A Hope for the Last.

"This is a Trap," Aetri said with such an unrelenting clarity.

"Indeed" Lee agreed.

"Without a doubt." Jarl Frigga said.

This was a rock to the senses, a disturbance of the Peace that the Uld brought to Aetri's life... Yet He knew that this day would come, and He wasn't the kind of man to turn away from a situation that put lives in real danger, or could potentially, put an end to the bitter spite between long warring clans.

Frigg still contemplated the Golden horn, her Saphire eyes sweeping over it in deep thought that culminated in her words "Maybe... it is time for this feud to end?"

"What? are you out of your mind, this is a trick!" Tyrg growled to his sister.

"Perhaps." She replied, "But just think of it, all of those years of bloodshed, for hundreds of years we and the Skjal have feuded... perhaps it is time for that to end."

"There is a fine line between Hope and naivety." Everyone jolted as Black-Crow suddenly appeared beside the Jarl, though her black eyes settled on the Forlorn expression on Aetri's face.

"Our ancestor's had bad blood with the Skjal for a reason, the Old ways-" Tyrg started but was quickly interrupted. by his sister's snarl

"And what happened to the rebellious, fury of the New Generation, led by the Great Young-Uld huh!? Uncaring of the old ways and blazing in the fires of the new age, Where's that guy huh!?" She was in his face now, poking him harshly as she Burned red. "OR ARE YOU ONLY HAPPY BREAKING THE RULES WHEN IT MEANS YOU CAN MARRY YOUR SISTER OFF TO ONE OF YOUR FRIENDS AND TOUNGE WRESTLE WITH HER ALL DAY!?" She roared angrily.

Frigg felt a hand on her shoulder, as a tall form stepped in front of her "Hey..." Aetri lent down, smiling down at her with a grin so bright that it melted her fury away "Relax, just breathe alright?" His whisper seemed to calm the Jarl of Uld, her face falling as she rubbed her eyes with slothful fingers "I understand that you want peace, but I know what You're thinking." The Jarl looked up at Aetri with those eyes like sapphires "You cannot go up there, it is far to great a risk for you to take going up there by yourself ."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but Fehu is right, going down there is stupid!" That was probably the closest Tyrg got to a compliment.

"That's right... But someone is going down there, and that's gonna be me." Just as Tyrg protested, Lee and Kara both practically fell off their feet.

"No!" Kara cried.

"Aetri..." Frigga whispered, but He intercepted both of their yearning looks of worry with a dark expression.

"Twas the words of the West that whispered on thee winds: the ways of the Wolf art no concern of the sheep, and Sheep whoms't proclaim the ways of the wolf will be met posthaste with nought but reckoning," Aetri Whispered, his eyes smouldering with far fire.

"Ek tolð þú eigi til mæltilr mik inn at muddleð briton konungr's tungbullshitr, þat gerir eigi gereinnhverrr hugsumk! (I told you to stop speaking in that muddled Briton bullshit, It doesn't make any sense!)" Frigga cried in Norne, making Aetri turn to her with shadow in his eyes.

"Þessi er minn dragon til vega. þessi er minn beast til fit. eigi ykkarr (This is my dragon to slay. this is my Beast to fight. not yours.)

"What do they want, Aetri?" Frigga asked.

Lee broke her silence, getting to her feet wobbily, cracking her neck and knuckles as she downed the rest of her grog, "Enough talk. We will rest. and then we will prepare."

"Lee..." Aetri started but was silenced by her blazing eyes, that never trailed away from him until she had reached the Hall's doors and made her exit into the cold.

Aetri stood in effort to follow "Aetri, no." Kara pleaded, grasping his arm, staring with pleading eyes "They will kill you, they are monsters, Aetri, please... just..." But she saw the cold determination in his eyes, the storm that raged with each thump of his heart, and she let him go.

There was no need for words, it was all painted on his face, but as He stepped over his new Uld brothers, assisting some to their feet as He made his way out, Aetri did turn, and he smiled.

"You know... something funny about acceptance is that it comes to those who are patient." He said, smiling at Frigga, and Tyrg and Kara, because He was uncertain if he'd ever see them again "I was never underserving of your acceptance, Norne isn't just where I ran away to... it's in my blood, My own grandmother was of the Uld... Iduna the Apple they called her back home... but here, she was called Ice-Uld Iduna."

Frigg and Tyrg froze, looking at him in shock hearing the name of their great aunt on their ears... the two's eyes widening with the slow realisation... of just who this nameless outsider actually was...

but Aetri merely smiled "She was sent to my family as part of a marriage pact, but she was always so strong, even at the end of her days, taught me that acceptance is earned... so I vowed when I was young to keep it a secret, to earn acceptance, and I have to say, I don't regret a moment of it."

Those who were sober enough to hear you, sat in shame and shock, the Uld were people to take a man at his word, especially when it was true, but before another word could be uttered, you left, giving them a smile that Aetri hoped wouldn't be his last.