Bear-ed Fangs (January 3010) [One-Shot]
Nov 1, 2017 18:34:12 GMT -5
Post by Beorhtric on Nov 1, 2017 18:34:12 GMT -5
The door closed behind him, the center of his chest still throbbing as if his sister’s knee was still biting and bruising his ribs. Beorhtric’s hands were shaking, his eyes had not lifted from his boot tips, and as he stood, listening to the bleating of that forsaken goat outside, his temper gave way to sorrow, grief, and regret.
Runa had never looked at him like that. She had never frowned at him so fully, yelled at him in such a way, and she had never, ever, cast her loyalty to a man above him. His Runi, the blonde shadow who had toddled after him throughout their childhood, had finally married. And despite all of the things he had done to prepare her, to help her, to guide her, she ended up tied to a man with no spine.
The thought of Ceolmund touching Bear’s sister made the man’s fists clench harder, and he pounded the door with one spurt of defiance before rocking away from the entryway. He could hear his parents in the kitchen, the happy, pleasant conversation they were passing between each other filling the house with gentle laughter and pleasant tones.
Beorhtric did not want to tell his father or his mother what he had done, however, he knew Runa had been absolutely serious when she told him that if he did not tell them himself she would make him regret letting their parents find out through her.
Perhaps he had overreacted. Perhaps he should not have charged over in a whirl, let Ceolmund’s wandering hands send him into a blind rage. But his hands were all over her, grabbing her backside, rubbing her back…
Bear was going to be sick.
“Mother, Father,” Beorhtric said, rounding the corner into the kitchen himself. He managed to catch his father kissing his mother’s cheek, the sight immediately tightening his chest. His fists clenched tighter. “Could you please not do that?” He grumbled.
“Ah, Son,” Amalric rumbled pleasantly, tossing a look with sparkling eyes over his shoulder. “Your mother and I aren’t dead yet. Besides, you should be happy I love her so much, or you wouldn’t even be here to complain.”
Bear’s face grimaced, and he looked away from the two of them as Hildred laughed and playfully hit her husband’s arm. “Amalric!” Hildred was smiling. “You’re going to make the poor boy sick. You know how he gets.”
“More’s the pity he doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Amalric laughed, the sound deep, and vibrant like a rockfall in the mountains. “Glad you got home in once piece! Your mother told me you went to visit Runa and Ceol—guess they were doing all right?”
“Must’ve been—he hasn’t been gone that long,” Hildred said with a lift of her eyebrow and a knowing glint in her eyes.
Before Amalric had managed to utter a syllable in reply, his son had interrupted, effectively cutting off the flow of conversation. “I can’t believe you let him marry her,” Bear said, the tone of his voice morphing his words into a growl.
Both of his parents stopped, and frowned, their attention carefully marking the glower of their son’s eye. “What do you mean? Ceol?” Hildred said briskly. “Ceolmund is a fine young man—Runa is going to be well taken care of.”
“Well taken care of?” Bear grunted. “Ceolmund’s never even been able to take care of himself! Though, I can’t say I’m surprised by that, since his father can’t take care of him or Sunni either!”
Amalric frowned. “Beorhtric!”
“That is absolutely uncalled for! Ceol has climbed the ranks, and he’s learned much despite his father and mother—” Hildred countered, but Bear began to laugh, the sound a mockery of the show of glee and shook his head.
“Ceorl’s wife is a terror upon Edoras,” Bear said. “And he does nothing to help alleviate the damage she does! We saw what she did to Sunni and Ceol! I had hoped Ceorl would man up at some point and save his kids, though I guess being unwilling to even let you keep them should have been proof enough he was never going to. Ceol was broken beyond repair by fifteen. No ounce of spine left in him.”
Amalric crossed his arms over his wide, burly chest, a low, long growl emanating from his throat like a wolf. “No son of mine will judge a man on his parents,” he warned. “Ceol is a good lad, always has been, and he certainly is not beyond repair.”
“Oh?” Bear scoffed. He turned back to them, glaring with cold, blue eyes. “So you approve of how he lets his mother treat Runi? That’s all okay to you, because he’s so good-hearted a person?”
Hildred’s nostrils flared. “Watch your tongue in our house!”
Bear clamped his lips together tightly, and wheeled, brisk, furious strides crossing him back into the sitting room. “I’m the only person in this confounded house that knows what Runi needs.”
Amalric took a stride forward, though did not move beyond the archway. Beorhtric was standing in front of the fire, watching the dancing flames as if they were a living embodiment of his own fury. “Did you go to Runa’s house and say something to them?” Amalric demanded in a thunderous rumble.
Bear glanced over his shoulder, but did not turn. “I worked so hard to keep them from falling for each other. The thought of him touching her, the thought of her being related to that…that witch!” He grimaced. Beorhtric could almost hear the furious, biting shrieks whenever she swooped like a banshee into the Healing Hall. She had called Runa all sorts of names: man-woman was a personal favorite of hers, but she had really shunned nothing. There was no length that was off limits enough to let Runa alone on. Elin had tried to get her fired for simply doing her job and fixing her spineless son up enough so that he could allow the woman to trample all over her in whatever way she saw fit.
“Ceolmund is nothing like Elin!” Amalric declared. “But you, son, surprisingly are.”
“I am nothing like that crow!” Bear seethed, wheeling and taking a few paces back toward his father. Amalric was unafraid, and stood his ground with naught but a cold glower upon his face. “Have you both no love for Runa? Or are you just so thoughtless that sending Runi into that woman’s family seemed like a good idea? Runi was almsot burned alive!”
“You won’t talk to your mother and I like this,” Amalric said fiercely. “Did you express your concerns to Ceol?”
“Yes,” Beorhtric growled.
“And is he taking into consideration the solution you offered?”
Bear clenched his jaw, face growing hot. “No.”
“Must’ve been unreasonable,” the man larked darkly. “I think I know you well enough to know a blind rage when I see one. Did you lay a hand on them?” Beorhtric did not have to answer for Amalric to know. He grunted, the sound like a bull. “Then I suggest not embarrassing yourself further,” Amalric rumbled dangerously.
“Do none of you see?”
“I will assume Runa forbid you from her house—as she should,” Hildred said sternly.
“I just want to protect her, since nobody else in this confounded city seems to want her to be safe, and well!” Bear’s voice was almost a scream, and for a moment it echoed in the silence, the fire in the hearth gentle crackling to disrupt the stillness.
“Until your next muster, you can feed and care for Gleda,” Amalric said finally. “You are a grown man, and you will act like one to be in my house. You will be responsible for milking her, and cleaning up after her until you change you realize your mistake.”
Beorhtric went slack-jawed. “I am a grown man. I-I’m not caring for that blasted goat,” he declared. Not the one Ceolmund had given so that he could usurp his Runi.
“You heard your father,” Hildred stated, moving up to stand at her husband’s side. “Now I suggest stopping this tantrum before we must do something more drastic.”
They could not see. They were so blinded, they could not see that Runa was in trouble. They would wake up when Elin managed to do something drastic to Runi. It would not take long—not with Ceolmund her first line of defense. When Runa was dead, when Runa was broken beyond repair, they would see. And it would be too late. “Fine,” he declared.
“I think she’s ready to be milked again, actually. And you can go ahead and give her dinner,” Amalric said.
Bear said nothing, and merely tromped to the back door. He would take care of the goat. They would see someday, and then his parents would be wondering why they did not trust him. Throwing open the door, he stepped out into the cold, February early evening.
Runa had never looked at him like that. She had never frowned at him so fully, yelled at him in such a way, and she had never, ever, cast her loyalty to a man above him. His Runi, the blonde shadow who had toddled after him throughout their childhood, had finally married. And despite all of the things he had done to prepare her, to help her, to guide her, she ended up tied to a man with no spine.
The thought of Ceolmund touching Bear’s sister made the man’s fists clench harder, and he pounded the door with one spurt of defiance before rocking away from the entryway. He could hear his parents in the kitchen, the happy, pleasant conversation they were passing between each other filling the house with gentle laughter and pleasant tones.
Beorhtric did not want to tell his father or his mother what he had done, however, he knew Runa had been absolutely serious when she told him that if he did not tell them himself she would make him regret letting their parents find out through her.
Perhaps he had overreacted. Perhaps he should not have charged over in a whirl, let Ceolmund’s wandering hands send him into a blind rage. But his hands were all over her, grabbing her backside, rubbing her back…
Bear was going to be sick.
“Mother, Father,” Beorhtric said, rounding the corner into the kitchen himself. He managed to catch his father kissing his mother’s cheek, the sight immediately tightening his chest. His fists clenched tighter. “Could you please not do that?” He grumbled.
“Ah, Son,” Amalric rumbled pleasantly, tossing a look with sparkling eyes over his shoulder. “Your mother and I aren’t dead yet. Besides, you should be happy I love her so much, or you wouldn’t even be here to complain.”
Bear’s face grimaced, and he looked away from the two of them as Hildred laughed and playfully hit her husband’s arm. “Amalric!” Hildred was smiling. “You’re going to make the poor boy sick. You know how he gets.”
“More’s the pity he doesn’t know what he’s missing,” Amalric laughed, the sound deep, and vibrant like a rockfall in the mountains. “Glad you got home in once piece! Your mother told me you went to visit Runa and Ceol—guess they were doing all right?”
“Must’ve been—he hasn’t been gone that long,” Hildred said with a lift of her eyebrow and a knowing glint in her eyes.
Before Amalric had managed to utter a syllable in reply, his son had interrupted, effectively cutting off the flow of conversation. “I can’t believe you let him marry her,” Bear said, the tone of his voice morphing his words into a growl.
Both of his parents stopped, and frowned, their attention carefully marking the glower of their son’s eye. “What do you mean? Ceol?” Hildred said briskly. “Ceolmund is a fine young man—Runa is going to be well taken care of.”
“Well taken care of?” Bear grunted. “Ceolmund’s never even been able to take care of himself! Though, I can’t say I’m surprised by that, since his father can’t take care of him or Sunni either!”
Amalric frowned. “Beorhtric!”
“That is absolutely uncalled for! Ceol has climbed the ranks, and he’s learned much despite his father and mother—” Hildred countered, but Bear began to laugh, the sound a mockery of the show of glee and shook his head.
“Ceorl’s wife is a terror upon Edoras,” Bear said. “And he does nothing to help alleviate the damage she does! We saw what she did to Sunni and Ceol! I had hoped Ceorl would man up at some point and save his kids, though I guess being unwilling to even let you keep them should have been proof enough he was never going to. Ceol was broken beyond repair by fifteen. No ounce of spine left in him.”
Amalric crossed his arms over his wide, burly chest, a low, long growl emanating from his throat like a wolf. “No son of mine will judge a man on his parents,” he warned. “Ceol is a good lad, always has been, and he certainly is not beyond repair.”
“Oh?” Bear scoffed. He turned back to them, glaring with cold, blue eyes. “So you approve of how he lets his mother treat Runi? That’s all okay to you, because he’s so good-hearted a person?”
Hildred’s nostrils flared. “Watch your tongue in our house!”
Bear clamped his lips together tightly, and wheeled, brisk, furious strides crossing him back into the sitting room. “I’m the only person in this confounded house that knows what Runi needs.”
Amalric took a stride forward, though did not move beyond the archway. Beorhtric was standing in front of the fire, watching the dancing flames as if they were a living embodiment of his own fury. “Did you go to Runa’s house and say something to them?” Amalric demanded in a thunderous rumble.
Bear glanced over his shoulder, but did not turn. “I worked so hard to keep them from falling for each other. The thought of him touching her, the thought of her being related to that…that witch!” He grimaced. Beorhtric could almost hear the furious, biting shrieks whenever she swooped like a banshee into the Healing Hall. She had called Runa all sorts of names: man-woman was a personal favorite of hers, but she had really shunned nothing. There was no length that was off limits enough to let Runa alone on. Elin had tried to get her fired for simply doing her job and fixing her spineless son up enough so that he could allow the woman to trample all over her in whatever way she saw fit.
“Ceolmund is nothing like Elin!” Amalric declared. “But you, son, surprisingly are.”
“I am nothing like that crow!” Bear seethed, wheeling and taking a few paces back toward his father. Amalric was unafraid, and stood his ground with naught but a cold glower upon his face. “Have you both no love for Runa? Or are you just so thoughtless that sending Runi into that woman’s family seemed like a good idea? Runi was almsot burned alive!”
“You won’t talk to your mother and I like this,” Amalric said fiercely. “Did you express your concerns to Ceol?”
“Yes,” Beorhtric growled.
“And is he taking into consideration the solution you offered?”
Bear clenched his jaw, face growing hot. “No.”
“Must’ve been unreasonable,” the man larked darkly. “I think I know you well enough to know a blind rage when I see one. Did you lay a hand on them?” Beorhtric did not have to answer for Amalric to know. He grunted, the sound like a bull. “Then I suggest not embarrassing yourself further,” Amalric rumbled dangerously.
“Do none of you see?”
“I will assume Runa forbid you from her house—as she should,” Hildred said sternly.
“I just want to protect her, since nobody else in this confounded city seems to want her to be safe, and well!” Bear’s voice was almost a scream, and for a moment it echoed in the silence, the fire in the hearth gentle crackling to disrupt the stillness.
“Until your next muster, you can feed and care for Gleda,” Amalric said finally. “You are a grown man, and you will act like one to be in my house. You will be responsible for milking her, and cleaning up after her until you change you realize your mistake.”
Beorhtric went slack-jawed. “I am a grown man. I-I’m not caring for that blasted goat,” he declared. Not the one Ceolmund had given so that he could usurp his Runi.
“You heard your father,” Hildred stated, moving up to stand at her husband’s side. “Now I suggest stopping this tantrum before we must do something more drastic.”
They could not see. They were so blinded, they could not see that Runa was in trouble. They would wake up when Elin managed to do something drastic to Runi. It would not take long—not with Ceolmund her first line of defense. When Runa was dead, when Runa was broken beyond repair, they would see. And it would be too late. “Fine,” he declared.
“I think she’s ready to be milked again, actually. And you can go ahead and give her dinner,” Amalric said.
Bear said nothing, and merely tromped to the back door. He would take care of the goat. They would see someday, and then his parents would be wondering why they did not trust him. Throwing open the door, he stepped out into the cold, February early evening.