Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

“We were just exploring the area.” She said softly as Valentina commented on her tardiness. “Brogan’s brother is visiting? Has Brogan been told yet?”

She glanced towards Ciaran as he laughed and the two discussed Boar’s new wife. She couldn’t help but smile at the assessment that they had of the woman and she wondered if she could possibly be that bad.

“Alright, you two. Ciaran, would you mind going to the lumber camp and telling Brogan that his brother is visiting? Ask him if he would share dinner with me this evening. I think there are some things that we need to discuss.”

Glancing at Valentina, Julia smiled softly. “I believe I will go and spend some time with Kitty. If you would have a maid unpack my belongs, I would very much appreciate it.”

Leaving the two of them, Julia found her way to the warm room where her mother-in- law sat knitting the most beautiful green muffler she’d ever seen. “Oh, Kitty, that’s gorgeous. Is that a present for your son?”

 

[KieranSoares]

Kitty chuckled, "Oh, no, dear. This 'ere's fer a sweet li'l girl who's been 'elpin' me lately, named Catalina. She brings me yarn from th' market all th' time." She looked up, "C'mere, sit down with me. So I notice yer gettin' along real well with Ciaran. Valentina's 'alf considerin' giving 'im her job."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia took the seat offered and sucked in a deep breath when she was asked about Ciaran. Had their time together been that noticeable already? She clasped her hands together in front of her and wondered just what that meant.

“Ciaran’s been so nice to me since I’ve been here. I find his company easy to enjoy, that’s all.” She said softly, her voice even as she hoped that her mother-in-law believed what she’d just said. “He offered to show me around Inverness since Brogan has been so…busy.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ciaran's a good lad, I'm not su'prised 'e's been so 'elpful, an' 'e'll prob'ly stay that way for th' rest o' th' time y'know 'im. Brogan trusts 'im, 'e's a good man t' keep around. Ya should keep near 'im, 'e's the man who'll protect ya jus' as fiercely as Brogan."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, giving her mother in law a smile. “I have no doubt that he will, Kitty.”

Reaching down beside her seat, she picked up the knitting that she’d been working on the first time she met Kitty. “Now, would you like to teach me more about knitting before dinner? I’d like to make something for Brogan…as a way to make amends.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Amends...?" Kitty looked up. "Somethin' 'appen?" She set down her own knitting, worried for her new daughter-in-law. "Don' tell me yer 'avin' troubles already..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia concentrated on the neat little lines she was making with her knitting needles. She should have kept her mouth shut, she thought to herself as Kitty asked if they were already having troubles. Finally, she sighed and lowered her needles, glancing at her mother in law.

“I found out about Cassandra and Annie and…well, I didn’t have a good reaction.” She said softly, a little ashamed at how she’d acted towards Brogan. “Brogan never once told me that he had been married before. It was even more shocking to learn that he had a daughter. Kitty, I know that I made a mess of things, but I would think that would be something that a wife should know about her husband.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Brogan doesn' like t'talk about Cassie... an' sometimes, when people talk about 'er around 'im, 'e either shuts down 'r loses 'is mind. An' Annie... 'e's convinced 'imself it'll ne'er be safe enough fer 'er t'come 'ome, that 'e'll ne'er get t'see 'er again. Gods, I miss 'er..."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia could hear the sadness in the woman’s voice and knew that her granddaughter was obviously someone that she held very dear to her heart. Julia felt incredibly ashamed bringing up a painful memory to Kitty.

“Well, perhaps one day we might convince him to bring her home.” Julia said softly, not certain that she could be a good stepmother but willing to try to lighten Kitty’s heart before the wasting sickness took her away.

“I had hopes that when I was married my husband would be a good man who loved me fiercely. Brogan is haunted by a dead wife and he married me out of pity. I guess that hurt me so much that I wanted to hurt him a little bit too.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Brogan is a good man, love, an' I think in time 'e'll come t'love ya. It's jus'... it's 'ard fer 'im t'ferget Cassie. All of Inverness 'as a story t'do with 'er, everythin' reminds 'im of 'er. 'E won' let 'imself love again quite yet, but 'e will one day when 'e finally forgives 'imself."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia nodded as Kitty tried to sooth the situation between Brogan and herself. Perhaps in time…but how much time would that be? “I will do my best to make sure that he is happy, Kitty. I promise that.”

She turned back towards her knitting, hoping that the conversation would end. She was left feeling bad that she had made Brogan had been forced to go through a traumatic experience and was forced to live through it each time he walked through his home. She knew the only solution was to talk to him and to get things back on track.

 

[KieranSoares]

That evening, Brogan returned to the Keep for dinner, but he was ready to leave again afterward, wanting to avoid Julia. But Valentina stopped him. She was the only woman who could get away with scolding him aside from Kitty. "Listen here, big guy," she caught him by the arm, "you aren't going to keep avoiding your wife because of a little fight, you're a better man than that. I know you're angry about Cassie and Annie, but you can't take it out on Julia. Now go bloody talk to her, you big oaf."

Brogan glared at her, a look that would make any of his men wilt, but Valentina just glared back. "Go, Brogan. She deserves kindness, not avoidance." Brogan sighed then, and nodded slightly, going to his bedroom to await Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia had eaten dinner in the great hall with Kitty at her side. She didn’t have much confidence in smoothing over her situation with Brogan when he seemed to be avoiding her. It made her feel even worse when he tried to leave the hall quickly after he’d eaten and she retreated on her own to gather up the half finished knitting that she’d left in Kitty’s parlor.

Taking the unfinished scarf with her, she intended on knitting late into the night to distract herself from the ache in her heart. She could have turned to Ciaran, invited him to her bed, but she felt the need to be alone that night.

Pushing open the chamber door, she entered and let out a loud gasp when she saw Brogan standing there in the space. She stood there, watching him for a long moment, unable to say anything.

“I made you this.” She said, offering him the bundle of unknotted wool that was only slightly formed into the shape of a scarf. “It needs to be finished…of course.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan looked down at the partially-formed scarf, then set it aside on his desk, "I... need t'talk t'you... 'bout Cassie 'n' Annie..." He met her eyes, "An'... I want t'apologize... I shoulda told ya 'bout them... I jus'..." He sighed, rubbing his temples. It was hard for him to soften up like this when he was still so angry.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia felt something in her swell as he took the scarf and instantly deflate when he simply placed it aside. Her eyes stayed on the pile of thread and wool that she’d been working so hard on. Don’t let it get to you, she thought to herself, struggling so hard to focus on Brogan’s needs right now.

She turned her attentions back to him, watching as his dark gaze centered on her emerald eyes as he told her that he wanted to apologize. She could see he was having a hard time and she even wondered if this was the right thing to do.

“Brogan…” Julia started as he sighed and started to rub his temples. “You don’t have to apologize. We both said some things that we have come to regret.”

“I understand that we are two very different people. You have gone through a trauma that I can’t even begin to imagine. You lost you wife and you’ve lost your daughter and I can’t even come to close to that.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Still... I shouldn' 'ave been like that t'ya... An' I want ya t'know I didn' marry you jus' fer pity's sake. When I met ya, I really did like ya. Y'weren't, and ya still aren't like any English lass I e'er met. Ye've got a heart. And I know I broke it more'n once... I'm sorry fer tha', but I'm 'fraid sorry ain' enough..." He glanced back down at the unfinished scarf, touching its soft woolen surface lightly. "Could swear ye've knitted before... I can' wait til it's finished."

 

[heartofcourage]

Watching as Brogan he reached out and touched her scarf, Julia felt uplifted. Perhaps there was a spark of hope that things would be better between them. He admitted that he liked her and hadn’t just married her for pity’s sake. She found herself moving forward, wrapping her arms around his broad chest and hugging him tightly.

“You have no idea how much those words mean to me.” She said softly as she pressed her cheek against his chest.

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' I wanna ask... would ya mind if I brought Annie 'ome...? Mom misses 'er, an'... I want my li'l girl back 'ome, she deserves t'be 'ere with 'er family. I know ye'll love 'er." He was incredibly hopeful she'd say yes. At nearly eight years old, the girl might not hardly remember Brogan since his last visit.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia glanced up at her husband as he asked if Annie could come home. He looked so hopeful, but ready for disappointment. Who was she to deny the wish of a father to see his small child? She didn’t know what kind of mother she would make, but she was up to the challenge.

“Bring her home, Brogan. I would like to meet her and I know Kitty would love having her around.” She said softly, giving her husband the permission to bring Annie home.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Thank you," Brogan pulled her in close and kissed her cheek as he embraced her. "I'm gonna send fer her t'morrow, 'ave her be 'ere by next autumn when th' sea's calm." He looked down at her, and softly, he repeated, "Thank you..." She'd never seen such a look of hope in his eyes, a touch of happiness he hadn't had for a long time, thanks to knowing he'd soon have his little girl again.

 

[heartofcourage]

The look in his eyes made her smile. He finally looked like a man that was proud of his wife, hopeful of his future. Perhaps he wouldn’t think so much of Cassandra now and open his heart to the possibilities of their life together.

“And God willing we will have you an heir on the way by then.” She said, her wifely duty very heavy on her mind. “But until then, we shall make sure that Annie has a happy home to return to.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Y'know y'don't 'ave t'be in a rush t'have children, darlin'." Brogan set a hand on her cheek and kissed her lips. "Annie'll love ya, I know it. Now... what've ya been up to lately? Mom told me ye've been out 'round town."

 

[heartofcourage]

“I know there’s no rush, Brogan, but as a king, certainly you have to think about the legacy that you’re going to leave behind.” Julia sighed as his hand pressed against her cheek, his lips finding hers for a brief moment.

“I’ve been exploring with Ciaran. He showed me the town and some of the sights around.” She said simply enough after Brogan had kissed her.

She liked this side of him and if she was honest, it made her feel guilty about what she’d done with Ciaran. Still, she wouldn’t have traded that afternoon for anything in the world.

“And my things were delivered this afternoon so I’ll be busy putting them away.” She was excited about having her gowns and books there in her new home and she was even more excited about staking a claim in Brogan’s space.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll 'ave 'em moved in 'ere... y'need any 'elp?" He offered, hoping to erase his previous actions by showing her that he really did intend to invest in their marriage. He had Cole and a few other men help him bring everything in for Julia, and it took hardly any time at all.

 

[heartofcourage]

Before Julia could open her mouth to say anything, Brogan was off and soon her things were being brought through the door. She was stunned as the wooden crates were placed by the hearth. Soon, everything she had brought with her from Chester was nearly lined up, waiting for her to start storing things away.

“Thank you, Brogan.” She said softly, giving him a smile as the last of the men left the room. “This means a lot to me.”

She moved across the room and pressed a kiss to her husband’s cheek before she turned to her things, starting the process of unpacking her gowns and possessions.