Posted July 22, 2021, 10:04 a.m. by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) (Jennifer Ward)
Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find… Whether You Want To Or Not
Posted by Civilian Ragna Idun McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find… Whether You Want To Or Not
Posted by Civilian Seamus McKenzie (Future Citizen) in Earth - Seek And Ye Shall Find… Whether You Want To Or Not
(snip)
Tara looked at Runa as she read and said “Say what you will… he always hated his English side.” and Mike chuckled.
Mike and Tara
Runa grinned, “Who doesn’t hate the English?” She read over the letter one more time and gave it back to Mike, slipping the other back in her pocket. She looked at Revna, “Brilliant or not, that’s creepy that he’s been watching me of all people. Seriously. Why me? Why give me a letter after he’s already written one to Mike and explained? That whole lot is weird and broken.” Revna shook her head hard, “No Runa.” The word was hard and held reprimand in it. Runa sighed and closed her eyes. “I know, I know. No one is broken, just lost in the dark,” like a school child reciting lines. Revna knelt in front of her taking her hands. “That’s right, and we Edmans don’t leave folks in the dark. For whatever reason Capall has reached out to you. He thinks he deserves to stay in the darkness. It’s up to you to find out if you think you should help him Rise out of the dark.” The gods had put this on Runa and Runa knew she would have to make a choice. But the wording made her side eye her twin. “Uh huh…speaking of hiding isn’t that what you are doing in here? That party is almost and full swing. And The Edmans at least are going to be calling for you, my dear twin, my sister, my Chieftess.” And Runa laughed while Revna turned red. “Shut up Runa.” Runa got up and moved out of Revna’s reach. “But it’s tradition. And,” she looked pointedly at Revna’s lungs, “You’re all better now. And if you can sing in a bar…” Revna flopped into the vacated chair and closed her eyes. “Runa, I love you, but I’m having trouble remembering why…”
Revna and Runa
Mike looked at Runa and jerked his head towards the eyes-shut Revna and then grinned evilly and said “Hey Runa… you know I’ve got my bass on the shuttle. And I know some of the punks play… maybe we could get the band back together? Think Revna would make a good lead singer?”
Mike
Revna didn’t open her eyes, but it was quite obvious from the look on her features she heard them. “One, Mike I don’t have a sequened dress to wear while I sing my lungs out,” and she grinned, “Two, Runa if you say yes I’m calling in a TWIN favor. Three, Michael Angus McKenzie…I know where you sleep, husband of mine.”
“Well… yeah. Its with you, every chance I get.”
Runa totally ignored her, “They DO. OH Bubba’s still here! I saw him and Canary! And Revna will make the BEST lead singer.” Runa meant it. The entire clan knew Revna had an amazing voice, but she hated, despised, always refused to sing for anyone but family. Well clan was family, and the clan had just doubled! And she started to laugh and because it was Runa… “Hey, twin of mine, if you wanted a twin favor you had your chance that night you met Mike on the holodeck.” Revna did open her eyes then. “Yep you offered and I said no. You’re just jealous.” She closed her eyes again. “And don’t think I didn’t hear…what’s his name, Bubba? You threw your bra at my husband? Now I know why you offered to twin swap and why you never insisted I visit his bar while we were on Atlantis.” Revna opened her eyes then and stared at her sister…who was slack jawed and Revna started to laugh. Revna won that one. Runa, embarrassed but never one to back down, grinned wickedly at Revna, “You’re gonna get yours,” and left. It was quiet for several minutes and then they could hear it....”Revna!” and it repeated until it became a chant…and she could specifically hear Runa’s voice over them all.
Revna looked over at Mike, locking eyes with him. There was no getting out of it. She stood up and took a really deep breath. “Alright, my turn.” She walked over and took Mike’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Revna, one half of the clan chiefs
Mike smiled and said “C’mon, wife. You know for a fact we give great show…” and he leaned over and whispered in her ear, his lips lightly brushing against it, “… in public or not.” and he led her through the doors-
Revna grinned leaning into him, “I prefer the ‘or not’.”
And apparently onto a stage.
Revna looked around and, “Nope.” And she would have walked right back inside if Mike hadn’t had ahold of her hand and gently put firmly took her right along with him. A stage? They didn’t do stages, but it was a bigger group after all…it just seemed very strange to Revna to be removed from everyone. She watched Mike as he talked to the others and was so obviously at home in the situation. And Revna really wondered what he was doing with her; he could have had his pick.
Runa had been busy. In the few minutes she was gone, she had managed to get Mike’s bass, an electric guitar, and Bubba was finalizing the set up of a drum kit. Wireless amps and microphones were being set up… all having seen some use. “Our band played a gig last night.” a voice said from beside them. Canary. “Had the kit, and we were on our way home when the call came over to come help Mike.” Canary was very Welsh-sounding. Mike smiled and said “Who are you?” She grinned and said “Caitlin. Caitlin Dallas. E’rybody calls me Canary.” Mike grinned and said “I’ve seen you at shows. You were the one that always punched people wen they threw water.” Canary beamed. “YEAH! I mean, if’n they was gonna do sumtin’ like dat, it should be beer yeah?” Mike chuckled and said “Oh, absolutely.”
Mike
A handful of Edmans made their way onto the stage making themselves at home, all carrying instruments. Runa appeared by Mike and winked and jerked a thumb over behind Bubba where an electronic portable piano was sitting. “Ya know, just in case.” Then seeing Tara, Runa walked over, linked arms with the feisty older woman and led her away from the stage and into the crowd. Revna looked out over the assemblage, that was the only word. For the most part they were all seated somewhere, eating and drinking. Where all the food came from was anyone’s guess. Someone came up with a small microphone to clip to her and she waved them away. She didn’t need it. She didn’t think anyway. Ragna came out of nowhere, “You really gonna do this?” and she waved at the mass of people. She looked at her little sister, “I don’t think I’m being given a choice. This isn’t Bømlo.” Ragna shook her head with a chuckle, “No it’s not. But it’s beautiful isn’t it?” Revna looked around and her eyes settled on the shields hanging from the fence. Each one told a chapter of one Maiden and added to the story of the Edmans, and there hanging next to Ragna’s was the shield made for Blaire. As the Edmans finally quieted as Revna appeared a sound caught her attention. Tor, Arne, Viggo, Alexandra, Ida, Gudrun, and Maja had a group of the McKenzie children with them. The girls had given their tiny shields to the girls, and child size wooden bearded axes and swords were being shared and between the girls and the boys they were teaching the others how to use them. And when someone got accidently hit there was laughter and joy and patience. The McKenzie children seemed surprised at first and then were whole heartedly invested in whatever scheme had been suggested. Then suddenly a giant tree had become a fierce dragon and was being whole heartedly attacked by a troop of fierce screaming tiny warriors and maidens.
Revna tugged on Mike’s hand to get his attention and nodded towards the children. Ragna walked over to Seamus where he was standing off to the side, she slipped an arm around his waist and stared at the children, “There goes the next generation of blood oaths.” And she smiled.
“You know we are very lucky here. We are not just clan, a grouping of close knit families, but family no matter what last name we carry. We learned a long time ago to open our hearts, homes, and life to others.” She glanced around meeting the gaze of several people, all clan, all adopted, all precious. “We Edmans have a knack for Rising when it’s darkest. And when one of us is lost to that darkness we reach in grab them by the hand and pull them out. No one is alone.” She kissed Mike earning a few whistles and cheers from those assembled.
“I forgot that. I got lost in the dark and you all pulled me out, but, you know, I’m stubborn,” laughter rippled around, “and sometimes the gentle prodding, support, and love isn’t enough. Sometimes,” she meets Mike’s eyes, “you need someone to get right in your face, issue executive decisions, and walk you out of that darkness. Our clans have grown, overnight, and they were lost in that darkness for a long time. So long they thought there was no way out. We all knew, McKenzies and Edmans, what we were walking into today. Now subtlety isn’t how the Edman’s usually do things, all quiet and stealthy” lots of laughter and good natured grumbling, “But we had faith in Lady Tara and her ability to guide us in the right direction.”
A very loud rumbling voice rose above the crowd, Cuyler. “Aye and we knew Mike and Seamus would kick arse if it went south!” There was a deafening roar of approval from every Edman and McKenzie. Shouts of “Michael and Seamus!” were repeated several times. Revna turned slightly to look at Mike and winked. “So what do we do? We Rise and we are going to do it together, one clan now, back into the light.” Revna looked over at Runa who was sitting with a circle drawn in the sandy ground in front of her, the old Gothia sitting in a chair next to her. She reached into the bag drawing out a hand full of stones, murmured softly in Norwegian and cast the stones. She looked up at Revna after a moment, “Love, Vicory, and Light.” Revna nodded, “Would we accept anything less of ourselves?” Loud and immediate agreement issued forth. Revna turned to look at the gathered Edmans on the stage. She opened a case beside her, slipped small metal rings on the tips of her left hand, and slipped it into the back of bodhran and then picked up the double sided cipín in the other and ran through a couple quick rhythms. “You know which one we’re doing.” There was excitement and an air of expectation. She turned back, “So this is how it works. We’ll play it two times. First time you get a feel for it, the second time we all sing it.”
Revna
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