KieranSoares
Literotica Guru
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It had been sixteen years since the King of Clan Inverness Tamblin Courser Ghis, a vicious warlord feared by enemies, friends, and neighbors, had been imprisoned in Edinburgh by High King Brian Cross. While the Invernessian monarch had only been held for a year on an understated murder charge within King Brian's borders, Tamblin irrevocably changed. Fed information, true and false, by a faction of spies and killers who saw a man of means to manipulate, Tamblin grew malevolent, paranoid, untrusting, and outright cruel. Upon his return to Inverness, he immediately murdered or displaced everyone in his former inner circle, replacing them with the Spymaster Oliver Colton and his cronies.
As for Tamblin's wife, toddler son, and infant daughter, the relationships became far more complicated. Believing himself betrayed by his wife Katherine McTavish of Skye both in power and love, Tamblin destroyed people around her whom he suspected she had cheated on him with. His young daughter Selena was completely estranged, treated like less his own child and more a ward he wanted little to do with. But Tamblin became obsessed with his son's future. While he would become known as Tamblin the Mad, he was still enough in his right mind over the years to see he was going mad, and his son Durban was the only hope for Inverness' future while enemies beared down upon it.
As Durban grew into a prince, a soldier, and a man long before his time, his sister Selena was expected to become a princess worthy of being a bargaining chip for her slowly-slipping father who grew only more malevolent aside from a short respite around the birth of his third child, named Brogan by Lady Katherine. Kitty, as she was called, bore Tamblin's wrath in relative silence, seeking only to defend her children as he constantly accused her of being unfaithful, yet every child was his. And that included the short-tempered Lynndon, or 'Boar' as he became known, and the quiet, sweet twins Ashien and Kayla who were born far from home in Italy in the home of world-renowned doctor who had helped eradicate all manner of illness, plague, and often treated sickly mothers like Kitty, who was affected by a slow, wasting disease. The doctor, Vincenzo Ambrose of Venice, saw the twins into the world, and saw Kitty home safe and relatively healthy. But it seemed her heart remained in Italy with him, and his with her and the two newborns he'd helped her bring into the world.
In time, Kitty saw him again while visiting her parents who ruled the Isle of Skye as part of the Council of Mull that ran the western Scottish isles. Vincenzo had come to treat Kitty's father Martin, and the two took the opportunity when Martin was recovering to finally explore their relationship. And this also gave the twins the chance to know their 'Papa,' who was more a father from across the world than Tamblin was as he ignored them at home.
Kitty's conscience would not hold, though. When she returned home, she eventually told her husband of her infidelity- the first time she had ever strayed despite all his accusations. He grew cold, distant, and lost. For even if Tamblin Ghis was cruel and unpredictable, Kitty held his heart and had broken it for the first time. Eventually, without love and without hope except for her children, Kitty grew ill once more, and Tamblin sent her back to Italy, not knowing he was sending her straight to the man she needed most, and despite Kitty's protests as she knew she would only have to leave him again. The children eventually followed as well to help bolster Kitty's spirits, and she had a taste of a beautiful, much simpler life with a man who loved her and her babies. She sought to make it last, even dared to flee with Vincenzo for just a little longer to Greece, but the Ghis family was caught, put in chains by the Spymaster of Inverness, and dragged back not knowing if Vincenzo had survived their attack, and with Brogan- the smallest and weakest- being held captive by Oliver Colton himself the whole way.
Angry, betrayed, and even ashamed of the brutality her husband had allowed on their children, Kitty faced Tamblin only to learn that it was not in his hands anymore. He was still King, but Colton was in control, and had been taking power bit by bit. Tamblin knew if he tried to get rid of Colton, the Spymaster would either retaliate, or one of his underlings would take over in his stead and make sure Inverness crumbled, weak and poor as it was becoming. Colton and his contacts and influence were the only thing keeping Inverness from being invaded and ravaged by a handful of neighboring Clan Kings who'd grown too bold, or hated Tamblin, especially Lochlan O'Hennessey of Wick.
So Kitty and the children continued to suffer. And so did Tamblin, alone and afraid, chasing paranoia and nightmares off for brief stints with alcohol and unconsciousness. Waking life was painful for him, physically thanks to an old wound that had never healed correctly- an amputated leg at the knee he'd gotten and then dealt back to his adviser when the man tried to rebel for Kitty in the earlier days. And mentally, Tamblin was in a labyrinth, trying to find some way to be King, father, husband, warlord, and to train his son to be better than him, but just as vicious, and unlike Tamblin, unable to be daunted by the world around him. Barely into double-digits, Durban killed a man in battle for the first time with a bow. When he came of age at fifteen, he was turned into a proper soldier and saw both front and supporting lines fighting with or for his father around Scotland, and he soon had killed more men than career soldiers twice his age. A powerhouse, a giant, and a deeply depressed little boy forced to become a man far too early, Durban bore his duties in relative silence. His only solace was his siblings whom he was more a father to than Tamblin, looking after his often-ailing mother who made sure he never lost his heart, and promising his sister Selena that when he was king, she would never give herself to some stranger or anyone she didn't want, not for his sake or for Inverness. And those thoughts brought him to an ultimatum- Durban would have to dethrone his father before Selena turned eighteen, the age she would be expected to marry at after Tamblin had agreed not to promise her hand to anyone til then.
Sixteen years of the Mad King Tamblin had turned Inverness into a husk of its former self. Culture had died off in favor of survival. Music and art were scarce, the people too busy scrounging for food and work to care about bright colors and sound. Despite the recent celebration and hope of Prince Durban Ghis' eighteenth birthday two weeks prior, the people had been so hopeless for so long that even knowing Durban could now lawfully remove Tamblin and likely would, did not assuage their pains and worries.
Since his birthday, Durban had redoubled his training- a regime already too much for one man even of his fitness and raw power. But he did it voluntarily and without a word, taking his new Claymore, axe, bow, and horses to the obstacle courses, ranges, and to duels with his brothers and absolutely hacking apart targets, armor, and leaving his brothers bruised and on the ground in only minutes. He still had his heart, looking after his siblings with the patience and even temper of his mother, and still took care of Kitty as well, having been strong enough since he was fifteen to carry her when she couldn't walk, help her in any task, and fight any battle she couldn't on her own, though she would never ask it of him.
Close behind Durban at all times, often his dueling partner, was Brogan. Once smaller than his youngest siblings, his teen years had given him a sudden growth spurt to make him nearly match Durban. A bit shorter and leaner, Brogan looked far too much like Tamblin, but with life and love in his gaze that, thanks to being mostly ignored by his father, had not been crushed. Many saw him as having all the strengths of Tamblin without the darkness and cruelty, and having Kitty's heart and soul of patience and love for his fellow man. Family was everything to him, and part of that was helping his elder brother become strong enough to displace their father. While the two young men despaired at the thought, they had learned long ago that Tamblin expected to be beaten in battle, and eventually killed for his actions as king. He would never give up his throne otherwise, not even to Durban who was the finest heir he could've asked for. As Tamblin had killed his own cruel, tyrannical father for the throne, Tamblin expected Durban to do the same, and then change everything for the better. Tamblin saw himself as a lost cause, but Inverness' only hope if Durban couldn't make the decision or rally the personal strength to defeat him fairly.
So, Brogan constantly dueled and trained with Durban, often including Boar who knew the score as well, and even Selena as she was a fine swordswoman herself. The elder four children had a silent pact- to save themselves, their mother, and Inverness. And Durban would spearhead it all, the grim and quiet Prince of a dying Clan who only wanted his people to feel joy for the first time in sixteen years.
But there was another they fought for. Not just the young twins, but their half-sister, Valentina. Born of Kitty and Vincenzo's time in Greece and nearly killed before her birth along with Kitty when Tamblin found out, Valentina had been spared by a moment of Tamblin's mercy, and sent to live with Vincenzo who'd survived Colton's attack some months prior. But unable to give her the love she deserved without letting down his patients and important medical study, Vincenzo decided to share the raising of his daughter with Tamblin's former adviser Warwick, and Warwick's wife and Kitty's best friend, Ashelin. So every summer, Valentina would join her father, and he'd bring her back to the English Channel for Warwick to pick up come late autumn. This was so that Kitty would still know her daughter and be her mother in secret. Tamblin eventually learned of the situation, but never seemed to speak of it, as if giving one more mercy amid his slow decline, an unpredictable ride through deep depression, heartbreak, fear, paranoia, anxiety, and an anger that just wouldn't die.
Seeing Valentina growing beside them, only vaguely knowing who her true mother was, Durban was training for her too. And so, on a dark evening amid a blizzard shortly after dinner, Durban came to his mother's parlor. Still clad in his heavy winter armor from training, a nasty bruise from Brogan's blunted sword on his thick neck, and his long, dark hair tied back tightly, he cut quite the imposing figure. He towered over all in the keep, even Tamblin himself, and looked every inch a warlord-to-be. But his steely dark brown eyes had softened, even grown to show guilt and regret as he entered the hearth-warmed parlor, and he took his Claymore and sheath off his back to lean on the wall beside the door.
"Ma...?" He murmured, almost hoping she was asleep in her overstuffed chair by the fire, so he wouldn't have to tell her of the consensus he and his brothers and sister had come to.
As for Tamblin's wife, toddler son, and infant daughter, the relationships became far more complicated. Believing himself betrayed by his wife Katherine McTavish of Skye both in power and love, Tamblin destroyed people around her whom he suspected she had cheated on him with. His young daughter Selena was completely estranged, treated like less his own child and more a ward he wanted little to do with. But Tamblin became obsessed with his son's future. While he would become known as Tamblin the Mad, he was still enough in his right mind over the years to see he was going mad, and his son Durban was the only hope for Inverness' future while enemies beared down upon it.
As Durban grew into a prince, a soldier, and a man long before his time, his sister Selena was expected to become a princess worthy of being a bargaining chip for her slowly-slipping father who grew only more malevolent aside from a short respite around the birth of his third child, named Brogan by Lady Katherine. Kitty, as she was called, bore Tamblin's wrath in relative silence, seeking only to defend her children as he constantly accused her of being unfaithful, yet every child was his. And that included the short-tempered Lynndon, or 'Boar' as he became known, and the quiet, sweet twins Ashien and Kayla who were born far from home in Italy in the home of world-renowned doctor who had helped eradicate all manner of illness, plague, and often treated sickly mothers like Kitty, who was affected by a slow, wasting disease. The doctor, Vincenzo Ambrose of Venice, saw the twins into the world, and saw Kitty home safe and relatively healthy. But it seemed her heart remained in Italy with him, and his with her and the two newborns he'd helped her bring into the world.
In time, Kitty saw him again while visiting her parents who ruled the Isle of Skye as part of the Council of Mull that ran the western Scottish isles. Vincenzo had come to treat Kitty's father Martin, and the two took the opportunity when Martin was recovering to finally explore their relationship. And this also gave the twins the chance to know their 'Papa,' who was more a father from across the world than Tamblin was as he ignored them at home.
Kitty's conscience would not hold, though. When she returned home, she eventually told her husband of her infidelity- the first time she had ever strayed despite all his accusations. He grew cold, distant, and lost. For even if Tamblin Ghis was cruel and unpredictable, Kitty held his heart and had broken it for the first time. Eventually, without love and without hope except for her children, Kitty grew ill once more, and Tamblin sent her back to Italy, not knowing he was sending her straight to the man she needed most, and despite Kitty's protests as she knew she would only have to leave him again. The children eventually followed as well to help bolster Kitty's spirits, and she had a taste of a beautiful, much simpler life with a man who loved her and her babies. She sought to make it last, even dared to flee with Vincenzo for just a little longer to Greece, but the Ghis family was caught, put in chains by the Spymaster of Inverness, and dragged back not knowing if Vincenzo had survived their attack, and with Brogan- the smallest and weakest- being held captive by Oliver Colton himself the whole way.
Angry, betrayed, and even ashamed of the brutality her husband had allowed on their children, Kitty faced Tamblin only to learn that it was not in his hands anymore. He was still King, but Colton was in control, and had been taking power bit by bit. Tamblin knew if he tried to get rid of Colton, the Spymaster would either retaliate, or one of his underlings would take over in his stead and make sure Inverness crumbled, weak and poor as it was becoming. Colton and his contacts and influence were the only thing keeping Inverness from being invaded and ravaged by a handful of neighboring Clan Kings who'd grown too bold, or hated Tamblin, especially Lochlan O'Hennessey of Wick.
So Kitty and the children continued to suffer. And so did Tamblin, alone and afraid, chasing paranoia and nightmares off for brief stints with alcohol and unconsciousness. Waking life was painful for him, physically thanks to an old wound that had never healed correctly- an amputated leg at the knee he'd gotten and then dealt back to his adviser when the man tried to rebel for Kitty in the earlier days. And mentally, Tamblin was in a labyrinth, trying to find some way to be King, father, husband, warlord, and to train his son to be better than him, but just as vicious, and unlike Tamblin, unable to be daunted by the world around him. Barely into double-digits, Durban killed a man in battle for the first time with a bow. When he came of age at fifteen, he was turned into a proper soldier and saw both front and supporting lines fighting with or for his father around Scotland, and he soon had killed more men than career soldiers twice his age. A powerhouse, a giant, and a deeply depressed little boy forced to become a man far too early, Durban bore his duties in relative silence. His only solace was his siblings whom he was more a father to than Tamblin, looking after his often-ailing mother who made sure he never lost his heart, and promising his sister Selena that when he was king, she would never give herself to some stranger or anyone she didn't want, not for his sake or for Inverness. And those thoughts brought him to an ultimatum- Durban would have to dethrone his father before Selena turned eighteen, the age she would be expected to marry at after Tamblin had agreed not to promise her hand to anyone til then.
Sixteen years of the Mad King Tamblin had turned Inverness into a husk of its former self. Culture had died off in favor of survival. Music and art were scarce, the people too busy scrounging for food and work to care about bright colors and sound. Despite the recent celebration and hope of Prince Durban Ghis' eighteenth birthday two weeks prior, the people had been so hopeless for so long that even knowing Durban could now lawfully remove Tamblin and likely would, did not assuage their pains and worries.
Since his birthday, Durban had redoubled his training- a regime already too much for one man even of his fitness and raw power. But he did it voluntarily and without a word, taking his new Claymore, axe, bow, and horses to the obstacle courses, ranges, and to duels with his brothers and absolutely hacking apart targets, armor, and leaving his brothers bruised and on the ground in only minutes. He still had his heart, looking after his siblings with the patience and even temper of his mother, and still took care of Kitty as well, having been strong enough since he was fifteen to carry her when she couldn't walk, help her in any task, and fight any battle she couldn't on her own, though she would never ask it of him.
Close behind Durban at all times, often his dueling partner, was Brogan. Once smaller than his youngest siblings, his teen years had given him a sudden growth spurt to make him nearly match Durban. A bit shorter and leaner, Brogan looked far too much like Tamblin, but with life and love in his gaze that, thanks to being mostly ignored by his father, had not been crushed. Many saw him as having all the strengths of Tamblin without the darkness and cruelty, and having Kitty's heart and soul of patience and love for his fellow man. Family was everything to him, and part of that was helping his elder brother become strong enough to displace their father. While the two young men despaired at the thought, they had learned long ago that Tamblin expected to be beaten in battle, and eventually killed for his actions as king. He would never give up his throne otherwise, not even to Durban who was the finest heir he could've asked for. As Tamblin had killed his own cruel, tyrannical father for the throne, Tamblin expected Durban to do the same, and then change everything for the better. Tamblin saw himself as a lost cause, but Inverness' only hope if Durban couldn't make the decision or rally the personal strength to defeat him fairly.
So, Brogan constantly dueled and trained with Durban, often including Boar who knew the score as well, and even Selena as she was a fine swordswoman herself. The elder four children had a silent pact- to save themselves, their mother, and Inverness. And Durban would spearhead it all, the grim and quiet Prince of a dying Clan who only wanted his people to feel joy for the first time in sixteen years.
But there was another they fought for. Not just the young twins, but their half-sister, Valentina. Born of Kitty and Vincenzo's time in Greece and nearly killed before her birth along with Kitty when Tamblin found out, Valentina had been spared by a moment of Tamblin's mercy, and sent to live with Vincenzo who'd survived Colton's attack some months prior. But unable to give her the love she deserved without letting down his patients and important medical study, Vincenzo decided to share the raising of his daughter with Tamblin's former adviser Warwick, and Warwick's wife and Kitty's best friend, Ashelin. So every summer, Valentina would join her father, and he'd bring her back to the English Channel for Warwick to pick up come late autumn. This was so that Kitty would still know her daughter and be her mother in secret. Tamblin eventually learned of the situation, but never seemed to speak of it, as if giving one more mercy amid his slow decline, an unpredictable ride through deep depression, heartbreak, fear, paranoia, anxiety, and an anger that just wouldn't die.
Seeing Valentina growing beside them, only vaguely knowing who her true mother was, Durban was training for her too. And so, on a dark evening amid a blizzard shortly after dinner, Durban came to his mother's parlor. Still clad in his heavy winter armor from training, a nasty bruise from Brogan's blunted sword on his thick neck, and his long, dark hair tied back tightly, he cut quite the imposing figure. He towered over all in the keep, even Tamblin himself, and looked every inch a warlord-to-be. But his steely dark brown eyes had softened, even grown to show guilt and regret as he entered the hearth-warmed parlor, and he took his Claymore and sheath off his back to lean on the wall beside the door.
"Ma...?" He murmured, almost hoping she was asleep in her overstuffed chair by the fire, so he wouldn't have to tell her of the consensus he and his brothers and sister had come to.