we are aching bones and wasted years; lagertha / any

[magnus]

you and I both know that the house is haunted
and you and I both know that the ghost is me

 
He was right in assuming that his being alone would be short-lived. Before he knows it, there is a bay mare before him, and he gives a roughish grin to her; despite the seriousness of his visit, he just couldn’t help being happy to see a jungle woman. “Hello there, Sunday. I’m Magnus.” He nods toward her, instantly at ease in the presence of the Amazonian, even knowing that this was not the kingdom that he knew in his past. He had no way of knowing his daughter was recently Queen or that any of his children still lived. He imagined that there would be no familiar faces in the kingdom, and he didn’t expect them.

It just felt good to be home.

“I am not looking for anyone in particular, although it would be helpful to speak to a diplomat or someone in a position of being able to negotiate.” He rolls his scarred, lacerated shoulders, relieving some of the tension that he had been carrying on his trip down here. “I’m from Heaven’s Gates, and we have recently suffered…an attack.” The word felt weak, but raid wasn’t right and neither was war. What the Chamber had done was play a heavy-handed card against an unsuspecting, weak kingdom. It was cowardly.

“The Chamber targeted our Mother Tree and garden,” concepts that were still foreign to him, “and they kidnapped our Queen.” He pauses, mouth flattening a little. “It’s been a while since I’ve lived in Beqanna, but the Amazons are my birth home.” His gold-flecked eyes move upward, catching her gaze and holding it steady. “I suppose I came here to see where the relationship between our kingdoms stands—and where you would fall should Heaven and the Chamber go to war.” He knew their kingdom was not even remotely ready to sound the battle cry, but he also knew the Chamber wouldn’t go quietly into the night.

 

MAGNUS

once general. once lord. once king.