Ghis (closed)

Brogan, who'd kept his eyes on the druid this entire time, looked over at her, and his eyes weren't so hard anymore. He was genuinely surprised she'd sworn upon such things that were so important in a woman, and a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. A different blade, one made of steel studded with a diamond, a ruby, an aquamarine, and a jetstone for the four elements, was brought to them. Brogan took the dagger in his moon-tattooed hand, and the druid placed Julia's hand over Brogan's.

"When these ribbons are cut and fall, your lives will begin anew not as two separate people and souls, but as a single bound soul between two beings, and husband and wife as well as King and the new Queen of Inverness."

Brogan nodded, met Julia's eyes, and with her, pulled the ribbons taut. The blade sliced through the strands like they were nothing, and the people of Inverness, previously dead silent, erupted into cheers. The ribbons fell away and the druid gave Julia a cloth to wrap up Brogan's hand. The people around raised their hands and shouted in joy, and the bagpipes began to play again, a lovely song Julia knew from her childhood.
 
Julia held her breath as Brogan positioned the dagger and cut through their bonds as if they were nothing. She felt some of the weight that had been on her shoulders lifting as she took the cloth from the priest and wrapped her husband’s wound, taking special care to not hurt him.

The cheers around them were nearly deafening and the pipes played a lovely little song from Chester, reminding her of the life that she’d left behind. It brought a smile to her face and she glanced up into her husband’s eyes, mouthing a silent thank you to him before she took his arm and allowed him to lead them back towards the keep and the feast that surely awaited.

“Wait.” She said, pulling him to a stop before they could get too far away from the alter. “You should escort your mother as well. She has been so kind to me and I want to see her a part of this moment.”
 
Brogan truly smiled then, beyond glad that Julia had come to love Kitty so quickly. "O' course." He turned as Valentina and Kitty were following behind. "Mama," he said softly, and she took his other arm with a smile.

"Yer both sweethearts," Kitty chuckled, kissing her son's cheek after making him lean down for her. They continued on to the Keep and there awaited a great banquet as expected, enough to last all day into the evening, which it most certainly would. Brogan escorted mother and wife to in and pulled out both chairs for them before sitting down as well, and the festivities commenced. Gifts were brought to lay at the back of the room: yarn, bolts of cloth, a few articles of lovely clothing, herbs, blankets, and so on.

A group of six men came forward amidst the party, and Cole was at the front. "M'keng, we know ye've been usin' yer father's claymore since ya took th' throne, an' now that ye've got yerself a lovely queen, ya should defend 'er with yer own blade."

One of the men stepped forward with a massive claymore in a black leather sheathe, its hilt and end decorated with silver, and outfitted with a thick, black, steel-studded belt. Brogan's eyes grew wide at the gift offered, and his jaw nearly hit the floor when Cole drew the blade. It wasn't simple like Brogan's current blade. It was inscribed with vast celtic knotwork, embossed into the surface with a blood channel running down the center. The hilt was solid steel and shaped in a dragon's maw. The handle was wrapped in leather, and the pommel was embossed with Brogan's family seal.

Brogan rose to face his dear friend, "Cole, I..." A claymore was a difficult weapon to make, and something that one only gifted to someone one cared deeply for, or else one's son. Brogan could find no words, instead, he picked up his old blade. "Do me a favor, ol' friend... mount this on m' mantle, eh? Its days're done." Cole smiled and took the blade, and Brogan embraced the man before accepting the new blade. He drew it once more, looking it over lovingly, and then his eyes turned to Julia. "This blade's yers as much as mine, darlin'. What d'ya think of it?"
 
Julia played the part of the dutiful wife as the feast went on. She welcomed the guests that came to their table, thanking them for their generous gifts and smiling for each and every person there. It was the very least she could do as their new queen. The circlet upon her brow reminded her of her position and the duties that it entailed.

She was happy that Kitty looked on with a sense of pride. It meant much to her that Brogan’s mother loved her just as much as she loved her son. It gave her hope that perhaps her future wasn’t so bleak after all.

When Brogan turned towards her with a smile upon his lips, his new sword held into his hands, she could see a boyish side to him. He wanted to show off his new sword, to get her approval for the blade and she was more than willing to give him what he wanted.

“I think it’s a fine sword, my lord. It’s beautifully crafted.” She said, returning the smile of affection that he had upon his face. Of course, that look was reserved for the sword in his hands and not her, but she could pretend after all. “And I’m sure that it will add to the skill of its user.”
 
Brogan chuckled at her words and he leaned over to kiss her cheek. This wasn't the same sort of claiming kiss as ever before, it had a true gentleness behind it. Perhaps a bit of that affection was for her after all. And soon, a group of little boys and girls came up to Julia, shyly waiting for one among them to speak. Finally, an older girl of thirteen came over and spoke softly to the children and they all told her what they wanted to say. She laughed and faced Julia. "M'lady," she spoke as properly as she could. "These children have a gift for you."

One by one, they all placed little egg-shaped stones on the table before Julia, all of them painted in bright colors with all sorts of patterns and pictures. There were five all counted. Brogan settled back beside Julia and he smiled kindly to the children. "Kipper Eggs, eh?" He chuckled.
 
The kiss to her cheek made Julia smile and she felt a little shy at the affection that Brogan was showing her. Perhaps he wasn’t so cold and unfeeling as she had thought he was. She grinned at him as a group of boys and girls came up to her side. They stared at her in shy silence until an older girl spoke and told her that they all had a gift for her.

The little stones placed in front of her were brightly colored and she cocked her head to one side, wondering just what they had brought her. Brogan sat down beside her and chuckled at their little gifts. He seemed to know exactly what they were and she looked at him with a quizzical look.

“Kipper eggs?” She asked, glancing back towards the children. “Well, they are lovely, children. Thank you so much for such a beautiful present on my wedding day.”
 
As the children all scurried away, Brogan picked one of the eggs up, painted to look like his banner. "Kipper eggs 'r a tradition 'round 'ere. Children give 'em to women who're jus' married. It's an ol' fairytale 'bout a dragoness named Inverness Kipper, she's who Inverness is named for. She gave th' first king's new wife 'er last egg 'fore she disappeared into th' bay forever. Never 'atched, but it brought th' queen luck whene'er she prayed t' th' spirit o' Inverness fer help with th' egg in 'er hands. Story says tha' th' real egg's buried under th' Keep, been 'ere fer one-'undred years."
 
“I see.” Julia said as the children scurried off back to their fun and games. “Then I suppose I have five chances for help right here in front of me.”

She reached out and picked up a colorful green rock, admiring the way that it nearly glowed in the firelight. “Prayers for happiness and prosperity, of course. Perhaps the odd prayer for a strong and happy heir to your throne.”

She glanced at Brogan, giving him another smile. “I must admit, my lord, that I enjoy seeing you so happy. I hope that I will see it more often in the future.”
 
"With th' way things're goin'... I think y'might," he laid a gentle, calloused hand on her cheek, and then leaned over. For the first time since their first wedding, he kissed her lips. This time, though, it wasn't cold or heartless. It was warm and welcoming. Being home with his people seemed to soften Brogan considerably, and if Kitty was right, it wouldn't be long before Julia had the same effect on him.
 
The feel of his giant palm gently resting against her cheek made Julia sigh softly. She turned her cheek more into his touch, a little startled as he leaned down and kissed her on the lips. Their first kiss had been anything but passionate, merely a touch on the lips from a man following his part in tradition. This one was much more different.

Julia let out a whimper as her lips clung to his, all eyes in the great hall watching their king show his new queen affection. It was the kind of attention that made her toes curl and she would have been lying if she said that it didn’t set her heart to racing. Still, it was over too soon as he pulled away and her green eyes stared up into his dark gaze.

“I’ve been waiting for that kiss for far too long.” She murmured, the words tumbling out before she truly thought about them.
 
Brogan's answer was another smile, and he kept her hand in his own for the remainder of the evening. As midnight approached, people began to say farewell and head home, and others followed suit until finally, Brogan rose from his chair to do the same. Kitty had long since gone to bed with Valentina's escort to her room. Brogan looked down to Julia, "Comin', love?"
 
Julia glanced up at Brogan as he asked if she were coming to bed. She was rather tired and she nodded, allowing him to pull her from her seat. She kept her hand in his, following behind him until they made it back to his room.

As lovely as the day had been, she couldn’t wait to be beneath the covers of his large bed. After last night, she hadn’t slept well and she started by moving towards his desk to loosen her hair and remove the circlet.
 
Brogan made his way to the hearth this time, laying his belts, blades, armguard, and gloves on the hearth before pulling off his tunic and tossing it into a basket there beside. In the firelight, he glanced down at his hand, where the druid had placed his ring that day, and he was lost in thought a moment, before he finally turned around and came to Julia. His fingers joined her own in loosening her hair from the braids, and his own proved deft and agile. He soon leaned down beside her and kissed her cheek with the same warmth he'd kissed her with earlier, and he wrapped an arm about her waist. Before them ont he wall was a simple mirror and Julia could see their faces, side by side, in its reflection. They looked entirely out of place together, the the softness currently in his eyes made that no problem at all.
 
Julia sighed softly as she felt Brogan’s fingers in her hair, pulling and loosening the braids with his strong hands. As he leaned down to kiss her cheek, she felt a warmth that he didn’t show to anyone else. It made her shiver and she turned her eyes towards the small mirror that was on the wall before her.

His arm wrapped around her waist and she nibbled on her lower lip, watching as his hand splayed across her belly in such an intimate gesture. She gasped, her emerald eyes widening as she looked towards his reflecting in the mirror.

“Brogan…” She said softly, unsure of where their little moment was heading.
 
"Yeah, darlin'...?" He rumbled before placing a kiss just beneath her ear. Wrapping his other arm round her, he drew her closer and her back came to rest against his hard chest and stomach. Again, he kissed her skin, further below her jaw upon the slender curve of her neck.
 
Julia gasped as another if his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against at the solid wall of his body. His lips caressed against her ear and then trailed to her throat. She tipped her head back against his chest, allowing him further access.

"What are you doing?" She asked softly, her voice shaking as he caressed and stroked her body.
 
"Enjoyin' m'wife's company..." was his simple answer. One hand slipped behind her again, and easily pulled loose the laces in the back of her gown. Stepping back from her, he let the gown slide away and once she'd stepped from it, he laid it on the back of his desk chair, then returned to Julia, turning her round to face him. His lips met her own in a kiss that seared with a passion she'd not ever known from him before. He scooped her up with ease, and carried her across the room without breaking that kiss, before setting her down on his bed.
 
Julia whimpered softly as he answered her, his hand slipped down her back to loosen the ties which held her gown on her body. She reached forward and curled her fingers around the desk, her mind whirring with what her husband was doing. She knew that he would probably take her to his bed, but she wasn’t sure that she was ready for such a huge step.

Once the gown pooled at her feet, she bit her lower lip and stepped out of it, standing in front of Brogan in nothing but her undergarments. After he had picked up her gown and placed it on his chair, she found herself in his arms, his lips crashing down upon hers.

She sighed softly, her arms looping around his neck and holding herself close to his body. She felt his large hands gliding down her body, scooping her up and carrying her across the room. When she felt the bed against her back, she found herself trembling with the enormity of what was about to happen.

Ending the kiss, she was panting as she stared up at Brogan with wide eyes. “Will it hurt?” She asked him in a soft voice, completely unprepared for what her husband was about to do.
 
"Only a second," Brogan answered honestly, and she could see genuine care in his eyes. He unbound his kilt and set it aside, the dark trousers remaining, but he didn't bother with them yet. He coaxed Julia further back on his huge bed til she lay back completely upon it, and he hovered over her, his weight on one hand, bracing, and as he kissed her again, his opposite hand began to free her of the remaining garments.
 
The way Brogan lifted her from the bed to reposition her as if she weighed nothing at all truly took Julia’s breath away. Her husband was strong, yet his eyes told her that he wouldn’t hurt her for all the world. He was hovering over her, his strong hand planted beside her head as he leaned down and kissed her again with a passion that sucked the air from her lungs. She let out a little moan, trembling with nerves as she felt the warmth of his other palm pressing against her body.

He quickly pulled at the ties which held her garments together. Peeling away each layer, it wasn’t long before she lay naked before him. Her chest was heaving in little pants as she watched his dark eyes look his fill. Her breasts were moderate in size, capped with hard pink nipples that looked incredibly wanton from her view. She blushed at the sight of them and turned her gaze from his, her cheek resting against the sheets. Her hips were nice and round, a nice and trim belly quivering with all the new experiences. Her little jewel was hidden behind a thatch of soft brown hair.

“I don’t know…I don’t know if I’m ready, Brogan.” She told him quietly, genuinely afraid of what was about to happen.

She wasn’t completely uneducated. She knew that to have a child, a man and a woman must lie together and enjoy each other’s company. That was about as far as that education went though. The ladies of her father’s court had told her tales of men hurting women during their quest for passion and about how when a man finally got what he wanted the woman meant nothing to him. There was no talk about how this mysterious event even took place. She didn’t know what Brogan really wanted from her.
 
Brogan paused at her words, and he lifted his hand to her cheek. In the most gentle of tones, he told her, "I won' hurt ya, darlin'. I don' know what ye've been told 'bout takin' t' bed with a man, but I ain' gonna be anythin' but gentle t'ya." He leaned down to kiss her lips softly.
 
The touch of his hand on her cheek and the gentle voice that he spoke in gave her hope that all was not lost. She wanted so badly to believe in his words that everything would be alright. Her emerald eyes found comfort in his dark gaze and she blew out a soft sigh as his lips connected with hers. Julia reached with shaking fingers to cup his cheeks, pulling him deeper into the passion that was brewing.
 
Brogan did not advance any further for several minutes, giving her the affection and solace of his kiss and his arms to prove to her that he wouldn't hurt her. He began questioning himself in the back of his own mind: why did he care? She was his wife, this was her duty to him, she belonged to him according to both England and Scotland. Why was he hesitating to take what was his, and why was her bothering at all to make her feel safe beforehand? But he pushed those thoughts away with the reasoning that, after the trying time she'd been having with him thus far, it was only humane to soften now for her sake. He did not want to be known as cruel by his own wife on their wedding night.
 
Julia found that she really liked her husband’s kiss. It made her toes curl in the most delicious way and she let out a low moan that rumbled deep in her chest. She felt herself falling for Brogan in the way that she had never expected. He was gentle with her, letting her ease into this new experience at her own pace.

When their kiss broke, she let out a gasp and stared into her husband’s dark gaze. Her cheeks heated up as she gave him a slight nod, letting him know that she was alright with taking the next step. It was still frightening, but she was interested in knowing what was next.
 
Brogan leaned down and kissed down her neck once more while he reached down to undo the buttons on his trousers, his steel-hard length having been straining at them. Sitting up, his huge hands came to her slender thighs and drew her closer, positioning himself at her entrance. He leaned down to kiss her once more, and as he did, he slowly pressed into her, doing his best not to overwhelm her.
 
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