Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

Julia was startled as Max suddenly wrapped her in a tight hug. She had hoped that maybe he would put aside his anger and resentment and treat her cordially during the visit. She never would have imagined that he would have hugged her as fiercely as he was doing right now.

"There's nothing to make up for, Max. The past is the past for a reason." Julia said as she wrapped her arms around him just as tightly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I still wasted so much time," Max murmured. He was too prideful to say much more aloud, but it was clear he'd been lonely without a family. Without children of his own, he still might've known some joy if he'd kept his sister close.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia pulled back and looked at her brother with a sad gaze. "I'm sorry that you and Beth never had children, Max. My two youngest were born less than a year ago. There might still be some hope."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well... Beth is about five years younger than me... but we talk about it all the time. But we might be taking in a child before long. An officer of mine died of fever not too long ago, and his wife died in childbirth, so... if her cousin doesn't want to take in the baby, Beth does." He seemed a little hopeful at that, but he didn't put in his own feelings on the matter. "She's wanted to be a mother for so long..."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If you want it to happen then it will." Julia said softly as her brother admitted that he wanted children for his wife's sake. "Was Ma happy? At the end of her life I often thought about her and wished I would have come to see her before she passed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She was better after Father passed, much warmer toward us especially," Max said with a nod, sitting with her on a bench by the wall. "She talked about you all the time, and she lived for the letters you sent her when times were less than happy. She always talked about what she thought Ciaran would be like. She was happy just with her imaginary version of her grandson. When the others came along, she was the same about them."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I made sure that they all came this time. To introduce themselves properly to her even if she isn't around to greet them." Julia said softly as she took her brothers hand and squeezed it. "I cried for days when I heard she had passed. I knew I had lost my chance to make my peace with her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She was just glad you got to be happy. None of us expected you to love Brogan, much less for him to love you. That was all she needed."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It was a good match, even if Dad saw it as a way to get rid of an unwanted child." Julia said softly as she looked at her brother. "I know he never liked me."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well I never liked him much so I don't particularly care what he thought of us," Max told her honestly. Soon he offered her his arm so they could return to the others.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia looked at her brother in a new light. He was the heir to a throne who had never liked his father, much like some of her in laws. They each struggled with those demons to that day, but Max seemed willing to put all of that behind him for the sake of family.

"No more talk of sad things." Julia said as she took his arm and allowed him to escort her back into the other room. "We've got lots to catch up on."

 

[KieranSoares]

Max followed Julia back in and sat down beside Beth, offering his visiting family a small smile. There was some small talk until he finally looked to Kate. "I never imagined my sister would be the mother of the future High Queen of Scotland. How is the preparation going?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate glanced towards her father when Maxwell asked her how things were going. She had no idea what was appropriate to talk to him about and what wasn't. Her Ma seemed to be comfortable with her brother, even if they had a tense relationship before.

"They are going well. I am hoping to make the transition to Edinburgh within six months of my 18th birthday. So, another year." Kate murmured, looking at Kell with a small smile. "And Kell shall be my Lord Protector."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Well I hope when that happens, we might... patch things up between Chester and Scotland. I don't dare bother Marianne with it when she's got so much to deal with," Max explained to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

"It is certainly something that we can talk about, Uncle." Kate murmured, knowing that she would have to talk to her father more about what that would mean for everyone involved. "I can bring it before Marianne if you would like. She is very open to considering things."

"We will talk about it before we leave, kitten." Julia said as she glanced towards Heather who seemed to be content to be doted on by Beth.

The little girl was bright eyed and smiling up at her aunt, snuggling against the woman as if she had known her for her entire life. Beth hugged the little girl close, smiling down at her as they shared the little moment together.

 

[KieranSoares]

Max looked toward Beth and smiled to himself before continuing, "We'll leave business for another time. I want to hear about what's been going on in Inverness lately."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Things have been peaceful, which is what we have all needed." Julia said as she reached out and took Brogan's hand. "We are simply enjoying our time and watching our family grow. Sam and Rho are learning how to run a kingdom and Ciaran is one of the best foresters that Inverness has ever had."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I see. And, well, I know she's not related to me at all, but could your oldest not come, Brogan?" Max asked his brother-in-law.

"She might've, but 'er little boy Danny's too young t'travel jus' yet. Though she was disappointed no' t'see Marianne."

"You're grandparents?" Max asked in surprise. A letter had never made it to him about Danny.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Annie was older when I first got to meet her. Cassie and Brogan were young when they had her." Julia said, seeing the surprise on Max's face at the fact that she was a grandmother. "I raised her like she was my own, though. Danny is Brogan's pride and joy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I hope I'll meet them one day, then." Max nodded, feeling a bit strange that he was a great-uncle and knowing it probably bothered Beth when she didn't have any of her own.

The family had arrived rather late in the day so it wasn't long til dinner, over which Brogan and Max had a chance to discuss more with Kate. But afterwards, Max followed Beth to their chambers. He rarely went to bed at the same time she did unless she waited up for him. While he hung up his jacket and vest, he looked to his wife at her vanity dresser and murmured, "I hope you like them. It took me a long time to appreciate my little sister, but... I'm glad she's here."

 

[heartofcourage]

"They're very nice, Max." Beth said as she turned to look at her husband with a soft smile. "You were nervous about them coming. I hope that seeing her and making up has been worth it."

She did love her husband, in spite of their rocky start. They had found common interests along the way and she had a fondness for him that she had never felt for anyone else in her life.

"And those little girls are adorable." Laughter bubbled from her lips as she turned back towards the vanity to brush out her hair.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'd hoped you'd like them all, even if I was too stubborn to be their host," Max came to kneel beside her. "And... I've been thinking. Maybe... We should keep trying for a little one of our own. We're still young."

 

[heartofcourage]

Beth turned to look at her husband as she knelt beside her, telling her that he would like to continue trying for a little one of their own. She wanted a child more than anything in the world, but she had always assumed that she just wasn't destined to be a mother.

"We can try, Max." Beth said softly. "But...I don't think that I'm able to have a child. I mean, we've tried so much and we're always disappointed."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Maybe... We can ask the werefolk for help," he suggested quietly. He never admitted it out loud, but like his father before him, he feared werefolk terribly. But he also knew that human medicine couldn't compare to the ancient ways of werefolk. If anyone could help them, or discern that Beth was unable to carry a child, it would be a tribal healer.

 

[heartofcourage]

Beth thought about it for a moment and finally gave him a nod. "I will meet with a healer." She said softly as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck.

"I love you, Max. No matter if we have children or not, I always love you." She whispered, knowing that he enjoyed hearing the words.