Ghis (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"It's a way of life, love." Julia said softly, knowing that he was haunted by the fact that he might die at any time because of his job and position. "There's nothing wrong being married to a soldier. If our daughters love a man that is in the ranks, then who are we to tell them no? One day Ciaran will have to face that fact as well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"One day... but no' while I'm still drawin' breath."

And so the years passed, finally in peace aside from rumbles from England and Norway that never amounted to anything in Scotland. It was a full sixteen years, filled with near-perfection. Julia and Brogan were blessed with twins four years after Kate, named Samuel Durban Ghis and Rhodan Brian Ghis for the late King Brian who died shortly before their birth. Power shifted to Prince Gale quite smoothly, aided by his brothers in the council.

The twelve-year old twins were troublemakers from the very start, but too lovable to scold for too long. Sixteen-year old Kate grew, but she was never very big. At sixteen, she was five feet and one inch tall with a very strong, athletic body and a vehement love for being a tomboy. She hated dresses, loved riding horses, and strove to be a knight even though no woman had ever properly been one.

Seventeen-year old Ciaran had become a fine young man with broad shoulders and a lean form with a talent for archery both on foot and on horseback, and an odd green thumb and a deep love of nature and growing things. However, he never showed any interest in things that his father did, such as sword and axe-fighting, battle strategy, and war history and lumberjacking. He didn't care for the ways of a warrior, he was instead a hunter and gatherer and a man of the earth rather than the keep. As he grew older, he could often be found on a sleeping roll out under the stars rather than his warm bed in the keep at night. And he had a deep distaste for his training as a Prince and future King. He was very much eligible for the role, but he'd seemed less than thrilled when Brogan had announced him Crown Prince. And now that he was older, a rift had begun to grow between himself and Brogan thanks to the fact that they were simply unalike. Ciaran more preferred the company of his mother or the older women in the kitchen, where he loved to cook and bake.

And Annie, now in her mid-twenties, was married to a fine lumberjack on the edge of Inverness, a man practically trained in his career by Brogan. His name was David Shenandoah, a name he'd given himself because he had never known his parents and been raised by the lumberjacks. The two didn't have any children yet, but were planning on one very soon.

It was Julia and Brogan's eighteenth anniversary, one starry, full-moon night when Brogan had sent all of the children with Durban and Marri on a week-long little camping trip in the highlands. Durban had done it twice every year since coming to stay in Inverness, sometimes missing the Highlands.

Brogan lay in bed with Julia, practically making love to just her lips as they lay entwined with Julia resting on top of him. Both of them were half-naked, and had slowed to enjoy the passionate kisses. Their physical love had never dimmed, and thanks to their family, they always had the option every so often to send the children to their relatives to have a night alone.

 

[heartofcourage]

The feelings that Julia had found for her husband had grown over time. He was the perfect father, a wonderful mate, someone that made her smile and laugh and gave her the most intense passion that she'd ever known. It had a been a joy all the time to watch their children grow together and she very much looked forward to their twilight years together...which were still many years away. Only 36, Julia still felt incredibly young and vibrant. She could only hope to be like Kitty and Vincenzo, still bright and vibrant in the older years as she herself grew older.

She had worries for all of her children though. Annie and her husband were a darling couple, very much in love, but the worry of not having children was starting to show on her dear daughter's face. She simply told her that it took time and reminded her that it had taken Cassandra a long time to become pregnant with Annie. Of course, Julia hid those conversations from Brogan. While he loved David like a son, he didn't like the idea that his Annie was doing those sorts of things.

Her heart, Ciaran, was a strange, sweet boy. He didn't seem to care at all about the trials and tribulations that would come with being king. He was more content to explore the world around him, not giving any attention to his duties. It caused Brogan many sleepless nights, but she was always there to remind him that he himself had never had designs on the throne. They simply needed to let their boy be.

Kate, her sweet kitten, was the one that made her hair grey. With fiery hair and a fiery personality, she knew that there would be a day very soon that men came calling for her hand. She wasn't ready for that. There was still so much that Kate needed to learn about being a wife but it seemed that she and her father were more interested in the art of war and horses. There would be a day when Kate came to realize that life wasn't so easy and that was the day that Julia would finally make her mark on her wayward daughter.

Samuel and Rhodan, her moon and stars, would stop her heart one moment and melt it the next. They had been a great surprise to her and Brogan and a handful since the moment that they came along but everyone in the family had been involved in raising them. They adored their aunts and uncles, especially Durban and his survival skills. It was lucky that their uncle took them so often to the highlands...

Julia let out a gasp as she felt her husband suckle on the sensitive flesh of her throat, her needy whimper sounding so loud against his ear. She blew out a sigh, her green eyes meeting his dark gaze as she cupped his cheeks and gave him a smile.

"Happy anniversary, my love." She whispered softly, nuzzling against him gently. "Eighteen years of bliss. Five children. Thank you for my Annie love, my heart, my kitten, and my moon and stars."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan smiled up at her adoringly, and though his looks had changed, he truly had not. His thick, dark hair was almost always tied back now, and a bit longer. He was 46 now, his temples were entirely dark grey now and his short, thick beard was tinged with the same grey here and there. Hard lines had appeared between his brows from worry over the years, but also lines on his face that never would've come without Julia and the children to make him smile constantly. He was still strong and young at heart, though, and could pass for Julia's age.

His body had changed a bit too, even more muscular and strong and broad from the years of his children loving to ride on his shoulders and hang on his arms and around his neck, especially Kate who fancied him her horse til she was ten years old and got her very own horse.

"I should be thankin' you," Brogan muttered in a voice that had deepened to an lower bass over time, lovely and deep and warm. "Y'brought the first 'ome, carried the other four fer nine months each, an' let me 'elp ya raise 'em all." With another warm kiss, he rolled them slowly over til Julia lay on her back and his huge hands found her wrists. He trapped her hands above her head ever so gently, sitting up on his knees over top of her. "Beautiful, wicked, wonderful lass..." he whispered.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia loved it when Brogan pinned her to the bed, spread out for his eyes only as he raised over the top of her. Her body had certainly changed in the years since she had first come to Inverness. Her breasts were full, sagging slightly from the rearing of four children. Her belly and hips were taut but showed that she was a mother all the same. Her dark green eyes sparkled with merriment that hadn't been there during her first few days in Scotland and her hair shown with a copper red that nearly matched Kate's own flamed hair hue. No one had ever questioned who Kate's father was and those thoughts were long gone from her mind.

"Will you bind my wrists, Brogan? I think perhaps I need to be punished." She purred, smiling warmly at him as she tugged at her wrists playfully.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I think y'do, after tha' stunt y'pulled with th'boys las' week," he smirked. He kept her hands with one of his own, and reached down to unbind his belt. Once he'd freed it from his waist, he also rid her of her underclothes that she still possessed. Her hands were soon bound together, and he descended to her full breasts to catch one of her nipples in his lips as he hadn't done in several weeks. His hand found her untouched breast to massage it slowly, and his second hand fell further til his fingers met her folds, stroking the seam to tease her.

Brogan had mastered her body long ago, but as they grew older, they took their time more often, and he had become an expert in slow, meaningful lovemaking.

 

[heartofcourage]

"But I didn't do anything!" Julia exclaimed as he bound her wrists with his belt, her chest heaving as he looked down at her with those inky dark eyes, the same ones that still took her breath away. "I never told them that they could bring the sheep into the keep. I simply told them that we shouldn't tell you."

She let out a gasp as his lips suddenly captured a nipple, suckling on it until she saw stars. Julia bucked in her restraint, whimpering with hot need as his hands suddenly got to work as well. Her other breast was massaged gently, prolonging the experience as his other hand petted and explored along her wet slit.

"Oh, love..." Julia murmured, bucking her hips against his fingers as he started the slow torture that she loved so much. "It's been far too long..."

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan's fingers dipped painfully slowly into her blossom, skimming her clit before slipping into her warm and welcoming entrance. She could feel him hard as stone against her thigh as he played with her body, always enjoying her little movements and reactions. His lips soon lifted from her nipple and he pulled his hand from her breast, but his opposite hand continued to stroke in and out of her body.

"Y'know... I'm no' sure I'm ready t'give ya what you want, yet. Migh' take a little extra coaxin'," he whispered against her ear as his fingers pressed deeper.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia whimpered hotly, twisting against the bonds that held her firmly as his fingers slowly stretched her body, teasing against her throbbing pearl as he teased her. Her green eyes turned towards his, her teeth capturing her lower lip as he told her that he needed a little more. Julia instantly spread her thighs a little more, showing him her wet entrance that his fingers were currently caressing as she burned with desire for him.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan smirked at how willing she was to accept him, and he decided to reward that. His fingers remained, but his lips descended until his tongue found her small bud and he switched between tracing circles around it and suckling on it. His two fingers stroked as deeply inside her as they could reach now, stretching her further.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia's body bucked and moved beneath him, whimpering hotly as he suckled and teased her hard, throbbing clit. He was an expert when it came to her pleasure and it seemed that he was going to give her everything that evening. Her toes curled tightly, her thighs quivering as his thick fingers slipped easily in and out of her body, the wet sound filling the room around them.

Without warning, Julia tensed, a long low moan escaping her throat as she came. She flexed her hips, drawing his fingers deeper and pressing her slit firmly against his lips.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan did not stop for her climax even as he pulled away. He reached between them and unbuttoned the front of his trousers and pressed his solid cock into her still-recovering body. With him renewing his assault on her pleasure so soon, she wouldn't last too long. He knew it, and knew he wasn't going to last long either.

Taking firm hold of her rounded hips, he steadily thrust into her core, slow and deep just the way she loved it.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia's body went taunt again, her head thrown back against the pillows as Brogan split her entrance with his thick cock. Even after all that time together, that moment still took her breath away. She whimpered, a moan escaping as he started thrusting in that slow, sure manner.

"Brogan..." She called out, her fingers clinging to his shoulders as she struggled to contain herself.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan's answer was to capture her lips with his own, unable to convey in words what he felt. Everyday, he was sure he couldn't love her more, but everyday, she proved him wrong. Even with their few arguments and fights over the years, they never went to bed angry. Brogan simply never could.

And tonight was one of many, albeit a bit fewer, that Brogan found himself in awe of her and her vast love for him. As their lips parted, he looked down upon her with such reverence, still hardly believing such a wonderful woman would take him and make love with him.

 

[heartofcourage]

The look in Brogan's eyes brought tears to her own. Julia had never seen him look upon her with such lover before. She nuzzled against him, silently thanking God for giving her a man that loved, honored, and respected her. Each thrust shook her to the core. Each kiss light her soul on fire. She wanted him more now then she ever had before.

"More, love." She begged him, whimpering as his cock touched those all too familiar spots deep inside of her.

 

[KieranSoares]

Wrapping his arms beneath her, Brogan picked up his pace just a bit and somehow reached deeper within her body. His lips traced hot, tingling kisses across her collarbone and neck before he let out a deep, soulful groan and his seed filled her belly, though he didn't stop just yet.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia let out a yelp at the familiar, lovely sensation of his seed spilling into her body. She shook at the force of his groan, whimpering against his ear as he continued to pump his cock in and out of her body. Before she knew it, she was crying out her pleasure again, her lips against his ear as she mashed her hips hard up against his own.

 

[KieranSoares]

Brogan slowly settled against her as they both came down from the high, and he rolled onto his back so that Julia could lay against him. He let out a soft sigh, and laid his hand across her back as he looked up at her with a gentle smile. His face, hard as it still was, always softened for her. "'Ave I ever told ya how beautiful y'are?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"You have every day for eighteen years, love." Julia said softly as she snuggled against her husband's side and watched his face melt as he looked at her. "And I never get tired of hearing you say it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Good, b'cause I'm no' done by a long shot." Brogan let himself relax and closed his eyes. It wasn't too long before he had slipped into sleep. It was far easier for him to sleep now after years of sleepless nights because of the children, especially Kate.

When the children returned a week later, Kate was immediately back at her usual antics with the twins, causing all sorts of trouble. Julia found her one morning perched in the rafters of the keep's great hall. And how she'd gotten up there was a complete mystery. She was laying across the main beam, eating an apple. She had once again escaped wearing a dress, and instead was wearing riding breeches, tall riding boots, and one of Ciaran's tunics with a wide rider's belt about her waist and her sword at her side.

She was humming to herself, reading one of her father's old war history books, something that no lady should have interest in.

Rhodan and Sam were sitting in the hall below her, playing some card game and eating scones they'd pilfered from the kitchen. But seeing Julia, they quickly hid the sweets.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia walked into the great hall and instantly saw the twins hiding their ill gotten sweets. She let out a long sigh as she stared at them for a moment and then caught sight of where Kate was currently sitting, reading one of her father's books.

"Katherine Valencia Ghis! Get down here this instant." Julia called in the voice that let them know that she meant business. "Samuel Durban. Rhoden Brian. You as well. And where is your brother?"

 

[KieranSoares]

Kate sighed dramatically, "Sam, catch," she tossed the book down to him put the apple in her mouth, and slid down off the beam til she hung from it by her arms, and she dropped down into a crouch before rising to take a bite out of the apple and take her book back. "I was just reading. I thought you said it was important for a lady to be well-read," she reasoned, even though she knew Julia hadn't meant that kind of reading.

"Ciaran's in the kitchen with Chessie," Rhodan told her, "he said we could have the scones!"

"You little liar," Ciaran spoke up as he appeared from the hall to the kitchen. "What do you need, Ma?" He'd never developed a Scottish accent as was expected of him. It was Julia's English instead.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You all know that we're having a family dinner tonight. Ciaran it would please me greatly if you didn't run off into the woods this evening. Sam and Rho, please be on your best behavior." Julia looked towards Kate and she let out a little sigh. "And kitten, would you please put on the new gown your grandmother gave you for Christmas? It looks so pretty on you and I would love to see you in it this evening."

Julia didn't ask much of her children, but when she made special requests, she expected them to be followed.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Yeah, okay..." Kate sighed, knowing that she couldn't get away with disobeying or else her father would get involved. And she could never overcome Brogan.

Ciaran nodded, "Alright, should I make anything special?"

"Why do you cook?" Rhodan piped up.

"Because it's useful and it's fun," Ciaran messed up his little brother's hair before stealing the scones back from him and Sam.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Thank you, kitten." Julia said with a smile as she brushed her hand through her daughter's wild red hair and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "And perhaps you could read some Ancient Greek along with your warfare please?"

"You two need to go and repair that fence you broke with that sheep last week. Chessie is awful sore at the both of you and you promised that you'd have it done by now." Julia said to the twins, crossing her arms over her chest and giving them the look that suggested she was meaning business. "Off now. There's enough time to do it before dinner. And I want clean hands and face and shirts when you come back."

Once they were gone, she turned towards Ciaran and gave her eldest a fond smile, kissing his cheek before she looped her arm through his own. "Have a walk with me, my heart."

She guided him out of the keep, walking a short distance away before she spoke what was on her mind. "Your Da is worried about you, Ciaran. Is everything alright?"