Thank you for the support from reviews to follows and favorites. Because of the overwhelming support I did my best to get another chapter out. I'm really blown away just at how many read this story. I hope you will continue to support me. Seeing those reviews was really exciting. Please enjoy this chapter even if it was hastily put together.

Sooner than Lukas wanted, they arrived in Oslo. What he saw he wasn't prepared for. Oslo was gone. Only a few buildings had been spared in the black landscape. The fire had ravaged the whole town leaving behind only burnt and hollowed husks of buildings. "My god..." Lukas found himself expressing under his breath.

"It's burnt everything..." Emil added, never having seen fire destruction as far reaching.

Lukas knew that Oslo had burnt many times. But it was usually sections and parts of the city. Never had he seen it this bad. Yet, one of the few buildings standing away from the scorched earth was his family's tavern. Defiant and still standing, Lukas' future awaited him. He didn't want to go inside and was half tempted to just roll on by and into what was left of Oslo. Unfortunately he needed to be a man, so he pulled on the reigns and his old mare stopped and tried to muster some courage. The trip had left her even more bowed and shaggy than the start.

His younger siblings jumped out of the cart with Emil leading the charge screaming, "Mom!" and "Mother!" Lukas remained in the wagon, his head hanging as his hands played with the reigns.

Mathias was beside him, quiet and nervous from the smoke filled air. There were no fires left, having died out several days before. An acidic smell still remained strongly in the air. Though he sat in front of what had been home to him for twenty years, Lukas didn't see it as such. He could turn the wagon around now and roll back home empty handed. If he left now he wouldn't have to run the tavern. It would go to Emil and Mathias and himself would never speak of the issue again.

'Lukas.' Mathias signed in front of Lukas' frustrated face. 'You need to go inside.'

Letting the reigns fall from his hands, he signed back, 'Not yet. I'm not ready yet.'

Mathias almost reached over to pull him close but stopped in mid motion and opted to pat Lukas' back instead. 'You will be fine. I am still here. Maybe you like running the tavern?'

'I doubt that.' Lukas answered darkly.

The tavern door opened suddenly and he saw his plump mother rushing outside, "Lukas?"

Lukas straightened up at the sight of his mother, not sure what to say. His mother didn't have the most prettiest of faces. Luckily what good features she did have, he had inherited like her eyes and chin. But she had the most honest face, a face Lukas did not have. When her arms opened up, he felt a portion of his uncertainties wash away some. "Come here."

Slowly and elegantly, Lukas climbed down and embraced her for a moment longer than he usually did. "Mom. I'm home." He murmured, feeling like a kid.

"I know. And I'm glad you are." He broke the embrace being suddenly brought back to reality.

Coughing and clearing his throat, Lukas gestured towards Mathias. "Mom, this is Mathias. He is different and can't hear but uh..." Lukas wasn't sure what to say. His mom was already looking at him surprised. "Well you see, he helps me on my farm. We can communicate. Look watch." Lukas started in his old, scholarly tone he had been known for.

'Mathias come greet my mother.' Slowly and shyly, Mathias did as he was told.

"What are you doing?" His mother asked, a bit shocked.

"It's fine mother. I told him to greet you." Lukas explained as Mathias reached for her hand and gave it a peck on the hand. Lukas groaned internally, but his mother laughed; charmed.

"My, Lukas... did you train him like a dog. What an interesting idea!" she clapped her hand and gave Mathias a mock courtesy.

Lukas gave her a small, strained smile. Mathias wasn't a trained dog, but he didn't want to force the issue. Behind his Mother's features he could sense a tired sadness. Taking in a slow breath he thought on what to say. "Mom, I'm really sorry about Dad and my older brother."

She looked at him and nodded, "Well you can't change anything. Come in, let's get some food into you and your friend. Mathias was it?"

Lukas nodded and motioned for Mathias to follow. His friend kept close and on Lukas' heels as they entered the herby-smelling tavern. Not much had changed in the few months he had been gone. His family was sitting around the tables though, something not originally allowed. Lukas picked a spot across from Emil and tried to relax his tense muscles. This was all his. Looking around the dark room, Lukas felt neutral. It wasn't home.

"That fire just about burnt everything to the ground. I don't think I've seen anything like it." His mother commented as she placed two bowls on the table. "But it happens. I'm just grateful we still have a roof. Most don't have that."

Lukas nodded and took a spoonful before inquiring, "Where's Aunt?"

"Out looking for people who are in need. She's been out since dawn everyday she could." His mother replied and Lukas continued to eat. He should probably be out there too. But he feared the thought of looting when people began to starve.

He would have to bolt the door and secure the windows every night. Maybe even bring in the horse. So many things Lukas would have to do and the fact he was beginning to plan was depressing.

"Mom, I promise I'll do everything to help. You don't have to worry. I'll run the inn as best as I can and-"

"What do you mean dear? Won't you be returning back up north?" She asked, her eyes wide with confusion.

Emil softly spoke, "We heard our brother Nikolai died. Some neighbors came past Aunt's farm a few days ago."

"What? Well he was burnt and disappeared for a few days. I had thought for the worse and-"

"Wait. What?"Lukas interrupted suddenly, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Nikolai is alive and upstairs resting." His mother confirmed clearly. "He was burnt and couldn't come home for a few days. People must have taken it the wrong way."

Lukas sat there shocked and silent. He didn't have to stay in Oslo? He wasn't inheriting the tavern. Silently it dawned on him, yet he didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry dear. This is awkward. I know inheriting this tavern would have fixed some financial problems. But now, I don't think we can give you much if anything at all." Her eyes filled with tears and she turned her head away. "It's for the best anyways. Being in debt to your father would have ended badly."

Lukas nodded before rubbing his face roughly, "So I'm really free?"

"Free?" His mother asked.

"Free to go home." Lukas corrected himself calmly.

"Why yes, I suppose so." She answered and Lukas had to turn his head to stop from showing her his smile.

In turn he was looking straight at Mathias. Slowly, his friend smiled back probably after reading the relief in Lukas.

With quick, eager hands Lukas signed, 'We can go home.'

'We? You and me?' Mathias asked his eyes widening.

'Yes. My brother is alive.' Lukas stated and Mathias beamed into an ecstatic smile. This changed everything. Everything would be normal now. Or so, Lukas hoped.

'We are going home, yes?' Mathias asked later that night as they laid side by side. 'No more change? We will go home everything will be like it was?'

When Lukas nodded at him, Mathias couldn't stop the overwhelming happiness that crackled in his chest. Affectionately, he reached over and rocked Lukas by the shoulder as he let out happy, small breaths of laughter. Lukas smiled and he could feel him loosen under Mathias' touch. His friend looked tired, yet at peace. During the entire trip, Lukas had reminded Mathias of a rabbit hunched in hiding. So tense, so wound up that he could jump away in an instant. Now Lukas was calm and at peace.

'When will we go home?' Mathias asked excitedly.

'Soon. There is no food nor money for us here. We came here for nothing.' Lukas revealed his face frowning for a moment, but it disappeared once Mathias started to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. 'That feels nice.' Lukas signed shyly. Mathias could see the pink in his cheeks and feel the uptick of his heart.

Boldly, Mathias moved his hand up into Lukas' hair. His friend looked at him as his eyes increasingly became heavier. 'If we go back home, do we have to be good for your man in the sky?'

'We should.' Lukas signed lazily.

'But that's not a yes?'

'It is not a yes.' Lukas state his eyes becoming wide and serious.

The statement stole Mathias' breath and he felt a rush of giddiness and excitement. 'You really mean what you say?' Mathias asked as he scooted closer. They were now so close their nose almost touched and their hands barely had room to sign.

'I shouldn't, but I do.' Lukas confirmed and Mathias couldn't stop himself from closing their small gap, his lips covering Lukas'. His friends' hands flew up into his hair, and Mathias felt Lukas' fingers twist his locks. He always liked being touched, even his hair. Mathias let out a throaty moan as he kept kissing Lukas eagerly. For several moments, he relished Lukas' soft lips and hands pulling lightly at his hair. It filled him hotly, with a fire he couldn't contain.

Rolling onto his back, he took Lukas with him. Lukas broke the kiss curiously, his eyes dark. He then bent down slowly and Mathias could feel his friends' breath labored against his skin. Mathias couldn't help but let his throat vibrate strongly, but this caused his friend to shake his head 'no'.

'Can you stop making noise?' Lukas asked and Mathias nodded his head quickly. 'Okay.' Lukas said with a smirk. They kissed again, only it quickened into a hot intensity. Every fiber in Mathias' felt blistering. His friends' hands were on his chest and Mathias hadn't had to urge him on. Lukas was kissing and touching him because he wanted to. Happily, Mathias reciprocated the invitation, reaching up, touching his friends face and feeling every sensation he could.

Lukas was eager and nervous, yet he could feel the want especially as he started to move and rock ever so slightly against him. A little intrusively, Mathias slipped his hands under Lukas' clothes felt his soft skin before gripping his butt lightly.

Lukas sat up quickly, his eyes wide and Mathias found his throat constricting in noise. 'I'm sorry.' He said once he removed his hands. 'I just wanted to touch you.'

'Well... we should maybe stop for now.' Lukas said as he ran his fingers through his slightly tussled hair.

Mathias shrugged as he took in the way Lukas' face was flushed. His friend had liked that. He knew he would like more if he had allowed him to go further. 'One day will you let me not stop?' Mathias asked as Lukas' eyes went wide and he looked away. Above him, Lukas stiffened yet Mathias knew it wasn't in a bad way.

Though Lukas was trying to hide his face it wasn't doing him any good. His neck was turning red and his ears were practically on fire. 'Maybe when we get home. Maybe.' Lukas stumbled with his hands.

Mathias grinned, his mouth letting out a whine in want. He knew Lukas would soon. He could feel it the way Lukas sat on him, the way his knees dug into his sides.

Things were changing. Emil could sense it. Every morning when he came downstairs his Aunt and Mother were talking. His name kept coming up. He hated when his name kept coming up. It was like a self-conscious trigger that caused him to become suspicious. But Emil knew his gut feeling was more than an assumption. His mother was planning something and it made Emil moody.

It didn't take much to figure out what they were talking about. His aunt had agreed to take back the two youngest children with her to her home. They were splitting them up. The tavern had no customers, no income. All his family could do was separate and hope they could salvage what they could of their father's business. Emil too, would be going somewhere.

At first, he thought his mother would send him to the clergy permanently. After all he had showed interest in learning. For the past four months, Emil had gotten up early and met with a preacher how taught him more than what his home school education ever could. He was taught about God, and the expectations of men and women alike. But more thrilling he had learnt about other places other than Norway.

When Emil had first saw a map he couldn't stop pointing and asking where things were. With every answer he got, he would always ask, "If I became a pastor, could I go there too?"

He only got the answer, "Perhaps." But it was a better chance than if he didn't continue his studies. Emil knew that by having a son in the clergy it would bring his family more prestige, especially if he did something with it. His father always commented on that fact. Emil could have his own home, his own flock of lost souls to tend to. This was something Lukas had given up the day that he had married that old, drunken whore. Or at least, that's what his father had said.

But all that was probably gone. To enter the clergy with no money meant he would just spend his days as a nobody. A good for nothing, pray all day, type of monk. His family no longer had the money. Which meant what for him.

Gloomily, he decided to go downstairs only to find it empty. Emil was fine with this and decided to dish himself the leftovers from the previous night. Maybe they were going to send him to some distant relative that he never met. He knew he had an Aunt on his dad's side that married a Dane. But that was far away, he knew, he saw Denmark on a map. He would have to travel at least two days by boat.

His thoughts were interrupted when Lukas and Mathias loudly emerged from the stairwell. They were doing those damn signs again. God gave them the ability of words and the ability to write. He never heard anyone say he gave the ability to talk with one's hands. Clutching his fork tightly, Emil scrutinized them hotly. Worse, he noted something unnatural by the way his brother acted with that deaf dummy. They were too close, their eyes too trained on each other. Emil lost his appetite.

"You know I'm down here, right?" Emil spoke coldly.

Lukas jumped and Mathias noticed Emil next. His blue eyes locked with Emil's cold ones. He looked away and shoveled another bite into his mouth, annoyed.

"Sorry. We were just talking." Lukas said in a slighter than usual high voice. He was worried about something. Emil could read Lukas well. Passive face or not, Lukas left signs of lying.

"Whatever. I don't care." Emil said as he slid from his chair.

"Where are you going?" Lukas demanded.

"Upstairs. I want to be alone."

Lukas gave him a shrewd look before sternly saying, "Sit down. Mother is going to be here in a bit. She wants to talk to us both."

Emil stopped in his tracks. The gears in his brain were starting to whirl and he didn't like what he was starting to think. Without another word, Emil sat back down and allowed the silence to wash over him. Or it would have been silent if it wasn't for the fact that Mathias would make a whine or moan every few moments. Lukas was fake talking to Mathias the whole time. Something got them excited.

"What are you two talking about?" Emil asked disinterestedly.

"Have you ever heard of not eavesdropping?" Lukas said pointedly.

"It's not eavesdropping if I can't understand you." Emil snapped.

"And why should I tell you if you're being a brat?" Lukas jabbed and Emil made a face. "What has gotten into you? You have been rude this whole time."

Emil frowned and shrugged, "Nothing."

"Would it put you in a better mood if I told you what I was talking about?" Lukas offered in attempt to lighten Emil's mood. He was half considering to decline.

"Possibly." Emil said out of curiosity.

"We're planning our trip home and what we're going to do once we are home." Lukas revealed.

"Such as?" Emil inquired.

"None of your business. Eat your food; I hear Mother coming."

Emil did as he was told and took another bite just as their mother entered. Her face looked pale and she already looked close to tears. "Well glad to see you are already up, Emil." He shrugged and kept eating.

"I suppose you have figured out there isn't going to be much business now, right sweety? You are rather clever and all." She started then stopped suddenly.

Emil's heart began to hammer once more, she always complimented before delivering bad news.

"You see. We can't keep you all. Your older sister's are going to go live with a spinster to help sew. And the younger ones are going to your Aunts... that just leaves you Emil." Her lips was trembling. "Lukas, can you take Emil back with you?"

"What?!" Emil shouted his spoon falling to the floor. "You're going to send me up north; with him?!"

Lukas looked surprised as well, "Well I guess that's not a problem-"

"It is a problem!" Emil talked over him. "You can't send me away, mom. I have plans and he does weird things with this guy." He jerked a thumb at Mathias. "He's weird and strange and-"

"Enough." Lukas snapped. "I don't think you know what is going on here. Our Father is dad, Oslo is burnt to the ground and so were any of your plans."

Emil glared at his older brother. But he decided to shut his lip. He didn't want this; he didn't want his life to change. A strong sense of pity swelled over Emil and he wanted to cry. Change was a frightening thing. His hands clutched his pant legs as he tried to fight his tears. His dad was dead, his life was changed. A small sniffle came out of him, and he got up abruptly and left the table.

Emil didn't want to leave home.

They day they were back on the wagon to leave, Lukas sat stiffly with the reigns in hands. What little possessions Emil had were tossed in the back amongst their dwindling supplies. Emil was inside the tavern refusing to come out. Lukas honestly didn't blame him. He would have been scared too. But Emil's mood had worsened and Lukas just wanted a little peace from his moody brother. And Mathias was silent next to him. When his mother came out without Emil, Lukas was a little surprised.

"Mom?" He questioned when he saw a purse in her hand.

"It's to help you a little. I took it without asking your brother. He won't know, I already striked it from the ledger." For a moment Lukas thought about not accepting his mother's gift. But the selfishness in him helped him reach over and grab the purse of money.

"Thank you. This will help us at least buy a little seed for next year. I think." Lukas not completely sure about farm prices.

"I also wanted to thank you for taking, Emil. You two were very close." She said with a sad smile.

Frowning Lukas asked directly, "What happened to Emil, Mom? He used to by shy and sweet."

"A little knowledge went to his head from his schooling with one of the local pastors... and your father helped. Emil has always had a bit of an ego when over nourished. He was always trying to best you since he was little."

Lukas thought on that for a moment and he could remember all the races Emil had demanded and rematches. Yet, something didn't make sense about her explanation. "Well I guess that's it." Good old dad...

"Lukas." His mother said sternly, her hand reaching up for his arm. "He is just a boy. Don't hold him to a man's standard. Talk to him."

Lukas frowned and nodded. "Yeah of course. I always do."

"You know what I mean..." she urged and Lukas nodded, almost brushing her off.

"Good. Then I wish you a safe trip. Please write when you arrive home." She stood on her tip toes and Lukas bent down receiving a kiss on the cheek and a hug. "Have patience, my dearest son. It is your number one flaw sometimes, I fear."

I think Norway would have zero patience for kids tbh. Also yes we're heading home guys!