It wasn't until all others were passed out on the palette (Killara somehow spooning Omeo) That Marbh came back inside, his knuckles bleeding and his hair smelling like pine.
He looked down at his watch, 2:33 am, had he really been out for that long? 18 hours seemed like a lot of time to be outside punching a pine tree. But that didn't matter now.
He glanced over at Mother Athol, her bed seemed to be a part of the wall that could be pulled down when needed, she was so deep into her slumber that the frigid whoosh of wind from the door when Marbh entered didn't even cause a flinch. Marbh untied his icy vans and set them down next to the palette,
He pulled the hood of his grimey sweatshirt up over his now tangled ratty hair before laying down with his back to Zoe, he fell asleep listening to her soft incomprehensible muttering.
A few hours later, Marbh was awakened by the others bustling around the one room cottage packing for the trip into the ancient world.
He groaned and shoved his face into the quilt, wishing he was back home living a normal life. He knew this dumb visit to Athol would get out of hand… and now they were going on a full fledged quest.
Omeo ripped the quilt off of him exposing him to the cold.
"Rise and shine sleepy head!" Zoe laughed cheerfully. She now wielded a sleek silver longsword which was hanging from a thick black belt on her skinny jeans. Omeo had apparently taken to a bow made of troll bones which he had attached to his back.
Athol was in the kitchen cooking as usual. "Well, look who's awake." Athol cooed sarcastically. Marbh gruffed at this, rubbing his eyes groggily as he took a seat on one of the worn wooden stools next to Zoe. To Zoe
"Marbh dear, there's something about Zoe We discovered while you slept in."
Marbh paused halfway through a sip of Omeo's coffee. Zoe averted eye contact.
"C-can I tell him?" she asked meekly
"Of course dear."
"So, I didn't know exactly when we met at the shop because I had...amn-amni…" she paused looking at Killara for help
"Amnesia," Killara finished gently.
Zoe looked as if she were on the verge of tears. She began to wave her hands softly under the counter, she leaned over and swayed back and forth averting eye contact with Marbh.
"I knew sort of. I'm sorry for not saying I've put you guys in danger…" her voice cracked.
"Zoe it's ok, just spit it out" Marbh laughed, he was confused but glad the attention wasn't on his temper tantrum last night
"I-i'm a mage royal… my mom was in the battle of Roses and I-…. But because of that I was cursed as a baby… b-basically a lot of people want to kill me and anyone who helps me..." she faltered before throwing her head on the counter. Marbh placed his hand on her back, hoping to comfort her.
He was shocked but he didn't let it show, he didn't know what the Rose battle was or who her mother was; but he did know what power that kind of mage had and exactly who would be wanting to kill her.
"Zoe.. the thing about outcasts is that we gotta stick together, I ain't afraid of no death, you're one of us now, as cheesy as that sounds."
Zoe sniffled and lifted her head slowly.
"She's in shock Marbh, it's a stressful thing amnesia, all she knows is what we've told her." Killara chimed in
"How did you know."
"I have a knack for it… her eyes glow a lot more than most outcasts do and the pink.. I mean from what I've studied I think that symbolizes the battle of the Rose… it's a part of the curse… a way for the enemy to identify her."
"Oh.." Marbh took his hand off Zoe's back, he cupped both his hands around the coffee he had stolen from Omeo… he didn't even care that it would make him sleepy at this point… he just needed something to burn his mouth so he could feel something…
He rubbed his scalded tongue against his pointed fangs… everyone was silent until Killara stood up and faced Marbh.
"The plan is to head to the circus after finding Athol's daughter, Rune, she's been training as one of the kings guards, we'll use her as a bodyguard for Zoe, her in addition to all of the potions Athol has given us and some little tricks up my sleeves I have a feeling Zoe will be ok." Their voice was commanding as if they were not suggesting but telling, demanding the fates for Zoe's future to be long.
"But first Marbh… you need some...different clothes." they chuckled.
"Marbh looked down at his ratty pants and even rattier hoodie.
"Pffft fine." he agreed, he set down the empty coffee mug on the counter with a bang.
"Your armor is in the same place you left it Marbh." Athol chimed.
Marbh nodded at Athol silently in response, he rose out his seat and headed over to the fireplace, still roaring with a thin flame, he bent down and pulled up on the small iron handle to reveal a storage space under the floor.
There it was, the faded iron armor he had made all those years ago, he pulled it out by the breastplate and laid it on the wooden floor with a clank.
He then shut the chamber door and examined the armor before putting it on over his other clothes.
It still fit perfectly, its faded red iron seemed to glow near the fire as it gained energy from the flame. It had huge shoulder guards but small malleable arm plates so that he could punch and swing his sword easily, it had no torso except for three layers of chainmail which hung from the breast plate over his stomach.
The legs were similar to the arms, thin but strong iron plates overlapping to that he could bend, kick, or swim without any trouble. It connected into some punk looking platform boots with large spikes on the cuff around his knee and buckles around the foot.
To tell the truth, he was actually very proud of this armor, he had been working on it since he was eight so it was well developed, and basically felt like a part of him…. He picked up the helmet and held it in his hands looking at it for a while while the others bustled around in the kitchen and other parts of the house, packing, gathering weapons and armor of various sorts.
The helmet was his pride and joy, although he hadn't made it it himself it was made from the skull of a dragon, his favorite mythical animal… he had found the skull in one of the teleportation failure sights..
He had separated the jaw from the head and connected it back with a melding potion, he had also hooked invisible speakers into the ear area of the helmet so that he could listen to music while wearing it. But above all this it was engraved and branded with runes from the old world scottish and norweigan.
It truly was the most beautiful object he owned.
"Put the damn thing on already your friends are ready." Mother Athol snapped playfully, Her bright red hair had frizzed up around her hips due to the humidity coming from the vegetables she was boiling.
Marbh slipped the helmet over his head and began to race out the door, however before he could get out Athol grabbed him by the belt and dragged him to the weapon wall in the kitchen.
"You're missing something."
"Oh yeah."
She then pulled a sleek black falchion sword off the wall.
"A-athol, that's not what-"
"Silence child, it belongs to me I decide who it goes to." She held the sword out to Marbh the black blade glinting with bright red from the fire, he could see his muddy awkward reflection in the blade before taking it.
"He liked you Marbh, you were his only male apprentice that's not something many llava bloods get to say. He would want you to have it. There's no point in letting it collect dust."
He rolled the handle in his palm creating a red flame spinning off around it.
"Did you give the others magic weapons?" he asked, his voice tinged with guilt.
"No I did not, but that doesn't mean you don't deserve it."
Marbh did not respond, he simply slipped the new sword into it's sheath.
He breathed shakily looking at Athol. She looked back at him, stern kindness in her eyes.
"Remember the name you chose and remember what it means Marbh."
He nodded his eyes welling up behind his helmet.
He held up the viking sign of thanks before turning around to join the others.
"Maŕbhovick."
Marbh halted halfway out the door, the icy wind blowing mercilessly against his face.
"Seas Fíor." she called out, her voice deep and gruff.
Marbh bit his lip to keep from screaming, he took a shaky breath which was drowned out by the wind.
"Tro theine tro deigh." he bellowed his voice cracking as he said it.
With this, Athol shut the door to the house, leaving Marbh with nothing but the silent fierceness of the woods.