Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not putting more work on your shoulders. I can handle this, Khelt." Kate said, looking up over the top of her paperwork at him. "If I can't, I'm in the wrong business and I just need to pack up now and go back to life in Inverness."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell didn't respond, instead turning to tend to his own work. He knew he wouldn't win. Kate would have to come to the conclusion herself or hit rock bottom before she admitted she couldn't do everything.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate watched her husband move across the room silently, leaving her to her work as he started on his own. They would always be at a stalemate when it came to their duties and how much they each did. She knew sooner or later they would both have to slow down, but that day would not be then.

It was a few days later as they waited for word from Henry that Kate caught sight of a familiar banner coming over a hill. She couldn't leave the fort fast enough to greet her father and any other Ghis that had chosen to come with him.

 

[KieranSoares]

From the north a medium battalion on horseback decked in leather, blue, and black came riding at a quick pace into the valley beside the bailey. Not only were they from Inverness, but it was the Invernessian elite: the Axemen. At the head rode Brogan, Boar, and Durban, the three brothers who had all been Axemen since Brogan founded them. Each was in full leather armor with metal plates here and there, a tartan sash, and their weapon of choice on their backs or belts. They appeared deadly serious until they caught sight of Kate.

Brogan immediately broke from the ranks, galloping forward to meet his daughter. He didn't even bother dismounting, instead scooping Kate up into the saddle in front of him and hugging her tightly.

 

[heartofcourage]

The moment her Da had her in his arms, Kate felt all of her worry melt away. Anything that had been said to her in the past few days, anything that had been done, didn't matter at all anymore. They hugged each other just as tightly, her face pressed tightly against his shoulder.

"I'm so glad that you came quickly." Kate murmured softly. "And I'm sorry to pull you away from Ma and the rest so soon after getting home. I need all the help I can get here."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan's head lay against her own, dropping his reins to hold her in both arms. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, murmuring back, "Don' worry about it, kitten. I've got th'rest of my life t'enjoy Inverness. I'm no' just your father, though. I'm your ally, and I aid my allies as quickly as possible."

He looked up as Boar and Durban drew up on either side of them, and Brogan helped Kate settle properly into the saddle in front of him so she could greet them too. Boar leaned over first, a huge gloves hand touching Kate's cheek as he kissed her forehead. "Hiya, lovely. We're at your service."

Durban leaned in to hug Kate as well, kissing the top of her head. "Us, an' a few others." He looked back, where Kate would see several of her cousins. To name a few, there was Gabriel, Leon, and Seamus. It seemed a number of werefolk had come as well, Ruben among them beside Jan.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I suppose I am in the best of hands now." Kate said with a soft smile, feeling much more in her element with her clan surrounding her.

After the rest of the Axemen had caught up, they all entered the fort's courtyard. Horses were stabled while Kate explained to her father and uncles in person what had happened. She could see her Uncle Boar stiffening as she talked, her father and Uncle Durban much more relaxed with the news.

"We're still waiting for Henry. Kell sent another rider out just two days ago in case the first met foul play." Kate said with a long sigh. "There is little else we can do."

 

[KieranSoares]

"If the enemy is Alba, he an' his allies probably have a way o' keeping Henry in th'dark. I wouldn' be surprised if neither rider makes it there," Brogan spoke calmly, looking down at the table between the four of them where a map of the border had been laid out. "Alba has a reputation fer guerrilla warfare- quick, quiet, an' deadly before 'e disappears. An all-out attack like this is pretty bold, but he'd excel at holdin' the border from any potential messengers."

"He also happens to be an experienced spymaster." The three men looked up to see standing in the doorway was a familiar greying Wolf with sharp golden eyes.

"Right on time," Durban murmured, smiling lightly at the sight of Khelt Aleister. "You here on yer own, old man, or is Sarah with us?"

"Both. My lady will be sending reinforcements if needed, but I came without her order. I happened to be nearby when I heard that Kate had responded personally to a border conflict." Khelt approached the table and faced Kate, his expression softening ever so slightly. "If no word has come from Henry yet, I will take it myself. Put together anything you want to send."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was surprised when Khelt entered the room. Of course, as an expert spy, he could enter a room without anyone knowing and leave before he was ever found. She gave him a nod as he stopped before her and insisted that he would take a message himself if it was needed.

"I will talk to Kell. He might have more that he wishes to send as well." Kate said as she glanced towards the map in the middle of the table. "Kell was working on stopping Alba's supply lines from the Scottish side. He won't receive another thing from my kingdom until this entire thing is resolved."

 

[KieranSoares]

"By the time I return, I'll be able to tell you exactly who is responsible, whether it's Alba or a group or something larger," Khelt nodded. He took a moment to kiss her cheek before nodding to the Ghis brothers and making his way out to find Kell.

"I swear tha' Wolf jus' appears wherever 'e wants to, whenever. Seems like 'e can go from Ireland t'any place in th'north in a moment," Boar commented quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

“And thankfully he’s family.” Kate said softly as her uncle mentioned about Kell’s ability to appear out of nowhere in a moment’s notice. “If not, then I might have reason to be afraid.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"We all would. Your enemies would too, if they knew of 'im. Only those with spymasters like your husband an' high skill assassins even know he exists or still lives. Plenty think he died decades ago," Durban commented. "An' half of 'em think your husband killed 'im."

 

[heartofcourage]

“He keeps to himself and has his loyalties to Ireland. Between Sarah and Emily, he’s got more than enough support to go around.” Kate said as she turned back to her uncles and her father. “None of us has anything to worry about.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"You especially," Boar chuckled.

"Now," Brogan spoke up, placing his hands on the table and leaning over the map. His brothers immediately focused on the t'ask at hand as Brogan looked to Kate. "Whoever's responsible here, you may 'ave a fight on your hands soon. Gods forbid it's against Henry. Mos' likely, it'll be Alba an' his allies. We need t'restrict the border til we know who our enemies are, or til we know where t'focus. Travelers an' merchants won' like it, but it seems like it was a small force tha' jus' snuck in an' took Paxton. Small groups an' individuals are jus' as dangerous as armies in th'right circumstances."

 

[heartofcourage]

“We've already placed armed soldiers on the boarder closest to Alba’s lands. I refuse to let him get the drop on us again.” Kate said as her father outlined what they needed to do. “We’ve also cut off their supply lines. Kell thought it best to try and starve them out in case they thought about attacking again.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good, it won' be easy fer Alba t'support his mercenaries without supply lines, an' it's th'start t'siege if necessary." Brogan looked to Alba's lands marked on the map. "He owns a lot o' woodland, so it'd be a hassle t'storm th'place with any speed if we did start a siege. But unlike Paxton, his home city doesn' have walls. We'd jus' need t'be careful o' the local people if we did tha'. We don' want t'repeat what 'is mercenaries did here. Til tha's all decided, we can organize forces along th'border should any more barons be involved. Seems we've got enough people t'close it down, but we'll need reinforcements fer any forays south."

"Your Majesty," a voice came from the doorway, "Lady Castor's carriage has been sighted in the south horizon." It was a cavalryman who'd come with Kate from Edinburgh.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If you will excuse me. I have to attend to this." Kate said softly as she pushed herself away from the table and bent to kiss her father's cheek. "Duty calls."

She gave them all a tired smile and a simple shrug of her shoulders as she turned to go and greet Lady Castor and explain to her all she knew about what had happened to her husband and family while she was gone away.

 

[KieranSoares]

The carriage soon came rolling into the gate, drawing up near the doors before a guard stepped up to open the carriage door. From inside stepped a slim, medium height woman with long dark hair in becoming braids and a simple but elegant blue traveling dress. She clutched something to her chest as she emerged, staring wide-eyed up at the castle with dread. She didn't seem to notice anyone else's presence.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was out in the courtyard when the carriage came rolling through the gate, a woman emerging with the help of a guard a few moments later. She seemed resigned to what was happening, but still hopeful that maybe things weren't as bad as she thought they were.

"Lady Castor." Kate said as she moved to greet the woman, standing at a respectful distance from her to give her as much space as she needed.

 

[KieranSoares]

The woman stood for a long moment staring up at the castle before her eyes landed on Kate, and she did her best to bow. "Your Majesty..." She then took a tentative step forward, then another. "Is... is he...? My Donall... He isn't really..." She couldn't bear to ask the question. "And my babies..." She was visibly trembling. She had certainly been told of the deaths of her family, but was unable to really process it all.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We have reason to believe that one of your sons might still live. He hasn't been found yet by my men. Your daughter is also alive. Shaken and needing you badly, but alive. The rest..." Kate said as she watched the realization cross over Lady Castor's features. "We buried your husband and children with honors. It was best that we do it quickly."

The fact that Qira and Kell refused to even let her see the atrocities done to the family had told her that it had been gruesome. She didn't want that sorrow to be added to a family already grieving.

"We will be taking care of your staff and lands while you decide what you wish to do. The crown will support those that need it for as long as you might need."

 

[KieranSoares]

Lifting her hands to her chest, all that Lady Evelyn Castor could do was stare back up at the castle. "I... I can't think right now, milady... I need to see my little girl... Excuse me..." She moved past Kate, slow, shaky, almost drifting along as if a ghost of her former self. A royal guardsman quietly followed to show her where Hannah was.

Brogan stepped outside after passing the lady of the castle, and came to Kate's side. "... Best t'look after her... I know tha' look on 'er face. I don' know if 'er daughter'll be enough t'soothe 'er."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She hasn't been alone since the moment they told her of the deaths, Da." Kate said softly as she watched Lady Castor enter the castle, searching out her remaining daughter to start grieving. "Nor will Kell allow her to be alone. He has his ways to make sure that she won't do anything rash in a moment of despair."

"It's the same with you and Ma and the rest of the family. He has his men watching each of you." Kate said softly, knowing that he already knew that he had his own personal, secret guard. "I don't know how many family members actually have one, but he simply tells me that you're well protected for my own sake."

Kate's shoulders slumped forward as she let out a long sigh, the exhaustion showing on her features as everything seemed to catch up to her all at once. "Excuse me, Da. I'm going to lie down for a while."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I migh' do th'same here soon, love," Brogan nodded, the long and fast journey catching up with him. "Boar an' Durban migh' need a rest too." He wrapped an arm around Kate and kissed her forehead. "I love ya, darlin'."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love you too, Da. I'm glad that you're here." Kate leaned into his side as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and told her that he needed to rest as well. "We'll meet for dinner and talk some more. I want to know what Ma and the rest have been up to."

After they parted, Kate retreated to her room, simply staring out the window to the courtyard below. She couldn't sleep, nor did she want to sleep. She simply felt terrible for the Castor family and everything that they had been through and would go through in the near future.

She didn't even hear Kell enter the room until he had his arms wrapped around her waist and his head rested against her shoulder. She leaned her own head against his as she let out a long sigh.

"I told her we would stay as long as we were needed. I have hopes that this will all be resolved soon." Kate said softly to her husband. "I don't like being away from Edinburgh too long."