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“Why aren’t you coming with us?! You can explain everything to Marco later, when witnesses are present. I don’t want you going off with whomever is out there,” Lydia half-pleaded, half-demanded.

Lucas led them to the side, and wrapped a comforting arm around her; “Ya ken I canna do that, Lydia. If I run, then Magnus will have to label me a traitor. I dinna understand what’s happening yet, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Please..”

Lucas cupped her cheek; “Dinna make this any harder than it already is..”

Lydia had started to silently cry as he’d spoken, but maintained her anger so she could still speak; “Do not lie to me, husband. I know of Magnus’ death. And I know that Marco has Never liked you-”

“But over three quarters of the kingdom does,” he interjected; “Marco would be a fool to do more than put me in jail for a time. Not to mention how angry our daughter would be. I imagine that she’s on her way back with Tidas right now. They probably just need a port to turn around in..”

Lucas forced smile; “That’s probably why he’s sent fer me, so dinna worry yer self so. Especially since you’re sick.”

Lydia felt her heart sink, and she couldn’t stop the tears from flowing. It felt like she was about to lose him, and the feeling brought up worse ones pertaining to the loss of her first husband and family. Lucas saw her panic rising, and tried to soothe her again, but Lydia couldn’t control her shaking.

As her tears streamed down her flushed cheeks, Lydia looked into her husband’s eyes; “If you’re so sure that it’s nothing, then why give me the Warrick records? ..After we lost them, we promised each other that we’d never abandon the other..”

.....

Lucas felt his heart shattering as he replied; “Ima not abandoning ya lass, Ima savin’ ya..”

“I canna be sure what Marco has planned fer me, but I ken this: Skye will need you. She needs to hear the rest of her history, and they both need ta read those papers together. I have ta stay, or they’ll grow suspicious, but you can go ta Murdoc. Tell him and the others what’s happening, and tell’em that their promise better be kept.”

Right as Lydia was about to start arguing again, a servant came running up to them; “My Lord, my Lady. Two men that claim to be Kingsguards are demanding ta speak wit the Lord..”

Lucas nodded; “Tell’em Ima comin’, that ya had ta wake me. No matter what they say, dinna open the gates. We still need a wee bit of time ta get everyone down the passage..”

He looked back down at his wife; “Seems this is it, my dear.. Ima sorry that this is as far as I can go with ya.”

Lydia sobbed; “Please, Lucas. Don’t-”

“Tis fer our lassie, sweetheart. I canna run away. Ya ken that. But you Have ta go on.. Fer all of our loved ones. Or neither of us will be able ta face’em when our times come..”

“Promise me that you’ll make sure Skye gets these, and that Tidas understands what he’ll have ta do,” Lucas said as he patted the side of the old documents in Lydia’s arms.

She shook her head in the negative; “If anything, you should, go and I should stay. Sorcha told you much more about it all than my husband ever did me. I’ll stay-”

“My Lord, they’re threatening to set fire to the castle if you don’t appear soon. They said that your state of dress didn’t matter, only yer presence,” another servant yelled as he ran up to them.

“Sorry love, but it seems that they want me, not you,” Lucas said as he cupped her cheek again, then gently kissed her; “I’ll be fine. Now, go.”

“I’m Not going. Maybe if I’m at your side, then they won’t do anything stupid. I hold sway at court as well,” Lydia sounded almost desperate as she’d spoken.

Rather than argue, Lucas kissed his wife with all the love that he’d felt for her. They had never fallen in love with each other the way that they had with their previous spouses. But the life they had shared together had still meant the world to him..

“I can never thank ye enough fer all the support and love you’ve given me over the years.. You were a perfect wife and partner, and ya saved me from me self on more occasions than I care ta admit to.. You’re a good mother to our beautiful daughter, and you will always be me best friend..”

Lucas motioned to Doctor Martin, who had been waiting nearby as he added; “Now go take care of our lassie.. She’ll need you more than ever, love..”

Martin gingerly came up to Lydia’s side, and gently grabbed her shoulders. She was in shock, so he didn’t have any initial problems leading her away. When she started to snap back and drag her feet, he eventually had to strong-arm her into the passageway.

The people were steadily funneling inside, forcing Lydia down, and out of sight. She started to cry out for him the moment he was out of sight, but it was too late to try and go back. The people were in too much of a hurry to flee, and she couldn’t fight against such a strong current of frightened people.

Lucas felt a small amount of relief knowing that his wife was safe, but now came the bigger problems.. ‘Now ta go find out why that brat sent a bloody army ta me doorstep in the dead of winter..’

The moment he turned to close the passageway, Lucas saw over half a dozen of his servants and guards standing behind him. He told them to go into the passageway before he sealed it, but they refused. Saying that the castle was their home, and that they couldn’t abandon their families in the village.

Lucas tried to convince them to go, but a few stepped forward, and closed the passageway for him instead. He felt terrible knowing that their families were most likely dead already, but he hoped against sense that he was wrong. After they made sure that the entrance was completely unnoticeable, they all headed towards the castle entry.

To be honest, Lucas didn’t believe the guard that had said an army of dead men were waiting outside his gates. That is, until he saw them..

Of course, he had smelled them first. The rank stench filled his nostrils as soon as he had stepped into his courtyard. Lord Moonstone walked across slowly, eyeing his gate with caution before stopping, then giving the signal to raise it.

The sight before Lucas made him wonder if he was in the middle of a nightmare. Uncountable corpses dressed in armor stood behind two men, who Lucas recognized from court. They were always escorting either Marco or Karena, so them identifying as kingsguards verified Lucas’ worst fear: Magnus was dead, and Marco was now king.

The two smiled politely as they walked forward a few steps, then one spoke; “Good evening, Lord Moonstone. My name is Doctor Stein. Since you are a business man, I’ll cut straight to the chase. We are pursuing several individuals from Dragonhorn that were not present for a mandatory town meeting and evacuation. Have you seen a large group of people, by chance?”

Lucas reflected their smiles; “Aye, I was notified of a large group passing by. But I was sleepin’, so I rushed me servant away without hearin’ about it all til I was on me way out here. Me wife is sick, so I dinna want anyone disturbin’ her.”

“From what I was told, they kept goin’ north after me servants turned’em away. I dinna ken how many, or where they were goin’. Ima assuming to the Highlands.”

“Really?” the doctor asked with a knowing smirk; “So you did Not take in every person that fled Dragonhorn then?”

“Na. Too much bother. But I am curious about somethin’ ya said,” Lucas commented.

“And what’s that?” the other man asked.

Lucas glanced between the two as he spoke; “If ya we’re gonna evacuate Dragonhorn anyways, then why does it matter that some left beforehand?”

The doctor gestured with his hand; “So we know where they are. It’s for their own protection that we know where all of our citizens are, and what they’re up to. Especially in this day and age. Why, with the king being murdered and all.”

Lucas knew exactly what they were doing, and played along; “WHAT?! The king is dead?! Why haven’t I received word of this?!”

“Are you deaf? He just said that the guy was murdered,” the young man replied.

“And who are you?” Lucas asked with obvious irritation in his voice.

“A kingsguard, and that’s all that fucking matters to you,” Norvis replied as he walked towards him; “It’s our job to find the ones responsible for the old king’s death, and the people that ran need to be questioned. Anyone that hinders us will be seen as hostile..”

“So we’ll ask again: did you help them?” Norvis finished as he stopped right in front of Lord Moonstone.

“Nope,” was all he replied.

“Well then,” Doctor Stein chimed in; “I guess our trackers need to be punished and replaced...And our spy.”

“What are you talkin’ about? A spy? There’s no spies in my home,” Lucas stated calmly, despite the growing frenzy in his stomach.

Norvis shrugged and spoke as the doctor randomly motioned with his hand; “Well, that’s what we’re gonna say when asked why we burned your castle down.”

Right as Norvis had finished speaking, a wall of fire arrows lit the sky above them, then fell upon Moonstone Castle. Lucas froze as he watched the home he’d built for his family start to burn. The night he’d lost his family coming to the forefront of his mind.

Suddenly, he felt weight on his shoulders as two undead soldiers came to stand at his sides. They’d place their hands on him, and were firmly holding him in place. In case he felt inclined to try and run into his castle.

As Lucas felt his heart breaking, he heard people crying and yelling from behind him. He didn’t even need to turn his head before he saw the familiar faces of the people from the village. Men women, and children; all being ushered towards the already burning building.

Lucas screamed at the them to stop, but one by one, the dead soldiers dragged them inside. Their cries for help combined with the smell of their burning flesh nearly made Lucas puke, but he continued to yell until the doctor had one of his creations knock him out. Norvis complained that he was enjoying the pompous lord freaking out, but Stein reminded him that they had other orders..

“We need to complete cutting down the forest before we can set up for the next part, remember? Benzo should be along soon, once he has General Zas set up. So we need to hurry this along.”

Norvis smirked as the flames and screams grew; “Yeah, yeah.. Can’t leave the King of Ruscovic waiting..”