The Long Road Home (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Sarah gasped as Ian swept her off her feet again. She was out of breath as she rested her cheek against his shoulder, allowing him to take her from the room to see her father. That was her only concern. She wanted to make sure that he wasn't hurt.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ian soon brought her in to the library and he set her down next to Stephen, who was laying on the couch in silence, trying to calm down. He lifted his head to look at them. "Sarah... what are you doing...? Ian..."

Ian stepped over to him. "Stephen. Tell us what's going on."

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah looked at her father as he regarded them and she blew out a sigh of relief as she realized that he was alright.

"I heard that you were ill, Da." She said softly as Ian sat her down beside her father. "And I wouldn't settle until I saw you myself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've felt better..." Stephen sighed. "You shouldn't have gotten up, darling..." he tried to sit up but he groaned in pain and reached up to clutch his left arm.

Ian immediately took off to find Vincenzo.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da." Sarah said softly, reaching out to place her hand on his arm. "You need to calm down. Everything is alright."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I am calm..." he muttered, but it was an absolute lie. His nerves were frayed, his heart weak in terms of health and in heartbreak, and his body was breaking down with it starting with pale skin and more grey hair.

Vincenzo soon came hurrying in, sitting Stephen up carefully and forcing him to chew on some herbs that caused him to relax and fall limp, drugged into a peaceful state. It would buy Vincenzo time to mix up something to help thin his blood and get his heart working properly again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah watched the entire scene unfold without emotion. She couldn't believe that her strong father, the one that could do no wrong, was so weak. She was quiet as she moved to settle at his side, her head resting against his shoulder as she felt him relax.

"I need you here, Da." She said in a soft voice for his ears only. "I don't think I can live without you here."

 

[KieranSoares]

Stephen weakly lifted his arm to wrap around her, but he wasn't in any kind of state to talk coherently. Eventually, he fell asleep and remained peaceful.

Ian kept near, but didn't bother the two. He simply stood by in Sarah or Stephen needed his help.

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah sighed as her father wrapped his arm around her, holding her loosely. She couldn't remember the last time that he had held her just like that. Cassie had always been the apple of his eye, the one that stole his attention, and it touched Sarah that he needed her so much. She allowed her eyes to close, her body to relax, her mind to drift and get the rest that she needed.

 

[KieranSoares]

The next morning, Sarah woke in bed, and her father was laid beside her. They were in Stephen and Jessie's room. Jessie was sitting in a chair beside the bed, having been knitting as she was feeling a bit better. But she'd abandoned the yarn to stroke Sarah's hair comfortingly. Ian was likely just outside the door but unwilling to intrude upon the family.

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah was in pain, but she bit it back as she felt her mother's hand on her hair. Her eyes slowly turned her direction. The previous evening was a blur in her mind and she was a little confused as to how she had ended up where she was.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good morning, sweetheart," Jessie whispered, touching her cheek. "How are you feeling, honey...?"

Stephen shifted slightly beside Sarah, and she would finally see how pale and incredibly worn down he looked.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Like hell." Sarah answered simply as she turned her head to look at her father. "But nothing short of what I deserve."

She reached out and gently touched his cheek, noticing that he looked so tired and worn. She should have noticed how much her actions had taken a toll on him. She had been stupid and selfish.

 

[KieranSoares]

"You've long since stopped deserving this..." Jessie sighed. Stephen opened his eyes halfway and they turned to Sarah. He offered a weak smile. "Hello, lovely..."

Shifting to get more comfortable, he grunted painfully and settled. He was exhausted, the last thing he wanted to do was get up, but his sense of duty was too much. Soon, he was trying to rise, but Jessie got up in time to stop him.

 

[heartofcourage]

She wanted to reply to her mother, to tell her that she was very wrong, but she bit back her reply as her father stirred, struggling to get up before her mother stopped him. Sarah's eyes slowly closed against the sound of his struggle, something deep within her chest wanting to burst forth.

While her mother was distracted, she rose. She felt stronger then she had in years despite the wounds in her belly. Eyes were upon her, familiar ones and she turned to look down at what remained of her family. Her parents had never seemed so old before. Her father nearly grey, her mother with great lines upon her features.

"I can't change what has happened and I accept that my life will be difficult. What I have done to you both should never be forgiven but I know that you do because I'm your daughter." She said softly, her voice even and measured. "But I wish for the chance to show to you that I can be the ruler that you need me to be."

She hadn't said those words since Cassandra had broken her heart. She had always accepted that one day the whole of her father's estates would go to Brogan or Christopher. Now, she wanted the chance to take what was rightfully hers.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll be glad to give you that chance, sweetheart..." Stephen offered her a smile. It was weak, but showed a confidence in her that he'd always had. "Just promise me you won't go off alone too much, hm...? Keep Shia and Ian near."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Da, as much as I know you will, please don't worry about me." Sarah pleaded, knowing that she weighed heavily on his mind. "I won't be going anywhere."

She turned then and crawled across the bed, snuggling up against his side as she embraced both of her parents. She knew that they thought often about Cassie and how they had lost her. While she still held a little bit of resentment towards her sister, she knew that her parents would mourn their lost daughter until the day that they died.

 

[KieranSoares]

In the following days, Stephen sent out a statement to the town. They knew Sarah was there, and many weren't happy about it. They wouldn't act because they'd seen her grow up, but there was still some danger.

Stephen's words were passed about in letters and by mouth; his daughter was home and he welcomed her despite her actions. He asked not that she be forgiven, but that they give her time and patience to show that she was not evil, instead she'd fallen to her own anger and was now seeking to set herself right, to prove she was still worthy of her family, her people, and her country. And the King added not a pardon, but a grace period to allow the people to make their judgement as they were the ones who'd lost loved ones to the war. It would be overall Monaghan Town's decision after sufficient time.

And Ian was at Sarah's side the first quiet day that her father got back to his work and Vincenzo's care began to aid her mother's condition noticeably. Ian walked along beside Sarah quietly in the garden, thinking to himself about the past days, but more, their kiss. Shia was within earshot as ever.

With Sarah's being practically on parole, Ian's own good name had come under fire for having supported her the entire time, for having refused to go to war when she was the enemy. He'd been discovered to have dodged military service when hed learned Ireland was fighting her. Sarah had heard about this that morning and Ian hadn't said much. It was clear as to why he'd dodged: he loved her and would never seek to cause or aid anyone in causing harm to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You haven't done yourself any favors, you know." Sarah mentioned absently, her fingers squeezing Ian's arm as they walked through her mother's garden. "You should have just taken the chance to fade into obscurity."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And let you run off an' get lost alone?" Ian chuckled almost bitterly. "Nah... I'd rather go chasin' you about any day." Then he realized how that sounded, and he paused to cover his face with his hand. "Jesus Christ, I say the stupidest things." Letting his hand drop, he shook his head, "Sorry, love."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Hmmmm....I've never had anyone want to come chasing after me before." Sarah said with a slight grin. "I think I like that idea."

 

[KieranSoares]

Ian turned to look at her with a raised eyebrow. "Is tha' so? 'Cause I can if ya like." He grinned back at her, reaching out to take her hand gently. His own was calloused from a life of hard work, but he had the softest touch.

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah couldn't help the bashful smile that crossed her lips as Ian offered to chase her. His hand held hers so tenderly that it made her heart squeeze in the most unusual way. Ever so slowly, she slipped her hand from his grasp and started to back away, her eyes almost daring him to follow in his pursuit.

 

[KieranSoares]

Ian's smile became a smirk and he followed her at the same speed that she backed away. "Y'know I'll catch ya. Always 'ave, always will." His smirk darkened and he bolted after her with a laugh. "C'mere!"

 

[heartofcourage]

Sarah actually smiled in joy for the first time in so long as Iam smirked and started to chase her through the garden. She lifted her skirts, fighting back the laughter as she heard his dark growl of an order to come back. She felt free as they chased one another through the thick leaves and bushes, gasping as his thick arm wrapped around her waist and finally trapped her.