Absolution (closed)

It was two days before Durban truly came to consciousness. He had short moments of opening his eyes but he wasn't truly present until one night when Kitty was dozing and she felt Durban's hand take her own in a weak but sure grip. His clouded dark eyes stared up at the ceiling listlessly, but he seemed aware of what was going on and what had happened. His broken wrist was settled against his stomach protectively, the cast holding it firm. Once Ghell had been certain both Durban and Tamblin were stable, he'd begun looking after Kitty in between tending her fallen son, leaving Brogan free to look after his other siblings. Boar hadn't been seen much, off in the woods most of the time, only coming into town to drop off game. Hearing that Durban had lost, that their final hope of getting rid of Tamblin had been dashed, he wasn't sure of what to do with himself anymore. Brogan ventured out once to bring him supplies, but reported that Boar hadn't really said anything in response.

Kitty sat beside Durban as he tried his hardest to wake. Ghell has him under powerful herbs to help him rest comfortably, and she would sit silent vigil over him to make sure that no one disturbed him. She would give him a fighting chance to heal before Tamblin passed his verdict on Durban’s fate.

“Brogan?” Kitty called softly for her son, glancing over as he sat quietly by the fire. “Go collect Selena and Boar. I think we all have things to discuss.”

"... Okay." Brogan rose, quietly making his way out. Durban remained entirely still save the rise and fall of his chest. It took Brogan some time to bring Boar back and gather Selena too who was still upset with him and Durban. But eventually the elder four Ghis siblings were gathered, and Durban seemed to be slightly more awake, letting his brothers help him sit up a bit.

"My loves." Kitty said softly as all of them sat gathered in Durban's room, quiet and sullen that something so momentous had happened. "There is a lot of heartache on the horizon and I wish that there were something I could do to take it all away. I wish none of this ever had to happen."

She gently took Durban's hand, squeezing it as she looked around the room at them all. "No matter what your father decides, I promise that you won't die, Durban. I won't let him do that. None of my children will be in the ground before myself."

"However, we can't crumble. Lynndon, hiding in the woods won't do you any good. You still have studies that you need to complete." She knew that reaching Boar would be next to impossible, but she would still try. "And Selena, you can't go around being this angry at everyone in the keep."

Selena said nothing as she sat there at the edge of Durban's bed, away from her brothers and looking absolutely heartbroken by the entire situation. She blamed herself for what had happened. If she had been stronger and faster, she might have bested her father. If she hadn't been so stubborn, she might have gone through the examination and a marriage to Abel Dunland would have been finished by then. It all weighed so heavily on her that she feared sometimes she might break in two and shatter completely.

"No matter what, loves, we will have one another. One day, things might be happier and we can enjoy what is here in front of us, but for now, we simply have to survive." Kitty said, knowing that she was painting a bleak picture but it was one that they needed to understand.

Boar was silent much like Selena, staring at the floor and wishing he'd had the strength and the nerve to end this entire situation. But that strength only came with anger, and Tamblin had proven throughout Boar's life that Boar could not best his father even in a rage. Tamblin was an angry soul himself, but disciplined and calculating. That was why Durban had been their greatest hope- he shared Tamblin's strategic mind and discipline, but Durban himself was rarely truly angry. However, even Durban hadn't managed to inflict any potentially-fatal wounds on Tamblin, and Durban himself had only survived by Ghell's work and Tamblin's mercy.

It was about this point that Brogan, the gentle and loving soul of the elder children, sat up straight and looked to his mother. "We'll make it." He looked to Selena then, "Without givin' up any more freedom. I promise." He had always quietly taken Durban's role when their brother was unable. Brogan was strong and had a leadership quality like Durban, but he was gentler, more optimistic, and had more of an ability to relate to each individual family member than the closed-off and depressed Durban.

He looked across all of them, seeing they didn't have much strength to rally. "We can' give up. Nothin' lasts forever, not Oliver, not Da, nothin'. And maybe that'll include Inverness a' the rate we're goin'. But whatever happens, even if Wick does invade 'r some other clan, we'll make it. Back t'Skye if we have to, or Edinburgh, or Venice, wherever we need t'go if Inverness falls. An' even if it doesn't... We're Ghis. Even if we got tha' name from Da, he's the outlier. Th'Ghis are a line o' strong people dedicated t'family an' their people, an' plenty o' hero kings an' queens along th'way like Aodh an' Dianh. We may be in th'darkest period o' Invernessian history... but it won' last. Not for much longer. So many people are standin' against Da, it can' last. I don' want 'im t'die 'r be thrown in some dungeon by 'is enemies... but realistically, sadly... it's gonna happen. An' tha' removes Oliver's source o' power. We'll run if we have to when tha' time comes, but we'll be free o' Oliver's control an' Da's madness. We jus' have to hold on an' wait fer th'right time... I'll get you out one by one if I 'ave to." Brogan knew that with his elder two siblings soundly defeated, Tamblin would have to consider him next for the throne, but Brogan was no fighter. He could stand up to Durban in the ring and he liked strategy and stories of battle, but Brogan himself preferred peace and discussion.

Everyone was silent after Brogan gave his speech. Kitty admired that her son was an optimist. Brogan never wavered in his belief that things would get better for them in the future. Even if he was the one that had to fight for it, he could always see that glimmer of hope on the horizon.

"We'll be alright in time." Kitty said softly, surprised as Selena suddenly stood up from her spot and looked at her mother for a long moment.

In a few short steps, Selena was sitting next to Kitty, her arms wrapped so tightly around her mother as she sobbed against her shoulder. Letting go of Durban, Kitty held her daughter, rocking her as if she were a child who were frightened.

"I know, love." Kitty whispered, knowing that Selena was full of hurt and anger and had been for her entire life. "I know how it feels and I'm sorry."

Brogan watched as his sister seemed to come apart in their mother's arms, the girl who'd always been so strong and defiant reduced to a miserable mess. His brows furrowed in concern looking to Boar, who just looked so lost and depressed, anger subsiding to hopelessness. And then Brogan looked to Durban, defeated, mangled, and barely awake as he stared listlessly up at the ceiling. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. Brogan had hoped against hope that somehow, Tamblin might've come to his senses, or perhaps King Brian might've liberated them, or even Kitty's father might've rescued them with the help of the Council of Mull. But beset on all sides by enemies, their friends couldn't get through, and Tamblin could only slowly spiral downward, slowly killing them all with the situation he'd cornered them all in. His stubbornness and paranoia had kept him from seeking help when he'd still had the chance, and now his guilt was eating away at him, and his actions were killing them all.

"Ma," Brogan spoke softly. "... I'm goin' t'talk with Da." When Boar looked up with a suddenly panicked expression, Brogan lifted a hand to stop him. "It's okay... I'm no' gonna fight 'im. But... with Durban in this condition an' Da lost in 'is own head... someone needs t'figure out what we're gonna do from here. As th'second son... It's my responsibility." He looked to Kitty once more. "An' maybe it isn' too late... Maybe having t'fight Durban made 'im reconsider some things... I can only hope."

“Brogan, leave your father alone.” Kitty murmured, looking over Selena’s dark hair to her son. “He’s suffering too.”

"I know he is, and there's no one to comfort him," Brogan murmured softly. "Even if I don' agree with all he's done... I know he's no' evil. I want someone t'listen t'him who won' twist 'is guilt fer their own means." Brogan came to kiss Kitty's cheek before stepping out, quietly seeking out his father in the silence of the keep.

Kitty watched Brogan go and let out a deep sigh, turning her attentions back to her other three wounded children. They were all dazed in their own way and there was little she might do for them expect provide support when they needed it.

"Lynndon, come here." Kitty said softly, welcome Boar on her other side as she wrapped her arm around him and held both he and Selena tightly.

Boar quietly joined his mother's side, staring down at the floor, still wrestling with the realization that none of them could beat Tamblin. Selena hadn't been trained well enough, Durban simply didn't have the level of strategy and experience needed, Brogan was too gentle and sympathetic, and Boar knew he couldn't defeat Tamblin because Tamblin could outsmart him and use Boar's anger against him. And Boar knew that even if their situation lasted long enough for Ashien or Kayla to even think of challenging Tamblin, the elder siblings would never allow it. They were too gentle anyway, harming their father would never be in the twins' nature.

"What are we gonna do, Ma...?" Boar asked softly. He knew their only hopes lay outside now. Perhaps they could escape if Inverness fell. Perhaps Brian or Martin would manage to get through. Someone had to have the power and humanity to save them. That was the only hope Boar clung to.

"I don't know, love." Kitty said softly, leaning her head against Boar's as Selena sniffled against her other shoulder. "We're going to work on getting your brother well enough to withstand whatever your father decides is his far. Then, we will figure out where we go from there."

Kitty stayed with her children for a while longer before she got Selena tucked into her bed and Boar sent off to his own with a promise that he would be there for breakfast in the morning. Then, she retreated to her own apartments for the first time since Durban had been injured. Sitting at her small desk, Kitty pulled out a stack of fresh paper and stared down at the blank pages for a long moment.

There were only two people that she could really write that could do anything. The first note was to her brother, Matthias, letting him know what was happening and asking that he come to Inverness. If Durban were to be outcast, she wanted to make sure that he wouldn't face life on his own in the middle of the wilderness. Matthias would help him, set him up on his own, and let him make his own decisions.

The second was to Vincenzo. She wrote to him of what had happened, of Selena and Durban, of Boar's anger, of Brogan's need to make everything alright with his father. She told him of her worsening illness. She told him about Ashelin. She couldn't help the tears that fell down her cheeks and smeared her ink. She missed him incredibly and wished that he could be there to make everything alright. He would get the letter, read it, and there would be nothing that he could do to help her. She had failed as a mother and perhaps he would judge her for that.

After sealing both letters, she sent them off as she always did. In secret and with a lot of coin to make sure that they made it safely and without Oliver intercepting them. Even if he did, she didn't care. There was little that he could do to her anymore.

The letters were secreted away by a trustworthy guardsman, out of the keep and to the messenger post outside Inverness, and Kitty was left in silence awaiting whatever word returned. A week passed, and Durban was well enough to slowly make his way around the keep. Despite his grievous injuries, he seemed to recover fairly well, at least physically. Mentally, he seemed a shell of his former self, even more so than the boy forced to be a man and a soldier too soon. He had spilled his own father's blood, and nearly died at his father's hands. He still couldn't comprehend why he was alive, why Tamblin had brought him inside with Brogan that fateful morning to see Ghell for emergency treatment.

Tamblin appeared after a few days, silent, depressed, and his stoic mask barely holding on. He couldn't face Durban at all. It seemed the only person he would speak to about things other than governing and war was Brogan, who had taken up a position at Tamblin's side to coax him gently into a calm state for Durban's sake when the time of judgement came. They all knew it was coming. The eldest son, the first heir, had failed, and Tamblin had made it clear that he would kill Durban. But failing that, the next course of action was execution, disowning, or exile.

Boar remained at the keep more often at his mother's request, his anger seemingly stifled by hopelessness as he avoided Tamblin and instead spent most of his time with his hunting hounds, horses, or his siblings. The twins, aware of what had happened, managed to stay in the shadows and avoid notice. Brogan quietly held it all together, shattered and fragile as they all were. He was a voice of calm and hope, and it seemed he at least tamed Tamblin's depression and rage for the moment, helping him avoid drinking himself into oblivion. In that week after Durban's fall, Brogan stopped being a shadow, and became a Prince of Clan Ghis that had more patience, understanding, and sympathy than any previous. He even afforded some measure of decency to Oliver, who was quietly taken aback, unsure how to react.

It was after two weeks that a maid came to the siblings and their mother in Kitty's parlor, bowing as she entered. "My lords and ladies, the King has asked if he might seek an audience with you all."

Kitty glanced up as the woman entered, looking to all of her children as they had gathered for a quiet moment alone. She let out a long sigh and nodded, giving the woman permission to lead Tamblin to the parlor.

"No matter what, loves, we have one another and that's what matters." Kitty said softly as she hugged Ashien and Kayla against her side and looked towards Durban.

Durban, sitting in a chair by the fire with a blanket around him that Brogan had placed, was simply staring into the flames like his father often did, quietly awaiting his judgement. He fully expected to die, for Tamblin to charge someone else with the execution to avoid having to face his own son. Boar came to sit at his side, as if that might offer some hope or protection. It would be the first time any of them saw Tamblin, save Brogan, since the battle.

When the door opened, Tamblin limped inside, even the mountain of a man clad in dark colors and furs. But Kitty had never seen him so pale. He was surely ill. But the most striking feature was the black band tied over his now-missing left eye, and his formerly long, dark hair had been shorn short, a symbol of dishonor or mourning among Scots. He lifted his gaze to look over them all, until he met Kitty's eyes and he came to a halt in complete silence, leaning heavily on the cane he usually preferred not to carry.

Kitty stared at Tamblin as he came in, pausing to look at her as he leaned heavily on his cane. She had never seen him with short hair before and she wondered why he had made the decision to cut off his normally long locks. Did he really mourn what he had done to their son and daughter?

"Mama..." Kayla said softly as Kitty stood, Kitty shushing the little girl softly before she turned back to Tamblin.

"Well, my lord, you have us all here." She said as she took a step forward. "What did you wish to speak to us about?"

"I think we all know, Kitty..." Tamblin murmured, his gaze drifting to Durban. "... More fer his own good than anyone's reputation..."

Durban glanced up slowly, his eyes devoid of hope and life, making Tamblin look down at the floor once more. "I've been considerin' th'best options for him... For his future away from here, where 'e can be 'is own man an' come back when 'e's strong enough t'defeat me, or when I'm gone. I've asked Brogan what 'e thinks..."

Brogan stood then, taking up a place beside Kitty. "I don't like any o' the options, Da..."

"I know... but there's one that'll make sure Durban returns." Tamblin looked to Kitty again. "I've decided t'exile him, out of Clan Inverness... preferably away from Scotland, ravaged battlefield tha' it is... But I won' disown him, an' I won' chase him out. He can go when 'e's healed an' he can take anything 'e likes."

Kitty looked away from her husband then, looking towards Durban as it was decided that he was to be exiled. She felt the same pain of loss that she would have felt if he had been killed. Durban had been her life for 18 years. He had been the child that made her a mother, that brought her Tamblin's pride, that had kept her going during so many dark times. Now, he was being sent away.

"Durban?" Kitty asked softly, needing him to respond and tell her that he had heard and understood what was happening.

Durban was silent for a long moment, staring back into the flames. "Okay..." he murmured, submitting to the fact that he'd lost, fair and square, and honor dictated that he should follow the victor's demands. The rules of the duel had been clear- the winner would have the loser's life in their hands to end or twist in any way they required. The unspoken terms had been that the loser would die, for Tamblin wouldn't accept defeat by any other means, but mercy, guilt, and the last shreds of familial love had prevented death, for better or for worse. Durban had no more to say.

"Da, please don't send Durban away." Kayla said softly from her spot on the sofa next to Ashien, holding her brother's hand tightly as she sought to break the uncomfortable tension that had filled the room.

"Kayla Skye, this isn't your battle to fight." Kitty said softly but forcefully, looking at her youngest child before she turned back to Tamblin. "Your father has made his choice and there is nothing that we can do to change it. He has to live with this decision for the rest of his days. He easily could have sent these men that would seek to kill us all on their way a long time ago, but he has chosen not to. Now, we all have to pay a price."

Tamblin stood in place as Kitty spoke, forcing himself to remain as Kitty spoke of his greatest mistake, caused by paranoia and fear, which had trapped them all in misery.

When Kitty finished, Tamblin bowed his head low before his children, murmuring, "Take your time, son..." He stepped toward the door, though there was no real way to retreat from his sins.

"Durban, you won't be going anywhere for at least a month." Kitty said as Tamblin left, turning to look at her son as he looked so depressed and withered. "Is that clear? None of this slipping away in the night as the rest of your brothers and sisters are want to do."

"Lynndon, you are to take what I have in my coffers and my jewelry box and sell it. Then, you are to buy the best hunting tools and clothing for Durban that you possibly can." Kitty turned her attention towards Boar then, giving each of her children a task to make this transition easier. "Same with you, Selena. You go with Boar."

Turning to look at the twins, she let out a small sigh seeing Kayla quietly crying. The little girl had long ago managed to master the art of crying silently. Kitty stepped forward, gently running her fingers through her dark hair.

"And I need you both to stay with Durban and keep him company while Brogan talks to your father." Kitty said softly as Kayla and Ashien nodded.

"Why does Durban have to go?" Ashien asked softly. "I don't understand... If Da won, Durban won't fight anymore. Why send him away?"

"Fer both our sake," Durban answered, drawing Ashien's attention. "He wants me far away from Oliver an' 'is enemies tha' would dispose of me because I'm no' of value anymore... But 'e also needs t'save face. He said I'd die if I lost, but 'e couldn't kill me... So th'next best course of action is exile so 'e doesn't appear weak 'r lacking in conviction."

"I just don't understand why all the clan Kings are so obsessed with looking like heartless monsters, and why they prey on anyone who isn't..."

"You will never have to understand, Ashien." Kitty said softly as her youngest tried to make sense of what had just happened. "Being the last son, it will never fall to you and we will all strive to keep it that way."

"I guess that just means there isn't a good answer. Just because I'm the youngest son doesn't mean I shouldn't understand..." He sighed quietly. "And there's no saying the throne will never fall to me... Who knows what Da will do."