Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"... 'Aven' I always?" Brogan asked softly. Indeed he had always treated Ciaran like a man. A younger man, but still a man no less. "I jus' don' know if anythin' I do or say'll ever be enough."

A light knock sounded on the door, and Brogan rose, buttoning his shirt before opening it up. And there stood Lir. Brogan was caught off-guard by the sight of a new werewolf, though there were a few who worked in the keep. He didn't know just who this werewolf was, though.

"Can I help ya, lad?" Brogan asked, and Lir nodded.

"Yes, sir. Is the Queen here? I need to tell you both something important about Ciaran."

"Sure, lad. Jus'... one minute. Go down th'hall t'the library, we'll meet ya there," Brogan directed him down the correct way before closing the door and turning to Julia.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was surprised when she heard Lir's voice. She didn't expect that Ciaran's lover would have come into the keep to talk to them. She pulled herself out of bed, dressing quickly before she took Brogan's hand to walk towards the library.

 

[KieranSoares]

Lir awaited them somewhat nervously, but when they came, he faced them confidently despite anxiety. "Sir," he offered his hand to shake. "My name is Lir Evelia. I'm Ciaran's... friend."

Brogan knew what he meant by 'friend', and took a deep breath before shaking Lir's hand. "Glad t'meet you, lad. Now, wha's goin' on with Ciaran?"

"He's planning to run away, he asked me if he could come to live with my tribe, with me."

"Where is he right now?"

"He's in his camp, packing."

"Stay 'ere, lad. I need t'talk to 'im." Brogan kissed Julia's cheek before he went. "Get t'know 'im... I want t'know who my son's in love with."

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia watched Brogan go, hoping that he could stop their son from leaving home. She had respect for Lir telling them what was happening and she gave him a warm smile as she motioned him to sit with her next to the fire.

"Sit with me and talk, Lir. I'd love to know about your family and where you're from." She said softly, a motherly interest in her voice. "Would you like something to eat or drink? Chessie is one of the best cooks in Scotland."

 

[KieranSoares]

Lir came to settle beside her with a kind smile on his face, and he politely accepted a drink. "Anything to drink would be lovely, Ma'am." He spoke perfect English, and his Lunar accent, like Kreston's, was beautiful and rich. Chessie brought them her best tea, and Lir thanked her with an honest gratefulness.

Once she was gone, Lir took a slow sip of the tea and smiled at the perfect taste before he began telling Julia what she wanted to know. "I am the son of Oless and Danu Evelia, my father Oless is the leader of our tribe. The Mav Ro is the largest tribe in the isles, if not the known world, and we're split into five groups around the Highlands and the Isle of Skye. My group are forest and highland-roaming nomads in the center of our five nations, but we keep to the Lochcarron region."

He met her gaze with a smile, and it was the first time she began to notice how his tattoos were designed. All tribal werewolves had them, it was common and now sometimes forgettable. All tribal werecreatures had either their entire body, or just the left side tattooed from ear tip to tail tip to footpaws. Lir had his left side tattooed in beautiful flowing black patterns. They were meaningful to werecreatures, but humans rarely understood them without long, intensive research with the aid of the mysterious people. There were certainly no human books on the subject.

 

[heartofcourage]

"How did you meet Ciaran?" She asked him in her soft, unassuming way. "He's never mentioned that he was even seeing anyone...and he tells me everything."

She wasn't angry or upset, she simply wanted to understand her son. She had always thought that her children would come to her with any problems or any news about their lives. She had always been honest and loving with them, but it seemed that Ciaran's problems went far deeper then she'd ever realized.

 

[KieranSoares]

"My tribe first came to Inverness at the call of Kreston, his tribe being brother to our own. I was only a toddler when my mother brought me here after the battle to meet up with my father as he was wounded. I fell in love with the forests here, more so than my own around Lochcarron. So I come back twice a year. It was two years ago that I met Ciaran, but it was on my third stay, which I arranged specially to see him, that we decided we wanted to be together. I went home after two months staying in his camp, then I came back and have only visited home for short periods of time before coming back to him."

Lir smiled to her, "We met while he was studying plants, and that's what we first bonded over. My people are known for a deep understanding of the earth, and it's my personal passion. Every single day, he has new questions for me, and he always surprises me with things he learns that I never would've thought of. Your son could've been born in a tribe and fit perfectly, your Highness. He's met my mother and she calls him her son already. My father... well, he's a little edgy about the fact that Ciaran's a human, but he's friendly."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I wish that you both would have come to Brogan and I much sooner." Julia said, a little bit of the ache that she felt breaking into her voice. "I don't know what he's told you about us, but we have never shown him anything but love and understanding."

Julia let out a long sigh, her eyes falling towards the rug that was spread across the library floor. "As a mother I feel like I've failed. How could my son not feel comfortable enough to come to me with this?"

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's not anything you did, trust me," Lir told her softly as his smile faded. "He knows how the world feels not only about two men being together, but also about humans and werewolves being together. He's afraid it'll get us killed. It's other people's awful opinions and hatred that made him afraid to tell anyone, even his family. Even Kate. She only knows because she saw us sitting together in Ciaran's camp and she figured it out for herself."

 

[heartofcourage]

"It seems I'll have to have a talk with my daughter then." Julia said with a rueful smile. "Lir, I want you to know that you are welcome here for as long as you would like to stay."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You're too kind, milady. But I'm not sure about staying, if only for Ciaran's sake. There may be many kind people here, but there will always be hunters and those who would hurt us among them. It's safer for everyone if I just keep to Ciaran's camp."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I understand. Just remember that the offer will always be there, Lir." Julia said in that same kind voice, her belly starting to roll in that same sickening feeling that she'd been battling that week. "Lir, if you would excuse me, I must go take care of something."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Of course. I need to stop in the market. I'll see you soon, milady." He rose and left her side and the keep altogether after stopping to thank Chessie and say hello to Kate.

It would be about two hours before Brogan returned.

 

[heartofcourage]

Julia was resting in front of the fire, wrapping in a soft blanket. She opened her eyes when Brogan entered the room and she gave him a tired smile. She held out her hand to him, drawing him into the seat next to her.

"How is he?" She asked him simply.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Better," Brogan nodded. "Still scared o' th' world, though. But no' scared of 'is own family." Settling beside her, he noticed she seemed pale and he had seen her out of sorts for a while. "Y'feelin' alright, love? Y'look like yer sick." He laid his hand on her forehead but found she had no fever.

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't feel well, love, but I don't want you to worry." She said softly as his hand rested against her forehead. "You go hunting with Kate. Have a good time. I'll stay in and rest today."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I want you t'see Vincenzo today," Brogan insisted before he leaned in to kiss her forehead. "Kate an' I'll be back sometime this afternoon." With that, he left her side to go find Kate.

Coming into the library, he found her reading one of his books again- the only ones she'd ever been interested in- and he silently snuck up behind her. Catching her around the waist, he smiled, "I thought yer Ma told you t'leave my books be?"

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, she said as long as I read Greek and Latin as well..." Kate said, twisting her mother's words to serve herself. "Da, you know that it all gets so boring. I would much rather read about warfare."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know you would, but those other books're useful too, I read 'em when I was a young lad. But enough with readin'. I promised you we'd go huntin', so get yer bow an' horse an' let's go." He turned to head out to the stables.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate grinned from ear to ear, hurrying off to get the bow that he had given to her for her last birthday. It was one built for her slight frame, still strong and deadly like the one that he hunted with. One of her favorite past times was hunting with her father. She tried to do things that her mother was interested in, but there was only so much that she could take before she needed to be out in the fresh air.

Once she was mounted onto her horse and riding alongside her Da, she felt all of her troubles melt away. He didn't expect her to be prim and proper and ladylike. He simply enjoyed her for what she was.

"Da, can I ask you something?" She spoke finally, looking across at the father that she adored. "Why does Ma make me learn all those silly things? I mean, it's not like any of it will ever come in handy."

 

[KieranSoares]

"It's part o' bein' a noblewoman. Yer Ma takes great pride in 'er children bein' cultured an' intelligent. Th'more ya learn, even if ya don' end up usin' all of it, the easier it is t'learn other things. Y'know why she's teachin' ya Latin an' Greek? Because Greece is where the alphabet fer a lot o' languages came from, and Latin is what most languages are based out of. You learn those, it'll be easier t'learn th'languages y'need like Italian, French, and whatnot. An' I know how you love talkin' t'yer Aunt an' Grandad in Italian. She teaches ya chess, much as y'hate it, because it'll teach ya strategy. Everythin' has a purpose... either t'prepare ya t'be a wife, or t'prepare ya t'be a leader... which is somethin' I wanted t'talk t'you about."

Brogan looked over at her, "Ciaran doesn' want t'be the heir t'my throne, never 'as, an' I won't force 'im. I know about Lir now, an' I'd rather they be free like they want. So I wanted t'ask you, love... would ya like t'start trainin' t'be the heiress?"

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate pulled her horse to a sudden stop as he looked at her and asked if she wanted to be the heir to Inverness. She had always thought that it would be Ciaran, not her that lead the people of Inverness into the future. The very idea that her father was ready to hand that mantle to her both humbled and frightened her.

"Oh, Da..." She said softly, looking at him with those dark green eyes that were just like Julia's. "I couldn't ask that of you. I mean...what about Sam and Rho? They're both smart. They can lead Inverness."

She didn't want to think that one day her father wouldn't be around. He was a strong man, one that loved her fiercely, but the idea of being the one that people relied on in the future was daunting.

 

[KieranSoares]

"I know they are. But they're a different sort o' leader than you, than Ciaran too. Y'see... I'd always wanted t'have an heir like m'self, tha' would carry on th'way o' the Ghis, tha' could be just as strong, but still fair. Ciaran's no' like me, never a's been. But you are, Kate. Sam an' Rho... they're not fit t'be Kings, they're fit t'be warriors, I can see tha' already."

Steering his horse back beside her, he reached out to touch her cheek with a kind smile. "I understan' if ya don' want to. But give it some thought, aye? I think ye'd make a fine Queen, you'd be to Inverness what yer Ma an' I are t'gether. I wouldn' ask ya if I didn' think y'could do it." He leaned in and kissed her cheek before hugging her tight. "I love ya, sweetheart, no matter what."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I love you too, Da." Kate said with a sincere voice, returning his hug as tightly as she could muster. "Promise me that you'll be around forever."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I won' make promises I can' keep, love, but I promise I'll be here as long as I can. After all, someone's got t'keep an eye on you an' yer brothers." Brogan laid his head against her own, "M'little beauty..." He'd called her that, only her, for as long as she could remember.