Chapter 29 - At Peace

Will and Tuck spent the day prepping Thomas' body for burial. It was heartbreaking and difficult for Will, finally letting go of that part of him that had hoped that his father's blood lust wouldn't end in his own death.

Tuck could tell how difficult it was. "In the end, maybe it's better for him to be at peace. I believe he's with your mother," Tuck had said, trying to console Will.

Will finished tying the bottom of the shroud that contained the body of his father. "It's not that he died that bothers me," Will started, "it's that so much of his life was dedicated to death. I understand that it was justice but when does one cross over into blind obsession?"

"I don't think your father was ever blindly obsessed," Tuck responded. "He did nothing while the pact was in place and only acted when it became inevitable that they were going to pick up the hunt against you and him. He was still just protecting his family."

It bothered Will that he didn't see it so clearly. Maybe he was too close to it all?

Tuck and Will loaded the body into a cart. Will wanted his father buried along side his grandfather. He gathered up firewood started a fire. He began boiling water and dropped Tork's head into it. John walked up while Will stood looking at the rolling boil.

"You're not gonna..." John started to ask.

"Lord, no," Will said cracking a smile. "I'm no monster. I'm just cleaning the skull. I need it to remind me."

"Of?" John asked.

Will looked up at John, "Sometimes, death brings balance. Sadly, not every problem has a peaceful solution."

"I thought you were training your men for such an undertaking, might makes right and whatnot?" John said.

Shaking his head, Will clarified, "No, just preparing them for the inevitable conflict. I'm preparing them not just for the physical threats but the mental and emotional ones. The threats that can do most harm don't always approach with weapons at the ready."

John was glad that Will wasn't falling into the same blood lust his father had been caught up in. "What's next?" he asked.

"The king," Will said flatly.

"You have a plan?" John asked.

"I will," Will said, "I just have to meet with someone."

John didn't pry as to who the someone was.

Tuck gathered the students. Thomas' funeral was to be the final lesson for the class. Will had developed several brilliant minds and had made a community of responsible individuals that looked out for each other but he had to show them that in the end, what matters is who's there to witness your departure from this world.

Gwen and Matty took turns carrying little Solomon as the procession made it's way down to where Will's grand father was buried. Only Will knew what to look for. The little clearing in the forest was in many ways where his first lesson was. Thomas had instilled in him the values of a man who desired peace but knew the need to defend it.

Matty began to tear up. She wasn't able to be with her father when he was so sick that death became a respite and now she watched as her nephew dug a hole next to her father's grave to place her brother. Gwen hugged her. Baby Solomon looked up at her. She thought about how he looked so much like her father. His little eyes so full of peace. In many ways, his awareness reminded her of an owl. He seemed to look around as if he understood the world around him and she somewhat believed that he did.

The men helped Will out of the pit. He had dug the hole by himself and had done it in about two hours. He hadn't taken a break but he wasn't showing signs of fatigue. They lowed Thomas' body and head into the grave and Will cast a handful of soil onto his shroud.

"As my students, you've followed my every command without hesitation," Will started. "My father put himself into situations that most men wouldn't. He did so without hesitation. He did so because he accepted that the outcome could be death but that still would be a better alternative. I need you all to understand that death is something you can't control. Not only is it going to happen to you but it's going to happen to those you love. Cherish those times with them but never let the fear of being without them cloud your judgement. Never let the fear of death decide for you. I've decided to pick up where my father left off. He had one more person on his list. One more target that demanded his attention. This next mission will be dangerous and will call attention to us in a way that we've avoided before. If you so choose not to follow me, I'll understand."

The group fell quiet. He let the weight of his words sink in so that his next sentence would be heard without fault.

"I plan on killing the king," Will announced.

Bruce was the first of his students to react. He stepped forward and pulled his red hood up then fell to one knee with his head bowed. "At your command, Sir," Bruce said. "We'll follow you into hell."

The other students all followed suit. Hoods up and on bended knee they pledged to follow him on whatever mission he chose.

John, Layne and Smith did the same.

Tuck looked around. "Well, if I don't, I'll look like an arse," he said with a smile.

They finished burying Thomas and Will returned the focus back to his father. "When I was a child, my father was a bit of a legend among the people of Loxley. In his youth, he'd faced off with a bear. He defended my sweet aunt who may very well not be here had her brother not loved her so. My father set the bar high but he never asked me to jump it. Just to set my own standards. To set my own goals. Father, you will be missed, dearly. May your soul find peace in death that it couldn't find in life. Also, give mum a hug and kiss for me. I've missed her so."

 Will placed stones flush with the ground in a cross over his father's grave. The walk back to sanctuary was filled with Will and Matty remembering and sharing with the others, moments that they had with Thomas. When they reached sanctuary the group began to feast.

The encampment around sanctuary was alive with celebration. Food was passed around and shared as was drink and stories. Laughter echoed through the trees and as night fell, the autumn night came alive with dancing shadows and the sounds of festivities.

There was a burning in Will's coin purse. He'd been thinking about those two rings all day. He looked across the table at Gwen as she nursed Solomon. He loved that smile of hers. It was what drove his soul to brilliance. The men made merry and Will called their attention.

He came around the table and dropped to one knee, much like his students had done. He looked up at Gwen. "Much like my students have pledged their loyalty to me, I want to pledge my loyalty to you," he said. "Would you do me the honors of facing the world as my mate, partner and friend for forever and a day?"

"Of course," Gwen answered. She leaned down and kissed Will then he placed the ring on her hand.

John came over and sat next to Matty. She looked saddened by the happiness around her.

"There is still much breath in your bosom," John said. "No need to feel like you won't love again."

"How did you know I was...." Matty began to ask.

"When I went off to war, I left a love behind that promised to wait for me," he said. "I returned to an empty home and learned that she'd left with someone else. I spent many a day feeling the way you look."

Matty cocked her head at John, "There's more to you than muscle."

Tuck came over to Will and Gwen. He'd had much to drink. "I can marry you two right now and then you two can stop living in sin under my roof and for once there could be a positive story to tell around here aside from the birth of that sweet boy Solomon who by the way I think looks much like an owl in the night which I'm sure you've thought to yourselves but never thought that his totem is an owl which would make him both wise and able to fly not really but can you imagine one of you Redgraves being given the ability to fly like a bird I can't think of anything more terrifying but back to what I was saying I could marry you two tonight am I rambling I tend to ramble when I drink too much have I had too much are you two going to let me marry you or what?"

Gwen and Will agreed to the ceremonies. Tuck's rendition of wedding services were unique to say the least. He'd had more to drink so the only thing anyone could understand was the words: love, honor, cherish and death.


At the end of the night, Will placed Tork's cleaned and dried skull on the shelf next to his books. It served as a grim reminder of the cost of freedom.

He lay down next to his new wife and fell into a deep sleep.

There was a chessboard in his dream. Across from him the red fox looked down at the board. He nudged a pawn with his nose. "We've done much together," the fox said.

"We have," Will agreed as he moved another piece.

The fox nudged a bishop. "We've changed things," he said.

"We have," Will said as he slid his queen to his right. He'd created a protective corridor for his pieces to move up the board.

The fox saw this and began moving his pieces to counter.

"You've taught me well," Will said thankfully.

"You're an apt pupil," The fox said.

After the fox moved one last piece to protect the obvious attack, Will slid his queen back to the left side.

"Checkmate!" he exclaimed.

The fox looked at the board. The corridor was a ruse. It lured all of his good pieces to one side while opening the other up for attack. He smiled and said, "The teacher becomes the student."

Will reached over and pet him. "I will always be your student," he said to the fox.

The fox suddenly looked past him. Will turned to see what he was looking at.

Before him was a great red wolf with a scarred face. In his mouth was a single red arrow. He lay it in Will's lap then looked up at him and said, "Make it rain." The wolf then pressed his snout into Will's hand and Will pet him.

When Will woke up he quietly went down to where he lectured his students and dug at the ground where he normally stood. He pulled the seventh arrow from the soft earth and clenched it in his fist.

"I'll make things right, father."