Return from the dark
With the death of Marvalt,The group return home.
As Tadhg drew his last breath, Aeryck reached slowly to close his eyes. The last stare that had come from them was one of love - Love for Tara. Aethelmaer, Arutha, and Xiahou all came close to help Aeryck wrap Tadhg's body and lift it onto his horse, while the others began to load up the rest of the gear.
They had found that their horses, weapons, and all of their travelling items were there with them on the forest floor. Now they must only find where they were.
Aeryck thought that the forest looked, and even smelled familiar. He turned to Xiahou, "My friend, my brother, could you ride a short way to the east and scout the area. I believe we may be very close to home. I believe we have landed in the forest in Andurus, of our own land. If so, there should be a road a few minutes east of here." Xiahou simply nodded, mounted up, and rode off.
A small time later, but what seemed like ages, he returned to confirm Aeryck's belief. They all began the travail back to Foda in silence. Aeryck led Tadhg's horse from the seat of his own, and Aethelmaer ensured the safety of Tadhg's great axe. They would ride into Foda victorious, but victory is not what this party of brothers felt.
"For the Glory of Tara," Aeryck muttered. He could hear the others mutter the statement under their breath in reply.
As Aeryck, Aethelmaer, and the others passed through the gates of Foda there arose an immediate stir in the populace. People began to cry out. They wondered what had happened. They asked where Sir Tadhg was.
The brothers rode through the crowd, unwavering, and made their way to the great hall. There they dismounted and moved Tadhg's body inside. Aethelmaer turned to the nearest page and ordered him to call all the nobles to the hall. The page made off faster than his feet seemed to think they could travel.
These men, these adventurers, sat in silence awaiting the arrival of the others. Then suddenly Aeryck spoke up. "My friends, my brothers, we were victorious. Tadhg would not have arrived in this manner. He would have been screaming 'Victory!' from the top of his lungs. He would be declaring that Marvalt was dead, and Tara saved from the evil that was certain to befall her. There is hope! There really is hope now, and because of us! We should give him the honour that he deserves. Hold your heads high men. We shall celebrate Tadhg's death like no other citizen of Tara could do. Only us. We knew him in a way that no others did. We shall celebrate the greatest funeral that Tara...nay, that Atamara has ever known!! We shall celebrate the life and death of a great hero, and acknowledge that we have achieved a great justice for Tara. As our soldiers approach the battlefields to the south they shall do so with hope in their hearts. They shall know that because we - you and I brothers - returned victorious, that they too shall achieve victory on the field. We will be remembered! This day will be remembered! And how shall it be remembered? As a day of mourning, or one of celebration? It is up to us, but I say celebration!!!"
Just then the other nobles began to arrive. Aeryck and the others stood at the front of the hall and waited. It was time to address the realm.
Aethelmaer looked upon Tadhg's body, and with closed eyes, sent a prayer to the heavens in hopes it had reached his friend. While standing there with Aeryck, and the others, he agreed with Aeryck that his loss should not be mourned, as he would have wanted to celebrate cheering aloud, and parading down the streets.
"Let's start the celebrations of our successful journey. I say we hold a feast in honor of Tadhg, who led us through the many dangers of the north, yet never quit or feared anything."
With that Aethelmaer proceeded to the nearest tavern, and gathered the attention of all the customers. With a couragous speech, he had everyone cheering and celebrating Tadhg's great accomplishments, and within the hour, he had gotten nearly the whole city to celebrate this victory in times of despair. With that part done, Aethelmaer sat at a table along with the others, and buying the first round of drinks, he drank and cheered in the merry beginnings of a major celebration.
