28 Chapter Twenty Eight

Chapter Twenty Eight

Ice Queen Castle/1124

A boisterous scene could be seen in a town which once before could have been described as a ghost town. But now, children, men, women and even soldiers could be seen interacting amongst themselves amid the cold weather evident on the kinds of clothes they wore, yet one thing was evident amongst them

Peace

It had been over a year since the great 'battle of the bloody ice' as it was described by the masses, where the Ice queen and her Sister, the wicked witch were vanquished by the huntsmen bringing an end to their rule over the North. It was said that Kings once frozen where finally free after the death of the Ice queen and once more returned back to what remains of their land.

But some who had none where left to stay and given an opportunity of nobility in the North by the new King of the North, King Tull.

Seeing that there was no one else worthy of the post of leadership, it fell into the hands of Tull to become their ruler and king and for the time he had taken power, though difficult, he had shown capabilities and the people has come to love him. Peace had finally come with his reign, although protest had come, it wasn't difficult for him to handle. Or for the society behind him to handle.

It had been said that there was a power behind the king that helped to solidify his reign, because it was clear the revolts of the people who had been in bondage for long would emerge if they ever heard another King was rising up again, more so one who had a relationship with the Ice queen, but the leaders of these rebels where assassinated privately or publicly.

One thing that witnesses have come to notice about these people who commit such acts is that they all dress the same, no matter their gender. They were seen to wear lengthy and hooded white robes with the back hanging below the knees, attached to the back is a colourful blood red sash. Armed with leather chest armor and arms guard with a hidden blade to it. And then their strength and skills, it had been seen that they were never more than two who worked together and this is only seen if they went against a heavily protected target with more than twenty armed soldiers. They had never lost a battle and every assassination was a success.

Rumors of their society began to spread. Myth or not, they became known as the [Assassin's Creed]. And ever since, the riots and revolts began to dwindle till it became a thing of the past and finally peace came, and when the people saw the new King was a better ruler and things where becoming positive, the people accepted him.

Still the legends of the creed never stops. They believed that if ever a rebellion was to happen again, they would rise up to the challenge to quench the flames of rebellion. But why would anyone think to rebel when the king has shown nothing but goodwill to the masses.

Not far from the now lively town is the Ice castle, the king's abode. The name, even though it represented the former ruler, has earned it's keep to represent the seat of authority of the North. The castle holds through to its name Ice, being that the castle was built with a rare stone that is ever cold. It was said that the queen with her magic had a hand in carving and building the castle and it took her and her companions thirty years before it was finished and that time was the beginning of her conquest of the North.

In the throne room, sealed away from the prying eyes of unwanted guests, few people could be seen together, sitting around an ice table discussing. It was the King, Tull, the couple, Eric and Sara, the four dwarves, Nion, who sits intimately with Doreena and Gryff the half-brother with Mrs. Bromwyn and you could observe from them their hidden but obvious intimacy between them. Then, there are the Originals, the grim brothers, Henrik and Finn Mikaelson and then finally two women, one looking no less than a nineteen year old, it was Pippa,but her features do not describe her true age, because like Eric and Sara, she is a huntsman, one who had undergone the same process as them. But something looks different about all three of them.

It was their eyes.

Now in the shape of a cat's, it was evident that these three had undergone another evolution.

"It would have been nice if you had joined us, Tull, now that with the help of Henrik, we were able to become this stronger as witches..we could..." The deep voice of Eric could be heard in the hall before he was interrupted

"Hmph...not witches...Witchers..the better form of what that Ice queen could ever create" the jovial tone of the original, Henrik echoed

"You know I am here. Besides WE worked on it. And it's an evolution, my children were not created but only assisted in their evolution, Henrik" A young but mature voice could had replied, it was a voice not from the rest. It was the last woman, having a snow white hair, looking in her thirties.

The Ice queen, Freya Witcher.

The dead queen who is as much alive as the rest of them. After the defeat of her sister and her last few breath before she joined her, Henrik had given her a chance, a chance to have a second chance and a promise to have a better family. With her heavy regret of never experiencing a true family, she chose to have faith in the young immortal, she had the inkling that he truly might give her what she wanted, unlike her sister who gave her a falsehood.

With her answer, Henrik not wasting time, had asked Finn to feed her his blood, since he was still not sure of what his blood could do, with or without the influence of his phantom side and he wasn't willing to loose a strong alchemist like the ice queen, a lady who was able to push the limits of mortals to their with nothing but her knowledge, potions and magic.

He even believed that she might be a better alchemist than his mother, who after years of research from past totems and studies from the behavior of the werewolves was able to create them, but she herself never had such privilege and was able to push others to their peak without any side effects according to her account after being healed by Finn's blood, if she had the books and journals of old witches, she might have created something much more.

And she did.

With the help of Henrik, they were able to create a better form of hunters with no side effects except that of their cat eyes.

The Witchers.

They were faster, better, stronger than the regular huntsman. Another thing is they healed much faster and aged slower, having the lifespan of two centuries. In other words, Eric, Sara and Pippa who already had the lifespan of a century and fifty years as huntsman, they now had an extra of two centuries, making it three centuries and fifty years where none had lived up to the first fifty of that lifespan.

"Ok, we all know ya both amazing in your magical crafts, aye. So let's get with it" says Mrs. Bromwyn

"Right, the North is finally stable thanks to our faction, the creed, so we are no longer needed here" Sara speaks up. Everyone could not help but agree.

"Yes, I only brought you here for a final merriment and farewell. Lord Henrik and Lord Finn already told me your plans and would regret it if I didn't take a step to bid you all farewell appropriately." Tull stated, no longer was the warrior seen, now was a man heavy with the responsibility of the kingdom lying on his shoulders.

"How time flies. I remember how brutish you were when my brother and I first came to attack this Castle. You really have matured, guess that's what responsibility does to a man" Finn adds while looking at his brother when he says the last part, who in turn wryly smiles understanding his statement. It would never be easy to understand what Henrik must be going through but with the transition of the Tull boy, he has a glimpse of it.

"Hehe, it's why I never wanted it. Too much to handle. Killing a dragon would be easier than ruling a land" Eric says

"Aye, too much trouble. Our race doesn't love it either. Drinking ales and venturing into the unknown is more like it" Gryff speaks

"How many unknowns have ye ventured that you speak of, you skinny whimp!" Mrs. Bromwyn retorts

"Oi, shut your trap you wenchy hairy mammal" Gryff counters

"Hah!. It's that the best you can come up with loser!"

"I..I think dear brother speaks the truth though. We might not have gone towards many unknowns but the goblin forest counts" Nion finally speaks and Doreena keeps patting him on the back like he had accomplished something great.

"Speaking of your race, I thought dwarves are gifted with the skills of blacksmithing" Pippa tries to change the topic. Gryff and Mrs. Bromwyn were just too mouthful to contain easily and Nion wouldn't help matters as most of what he says will only fuel them from bantering each other. Even when they both where having a love time in their privacy, they never stopped to cuss and tease each other before they both have a strange scream and then it goes quiet, till they begin again. Hence, why Pippa talked, and getting an approving consent from the others and the now serious set of dwarf couples, must mean she had made the right decision.

"Oh we do have it, mostly the males but sometimes the female just like Mrs Bromwyn here, but we abandoned it because it was boring and less exciting and became mercenaries. Although we might not be as good as Mrs Bromwyn here, we still are able to make repairs and maintain the equipment of soldiers and mercenaries before we became one ourselves. Besides, after that last battle, I think we can retire before dying. isn't that why we are following you guys? Because of our skills?"

"Well that's true, but we are not holding anyone down. If you ever feel the need to leave you can. It's just we believe you can be a wonderful addition to our clan." Henrik says

"You know, for a man who hates being a leader, you sure are good in gaining followers, an alchemist, dwarven blacksmiths and the rising faction, the Assassin's Creed." Sara speaks

"Hehe...he can be like that most times" Finn adds with a smile

"I still can't believe you have a Clan, Henrik. I cannot wait to see the others like you" Freya Witcher speaks

"Well we can be a handful most times." Henrik smiles towards the ice queen.

"Sigh... I'll really miss you all. Maybe when I do retire I could come visiting this your clan" Tull says

"You're welcome, but although we may be a Clan, we do not have a fixed settlement, each family can decide wherever they may desire to build their family." Henrik replies.

"Sounds like work...ughff" Eric grumbled before he was elbowed by his wife Sara, earning the laughter from Pippa and the rest

"For a man so strong, I don't understand how he acts lazy" Doreena whispers towards Nion, who only shrugs with a 'beats me' expression on his face.

They continue to have their little chit chats while still discussing plans in their future endeavors.

After a while, Tull stands to his feet with his arm raised holding a goblet with wine. The others follow raising their cups as they stand.

"Though we may be separating from here, I believe it will not be a permanent farewell. As time moves, may our new and old bonds never be broken by it's test. A toast, to family...to a new beginning"

""To family...a new beginning""