Chapter Seven
Brotherhood Blues
Burke shifted impatiently from foot to foot, waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Around him, Bunker Hill was a hive of activity as preparations were underway for the settlers and Minutemen to begin a long journey to Starlight Drive-in, accompanying a large caravan towards Drumlin Diner enroute. He wanted to run on ahead and find Tara and spend as much time with her as he could, but he could feel the weight of the Paladin's gaze from the top of the stairs and knew that if he so much as took one step away, he risked being locked in the room without being able to say goodbye.
He turned his head to watch as the door to their room creaked open and Kay emerged, beckoning for Danse to enter. "Stay put, Squire." Danse said firmly, giving him a stern look before disappearing inside the room.
Burke broke into a sprint, wincing at the pain in his shoulders as he moved his arms. It didn't take him long to reach the leaving party, the settlers, guards, merchants and Minutemen checking their supplies and weapons near the gate. He knew that Nora had made a significant donation towards it from her own pocket, having haggled fiercely with Kessler and old man Stockton.
He made to walk into the crowd, when a hand closed around the back of his shirt collar and he was pulled back. "Not so fast, kid." Burke felt his face blanche and cringed, slowly turning to see Derby Kindler, the leader of the Minutemen contingent accompanying the settlers. She was a leathery faced woman with suspicious eyes and a scar running from one side of her face to the other.
She had been a near constant visitor at Nora's bedside, discussing strategies on how to safely move the settlers to a new home. As such, she had become familiar with both Burke and the Paladin, apparently now able to recognise him on sight, even if he was out of his uniform and wearing clothes better suited to a farmer's son. "Does the General know you're here?" She asked, chewing on the gum in her mouth.
"Yes." Burke replied defiantly.
"SQUIRE." Burke flinched at the Paladin's shout and Derby smiled a slow, yellow toothed grin.
She turned, forcing Burke to turn with her. Paladin Danse's expression was as terrifying as the Elder's when he had heard of how Burke had tried to steal a weapon from the armoury. "I thought so," Derby drawled, dragging him along after her.
The Paladin was walking alongside Nora, allowing her to lean on his arm. The Knight's face was grey with pain as she hobbled beside him, sweat plastering her loose hair to her face. She looked a different person from the smart, friendly woman he had first met. They drew to a halt as Derby approached them, Nora leaning heavily on Danse and catching her breath.
"General! I think we almost had a stowaway on our hands." Derby pulled Burke in front of her, straight into his companion's glares.
"I wasn't running away! I just wanted to see Tara!" Burke insisted, panicking a little. Nora just looked weary, but Danse looked as though he wanted to hit him.
"There's a seat near the gate," Derby continued, releasing Burke's collar. "Might be better for you to take a seat, General. You don't look mighty steady there."
"That would be an excellent idea," Danse interjected as Nora tried to shake her head. He seized Burke's arm with his free hand and began to follow Derby, Nora sighing as she followed her human crutch.
Once Nora was seated, she was quickly inundated with grateful settlers and Minutemen who wished her well. Danse stood stiffly to attention at her shoulder, watching the people warily, his hand a vice about Burke's wrist. Finally, a woman with matted dark hair and a haunted face approached, and there, holding her hand was Tara, Burke's cap atop her head.
Burke had not recognized Tara's mother at first. She looked as though she had aged twenty years, the lips that had smiled at him now lined and weighed down with sadness. The woman dropped Tara's hand to grasp Nora's in both of her own as she thanked her.
Tara shuffled over to stand in front of him and the Paladin.
Finally, Danse released his arm.
"Are you prepared for your journey, Tara?" Danse asked, clasping his hands behind his back.
"Yes, Sir." Tara nodded, pushing the squire cap back over her hair so she could see him clearly. "They said we can make it there in a week or so, if we don't run into trouble."
"I'm sure everything will be fine." Danse reassured her. "You just need to make sure you look after your mother. She'll need you to be strong."
Tara's eyes grew sad and she glanced to her mother with worry. The woman had grown tearful as she spoke to Nora, who gently murmured words of comfort to her. As Danse followed her gaze, Nora glanced up at him, and beckoned with her head. "Take care of yourself, Tara." He saluted her before moving to greet her anguished mother.
For a few moments, she and Burke stood in uncertain silence. They hadn't really spoken since their arrival. Burke had spent the first few days asleep, and when the settlers had arrived, she had left their room to stay with her mother. Due to his being forbidden to leave the room unaccompanied, he hadn't been able to see her until now…
"…I wanted to give you this back at County Crossing," she finally began, removing a small silver chain from her wrist. Little pewter charms jingled as she held it out to him. "It's… it's not as cool as the hat but it always meant a lot to me. I want you to have it."
Burke's eyes grew wide and he hesitantly raised his hand to receive it, only for Tara to roll his sleeve back and fix it about his wrist herself. "Are you sure?" He asked, staring at the charms. There was no way to tell what they were supposed to be, the features had rubbed down by anxious fingers and stained with dirt.
"Definitely. I owe you my life, and the hat." She insisted.
Burke could feel his eyes welling up with tears. "…I wish I could go with you. I don't want… I don't…" Tara wordlessly stepped forwards, enveloping him in a hug.
"You can come visit! Make sure you do!" She sniffed.
"Come on, Tara, we shouldn't take up all their time." Tara stepped away as her mother gave her a gentle tap on the back.
"Goodbye, Burke. I'll miss you." Tara managed a small, watery smile as she waved before her mother led her away through the crowd.
The Knight, Paladin and Squire watched as the last of the Minutemen disappeared down the road, making their way around a corner. Nora had stubbornly insisted on leaving her chair to see them off, but was now leaning heavily on Danse, trying to keep the weight off her bad leg.
"It's time you returned to your bed, Soldier." Danse said firmly, glancing down at her.
"…Fine." Nora frowned, her eyelids drooping. She was still heavily fatigued, despite her claims to be otherwise.
Wordlessly, Danse crouched slightly and eased one of her arms over his broad shoulders, slipping his arm about her waist. Nora winced slightly but nodded, allowing him to support her. She managed to take a few steps before she stumbled, prompting Danse to halt.
"Do you need me to carry you, Soldier?" Danse frowned, studying her face intently. Dark, bruise-like circles shadowed her eyes and she looked ill. Kay had helped to dress her that morning, lending her a pale green dress, insisting her armour was both too heavy and filthy to be worn over the bandages. It had been clean and fresh when she had left the room, but already it was dark with sweat.
"I'm not crippled, Danse… I'll be fine. Just… got a little dizzy."
"What did I say about martyrs, soldier?"
"…Nobody likes the weak and helpless either." Nora countered stubbornly, taking a step forwards only to face resistance when Danse didn't move.
"It's not weakness to know when you need to accept help, Soldier." Danse's frown had intensified. "I'd much rather carry you up to the room in less than five minutes then spend half an hour watching you struggle."
Nora huffed, lowering her head to glower at her feet. "…Fine."
She expected to be thrown unceremoniously over his shoulder, but instead he crouched down and carefully scooped up her legs, cradling her in his arms. Even though he had been careful, Nora hissed slightly with pain. "Are you alright?" He asked, glancing down at her.
Nora was biting her lip, but she nodded, averting her eyes and folding her arms across her waist.
He began to walk, doing his best to keep his strides even and jostle her as little as possible. Nora held her breath, her eyes seeking out anything in their surroundings to distract from her pain. Eventually, she found her eyes settling on the Paladin himself.
She focused her attention on his beard, noting that he had washed and trimmed it since their last battle. It made sense, she mused. When he had the time and resources, he was quite fastidious about his hygiene and appearance, though he was no stranger to grime and filth.
She thought back to the day she had first met him, covered in feral gore and wild eyed as he fought to save the last of his squad. He had been a sight both terrifying and inspiring and, she supposed, he still was. As hard as her other friends fought, she never felt as safe as when Danse had her back.
Or Dogmeat. She sighed wistfully as she thought of the beautiful German shepherd she had left behind at Sanctuary Hills, wishing she could bury her face in his soft fur.
"We're almost at the stairs," Danse commented, his voice a deep rumble in her ears. He paused a moment, glancing back over his shoulders as he adjusted his hold. "Put your arms around my neck a moment, I need to get the key."
As she obeyed, her arms aching with the movement, he quickly withdrew the key from his pocket. "Burke, run ahead and get that door open."
"Yes Sir."
Burke, who had been following in the Paladin's footsteps emerged into Nora's view, taking the key and setting off up the stairs. As the Paladin's arms reaffirmed their hold, Nora loosened her arms slightly, but didn't quite let go. She felt more secure holding onto him than simply being held. He was after all a tall man and the ground seemed uncomfortably far away.
He set off up the stairs and within moments they were back in the room. Nora finally relinquished her hold as he set her down on the bed, sighing loudly. "It's only been a few days, but I already hate this room."
"If you'd hand over your vertibird grenade, we could head back to the Prydwen." Danse replied, turning to where their packs were set on the floor and helping himself to a bottle of water. "Cade could have you back on your feet in a couple of days."
"I'd rather go to my house in Diamond City. The beds are comfy, I have clean clothes and it's free because I already own everything in it. How are we doing for caps, anyhow?"
"I'm down to 800," Danse shrugged, pulling the armchair to her bedside. "I don't even want to check your cap purse after your overly generous donation."
"Well, caps aren't everything. I've got plenty stashed in Diamond City anyhow, so if we go there next…"
"Or we could return to the Prydwen and return to the mission when both you and your power armour are in fighting condition." Danse said firmly, staring her down.
"But the Squire-"
Danse held up his hand to silence her, before turning to look at the boy who was stood by the open doorway, watching them. "Burke, wait outside."
"But if you're talking about me-"
"Now, Squire." At the Paladin's tone Burke scowled, but turned and stalked outside, slamming the door in his wake. Danse sighed, before turning back to face the Knight who was frowning at the door.
"The boy has disobeyed our commands twice now, Nora. He has come to harm and I don't relish presenting him to Kells scarred and out of uniform. This experience has done little to strengthen his faith in the Brotherhood. If anything, he's more disillusioned now than he was before."
"But he did it to save Tara!" Nora insisted, propping herself up on her elbows. "You said so yourself, if it weren't for him, she'd be dead!"
"He shouldn't have taken the risk." Danse's tone hardened and his glare became more intense. "Besides, he's not the only person who acted recklessly."
"How did I know we'd be coming back to this?" Nora said dryly, rolling her eyes to heaven.
"This is serious, Knight." She jolted slightly at the ferocity of his tone, turning to stare. "What would have happened if you had died?!" Danse seethed, glowering at her.
"…But I didn't…" Nora managed sheepishly, glancing away.
Danse snorted bitterly, gesturing to the bandages around her leg and arms. "Just look at you. I heard from Derby how you were surrounded. How you took direct hits from a mutant with a mini gun. What would have happened if the Minutemen had arrived too late? Or if they'd turned tail?"
Nora sighed, forcing herself to meet his gaze. "What do you want me to say, Danse?"
"I don't want you to say anything! I want you to think!" He thundered. "You promised me I would NEVER have to go through losing you the way I lost Cutler! Yet you acted recklessly and you damn well nearly perished at the hands of the same god damn abominations!"
He shoved the chair back forcefully as he stood, causing it to topple over backwards. "Danse! Calm down!" Nora cried, forcing herself to sit upright, but the paladin was already halfway across the room. She could only stare, dumbfounded as he marched out of the door, sweeping it shut behind him.
Burke barely had time to scramble down the stairs when he heard something crash to the floor and the Paladin's heavy footsteps marching towards the door. When he reached the bottom step, he heard the door fly open and shut with a BANG.
Burke swallowed, hastily stepping to the side as the man stormed down the stairs, coming to an abrupt hall when he arrived in front of him. Paladin Danse inhaled deeply, slowly clenching and unclenching his fists as he turned to look at the boy. "Keep an eye on the Knight and power armour, Squire. I'm just going to get some air."
Burke nodded quickly, staring as the Paladin marched on past him, disappearing around the corner. Hesitantly, he glanced up to the door atop the stairs, wondering whether or not it was worth investigating. Eventually, his right hand anxiously fidgeting with the charms of Tara's bracelet, he advanced up the stairs, pausing when he reached the door to listen.
Somewhere inside, he could hear the Knight weeping.
For a moment, his hand reached towards the doorknob, but then he faltered and turned away.
Danse didn't stop his exercises until late in the afternoon. He had begun by jogging through the urban jungle surrounding Bunker Hill, laser rifle on hand though to his bitter disappointment, he had found no live targets on which to take out his frustration. Following that, he had accepted some caps from Deb in return for helping her to move heavy boxes of goods, before jogging up and down the steeply curving tower staircase. The third time he reached the top, he finally allowed himself a break, seating himself on a chair up there. A small patio table with a copy of Live & Love was set at his elbow and he had an eagle eyed view of the Commonwealth below, due to a large hole in the wall.
When he caught his breath, he rose from the chair and leaned against the wall to peer at the world below. Bunker Hill was a hive of activity beneath him, its people hurrying around like ants, but beyond its walls, the world seemed eerily still and desolate. Unless I can convince Nora to hand over that vertibird grenade, we'll have to enter that wilderness again… and I could lose either of them.
For a moment, he was no longer at Bunker Hill, but County Crossing, watching as the Squire lay in the mud, staring into the maws of the mutant hound, having given up all hope of survival...
He shook the image from his mind, telling himself firmly it was in the past and the matter had been resolved. His head began to pound painfully and his body grew tense, a cold wave of fear and doubt rising inside of him.
"Halt! Are you caravan or raider?" He glanced down below to where Kessler had called out a challenge, and his eyes widened. Two figures were approaching the compound, one of them wearing the unmistakeable orange Brotherhood uniform.
He descended the stairs at a run.
"Friends of yours?" Kessler drawled, turning to frown at the paladin as he emerged at the gate. As Danse set eyes upon the two figures, he felt his spirits rise.
"Scribe Haylen. Knight Rhys." Danse saluted the newcomers, smiling in spite of himself.
"Paladin Danse! It's great to see you again, Sir!" Scribe Haylen chimed, smiling warmly at him as she and Rhys saluted him.
"Likewise, Haylen." Danse's smile widened and he beckoned for them to follow him.
"Don't forget to tell them the rules, Brotherhood." Kessler called after them, her narrowed gaze fixed upon Rhys' retreating back.
Danse led them to the bar area, securing them a small table with chairs. He could see the Squire staring at them curiously from the stairs, his chin resting on his palm. He sighed internally. The Squire currently looked little better than a farmers boy, dressed in a dusty shirt and jeans. It was frankly embarrassing to admit the boy was his charge, so he decided to hold off the introduction for the time being.
"I'm pleased to see the both of you," he began, glancing from one to the other, "but I thought you were to remain within the Cambridge Compound for the duration of our operations in the Commonwealth?"
"We managed to get special dispensation, Sir." Haylen smiled, peering curiously at her surroundings. "Lancer Captain Kells sent a radio broadcast to the compound. Apparently, one of the vertibird pilots had reported that an injured squire and a certain Paladin had landed at Bunker Hill and would likely require medical treatment. There was also something about a crazy knight who insisted on jumping out of the vertibird mid-air after arguing with her superior."
Danse groaned, drawing a hand down his face. Of course the pilot would report back to Kells…
"If you need me to, Sir, I will gladly put Knight Hart back in her place." Rhys added, his expression deadly serious.
"That won't be necessary, Rhys." Danse sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Did Captain Kells give you any specific orders?"
"Not really." Haylen shrugged, turning to face him. "I think he wanted the pilot's report about the Squire's condition verified. I managed to talk my way into carrying out the mission due to my medical expertise, and Rhys…"
"They wanted me out from under their feet." Rhys snorted. "Not that I'd have let anyone else escort Haylen anyway. God knows I spent enough time as her sponsor. I'd hate to see all my good work go to waste."
"Thanks for the kind words, Rhys." Haylen smirked, kicking him playfully under the table. The Knight cast her a wry smile. Had literally anybody else kicked Rhys, playfully or not, they would've suffered a broken ankle. "Anyway, how's the Knight and Squire doing? And where are they?"
Danse kept his expression neutral as he turned his gaze to Burke, beckoning the boy over. Haylen and Rhys turned, watching as Burke approached. Haylen's eyebrows raised and she glanced at the Paladin from the corner of her eye, but smiled at the boy. Rhys however sat up straighter in his chair, his expression one of anger and disgust as he took in the civilian apparel.
"What happened to his uniform, Sir?"
"It was destroyed by a mutant hound." Danse supplied, watching as Rhys nodded his head slightly, satisfied. I'd better not mention the fact that he gave his hat away…
"Sirs! Ma'am!" Burke stood as tall as he could and saluted them.
"At ease, Squire!" Haylen greeted, returning his salute.
"Squire Burke, meet Scribe Haylen and Knight Rhys, two of the Brotherhood's finest." Danse introduced, watching as the boy lowered his fist from his heart and studied the newcomers with some curiosity.
"Are they here on a mission, Sir?" Burke asked, turning to look at the Paladin.
"As a matter of fact, Squire, we're here to see how you're doing." Haylen answered, rising to slip her pack from her shoulders. "We heard you were injured in battle."
Burke began to scuff his boots again, fidgeting with the charm bracelet.
"So, where's the rookie?" Rhys grunted, glancing back to Danse. "Or did she go M.I.A. after her jump?"
"Knight Hart is currently on bedrest. I believe she is the one in most need of Haylen's medical expertise." Danse added, rising from his seat. "If you'll follow me."
"All done!" Haylen smiled, stepping back. "Just a couple of days rest and I think you'll be good to go." Night had begun to fall outside, the canopy of lights above the settlement having already flickered into life. Paladin Danse, Knight Rhys and Squire Burke had descended to the bar area for dinner and drinks (nuka cola in the squire's case), leaving Haylen to treat Nora's wounds in peace.
The med-X had left Nora feeling light headed and slightly euphoric now that the pain had been greatly alleviated. "Thanks, Haylen!"
"Ah, it's nothing. To be honest, the settlement doctor didn't do a bad job. Not as great as me, of course, but…" As the Scribe began to tidy away the remaining medical supplies, Nora gazed up at the ceiling, her fingers reaching for the chain at her throat.
"How were Burke's wounds?"
"Luckily, they weren't deep. He'll have some scars to show off when they've healed, but he doesn't seem to be letting them bother him." They lapsed into silence, listening to the chatter at the bar below. "So… How's Danse been?"
"...He's…" Nora paused, frowning. "…Stressed. The mission's been difficult from the start and mine and the Squire's injuries have done little to ease his mind."
"No surprises there, then." Haylen sighed, seating herself in the armchair which had been righted since its fall. "…I worry about him. He's been through so much since entering the Commonwealth… I know he seems infallible, but he's always worried about those under his command, you know? There's still a human under all that power armour…"
"I know…" Nora mumbled, glancing away, guilt slowly unravelling the euphoria of the drug. "I'm worried about him, too."
"Then… Just make sure you look after yourself and the boy. Don't put him through another loss… Or me and Rhys. Rhys is less honest about it, but he'd miss annoying the hell out of you." With that, she rose from her seat and stretched. "Anyway, do you feel up to eating anything?"
Nora shook her head in response. "I'll be fine, Haylen. Have a nice dinner."
Burke watched as the Scribe came down the stairs, half listening to the war stories the Knight and Paladin were sharing. The two men had been drinking a clear liquid from a bottle labelled 'Bobrov Brothers Best Moonshine', which the Paladin had explicitly forbidden him from trying. Burke supposed he probably wouldn't like it anyway, judging from the way both men winced after every shot.
"Hey! You started without me?" The Scribe grinned, pulling up a chair.
"There's still plenty left in the bottle," Danse smirked, pushing an empty shot glass towards her. "Besides, Rhys is paying for it."
"No thanks, boys! I've gotta eat. Besides, at least one of us should still be standing before the end of the night."
"Admit it Haylen. You just can't hold your drink!" Rhys teased, raising his own shot glass in toast before downing it.
"You might want to slow it down, big boy. I can't carry you upstairs!" Haylen commented, smiling faintly.
"If I have to carry you, it'll be to the water pump to sober up." Danse warned with a smile. "Anyway, let me cover your dinner for tonight, Haylen. I owe you for coming out so far."
"You don't have to do that Sir!" Haylen smiled, waving away his offer.
"I insist." Danse rose from his seat, heading towards the bar. "Does the Knight require anything?" He added, jerking his chin in the direction of the room.
"No, I think she wanted to sleep." Haylen shrugged, rising to follow him towards the bar.
"…How is she?" Danse asked quietly when they were out of earshot of Rhys and the Squire.
"She'll be back on her feet in no time, sir. No lasting damage." The Paladin nodded at her words, leaning against the counter and waiting for his chance to grab the bartender.
"…How are you holding up, Sir?" Haylen asked, watching him carefully.
"As well as can be expected." Danse shrugged.
"Have you managed to sleep?"
"…Here and there. You don't need to worry about me, Haylen. I'm not the one who got shot up by mutants."
"…Sometimes, you don't have to be the one who got physically shot, Sir." Haylen said quietly, studying an empty bottle on the counter. "You can still be wounded mentally by it."
"That's enough, Haylen." Danse said firmly, flagging down the bartender.
When they returned to the table, it was to find Burke coughing, his face scrunched up in distaste whilst the Knight laughed uproariously. "Rhys. Did you give the squire moonshine?!" Danse demanded, his expression darkening.
"Just a drop, sir." Rhys panted the colour high on his cheeks. "He wanted to prove he could take it."
"That's enough. Rhys, go sleep it off." Danse scowled, pointing towards the stairs.
For a moment, Rhys looked as though he were about to refuse, his expression sullen. But then he nodded slowly and rose, picking up the moonshine and weaving slightly as he moved towards the stairs. Danse followed the knight to the bottom step, watching until the man had entered the room and closed the door behind him.