Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"I enjoy our time beyond your bed too," Qira insisted softly. "And I want to know you better." He didn't insist that what they had was becoming love, nor did he necessarily want anything from her at all. He simply wanted her to see that she was more than a partner in bed to him.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'll break your heart." Rissa said softly, kissing him one last time before she pulled away from him and started to get dressed.

 

[KieranSoares]

Qira remained where she left him for a long moment, watching her and silently wondering what she meant. Finally as he rose and pulled on his trousers, he got up the courage to ask, "What do you mean?" He caught her gaze. "What will you do that you are so sure will hurt me?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"I'm not made for one person, Qira. I also don't know what I would do in an single relationship." Rissa said as they both dressed in the tense atmosphere that had suddenly appeared. "I don't know that I'm one to marry. I don't even know if I'm the kind of person that would thrive with one other person. I know in the end, I'd end up breaking your heart."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Did I ever say I wanted any of that?" Qira asked calmly. "I am not jealous, and I do not care for marriage, especially knowing that I could die if someone came for Kate. But if you really think this will all fall apart... I do not want to make it harder for you "

 

[heartofcourage]

"It isn't hard. I just don't want to be responsible for a broken heart." Rissa insisted, looking over at the panther as he told her that he wasn't looking for marriage or anything serious. "You say all of that now, but things change. I've had many men change their minds and it has never ended well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I see," Qira said simply and calmly as he finished dressing. "I have a patrol to finish, then. Good night." He gave her a nod and slipped out of the office and into the darkened castle.

 

[heartofcourage]

Rissa knew that she had already broken his heart by the way that he retreated in an instant, telling her that he had a patrol to finish. She cursed under her breath and sat back down at her desk, thinking about what he had put out there. It was definitely something that she would have to think about, if he even did want to continue with her.

The next few days were full of tension and and silence on Rissa's part. She was courteous as always when it came to Kell and Kate, but the moment she saw Qira, she shut down and put on a cool mask. Kate definitely saw the change, but said nothing. Kell, as always, said nothing as well.

Kate had chosen to enter into a fight with an upstart lord shortly after her return to Edinburgh. The Duke of Rathsay was far too big for himself and he demanded to be given land that he saw as his. She had refused, mostly because his land butted against a territorial kingdom. She had no say over what the king did with his property.

After an incredibly tense meeting, Kate had stepped away, exiting the meeting with the duke hot on her heels. "I've said no, my lord. Do not make me throw you out as well." She threatened, looking over her shoulder at the man as his face turned to a bright red mask of fury.

Rissa saw the moment that the lord lost his cool, reaching out to grab Kate by the upper arm. Everything seemed to stop in slow motion as he yanked her to a stop a bit too roughly. Kate was surprised as she lost her footing and went down, an audible snap issuing in the hall before Kate let out a shriek of pain.

 

[KieranSoares]

The moment the lord reached out, Qira appeared. While he wasn't quick enough to stop Kate's fall, he slammed into the Duke and pinned him against the opposite wall with a snarl, a couple of the Royal Guard coming around the corner a moment later having heard the commotion. One knelt beside Kate, helping her sit up while the other helped Qira hold the Duke in place.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was on the ground in pain, clenching her right arm tightly with her left hand. She didn't care what happened to the duke behind her, all she could focus on at the moment was the searing pain that was shooting through her.

"I think it's broken." Kate gasped, looking up at the royal guard and Rissa who was standing over her.

"A healer will be here shortly." Rissa said softly, kneeling next to the queen. "As for him, what shall we do?"

"A week in the dungeon would do him a world of good." Kate growled.

 

[KieranSoares]

At Kate's word, Qira let the two guards take the Duke, none of them gentle with him as they dragged him away. Qira remained, kneeling beside Kate and carefully rolling up her sleeve to take a look. He was firm with her, not letting her pull away as he carefully felt the break. "It's a clean break," he murmured in Erygonian to her before lifting her carefully to her feet. He knew the Duke would have hell to pay when Kell found out, but for now, Qira's primary concern was Kate. He kept an arm around her, her arm protected between them as he guided her to her private parlor where no one else would bother her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate leaned into the panther as he firmly looked at her arm and then guided her towards her private apartments, protecting her and the arm from anyone that might interfere. "Bloody bastard should learn to take no for an answer. How dare he touch me like that."

She was as grumpy as a bear, swearing under her breath at the pain that pulsed through her. Rissa was quick behind them, shutting the door to the apartment as the guards promised to alert them when the healer arrived.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He will learn that attacking royalty comes with more than a time-out. But Kell will deal with that," Qira muttered, sitting her down and making sure she held her arm steady so not to cause more damage. "He will be an example to others."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He'll be lucky if I don't demand his head." Kate growled, wincing as Qira got her as comfortable as possible as they waited for the healer to come. "I'd put it on a pike on top of the castle. Maybe then they would leave me alone with their ridiculous requests."

"Men like him never learn." Rissa said, drawing Kate's attention towards her. "You are on the right path, even with all of its pain."

 

[KieranSoares]

When the healer arrived, he made short work of Kate's arm and set it in a proper cast. He was just opening the door to leave, stopping ahort as Kell came around the corner with a grim, dark look on his face. He stepped past the man, and seeing Kate with her arm bound, he immediately looked to Rissa and Qira.

"What the hell happened?" He demanded quietly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"An overzealous lord." Rissa said as if it were nothing, Kate floating in the midst of the pain killing herbs that she had been given. "He has be contained and dealt with as quickly as possible. Dare I say that this was all an accident that he will learn dearly from."

"Accident my arse." Kate muttered as she relaxed back against her pillows, her green gaze hazy and distant. "I told him no and he wouldn't accept my answer. I want him to pay."

"A good queen doesn't make rash decisions." Rissa said simply, looking down at Kate and then at Kell.

 

[KieranSoares]

"He will potentially pay with his title. My rules about touching the queen are very clear." Kell stepped over to sit at Kate's side, brushing her hair back gently. "Qira and I will discuss it later." As Lord Protector, his domain was law and defense, meaning he dealt personally with anyone who threatened or hurt Kate, and he dealt harshly.

 

[heartofcourage]

"If I might suggest something, my lord." Rissa said as he sat at Kate's side, ignoring her grumbling as she leaned into her husband's side, allowing him to support her in her weakness. "If you are having troubles with wayward lords, this might be your chance to take care of multiple problems at once. Make an example of him, yes, but make him an example in front of all of them."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell considered her words for a long moment before nodding. "That is exactly what I'll do. If you would, send out a call for the council of Lords to gather. Whatever we decide to do with this Duke, they will see the sentence handed down and the Duke dragged off to his fate."

 

[heartofcourage]

"As you wish." Rissa said, nodding towards him and turning to leave them alone.

Kate was floating, holding her arm tightly against her belly. She was in a fair amount of pain, but the herbs helped her to take her minds off things. She leaned heavily against Kell's side, glancing up at Qira as he watched them both.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Qira." Kate murmured in a very slurred Erygonian. "Don't blame yourself."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I should have been faster," Qira muttered in his native tongue, shaking his head.

"If I know you at all, Qira, no one could've been faster. And nothing irreversible happened, that's the important thing," Kell assured him. "I wouldn't put it past some of those lords to really try to hurt her if they got angry enough."

Qira sighed silently, nodding to Kell before stepping out. He wouldn't go far, but he let them be.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I should probably be benevolent." Kate muttered as Qira left, leaving her alone with her husband. "Let him plead his case and allow him to go on his way. I want nothing more than to rip his guts out, however."

 

[KieranSoares]

"We can meet halfway, because I certainly won't just let him off." Kell kissed her cheek. "We'll talk when you're a little more lucid. He can sit and think in the dark for a while."

 

[heartofcourage]

"She was there." Kate murmured as Kell laid her out on the bed, covering her with their light blanket. "Rissa. She was there as if she cared. She hurried in just as quickly as Qira did."

 

[KieranSoares]

"She does care. We all want you to be around to be the Queen Scotland needs. But I think she also sees that you two could be friends in time." Kell brushed her hair back gently. "Sleep, and I'll have a meal for you when you wake."