┏━ tribulation.
( SCENE 14 ) ━┛

LAKEWELL was Ismene's home now. As much as she didn't want to accept the fact, it was true and she was forced to live with it the rest of her life. It did not bare the sentimental value that Winterfell did, nor the hot spring heated walls that she loved to run her hands along when the nights were cold and she would wander the halls when she couldn't sleep. She would miss the adventures she would take with Darik and the Nameday celebrations for each of the Stark children that occurred every few months. Lakewell was utterly strange and she felt as if she were in a foreign land.

Even with Fenrir at her side as the Estemore presage finally arrived to the castle, she still felt utterly small. Winterfell was a much broader keep, spanning much wider than Lakewell was appearing to be. Ismene's new home was much taller, being encased into the side of a rather large and rocky hill. It's towers seemed to reach into the clouds and she wondered if she would be able to handle such heights.

The steep ride up forced Lukas to show Ismene to ride safely, leaning forward in her saddle as to not unbalance Snowbird as she climbed. At a leveled area just below the keep, the presage finally stopped in the courtyard. Ismene spotted a stables, a Smith's station, a smoke house, a butchers house, and many more areas that were necessary in keeping Lakewell running.

Ismene followed Lukas to an area where they dismounted and their horses were lead away by Estemore men. The servants that worked in the courtyard eyed Fenrir fearfully as he stood close to Ismene's side. She grinned slightly as Lukas took her hand.

"Shall we take a tour of our home now?" Lukas suggested. "Servants will have our belongings placed in our room." The mention of their room makes her heart skip a little. He was right, it was their room now. She nods, excited to see her new home.

The two make their way to a rather steep set of stone steps that lead to the entrance of the keep. Lukas didn't struggle at all to reach the top, as he grew up climbing the steps, but the same couldn't be said for Ismene. He tried his best to conceal the grin as he helped her reach the top.

"Please don't tell me that this is how the entire Keep is," Ismene heaves a tired sigh once they finally reach the entrance. Lukas grins but also realizes that she probably isn't accustomed to the thin air.

"You'll grow accustomed to the steps, my dear," he jests, which causes her to heavily roll her eyes. "There is quite a number of them leading to our tower."

"Our tower?" She guffaws. She'd seen the many towers that sprouted from the keep itself, but never did she realize that one would be entirely theirs. "You mean to say we have a tower?"

Lukas nods with a grin as he shoves open the smaller, singular entrance next to the large gaping doors. He enters first, with Ismene and Fenrir following close behind.

Ismene can't seem to take in all that she's seeing at once. The main hall of Lakewell is utterly amazing, with giant pillars that reach up into the ceiling that seems to be thousands of feet in the air to someone with a wild imagination. Between every other pillar, a gapping window is open to the scenery outside. In the plain areas, the Estemore silver fox and salmon is displayed on long, blue banners. The floor a dark shade of unpolished granite, which is a change compared to the regular stone floors of Winterfell. The flecks within the stone shone brightly in the areas that were covered in sunlight.

To Ismene, Lakewell was just as or even more luxurious and wealthy looking than Winterfell. Her childhood home was much older, after all. As she gazes around she didn't think a lesser lord's castle could be so extravagant, then again the Estemore's and the Mandal's had nearly risen to great House status throughout the ages. Lukas did mentioned that they were well off and Ismene had seen it first hand.

"This is utterly amazing," she tells Lukas as she let's go of his hand to venture to the gaping windows with Fenrir following close behind. She gazes out, utterly astonished at the view. Never before had she been high enough to see passed endless forests and rivers and hills. She could see nearly the entire expose of Long Lake, which was just below Lakewell Fenrir presses his side into her as his golden eyes gaze out into the vast distance.

Where Lukas watches his wife gaze out in awe at the beautiful scene in a moment of blissfulness, he himself believes he's looking at his own sight that is utterly priceless.

"Perhaps you'd like to see the view from our tower, if you think this view is so amazing," Lukas jests. Ismene beams at the idea, making her way over excitedly. She grabs his hand amidst her excitement and they pause.

"Show me," she murmurs after their gazes linger for a few heart beats. Lukas nods and they both head for a stairwell, hand in hand.

When they are finally standing before the wooden door, after a such a dreadful climb for Ismene, Lukas lets go of her hand and reaches for the handle. As he pushes it open, sunlight bursts through.

He was thankful to be back home, especially to his room. As they entered, he saw that his things had been put away, but Ismene's were set neatly near the three gaping windows that seemed to overlook the entire north, waiting for instruction. At his side, his wife slightly gasps.

"This is the highest tower, so I would hope that it would have the best view," he chuckles as she runs over to the window. Fenrir wanders around the room, sniffing and exploring as his master gazed out the window.

"You were right about the view," Ismene gleefully declared as Lukas makes his way over. When he stood at her side, she turns around to investigate the rest of the room. She sees a large bed with countless furs on it, two tables flanking the sides of the bed, a weapons rack adjacent, and a giant wardrobe. Another table sat before the windows with simply two chairs and a game of chess. She knew that, with her things, and anything they acquired, the room would gain some substance and not look so empty. She could already imagine where she would place a bed for Fenrir once she had it made.

They turn to each other after a spell of silence. The original awkwardness settles and Ismene realizes that this was the place they would share together, as husband and wife. She loved the idea now, and she was already liking the idea of facing life with Lukas, together.

Somehow, someway, they slowly gravitate toward each other as silence settles over. Her hands wander up to his shoulders and his clasp to her waist. They look into each other with peaceful gazes and for the first time in a while they both feel content. Lukas initiates the kiss, the first they'd had since their actual wedding ceremony. It was strange, but at the same time it felt right and warranted in that moment.

When they pulled apart, both of their hearts were racing. The blossom of their love took root in that moment and how it would grow in the time to come.

❆

LATER in the evening, once they'd taken a more in depth tour of the keep and held an awkward supper with the rest of the family, they found themselves back in their chambers to spend some quality time together. Ismene had put that they were husband and wife, after all, and they needed to know each other better.

They sit together at the table that overlooks the north, Lukas relaxed in his seat while lied back while Ismene sat with her legs crossed. Already, they were relaxed around each other, which was a good sign. Their discussion had drifted from their dreams, which had been a common subject in their conversations, to ideas of travel and things alike. They seemed to have their desires aligned for the most part, which was a positive sign for their marriage.

"Perhaps we could take a trip back to Winterfell soon," Lukas tells her as the sunset casts a warm glow on both of them. It shadows both of their features and Ismene loves the way his grey eyes glow.

"That would be fantastic," Ismene agrees happily, until she remembers leaving Winterfell while still having grievances with Darik. She couldn't forget what he'd last said about Lukas. "As long as you defend him, then we have nothing else to discuss." Their last discussion was not the way she wanted to say goodbye to her twin, but she had no choice. He didn't show for her departure and she knew then that his distaste for her marriage went beyond Lukas. Her twin had known that Ismene had accepted their marriage, with open arms even, while Darik most likely had wanted to see some sort of resistance.

Lukas notices her features falter and he realizes that she must be thinking of Darik. As much as he disliked him, he would do all he could to make his wife happy and he knew the heir to Winterfell would play a major part.

"When we go back, I'm sure Darik will have cooled off," Lukas tells her. She shakes her head.

"No, he won't. Especially not if he sees I'm with child, which would most likely infuriate him more." She had a dream ever since she was young, where she and Darik's children were just as close as they had been growing up. At this point, that wasn't a possibility.

Lukas cocks a brow. "Well, I can assure you that if you are with child by then, he should be overjoyed." He noticed his words aren't helping, so he opts for changing the subject from Darik to something lighter. "Our children will be just as much wolves as they will be foxes, therefore they would be cunning, strong, noble—," he leans forward and offers his hand to her. She takes it softly as they meet gazes. "And most of all, they will raised by the most gentle and kind mother in the world. I'm sure that eventually, Darik will come around."

Lukas' words make Ismene's heart soar. She knew that she would build a wonderful life with him, with children and memories she would cherish forever. If Darik resented her for being happy, then so be it. Now, she had Lukas and that was all that mattered.

"They will also have the most genuine and caring father there is," Ismene returns the kind words to her husband and she loves the way he grins.

As they held each other's hands, their minds dwelled on sweet nothings. "I must admit, Ismene," Lukas says softly. "I feel that I am already falling for you."

Ismene's expression softens. She lifts his hand up and plants a soft kiss on his knuckle. She smirks softly, feeling utterly blissful. "I feel that I am as well, Lukas."