Ghis (closed)

[KieranSoares]

"Hm... is there a bench 'round 'ere?"

"Right here." Kell reached out to take his arm, despite how he felt sure that Brogan wouldn't like it. But Brogan didn't seem to mind, allowing Kell to guide him til he sat down.

"You two," he motioned for them to sit on either side of him as he sat forward, his elbows resting on his knees. Once they too sat down, he reached over to take Kate's hand. After a long silence, he sighed, "Y'know... y'scare the hell out of me, kitten... Sometimes when I hear about what yer doin'... I'm just waitin' fer Cole t'come to me one day an' tell me an' your Ma tha' y'got yerself killed out fightin' or doing things y'should never do alone..."

For the first time, Kate saw tears brim in her father's eyes. "I thought y'were dead, kitten... when yer brothers said y'were missing an' Cole told me Kell 'ad escaped..." He kissed her hand, holding it between both his own. "Yer Ma and I searched for ya without sleep fer days, even went as far as callin' a temporary truce with th' Erygonians t'ask them if they'd found th'body of a young lass with red hair... I thought yer brothers an' sister'd never recover, an' your Ma made 'erself sick with worry. She nearly fainted when we got yer letter... I almost did too. I was already gettin' ready t'come 'ere when yer rider came t'get me. It took me th'whole trip t'decide I wasn' goin' t'lose my mind when I saw ya."

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate listened to her father talk about her family and their reaction to her running away. She hadn't meant to make anyone worry, especially not her mother and father. She squeezed his hand tightly, leaning her head in to press tightly against his cheek as he spoke.

"I'm sorry, Da." She said softly. "But if I had told you what I was going to do, then you would have said no."

 

[KieranSoares]

"An' if I'd said no, you'd 'ave done it anyway. But at least then, I'd know y'were alive an' where you'd gone, love... Dammit, yer too much like me..." He wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her forehead before turning toward Kell. "An' you... I ain' ever trusted anyone else t'protect my little girl but myself. But from what I've 'eard... you've done a fine job keepin' 'er safe."

"About your nephew, sir, I-"

"That's not your fault. An' in all honesty... If it was one o' the two of them, I'd rather Gabriel get hurt. Kate's strong, but she doesn' 'ave th'physical constitution like Gabriel t'stand up to somethin' like that... So... thank you," Brogan extended a hand and the two shook. In that moment, Brogan had let go of any belief that Kell was like the man who'd killed Cassie.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate held her breath as her father turned to regard Kell. That breath was released in a sudden rush as the two came to an understanding. She hugged her father tighter, soaking in this moment with him.

"Da, I said some awful things to Ma before I left." She said softly. "But I know now that this wasn't her fault. None of this was her fault."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I knew that ye'd work it out with a little time, love... she was worried from th'moment she knew she was havin' you. An' she knew y'weren't mine from the beginning. But I told her every time she had any doubts that I'd love any child she 'ad, mine or not. An' she and I loved you from th'second we were expecting you. You're a Ghis, Kate, because yer mother is a Ghis. She fit right into th'family as soon as I brought 'er home from Chester, even if it took stubborn ol' me a while t'let myself love her. Bein' my daughter an' bein' a Ghis doesn't mean y'had t'be born in that position."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I can't imagine you having a hard time loving Ma." Kate said softly, startled by his confession that it had taken time to open up to her sweet mother.

"Da, I know that I'll always be a Ghis, but I feel like I have so much to give to Wick too." She said softly. "Abel and Cahal have been so welcoming. I want to get to know them more."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Then it won' be long before yer a Dunland too, aye?" he gave her a smile to show his support. "If you can work things out with them, love, y'know Inverness'd be happy t'ally with them. I'm trustin' this to you. Unless you want my 'elp, I'll stay out of it." Though he'd always trusted her, he'd never stayed out of something so huge and important and left it to her alone. But if she needed him, he would aid her. "Keep yer wolf close. You'll need 'im even when this is over... In fact, bring 'im back with you if he'd like."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I would like Kell to stay with us." Kate said, looking across at her new friend with a smile that told him that she knew the outcome all along. "But I want you to work with me, Da. You know that I can't do this without you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"You can," Brogan smiled. "Ye've never had as much faith in yerself as I've had in you. But if y'want me t'help, I will."

Brogan rose from the bench, "As soon as everythin's settled here an' we get home, remind me t'ground you fer the rest of yer life." He chuckled and headed back down the path toward the keep. Kell couldn't help a smile and looked to Kate, offering his hand to her.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate looked over at Kell and smiled as her father rose and headed back to the keep. She gladly slipped her hand in his, gripping it tightly as they both rose to follow after her Da. She felt comfortable with Kell and trusted him with her life completely.

 

[KieranSoares]

Around noon when Kell and Kate came to lunch with Abel, Cahal, and Brogan, they found Brogan had hit it off well with the two younger men. It was already clear that he was comfortable with them. When the drinks were brought out, however, Kell rose and quietly stopped the servers, telling them to bring unopened bottles and clean glasses. He didn't need to say a word to Kate for her to know he'd smelled poison among the drinks, the most likely being hers or Cahal's. The servers complied and soon returned with the bottles and glasses. Kell inspected them closely and tested the wine and ale after he couldn't smell anything. Deciding it was all alright after a moment, he served the table himself. He would not trust a serving man or woman, tempted with gold, not to poison them.

"Thank you, Kell," Abel told him softly, a huge worry lifted from his shoulders knowing that Kell's wolf senses were so sharp as to catch such things.

"Mhm." Kell didn't seem to think much of it. He gave Kate a secret smile as he poured her own glass and he disappeared into the kitchen briefly to check over the cooking and foil any other attempts. He returned in minutes, sitting down beside Kate. The food was served and Kell deemed it safe, so Abel finally relaxed. Such things obviously troubled Brogan, that Abel could not trust his own staff, but he said nothing for the moment, letting lunch remain a light-hearted affair.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate returned Kell's smile and actually blushed as she started eating her meal. He was a dear friend even after such a short amount of time and she actually cared for him very deeply. She turned her attentions back to the conversations at hand, listening to her father and learning from him as he easily made friends with the men that use to be his enemy.

 

[KieranSoares]

It was Kelly's sharp senses that kept them safe the rest of that day, but that evening when Kate tried to head to her room, Kell stopped her, catching her hand. "Don't go," he murmured, knowing danger awaited her if she was alone. That night, Canal was staying at the barracks with his finest guardsmen for safety, so Kell's focus was on Kate alone.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate was surprised as Kell caught her hand and told her not to go to her room. She looked at him with a frown, tilting her head to the side.

"Then where am I suppose to go?" She asked him softly, unsure as to what he had in mind for her that evening.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Follow," he let go her hand and made his way through the keep and out, to the walls surrounding the keep's land and to one of its three towers. He led her up to the top and lit the hearth there. It was two floors- a cozy little study with a fireplace on top, and a kitchen on the bottom. Kell brought her to the study floor and motioned to the narrow bed there. "It's not much... but it's been home for years." But she would notice a small stuffed animal by the pillow that had a collar with the name 'Mary' on it. Kell noticed it too, and took the doll. He said nothing, but Kate could see the heartbreak in his golden eyes. It must have been his sister's. Kate hadn't heard a word about the girl since they'd returned, whether she was alive, dying of her illness, or already dead. Kell was so adept at hiding emotions that there was no telling. Even right then, he quickly schooled his expression and went to the window to sit in the wide sill.

 

[heartofcourage]

"We'll find her, Kell. I promise you that. Alive or dead, it's important to bring her home." She said softly, reaching out to touch Kell's arm gently. "And it's okay to be weak from time to time. Even my Da can't be strong all the time."

 

[KieranSoares]

"There's no point..." Kell muttered. "I know she's gone..." but his hard exterior would not break to sorrow. It wasn't that he wouldn't break, it was that he didn't know how. He had never been taught how to release emotion. It'd always been surpressed, beaten back, until he simply forgot how to have emotions. His sister had helped him keep a few, but it seemed all he retained now was silence to accompany sadness.

 

[heartofcourage]

"You have to keep faith." Kate said softly as she stepped forward and wrapped her arm around Kell's waist, hugging him tightly. "We'll bring her home. Never think otherwise."

 

[KieranSoares]

Kell seemed to freeze when she hugged him, no one had ever done such a thing but his sister. But slowly, he relaxed and she felt his strong but unsure arms wrap around her shoulders. "... Thank you, Kate... I wish I could tell you how much it means to me..." He wasn't really sure what the odd feelings were that she stirred in his chest. He'd never encountered them before.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate didn't have to say anything more as Kell thanked her for what she'd done for him. It wasn't anything less then what she'd done for any other friend in need. After a few moments had passed, she finally let him go and yawned.

"It's been a long day." She said softly, looking over towards his warm and inviting bed. "And tomorrow will be even longer."

 

[KieranSoares]

He motioned her toward the bed, "Sleep. I promise you're safe here." His voice was so soft, it was hard to believe he was the deadly assassin who'd stopped her in the garden not so long ago. He turned his gaze to the window which looked down over the only entrance to his tower. His eagle eyes would surely catch any movement.

 

[heartofcourage]

Annie climbed beneath the sheets of Kell's bed, sighing as she pulled the quilt up over her head. She'd done that since she was a toddler and it was the only way she could get a decent night's sleep. She felt safe in the knowledge that Kell was watching out for her that night.

 

[KieranSoares]

The night passed peacefully for the most part, until just before dawn when Kate felt someone grab her and pull her from the bed and to the floor. "Don't make a sound," she heard Kell whisper. "Get under the bed." He was crouched low with his ears laid back, and he slid to his desk and behind its left side, out of sight of the door. She could hear someone fiddling quietly with the lock until it clicked open. When the door swung open, there was crouched a werecat with odd long fangs that almost made him look like a sabre cat, but he was a panther. He was clad in all black like Kell and his eyes were a cold ice-blue.

"Kell?" The cat whispered. "Kell... if you're here, come out and we don't have to fight... just let me have the girl, brother."

"I'm not your brother if you're here to hurt her," Kell snarled, revealing himself on all fours. His hackles were raised like a wild beast ready to shred a trespasser.

"Hiram's paying me a fortune for this, Kell. I'll split it evenly with you," the mysterious cat offered, and Kell's answer was to bare his fangs viciously. "What the hell's gotten into you? She's just a human. You don't have to protect her, the boy is already good as dead."

"... You... you killed Cahal?" Kell's control began to slip.

"When I left him, he was bleeding out. He won't surv-" But he didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before Kell slammed into him and the last Kate saw was the two tumbling down the spiral stairs with snarls and the sound of ripping cloth and flesh.

 

[heartofcourage]

Kate gasped as she was rudely woken up by Kell pulling her to the floor. She looked up at him with wild eyes, unsure of what was happening as he told her to hide under the bed. She simply nodded and crawled into the snug space, trembling as the door to the room opened and a werecat asked Kell where she was.

She bit her forearm, struggling to control her ragged and scared breathing as the cat reveled that Cahal had been injured. She couldn't let him die, she thought to herself as Kell launched himself at the cat, the sound of their fight traveling down the stairs.

Kate was up quickly, pulling herself out from beneath the bed and hurrying down the stairs, hoping that she would avoid the fight and make it to Cahal in time.

 

[KieranSoares]

At the bottom of the stairs, the sounds of fighting had stopped aside from ragged breathing, both werecreatures lying on the floor, both obviously hurt from the fall. When the werecat tried to reach out to grab Kate's foot, Kell quickly snatched him back and the two ripped into each other. "Go Kate!" Kell howled. She knew where the barracks were.

Along her way, there would be more danger. Two mercenaries who had been hired to kill her if the werecat failed had approached the tower, but they were so stunned to see her running by that they nearly tripped over themselves and came after her. Thankfully they possessed short-range crossbows and couldn't get an accurate shot, the bolts falling short or whizzing past Kate wildly. At the barracks, all was scarily quiet, and the floor was red with blood. It was a small barracks for keep guards that contained only twenty men at the moment, the rest being soldiers in a separate barracks. But all twenty were dead, killed in their sleep except for the night watchmen, who had been silently murdered before they could make a sound. In the back lay Cahal in his own makeshift bed, shivering violently. He'd pulled off his shirt and belt, using shreds of his sleeves to make a tourniquet around his leg where he bled heavily from the main artery in his thigh, and he'd used the belt to secure the rest of the shirt as a blood-stemming bandage. He'd also been stabbed in the stomach and was clutching a sheet over it, struggling to hold on until someone came. It seemed the werecat had cruelly left him to die in pain and bloodloss.