Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"Sometimes it is." Kate said, looking back at Qira. "Sometimes there are things that need to be said that need to be said privately."

"If you wish to talk about me, you don't need to do it in private. I'm a big girl. I can handle it." Rissa said, challenging Kate as the redhead looked at her for a long moment and then averted her gaze. "Well, if there's nothing else to say about me, shall we eat?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell shook his head at Kate. "I think so," he agreed with Rissa. Kell didn't allow everything to be tense and silent, instead bringing up other duties and events with the pair, including things Warwick was up to, or Marianne and her grandson's upcoming visit in a couple months.

 

[heartofcourage]

"She's been looking forward to that little one's trip for a long time. I'm glad to hear that it's going to happen relatively soon." Rissa said, very pleased that Marianne was going to get to see her grandson there in Edinburgh. "They've been talking about going to see Marianne's homeland as well and I've encouraged it was much as I can. She's a stubborn woman when it comes to be perceived duties around here."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well, part of her hesitation is about Warwick because those two never leave the castle without the other, and she doesn't want to take him away from his work. But Lynn adores him like a grandfather so they'll surely want to take Warwick with them." Kell smiled lightly at the strange little dynamic the former queen and the head advisor had. They all knew it was love in a way, but not what they'd had with Brian or Ashelin respectively.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We all can be so lucky to lose love and find it again." Rissa said with a smile, glancing over towards Qira as she said that. "Or find it at all in our lives."

 

[KieranSoares]

"They'll deny up and down that it's anything more than a close friendship, but I suppose that doesn't matter," Kell nodded. "As long as they have a shoulder to lean on."

Qira caught Rissa's glance, looking back at her for a moment. He wasn't sure what to think of it, but felt somehow heartened by it.

 

[heartofcourage]

Dinner continued at a casual pace, Kate very quiet the entire time as Rissa led the conversation. She had to admit that the other woman was very charismatic and perhaps in another time and place she might have liked her. That night, however, she was tired and in pain.

As soon as dinner was over, Kate retreated to her rooms. She drank an herbal tea to kill the pain, sitting in her chair by the fire as Kell quietly closed the door behind him.

"Scold me and get it over with." Kate said, her green eyes weary and exhausted.

 

[KieranSoares]

"No point to it. Why bother?" Kell muttered, making his way over to the desk to sit down, lighting a candle before he began writing some new document. It didn't take long before he copied it and sealed one with wax and one in a drawer to file away, and the other he slipped under the door where it would be picked up by a passing servant who came around every night for such letters to send them off.

 

[heartofcourage]

“I think I have the right to know if my guardian is having a relationship with my new advisor.” Kate said, glancing over at Kell as he did his best to ignore her. “I could have asked her to her face but I didn’t. I asked him as privately as I could.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell didn't answer at first beyond a shake of his head, turning to get ready for bed. But as he came back in just a pair of loose trousers, he murmured, "I wish you would treat her like a person rather than some.imminent threat, Kate. If you only knew how upset she was after what Rothsay did."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure she was upset. Everyone has been upset." Kate said as she relaxed back against the chair as the herbs started to do their job and numb her soreness and pain. "Who did you write that letter to?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"One of our agents keeping an eye on that wayward Duke. A short update on our plans for him." Kell paused to look at her for a long moment. "I still don't understand why you seem to hate her. I know you've tried to explain, but it just doesn't make sense to me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Because I'm an angry and bitter queen. It's all that I have. Let me keep that." Kate said, as Kell tried to figure out why she hated Rissa so much.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Why? If you're this miserable, I'm doing something wrong. It can't be just the broken arm. And a woman who has nothing but good intentions for your court does not deserve to be the object of your hate."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The same argument that I've always had, love. I'm just too stubborn to give up." Kate said softly, looking up at him. "She's not the enemy. I know that. However, right now, those that I know are the enemy aren't close enough for me to release this anger on."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If you want to be angry, directing it at anyone in our staff is highly unproductive. If you need someone to take out your anger on, it should be a dummy in the training yard, or me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Or a pompous lord." Kate muttered as she looked up at Kell. "Fine, I'll stop being defensive around her. She's doing a job that we all know needs to be done."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She's a good and loyal woman who cares what happens to you beyond the bounds of her job. I think that's worth something. People like her aren't so common in the world of politics and power struggles." Kell sat on the edge of their bed and laid back for a long moment to stare up at the ceiling.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was soon up and moving to his side, curling up against her husband with her broken arm resting on his chest. She was never one to take being ill or hurt gracefully, but when she was with him it all seemed a little less daunting.

"Sometimes I feel like no one listens to me. I say things and people do the opposite." Kate said softly. "I know it's because I'm young and unproven in a lot of things, but it's starting to wear me down."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know, love... Trust me, I know the feeling dealing with humans who think I'm a lesser being. But my reputation helps. I know it's hard seeing as you don't have one yet. But you're building one. This will never be easy, but it will get easier with time."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I simply hope it happens before I die." Kate said, her head settling against his shoulder as she let her eyes close and her body drift with the herbs that were in her system. "Imagine being a forgotten queen of Scotland after all of this hard work."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No one is going to forget Katherine Aleister. You're too lovely to forget, insoite of your temper." He pressed a kiss to her forehead before relaxing back once more.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Says you. I don't think anyone else thinks I'm lovely." Kate said softly with a small smile on her lips as he kissed her forehead and held her tight.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know several people in this castle who would trip over themselves to agree with me," Kell assured her. "And not just because you're beautiful."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The stable boys that want to take me on a tumble in bed don't count, Kell." Kate said, cracking open an eye to look at him.