Ghis (closed)

"I'll do my best, darlin'. I won' worry yer mother too much if I can help it." Holding her for a long, quiet moment, Brogan breathed in deeply once more before letting her go to give her farewells to Julia as well.
 
Kate hugged her ma tightly, saying her goodbyes before both of her parents loaded into the carriage to start their way home. Kate held Kell’s hand tightly in her own, trying so hard not to weep publicly. It was an incredibly hard moment, like her heart was being ripped from her chest and crushed on the ground. Little did she know that it was the same in the carriage as Julia held Brogan’s hand tightly, watching as they left their daughter behind.

“It’ll get easier.” Julia said softly, looking up at Brogan and drying his tears with his fingers. “Maybe not any time soon, but it will.”
 
"No' easier," Brogan muttered, his head bowing as they turned out of the castle courtyard and Kate was out of sight. "We jus' learn t'deal with it."
 
"You'll see her again soon enough." Julia said softly, knowing that there was little she could do to take away her husband's pain. "I'm sure she's already off writing you a letter."

With that, she left him alone with his thoughts, simply holding his hand and giving him time to process everything that had happened in such a short amount of time.

Kate watched the carriage until it was completely gone, tears finally falling down her cheeks as her parents left her truly alone for the first time in her life. She gripped Kell's arm tightly with her hand, unable to really even move from her spot.
 
Kell slowly slipped behind Kate, his arms wrapping around her and holding her tightly to his chest. He let her quietly mourn the departure and the end of the previous chapter of her life, defending her from all sides til she was ready to come back into the world.
 
Kate cried a while longer before she finally pulled herself together. She turned into Kell's warm body, hugging him tightly until she felt strong enough to leave. She knew she had business to attend to. She always had business to attend to.

"It hurts so much more than I thought." Kate whispered softly, knowing that her husband would understand her pain.
 
"I know, love," Kell murmured. "I know..." He was dealing with his own heartache as well, but he knew it couldn't compare to her own. He would see to them both.
 
When Kate finally gathered herself, she pulled away and wiped her cheeks. Taking a deep breath, she slowly let it out and glanced up at Kell. It was just the both of them now, and even though they were united in every single way, it was still a little frightening.

"I have a dinner tonight with some of the lords. You'll be there too, right?" Kate asked, knowing that Kell had his own schedule of things to keep to.
 
"I'll certainly do my best." Kell didn't often make promises, the few he did were to Kate. He never knew when urgent news or an emergency meeting would pull him away. Nuzzling against her cheek, he added, "Qira will help me make it there."
 
"Good, because I need you with me more than ever now." She said softly as he nuzzled against her cheek, promising that Qira would help him make it. "And I'm selfish enough to demand that you be there before I discuss any business with anyone."
 
"No one can fault you for wanting to have your Lord Protector present, considering my responsibilities to you and this kingdom. So you just demand my presence when you need it." Kell looked down at her for a long moment before ushering her gently inside, silently waving away those who approached for the moment.
 
Kate leaned into his side as he walked her into the castle, waving off those that would approach them for various reasons. She was grateful for his protection, but she knew that she had to bounce back quickly from this sadness. It wasn't forever and the kingdom depended on her to be a strong leader. There was no time for tears and depression.
 
Kell made sure Kate made it back to her office, and he called Qira to her before he had to slip away to organize things before dinner. The silent Panther stepped in as the Lord Protector left, and he approached Kate to hug her gently to his chest. He knew all too well that it had been a painful day.
 
Kate allowed herself to be weak a little while longer as Qira held her against his body. She knew she would snap back quickly. She had to because there was so much work to do.

"Send in the first lord." Kate said softly as she finally gathered herself and made her way to her desk, taking a seat with a long side as she prepared to dive back into business.
 
Qira hesitated a moment, watching Kate organize her desk in an attempt to organize her emotions. His long tail curled slightly at the tip and finally he murmured, "Are you sure?" Kate had long since learned that Qira wouldn't question her except for her own sake, and he rarely spoke anyway. He was offering her an out, feeling her distress.
 
“This kingdom won’t pause simply because I’m sad.” Kate said simply, glancing up at her guard as he offered her a way out. “I appreciate the offer, but there is work to do.”
 
"The first isn't too bad," Qira murmured, turning to let the herald know that Kate was accepting meetings. Qira would be watching over her, ready to step in for safety or to give her a break.

Her afternoon consisted mostly of meetings about disputes of land and taxation, a few Lords needing her judgement as they couldn't decide something in their estates, and so on. The meetings and the volume of nobles would trickle off once everything was set in order and Kate was officially recognized on all the appropriate fronts. They would also give up trying to use the change in leadership to their own ends once Kate's rule was solidified. Kell was a big part of that, making it very clear that under Kate, he would tolerate no nonsense or aggression in Edinburgh, and would not hesitate to escort a Lord from the city who tried to bully his way around the council and Queen.
 
Kate worked incredibly hard those first few days that she was on her own, hearing from those that needed her help on troubles. Kell and Qira kept things as calm as possible for her, weeding out those that were simply there to waste her time.

She managed to write a mountain of letters those first few days. Laughably, they were mostly to her father. She missed him terribly and tried not to let it show to anyone other than her husband. Kell was being so incredibly patient with her, getting her through some of the darkest moments of her life until she was on a better footing.
 
Within two weeks, letters began to return to Kate from Brogan, along with plenty from the rest of her family as well. Any related to work from those of her family with titles and sway in Edinburgh were kept separate and sparse so not to cause much more stress. Brogan forwarded any documents she and Kell might need for solidifying their alliance to Clan Inverness legally, as well as long letters about anything Kate was missing.

In that time, Kate almost never saw any hint of what Kell's work was. Whenever he was at her side in public, it was to help with her own job, to be her bodyguard, or to discuss training and organization of the military across the High Throne's holdings. Most of the county lords supported their own small retinues, but the High Throne held at least a small outpost in every hold that was immune to the local lords' orders. Near the outer borders, there were small but steadfast forts that had been placed over hundreds of years to fight off unruly Clan Kings, invading Vikings and sea raiders, bandits, and the Normans and Saxons. Now they were less needed except against the occasional mad English baron who disregarded King Henry altogether and his alliances. Such threats were easily and quickly dealt with.

Kell's work beyond this more public military talk was kept a hard secret with information shared only on a need-to-know basis. The fewer who knew his secrets and the less they were discussed, the less likely they would be found out by prying ears. While there were no enemies on the horizon save small fry and bandits, Kell refused to be complacent. He already had the largest underground network of subterfuge ever held by anyone in the isles, and could rival in size and trounce in effectiveness networks held by empires. There would always be threats to Kate's life and to her allies, so Kell refused to wait til something happened to fight back.
 
Kate spent her days playing politics, trying her hardest to balance her wants and those of her lords. She had just returned from a hunting trip, joined by a group of lords that had wanted to meet with her. She had conducted business on horseback, bringing down a stag at the same time.

One of the loudest voices, a young Duke from Rothsay, wouldn’t leave her be. Kate’s annoyance was clear as she stalked through the great hall, the group of men in her heels as she stripped off her hunting gloves.

“My lord, just because you wish for something to happen won’t make it so.” Kate finally scolded, stopping in her tracks to turn back on him. “If you wish to extend your holdings, I suggest you go about it by talking to your neighbors.”
 
Duke Rothsay was a young lord of only twenty, his father having had a horse riding accident that had caused him brain damage and forced him to step down. With only a few more months of governing under his belt than Kate and none of her lifelong experience spent learning from her father, he was obnoxious and demanding and felt entitled to anything he pleased because of how much everyone respected his faithful father who practically bled the blue of the Scottish banner.

When Kate came to a halt and faced Rothsay, who stood a full foot higher than her, the other, older men paused as well. Rothsay himself had to stop short so not to run into another lord.

Indignation was clear on Rothsay's face, and he straightened his jacket with a huff. "You do not seem to be hearing me, Your Majesty. The strand of forest to the east is rightfully mine. And as a county Duke, my claims should not be brushed off, especially for that little lordling next door who hunts my deer and comes and goes as he pleases."

"Fer fuck's sake, Rothsay," an older nobleman, only a minor Lord who'd taken quite a shine to Kate, sighed in exasperation. "Let it bloody go. It's two miles o' woodland. We've got forty t'the north, an' Lord Kenway ain't got any huntin' territory at all. Consider it a gift of apology after y'cost 'im hundreds o' silver fer tha' ship y'sent on a suicide mission."

"Mind your betters, Connad," Rothsay snarled.
 
“No, my lord, I do not think you understand.” Kate snapped, losing her cool momentarily. “I’ve had enough of your whining for one day. Take it to the courts if you cannot figure out who owns a measly piece of property. The crown is not interested in what you see was a slight to your holdings.”
 
Out of the corner of Kate's eye, the imposing figure of her guardian emerged and came to a halt beside her. He wouldn't act unless ordered or if some danger arose, but his presence was simply a warning.

Rothsay faced his Queen and several of the Lords staring him down for a few silent seconds before relenting. He took a step back as their stares bored into him. "I believe I will," he muttered as a final, weak act of defiance. Without a bow, he turned his back and began walking away. "Good day then."

"Brat," Connad muttered as Rothsay disappeared. Looking to Kate, he sighed. "I'm sorry y'have t'deal with people like him, lass." Connad was too informal for most lords' tastes, but his rural upbringing and casual attitude made him not unlike Kate's Uncle Boar. He gave out respect on merit, and tended to call people he liked by name or endearment rather than title. That now included Kate, whom he quite admired.
 
“If he doesn’t watch his tongue, I’ll take his lands away as a matter of example.” Kate muttered as she glanced over her shoulder to Qira, waving him off with a slight movement of her hand. “Let him pay for servants and family, or even his taxes, when he has no income.”
 
"His little brother'd be a better Duke Rothsay if it comes t'that," Connad suggested quietly as Qira stepped away.

"He'll learn," one of the other Lords spoke up. "We were all young upstarts once. And if he doesn't... Well, his rule won't be missed."
 
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