Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"You have no idea, Kitten," he murmured. Eventually he scooped her into his lap, taking the long moment of silence to simply hold her as if she were small again.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes closing as she relaxed completely. It felt like forever since she had the chance to simply sit and exist. Kell had tried his hardest for her, but there was nothing like the love and protection of her father to make her feel fulfilled.

“He loves me deeply and gives me what I need, but nothing in the world beats this.” Kate whispered softly. “I don’t think anything ever will.”

 

[KieranSoares]

It was a few hours before Kate was pulled back into the general milieu of military operations, but everything was quiet as Henry had calmed the populace and the town was secured. Qira eventually reappeared, quietly resuming a place at Kate's side though other assassins would take up the less visible positions. Qira himself was too slow at the moment to be her shadowing guardian.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate glanced up from her work as she heard Qira rejoin her, the panther looking exhausted but still sharp and lethal. “Are you sure you should be up and around so soon?” She asked him quietly in Erygonian, glancing at her father who continued to work at her side as well. “I’m well protected here if you wanted to rest.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"I will take a shift while the others sleep," Qira murmured. Even that was a break for the Panther who was usually her constant bodyguard. It had become apparent that he normally slept when she was awake with Kell, but he would be on guard in the evenings and overnight.

Brogan looked up at the great Panther, an eyebrow raised. While he'd seen Qira before, like many, he knew nothing about the quiet guardian.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate let out a long sigh as she looked at Qira. "You are no good to me dead on your feet. Go back to your room and rest. That's an order from your queen."

 

[KieranSoares]

"And from your Lord Protector," Kell spoke up as he stepped in. He and Qira shared a glance, and Kell added softly, "Lyra and I have it handled, friend." Qira finally nodded and made his way out past Kell.

Brogan looked to Kell, then back to Kate. "So... Who is tha'?"

"One of my men," Kell answered simply, coming to sit at the table with them.

 

[heartofcourage]

"My protector." Kate murmured as Kell sat down at the table between her father and her, Brogan curious as to who the injured panther was. "That's all that we can really say, Da. Especially here where others might hear."

 

[KieranSoares]

"No' even a name?" Brogan looked to Kell.

"He goes by Qira," Kell nodded. "And he's better than me in every way when it comes to your daughter's well-being."

"Say no more, then," Brogan nodded, sighing as he sat back in his chair. "So anythin' new?"

"Henry's fretting over possibly having attacked an innocent lord, and we've got scouting teams on Alba's heels. We may also have a few informants close to him. If we're smart, we can capture him without anyone knowing, or if he gets more dangerous, kill him before he attacks another town. Without their leader, the men left behind will be no more than bandits, mercenaries, and homeless soldiers."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wish to talk personally to the lord of this keep." Kate said as she went back to her letters. "Alone, if possible. There are things that the both of us need to talk about."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I can arrange that," Kell nodded, adding a few extra reports to her stack. "He's been tended to for his wounds and his family is scared but safe. We've made it clear to Lady Rothbury the charges against her husband. If he's found guilty... Well, either his responsibilities will go to her, or she'll have to appoint a regent Lord til her son is of age."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We will do our hardest to not let this family be separated." Kate said softly, glancing over towards her father as she was reminded of her grandmother's stories of how Tamblin had been locked up during the very early years of their marriage, before even Brogan was born.

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's ultimately up to Henry, this is his land... But if all else failed, I would find them a place together in Scotland. But all that aside, I have a feeling the Lady knows more than she's letting on. I almost expect her husband really is innocent... And she may be too, but she seemed to know what Alba was up to."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure they spoke. If they run this county like many of the Lords in Scotland do, a wife will know far more of her husband's business than she lets on." Kate said, looking down at the pile of ever growing paperwork. "Now that you're back, I think I will take up the chance for a short rest."

She glanced over towards Kell and then back at her father. "You get some rest too, Da." She leaned over and kissed his cheek, standing from her seat to retire for a few short hours before they were forced to get back to work.

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell gathered up her paperwork, taking it to look over himself and do what he could to lighten her load. He didn't let her leave before pressing a kiss to her lips, and resumed his seat and task.

Brogan rose to go rest as well, walking with Kate as far as the room that had been set up for him. Rothbury was small so there wasn't much room, but Brogan was pairing with Boar, and Durban had paired with Cole.

As Kate reached her room, a tall, feminine figure appeared beside the door. "Excuse me, milady," she murmured. She was human, but her eyes were stark cub-blue. Her black hair was all swept to one side, and she wore simple makeup that almost downplayed the mature beauty underneath. She was easily in her mid fifties if not later by the streaks of silver in her hair, but she had the vitality of a much younger woman, it seemed. She was entirely new to Kate, not among any of the soldiers or servants. And she certainly wasn't one of Kell's assassins. She was dressed in neutral, dark colors like a traveler, but she had a bandolier of blades much like Kell and Qira.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate paused and looked at this new woman, taking in her clothing and the bandolier that she wore. If she were an assassin, she would have attacked straight away. Kate schooled her gestures until she heard who this woman was and what she wanted.

“Yes?” Kate asked, her hand resting lightly on her dagger. “Who are you?”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Don't be afraid," she spoke softly with a soft Scottish lilt, lifting a hand as Kate touched the hilt of her dagger. "I'm called Lyra. Khelt sent me to look after you and your husband." She offered a kind smile, almost motherly. "I wanted to make myself known after what happened today, so that you aren't caught off-guard should I have to intervene in some trouble. But... I also wanted the chance to meet you. Khelt talks about you and his grandson all the time."

 

[heartofcourage]

“Forgive me for not relaxing. One of my father’s men’s turned on me today.” Kate said, her hand still on her dagger as Lyra spoke about how Khelt had sent her to watch Kell. “My husband is his only family besides his adopted daughter. He watches over the both of us very closely. I suppose you are just another piece of that security.”

 

[KieranSoares]

"Actually," Lyra showed Kate her left wrist then, where an Aleister crest was tattooed, the black ink still deep ebony marking it as fairly recent. "He's added one more to his family. And he sent me in part to look after you both, and in part to get to know Kell. He made it clear to me very early on that Emily and Kell were his everything. And then recently, you became a part of his everything as well." She offered a smile. "He loves you so, and so while he can't be here, I'll take up his mantle as best I can."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate stared down at the tattoo on the woman's wrist, slightly confused as she told her that Khelt had added another member to his family. Khelt never talked about himself at all. It was always about Emily, or Emily's cub, or Emily's husband, or what Kell's plans were.

"What...are you to him?" Kate asked, so incredibly curious and wondering if Kell knew anything about this.

 

[KieranSoares]

"A bit of this and that, I suppose. He and I stick together... We are what each other needs when they need it." She smiled gently. "And recently, he asked me to marry him."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Does Kell know?" Kate asked, stunned by the news that Khelt had asked someone to marry him after so many years on his own. "Does Emily know? That seems like a pretty big step to not tell the rest of his family."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I've known Emily for years, she's like a daughter to me. She knows, but before we could tell you two, all of this mess started on the border, and there was a threat to Sarah's eldest boy. Khelt went back to Ireland, but he asked me to look after you two. And I thought I'd have a little fun at the old man's expense and share one of his precious secrets." She chuckled softly at that.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm sure that Emily has been dying to tell someone. She's probably got a letter to Kell on the way." Kate said, glancing down the hallway to make sure that Kell wasn't lurking as he was known to do. "I'll let the two of you have your fun, I suppose."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, we'll make him wait. It's fair too much fun to hold secrets over that cub's head. But I did want to meet you, and let you know I'm aware of these new threats leveled against you. And with Kell, I'm combing through everything and everyone, pursuing all doubts and loose ends. I'm sorry we couldn't catch that last one til he revealed himself... But I believe we understand what they're planning."