Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It'll just take time and a lot of stubborn effort. I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet." Kate promised them both, looking back towards Kell. "If I am, you'll be the first to know. I promise."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell stood a few paces back, never one to intrude on Kate's moments with her parents, especially now that they'd become so busy. He gave Kate a gentle smile, ever quietly and patiently awaiting her.

Brogan stepped forward to lay a hand on Kell's shoulder. "Now... Th'reason I came out here. Yer grandfather still around here?"

"I have no idea," Kell chuckled. Khelt was the one person he never knew anything about, but also the one he didn't need to know about. "I imagine you could probably just say his name and he'd appear eventually. But I'll find him for you."

 

[heartofcourage]

"If he's not here, he was heading back to Inverness for a few days." Kate said as her father asked about Khelt. "He did have quite a bit of business to take care of around here, though. He shouldn't be far away."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He'll turn up." Brogan nodded. "I think I'm due fer a visit t'Ireland soon... Wanted t'run some things by 'im."

Brogan hadn't been back to Ireland since his first wife's death, not even for Sarah's coronation despite his support of her and her family.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You'll turn into a world traveler before too long." Kate said with a small smile, knowing that for her father to go back to Ireland was a big step. "Kell will find him for you, I'm sure."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don' know about th'whole world. Have t'see who takes my place before I go further'n Scandinavia. Barring emergencies."

Looking to Julia, Brogan then added with a smile of man still happily and deeply in love, "An' special requests."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Of course I expect you to take the best care of my Ma." Kate said with a grin as her father looked adoringly at Julia. "I hear that she wants a new bauble. She is the mother of the Queen of Scotland, after all."

"Kitten, hush." Julia said as she gave her daughter a side long look. "Jewels don't make me happy. My family does."

"But it doesn't mean that we can't still spoil you, Ma." Kate said with a devilish grin.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan regarded his wife for a long moment still with that silly smile. She had never worn much in the way of precious metals and gems save on special occasions and of course the baubles closest to her heart for their sentimental value. She'd always appreciated useful gifts and favors more, or time spent one-on-one over a meal for no special reason.

"I'll figure somethin' out," Brogan murmured, naturally wrapping an arm around Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia leaned into her husband's side as his broad arm wrapped around her in that familiar way. She leaned in and kissed his cheek, giving him a smile. She knew that he would spoil her in his own special way, whether that be letting her sleep in one morning or taking her for a picnic in Inverness. He never really bought her jewels and she was fine with that.

 

[KieranSoares]

"We're 'eaded out t'see some old friends an' allies from around 'ere," Brogan said with a smile to his daughter and son-in-law. "Unless you two don' think you can manage," he teased gently, though Kate could hear the quiet offer of a concerned father in his tone.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We can manage." Kate said with a soft smile towards her father, feeling the momentary panic of the fact that they were leaving, even if just for a short while. "And you can leave the twins. I'll have one of the maids take care of them. Get out of the castle and enjoy yourselves and your friends."

Julia looked at Kate with a dubious glancing, knowing that she was trying so hard to seem grown up and wise beyond her years. She could still see the young woman behind the mask, still figuring life out. She sympathized as she had been that same young woman in a new place with a new husband and no idea what to do with either of them.

"I trust Kell to keep you in line." Julia said with a smile, glancing towards her son-in-law.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan let go of Julia to take Kate's face in his hands, kissing her forehead. "If everything starts t'collapse, just shout, aye?" He smiled down at her with a clear understanding of her position. While he hadn't arrived at his own position in the same fashion, he too had not been considered for the throne and hadn't learned to be a monarch til he was dropped right into it after defeating the Mad Tamblin. He too had panicked about doing the right thing, fought with his nobles, and constantly turned to his mother for help. He too had shouldered the burdens with his spouse.

"As my little girl," Brogan whispered so only Kate could really hear, "my kitten, you 'ave everything you need t'be a self-made queen. You grew up with a self-made family, no one 'ad a title fer nothin'. You made a name for yourself along th'way, one o' the few women t'ever become a knight in the isles. An' then you were chosen fer this, not born into it. It's a rough road, but I don' think you could truly fail even if y'tried, my love."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate knew that she was her own harshest critic. She never saw herself as doing enough or doing what was best. All of that was magnified by her new position in Scotland, where the criticism would always be louder than the good times. She understood all of that and was prepared to work as hard as possible to prove herself. However, standing there with her father, she knew that there was at least one person out there who believed in her and would keep her honest.

"Get out of here before you get too sentimental." Kate said softly, giving him a smile as she silently let him know that those words meant the world to her.

 

[KieranSoares]

"As y'command, yer Majesty." Brogan bowed deeply with a grin before offering his arm to Julia once more and stepping out at her side.

Kell smiled lightly to himself and looked to Kate, awaiting her word.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate watched her parents leave the hallway with a unified front, their arms linked together. Kate hoped that one day she and Kell would look as effortlessly united. Glancing over at her husband, Kate let out a long sigh and placed her hands on her hips.

"Let's have a proper meal and then we'll get to work on these wayward lords." Kate said softly. "I'd like to have a full belly before we shatter their dreams and schemes of grandeur."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll deal with the ones with dreams of war and expansion into England," Kell promised. Despite the friendliness between Marianne and some clan Kings with King Henry, the Lords and Barons of the two countries continued to squabble and uphold downright ancient grudges.

Offering her his arm, Kell walked alongside Kate to the private dining room, sending a serving man ahead to the kitchens.

In the hours that followed, Kate dealt with land-hungry nobles from several counties whose liege Lords had denied them one thing or another under Marianne, county Lords seeking to use Kate to overrule Marianne, and a few overzealous officers and knights who sought either some allocation of treasury funds or had complaints against Kell already.

For the most part, Kate would find the majority of her vassals and sworn men to be agreeable and dedicated. But it was the strains of self-important nobles and a few ruling Lords who tended to ruin any good mood, perhaps thinking Kate was beholden to them as a younger, female ruler who'd yet to prove herself. It seemed a good number of them had been planning on her ascension for their own gains and intended to ignore her rule once their demands or groveling got them what they wanted. Kell dealt with much the same, faced with either brutish older men who thought of him as a dog and no more, or sneaky, groveling nobles who'd forget any loyalties once they reached their goal. But Kell remained true to what he believed Kate wanted and the rights and position he knew he had. He was her right hand, and these nobles we're disrespecting Kate's will by disrespecting Kell's orders.

Over another couple weeks, Kate began to find a foothold. Between her and Kell's ability to display absolute neutrality and control together or apart, and their decisiveness tempered with the ability to admit when they were wrong, the pair were gaining some respect. Lower nobles were beginning to learn that Kate's youth held little bearing on her ability as a leader. All of her council and vassals were realizing that they were not dealing with a green girl, but a young woman of the Ghis line who was strong enough to forge her own House and had the full backing of Clan Kings and Lords and Marianne herself. And Marianne never let them all forget that Kate had not been born into position, but been chosen.

It was as Brogan and Julia readied to leave that a proper routine had been established in Castle Edinburgh, and Kell kept that routine almost to the letter to ensure Kate her time in the evenings and chances to breathe during the day. He knew schedules could be boring, but he also knew that knowing what to expect through the day would keep everything steady and help the castle run smoothly.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate couldn’t look at the carriage as her parent’s belongings were loaded up by her servants. The twins were running around the wheels, playing as Julia and Brogan stood to say goodbye to Kate. Kate watched Heather run squealing from Ashelin, pausing only briefly to hear where her sister was before she ran the other direction. They made her smile and she knew she would miss them greatly.

“You’ll send word when you make it home safely?” Kate asked, worrying over her parents as if she were the mother sending her children into the world for the first time. “Or I can send a guard with you. I don’t mind paying them to do that.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We've got a few of our own t'look after us," Brogan assured Kate as he stood alongside her, watching after Ashelin and Heather. "An' yer Wolf's probably got a few t'follow too."

Kell was quietly watching over the twins as well, gently redirecting them if they got too close to the horses or got in the servants' way. It was also an excuse to spend a little extra time with them as well. He adored Kate's family and was quietly heartbroken to see them all go.

 

[heartofcourage]

“I know.” Kate said as she glanced over at Kell. “He’ll take care of everyone without us even knowing it.”

Kate then looked up to her father, reaching down to take his hand and squeeze it tightly. “And we’ll all take care of one another. Even with you all the way in Inverness. You’ll know every thing that’s happening here.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan held her hand for a long moment before letting go to wrap a thick arm around her. "We'll still be lookin' after you from there. But I 'ave a good feelin' about House Aleister, kitten. I think ye'll be lookin' after a good part o' this family before long."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate leaned into her father’s side as Julia moved to gather the twins in her arms. The girls were thoroughly worn out by the time she brought them to their sister, letting Kate hug them both tightly to say her goodbyes.

“Keep Da in line, huh?” Kate murmured to them both, Ashelin wrapping her arms tightly around Kate’s neck while Heather leaned her head against her shoulder. “And make sure you treat Ma nicely. Don’t be stubborn or rude.”

 

[KieranSoares]

Once the little girls were settled in the carriage for a nap, Brogan took a deep breath to steady himself as he faced Kate for what would be the last time for a long while. This was the moment he'd dreaded for over a year, or if he considered it, perhaps Kate's entire life. This was the moment Kate truly left his protection and reach. And while he'd be able to offer help and occasionally welcome her back under his wing, she was no longer his to keep.

"Kate..." Brogan murmured softly, but he found himself at a loss for words.

 

[heartofcourage]

“It’s not goodbye, Da.” Kate said softly as her father started to speak and broke down into silence. “We’ll see one another as soon as we can. We’ll write every day. It’ll be painful to not be able to see you when I want, but we’ll both survive.”

Kate glanced over as Julia said her goodbyes to Kell, turning back to Brogan with a small smile. “He loves me, Da. Probably even more than you do. He’ll keep me safe no matter what.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I'll gladly fight 'im over who loves you more, kitten. But I trust 'im," Brogan murmured, stepping forward to hug Kate tightly to his chest as he'd been doing more and more often as the time of his departure had drawn near. "... I wish I had th'words t'tell you how much I love you, Kate, an' how proud I am of th'woman ye've become."

 

[heartofcourage]

“You don’t have to tell me, Da. I already know.” Kate murmured as her father practically crushed her against his chest. “And I spect you to take care of yourself. I don’t want to hear that you got sick because you were moping about the keep.”