Out of Character

[Lorcan Drach]

Lorcan had awoken that morning think it all to have been a dream. Surely he hadn’t brought a Wynfried into Drach territory, and surely he hadn’t brought her to that house. The very house he’d built for his wife. He wasn’t that foolish without a captive from Kaige right?

But he was. His heard hid the bruising on his jaw from the punch his father had given him the night before, and he sat on the edge of the bed, forearms resting on his knees while he looked down at his hands. If Turin didn’t call him an idiot, Lorcan was going to for the rest of his days. He’d done something careless, and there would be consequences to that carelessness. This he was sure of.

Yet, at the same time...A part of his was finding relief in his rash decisions. Finally you’re doing something… A voice told him. Aside from Jayna, how many people had waited for Lorcan Drach to finally make a move against his father in this small act of rebellion? His father was turning more into a tyrant as the days went on. He was agitated over something, and he was beginning to make Lorcan question his mental state.

Kaige had always been crazy though, hadn’t he?

He heaved a side, Rising to his feet as he looked over at his shoulder at the ten year old currently in his bed. Sienna had nightmares and had come out of her room just in time to see Lorcan returning. Normally, he might have sent her down to Jayna, as the two were close, but given Jayna’s current state… Lorcan had kept her with him.

He grabbed a shirt after shoving his feets into his boots, and closed the door quietly behind him before he made his way downstairs. There were too many things to do at once, he was going to have to prioritize. The first item of business? Tell Turke with the fuck was going on, and making sure they weren’t overheard. Second, was to get Jayna to a healer to look at her hand. Kaige was going to ask questions about it, and Lorcan didn’t have the mental dexterity to come up with something that his father would believe.

As he came down the stone steps he came into the large open area that acted as both kitchen and living room. The drachs had a long table with benches on either side, and it was still early enough that not everyone was up and about yet. He finished putting his shirt on and then ran a hand down the middle of his face, sighing in annoyance.

He worked on making some tea in the meantime until Turin Drach could hobble in and he could catch his brother up.

[Turin Drach]

Turin felt like he had been watching this fire sizzle and burn for so long, and he was just anticipating the giant explosion.

Their father was always crazy, and yet, Turin couldn't help but feel like there was something else going on. Despite the man nearly trying to break his leg the day prior, there was a heavier tension in the air when Kaige was around. And yes, Turin was a little bit scared. Maybe more afraid than he'd ever like to admit.

Especially after knowing what Lorcan had done, after speaking with Jayna last night. Things were happening, and he couldn't be sure if it was a good or bad thing. And yet, with him, he was always thinking the worst of situations.

He'd barely slept, and it had been restless that Turin found himself rising up earlier than usual. Shrugging into a shirt and throwing on his boots, he limped his way down the steps, pausing only a moment when he heard movement below. Silently praying it wasn't his father, Turin proceeded further until he spotted Lorcan in the kitchen area.

"Oh...how nice of you to return, brother," he whispered a little vehemently, his voice laced with tired anger.

[Lorcan Drach]

Lorcan knew everyone in the Drach household by the sounds they made when they walked. A habit he'd made as a warrior, was to always be aware of your surroundings. Even if he was trying to make sense of the mess he'd found himself in and trying desperately to keep the anger at himself he'd felt last night at bay. Gwen would ask too many questions or blame Jayna if he broke a tea cup in frustration...

The movements weren't Sienna's clumsily and childlike movements. Violet had lead feet and would sound like a stampede of horses, Hanna was more graceful, Gwen couldn't pick her feet up to save her life, and Father had firm footsteps that spoke loudly about his confidence and ego. And Turke? He was the only one in the house at the moment with a limp.

The uneven footsteps on the stairs told him it was likely his brother, so he wasn't all surprised when his brother's voice suddenly filled the air. A quiet sigh was let out through Lorcan's nostrils, and he clenched his jaw as he reached for a second tea cup. He didn't say anything yet. Knowing he deserved Turin's tone, and he was partially to blame for some of the bruises his brother was wearing. 

Once he'd poured the tea, he turned around finally and carried the two cups to the table. Setting them both down across from each other, before he lowered himself down onto the bench. His hands encircled the mug, feeling the heat from the water, and he stared at the liquid in the mug for a moment. Wondering how long he could stall and how much he could beat around the bush with Turin. In the end, he couldn't do it. He was the last brother Lorcan had left, honesty was something Lorcan valued. He refused to keep things from his brother, especially like keeping a Wynfried locked away in the cabin he'd built for his dead wife. 

From their conversation the night previous, Turin knew Lorcan was keeping a prisoner. But Lorcan didn't know Turin had already talked with Jayna. 

"Do you want to lecture me now, or later?" He finally spoke. His voice that usualy quiet rumble, as his blue eyes flickered up to look at Turin. The expression on Lorcan's face was a tired one. He too hadn't slept well, and knew he'd messed up. It was just-

He was tired of the meaningless killings. Even if he knew he should axed the wynfried woman, something had stopped him. He reached up to run a hand over his face, sighing again. "I took Jayna to the cabin last night." He confessed. Keeping his voice down. Add another strike in the "Lorcan did something stupid" column

[Turin Drach]

Yes, he was the only one with a limp because Lorcan hadn't been around to help during one of their father's recent outbursts.

Turin approached the table but didn't take a seat as he practically glared down at his brother. He wanted to be angry for everything, but a part of him wasn't. Not really. If he had found the Wynfrid girl, would he have killed her or brought her back to Kaige? Not likely. But it was this disappearing and sense of his brother withdrawing that bothered him the most. Then, after speaking with Jayna last night, it all escalated. That same courtesy Lorcan bestowed upon the Wynfrid had never been given to the Moreling. And she, out of all, deserved that freedom.

Now, she was in too deep. There was no escaping the dragon.

Fingers dug into the wood of the table as he stood there hunched over, looking down at Lorcan as he sat there. His brother was just as tired and probably just as frustrated.

'I took Jayna to the cabin last night.'

"So I heard...after I caught her sobbing," he replied rather curtly. Did he want to lecture him? Maybe, but he was beginning to feel like there was no point.

[Lorcan Drach]

If Lorcan had known what was on his brothers mind, that uneasy feeling he was having with his withdrawing, he would have tried to put him at ease. Attempt to tell him he wasn’t going to that place again. That place he’d been in for several months following the deaths of their brother, Lorcans wife and child… he hadn’t spoken for months, his movements robotic. It was a dark time that he didn’t want to be in, nor put Turin through again. He’d withdrawn last night to try and protect him. If he wasn’t injured, he would have likely brought Turin along with him, but as it was, both sons missing would have left the girls unprotected. Lorcan couldn’t risk it.

They were all in too deep with the Dragon. All apart of his horde that he wouldn’t be keen on losing. Unlike Jaynas circumstance, the Wynfried was protected by the fact their father didn’t know of her existence. Jayna was a prize Kaige would kill anyone for before he let her go. Lorcan had silently made her a promise though. She would be free, and he’d see to it. They owed her that much.

Lorcans eyes hardened at Turin’s curtness. He knew He was upset with him, but what else was he supposed to do? Hearing Jayna had cried had unsettled him. Knowing she’d heard what he’d promised the Wynfried and he knew it hadn’t been easy to hear. He kept telling himself that if maybe her circumstances had been different, then maybe they’d have found some way to free her sooner. If he hadn’t been that husk for the first six months, maybe she’d have been freed.

Or maybe Kaige would have killed one of them when he found out she’d escaped… there was no changing the past, they could only look to the future. Lorcan glanced back down into his tea, cleaning his jaw despite the pain. “What would you have done?” He asked quietly. Wanting to know his brother's opinion. Wanting to see if he had made the right choice. He never wished for Aemon more in that moment. Or hell… even Jannik. He knew in his bones the youngest Drach brother would have let the woman go. He would have let her go with a quick tune, and a warning to never come back if she valued her head. But they couldn't all be flower smelling dragons that liked their lutes over their axes now could they?

“The wolf, she’s been watching our territory for a while. I couldn’t let her go.” His eyes flickered up to Turin’s and for a moment there was the briefest amount of desperate pleading for his brother to understand. “And I couldn’t kill her.” He whispered. Words that a Drach should never utter, passed through his lips. “I couldn’t do another meaningless killing. I couldn’t bring her to father and put another woman through what Jayna did.” He spoke very quietly, his eyes darting to the stairs so he could listen for any movements that might sound like their father, but there was merely silence and the crackle of the fire.