he would have to make this journey alone. so he drew a breath and shrugged his shoulders before looking out into the tall grasses that surrounded them. i'm sure we'll find something decent at the market. he said instead.

@Sorcha

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sorcha kinnaird

“of course i'll come. it'll be nice to see her.” Sorcha grinned, pressing her muzzle into his fur in a silent thank you. “She misses you.” she voiced quietly. Iona was a proud woman, so Sorcha knew that she would never tell Baelfire herself, especially given his plans to join the army. But personal prejudices aside, the male was family, and family would always be important to the clan.

It seemed like he wanted to mention more, but his mouth quickly closed as he decided against it. Instead, he looked out to the tall grasses surrounding them and mentioned the market. Sorcha nodded, standing and stretching. It was not a long walk to the main streets of Edinburgh, but her legs were starting to feel a little sore from all the walking she had done recently. “Do you need a little while longer here?” she didn’t want to rush him, even if she was eager to get moving again.

@Baelfire

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baelfire

baelfire offered a small smile in return; he missed iona as well. she was almost like a second mother to him but still, nobody could fill the void his mother had left behind.

he hadn’t looked back at her until she asked if he needed more time.

no... lingering won’t do me any good. come on, let’s go. he said, turning to finally look at her and reaching to brush his muzzle against her shoulder as he moved past her. he didn’t wish to remain here and dwell on the past, nor did he wish to talk about the army. he would rather spend a nice day with her. he started walking. he took a few slow paces forward before looking back, but he wasn’t looking at his past, he was looking at his future. he smiled and then turned away, bounding toward their home knowing that she would quickly follow.

home...

it was strange to call anywhere else but here home, but he supposed this place hadn’t really been that in quite some time.

exit

@Sorcha

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sorcha kinnaird

She dipped her head as he answered, leaning into his touch once again as he brushed his muzzle against her shoulder. She hoped that he wasn’t pulling away too soon - after losing her father and brother, Sorcha knew that she certainly would not be able to leave Perth and her mother, not for a long time. But grief was a funny thing, it manifested differently for everyone. Baelfire knew what was right for him at this moment, and whatever he decided to do, she would be there to support him in it.

He had walked a few paces ahead of her as she looked about the small clearing, but when she turned to face him he was watching her with a smile before bounding away, back towards the wild north that she called her home. With a grin, she started after him, shouting through laughter for him to slow down.

@Baelfire

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