I like this character with his strange eyes and little smile on the corner od=f his lips. The pose is very natural. Well done,Rayvn!

When they went up to their room for the night, Angus proposed to Moira. She accepted of course, but told him that he had some training to go through first, as well as being invested as the Laird of the Mountain. After that, she would marry him. "If I survive it all," he laughed. "I'm knackered love. Its been a wearin' day." "It's a'right sweetheart. Go on ta sleep," she whispered in his ear and kissed him. Angus got as far as taking off his boots and then just collapsed, falling into a sound sleep. Moira prodded his arm. No reaction at all. That was when she went back to the table where Angus had proposed to her. There sat the shadowy figure that only she could see. "What're ya doin' 'ere, Beren?" she whispered. He materialized into solid form then. "Ursala sent me lookin' fer ya. She were concerned about ya. Ya ain't been around. I see why now. Ya finally got yersel' some moxy an' caught 'im din't ya?" He nodded toward the bed and then looked at her. "Ya ain't undead no more. 'Ow'd that happen?" "Gwidion finally figured out how ta cure me. T'was hell it was - but I wanted it, Beren. Ya know I always hated bein' like I was. Aye. I got some moxy," she giggled. "He weren't afraid o' me neither. 'E asked me ta marry 'im tonight," Moira smiled, then sighed. "Tis a long story. One I'll tell ya some day. Only just findin' it out today." There was a special bond between them that noone else knew - not even Ursala. Beren looked out for her on the moors and if she couldn't find a feed, he'd point her to one - unerringly. He said he could smell them a mile away. She didn't doubt he could. They'd spent many long hours talking and he called himself 'ol' uncle Beren'. Eventually, she came to call him that too. It was Beren who first knew of her seemingly hopeless infatuation with Angus. He was in fact the only one who knew of it. "Tell Ursala I'm fine. Better than ever! She won' be mad, will she?" Beren shrugged. "Can't speak for 'er, ya know. I don' think so. She always knowed ya was miserable too. Not just me. Mog came ta see 'er 'bout a vendetta 'gainst yer brother. She told 'im ta stuff it, an' ne'er show 'is face in 'er court again. I s'pose 'e's jealous o' thet one o'er there, eh?" He nodded toward Angus. "Aye. Gwidion caught 'im...." "I know all about it, lass. I saw Gwidion set 'im on fire," Beren snorted, trying to keep from laughing. "Just happened ta be there in the neighbor'ood at the time. T'was rich, it was! I told Ursala, so she already knew there were somethin' up." "We're plannin' a war wi' 'im, Beren. We're gonna take Mog down. Get rid of 'im once an' fer all time. Ya think Ursala an' the UnDead might be persuaded ta join us? We need someone ta take care of 'is Black Army." "Ooooh," Beren smiled. "Thet'd be perfect," he laughed. "We could rip 'em ta shreds an noone'd care...not ta mention they can't kill us. I love it. I'll see what I kin do ta persuade 'er, luv." "Ya think ya can, Beren? T'would be great if ya could." "Ochh! I'm sure of it. There's a reason she likes me an' I'm 'er right hand man, ya know. I know 'ow ta rock 'er boat. I always deliver whate'er she gives me ta do, an' I don' try ta take 'er power from 'er. I don' need to. I got me own kind o' power. I love 'er, I guess - much as she'll let anyone love 'er. She's somethin' else...but ya know thet." A deep growling sound came from the back of his throat. "She's been missin' me...so tis a perfect opportunity." "Kin I ask ye somethin' uncle Beren?" "O' course ya can." "Why is it, outta everyone o' the UnDead...besides Ursala - yer the only one e'er helped me an' were nice ta me? Ursala, I understand. We 'ad somethin' in common wi' that worm, Mog. But not you. Not thet I don' appreciate it. I do an' I always will." "Because, ma dear lass...I AM yer uncle. They ne'er talk about me do they?" "Seriously?" Moira's mouth was agape. She'd said that a bit too loud. "Papa's an' uncle Alduin's brother?" "Aye, Moi. A'fore their mother were married ta Finn, she were married ta another. Finn took me in, but 'e ne'er really accepted me as 'is son. I was maybe fourteen-fifteen yarens old. When yer father were 'bout two yarens old, she took me an' Magnus an' left Finn. She'd 'ad it wi' 'im mistreatin' me an' all the fightin' went on b'tween us. Went ta live wi' her brother ta the west, near the moors. After about ten yarens, she finally relented an' went back to 'im...Finn. I was growed, but by then I'd been turned. Part o' why she left I guess. 'Fraid I'd eat ma brother an' her." "Why did ya ne'er tell me all this, Beren?" He shrugged. "Guess I thought t'were best ya di' nae know it." "When ya come back...will ya meet with Papa? Please? You're 'is brother." "I though 'e hated vampires. Said 'e hated you." "Twas a white lie told me fer the reason 'e left. T'was because o' Mog, truly." "Somethin' else I ne'er told ya, Moira." There was a long silence. "Once one o' Mog's wizards captured me. Took me to 'im. He tried ta make me leave Ursala, but I refused. So 'e threw me in a dungeon fer a moon. Imagine a whole moon wi' out feedin'." "Oh, my gods!" "Aye. 'E knew if 'e killed me Ursala would come after 'im, so 'e let me go. Needless ta say, I don' like 'im either an' I'd be more then willin' ta fight against 'im longside the rest o' my family. So, dear lassie, I'll see what I can do," he winked. "Come back soon...uncle Beren. I love ya an' I miss ya." "I love ya too, lassie. Fare thee well, an' don' let thet lad there git the best o' ya. A'right?" Beren stood, pulling her up with him as always did. "Ya take care now...an' I fer one am glad ya ain't a vampire no more. Tis a hard life...heh...er should I say 'un-life'? If Ursala an' the UnDead won't come, I will. I'll slay 'is whole Black Army - in yer name, girl. Ya tell Magnus that. I miss ma little brother...only 'e aint so little anymore, is 'e? Later!" Beren raised his arm and snapped his fingers, and was gone. Moira's hand flew to her mouth. Beren...Beren really was her uncle? The irony of it all made her smile and she giggled to herself. Through all the years of her misery, Beren had been her only real friend. She did love him - in an uncle sort of way. She sat there for a long while, trying to figure out the best way to approach this all with Papa. The timing was going to be the tricky part, with all that was going on. When her eyes began falling shut, she crawled into bed beside Angus with a sigh and a smile. Slowly but surely, she was getting all of her famiy back and soon, she'd be Angus' wife. As she closed her eyes, she thanked the Goddess for all Her gifts. ***** I'm really liking Beren and Ursala - they're great fun to play with. Hope you liked this chapter. Have a great week and until next time.... Take care! Rayvn

Wonderful work and story =)!!

Love the image, and the story. Beren's a handsome character! Looks like things are coming together for the clan, eh. Can't wait for the next installment.

I knew it! I said that Beren would turn out to be an honourable man and I could not have been more right. Also explains Magnus comment about while being of noble blood he did not grow up as such. This was an awesome chapter and it has made me late for work as I could not resist reading it with the slow measured pace that I love to do. This certainly has the making of an epic. Beren really shows the far away look of someone reminscing of the old days, and I love his backwards sitting style.

Fantastic chapter! it held me right to the end. the image just rocks

Excellent story. Another great twist and thickening of the plot. Twilight be damned. This has all the right amounts of romance, drama and magic. This could play out nice on screen or be expanded for a book or series. Best of all no sparkly vampires ;) Like this image of Beren very much. He just looks like a cool character. Nice inset with him an Ursula too. Awesome work.