The Dark of the Night

"The Dark of the Night" is a [SEASON NUMBER] thread written on [IRL DATE].
==Summary==
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==Full Text==
This was one of the many times Grey was thankful that Shadow was a Night Fury. It allowed her and Brandt to make these flights at night without the risk of being spotted, and with the risk of Rhenco still being out there, that was exactly what they needed. 
“It should be coming up straight ahead,” Grey said squinting at the map in front of her. 
“You sure this is it?” Brandt asked. 
“It’s the same one they’ve told me about,” Grey replied. “It’s the one place Stonegit would take them to to protect them.”
Soon enough, Shadow landed in the town, and thankfully, no one seemed to be alerted to their presence. Grey and Brandt kept their faces concealed under their hoods as they slowly made their way to a particular door. The Chief then knocked on the door. 
Feb 20, 2020
The door opened immediately but quietly. Egil appeared to have been right by the door. He slipped outside and shut the door behind him, probably to not disturb the others sleeping inside. If he needed to rouse someone, he could do that once he knew who needed to be roused. 
“Whoa. Grey? Brandt? Why’re you here now?” 
@lbigreyhound13
Feb 20, 2020
The Chief sighed in relief as she saw Egil step outside and close the door. She gave the new King a small smile. “We had to check on you guys,” Grey simply said. “We had to make sure you all were okay, and this was the one place I thought to check.”
Feb 20, 2020
“Oh wow. Hey. Thanks.” Egil nodded.
But then he frowned, ran his hands through his hair, and said in a lower voice, “Is it just me, or is this way pointless? I mean, you’ve got a better scope of the situation than me. Is this really going to protect anyone from that Rain-co guy? And. Why should I be hiding out when everyone else is doing their part?” 
Feb 20, 2020
The Chief furrowed her eyebrows together in concern as she listened to the young King. She knew exactly how he felt. At first, when the first Rebellion had been sent to the underground bunker, she felt that it was pointless…that she could keep on fighting…trying to get Shadow back. 
“Egil,” Brandt said stepping forward, “I get it. We both get it.”
“It’s going to protect you and your family from Rhenco,” Grey added. “I know Stonegit already told you that he goes after those who are close to his targets. We can’t risk your safety by taking you away from here. He’s…” she sighed, “Egil, he’s already tried to get to me by going after my son, Sven.”
Feb 21, 2020
Egil was starting to realize that maybe he had underestimated this situation. It felt… discomfiting… that everyone seemed well-aware of this man, and Egil had been waltzing around consequence- and knowledge-free.
“But you two are both… you’re both fighting,” Egil protested, as weak way of response. “I can’t possibly be more ‘valuable’ than… ya know. Any of you. And my father wouldn’t’ve…”
He crossed his arms, as though that could shield him from his discomfort. “I don’t know,” he said, looking away. “This doesn’t seem right.”
Feb 21, 2020
The Chief eyed how Egil looked away and crossed his arms and furrowed her eyebrows together with even more concern for the new King of the Wilderwest. She wasn’t there when Stonegit took the Royal Family to their safe house, but she had to admit that she was shocked that Egil seemingly came willingly. However, now, after talking with him for just a few minutes, it was easy to see that that might not have been the case.
“Not Haddock’s son…” she thought to herself. “Of course, he would want to do something…”
Brandt crossed his arms as he watched his wife closely…watched the wheels turning in her head. “Sweetheart, maybe…maybe there’s something we can do,” he said to her quietly. “You of all people should know what it’s like…to-you know-be on the sidelines.”
The Chief nodded. “I do,” Grey said, “and we all know how his dad would feel if it was him.” She turned to Egil with a small smile. “We would probably have to talk things out with the family, but…what if…instead of being here…you could find an alternative?”
Feb 21, 2020
“Honestly,” and Egil leaned in to whisper, “I’m already planning on it. Can you be my out?” 
He appeared to be relieved he could have this conversation, and speak it with two people he knew he could trust.
Feb 21, 2020
The Chief’s smile widened. “Like father, like son,” she thought to herself.
“I think we might be able to arrange something,” she replied. “Since you wish to help, perhaps…if you want, you can come to Haligan Island with Brandt and me to help out with the Rebellion. My council and I can bring you up to speed, and you can be more…involved.”
Feb 21, 2020
“Alrighty. So. If I did. How…. safe would I be?” 
He could feel his restlessness and fears warring within him, one side wishing to bear the weight of his father’s crown, the other side wishing just to run back to the comforts he knew best.
Feb 21, 2020
“Completely safe,” Grey said. “Haligan Island has always been loyal to the King of the Wilderwest, and I trust my men with my life and my family’s lives. We also know Rhenco’s one weakness and his secret in regards to the Red Card. We’re prepared.”
Feb 21, 2020
“Alright. Good. ’Cause….” he laughed “….I’m no fighter myself. It’s one thing to be there. Another for it to all depend on me.”
He paused. Then flinched, realizing that his last sentence didn’t sound so good coming from a king. 
Feb 21, 2020
“Egil, it’s okay,” Grey said with a sympathetic smile placing a hand on his shoulder. “It’s completely up to you, but if you want to learn some basics, Sven is learning from a sparring master. I’m sure he would love to teach you as well. If not, that’s okay, too. Strategizing and delegating is just as important as the fighting.”
Feb 21, 2020
“Oh, I can already do that,” said Egil. “D’you think Dad didn’t have me training on weapons since I was a kid? The war a few months back, I was there, you know.” His voice was terse. Then it softened. “When he… when he…” 
Egil’s voice trailed off. He couldn’t say “when he died.”
He continued onward. “But that doesn’t make me good or want to do it. But hell. Whatever. We can figure out logistics later. Let’s just figure out getting me out of here without Stonegit going on a hissy fit.”
Feb 21, 2020
Brandt was about to say something to Egil, but Grey quickly put a hand up to stop him. It had been a long time since she thought about that day when Haddock died… She was not afraid to admit that she used the Rebellion to keep herself busy…to avoid thinking about it. The thought of her superior…her friend…made her heart ache, but she once again pushed it to the side for now. She had his son to think about at the moment.
“I’m sorry,” she said walking up to Egil with a small smile. “I think my age is catching up with me, but you’re right. We can send word to him once we get back home, but…I’m not sure he would appreciate it. Any idea where he is? We can talk to him.”
Feb 21, 2020
“Oh gods, gods no. He doesn’t need to know about none of this.” He laughed, trying to pretend he wasn’t hiding the fact he was running away, and said, “Stonegit reports to me, not the other way around, eh? It’s my decision; he doesn’t need to know the details we’re talking ’bout here.”
Feb 21, 2020
The Chief and her second-in-command stopped and looked at each other with a little bit of suspicion in their eyes. They were already somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of not letting Stonegit or the King’s mother, Mera know that they were taking Egil to Haligan Island. 
“Why do I feel like we’re being roped into something?” Brandt whispered to his wife.
“Probably because we are,” Grey whispered. “Let me handle this.” The Chief cleared her throat. “Egil, I know you don’t report to Stonegit, but he is responsible for your safety. Speaking from personal experience, I would also like to think that your mom would want to know as well…so she doesn’t track you down.”
Apr 8, 2020
Egil laughed. “She finds out anything, whether you tell it to her or not. I’m pretty sure she’s made informants out of all the ants in the continent.”
The analogy was way too good to have been Egil’s idea. He’d probably heard it from Sindri.
“Look, I’m pretty sure that a king’s choice takes precedent over a king’s grumpy-ass mother who just sits on her pillow glaring at you over her needlepoint. I want to do this. It’s my duty. Yeah?” 
He did sound a little uncomfortable though. He was fully aware that if he took a step away from where he was expected, Mera would track him down. She’d done the same to her husband. She’d do the same to her son. She didn’t care about crowns but she did care about stupidity.
Apr 8, 2020
The Chief bit her bottom lip considering Egil’s words. Whether or not his intentions to leave were meant well, he did have a point. He was the King of the Wilderwest, and it was his duty to do something for the kingdom. Everyone say that his father’s second-in-command was at the helm, and she had heard whispers asking as to why the new king wasn’t. If it had been Haddock asking to be there, as much as she hated to admit it, she would’ve gotten him out of the safehouse no problem. Egil deserved the same, yet he was still young...and still had a lot to learn. 
Grey took a deep breath. “Alright, you’re right,” she finally said.
“He is?” Brandt asked.
“Yes,” Grey replied, “it’s the king’s duty to lead the people, but...” she wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easily, “there will be some ground rules.”
“Stonegit and Mera are going to kill me...” she thought to herself.
Egil crossed his arms. “Ground?? rules?? Like what?”
@lbigreyhound13
Apr 8, 2020
Grey crossed her arms in return with stern look on her face. King or not…there was no way she was backing down. “First…when we get to Haligan Island, you are to remain on Haligan Island,” she said firmly. “You can go wherever you want on the island, but I don’t need to hear news of you galivanting to Hel knows where while we’re dealing with Central and Rhenco. Second, you are to do…exactly…what I say. So, when we get there, you are to send word to your mother and Stonegit as to where you are immediately. Third…if you want to help so badly, I expect you to be there whenever I have a meeting in regards to the Rebellion. Haligan Island matters I can handle no problem, but you need to show interest. Step out of line once, and Shadow and I bring you straight back here, understood?”
Shadow gave her own stern glare at the young King.
Brandt could only watch. As much as he didn’t like this idea, he supported Grey no matter what, and he knew without a doubt that she wouldn’t do something like this without trying to be prepared.
Apr 8, 2020
Egil paused. He’d been rushing through the conversation until now, trying to press Grey and Brandt into letting him escape prematurely. But as Grey spoke through her ground rules, he seemed to remember something else: something else about what it meant to be king.
Now, he finally seemed to be thinking things through. He shifted on his feet, clearly restless to be leaving this village for more active duties, but a look of… sudden seriousness… passed over his face.
“I’ll do you one better,” he said at last. “I’ll uh. I’ll uh, stay the full week here, as I promised Stonegit. As much as I hate it, I’ll stay here.”
He laughed awkwardly. “Gah. Can’t believe it. My one way of getting out early, and I finally weasel in a way to flee… and I’m turnin’ it down.” He laughed awkwardly.
“But. I’ll do that week. I guess being responsible means not just fighting, but keeping your word. So. Let’s stay the full week. And when that’s done, I’ll go through all official channels, proper and such as a king should do, and we’ll go off to Haligan Island like that. Mkay?”
Apr 8, 2020
Both Grey and Brandt stared in complete shock at Egil and then at each other. 
“Uhh…sure, I mean…yes, I…I think that’s the best option,” Grey said. “Do what Stonegit said, and…you can come to Haligan Island when the week is up.”
“That’s a very mature choice, Egil,” Brandt said. “I’m very impressed.”
Apr 8, 2020
“Hey. Look,” Egil said. And he got even more serious. “I can’t stay in his shadow. I gotta honor him, yeah. But I can’t stay in his shadow. And every single day, it’s like people are treating me as ‘the king’s kid,’ ‘the king’s kid,’ rather than the king. You don’t think I don’t notice that? The infantizing?” The correct word would have been ‘infantilization,’ but his point came across anyway.
“Jonas. He’s got his military feats. His leadership. He’s respected, no one blinks at what he accomplishes, ’cause they expect that of him. Sindri? I mean I guess that fucker’s holed up half the time, but nobody expects that stringbean-armed science nut to be anything like his dad. But me? My baby brothers are more respected than me. It’s like everyone just… expects… me to be Gareth Ragnar the Second the Second, but that because I’m his kid, I’ll always be his kid. Someone ‘like’ him, but not someone of his own merit. Ya know? 
“The day people don’t get impressed with me for doing basic right things, like. That’s the day maybe I can at peace with myself. That’s all I’m trying to do here. Live at peace with myself. And get all of you off my case.”
He didn’t seem to realize he’d blurted that much of his thoughts aloud. He simply stepped back, shrugged, said, “That’s the way it is,” and belated realized he needed to say one more thing.
“Um, thanks. Gonna be glad to get to Haligan.”
Apr 8, 2020
The Chief sighed as she and Brandt listened to Egil, and she couldn’t help but kick herself when she and Brandt had a son, who was going to take her place as the next leader of the village. Her predecessor and her father might’ve decided in secret that she would be the next Chief when she was young, but they allowed her to grow and become her own person. At first, people did compare her to Hroar, but with time, she became her own person. That was what she always tried to teach Sven when he started training…that he was his own person when it came to leading the village. 
“You’re right, Egil,” she finally said, “and I’m sorry if Brandt and I ever made you feel that way. You’re not your dad, and you’re never going to be like your dad. You’re going to do things your way. You can learn what he did, just as I did when I was working with him and when I became Chief, but in the end, you’re the King and you call the shots.”
“We may give you some advice or tell you when we don’t agree with you,” Brandt added, “but it’s up to you in end.”
“And I look forward to working with you when you come to the island…Sir,” Grey said with a small smile.
Apr 8, 2020
Egil bit off saying more. Instead, he gave a nod. “Sounds good. Now.” He glanced up at the sky and grimaced. “I should probably try to get some shut-eye. Talk to you more later?”
Apr 8, 2020
“Yes, sir,” Grey said with a wink, “and if Stonegit gives you a hard time, tell him he can take it up with me. I can talk to him as well. Brandt and I will head back and make the preparations for your arrival.”
Category:BOTGD 2
Category:Events
Category:Act I
Category:Egil Ander Haddock
Category:Grey Bergman
Category:Brandt Felman